All-around fixed blade: Koster Bushmaster vs. BRKT Bravo-1 3V

[cm_bushman]

Hello all, this is my first post on the forum here, though I've lurked for longer than I care to admit.

Though I've always used and collected knives somewhat, it has only been a few years ago that I really got into knife-nuttery. For the past few years, I have used a mini-grip for EDC and general use, and a Case Ka-Bar style knife for camp use and as a general beater. These have always served me well enough to bar any serious thoughts of upgrading, (not to mention my lack of petty cash to dedicate to that particular pursuit).

A few months ago, however, I lost the Case on a canoeing trip and I'm left without a fixed blade to replace it. After a good bit of searching, I've settled on two companies at least, which are BRKT and Koster. I'm looking hardest at the Bravo-1 3V and the Bushmaster, respectively. Both are 3V, which from all my research, gives me the best I could ask for in any knife, and I'm confident both companies produce knives I could pass on if I so chose. The main questions I have then, are real-world comparisons between the two knives, and the designs, as I have specs to guide me. The Bushmaster is my top choice as of now, since it's more knife for the money (~$230 is really an upper limit) and honestly it looks better to me. My only concern is the thickness of the blade, as I'm really looking for a all-round outdoor knife, everything from skinning to whittling to batoning, and think it may be on the thick side. Also, I'm not sure about the availability of the Koster, as I can't find any through the "exclusive" retailer, and I'm not familiar with the general operation of Kosters setup. If anyone knows for sure if or when a list will open for the Bushmaster again, it would really help me out.

Any advice, opinions, comparisons, or just about any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[johnwaynesandw]

Let me start by saying I do not own a Koster knife. I do own a few Barkies including the Bravo I. One to say about the Bravo I is that it has a very thick blade, but it cuts very well due to the convex grind. My Bravo has done everything I have asked it to do and begged for more.

Best advise I can give is to buy which ever feels the best in your hand and looks better to you because either will serve you well for a lifetime.

Best of luck,
John

 

[Street Samurai1978]

I like the bravo. Can't go wrong with BRKT, especially with its guarantee and the free spa service. Koster seems to offer free replacement of broken knives. Like John, I've never handled a Koster. Use the search to find reviews of the Bushmaster. See what the peeps who own them say.

 

[RatDrall]

...the Bravo I. One to say about the Bravo I is that it has a very thick blade, but it cuts very well due to the convex grind. My Bravo has done everything I have asked it to do and begged for more.

My experiences mirror this.

Within a month of using my first Bravo 1, I had bought another as a "pre-need backup".

With a blade thick enough to baton with, that cuts as well as knives a fraction of it's thickness, with a blade that can be kept hair flinging sharp with a sandpaper on a mousepad, the Bravo 1 goes on every hike or camping trip with me and has done everything a knife can do and done it very well.

The only shortcoming is the sheath - the factory supplied leather didn't do it for me, so I made my own:

 

[cm_bushman]

Thanks for all the replies, I'll have to search around for some reviews of the Bushmaster. I've been looking at the Gunny or Bravo-1 for a long time as the knife to beat, they seem to have about everything I could ask for, with no downsides. The Koster is a relatively new development to me.

The convex edge on the Barkie knives is also a factor, as I'm not spectacular at sharpening and the convex edge with a hard-backed piece of leather seems more my speed. How difficult would it be to apply a convex edge to a scandi grind? I hear it's a pain.

Great pics from Rat. I really dig those sheaths, I will look into those no matter the knife I buy in the end, I've had bad experiences with the cheaper leather sheaths I've owned. I don't know if I could make my own, however.

What type of hatchet is that by the way, if you don't mind my asking?

 

[RatDrall]

Great pics from Rat. I really dig those sheaths.

Thanks!

What type of hatchet is that by the way, if you don't mind my asking?

Gransfors bruks Willdlife Hatchet. It came shaving sharp, very surprising for an axe!

ETA:

They're naked!

The GB is really a nice axe. It is stamped with the initials of the dude who forged it, and the fit and finish are perfect.

 

[high desert]

I've owned many fixed blades in the 4-6 inch range looking for the best all around knife. I had a bushmaster I received in a trade and let it go to pay for other knives. I regretted loosing that one. I now have a replacement on it's way. My opinion is the bushmaster has the best fitting handle for me. I have average large hands and know that handle shape would fit most people. The blade is (depending on which version is from .187 to .22 thick) which either is perfect. They will slice fine and yet are robust enough for hard use if needed. I have not owned the bark river and many like it. I prefer the look of the Koster and the blade shape is a perfect multipurpose tool. Dan is supposed to offer some this year or you could place an ad in the knives wanted section and get one.

