Alternative to Bark River knives?

Eric@DLT said:
I can understand reluctantcy after having a dud but that model was made several years ago and they have progressed a lot since then.

Alternatives I would look at are
Fiddleback Forge
Fletcher Knives
WA Surls
Osprey
LT Wright
Cross Knives
Lon Humphrey
Hess

These makers aren't "clones" of Bark River but offer a hand finished product made here in the US.
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Agree with Eric. May have gotten a dud but Bark River will fix anything with the lifetime warranty. Also that steel is not one of the tougher steels. Steels like A2 and 3V will be tougher for you.

For similar knives I'd like to try a Fiddleback Forge.


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Seth
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OilMan said:
There have been some close calls with the Busse warranty though.. And Bark River seems to have the same/better warranty although I've never used it. Did the OP address it with Bark River? And did they NOT stand behind it?
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Just out of curiosity, what close calls have you or someone else had with the Busse warranty?

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My only fixed blade with similar specs to the Sandstorm is the Ontario Blackbird SK-5, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. It's comfortable in hand, sharp, highly functional, and has taken every camp task I've thrown at it like a champ.

Before buying it, I read a review that mentioned jamming it into drywall and standing on the handle -- basically turning it into an improvised step -- with no ill effects. :D I haven't done that, but I don't worry at all about how hard I use it and the blade still looks new.
 
Survive! (If you can find one)

I would also check out the custom fixed blade exchange, some excellent knives at really good prices...
 
moopmoop said:
It was a Sandstorm with the full micarta handle with no exposed tang or pins. I had to look up the type of steel just now because I didn't know, I read that the sandstorm was 12c27.
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They stopped using 12c27 some years ago in favor of US made steels.
I have several BR's in 12c27 and the heat-treatment is really good!

I guess Your Sandstorm was grinded too thin or overheated at the very edge.
BR has a no question warranty on their products and will put a new edge on the knife.
If You prefer to not send it to them, You could try resharpen it Yourself and give it a slightly thicker edge.
Whatever You choose to do, the warranty will still be valid.


Regards
Mikael
 
I had many bark river knives and all performed flawlessly. My perfect knife was an ESEE 6 made in 3V steel with out a coating. Non of the barkies were my ideal design and when Survive! Knives produced the the 5.1 I knew I had found my perfect knife. I sold all of my barkies. I can honestly say that had S!K never made the 5.1 I still would have all of the barkies.
 
And Mikael is correct! Their warranty is 100% no questions asked. When their forum was very active on knife frums he and I used to be in there all the time. I saw Mike Stewart replace, repair, rehandle people's knives who clearly didnt deserve it or their knife clearly was abused. One guy's knofe even accidentally fell in a camp fire, burning off the handle and ruining the heat treat. He put a pic on their forum asking if it was repairable and even stated hed pay for the repairs. Bark River sent him a brand new knife.
 
I still love my Benchmade 162 :) It's an incredible knife! Stock configuration isn't ready to go. You'll need to procure your own decent sheath and sharpen it up first...after that, you're ready to go!
 
The_KaramVit said:
I still love my Benchmade 162 :) It's an incredible knife! Stock configuration isn't ready to go. You'll need to procure your own decent sheath and sharpen it up first...after that, you're ready to go!
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The benchmade 162 is actually an excellent knife, not the most pretty knife I own but a real work horse. Ergonomics are spot on and the knife is flawless, I bought a new leather dangler to replace the terrible sheath that ships with the 162. The benchmade 162 workmanship is flawless and on par with bark river. As a bonus benchmade uses a really nice steel in the 162, hard to go wrong with this knife.


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There are some great fixed blades in the knifemakers for sale part of this forum right now! Great 3V fixed blades for sale right now!
 
I have commented on it enough over the years, but I am no longer a bark river customer based on my previous experiences.

Survive, Adventure Sworn, Carothers, Fiddleback, Busse/kin, AA forge, and many others are in that price range and have all been better experiences for me
 
I really liked some of the designs I saw from Bark River, and there were a few times when I almost pulled the Trigger on a Bravo 1.5. From all the videos I have seen on Youtube of them chipping, and of people talking about how bad their service is, or even the guy who claimed to have bought a CPM 20V but believes that the metal was something much lower quality, I got turned off all togeather. I would LOVE a Survive GSO 5.1, but man those things are SOOOOOOOOOO hard to get ahold of.
 
I do not know all that much about fixed blades but i have seen the grohmann knives, made in canada, that you may be interested into.
 
Take a look at Woodbear knives. His knives are tough, tough, tough. I have beaten my Woodbear Brown Bear and it happily comes back for more. The prices will be about the same as BR but the steel will be better. You have a choice in steels and scales plus his sheaths are fine.
 
I too, have a Benchmade 162 and have been very happy with it. Yes, the sheath sucks and you should correct that soon after you get the knife. The knife itself is very good and once you understand the grip, the knife is fantastic.

I must admit that if I had to do it again, the 162 would be my second choice. A Survive! GSO would be my first pick.
 
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