The Habilis Bushtools have evolved rather quickly since their debut at the 2010 Blade show. The simplicity of the tools has remained the same; however, the materials have changed and they have been augmented by some new features. The new steel is 1095 versus the original 440C, the handle scales are now made of G10, features have been added to the Hand Axe, and the Bushtool sheath now offers multiple carry options.
The Habilis Bushtool is a full featured fixed blade knife designed specifically around some of the common chores and functions common to the bushcraft outdoors philosophy. We’ll take a look at them in detail, but a quick glance shows us a very interesting blade shape that incorporates things like a baton striking surface, a notch for firesteel scraping, and a divot to use the hand as a bearing block for the bow drill method of fire starting.
Deep down in the inner most part of man where life begins, in his marrow, his DNA is imprinted with a wild heart. The heart of a woodsman, the heart of a mid-evil warrior and the heart of a primitive hunter are yearning within man to get out into the wild. To be one with nature, to be the victor, to be the hunter and to prove he is not the prey, the victim or the defeated. The Habilis Bush Tool taps into that inner man. When you hold this knife/tool you are what you were created to be.
The Nessmuk knife is named for George W Sears, who wrote outdoor articles under the American Indian derived name "Nessmuk" in the 1800's Sears deisgned the humpback knife primarily for the slicing and skinning, but as a camp khife as well. Habilis Bushtools Nessmuk (And yes, fans of the knife do affectionatley call it a "Nessy") is a modern rendition of the design, which conbines Sears' original blade style with the Scandi grind popular among bushcrafters