Deadfall Harvesting : Spartan (gavkoo), MT-151 (Mtech) and Hoodlum (Buck)

The Spartan was easily dominant here with a more versatile blade shape and ergonomic, secure and versatile grip.
The MT-151 is very decent considering its price.
The Hoodlum was disappointing :
-low initial sharpness, just hit on a buffer after the initial edge shaping
-the edge collapsed after a small amount of work
-the handle has many square/sharp edges
Discussion thread :
www.cliffstamp.com/knives/foru...

[@gavkoo]

excellent video Cliff. Thank you for your kind work on my work. Im very happy to see that you enjoy the blade and find it useful.

[@AussieMark909]

Great to see a small knife makers products taking it up to the big boys. Thanks for the video Cliff.

[@CliffStamp]

Thanks, no real issues so far. I have the grip all fixed on the Hoodlum and will be comparing it in more detail later as they are similar length/heft but different approach to blade geometry and handle specificity do is interesting to use them side by side.

[@CliffStamp]

Ironically I believe this was one of his first designs for a larger blade, it really works very well and of course he does nice sheath work.

[@CliffStamp]

I have a lot of largish knives some of them more large than others. A few immediate standouts would be - MT-151 (very high value), Spartan by Gavkoo (versatile, efficient), Junglas (solid workhorse), Battle Mistress [original] (power chopper, excellent cutting ability, quality steel - a few ergonomic issues), 18" Ang Khola by HI (very fluid, very powerful, nice heavy wood blade),

[@CliffStamp]

I have used an original Carbon V Trailmaster, they are near identical in construction aside from the steel so they will handle, cut, chop. stab the same. The handle even has the same problems with the CS vs the Mtech in regards to rapid wear of the Kraton and becoming unbonded from the tang.

[@CliffStamp]

The problem is that even mild spotting is a huge issue for many. Just do a quick scan on the Spyderco forum and see the complains from users who buy knives that have even pencil tip size black flecks of oxidization. In use any such knife will quickly develop a patina unless you are pretty obsessive about oil/wax.

[@CliffStamp]

The edges on these knives are very thin and low angle ground so they cut well with low force, it isn't necessary to do heavy swings for limbing, nor is it safe or sensible for over cuts. Yes, you can break off limbs, however they will leave sharp stubs/nobs which makes carrying it not overly pleasant as they will dig into your shoulder and also make moving it along a platform for sawing problematic as they can snag.

[@CliffStamp]

You can no-rotate longer distances you just have to have more control over the handle and release it at a higher point in the arc. With the Kraton moving when I am swinging this it isn't the easiest to control and hence you can see the blade actually goes sideways on the first hit and it upside down on the second.

[@haywoodf]

Informative testing, commentary and impressive review of Michal's knife. Thanks for sharing. Looks like one of the worlds greatest test labs you have in the back yard. Had you thought about trying to cut grass by holding the blade and swinging the Hoodlum's sharp handle?

[@TIENDATIERRAVENTURA]

Why does this video has such a weird angle-frame movement?, is it filmed with a 3D cammera?, or is a lens thing?.

[@johna6291]

Like the video and specific info about the knives. I bet you'd like the Condor eco-parang.

[@CliffStamp]

Yes, however note what I am doing here is harvesting wood which is burnt in a wood stove so the wood is much thicker generally.

[@CliffStamp]

With very inexpensive knives it is not always a safe bet to assume you will get what you see in a video. I don't place a lot of faith in the QC of a $20 knife - however it is after all $20. But yeah, the blade on this is a solid performer. I only keep the kraton wrap on this mainly as a point of comparison in video's to talk about handle influence.

[@CliffStamp]

You can't have the actual recurve chopping in thick wood, it has to be the center hump. If the wood is so large that the recurve starts making contact then the cuts won't complete, the wood won't release and you will have to double hit to make the wood clear. At that point it gets frustrating. However in general, but that time the wood is likely to large to be well cut with a knife anyway, unless it is fairly soft. The critical thing is to get the knife balances so the sweet spot is in the hump.

