The Walmart Nessmuk Trio

426 Views 13 Replies 5 Participants Last post by ajole, 2 mo ago

greg_r

Discussion Starter · 2 mo ago

George W. Sears was a writer for Forest and Stream magazine in the 1890’s. He wrote under the name Nessmuk. He advocated a trio of tools. A hatchet, a fixed blade, and a folding knife. I thought long and hard about including a Walmart version of the Nessmuk Trio. As my version of the Walmart Nessmuk Trio would add nearly $40 to the cost of the budget survival bag, I decided to go with the cutting tools that came with the packaged deals. But this trio will make a good addition to a survival pack without adding too much to the cost of the pack.

Here is the Ozark Trail 1.25 pound Wooden Handle Hatchet, the Ozark Trail 7" Stainless Steel Pocket Knife, Stag Handle, and the Ozark Trail Pakkawood Handle Fixed Blade Survival Hunting Knife. (Walmart’s names, not mine). I have been using this trio for several years now. They have not let me down yet. A person could do worse.

Wood Hand tool Tool Utility knife Hunting knife

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ajole

· #2 · 2 mo ago

I think I could do it for less money, but it would have a fiberglass handle on the hatchet. $11 for that one, by “ Hyper Tough”, vs yours which is now $18. Although…I do appreciate the idea that one could re-haft a broken wooden handle.👍

The Fiskars/Gerber type always bothered me due to the nylon from the handle wrapping around the head, that feature WILL get in the way of certain uses.
That said, the 2 hatchets in my truck are a Fiskars knockoff with a saw in the handle, and an Edward Tools $16 on Amazon unit, which I bought when I thought the other was lost…a grandkid had helpfully put it in a bin with the dive gear!🙄

The knives would probably be the current versions of, or close to, what you have.👍. Walmart has cheap items that are cheap crap, and cheap items that are decent, and worth spending $10-$20 on.😉. And sometimes the sales are great, my Buck 110 was $22 on a Christmas deal.

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Delbert

· #3 · 2 mo ago

greg_r said:
Here is the Ozark Trail 1.25 pound Wooden Handle Hatchet, the Ozark Trail 7" Stainless Steel Pocket Knife, Stag Handle, and the Ozark Trail Pakkawood Handle Fixed Blade Survival Hunting Knife. (Walmart’s names, not mine). I have been using this trio for several years now. They have not let me down yet. A person could do worse.
View attachment 77866

EDITED:

Got my wife that same plastic stag handle folder. She loves it and for less than $5, it seems to be built well. No looseness when blade out and no side play, but she's not as rough on a knife as I am. One could do a lot worse with the Pakistani knives being sold at outdoor flea markets.

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shubbell

· #4 · 2 mo ago

My WM just got the hatchet. I about picked one up. Still may. The fixed blade I have passed by for years. I am not sure why as I am an impulse buyer when it comes to fixed blades. Something about that one...?

For the Fiskars, I can't imagine the force it would take to beak the handle. They are amazingly strong. Not saying it can't be done though.

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Jim Hayes

· #5 · 2 mo ago

greg_r said:
George W. Sears was a writer for Forest and Stream magazine in the 1890’s. He wrote under the name Nessmuk. He advocated a trio of tools. A hatchet, a fixed blade, and a folding knife. I thought long and hard about including a Walmart version of the Nessmuk Trio. As my version of the Walmart Nessmuk Trio would add nearly $40 to the cost of the budget survival bag, I decided to go with the cutting tools that came with the packaged deals. But this trio will make a good addition to a survival pack without adding too much to the cost of the pack.

Here is the Ozark Trail 1.25 pound Wooden Handle Hatchet, the Ozark Trail 7" Stainless Steel Pocket Knife, Stag Handle, and the Ozark Trail Pakkawood Handle Fixed Blade Survival Hunting Knife. (Walmart’s names, not mine). I have been using this trio for several years now. They have not let me down yet. A person could do worse.
View attachment 77866

Yea I'm ok w/your choice. Check into the steel used on all blades, I'm sure you'll find it's as good as any. You can torture test any blade to death but what idiot does that? Take care of your tools & they will take care of you. I own 2 knives made in China 1 is Sandvik 12c27 the other 440A my cruising axe is 1095 carbon steel all 3 total cost was about $85-90.

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shubbell

· #6 · 2 mo ago

Sticking to the WM budget, thoughts on trading the pocket knife out for the Ozark multi-tool. Hard to recreate pliers in the wilderness...

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greg_r

Discussion Starter · #7 · 2 mo ago

shubbell said:
Sticking to the WM budget, thoughts on trading the pocket knife out for the Ozark multi-tool. Hard to recreate pliers in the wilderness...

