Fallkniven S1

I borrowed the "sheath sample" Fallkniven S1 from JRE Industries on Friday and used it quite a bit over the weekend and will also be putting it to the test when Jake, Laura, and I go camping this coming weekend. Now, if you've read this blog for any amount of time, you know I'm really an F1 kind of guy and the S1 takes essentially the F1 handle and adds a bit of blade length and a bit of blade thickness. The materials are the same (laminated VG10 blade and Thermorun handle) so I know what I can expect from the blade.

I've been carrying the knife in one of JRE's Gundy prototype sheaths since I picked it up and it carries easily being hardly noticeable until I need it. The sheath, despite being rained on and run over, holds the knife very securely and a quick jog into the woods yesterday did nothing to shake the knife loose or even cause a rattle.

The S1 blade shape differs from the F1 with the inclusion of a long swedge giving the appearance more of a bowie knife than the very survival-oriented look of the F1. The two extra finger-widths of blade give me more options when it comes time to split branches but the long swedge means I've got less real estate to bang on with my baton. It still works just fine and the thinner swedge near the tip will throw excellent sparks from a firesteel once I get it squared up a bit more.

The point, again due to the swedge, is much thinner than the F1 but I experienced no edge damage or failure while driving the knife point first into some sticks and twisting to split them for a fire. (What I mean to say, if Dan and Spen are reading, is that I sliced paper, peeled an apple, and then gently washed the blade before putting the knife down for a nap on a feather pillow...)

If the weather clears up a bit today I'll try and snap a few pictures. We were outside last night building a small fire so I could test the edge on the S1 while making feather sticks and splitting down kindling and fuel and the sky turned dark, the temperature dropped 5 degrees or so, and the wind picked up. Rain started to fall and then thunder and lightening came. This morning doesn't look much more cheerful but I figure the sun must come out at some point. I'll be ready.

Thanks for reading,


B