A Custom order Hudson Bay Knife with Tiger Maple

This week I am posting a custom order Hudson Bay Camp
Knife.

This is one of my Swept blade versions with a pattern
and patina aged finish blade.

The handle is tiger maple with brass pins over brass
washers.

The sheath was hand stitched, antiqued and made to wear
high to cross draw the knife.

Thank you
Matt
ML Knives
http://www.mlknives.com

The Hudson Bay Camp Knife Custom with Osage

This is a recently completed Hudson bay camp knife
from my shop.

This camp knife has a high aged pattern and patina
finish blade and is about 8 inches long.

The handle is antiqued Osage orange and you can
see from the photo the sheath was customized as well.

This was made with a pancake style set up for a left
hand draw.  The blade only goes into the sheath
deep enough where the handle ends.

I wish you all a Happy New Year.

Thank you
Matt
ML Knives
http://www.mlknives.com

The Large Knife and Some thoughts On Carry

For some A large knife is something you wouldn't carry in
the woods, only something you would use maybe in your kitchen.

Well...I am going to give some of my thoughts and opinions
on larger knives.

Large knives have been carried for many years, and once you
get used to carrying one or become proficient with one you
may want to consider having, packing or carrying at least
one larger knife that has a bit of heft to it.

If your worried about carrying a large knife because of weight
or just don't want something with say an 8 inch blade or
so weighing you down, there is more than one way to carry
a big blade with almost any kind of sheath.

A simple way is to tuck the knife in its sheath at a semi cant
in the back or front of your belt.  Better yet if you have a high
ride sheath you can angle the knife and cross draw it as well.

Another simple way is to carry a large knife in your pack,
or attached to your pack if you carry one.
For years I have lashed my larger Hudson bay camp knife
to one of my side bags and carried it without an issue.
Still do carry it this way at times.

Camp tools such as a large knife can be handy as well for
helping with making kindling, making stakes for a shelter,
de-limbing larger branches with ease, you can also thump
the blade of you large knife in a stump and use it to debark
a branch or larger sized branches or to make some smaller
sized tinder for fire.

Batoning can be easier with a big knife, if needed and yes
a big knife is great in the kitchen, no doubt about that.

One other thought, a large blade can also be your
best friend when you might come across a last resort
situation.  It will never run out of ammo and if your
large knife has some heft to it can be used more than
one way than blade end.

The Knife below was a recent custom with an antiqued
elk stag handle, 9 inch pattern and patina aged blade.
Pins are brass over brass washers and this has been
set up with an aged hand stitched high ride sheath.

Thank you
Matt
ML Knives
http://www.mlknives.com

Hudson Bay Camp Knife Custom

Recently completed custom work.

This is a variation, customized camp knife, sorta a cross
between a couple designs I have.

A  hand full with an extra large 5 plus inch aged
black walnut handle.  Brass pins over brass washers.

Blade is about 8 and has a nice heft to it.  You can see
by the photo a special initial and date was stamped on
the opposing side of my initial stamps.

A custom hand stitched high ride sheath was wanted
and well suited for a large knife.  Custom ferro rod was
also hand made and can be carried on the sheath.

Below a knife photo in black and white of a blade in the works on top one
of my antique anvils.  One day when time permits I will do a write up and
show a couple pics of this anvil.

Thank you
Matt
ML Knives
http://www.mlknives.com

Long Knife with Stag

I Recently completed a custom order Long
knife with a 10" blade and Stag handle.
I posted a new video to show a closer look
at this knife.

Here is a close up photo of the tooling
and carved line work done on the sheath.

Thank you Matt
ML Knives
http://www.mlknives.com

A Decent Pack Basket..With the Hudson bay Camp Knife

Wandering through the woods, hiking and the like I love bringing

my side bag that you have all seen in my posts and on my website.

Nothing will replace it, as a matter of fact allot of time I wear 2

bags criss cross.

This being said I have been using a pack basket lately and I figured

I would give a shout out to the folks that made one for me and my wife.
(Also know as the Trapper's Basket)

The 2 pack baskets I had made were purchased from Ridgerunner's

Adirondack Pack Baskets. I will post the link to the website at the
end of this.

These baskets are hand woven from reed, not from pounded ash.  They
are decently made and stout enough to handle a trip through the thick back
country.  I have used mine as well as my wife without any trouble at all.

I have mine packed with everything I think I may need for a day (or
longer in the woods).

My pack basket is on the right and is the Medium sized basket 18" tall.  My
Hudson bay camp knife is shown by the basket and should give
you a good idea of the size as the blade is 8" long on my camp knife.
One of my personal knives next to the Hudson has about a 4" blade.

The Basket on the left is my wife's the youth basket 15" tall.  I would say
either sized basket would work well for a full grown man, just depends
on what you want to pack in it and what your needs are.

Both Baskets have cotton webbing straps and are fully adjustable.
These baskets can be ordered natural or stained.  I picked the natural
and I will let nature age it and get all kinds of good patina going on it.

My Hudson Bay Camp knife inside the pack basket should give you a good idea of the opening size

Now for how the pack basket works out in the wild.  I have found that wearing this
pack basket is very comfortable.  The reed kinda forms to your back when you put
it on and get trudging through the thick brush, and I didn't seem to have much of an
issue with this hanging up on thick brush as I thought it might.  These are also very
stout and durable like I mentioned above, don't get me wrong I don't think you could
do a dance on the basket without destroying it, but for what I put it through it seems
to hold up fine.

I also find it very easy to get to things I have packed in the basket, no need to unzip
zippers or fumble around with pockets and if you find something in the woods like a
neat old stone just throw it in the back and your good to go. Also with the weight I
had in it at one point I didn't find this basket breaking down in any way. I would say
I have a good 25 pounds in it or even more.

