Outdoor Equipment

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Gene Ingram Modified #30 (LiteBush) Review
Part 1 - Initial Review

Knives are not created equally. Minor variations in edge geometry, blade geometry, weight, handle design and sheath can result in a huge difference for the end user and finding the perfect knife is made all the more difficult for this.

The other day I received a Modified #30 from quality US knifemaker Gene Ingram for long-term assessment. The Gene Ingram package is very different from what I had expected. I had expected a big, heavy, bulky package but what I found was a small, well-made, elegant setup. The combination of the light tanned leather, the brushed steel, the smooth, polished desert ironwood and the stainless steel pins is truly remarkable. The package is rounded off with a leather lanyard and a antler toggle. It's not only a knife, it's a work of art!

Basic information:
Blade length: 94 mm (3.7")
Blade geometry: Sabre grind with secondary bevel
Handle length: 110 mm (4.3")
Overall length: 204 mm (8.0")
Blade thickness: 3 mm (0.1")
Tang: Full
Blade material: D2 tool steel (hardness approximately 61Rc)
Weight: 125 g (4.5oz)
Handle material: Desert ironwood with stainless steel pins
Sheath: Leather with firesteel loop

But what's the modification to this compared to a standard #30? Take a look at the spine ... there, see the filework? There are eighteen small notched expertly cut into the spine near the handle to be used in conjunction with a firesteel to generate a massive amount of sparks or as a thumb grip to aid in carving. I had an impression that I might have found this uncomfortable on the thumb when using the knife but so far I can't say that I've noticed a problem. The notches aren't sharp as such on skin but perform like a hacksaw blade on a firesteel.

My initial impressions of this knife are entirely positive. The overall workmanship of the knife is flawless - all joins are perfect, there are no tooling marks, scratches, sharp edges or roughness anywhere. The edge was shaving sharp straight out of the box and it has retained this edge after light carving and food preparation duties. This is where the thickness and geometry of the blade really comes into its own - during initial tests of the Modified #30 I have found no problems with using it to cut up ingredients. It can easily and effortlessly produce paper-thin slices of apple, potatoes, tomatoes, meat and fish.

The desert ironwood handle seems to withstand immersion in water and is still free from any obvious signs of damage. It also retains a grippy quality when wet, which is vitally important for an outdoor knife since a slippery handle is an accident waiting to happen.

The handle is in fact a real joy to use. The wood has been beautifully designed and sculptured and is a pleasure to use in a variety of grips, perfectly at home in my hand in both forward and reverse grips.

The knife fits perfectly into the formed leather sheath with 40 mm (1.5") of handle left protruding, more than enough to grip the knife and draw it. The sheath also has an integral firesteel loop designed for the large Swedish firesteels.

So far there hasn't been one aspect of the Gene Ingram Modified #30 that I haven't liked and I can't wait to take it out into the field for an in-depth in-use review.

Stay tuned!

For more information in Gene Ingram knifes visit: http://www.gene-ingram.com

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
Last updated: February 9th 2005
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