 

[chiral.grolim]

You might also want to check out the EDC-4 by Guy Seiferd

I own an A2 Bravo-1 that I'll be trying to sell in the near future. I find the stock too thick for a blade so short, the thumb-ramp poorly designed, the handle poorly shaped such that it becomes uncomfortable quickly in use, and the handle is also of such shape and polish that it tends to twist and slip in hand. All that said, it is lighter than one might expect (skeletonized handle), and the edge-geometry is very thin for high slicing performance... though BRKT has caught some flack for overly thin or tempered edges that bend out of alignment in normal use...

You might also consider looking through the Knifemaker's Exchange or contacting a maker (like Koster) to have a custom-knife made to your precise design specifications, since the prices you're looking at for the two you mentioned fit that realm...

 

[MR.GRIMM]

Check out GSO knives, the GSO 5.1 in 3V is about $200.00.

 

[high desert]

I forgot to mention, I avoid knives with thumb ramps also.

 

[cm_bushman]

It's funny you should mention the GSO 5.1, as I stumbled upon it just yesterday while I was looking into the Bushmaster. I would probably consider it over the Barkie, because of the added features (bow drill divot, various finish options), the lower starting price, and the fact it just seems more my taste from the pictures (of course, if I could get any of these in hand, who knows what would happen?). Can you comment on the quality of the kydex sheath?

As far as handles go, I have medium-sized hands, and felt comfortable with the full-size Ka-Bar copy from Case, though I always thought I would prefer a slightly smaller knife overall. I've heard mixed reviews on the Bravo-1 ramp and handle (The Field Version on their site remedies the first, but not the second concern), but I could live with reshaping the handles on any knife if I felt good enough about the overall design. In fact, I'll likely put new stag handles on any of these when the time comes.

You might also consider looking through the Knifemaker's Exchange or contacting a maker (like Koster) to have a custom-knife made to your precise design specifications, since the prices you're looking at for the two you mentioned fit that realm...

Great advice Chiral, I'll lurk there over the next few days and post if nothing more direct comes up. I've always thought of custom knives as out of my reach, something like 2x the prices I'm looking at now. Can you recommend any makers who would/could probably deliver a knife like these at the prices I'm looking at (give or take)? I admit part of the appeal of Koster was the semi-custom and small-time aspects of the operation.

Those Barkies look nice again Rat, and those Gransfors are by all accounts phenomenal. I'll likely move on to a hatchet/machete obsession once my search for my perfect survival fixed-blade is over (or at least held off by my next purchase here). But, that's for another thread.

 

[michaelm466]

I have the A2 version of the Bravo-1 and a Bushmaster in 3V, overall I prefer the Bushmaster a little bit more, although I'm still contemplating getting Bravo-1 in 3V, the Bravo-1.5 just came out as well, same exact knife, with a 5.8 inch blade (in both 3V and S35VN). The Bravo-1 handle is really comfortable, although unless you get the matte finish feels almost a little slick, but the way it fits your hand makes up for it, and i've used it wet in the snow (numbish hands/fingers) and didn't have any problems with it slipping. They're both about the same thickness, but the thickness fits the Bushmaster better since its longer and has a FFG all the way to the top instead of the saber convex of the bravo-1. Both great choices as I'm sure the GSO-5.1 will be as well. If I were to change anything about them I'd want the Bravo-1 to be a full height grind and either 5in or a little thinner at the same length it is, and the Bushmaster to be a slightly wider blade.
One thing I did notice about the B-1 is that its rather difficult to take small pieces out of wood (like fuzz sticks) it likes to take large thick chunks out of wood, which it does well, due to the thick convex edge.

- As for a full custom knife try Big Chris, I bought one of his knives on the exchange (made in 10V) and he works a lot with 3V, as a matter of fact he is finishing up a 3V I designed (with his help) for just a little more than the Koster was and about the same price a 3V Bravo-1 would be (although my design is a 7" blade at .275" thick). I've decided to just have him make 3-4 fixed blades designed and spec'd by me (blade shape, length and steel mostly) that will cover all my bases so that I won't really have a reason to buy another fixed blade. (Big chopper, bushcraft, urban/prybar of a knife, and light drop point hunter/backpacker)

Spine Shot

 

[RatDrall]

I own an A2 Bravo-1 that I'll be trying to sell in the near future.

E-mail sent...

