My Condor Kephart

I received the Condor Knife and Tool Kephart for Father's Day.  This knife has ridden on my hip for most days since opening the box.   Four plus months is a fair length of time to give an honest evaluation of the blade.

Kephart by Condor Knife & Tool

Specifications:

• Blade Length:  4 1/2 inches
• Blade Thickness: 3 mm
• Overall Length:  9 inches
• Width: 1 inch
• Grind: Flat
• Steel: 1075 High Carbon Steel
• Hardness: 56 - 58 Rockwell 

     I have a standard that all new Bushcraft Knives are judged against.  It's a rigid scale that shows no mercy.  This measuring stick is the Mora Heavy Duty.  I cherish my Mora Knives,  owning five of my own and given out four others as gifts.  There is no other brand of knives that I have found to match the performance, durability, and overall quality for the price point.   In my opinion,  Mora knives value exceeds the price by several orders of magnitude.   I can't speak for the custom knives that are available,  as I don't own any.   My comparison of the Kephart to Mora HD is just to give some perspective to the reader on my thought process and maybe prejudices.

My favorite Mora HD

Mora HD MG Specifications:

• Blade Length: 4 1/8 inches
• Blade Thickness: 3.2 mm
• Overall Length: 8.8 inches
• Width: just shy of 7/8 inches (my measurement)
• Grind: Scandinavian
• Steel:  High Carbon Steel
• Hardness: 59 -60 Rockwell

The Kephart and the HD are very close to each other by specifications.  However,  that is really where the similarities stop.  

Blade Thickness:

Blade Thickness Comparison

The HD is advertised at 3.2 mm and the Kephart is listed at 3.0mm.  As seen in the photo,  the Mora is slightly thicker and the Kephart tapers from the scales to the tip.  The taper doesn't bother me at all.

Blade Length and Width:

Profile

Ignoring the grind,  the width and length of each blade is very close.   Holding with Mors Kochanski's writings,  the Kephart fits form and size perfectly for bushcrafting.  The above picture also illustrates the major differences in handle, grind, point and proportions in this comparison.

Handle Profile

The handle of the Kephart is actually very ergonomic.  It develops a swell as the scales move towards the hilt of the knife.  Again,  when compared to the HD there is obviously less handle to grip.  I have XL hands and still find the handle comfortable.   

I have one complaint about the handle.   When using for long periods of time,  like making feather sticks,  The handle becomes too "skinny" for comfort.   I don't hot spots,   just hand fatigue.

Kephart Hand Hold

Mora HD Hand Hold

I think this is caused by the location of my first two fingers when holding a knife.  So if I'm going to make a big pile of shavings for fires,   the Kephart probably won't be my choice.   This really isn't a major ding on the Kephart,  I have not found a knife yet that matches the Mora for hand comfort...yet.

Final Thoughts and Opinions:

 I like the Condor Kephart,  a lot!   It feels good in the hand,  good steel,  and classic lines.   You won't find a better knife sheath combination either.   The leather sheath is the same high quality as my previously purchased Condor products.  The spine is squared off enough to throw nice sparks from my fire steel.  I find myself liking the flat grind more and more,  especially after I worked on the edge enough to get a good slicing angle for feathering.   Reasonable batoning would be OK,  but I'm not big on that with a knife this size.   You have to get rid of the factory coating quickly.   This thing kept getting rust spots over night,  until I stripped the blade and soaked it some vinegar.  Not a lick of rust since!

The Condor Knife and Tool Kephart Knife is a great knife and I would not hesitate recommending it to others.

My Wilderness Library

I have an extensive list of publications surrounding the subjects of Bushcraft and Wilderness Survival.  Reading is a passion in our home.  I thought others might like to compare their libraries to my collection. There may be something you haven't read yet.  Please comment, and let me know what else is out there.

• Bushcraft - Kochanski
• How to Stay Alive in the Woods - Angier
• Wild Edible Plants - Brown
• Edible Wild Plants - Peterson's Field Guide
• The Modern Hunter Gatherer - Nester
• Wildwood Wisdom - Jaegar
• Bushcraft - Graves
• Medicinal Plants and Herbs - Peterson's Field Guide
• When All Hell Breaks Loose - Lundin
• Survive - Stroud
• S.A.S. Survival Handbook - Wiseman
• The Ultimate Guess de to Wilderness Living - McPherson
• U.S. Air Force Survival Manual
• Woodcraft - Kreps
• The Book of Camping and Woodcraft - Kephart
• Woodcraft and Camping - Nessmuk

I highly recommend any of the books listed.  They are enjoyable to read and many become excellent references.

