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Yes it is, it was just after I finished roughing it out with sandpaper. I like the rough texture on it. I could polish it, but its a user.
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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
3/10/17 UPDATE: And the winnder is... Starter Fixed Blade?? Buck/Gerber/Mora/Other?
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BOSS1
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I'm actually partial to the Coghlan's 6 Function Whistle. Not super high end, easy to find, compact.
http://www.coghlans.com/products/six-function-whistle-0466
One of those lashed to the sheath of a Steel Will Druid 255 is certainly a possibility.
Boss
BOSS1
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Greetings all,
Well, the quest continues. I've looked several more different styles/blades and continue to shop the sales. Everything from the CS Outdoorsman Lite (sees like a good blade for the $$) to the gimmicy Blizetec knife (which, admittedly, for the intended purpose I could do worse).
It seems that in many cases, in this price category, it sure seems like its a series of trade-offs. Nice knife, el-cheapo sheath (CS Outdoorsman), Decent sheath with color and fire starter? But not full tang (Mora).
The more I look, I am thinking I may have to either settle in one or more categories or I may have to put a couple items together (ie aftermarket sheath).
One brand I am looking at more is the Puma line on Amazon (again, remember we're on a budget here). Yes, I know they're foreign assembled, but they are made with German components, namely the stainless steel, they have full tang construction, and handle options (including Micarta). All in all, they seem to be high value knives in the $30 range. But as mentioned above, the one of the weaker points would seem to be the sheaths that normally come with them. The simple leather pouches are OK for what they are, but some of the nylon sheaths are...well, you're getting what you're paying for.
So, I guess part of the fun is the hunt. I'll keep ya posted.
BOSS
Well, the quest continues. I've looked several more different styles/blades and continue to shop the sales. Everything from the CS Outdoorsman Lite (sees like a good blade for the $$) to the gimmicy Blizetec knife (which, admittedly, for the intended purpose I could do worse).
It seems that in many cases, in this price category, it sure seems like its a series of trade-offs. Nice knife, el-cheapo sheath (CS Outdoorsman), Decent sheath with color and fire starter? But not full tang (Mora).
The more I look, I am thinking I may have to either settle in one or more categories or I may have to put a couple items together (ie aftermarket sheath).
One brand I am looking at more is the Puma line on Amazon (again, remember we're on a budget here). Yes, I know they're foreign assembled, but they are made with German components, namely the stainless steel, they have full tang construction, and handle options (including Micarta). All in all, they seem to be high value knives in the $30 range. But as mentioned above, the one of the weaker points would seem to be the sheaths that normally come with them. The simple leather pouches are OK for what they are, but some of the nylon sheaths are...well, you're getting what you're paying for.
So, I guess part of the fun is the hunt. I'll keep ya posted.
BOSS
If you are on a budget and you are amazon.com oriented, why not giving a chance to Ka-Bar Mark1? You have 2 options, with leather handle around $70 and Kraton handle around $50. It has a decent length of blade, it has sharpening choil (something the rest of typical army issued don't have) decent sheaths for both versions, ergonomic handle geometry and flat grind. For me the 5 points are more important than colour and stainless steel - but are not quite for your. You don't have the fire steel, but on kraton version you can modify and attach one if you have some imagination. Same it can be done on leather sheath.
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BOSS1
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Thanks for the suggestion, and for those after such a knife, I'm sure its a good choice.
But it misses the mark on several points for me...stick tang, no lanyard, dark colors, carbon blade, very basic sheath, etc. I'd pick the BG Pro or Gerber Strongarm over this particular KaBar.
BOSS
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Kershaw diskin hunter
Welcome. I kind of knew is not something that fits the bill but $75 comes with a very limited market based on prefferences, unless you check the Steel Will site. They presented on 2017 some nice fix orange blades around the price but I've seen no special sheaths - Roamer series. Check the video posted on here.
BOSS1
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Kershaw diskin hunter
Now that ain't bad...grip looks on the small side, but it definitely is making it on the list.
Boss
I have a Steel Will 265.
The tang is full length but not full width. It has a design similar to the Fallkniven F1 in regards to tang construction.
Nice knife for the money. D2 steel, well built, decent quality, nice leather sheath, and very light weight.
Another option would be a Buck Compadre 104. Made with 5160, nice Dymondwood scales, and decent leather sheath. I have several of them and they work well as a field, bushcraft, woods bumming knife.