 

[cm_bushman]

Thanks Michael, seeing the Bravo-1 compared to the Bushmaster directly is an eye-opener, as are your observations. I was a little wary of the size of the Bushmaster, but seeing it next to the "smaller" Bravo-1 has put that to rest, as they seem fairly even overall. As I may or may not have said before, I'm fairly new to sharpening, so I think a convex edge may be best saved for a later purchase, though reports of it's performance make me doubt. Then again, making good tinder is one of the top prioroties for a knife like these in my opinion.

Between the Knifemaker's Exchange, BST forums, and now Big Chris, I have a lot to look through now, to make this even harder. As far as production knives I've mentioned go though, I think the Bushmaster is the front-runner, now followed by the Bravo-1.5 due to the extra blade, I can't seem to find as many specs on the GSO 5.1 as the others, can anyone comment on how thick the blade is on it compared to the B-1 or Bushmaster?

Since all of these knives are roughly the same price, size, and steel, and all seem to be top quality, it's looking like this decision will be made more by availability in the next few months when I'll actually be making this purchase, and the quality of the included sheath and other extras, more than anything else.

 

[johnwaynesandw]

Thanks Michael, seeing the Bravo-1 compared to the Bushmaster directly is an eye-opener, as are your observations. I was a little wary of the size of the Bushmaster, but seeing it next to the "smaller" Bravo-1 has put that to rest, as they seem fairly even overall. As I may or may not have said before, I'm fairly new to sharpening, so I think a convex edge may be best saved for a later purchase, though reports of it's performance make me doubt. Then again, making good tinder is one of the top prioroties for a knife like these in my opinion.

QUOTE]

Conves knives are super easy to sharpen. In fact, I think they are easier than the "V" grinds. Do a search and see how easy it is.

 

[chiral.grolim]

...I can't seem to find as many specs on the GSO 5.1 as the others, can anyone comment on how thick the blade is on it compared to the B-1 or Bushmaster?

Since all of these knives are roughly the same price, size, and steel, and all seem to be top quality, it's looking like this decision will be made more by availability in the next few months when I'll actually be making this purchase, and the quality of the included sheath and other extras, more than anything else.

The GSO-5.1 is 3/16" thick, thinner than both the Koster and BRKT. It also has a ~1.5" saber-grind (see comments section of this video: http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=tSYJTloGLj4&page=1), so it will more closely resemble the RMD than either the Koster or BRKT. It's supposed to be available in 3V from Guy's website next week. He's also offering a 4" version in the near future which will more closely resemble the Bravo 1... Kydex sheaths by Kiah can be purchased extra, here's some examples for the 4" knife: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...SURVIVE!-Knives-EDC-4?p=11346778#post11346778

I don't own any of Guy's knives yet. My go-to all-around fixed blades currently are a Swamp Rat Ratmandu & Cattaraugus 225Q. There are definitely a LOT of options around!

 

[cm_bushman]

After a little research, it does seem easy to maintain an edge on a fairly sharp convex, as long as nothing catastrophic happens. Either way, I will get better with time, and know that sharpening won't make a huge difference over the long haul (I'll ruin one as much as the other).

I was also looking at Swamp Rat, specifically a Rodent 4 early on, but with the blade steel not being what I was looking for in terms of wear resistance or corrosion resistance, and the heavily coated blade (after the Ka-bar, I found the coating just make taks a little harder, forcing me to sharpen that much more often), I decided to pass on it. I landed on the Bravo-1 first as a well-known and easily available knife in 3V, then stumbled upon the Koster and GSO recently from posts here. As far as customs go, I know that if I were to spec out a knife to be made exactly to my wishes, I would get so anal by the end that I may as well have made it myself, and I likely wouldn't be a fun customer for any custom maker. It is still intriguing though, and I'll message Big Chris soon if I don't land on something I can't pass up. I'm also always interested in any advice on knifemakers that you guys think can help with knives like these.

The fact that the GSO is thinner stock than the Koster or BRKT is actually good news to me, as I believe knives are generally overly thick these days. Whether it's a just a fad, or there's an overwhelming number of customers demanding 1/4" thick knives, I don't know. 3/16" is pretty close to perfect, as far as I'm concerned (5/32" like the BHK Woodsman Pro seems spot-on). I'm definitely looking more closely at the GSO now because of this, though I'm still trying to dig up some complete specs on it. Things like blade height, handle length, and length of the cutting edge are all very important to me, especially at this price level (I told you, anal).

 

[chiral.grolim]

I was also looking at Swamp Rat, specifically a Rodent 4 early on, but with the blade steel not being what I was looking for in terms of wear resistance or corrosion resistance, and the heavily coated blade (after the Ka-bar, I found the coating just make taks a little harder, forcing me to sharpen that much more often), I decided to pass on it...

