Bear "Fun", "Jungle" Tools, Ideas and Special / Member Projects

You do not need to change batteries. You can use an exterior battery (like a small car battery) and it will last for many months. Or a solar panel made for the job runs @$20 (iirc) keeps the internal batteries charged.

 

Sounds good in the adds, real life is a bit different. Temps decrease even the best batteries and the solar requires sun shine, seldom found in good trail locations plus the chance for theft and more bucks to spend, solar collectors are a real magnet for thieves, the panels can be seen for several hundred yards, thus the antenna on the camera shown. The camera sends a duplicate to a recording unit that is easier to conceal. Even higher temps above 80 can kill batteries and then of course direct sunlight can raise the camera and the batteries above their operating specs. 130 degrees has been recorded on one of my cameras in the sun.

Trail cameras need to see and not be seen.

Freezing rain over the next few days so I need to make sure the sensors and lens are clear.

Just things the add folks seldom point out.

 

WildGame Innovations SP6V1 Solar Panel, 6-Volt, Mounting

Something like this works. Place it higher in the tree, and feed the charge wires down the tree. They work. Placed above the joint where a branch splits off, they don't even show much. Many hunters use these.

 

Not really a good product for me.

 

Aloha Monkeys,
Doing some testing on one blade from the latest batch...
Manila rope is one of the most consistent ways to test your blades ... it is also very abrasive on an edge
Pretty happy with results on this one... I'll post some pics later...
But wanted to share with guys like @Hanzo and @HK_User
I know boring... but about 100 cuts in the video...
Back later... Thanks for looking...
Take Care and God Bless,

Bear

Adding the pics of the pile at about 300 cuts or so with a pic of the 1/2 rope...
And then because I ran out of the 1/2 at about 800... and it was still cutting... tried it on the last bit of 1/2 and one lay of a 1"... still doing nice clean push cuts in the close up...
I'll pull some 1" manila and see how far this edge will go before she stops cutting

It's a good test... IMHO... if anyone would like some I have a roll will like 700 feet left on it... pay the postage and I'll send you some to test your knife edges too

PS... thanks for stopping by @melbo

 

Yowza! What did you feed that thing?!? Lots of steroids!

 

I see lots of tinder. My crystal ball says the steroided ferro rod will eat some rope.

 

You mean this little thing? I just need to come up with a good striker now

 

Two of the best strikers, imho, are the Corona sharpener and the little striker they sell at goinggear.

 

Aloha Monkeys,

Thought some of you might be interested in the testing I'm still doing on that knife I made... my idea of an ideal bushcraft / outdoor blade... always want to make sure the heat treat and the blade geometry will hold up...

As I said before... she stopped doing the popular paper slicing at about 500 push cuts in the 1/2 single lay manila rope test I do as one of the test for edge holding... and while she was still shaving a few hairs, it was not like when I started and I'm frankly too afraid to use too much pressure on this one against my skin... because she is still grabbing my nail and I frankly don't want a dumb story when I have to go to emergency

Had to run to the hardware store for more rope after I ran out at about 800 cuts... so that's the reason for the different color... quite a pile of tinder there...

Hopefully @melbo @Hanzo @HK_User and other will enjoy this ... or at least find it an amusing way to check your knives... anyone can do it... and compare as it is a relatively good consistent medium... although some rope may be tougher than others... I'd be they are all about the same...

@Hanzo there's a bit at the end where I did a few curls... not as tight as I would have liked but frankly my hands and wrists are killing me and were shaking a bit... but hey... I tried she is still doing some nice shavings in wood... and cutting nicely through the leather.... hasn't completely stopped like a few other knives I've tested....

@HK_User her "Wicked Sister" should perform just as well... your's is the only "Bear" blade out of the state
Anyway... Hope you all enjoy my boring video (well if you're not a knife person all this is probably as exciting as watching grass grow )

Thanks for looking and as always... comments, thoughts, suggestions are always welcome... gotta get better somehow ....

Have a great weekend all!

Take Care and God Bless,

Bear

 

@Bear is a machine. I probably would have stopped at ten cuts and lit a fire and cooked something. Call her done.

 

LOL @Hanzo Nope... I bet you wouldn't... I really bet you wouldn't maybe cook something indeed... but stop short of making sure something with your name behind it is a quality deal????.... Nope... you'd make sure it was a quality deal for your clients... and I know you can't tell me I'm wrong about that ... I know you a little bit... but I know THAT lots about you.... no debate... end of conversation! NOW.... go cook something

Bear

 

Ok, you got me. Didn't need to cook. We had a late game today and I didn't finish eating the after game snacks until around 4:30. Was stuffed since two families brought food instead of the usual one. Just had some popcorn as a night cap. Pau. Full.

 

Morning all,

Until I met BEAR I thought I had owned sharp knives. I have several knives that I enjoy, some from major production makers and some from custom makers. From the latest stainless to carbon to Damascus steels. I'll not be selling any of those anytime soon for most have been with me for years and some have gone on many hunts and others are just good to have at your side in case of SHTF or just daily ranch work.