[@grudge8997]

very good.. like those spartans... according to gavkoos map.. I have the other gav knife in canada.. kind of an elite crowd.. haha.. enjoy your blade.. love mine.. screech rocks..

[@CliffStamp]

That is one of the local models, I may pick it up however I don't tend to prefer sabre grinds in general - low efficiency to weight ratio.

[@CliffStamp]

Yeah, it is pretty hand sensitive as your hand has to hit the lock in the right place and the right depth, and then close with the right pressure.

[@CliffStamp]

I was using it to scrape off some bark for amusement near the end of the grip. It is a bit ridiculous how unfinished they left the handle.

[@CliffStamp]

I have done no-spin at 50 feet with a large blade like this, I am sure you could do longer with more practice. But you need decent control of the handle and a nice smooth release otherwise the blade goes wonky in flight. I find you need a decent heavy blade as well again just to keep control of it in the release.

[@CliffStamp]

I had expected that there could be some issues with sharpening as often underhardened stainless steel can be a bit gummy (depends on why it is softer) but this sharpens very easily and in that way behaves similar to a stainless Mora.

[@CliffStamp]

I rarely use powertools to sharpen, only on very inexpensive blades would I actually apex an edge. It is sharpened using benchstones (2x6 usually), currently I use a hardware coarse/fine and then followup with a 3000/8000 waterstone.

[@Traderjoe]

Everything about Gav's knives is enjoyable to use. He is a natural shaper of ergonomic things. Few people have that gift anymore.

[@CliffStamp]

The Military was I believe designed intentionally for an oversize grip to work even with gloves. Ironically one of the main complaints about it is that it has too much grip for the blade length.

[@CliffStamp]

The steel in the 440 is significantly softer, not so much so that I have had a problem with the edge turning / denting while cutting woods, but I would expect you would sharpen it more frequently than the SK5 version which are likely 3-5 HRC point harder, assuming corrosion isn't an issue.

[@CliffStamp]

Yeah, I like the Paramilitary (original) and love the blade/lock, but the handle has major issues (square clip, index finger notch very small, handle can't be used without the index finger notch, etc. . I like the grip on the Military, but could not get a secure liner lockup even after having it serviced,.it would release in a tight grip.

[@mccullenj]

Besides the sarcastic great pot hanger comment, the side grip was the only positive comment for the hoodlum. I hope buck is paying attention.

[@CliffStamp]

I am usually a bit more neutral, but that is a bit silly to intentionally put a charpy v-notch in a blade right at the point of maximum load in many uses. This really needs more work in finish considering the price point, at a minimum they should ship it with a set of extra hardware, sharpen it properly and round off the handle and securely fit the blade in the sheath (huge rattle, no friction retention).

[@CliffStamp]

The way it pans slowly sometimes? It is supposed to be an anti-shake feature.

[@CliffStamp]

Exactly right.

[@Chumgeyser]

At what point is the wood thick enough that you feel the recurve loses its advantage over a straight edge... if ever.

[@CliffStamp]

Yeah, that is one of the downsides to making a handle very shape specific - it then only fits a very specific size of hand well. Most grips with prominent index finger grips have this problem. Hood became a fan of them since he switched from Busse to Top's years ago and used them on all of his designs since then. I greatly prefer a more versatile grip shape like gav uses.

[@tallswede80]

Nah, corrosion isn't an issue for me. I wish there were more carbon steel knives on the market. I wish I could get an O-1 recon 1, rajah 2 or any of the triad lock folders. If it's stainless, it's not a serious tool in my opinion.

[@tallswede80]

how does a real trailmaster compare with that stainless one.

[@Cotobruce]

Of all the big blades you have tested, what would be your top three choices based on edge geometry, toughness, strength, ergonomics and value? I know this is a hard question, but interested in your view. Thanks! Great vids, excellent education value. value?

