Recommendation? a good beater for camping

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supergnat

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Jun 27, 2015
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Now that the kids are getting old enough, we've started taking day hikes and are talking about some overnight camping trips. Up to now, I've been getting by with my folders, but I've decided that I'm in the market for a medium sized fixed blade to learn how to do basic camping related tasks with.

Let's set the budget at $150.

Thanks!
 
Great suggestions so far.

I'd recommend a Terava Jaakaripuukko with 140mm blade. $58 + shipping with a nice sheath. I camp/hike with a Mora HD as a food prep/backup. $20ish, very light, and very sturdy.

BTW, the Skrama inkynate inkynate suggested is also by Varusteleka Terava.

Do a youtube search on "terava jaakaripuukko". Great bang for the buck knife.

Use the remaining $ for other equipment.
 
BK2 would work well too.

p3686420534-5.jpg
 
For camping(food chore/light carving), I do recommend the following since they are all light weight, easy to carry, perfect balance in hand to use.

BK62--one of the best replica of the real Kephart knife, light weight, full tang, and the original has been "field tested" by true "bushcrafter", Horace Kephart, for many years.

Mora Bushcraft Black--though it's a rat tail tang, but you could easily find proof on youtube how tough this knife or its cousin, Mora robust is. It's even has a fire steel and sharpening stone on the sheath.

Cold steel Master Hunter 3V--it's probably right at the price limit, but 3V steel is great for tough use.
 
Thanks for all the replies!

I've been looking at knives around 9 or 10 inches in total length with a blade length between 4 and 5 inches. I have an aesthetic preference for drop points and spear points, but if a clip point makes more sense for a camping knife, I'm cool with that.

Okay, my list at this point is:
ESEE 4
Ka-bar BK16
Gerber Strongarm
Schrade SCHF42
Mora Garberg

Any knives I should add to that list? Or, perhaps more importantly, any knives on that list that I should take off? YouTube seems to love the Strongarm, but I have a 20+ year ingrained distrust of Gerber to get over. The ESEE 4 seems to be considered the quintessential "do everything well enough to get by" knife but I get the feeling that this applies any quality knife in this size range (like the BK16).

Is there a reason to prefer the BK16 over the ESEE 4 (or vice versa)? Or does it just come down to aesthetic preferences?
 
Moras are great because they're so cheap and feel good in hand. The differences between esee and Becker are pretty small. Similar steel that is coated for corrosion resistance. Biggest difference is the handle and handle geometry. The zytel handles on the Becker are not the most comfortable. Esse while having a stronger handle material also has a fatter handle with some ergo hot spots. The work around for both brands is the aftermarket handles. You can find aftermarket handles for both knives all over.

Also don't forget about the marketplace on here. You can find some great lightly used knives for below your budget.

-EG
 
supergnat said:
Thanks for all the replies!

I've been looking at knives around 9 or 10 inches in total length with a blade length between 4 and 5 inches. I have an aesthetic preference for drop points and spear points, but if a clip point makes more sense for a camping knife, I'm cool with that.

Okay, my list at this point is:
ESEE 4
Ka-bar BK16
Gerber Strongarm
Schrade SCHF42
Mora Garberg

Any knives I should add to that list? Or, perhaps more importantly, any knives on that list that I should take off? YouTube seems to love the Strongarm, but I have a 20+ year ingrained distrust of Gerber to get over. The ESEE 4 seems to be considered the quintessential "do everything well enough to get by" knife but I get the feeling that this applies any quality knife in this size range (like the BK16).

Is there a reason to prefer the BK16 over the ESEE 4 (or vice versa)? Or does it just come down to aesthetic preferences?
Click to expand...

I have the ESEE4, BK16 and Garberg from that list, ESEE 4 has a finger choil to allow the choking up the blade, but it's boardline too small a choil for even my Med-Large size hand(I wear a L for Mechanix glove). I am pretty picky on knife balance, since a well balanced knife always feel lighter and nimble in my hand, even though it could be a bigger knife. To me, both ESEE4 and Garberg has average-poor balance, while BK16 is quite well balanced on the 1st finger. I probably will favor BK16 within that list.

Having said that, I would still recommend BK62 if the 150 budget allows it. All three of them above are heavier than BK62, yet BK62 has a 5 inch blade which is longer than all of them(in case you want to do a little batoning). And again, BK62 has a perfect balance in hand as well.
 
Some really good suggestions for the price range. I don't know what size of knife you have in mind, but from my experience about a 4-5" fixed blade works well. If you get much larger, I generally don't carry it and it becomes a camp knife mostly. The BK-16 (4") is strong and dependable. Most of the Mora's will work and are definitely a low cost option. The ESEE 4 is a good choice too. I generally am not a big ESEE fan, but it's mostly because I have a lot of other knives that fit this category.

I really like the Kabar Becker BK-62 Kephart for an all around woods knife. It is one of my favorites and has spurred me to buying several handmade Kepharts since. But the Becker version when it was released in Nov 2018 was precisely the Kephart I was looking for then. I have no complaints about this knife and recommend it.

I generally don't recommend the Condor Kephart as it requires a lot of edge thinning to function (ie cut) fairly well. But I love the little Condor Compact Kephart (2.5" blade) if you want the strength of a fixed blade but the size of a modest folder. It is a small knife with a three finger handle.

Some of the Buck products would work too.

If you are considering a low cost fixed blade for a young-in, consider the Mora scout knife or a swiss army knife (folder). Kids like to be empowered to cut their own weinie sticks out in the woods. Dad never cut ours; we had to cut our own.
 
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supergnat said:
Thanks for all the replies!

I've been looking at knives around 9 or 10 inches in total length with a blade length between 4 and 5 inches. I have an aesthetic preference for drop points and spear points, but if a clip point makes more sense for a camping knife, I'm cool with that.

Okay, my list at this point is:
ESEE 4
Ka-bar BK16
Gerber Strongarm
Schrade SCHF42
Mora Garberg

Any knives I should add to that list? Or, perhaps more importantly, any knives on that list that I should take off? YouTube seems to love the Strongarm, but I have a 20+ year ingrained distrust of Gerber to get over. The ESEE 4 seems to be considered the quintessential "do everything well enough to get by" knife but I get the feeling that this applies any quality knife in this size range (like the BK16).

Is there a reason to prefer the BK16 over the ESEE 4 (or vice versa)? Or does it just come down to aesthetic preferences?
Click to expand...
The Schrade is something I have. It's a very tough blade and a good place to start.
Mora is a great bang for the buck, too.
Might wanna wait to see what works for you before spending $150
 
supergnat said:
Now that the kids are getting old enough, we've started taking day hikes and are talking about some overnight camping trips. Up to now, I've been getting by with my folders, but I've decided that I'm in the market for a medium sized fixed blade to learn how to do basic camping related tasks with.

Let's set the budget at $150.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Save yourself the dough for some other cool camping gear and just buy a couple Mora Companions. I've been beating on mine for years and they've never let me down.

I did somehow manage to lose my blaze orange one though... figures. The OD Green is safe and sound.

IMG-20200127-101335-951.jpg
 
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