Hi KG, thanks for your thoughts on this and thanks also to CP for that link to the guy who really knows his stuff on modifying a machete. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Strangely after giving things some serious thought I guess I am in the same school of thought to KG when it comes to modifying my knives. I think that form and function very often follow hand in hand. If it does'nt look right on the knife it probably won't feel or perform right either.

So when doing the modifications this morning I decided to follow what has worked well in the past and try one or two new things of a minor nature.

Firstly with the NMSFNO I started by simply re-profiling the existing edge to give a nice convex edge which is my usual approximate 40 degree primary and 30 degree secondary edge bevelled together to make a nice convex tear drop shape. I have done this so many times now that I don't do the flat grinds first...just go straight to the sander...and this is how it turned out...



The edge was then stropped using the KSF leather paddle HD put me onto with their green compound and is pleasingly razor sharp.

On my NMSFNO the grind from the factory at the tip was a little too steep and slightly dominant on one side...not much but you notice it when sharpening and I wanted to give this knife a very good sharp point without dropping the original spine plunge line so that whilst not central to the grip area for maximum stabbing ability it could none the less easily cope with such tasks.

So I re-profiled the point and added a penetrator tip grind.



This point is now needle sharp and would be very effective if required.

I decided not to go for a spine clip edge. My intention when using this in the field is to use this and my sage RMD as a pair with the smaller RMD being available for food prep and finer tasks. The sage coating is very useful in that it is light enough to show up resin and blood stains to ensure you are aware when the knife needs cleaning before attending to food tasks.

So what I did was to also reprofile the RMD with my usual convex edge and add to it a sharpened clip point at a more obtuse angle for ferro rod use...basically taking the grind for the clip from the existing lines of the knife...and this is how it turned out...





The RMD has had the edge near the choil thinned down a bit more for a very sharp and slightly finer convex edge for delicate work.

With both knives I also ran the grips over a few times with my electric triangular sander to take the rough edges off the grips and they are both much more comfortable in the hand.

Should I need to deal with barbed wire I agree with KG that having a leatherman to hand with wire cutters makes life just that bit easier...and if I must use the knife the NMSFNO convex edge should take task OK on an infrequent basis. Ferro rod wise I can use the NMSFNO forward portion of the finger choil as it tapers to the edge of the knife as a strike point...infact it works very well!

So both of these knives are now ready to go <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />