4 to 5" camp/woods/bush knife recommendation.

Eazy_tom

Eazy_tom

Joined
Jul 15, 2008
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401
I'm looking for a medium sized fixed blade to carry while camping/hiking, something for camp chores and bushcraft stuff, possibly including VERY LIGHT battoning.
Price range up to or a little over $200 big plus if a sheath is included, custom stuff is welcome for sure.
I have been looking at are the Esee 4 and 5, and the Bark River Bravo 1 though I've seen some chipping issues with the bark river (Please don't make this into an argument about BRKT).

So guys what are some other options?
 
As I just now posted on another thread,

Look at the 4-6" leukus by J. Martinni or other good Nordic makers. I've found the leuku profile to be best all around for bush.
 
I've had a few ESEE's and Survive Knives. All four were excellent.
My favorite would be the Survive Knives GSO 4.1 or 5.1, depending on your needs.
You have a choice of various blade-steels, like CPM-20CV, S90v, CPM-3v, to serve you in terms of toughness or edge-holding ability...
 
I've played with a Bravo 1 and didn't think much of it, ESEE's are nice, but the handles on the 4 are kinda blocky. The 5 is too thick for most applications. For around the same price as the Bravo 1, check out a maker here called James Terrio, he makes some very high performance knife, if you wanted to go the custom rout. Another good custom maker on here is Todd Hunt, for a little over 200 you could get his Yuma model.

Another great knife is the Becker BK16, for 200 you could also upgrade the scales, and get a custom sheath.

Good luck! :thumbup:

The Kid
 
mountainmist said:
I've played with a Bravo 1 and didn't think much of it, ESEE's are nice, but the handles on the 4 are kinda blocky. The 5 is too thick for most applications. For around the same price as the Bravo 1, check out a maker here called James Terrio, he makes some very high performance knife, if you wanted to go the custom rout. Another good custom maker on here is Todd Hunt, for a little over 200 you could get his Yuma model.

Another great knife is the Becker BK16, for 200 you could also upgrade the scales, and get a custom sheath.

Good luck! :thumbup:

The Kid
Click to expand...
+1 for the Yuma and James terrio, and along with the bk16 I'd look at the bk10
 
I have cheap tastes I guess. My Mora has been with me in the woods and the boat for years and has held up well. It cuts great and is super easy to sharpen up. Even dulled badly it sharpens up on an arkansas stone in a few passes. I have dressed many deer with it and filleted quite a few fish as well. I have never battoned with it and don't plan on starting, but I have seen plenty of video tests where they hold up to light batoning. Mine is the carbon steel and blood will rust it quickly if not washed off and dried. I have never had a SS Mora, but I hear they are good also, so you could consider that if stain resistance is a concern. I wear the Mora around my neck so its always close. I have three Moras, a 2/0, No 1, and a Companion. The No 1 is my favorite, but the Companion has a nice grip when your hands are covered in deer blood. I would rather have a simple, but reliable knife and spend the leftover money on boots.

I also really want a Fallkniven F1, but so far have resisted the urge to buy one. The cost is 1 reason, but I am also a little nervous about maintaining the convex edge, I have never sharpened one before.
 
I love my Esse-4 (Rat Cutlery, RC-4 is the one I have and I love it-always hated the name change so I would NEVER part with this one)! I also have the Izula as a neck knife. I chose it over the Falkniven F1 but they are all good! I'd skip the Esse-5 as the 4 is more all-around useful. I like the handle just find and have not had any ergonomic type issues despite using it for an hour or more at a stretch (skining, deboning bears or deer etc.). The "Rat", excuse me, "Esse-4" is the ONE knife I ALWAYS bring when I am hunting deep in backcountry!
 
Fallkniven northern lights series has 4,5,6,8 &10 inch blades in vg 10 which is stainless
 
mountainmist said:
ESEE's are nice, but the handles on the 4 are kinda blocky. The 5 is too thick for most applications.
Click to expand...
Another vote for Esee here, I love my 4 but I have to agree about the handles.

Which is why I'm shaping my own :D, they're still in progress but it gets more comfy every time I work on it. :thumbup:
L0160376.jpg
 
I personally would suggest the Swamp Rat Ratmandu, imo there is no better production knife in this price range. The build quality is almost on par with most customs as well.
 
Eazy_tom said:
I'm looking for a medium sized fixed blade to carry while camping/hiking, something for camp chores and bushcraft stuff, possibly including VERY LIGHT battoning.
Price range up to or a little over $200 big plus if a sheath is included, custom stuff is welcome for sure.
I have been looking at are the Esee 4 and 5, and the Bark River Bravo 1 though I've seen some chipping issues with the bark river (Please don't make this into an argument about BRKT).

So guys what are some other options?
Click to expand...

Can you say more about you camping style?

If the issue here is that you want to spend a good chunk of money getting a nice knife in order to have a nice knife, you should follow your own gut on what you like the looks of and ignore the chatter in forums. What you think looks cool is different that what I think looks cool and the knife should make *YOU* happy.

If the issue is to get a decent tool for camping... this really depends on your camping style. My primary backcountry travel tools are (from most important to least important):
1) Leatherman PS4 Squirt (for repairs)
2) Opinel #9 INOX for feather sticks and food prep
3) Silky Boy folding saw
4) Mora Companion HD

If you want to while away hours, point YouTube at Virtuovice's channel and watch his reviews of different knives for hunting and bushcraft. In the end, he likes the Barkrivers but admits that the Companion HD is nearly as good at a fraction of the cost. My only thing to add is that for backcountry travel, it's till too much knife for 90% of the time.

My general backpacking carry:


Outdoor Carry by Pinnah, on Flickr
 
The Becker tweeners are handy too. The esee's have handle options at the knife connection that look pretty good.
 
Advnture Sworn, Koster, If you can wait ~4 years SBT (Skookum Bush Tool).

On the Bushcraft USA forum there is a member with forum handle : Sargent
his bushcraft knives are in high demand.
 
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