One guy who inspired me to go wild camping as a kid ... I read a book on him many years ago , and his knife was an awesome design,

That was the best video on this topic i have seen to date!!! Nice job!

Man I love your videos. They are always so informative, full of common sense, and often funny. Great representation of the hatchet. Cheers!

Your father was a smart man. I have made a copy of Nessmucks knife. I put the page you showed on a copy machine and I enlarged the image until the blade was five inches as he specified. I knew that he was known to modify existing gear to suit his idea of perfection. So i looked about at the knives that were available in his time that could be easily modified into that shape. What i found was the Old Hickory Skinner was the exact shape if i trimmed off about an inch of the upswept tip. That knife taught me a few things about what an outdoorsmans knife ought to be. Good steel, not too hard. Easy to sharpen. A drop point for skinning big game. Thin enough to filet a fish, wide enough to eat off of. I learned a few of the old woodsmans tricks too. Everything about the rig taught me something that i would never have learned if i had not re-created and used his knife. Thanks for the video. John Davis jax fl

I just came across your video. Liked it a lot. I have read Nessmuk's book and found it fascinating. I have subscribed and am looking forward to more of your videos. Well done sir!

Interesting; I enjoyed your perspective. Thanks for the video.

i have read a couple books by and about him and what got my attention was that he said that the "old days" were gone.the rivers were trashed by the tanning industry,market hunters,of which he had been one,killed off most of the game and young people had no idea of how to really camp. a very good read about Nessmuk can be found in Christine Jerome's book "an adirondack passage".many of the myths about Sears are brought down to earth.

Very good video on George Sears. I have downloaded some of his books and use them as reference from time to time. Thank you for making more people aware of his work. Keep making the great vids!!

Nice story and it really makes you think how easy it was for them to live with so little and how now you would see a mass fail now !! Thanks for well done video !!

Some venture out into nature with the intent of exploring every remote place. Others venture out almost anyplace in nature with the intent of exploring one's remote inner self. Great video.

Good topic, very interesting and presented well. Thanks and take care.

Thanks for the kind words! I've been a subscriber to your channel for a couple yrs, and enjoy your vids. I look forward to your future vids concerning Nessmuk. BTW I would like to see more of you in Dave's cabin series.

I’m a retired old Lineman and proud to hear you’re in the craft!! Be safe

Very cool! More videos to come in the Cabin Fever series buddy! Think he has a few of me "in the bank" so to speak. Should be releasing them soon. Thanks buddy and again...great video!

Very interesting, nice seeing a video with a back to basics from times past which really aren't too different from today.

It was a lot of fun watching Major running around in these thick woods. Thanks

always enjoy your vids. thanks for sharing.

Thanks! very informative!

Really Enjoyed This...

I’m glad you made this video.

another informative video,sir. - now i know something that i didn't before ... again. thank you (too) for bringing your best friend and salut to Sarge who is at arm's. i guess you know that we love to see the big dogz

My first knife was a little Barlow style by J Russell, a gift from my grandpa. And like yours, my first tail hatchet a Norlund. Thanks for sharing. Greg

Fantastic video sir. In the woods is the place to be.

Great video 😍

Sounds like excellent choices. Thanks

Great video. Thanks a lot and keep it up.

They are a great read! Thanks

As always, great video my friend. I am definitely interested in learning a lot more about Nessmuk. My grandfather was a very well known Wisconsin guide and trapper for which I am eternally proud of. He possessed an incredible amount of outdoor skills that has always piqued my interest. I am sure that in learning more about Nessmuk, it will be taking me to a place that will make me think a lot about my grandfather. Thanks for sharing your great videos my good friend.

Great conversation.

Great post.

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks

It's a good read. I find it interesting to read perspectives from a long past era. Thanks

Sorry for being so ignorant and not subbing you a LOT sooner buddy. Great channel here. Not sure I even knew of you other than seeing your name here and there.......then THIS video caught my full attention!! I have some catching up to do i wreckon. Glad to be aboard anyhow. Take care

Thanks for posting

Interesting video Van! I will check out his books and I must admit that the Airplane thing was funny! LOL!!

