Swedish Mora knife

I just got back from Smokey Mountains and, true to tradition, I visited Smokey Mountain Knife Works while there, and picked up a few new knives and related goodies.
The knife world is getting downright depressing lately, with more and more old-line makers going to stainless steel, buying their products from China, or disappearing altogether. One of the last US carbon-steel holdouts, Schrade, is produced in China now. Even worse, Camillus has disappeared altogether. Camillus produced carbon steel knives under their own name and under their subsidiary, Becker; as well as supplying blades to Cold Steel (Carbon V) and Case (Chrome Vanadium). The loss is great indeed.
Even many old-line overseas makers are doing the same. Kissing Crane, for example. Previously made in Solingen, the word I hear is that production is moving to China next year. I was only able to find one Kissing Crane series still available in carbon steel; the Brown Mule which is a wood-handle folder of the same pattern as the Case Sodbuster. Even the Brown Mule is now made in Italy, but I bought one anyway because the price is right and at least it's not made in China.
There is one knife-making area of the world yet that doesn't seem to be going down that path, although who knows how long it can last. I am talking about the Scandinavian countries, especially Sweden and Finland. The one I am most familiar with in Finland is J. Marttini, who produces a line of hunting knives as well as the familiar Rapala branded filet knives. Their knives are stainless steel, but they are an excellent stainless steel that makes a far better blade than any US made stainless that I am aware of.
Sweden is even more well regarded for cutting tools than Finland. In fact, Sweden has to be among the top three ranked countries in the world, if not number one, for quality of steel produced. With that in mind, I finally bought my first Swedish Mora knife. I have read several articles over the years extolling their virtues, and I decided now is the time to try one before they, too, fade into history.
The brand name is Frost's. This has nothing whatever to do with Frost Cutlery, that purveyor of Chinese knives. Rather, it is an old-line Swedish family that has been producing blades since... well, here's what their website has to say: "There are more than 300 years experience behind today's modern Frosts knife factory. Knives have been manufactured since the 17th century in and around the town of Mora, Sweden. Erik Frost first started making knives a hundred years ago. He was well known as a skilled knifesmith. Very soon his knives won an enviable reputation and were soon widely acclaimed not only throughout Sweden but also abroad."
Frost's makes knives of three distinct grades of steel: stainless, high carbon and laminated. I have no experience with their stainless steel but I expect that it is very comparable to the Finnish stainless knives I own. Given their low cost, I probably will buy a couple of them, especially since I do intend to order some of their standard carbon steel blades, which I have read lots of good things about. The third grade, their laminated steel, is their premium grade; and that is what I bought. Here is what the website has to say about the laminated steel: "The Frosts Traditional "Mora Series" Knife is a classic - recognized the world over for its strength, durability and craftsmanship. This is a very popular survival and outdoor knife. The S1 is has a 4 inch (99 mm) blade length and 8 inch (200 mm) overall length. The laminated steel blade is a Frosts exclusive. It is unique in that the core of the blade is made from high carbon steel surrounded by a softer alloyed steel layer. It is then hardened to a tough HRC 61. The result is a knife blade with superior toughness, cutting edge retention, maximum sharpness and long life.

When comparing knives, please note this knife is THE laminated steel genuine "Mora Knife" - not a cheaper carbon steel blade. Our exclusive laminated steel blade is much harder (yet flexible and break-resistant) and more rust and corrosion resistant than a blade fashioned out of simple carbon."
This is the knife I bought. Believe it or not, it was under $15, yet has the feel of extreme quality. Out of the box, it is razor sharp. It is a simple knife, with a plain, red-stained birch handle and a moulded plastic sheath, but what it lacks in aesthetics it makes up for in sheer quality and usefulness. I plan to buy more, while they are available and cheap.