But now with BEAR's Blade I now have the sharpest blade ever and a good friend to boot.

This new BEAR Knife has started a search for the perfect sheath and extended to sheaths. This is just my way of protecting the knife and anyone who might own this amazing hard, sharp blade in the future. I have been through more than one design change and can only hope component parts arrive soon so I can finish and not change again. I have components and patterns laid out on the work table and drift by many times a day to adjust and decide on what I see and how it feels in the hand.

For now I have settled on two sheaths; an all copper soldered sheath as compact and light weight as I can design, then a super sturdy some what flashy sheath with a combination of materials so strong that it should live well at any one's belt for as long as they live and go through the most turbulent conditions yet imagined or experienced by most people I know.

So; a copper sheath and a combination materials sheath that will have Teflon, Copper, with an inset of Koa veneer and a bit of engraving to honor Bear as well as a TEK LOK and a Sam Browne stud to allow for either under the belt carry or carry on the belt mode.

I can only hope that BEAR will approve of my designs and work.

But for now each time I go out the door,I carry the well made Kydex sheath Bear made for my knife. It is carried in a horizontal belt mode or on an inside jacket pocket for a cross draw style carry. That's BEAR a full service knife maker.

The finger is healing nicely, Thanks BEAR.

Aloha

HK

 

@Bear, very nice fine curls after all those cuts. And you might need the hawiwi for your sore hands.

 

lol @Hanzo.... not as curly and tight as I wanted to show... got a blood blister on my thumb starting and my left palm is tender... gonna wait and resume to see when this stops cutting... yeah hawiwi indeed

 

LOL @HK_User you are too kind with your generous comments about my tools... I am looking forward to seeing your sheath and don't worry... I love anything handmade with thought and care... so I am sure I will love your sheath....

Today was a learning and humbling experience.... the sister to your blade is in my shop and as I have posted about I have been testing her heat treat and edge geometry with 1/2 manila rope...

While she is up to 2104 cuts in the single lays of the 1/2 manila... I wanted to see how another blade I truly respect and recommend to other would do as well... and I had one in my shop... new unused....

So I pulled it out today... took some pics of it brand new... and went to cutting.... A Simple inexpensive but highly recommended by me at least... Mora carbon blade...

Guess what?... 2102 cuts later... I was amazed... even @melbo might find that interesting

So there you go... full disclosure on this test... either there is nothing really special about these blades... as any other blade could do it... or both are pretty good blades ... I'll leave that up to the Monkeys to decide...

I will continue to recommend Mora blades as I believe their are the best bang for your buck and cut like crazy... and I now I know that...

I even got @Hanzo to help... he did some cutting with both blades this afternoon after the 2100 cuts on both... and gave his impressions... very helpful guy that Hanzo... tells it like it is ... and I don't think he pulls his punches when you are asking for honest feedback so you can improve or at least get to the truth...

Hope that helps and someone finds the information helpful and useful... try it... but my wrist and hands are aching... nuff of that for a few days

Hope everyone has a great Week!

Take Care and God Bless,
Bear

 

Mora knives are great. I trust them and use them. In fact, my wife carries the same one as @Bear used in his test.

But Bear's knives are special. What I told him today was that he proved that his knives could stand up to a well known, well respected and very widely used brand of knives. Hurray for Bear.

When I did a small sample size version of his push cut test, using the same sweet spot that he has been using all along, I found Bear's knife to be able to outcut the Mora at that stage in the testing.

Both knives were starting to spread the rope fibers before cutting them. I got ten cuts fully through the half inch with Bear's blade. Three cuts with the Mora and it stopped going all the way through. On the single lay, ten cuts with Bears all the way through. Three again with the Mora before it wouldn't go all the way without me dragging it.

So a slightly heavier and more robust Bear blade at least equaled the thinner slicer. The weight and edge geometry probably helped it go beyond the Mora's abused capability.

The Mora could do more push cuts, but I wouldn't normally exert that kind of force using a knife.

The Bear blade could continue because it was still going all the way through.

Just remember, a sharp knife is a safe knife. I spent about two hours sharpening our knives tonight, including giving the Bear knives a bath, a polish and oil coating. I liken it to purifying before battle.

Monkey helped me for the first 45 minutes.



She prepped my Japanese water stones for me for each knife. Then watching and listening to the sharpening lulled her to bed. Plus I paused to put a warm Hawiwi poultice on her toe. Her big toe got stepped on repeatedly in soccer, so it was bothering her.

Polished the edges of my Bear blades, including the koa Bowie.



Yup, Bear blades rock!!

 

While I love my Mora's, my favorite production bushcraft knife is the Fallkniven F1.

Curls are going from coarser to finer.

 

Then you'd like this one as well.
Kanetsune Knives 247 Encyou Fixed Blade Knife with Round Design Oak Handles