pmcimagazine.com
After cutting through everything from paracord to bungee
straps, I decided to see what sort of damage the chopper would
do to a 2x4 board. After securing it into a vise, I went to work
chopping deeply into the pinewood as debris flew everywhere.
After only five short minutes, the blade had chewed through
most of the board with ease. As I ran the blades edge down a
piece of paper, it still retained enough sharpness to slice down
into it. The overall design of the blade and the comfort of the
G10 grips gave me complete control over the large knife even
as I grew tired from the laborious chopping.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, I really enjoyed working with this Dustin Rhodes
creation I simply refer to as “the Chopper”. The no nonsense
design, performance and craftsmanship displayed in this knife
was highly impressive. During these past few months, I have
really enjoyed not only working with the blade but getting to
know the blade maker as well. The depth of knowledge Dustin
has for understanding steel and knowing what designs and
materials match up best with the intended tasks of the tools he
creates is inspiring to say the least.
For those interested in having Dustin create a project in the
style of our test blade, you would first need to contact him via
www.facebook.com/drfwemrknives/ to check availability on
his company’s books. If you are new to the custom blade world,
you must understand, these blades are hand forged and each
unique in their own way. This takes time and as with anything,
the time of a skilled professional equals a price worthy of
that level product. The base model camp knife offered in this
style by Dustin starts at US$650 and can range up to US$850
depending on variant such as this combat camp blade.
I have been very fortunate over the past decade to work
with some amazing bladesmiths around the country and
even throughout Iceland, Nepal and the UK. Based on my
experience, I hold Dustin Rhodes in the highest regard for being
able to produce a robust, quality blade built for hard use in
the harshest of climates. I look forward to seeing where my
36
adventures lead with the “Chopper” in hand. If having
a custom fixed blade knife built for you as well sounds
like you need to represent your warrior status, I highly
recommend making Dustin Rhodes one of the people
you should talk to. Until next issue, keep your skills
honed and your blades sharp!