Bark River Knfe and Tool: Hudson Bay
By Mike Sullivan
I received my Hudson Bay Camp Knife this week.
I proceeded to take some pictures of it in pristine condition, treated the awesome Sharpshooter sheath with the Obenauf’s LP, and re-rigged my Baldric.
Today was the first day I carried it a field.
As is my habit, I take my dogs out in the woods daily, usually at dusk and dawn.
On both hikes today the Hudson Bay was in my hand more then in its sheath; I sliced and chopped my way through the wilderness.
Initial impressions – This tool is a chopping machine.
I started out on some small stuff and worked up to 1 ½” to 2” diameter branches and trees; the Hudson Bay breezed through them all.
In the short time it was in use it became clear to me that this is a better chopper then either the Bay de Noc or the Rogue Bowie, and those are both knives I chop with harder then any knives I have ever owned.
The shape of the handle lets it rotate in the hand when chopping, much like the Rogue Bowie, and transfers little shock back to the hand.
Even though the Bay de Noc is longer then the Rogue, its curved blade puts the sweet spot farther back from the tip; in use the sweet spot on these two is about the same relative to the handle.
On the HB the sweet spot is farther forward; this combined with the extra weight (17 ounces compared to 11 or 12 for the other two) gives it the upper hand, though I imagine The Maestro’s edge geometry must be factored into the equation.
And some harder tasks....
Chopping on Bigger Stuff and splitting using a baton.
