Page 43 - Blade (January 2019)

SLICING MUSIC
Iliketousetheold-fashioned
paper slice as a quick test of
edge sharpness. Notebook paper
wasthemedium.TheBushtool
sliced the paper quickly and ef-
KNIFE NAME: Wabakimi
fortlessly—scary sharp! I could
MAKER: Helle hear every slice made. Making the

BLADE LENGTH: 3.25” same slicing music, the Wabakimi
w
BLADE STEEL: Triple-laminated wasrazorsharp.AllIdidwasput
pr essure on the blade to make it zip
stainless
ough the paper.
thro
HANDLE: Curly birch Sing
gle-walled cardboard was next.
FITTINGS: Brass rivets Both kn ives cutcleanlybuthadsomedrag
des, which was caused by the short,
OVERALL LENGTH: 7.75” on the blad
steep Scandi grind. The cardboard cuttings were
SHEATH: Leather, pouch style
pushed out of the way each time by the ensuing
MSRP: $199 cut. This is norm al for this type of grind.
ndurance crunch cutting with half-
Now for some en
ed it all up in 50-cut increments for
inch sisal rope. I line
The Bushtool started off crunching
the photographs. Th
Look close at the integral and finished after 25
50 push cuts. The handle felt com-
single guard andyou can see fortable. TheWabak imi followed suit to the tune of 250
wherethe author busted off a crunching cuts. Its handle was the most comfortable,
piece of the birch handle
during the baton test. filling my hand. I ha dtorestsomebeforecontinuing.

BACK to BATON
Rested and refreshed
d,Igrabbed7-inch-longcut-offsof
s to baton the knives, splitting the
a2x8. Theplanwas

The Wabakimi made 250 crunching cuts in the half-inch sisal rope. According to
the author, its handle was more comfortable than the Bushtool’s.

JANUARY 2019 blademag.com 43