The Pocket Cooker

The Pocket Cooker Folding Steel Stove

Review:

Pocket Cooker folded on the included pouch

SPECIFICATIONS:

• 6 1/2" x 3 3/4" x 1 1/8" folded
• 8" x 6" open
• Weighs 2 lbs.
• Fuel: wood, paper, pine cones, bark, or whatever is at hand.
• Cost under $20 delivered

     Compact and folding stove's come highly recommend for Bushcraft packs, Bug Out Bags, and alternate grid down cooking solutions.  These stoves do not use any bottled fuels, though diy alcohol stove's, trangia, and Sterno would work in them.  Mainly, these stoves would burn naturally occurring fuels such as wood, pine cones, bar or dried leaves.

There are several models, brands, and materials available commercially; just do a search on back packing stove's and you will see what I mean.  The D.I.Y. community has a load of ideas on making one from scratch.  Given the prices of Emberlit for example, I needed something more affordable.  Then I came across an advertisement for the Pocket Cooker.

   This stove is not made of some flimsy tin.  We are talking steel, thus the weight of 2 lbs.  It comes coated with a black paint from the factory, I think to protect from rusting during shipping. This paint disappears after the first use.  I thought maybe a coat of grill paint might be needed, but it hasn't rusted yet.  The heated metal evaporates any moisture from the surface and after cooling sufficiently is put back in the pouch.

     How does it work? Like dream!  Open it up and stuff a bunch of twigs and tinder into the top and fire it up.  Additional fuel can be added through a hinged door at one end.  It's that easy.

Stoked and fired up

     Timing a liter of water to boil was right around ten minutes, with plenty of heat and coals to warm hands and maybe even cook a hotdog over it.

Boils 1 Liter in about 10 minutes

The pocket cooker is very efficient burning twigs and small sticks.   The bottom of the stove consists of two perforated hinged plates that allow draft from under the stove.  In essence it becomes a modified rocket stove.

Floor Plates

Once you finish cooking or boiling, the fire quickly reduces itself to ashes.   This is easily knocked out the stove and scattered, leaving practically little evidence of the fire.   This is a big plus for no trace campers or OPSEC conscience folks.

Burning down to ash

The included pouch is made from machine sewn nylon with a sewn on belt loop.  A Velcro strip keeps the flap closed.  While, I haven’t bothered using the belt loop, the pouch is well made and keeps soot from getting over the rest of your gear.  Stored in the pouch, the stove would fit easily in a coat or cargo pocket, glove box or under a car seat.   Given the design, it will easily burn almost any dry combustible fuel scrounged locally from the environment.   An alcohol penny stove will fit inside, if one was so inclined. 

Front of Pouch

Belt Loop

What is the best part of this tough little stove?   The price!   I purchased this stove for less than $20 delivered to my house.  You might want to check out one for yourself, for the price you really can’t be disappointed.  Just remember  not to boil or cook when you first light up,  so the paint has a chance to burn off the metal.

Fire Log: October 30, 2015

Fire Log: October 30, 2015

Today, deciding to blow the cobwebs from my lungs and circulate blood cells,  I took a walk outback to scope for deer and turkey sign.  After coming across several scrapes, one doe and zero turkeys,  I headed down the mountain to my Bushcraft practice sight.  I think it's slick, with a tarp enclosed shelter, a few rustic sycamore log benches and a fire pit.  My practice sight isn't very remote, but it keeps me spirit while practicing woodscraft and survival skills.

Tarp Shelter

There wasn't a surplus of time, so I was limited to a quick brew of tea in my GSI kettle over the Pocket Cooker Stove.  Along the walk I scrounged a handful of dry branches, pine cones, and birch bark for fuel.    I got the fire going with a fire steel and Opinel #8 spine using a length of jute twine to catch the spark.

Collected fuel and folding stove ready to go

Lighting it up!

Just a little over fifteen minutes, had a hot cup of tea ready to go.  Even an hour of dirt time can be valuable.  It is my favorite season with plenty of opportunities to practice skills and maybe learn a couple more.

Till next time....enjoy the Fall.