I will check that out. Thanks Chuck

I purchased Nessmuk's book recently at a yard sale. Greatest find ever for $2.50. Loved it.

Thanks for the info, I just ordered 2 books. I had never heard of him. Thank you.

★★★★★ Great video Van. Very informative.

I love good reference and non fiction. Appreciate the heads up.

Thanks, I appreciate it

I wonder if you realize just how much I appreciate you, brother

Great video Sir! I am doing a complete series on my channel (Nessmuk inspired) over the next year. I have read his book several times as well as his letters and even found one by his aunt with some good info in it. He was born an hours from me in Mass.....that just feuled my fire for the series. Again....great video

Survival knives are a real thing, but only for true survival situations, primarily by soldiers or airmen, who may need to get by with one tool. It is not intended to be used for bushcraft, but for real survival, which may include killing enemy soldiers quietly. One of my sons loves a double bit hatchet for bushcraft. I prefer a hatchet or tomahawk with a hammer end because I can baton with it. At any rate, he was right about knives. There's an old saying in the north woods. "The bigger the knife, the bigger the fool." Nothing has changed. Today's knives are often not knives at all. They're so thick they're really poor hatchets with bad handles. Whittling was, and still is, easier done with a pocketknife. Far easier. This is why professional carvers and whittlers the world over use a Stockman pocketknife. I can tell anyone this much. Once upon a time, I did quite a bit of guiding hunters, and from a guide's standpoint, when someone came into the woods with a large sheath knife, a blade of more than six inches, I could be almost certain I'd going to have to watch him like a hawk. He was generally a nice fellow, but also dangerous to himself, and to anyone near him. When someone came in with a Kephart or Nessmuk size knife, with a good hatchet, or a well designed tomahawk, and maybe a pocket size saw, I could always trust him I've never met such a person that I had to watch, or had to worry about.

@GunznGear

8 жыл бұрын

I never had such hard and fast rules, however it doesn't take long to guage someones experience level. I have met some folks who have all of the right gear, but it's shiny and new. Their lack of knowledge/experience shows quickly. Thanks for sharing your perspective

I asked my dad once why he only carried a small pocket knife on hunting trips, even if we were hunting elk. He had bigger knives but they stayed home in his drawer. He said they were heavy and he gave me my Ka-Bar and pack saw because I was young and he liked to think he had 4 boys and if each of us had a saw and a large knife he didn't need to carry that weight... He was a smart man.

Very true! Thanks

Haha my little channel is of no consequence, but I enjoy it. Thanks for stopping by, and welcome!

Thank you, I appreciate that.

Thanks buddy, I'm glad you enjoyed it

thanks for sharing !

Great comment! Thanks

I certainly agree concerning the "one tool option" I enjoy stretching the capability and adaptability of cutting tools in order to learn how much I can do with them; but nothing can do it all. Thanks for the sentiment

Nice video I prefer moutains to woods thought because of the feeling of space.I suppose if sears was alive today he would carry a mora and a swiss army knife .Do you alternate dogs for these trips??

Glad you liked it!

I really like that fixed blade knife. Sounds like Nessmuk was an adventurous guy

I'll haveto check out both books mentioned in the video and the one mentioned by MyHollowpoint. I like this you learn something new on these channels.

Outstanding! I hope you enjoy it!

Major enjoyed a nice little nap before we headed out. I hope you enjoy the books, they are a great read

I do enjoy his writings. Thanks

very informative where are those woods?

I have an old Camillus knife or two as well. I have always liked them. Thanks

I appreciate that, thank you

enjoyed as always

Thanks bro!

I have a large book which includes many of Horace Kephart's writings. I hope to start reading it soon. I'm not exactly on board with the double bit hatchet either. I don't see it as a safety concern, but I have gotten quite used to hammering with the poll of a hatchet/hawk.

It's a good read. I've only been to that region once, and that was near the "finger lakes."

