Condor Hudson Bay: A Bowie Predecessor?

Giving Condor a look, starting with a classic design. Simple and rustic, but visually appealing. Definitely some roughness in the finish, but solid and feels good in hand.
Links to the knife:
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[@longrider42]

I've had the Hudson Bay knife from Condor for many years. The design is based on a butcher knife. The Hudson Bay Fur Company, made knives similar to what Condor has made. I've never had any problem drawing the knife. It loosens up in time, but not to the point where the knife falls out of the sheath. I've only ever used mine when cutting meat. I've used my Ken Onion Work Sharp to put a wicked 20 degree edge on mine. As for the finish, take some steel wool and smooth it down to the point where you like it. Thats what I did. Its a good knife in the long run. As for chopping and battoning with a knife. I don't do it.

[@sicsempertyrannis4104]

I’d be willing to bet, as this video debuts… he’s got the UnderTaker Bowie in the works. Love primitive edged tools, thanks for doing the Hudson Bay 👍

[@Nick-lm5lz]

Best customer service I ever got was from Condor

[@michaelrizzo5523]

When I told them about the poor heat treatment on their Operator Bowie (

[@Nick-lm5lz]

@@michaelrizzo5523 shit happens

[@jorgefernandez6407]

Great video Mike! And honestly speaking, I know for a fact that I'll like that knife a lot more "AFTER" you've done your magic on it... So Sensei, I "will" stay tuned!!!

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Thanks! Adding that relief cut later improved the feel. Now I just need to figure out how to make it less of a shovel.

[@JamesThomas-gg6il]

Condor makes great machettes and now many very nice knives. Kukri or heavy kukri as they call it is my favorite. I have been looking at the hudson bay just for all around camping use and now im gonna go ahead and get one.

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Let me know what you think. From another sample pending review, I'm getting the sense their QC is inconsistent.

[@oweng.3102]

Good work here. Keep going.

[@onesky8647]

The man, the myth, the legend. I never thought of the Hudson Bay as a potential Bowie knife. It’s too chunky for a butcher’s knife IMHO. But since nobody seems to know for sure, all we have is a whole spectrum of large blade designs. At the time they probably didn’t worry about adhering to specific patterns and made the best of what they had or could afford to fit their needs.

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Definitely a chunky beast. More of a chopper shaped like a butcher knife. Not sure if they modeled it on anything specific. Certainly not an old saw blade butcher knife.

[@geoffgr88]

Perhaps something like the Old Hickory Butchers Knife may be closer to the original?

[@powdermonkey5183]

great video thanks i really like this knife and have wanted one for a while now.I Also really like their Mini hudson bay. If you could do a review on the Esee4 HM that would be really cool.

[@longrider42]

Okay, I've been researching the Sandbar fight. And it is said that the man Bowie killed was "Stabbed" through the heard. There is no way the Hudson Bay knife would be able to stab that deep, due to its point. If your interested, check out this video > kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIm9hHV7apiLrLc He describes the knife Bowie most likely used at the Sandbar Fight.

[@michaelrizzo5523]

I've read a lot of conflicting accounts. I'm assuming the stab that killed Wright was a rising center-of-mass that came up under his ribs. Some accounts describe it as nearly-disemboweling, considering the wound channel of a blade like that. But, yes, I didn't expect the Hudson Bay to be such a shovel. I've been looking at the design of the Edwin Forrest Bowie.

[@longrider42]

I think your right, the Edwin Forrest Bowie. Looks very much like what I have heard described over the years. But with two exceptions. If you look at the pictures of how Jim Bowie is laying on the ground I think a blade 12 inches long might have been to long. I've heard the knife always described as having a 9 to 9.5 inch blade. Also, I think the point would have been, pointier, after all it had to go through a coat, vest, shirt, and possibly an under shirt. We really will never know. As for the Hudson Bay knife, its a butcher knife. Used to cut up game, after its been gutted and skinned. Thats how I've used mine. It does make a pretty decent camp knife. If you do not like the finish. Take some Steel wool and smooth it out, that what I did.. Stay Sharp, stay Safe.

[@ЗвездыБольшойПротуберанец]

11:03 -In old Japanese yakuza movies, you can often see that large chef's knives are used as weapons, and the knife is held in the way you demonstrated - with the cutting edge up, and during the stabbing , the palm of the second hand rests on the pommel area and gives force to the stab and takes on the impact . If I'm not mistaken, this technique is used in tantojutsu. Of course, as you mentioned, this knife is not ideal for stabbing.

[@rtz549]

What is the exact surface treatment they do to the blade? I had a Condor and I thought it was some sort of black paint.

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Definitely not the crappy sprayed-on traction coating on other knives that I hate. This is more like they battered the surface rough and then blackened it with an acid or oxide treatment.

[@kevinAuman1]

Not sure if you have tried one yet or not but i feel you may like the KabAr Becker BK7 or 9 a whole lot more than this one for your intended uses...

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Ah, you probably haven't seen the series where the Beckers make me sad. Great blade steel, but everything else about them frustrates me: grips, sheaths, finish and skyrocketing price.

[@lelandsmith2320]

I had one. First impression the handle was too small and slippery. Second impression was it had no possible use for me. Less potentional for combat or even field use than my Estwing 12 inch hatchet. I have seen pictures of historical knives that I liked better. Maybe somebody could use it as butcher knife for large game. Luckily I sold it before I got around to modifying it.

[@michaelrizzo5523]

I like the feel of the grip since I rebated the base of the blade, but, yeah, it's not confidently secure in hand, and the blade is too thick for fine slicing/carving tasks. Knife-shaped hatchet?

[@skeletorlikespotatoes7846]

Wrong 😅