The fact that the GSO is thinner stock than the Koster or BRKT is actually good news to me... 3/16" is pretty close to perfect, as far as I'm concerned (5/32" like the BHK Woodsman Pro seems spot-on). I'm definitely looking more closely at the GSO now because of this, though I'm still trying to dig up some complete specs on it. Things like blade height, handle length, and length of the cutting edge are all very important to me, especially at this price level (I told you, anal).

Regarding Swamp Rats SR101 steel, wear resistance is actually one of its major strengths - it's based on ball-bearing steel - and it's hardened to >60 Rc. Coating can be stripped or you can order an RMD-LE or from their custom-shop. But either way this is not cheap 1095 steel at 57 Rc. SR101 holds an edge VERY well, much better than any 1095 knife you'll get from Kabar. It'll rust if not cared for, but the care required is minimal.
The warning I do issue to those interested in Swamp Rat knives is, if buying from the shop, specifically request a low edge-angle - Bussekin caters to customers preferring absurd durability and therefore usually leaves fatter edge angles on some of their knives than might be desired for pure cutting performance. I've thinned the edge on an RMD, HRLM, and RS, but the R9 i have has excellent geometry and I'd guess that the R4 would match it.

As for the GSO specs, just drop Guy Seiferd an e-mail if he doesn't put the specs on his website soon. He's been quite active on the forum keeping interest in his growing business. In fact, someone on one of his threads might have the information for you...

 

[cm_bushman]

Thanks again Chiral, I'm in the process now of trying to compile as much empirical data on the more common and highly regarded knife steels as we speak, in part because of your post. It's hard to make a decision without having tried any of these knives out, and relying on such statements as "I believe X is tougher than Y, but Y may be a smidge more wear resistant; of course, if you get the HT done by John Doe hardened to ZZ-Rc...". That's for another post, however.

I have nothing against Swamp Rat, and I have never heard anything bad about them (or any Bussekin, aside from opinions stemming from users who clearly aren't in the target demographic) but after a while stewing on it, I just decided to go in another direction.

I've been eyeing Guy's website for the last few days, as reports of more complete specs in the works has been floating around. I'll email him tonight to get the skinny, if I can. Browsing some of the threads has turned up plenty on the EDC-4, but somewhat less on the GSO 5.1. I'll post what I find out here either way.

 

[Stainz]

My quest for the ultimate bushcraft knife started with a Buck 192 replacing my late Dad's WWII USN KaBar and a Western 66, my camping/hiking companions for many years. I thought the English made knife Bear Grylls carried in his early shows looked promising as a replacement/improvement - until I found out that the custom knife would be over $700 by the time I got it. Instead, my quest would cost me a greater fortune over the next few years, including examples from BRK&T, Benchmade, Boker, Buck, CRK, Gerber, Marbles, and Puma. I accumulated quite a collection. An early favorite was the BRK&T Gameskeeper, basis for the Bravo-1 and chosen higher by me than my North Star and Fox River. Two years back I 'discovered' the .180" thick full-tang S35VN CRK, a fixed $230 and my most expensive of the examples. I found my knives on sale - sometimes, on closeout. When I could, I chose simple/cheaper handles - like the plain canvas Micarta on BRK&T knives. Sometimes, it was plain luck - finding a new Boker Savannah for <$150 locally. Then there was the only Gerber - actually a US-made Freeman in S30V, albeit the softest example of that steel I have ever used, and stag - a potentially decent knife for a C-note. The trip was interesting - and expensive. The destination was a shock. Here are a few waypoints:

I generally like a 3.5 - 4.5 inch drop point blade - actually, preferring a skinner-type knife for 98% of my perceived/experienced bushcraft uses - that old KaBar or my Becker BK-2 or my Plumb camp hatchet being necessary for most of that remaining 2%. A pocketed Benchmade 610 Rukus/Buck 110 actually being a shockingly useful pocketable choice. I do like the safety of a finger guard - a slip on a wet/cold excursion resulting in a finger cut the first time I used my BRK&T North Star being quite memorable. The journey was fun - I even discovered some really nice Arno Bernard knives - examples from father and son - met them at BLADE this year. Oddly, my last user - in my yard trimming bushes or in the field - was that Buck 192... again! Hindsight is great... I could really have saved some money. Look around... you may already have your 'ideal' bushcraft knife. I currently am on a self-imposed moratorium on knife purchases. Good luck!

Stainz