Hot dog once again we're similar in our taste, my double bit hatchet is the 2Hawk Double Bit Hatchet, my Nessmuk Knife is the Bark River A-2 Convex Grind and my Pocket Knife is the Case Tested X X 1992 Banana Bone #6223 Trapper, but because if age for my handicap I take along my compact Wicked Tough Saw. since our weather warmed up I'm trying to go lite, I still miss my Rodent 7 with my Rodent 4 since I enjoy batoning wood, but I got to get use to my 2Hawks Double Bit Hatchet for me it's going to take a little time since I'm so use to a large knife to baton with, but everytime I go and practice with a hot cup of coffee on the open fire and now a baked potato, then I scout around and look for fatwood it's getting better, I will say it is a lite carry.

LOL a smart man indeed!! Thanks for sharing that!

Wow, Thanks for such a kind comment!!

I just stumbled across your site. I like your thoughtful approach to things. It is interesting how priorities with fixed blade knives have changed. The traditional knives of our fathers were stacked leather, aluminum pommel knives, usually of 1/8 " or so. Today it seems the makers have gravitated towards full tang knives of 3/16 to 1/4", which makes them very heavy, cumbersome, hard to sharpen and not good all around knives. I think we have become hung up on batoning abilities rather than carrying a capable camp axe. I have some large Bowie and machete type knives I will probably never carry. I bought them for their looks but they are too heavy. Anyway, just wanted to say, I like your vids and subscribed.

@GunznGear

9 жыл бұрын

Thanks for stopping by! I appreciate the sub

Glad you liked it

Great vidio I to have just finished the two books you have their thanks for sharing your thought regards martycuff1 uk

Thanks for watching!

good stuff. as a kid i carryed a big knife for big jobs and a pocket knife for lite stuff and food. because i didnt or wasnt allowed to have a hatchet, mom thought i'd go around chopping on everything. witch i did,with the big blade. i have a diff skill set now, and its very good to look back at things and people of the past.

I go there all the time, I'm in Southern Suffolk about 20 min from the swamp. Seems like we like the same stuff you have a new sub!

@GunznGear

9 жыл бұрын

Outstanding! I live in Norfolk now, and I enter the Dismal swamp from Chesapeake. Thanks neighbor!

@Baasicstuff

9 жыл бұрын

GunznGear I will keep watching your videos, I'm getting back in the swing of things since my back issues. I enter from the Suffolk side, so much life and history in there, love just wondering around.

Nessmuk is an inspiring character to me. Thanks for the kind comment, I really appreciate it

it is great. the bottom line is we both love the woods. people overlook the simple pleasure of being out in the quite by a fire and watching the natural world.

You and I have quite different perspectives, and I think that's great!

Yours is a SPECTACULAR reincarnation of that Nessmuk doodle. I think you nailed it. In my interpretation that implement is intended to function as a portable, lightweight double-bit axe and it should not be considered a hatchet by any means. What you've got there is designed for making log cabins, not campfires. I would suggest that a hatchet requires the tool to be used single-handed and is therefore much heavier in order to create more force with less body movement, and has one surface capable of being used as a splitting wedge or hammer. A hatchet is a light-duty campsite instrument akin to a sharp rock on a stick. Try swinging a hatchet for 4 hours with only one arm as it's intended. Look at your wood pile. Then, go swing an two-handed, double-bit ax that you can put all your momentum into for 4 hours and admire your beginnings of a logging operation. An Ax is a serious tool. A hatchet has a very limited scope of use - I'd rather have a tomahawk or a handsaw - or a tomahawk/smoking-pipe/monocle combination equipped with a folding, locking saw blade - that would be cool. Philosophically, theoretically and in reality I come from the school of thought as your Pop regarding preference to a saw over ax. Id rather motion the action of a buck saw all day than chop wood with an ax However, 90% of what I do is done with a RAT II D2, or Becker Remora that I've necklaced with a tiny flashlight. I LOVE full-tang 4-7" sheath-knives', but I don't ECD a full-tang sheath-knife because I don't need to. Over the years I've owned a dozen good camp/bushcraft knives, never used them, and then got rid of them. However I put my own footdown and called it quits after I acquired 'Pepper' the BK9. What I use is my ECD. My ECD is what I use

Yes, Major is a St. Benard. He was sort of a rescue, and he is a great dog. Our past three dogs have been English Mastiffs, so Major seems little... LOL

Good morning sir! Is your dog a St. Bernard? I firmly believe that they are the best of all dog breeds!

