Great concept knife!

The Hooker is better than the Guard and at least as good as the Camp tramp.

I love the hook on the Hooker because it is useful for a top guard ,a bottle opener and to use it as a way to keep it tucked into a belt or sheath.
I had Eric make my Hook sheath with the hook exposed so it could be tucked into a belt and it worked even better than I could of imagined.

I should have taken a photo of the sheathed knife but in this one you can see the cut out in the sheath where the hook is.


One major advantage the Hooker and the Guard have over the Camp Tramp is the recurved blade. It has the advantage of a forward weight for chopping and also the recurve gives a definite advantage with slicing along the edge.
If there was not a definite advantage to this style of blade it would not be Emersons most popular style of folder.

If you look at this photo of an Emerson waved commander with a Hooker you can see how the Commander looks like a Hooker squished into folder size. You can even tell exactly how the wave came about.
You may have to click on it to see it big enough though.

i would go with scrap tramp

"There is some difference in more full blade thickness of the Yard Guard, but most of the difference is probably the thickness of the blades."

No argument here.

The only $.02 i can add is that i love the shape of the Chopweiler handle, with its formidable palm-swell. It's well... Swell. - i can let my grip hang waaay back for really hard swings, and find it almost impossible to drop, or choke up and i seem to be able to hold it with a looser grip, and experience less fatigue than just about any full-tang-with-scales handle i've tried. Awesome ergodynamics (at least for me).
But -- it sure is hard to beat the comfort of that Res-c. I spoze a Res-c handle shaped like the Chopweiler handle would be ideal for me, though that's hardly worth mentioning... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> Oh - almost forgot -- the recurve and thickness of the blade is what makes me turn to my YardHook for chopping tasks over just about any knife in its size-range -- wow what a chopper! The Chopwieler almost brings me over the line between compromising the diversity of a straight edge or one with a slight belly. It's hard to slice potatoes with the YardHook, for instance... Great thread and interesting comparison!!!!

You all have excellent points about characteristics of each knife mentioned. When I hear people say good things about the Hook or Guard, I am glad that I have a Guard. When I hear people say how they like the Chopweilers, I want one of those. Why do these Busse related companies have to make so many good knives!

In my own testing, I found the ratweiler to be a better chopper than any I own in that size (7"-8") blade, including the Yard Guard. I find the micarta handle surprisingly comfortable for my big paws. It's a heavy knife (heavier than the DFLE) but it's compact size makes it handy for carry.

Vic,

I agree that I think the Chopweiler is about as nice a mid-sized 7" - 8" bladed "Chopper" I have come across.

I mentioned this about the Chopweiler on Swamp Rat Chat forum.

I don't think the Chopweiler is quite as versatile as the Camp Tramp. The Camp Tramp is still one of my favorite Camp knives. The Camp Tramp is lighter and more nimble. It is just going to do some things a little better and probably have just a little broader range of uses with it's lighter feel.

On the other hand, the Chopweiler is more of a Brute, probably a little better "Chopper" and is just more "Awesome" to behold.

The concept Scrap-Weiler would most likely be more like a slightly larger Camp Tramp with (IMO <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />) a better blade shape than the Camp Tramp. I personally think the slightly less radiused belly (flatter belly) and pointier tip of the Scrap-Weiler concept offers some field use and camp use advantages over the steeply radiused Camp Tramp. How the Scrap-Weiler concept would handle would have a lot to do with what Dan does with the blade - How thick and what kind of primary grind - partial grind or full height grind.

Of course, this is all assuming that we would be so lucky to get a Scrap-Weiler similar to the concept. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crossfingers.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crossfingers.gif" alt="" />

The Scrap-Weiler concept would feel significantly different from the Chopweiler because of the difference in weight in the handle.

IF:

Yard Guard..............= 7.25” blade; 0.270" thick (Stripped and satin finished); 16.0 ounces
Camp Tramp............= 7.325" blade; 0.236" thick (stripped); 14.5 ounces
Chopweiler - Micarta = 7.5625” blade; 0.239” thick (with coating); 19.1 ounces


And assuming the Scrap-Weiler concept has about an 8" blade, I would hope for the blade to be of thickness and grind that the over-all weight stays pretty close to 15 - 15.5 ounces or so.

Again, I am not sure how I would choose:

0.277" thick with Full Height grind (Or similar)

Vs.

0.24" thick with 5/7ths height grind (Or similar)


???????????????????????????????????????????????????
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />


But, the blade weight and thickness of the Chopweiler is VERY fine with me. The typical weight reduction from full tang micarta to Res-C in similar sized blades is about 4 - 4.5 ounces or so. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />


-----

For a full tang micarta chopper handle, I think the Chopweiler's handle is going to be VERY hard to improve upon with (vs. other full tang micarta options) (IMO). It feels very good in my hands as a heavy duty chopper as well. (I also have pretty large hands. I wear XL gloves, but I wouldn't call my hands either thick or thin.)

But, the Res-C always feels good as well and Res-C is always going to be lighter and have some advantages for carry (IMO) to any comparable sized full tange micarta handled knife. I think the lighter handled Res-C version of a Scrap-Weiler type concept would actually be (like the Camp Tramp, but better) in that it would be more nimble and versatile with a little broader range of use than even the amazing Chopweiler.

The Chopweiler might still have a very slight small percentage advantage in chopping - just simply due to the heavier weight being able to drive more force into chopping blows.
But, there are other advantages to a lighter over-all knife, slightly faster blade speed and more nimble, etc.

Kind of like comparing a DFCG to a DFLE (?????).


I don't know that one would be "better" than the other. They would just be a little different. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />



**** That is why I want both!!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crossfingers.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crossfingers.gif" alt="" />

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KnifeGuy,

Is this your knife:
Yard Guard..............= 7.25” blade; 0.270" thick (Stripped and satin finished)

And if it is, do you have any pictures of it? I have been thinking of stripping the coating off of my Yard Guard and giving it a satin finish if I decide that I don't want to part with it. If you could post any pics of it, that would be great.

Dl,

Yes - that is mine.

For the record, on my Yard Guard, I stripped, satin finished, altered the choil by making it a little deeper and closer in to the handle (radiused the edge/corners a little), and I lowered the thumb ramp and moved the peak forward to accomodate my apparently long thumbs better. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

I have been meaning to post a pic, but have been a little busy lately. I have used my Yard Guard and didn't get any decent pics after satin finishing and prior to using some. So, I wanted to freshen up the finish and get some more pics. I finally got around to cleaning it up Saturday night and some pics yesterday, but just now posting.

I will start a thread showing my stripped SS4 and DMCG as well.

But, here is my Yard Guard.:









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Doug, that is simply stunning!! I am green with envy! Your choil lines are much better than Dan's imho (sorry Dan!) I prefer your deeper line to keep your finger away from the 'corner' of the edge. A LE S7 with that choil would be a great product.. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif" alt="" />

And now the highest praise imaginable... I think that 'custom' Guard may be better than a S6! Ooof, I need a lie down after admitting that..

Please take note of this thread Dan and bring on the ScrapWeiler !!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif" alt="" />

+1 ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Thanks guys. I have to admit, I personally like my Yard Guard more than the S6. But, I am confident I would like the Scrap-Weiler concept even more! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crossfingers.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crossfingers.gif" alt="" />


I think I would likely prefer the Scrap-Weiler Concept's blade to be more along the 0.24" width blade like the Camp Tramp, Ratweiler and Chopweiler.

The Yard Guard's blade is just a little too chunky. The thick and chunky is cool and impressive to hold, but not quite as effective in use IMO. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

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