Lon Humphrey Knives: Bridger - Big Leaf Maple Burl - White Liners - 060636

I have just received mine, so this is preliminary review of what appears to be a very fine knife. It is well named because this is definitely a "mountain man" of a knife. It is not a giant, but certainly not a small knife. There isn't a critter on our continent that this knife will not field dress and then some. Forward of the handle the blade measures 5-1/4" with 4-3/4" of cutting edge, the prominent finger choil taking up the extra space. The handle is 5-1/4" and the extra length makes for very good control. Choking up on the blade with the finger notch makes fine control even more available. My Bridger has the Maple Burl handle panels and they are beautiful. The white liners are not really white, but a kind of 'honeycombed' grey. Attractive, but not really bright white. The forging marks are attractive but add nothing to the function of the knife. These marks appear to have been filled with a darkening material as some of it comes off when you wipe the blade. The polish on the full tang from the knife tip down to the heel of the handle and then back to the front of the finger notch is impeccable: beautifully done and very bright. The sheath is very sturdy and well made. It looks good and is very appropriate to the knife. It will accept a 2-1/4" belt. It's really a beautiful sheath, but I don't like it. It hangs straight, and since I like to wear a knife on my left side with a slight forward tilt for a 'cross-draw' this sheath will not work very well— for me anyway. Also, in less than a day's wear the sheath has worn a dull, matte-finished spot on this beautiful panel. Even some Renaissance wax failed to bring the finish back. This dull spot is almost exactly halfway between the pins. I imagine it will spread with more use in this sheath. Overall I am very impressed with this knife and can't wait to work with it this coming season. It might be a bit of overkill for whitetails but it will definitely do the job. It's impossible to think that any colleague of Jim Bridger would not have coveted this beauty. (I would have given it five stars except for the sheath, and what it has done to the left-hand handle panel.)