The .357 Magnum in rifles

There is a large debate in hunting and shooting circles as to the effectivness of the 357 on deer size game. There are many on both sides of the table, but I have come to believe that in a rifle that the 357 is a fine 100yd deer gun. Read more
And here, too

I agree 100% with this. I have had three .357 Magnum rifles, and still have two of them. I have found them to be a near-perfect homestead or woodsloafing rifle, with either jacketed or cast bullets. Bought in bulk, even jacketed bullets are affordable; and a home-cast bullet over surplus pulldown WC820 makes for just about the cheapest reliable deer round you can get.

Ben Lilly: survivor

The great bear must have had some sense of the uniqueness of this approaching enemy. He must have learned something of man to live so long and grow so large feasting on his cattle. Past experience must have taught him he was pretty safe when he made the timber and could relax on the far side of the hill. But he hadn't lost this man in the timber, nor in the hills. For three days the man had hounded him through some of the roughest mountains in Arizona. And three times he had gotten close enough to put a rifle slug into his flank.

As the man and dog, bound together by a strand of rope and a common predatory instinct, struggled toward him through the waist-deep snow, the bear waited. No more running. Now he would fight. The gunshot wounds may have sapped some of his strength, but his rage would overcome that. He lay there in the thick brush, muscles tensed, fangs and claws poised to exact a fierce vengeance. He was 9 feet from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail, and every ounce of his being was tuned to one purpose -- to kill. Read more

Blue crabs

I wasn't able to go this year, but one of the things I like to do during the summer months is go to some secluded area on the seashore, set up camp, and catch, cook and eat blue crabs. Those are good times. I wrote an article about it on another site, and you can click here to read it.

Fair warning

I'd better say a few words about what you won't find here, and what you will. There will be some subjects on this site that will offend some people, and I'm not just talking about the anti-s.
If your idea of a nice Mauser, for example, is an untouched, as-issued 1909 Argentine that is occasionally taken out of its display case to be admired, lovingly caressed and then wiped down before being placed back under lock and key, better stay out. You may indeed find an '09 Argie here, but it will likely as not be missing the handguard and original sights, have a Williams Guide receiver peep sight and brass bead front sight, the barrel may be shortened and recrowned, the stock cut down, perhaps rechambered to .30/06, and it will likely be stoked with cast bullets and carried on the trail.
Likewise, if your idea of hunting is paying big money for the chance to bag a trophy buck with your new $2000 Short-Magnum, and your idea of fishing is racing to your favorite honey-hole in your $30,000 bass boat, let me assure you that you won't like this site. You will consider us to be a bunch of rubes who just don't understand sport.
On the other hand, if you like still-hunting or sitting on stand in your backlot with the old .30/30 so you can bag a doe for meat, or with a .22 in search of squirrels for the pot, you'll feel right at home here. If your idea of a good day at the river is sitting on the bank or floating in your canoe or jonboat while catching a meal of bream, or pulling in a nice catfish on your trotline, or catching turtles or crawfish in a trap, then come right in. You're among friends.
If you find that this site is for you, then join right in the discussion by leaving comments at the bottom of each post.

Blog Introduction

Hello! My name is Tracy, and I just wanted to say a few words about this blog.
If you've ever read Backwoodsman Magazine, you already know what it's about. Life in the backwoods, and the equipment we use. Homestead, camp, or trail.
Guns: More likely a .45 Long Colt single-action revolver than a .40 double action autoloader. More likely an old Winchester Model 94, '98 Mauser or even an H&R single shot than an AR-15; although we'll play with those too.
Knives: Useful is the word. Here, we don't go in for the prevailing attitude that big knife=Rambo wannabe. Small knives are very, very useful and we'll cover those too. But we believe in different knives for different purposes, and there is definitely a place for a large, rugged knife that can be abused in ways that would make a knife snob cringe. That's why every primitive society in history has had a large knife that is unique to their culture.
What else: Axes, tomahawks, woodstoves, wall tents, tipis, log cabins and plywood shacks, canoes and jonboats. We're not period correct here; we take the best of modern technology without giving up the proven goods and techniques of yesteryear.