I didn't realize you has a B.H. Nessmuk, I'm between the Blind Horse and the Bark River, your opinion pleaze ?

Interesting. Love the knife. If you like reading you may enjoy a book called "Ishi". He was the last of of his tribe and wandered out of the California hills way back when.

Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

The dismal swamp? I used to drive thru there every day when I was stationed at the Northwest Naval Security Group in Virginia. If it is the same swamp....

@GunznGear

9 жыл бұрын

I'm sure that it is. The Dismal Swamp covers part of Chesapeake and Suffolk and crosses over into NC

I hope you enjoy them as much as I did

Great Video on Sears, Van. I'm of the ilk also that there is no such thing as a One tool option. You need mulitiple tool out in the wilderness to be able to do various Chores, that need to be done to fascilitate sustainability when in the Wilderness. Blessings My Friend. Galen

Nessmuk, the first true UL guy - you hit the nail on it's head there.

That's very kind of you to say

Nessmuk actually wrote about a trip he took in Wisconsin. I'm sure your right about thinking of your Grandfather. I found myself thinking of my Dad and my Uncle Billy while reading about Nessmuk. Thanks

I like bowie knives, and I think some interpretations of the design can be used for other purposes, but I do agree that they excell as a fighting knife.

Wow, That is kind of you to say! Thanks

Good man.

I'm not so sure about the Mora knife. He would have liked the light weight, but he seemed to prefer a sweeping blade typical of a skinning knife. Yes, since I've been married, I like to leave a dog home to protect the family when possible.

I have long been in accord that the 1-tool option was anything more than a marketing technique. After reading Nessmuk, I became more comfortable with my tool selections, which I had come to by experiences. Because I had no "game-cleaning" in my hiking, I wasn't using a belt knife and thought I'd missed something. I prefer a large knife to process wood [personally] but do not argue the historical importance of the axe. Also love my folders. Thanks for an affirming video [and to Nessmuk].

He definetly was a minimalist!

You always have interesting content in your vids van something a little different than always watching shooting vids although i like them too

I think his philosophy was such because the rules were different back then. Very easy to hunt, fish and trap. We have more gadgets and instant food to carry so our knives have shifted roles so to speak. I definitely want to get those books though. Thanks for sharing.

@jamesaritchie2

8 жыл бұрын

It wasn't very easy to hunt, fish, and trap then, either. Birds of various kinds were easy, but everything else was difficult. Many don't even know that we have more deer today than we did when the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. There are thousands of tales of frontiersmen going hungry because they could find nothing to hunt o trap. The only reason our knives have changed roles is KZread incest. Real woodsmen, those who make a life of the wilderness, still use knives exactly as Nessmuk did.

@CommonCentsOutdoorsman

8 жыл бұрын

Ha, I wasn't talking about level of difficulty.

@GunznGear

8 жыл бұрын

I believe the basic role of knives are essentially the same, though we do enjoy the advantage of modern steels, tools and equipment. Even men during the time of Nessmuk had to suppliment food by hunting, fishing, and trapping on long treks. Todays woodsman have a disadvantage to early pioneers of not having pack animals, and because of that, some people task their blades to perform a wider variety of tasks. Thanks

@CommonCentsOutdoorsman

8 жыл бұрын

GunznGear Yeah, I keep telling my wife we need bug out goats lol.

@GunznGear

8 жыл бұрын

Hahaha... maybe I can teach my St Benard and my English Mastiff to carry packs! LOL

I know you love the dogz!! Thanks

I'll pick up the Adirondack chronicles for my husband who is an Adirondack guy. It's unbelievable up there anytime, but we love June