[@tallswede80]

Yeah, I understand Mtech blatantly copied it. But I was wondering if you noticed whether the carbon v (or sk5) are that much better, since they are so much more expensive.

[@dennisstrickland5216]

i can see you have done lots of woodwork but i would like to see you get lanyards on those blades. i have dropped some dead mesquite & bodark; sooner or later you will have a total knife slippage [ i know] you will be grateful for the lanyard. dennisstrickland

[@CliffStamp]

+Dennis Strickland Yeah, I don't like hand lashes. I would rather be able to drop a blade than not.

[@dennisstrickland5216]

cliff you know best what works for yourself

[@Colombiano671]

i want to put a full flat grind on my himalayan imports BAS kukri what is the best way to do that?

[@CliffStamp]

That is a LOT of material to remove. Ideally you use power equipment with a coolant. If you do it by hand, depending on the kukri, you might be able to work it with a file, if not, then it is going to take a LONG time with an x-coarse stone.

[@CliffStamp]

Gav? Yeah, it is pretty ridiculous when you think about how long he is making knives and what he is producing now.

[@paulie4x1]

Say Heah Cliff, I wonder if Mike Gavko used some of his style on the Spartan from the Becker BK-4 after he used it in a video he did with it. I find my BK-4 doesn't chop as good as let's say my BK-9 but it's lite and as pairing it with a smaller knife makes a very nice 2Knife combo. In my case I teamed my BK-4 with my BK-5 for a lite set and my BK-5 I find I can do everything with it I can do everything I can do with my BK-7 and it's longer and a little lighter, But I like it more because of the choil. Oh, by the way, I almost didn't buy my Bundok BK-20 because I already had my BK-4 and BK-5, But because Patients is not one of my Virtues, I almost missed out because I was going to wait until they were sold by itself, WoW that would of been disastrous. Only 450 Limited Edition were made and once sold out that's it including that the BK-4 and the BK-5 are discontinued now. I got lucky, Infact, I got mine yesterday on Sunday.

[@CliffStamp]

It is possible, Mike used a lot of knives and clearly talks about influences in his work.

[@paulie4x1]

+Cliff Stamp Thanx, Cliff, Enjoy your 4th of July, Be Safe !!!

[@grudge8997]

newfoundland?

[@MrJustus88]

I don't know if this is a good comparison. You have two mass produced knives which will never out preform a hand made knife. Especially a Gav knife.

[@CliffStamp]

These types of comparisons are not really a "who is better" type piece of work. They mainly are done to explore various aspects of design.

[@Chumgeyser]

You made us watch 14 minutes of review and you only gave us a few seconds of the good stuff lol! When you say you are throwing the MT151 like a dart you mean no spin correct? I'm assuming it isn't stable at about 20 to 25 feet? As always, I love these comparison reviews. They just give me a much better sense of a blades ability as opposed to a review of a single knife. Gav's handle "looks" about perfect. Thanks for confirming what my eyes are telling me.

[@Cotobruce]

Oops...delete "value?".

[@CliffStamp]

It appears to be a deliberate clone of the Trailmaster as it is almost a direct copy down to the fact it has the same handle flaws.

[@BIGEARL240]

damn, i thought all m tech, was crap, it looked like a cs trailmaster at first.

[@xxbryan715xx]

Man that is a very unhealthy forest..... Cluttered floor, very dense tree population, very small trees. It's always a bummer to see forests like that

[@CliffStamp]

A lot of this land was heavily cut for construction 50-100 years ago with no reseeding. The bulk of it is going to be flattened for new construction shortly so no one puts time into managing it. It thus ends up with severely congested overgrowth.

[@janvandenbos7085]

Not much vlogging lately, Its time consuming Your busy with the knives i think, Should be nice Can you make New vlogs, a apreciate that and others to 😊

[@bloodydishtowel]

give the elderly wood?! no thanks... :D bad joke...