I have the Walmart Multiforce. Kind of expensive, but still less than 1/2 the cost of a comparable Leatherman. Still a good deal though. The Leatherman is NOT two times better.

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Jim Hayes

· #8 · 2 mo ago

Made in USA is nice, but the cost does not justify or negate foreign made w/same or comparable materials.

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ajole

· #9 · 2 mo ago (Edited)

I used a fathers day gift card to rationalize buying the Leatherman Free P2.

I hate to say it...but it might almost be worth the $120 (on sale) vs the $40-$50 of the Gerber Suspension NXT.

The steel is better, IMHO. The blade is one hand opening when carried using the clip, while the Gerber requires me to turn the tool over to do it, as does the Ozark Trails MultiForce. The Leatherman blade is longer than the Gerber as well. The blade locks are easier to use on the Leatherman. It just feels better overall.

I still have a place in my heart and on my belt for the Gerber MultiPlier, with the one hand snap open pliers. And I liked the Gerber ArmBar Drive when they were $25 on sale, but for the $40 price with no clip? That's crazy.

But for a pocket clip carry, the Leatherman Free P2 is the one.

Not the budget one, mind you.....

ETA...the Ozark Trail is about the same price as the Gerber NXT, about the same tools, both have a clip, but really....the Ozark Trail looks "better" to me.

And funny thing...on Walmert online, there's a Chinese knock off of the old Gen 2 locking blade Multiplier that is under $20!

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Jim Hayes

· #10 · 2 mo ago

Yea I get it, maybe comparing 2or3 in store would be the best. That's the 1 thing online shopping has robbed us of.

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shubbell

· #11 · 2 mo ago

ajole said:
I used a fathers day gift card to rationalize buying the Leatherman Free P2.

I hate to say it...but it might almost be worth the $120 (on sale) vs the $40-$50 of the Gerber Suspension NXT.

The steel is better, IMHO. The blade is one hand opening when carried using the clip, while the Gerber requires me to turn the tool over to do it, as does the Ozark Trails MultiForce. The Leatherman blade is longer than the Gerber as well. The blade locks are easier to use on the Leatherman. It just feels better overall.

I still have a place in my heart and on my belt for the Gerber MultiPlier, with the one hand snap open pliers. And I liked the Gerber ArmBar Drive when they were $25 on sale, but for the $40 price with no clip? That's crazy.

But for a pocket clip carry, the Leatherman Free P2 is the one.

Not the budget one, mind you.....

ETA...the Ozark Trail is about the same price as the Gerber NXT, about the same tools, both have a clip, but really....the Ozark Trail looks "better" to me.

And funny thing...on Walmert online, there's a Chinese knock off of the old Gen 2 locking blade Multiplier that is under $20!
[/QUOTE

Leatherman will usually win in the quality category. I have broken the cheaper MT's, I have a Gerber Suspension, but it is a little one, not sure model. It is solid. Heavier than the Ozark which is twice the size. The pliers are smoother.
My dad always carried a 3 blade pocket knife and a pair of pliers. That was his EDC. He made it until 92yo and a war vet that had been shot. I am going to say it served him well. I remember him throwing his pliers and striking a badger on the nose. Not sure which one was more fearless? That said the badger ran away.

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shubbell

· #12 · 2 mo ago

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greg_r

Discussion Starter · #13 · 2 mo ago

ajole said:
Gerber requires me to turn the tool over to do it, as does the Ozark Trails MultiForce.

???

The Ozark Trails Multiforce has outward facing tools. I don’t understand having to turn the tool over? It lays flat in the hand and a simple flick of the thumb opens it.

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ajole

· #14 · 2 mo ago

Ok, so the knife is “tip up”, that’s the opposite of the Gerber NXT, and much more logical. I must have looked at it wrong.

But that would still be wrong for me. It looks like you grab your tool differently than I do. I always end up with the clip in my palm, I don’t twist the thing around at all…and when I do flip the Gerber over, it’s still wrong way up.

You can see it’s tip down, on the opposite side from the clip,

Wood Trigger Bumper Gun barrel Composite material

This is how it sits in my hand naturally, clip in my palm, (not so naturally, as I’m trying to manipulate the blade) but you can see how the blade is all wrong.
There IS a way to get it lined up, but that means I have to pull it out, then flip the whole thing 180 top to bottom, while the clip stays in my palm, digging in and catching on my fingers and skin unless I loosen up, meaning I have no control.

But the Free P2 is tip up, opposite the clip, so with the clip in my palm, it’s in the right orientation for easy opening.

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