The tang is full length but not full width. It has a design similar to the Fallkniven F1 in regards to tang construction.
Nice knife for the money. D2 steel, well built, decent quality, nice leather sheath, and very light weight.
Another option would be a Buck Compadre 104. Made with 5160, nice Dymondwood scales, and decent leather sheath. I have several of them and they work well as a field, bushcraft, woods bumming knife.
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You will be hard pressed to find more value at this price. Sandvick steel takes a mean edge. In addition made in USA.
BOSS1
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The Druid line is on the short list as well, some nice blades there...tho they're not D2.
Schrade offers some high value knives as well...but the nod is going for a straight stainless blade.
Boss
I got my wires crossed somehow on the Druid being D2. Sorry about that. It says right on the knife that it is 9Cr18MoV.
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This! My thoughts exactly. I have always been impressed with Ontario spec plus and military issue, especially for the price.
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If i might add another blade to the mix , i just got a friend if mine set up with the Ontario Air Force survival knife from Walmart for $49 . And its as sturdy as they get , The only thing that i personally didnt really care for is the saw back which actually does great at notching if your skills should reach the need for notching-trap making id assume . We pried wood , bored holes , batoned small wood to fell saplings for dry wood and then quartered it the same way .I'm not survivor man or nothing like that (NOT AN ENDORSEMENT) but its a lot to be said a proper skill set and this knife at the price point is/was impressive . It did everything my more expensive had to have it knife did and some things i probably wouldn't do with mine . Heck Pilots cut their way out of down aircraft with them , that's no small undertaking in its self . with all that said i think ill go grab a couple for a different bags . iI think i sold me on these knives lol .
BOSS1
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Since several of these knives have been mentioned in this thread I thought a photo for comparison sake may help.
From top to bottom: Kershaw Danskin Hunter, Buck Mesa, Buck Selkirk, Steel Will 265, RealSteel Bushcraft, Mora HD
That's really a good photo!
Honestly, any of them would work, and the whole point is for this to be kind of a ' oh well, you lost/broke/whatever knife, so I'm probably wasting time looking any further than a ~$13 Mora...but still, I'd like it to be a little memorable, and hey, if it lasts 10 years, great.
Truth be told, there's a Puma that's caught my attention, just because its a brand I've never owned but have always kind of followed at a distance. There German steel should be decent. Well see. Other wise I may just throw in the towel, get a couple BG Pros and call it a day.
Update: just checked the listing for the Puma and it just about doubled in price :grumpy:may have to reconsider on that one a bit.
Boss
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I think for what you said these knives are going to be used for, for learning knife skills, just cutting basic things, learning camp tasks, simple wood carving, etc - you're overthinking and putting too much emphasis on the full tang requirement.
Get the Bright flourescent colored Mora Light-My-Fire editions, add a $1 whistle, and be done. Even has a lanyard hold and a small lanyard already, 12C27 stainless is good steel, LMF firesteel in the pommel, easy to use for small hands, new knife-users, easy to sharpen, and less than $30 each.
This aligns with my experience exactly.
Most of the so-called "full tang" knives are skeletonized, and should be, to get a bearable balance in the hand.
IME, there's a limit to what you're going to do with batonning a 4"-5" knife anyhow. The art here is to know when you're up against really tough grain or a knot and when to back off. This is regardless of the tang type.
Couple of loose thoughts on the different knives in most recent picture...
That Kershaw would make a fine hunting knife but the handle is much too small for me to deal with in terms of making shavings or feather sticks. I really need a good firm grip. The Mora Companion is unsurpassed in this category, imo.
The Buck Mesa is a good value (as it's larger stable mate, the Reaper) but the grips are short and restrictive. On my Reaper, I had to grind off the lousy hump and dramatically regrind the guard to get a comfortable full hand grip. Also, the finish on the Bucks is rather sharp and I needed to sand the edges of the metal to keep my hands from getting torn up. I prefer a full flat or sabre grind to the hollow grind.
The Buck Selkirk won't even make the cut for me due to the squared off guard, which becomes uncomfortable in pinch hold for draw cuts. Same problem the Opinels create. Unacceptable in a woods fixed blade imo.
The Steel Will looks interesting but I'm not seeing the value add compared to either a Mora Companion or a Kansbol.
