Adventure Sworn Voyageur Review (in progress)

Introduction

This is a detailed review and journal log of my experience with the Adventure Sworn (AS) Voyageur. The knife is what I would classify as a Bushcraft/Survival/Trout knife. Difficult to come by, these knives are quite uncommon and unique; as such, there are few, if any, reviews available for this model. I thought, then, that I would write a review of the knife - or more precisely, my experience of the knife as I use it over the course of several months. There will be a concise version at the very end of the review if you do not desire, or do not have the time, to read my perhaps long-winded version. 

In using this knife I will not be batoning rounds of wood. I am an axe user and consider batoning a great skill, but more of a backup for possible survival situations than anything else. That being said, I am still learning knifecraft and am no expert, to say the least. However, I am certain this knife would stand up to abuse, if that is what you are looking for in a knife. There are many people who baton with AS knives, and short reviews are available elsewhere of that technique (just message me if you need help finding such information).

The first thing I tried in testing this knife was to cut down a small sapling to practise my notches for pot hooks. Being a novice/intermediate knifecrafter I thought that the review may be more useful if I share my experiences in honing my skills and trying some new things. While this may not make up for my lack of expert knowledge, it may help people see the technical abilities of the knife and its possibilities beyond my use.

But for now we should go back to the beginning...

First Impressions

Photo credit: Adventure Sworn

Original Specs

Voyageur 566

Steel: O1 high carbon tool steel, 59 RC hardness

Blade Thickness: 1/8

Grind: scandivex

Overall Length: 8-3/4

Cutting Edge Length: 4-1/4

Handle: stabilized snakewood, black canvas micarta liners, brass loveless bolts & tubing

Handle Thickness: 3.5/5

Sheath: rustic brown

Other: heat-treat finish

When I began looking for a new knife what I was interested in was a general purpose woodcraft knife: great for woodworking, prep for camp and homestead cooking, fishing and bird hunting, and the possible endurance of survival. An all-around user with the ability to cut wood really well, while being able to slice up tasty food for the fire. I wanted a knife that would be used daily and built to last for years.

Such demands do not come easy to a knife. No knife is the best at all things - however, I do not want to have a hoard of knives sitting around unused most of the time. I want a couple specialised, single-use knives, and a few knives that can be cared for in the way old-timers, homesteaders, settlers, and tradesmen used their knives. Essentially, a knife that is to be carried for long periods at a time as a single tool, or a tool within a trio along with an axe and a saw.

After researching knives for some time I found the Adventure Sworn Bushcraft Company; they came very well respected, had great reviews of their knives, and all appeared to be genuine works of art. The base model, the Classic, is influenced by the Ray Mears inspired Woodlore, and some of their other knives are influenced by Mors Kochanski's writings on the ideal bushcraft knife. With such a fusion the AS knife-makers seemed to me to have the right background to produce a perfect bushcraft knife. For my needs, at least. The Voyageur and Woodsman are my two preferred models, however they have many more styles intended for a diversity of practical woods applications. To me these models impelled within me the gut instinct that they were exactly what I needed. The form appeared to be just right.

Adventure Sworn are highly regarded knife-makers in the bushcraft community, American-made by a small group of individuals. As such, these knives are difficult to come by as the demand far surpasses their ability to make the knives quickly enough. They use the best of materials and do not let the knives out of the shop unless they are functional works of art. Everyone seems to agree that the finish on the knives is perfect. They sell the knives online in a 'Buy Now' and auction style. Generally, the knives available to buy immediately sell within seconds or minutes.

This is not a problem though, as all of their knives are beautifully made and the specs are within a suitable range. I lucked out and got exactly what I was looking for, a 7/64" or 1/8" blade with dark wooden scales. I would have still been happy to receive one of these knives, even another model than my preferred, in micarta and 9/64" to 5/32". That is their full range. Because of demand I bought the very second I saw the Voyageur was for sale, without reading all of the specs or looking at the photos (there are, however, often previews online to give a general idea of what will be available in their next knife sale).

This seems to be the only problem I can see with the knives, the huge demand which could leave you waiting a bit. But this style of sales, I think, is much preferred to the long waiting lists which often go hand-in-hand with small knife-makers - especially at the top echelons. With custom orders, or a waiting list, the Adventure Sworn knives would likely leave you waiting more than three years. At least with their current sale method you have a weekly or bi-weekly opportunity to win a knife. And there are day-log and weekend-long auctions as well if you want one of their knives immediately.

Luckily, I won a knife fairly quickly and only had to wait for shipping.

Arrival

Once you win a knife the fine folk at AS send your knife out very quickly. They had to ship my knife to Canada after I sent them a money order (there are other payment options), and this took just under two weeks. In the United States, most people who pay online seem to receive their knives within a few days.

The packaging for the knife is the very best, extremely secure. Here are some photos of the packaging and what you receive:

As you can see the knife is packaged very well, so short of disaster the knife will not be damaged. The knife comes very nicely oiled, and along with the certificate of authenticity there is a detailed description of how Adventure Sworn recommend you care for the knife. They are experienced woodsmen and know what is best for their blades.

Some close-up images of the knife and sheath:

Photo credit: Adventure Sworn

Second Impressions