[Coyote3855]

Does anyone own/use one of these tools? They have been around forever, and I am hankering to add the full-sized leather-handled one to my eclectic collection of sharp/pointy/chopping/cutting things.

http://www.knifecenter.com/knifecenter/woodman/

Coyote3855

[mogunner]

I have one that I have had and used for 4-5 Years. It is a great tool, easy to use and easy to maintain. Sharpening is no problem.

[tellner]

It's a joy to own and use. There's a reason the Signal Corps has been issuing them for so long.

[shrpshn]

And........they are 100% made in the U.S.A. - Boyertown, Penna., since the early 1940s.

And that is the reason the price keeps going up - At least once a year, because of American steel, according to their dealer literature.

That being said - They are still a great "American Made" tool, and deserves support from anyone who can afford one.

[vynx]

I bought one a long time ago when I lived in New Mexico - late 70s or early 80's...at the time it was expensive (for me) around $40 orderred out of some magazine.

It came with a green canvas zipper sheath that didn't last too long but I still have the woodsmans pal hanging on the perboard in my garage.

Sharpens up OK with a file. Now I use it mainly for trimming branches on the Orange tree. That hook was super sharp when I got it and could slice a 2inch branch off clean.

When I first got it it was used for everything, chopping wood, cutting branches you name it. I was in the Air Force so it got used by lots of young guys and we were hard on it.

The only thing I didn't like about it - besides the cheap canvas sheath is the cureve of the wood handle - where it hooks down at the end - I always felt it should not curve as much as it did - I've though about filing it back a little but never got around to it. I wear size large gloves (but my hands seem avg to me) so maybe a smaller hand wouldn't notice it.

Still considerring I've had it amost 30 years it was worth it.

The best thing is the handle doesn't hurt your hand when you chop ... 25 - 30 years ago I bought this because the machetes I used always had the cheap plastic handles that hurt your hand when you chopped.