You might be thinking, that sounds great but what about a down pour?   I have found
a simple answer to this.  Although plastic zip bags aren't traditional, they work good
to store everything that could get damaged or ruined in rain.   Another solution that
I will probably make in the future is a well oiled leather top.

Nothing more needs to be added here.  I just thought a decent made item needed to
be shared.  If you love traditional gear you may want to give a pack basket a try.

Bottom side of the pack basket.

The website for
Ridgerunner's Adirondack Pack Baskets


Thank you

Matt
ML Knives
http://www.mlknives.com

Hudson bay Camp Knife Custom

This knife was a custom order Hudson bay camp knife.

Blade is at around 8 inches with a 5 inch aged black walnut
handle.  Brass pins and brass washers.  

This one was ordered with a tapered or sharpened style
clip. 

Hand stitched Sheath was set up wear high and cross draw.

If you have followed my blog posts long enough you know as well as making
knives, and leather work,  I am also a woods walker, hunter and outdoors man.

For years I have been admiring this tree in one of my hunting spots.  thought
you would all like to see it.



I also didn't get a chance to post any veg garden pics this year.
This picture was taken when things were already growing well
I think it was mid July.   This year all the tomatoes were planted
in buckets.  The year before we had so much rain and water this
idea worked out real well.

 

Thank you

Matt

ML Knives

http://www.mlknives.com

 

Customized Trail Fighter Knife

Posted below is one of my custom order Trail Fighters, recently
completed.

This Trail Fighter knife was ordered with my standard black
dymonwood brass pins and lanyard, pattern and patina aged blade
and the Trail fighter sheath.

The one special request was an untapered swedge/clip.

Thank you

Matt

ML Knives

http://www.mlknives.com/

Custom Camp Butcher Knife

This week I am posting one of my custom order Camp Butcher Knives.

These are very nice stout camp and old school style butcher knives
capable of many cutting and camp chores.

Pictures below show this one with a cleaner 8" blade and aged black
Walnut handle, steel pins over brass washers.  The sheath is darker
brown and hand stitched set up to wear left hand carry.
Spine is 3/16" tang.

You can see this knife as well on my
special order page 3 of my website.

Thank you

Matt

ML Knives

http://www.mlknives.com/

Versatility of a Woods Bag...Also known as the Possible Bag

How many things can a good side bag be used for in the woods?

I carry one every time I enter the woods, either my leather bag

or my ditty, and or a haversack.



my personal bags and knives
to date..top and bottom pics.



Traditionally a possible bag was used for

carrying essentials for a long gun, along

with maybe a folding knife, and some

personals, a fire steel a pinch of tobacco

maybe.

But a bag on your side traditionally made

can also be used to carry many things. 

For example, maybe your survival kit, a

small map, a few of those cereal bars, a

fire kit, some jewt cord, compass, ammo

for your firearm, a small sharpening stone. 

The list goes on and depending on the size

of your bag or bags you would be surprised

the ease of carrying more than one bag.

One of the last hikes  I took I carried 3 bags

 and to me it was easier than carrying a pack.

Don't get me wrong you still can haul allot

more on your back in a canvas pack but if

you can get a good deal into 3 bags.

See the pic below of me with a 3 bag set up and my old walking stick.  My leather

bag is behind me, ditty on the right and haversack on the left.  Bags were packed

pretty even and the weight distributed between the 3 made wearing them criss
cross and one on the back a fairly easy 10 mile hike.

Below is one of my bags from past work.  As all my bags everything is hand worked.

From cutting the leather to stitching them by hand.  This one had a lined linen flap

with some fringing around the edge.  This bag was about 9 1/4" tall

with an inside pocket.

Thank you

Matt

ML Knives

http://www.mlknives.com/

The Big Knife Handling and Carry Options Part 2

The big knife.  Gotta love the larger sized knives they are great for many
tasks.

A handling option for you to consider:  You may do this or have tried this
before.

One thing that can be handy for handling a large knife when no lanyard
hole is sunk into the back end of your handle and you would like the extra
security at the moment is to wrap the handle when needed with cord. 

I attached a video below to show you what I mean.

Also If you have followed my blog now for awhile you know I used to post updates
every year of our Veg Garden.
Here  are some  pictures.

Here is a video of the early stages before any plants..hopefully the
season is good.

Thank you
Matt
ML Knives
http://www.mlknives.com

Hudson Bay Camp Knife with Trade Bead Cross

Originally Posted  on the June 12th, 2011

If you have passed by my blog more than once or my website
you have seen my personal Hudson bay camp knife. If not
I am posting a current picture of it below. It has aged
beautifully and looks as if it has passed through time.
I would also like to mention the trade bead silver cross in
the pictures. This was done for me by a nice gentleman
by the name of Kirk Preti of Good Medicine Beads. It is a
beautiful piece that I will be wearing everyday. The beads
are all original period and the finest I have seen. I will be
using all of his beads on any of the danglers or period pieces
that call for them in the future.
I am posting Kirk’s card below and on my link’s page of my website.

Thank you

Matt
ML Knives
http://www.mlknives.com/

Carry and Camp Knife ML Knives

Originally Posted on the March 22nd, 2009

I had a few minutes this week and with the warmer weather coming to grab one of my personal camp knives and use it for awhile. I have had this knife for years and it goes on most of my hunting, hiking outdoors trips. The knife is my hudson bay camp knife, with a double pinned aged walnut handle. Forged 1095 high carbon. I attached a small video clip link for all of you to enjoy.

Thank you
Matt
ML Knives
http://www.mlknives.com