Any Bark River fans out there?

panella said:
I recently bought my first Bark River knife: a Crusader in 3V. I'm driven by design more than any other factor in buying a knife and the Crusader's geometry was the determining factor. The price seemed competitive with other knives of that size and quality. The sheath that came with the Crusader didn't fit and it was sent back to be fixed. Their CS was friendly and they eventually replaced the sheath at no cost. I've used the Crusader to chop some small trees and through larger tree limbs of very hard Western Dogwood. It chopped easily and was unblemished and very sharp after splitting several limbs. On par with my Busse's and Swamp Rats. The balance is excellent and the handle comfortable. I'd have no reservations about buying another Bark River based on my experience.
Click to expand...

Good example here of why not to buy Bark River....it's 2020 and the company can't deliver a sheath that fits a $400 standard production knife. Shame on them!

Do a GB&U search and judge for yourself. It's not just one guy either, it's the company.
 
brownshoe said:
Good example here of why not to buy Bark River....it's 2020 and the company can't deliver a sheath that fits a $400 standard production knife. Shame on them!
Do a GB&U search and judge for yourself. It's not just one guy either, it's the company.
Click to expand...

Well, I paid $289 on sale from KnifeCenter not $400. That's a great deal IMO for a large 8.5" blade knife that, so far, compares with my Busse HOG FSH and HH FSH including ergos and a design in CPM-3V that I really like . I also like the nice leather sheath included. (Had to pay over $100 for a ChuddyBear dangler for my Busse's). Did the sheath need to be sent back? The retaining strap was too short, so yes. Not really a big deal. BRK gave me a new one that fits.

In the end I can only judge a knife by its performance, not by what the internet says about the company owner. Was the knife priced fairly? Yes. Was it delivered in a timely manner? Yes. Did the company stand behind its warranty claims and deal with my issues courteously and to my satisfaction? Yes. I mean, we're not talking about "Survive Knives" here. And for under $300 this is a great knife. I've got my eye on a Bravo Survivor.
 
Last edited:
Mikael W said:
Hi, I have to ask what happened with the Mora?

I mainly use 3 brands when it comes to fixed blades and they are:
Bark River Knives
Fällkniven
Moraknife
I can probably fill 3 buckets with them all.
Here are a few:

View attachment 1325638


Regarding Mike Stewart I used to have an almost daily contact with him, but that is many years ago and nowadays I have no personal contact with him.
I think he has added more to the knifecommunity than what he takes, but I have not always agreed with him. Anyway I regard him as a friend.

Some of the BRK's I own are among my top favorite users and I plan to continue using them as long as I am able to do so.
I think they are among the best production knives availible on the market today, due to their combination of design, steel, heat-treatment and convex geometry.
That said I'm also very fond of my Fällkniven blades and I'm glad I bought them before prices went skyhigh.
Mora's are for work and that's where they fit their role the best, but they are very useable in many other situations and I don't want to be without at least one.

Regards
Mikael
Click to expand...

Man o man Mikael have definitely missed seeing your antler work!! Love the kolt and the odin! Thanks for sharing those again. Now.I need to clean up all the drool on my chest!!

James
 
jfk1110 said:
Man o man Mikael have definitely missed seeing your antler work!! Love the kolt and the odin! Thanks for sharing those again. Now.I need to clean up all the drool on my chest!!

James
Click to expand...

Thank You James! :thumbsup:
The Odin was made this winter after getting some antlers of Red Deer.

Regards
Mikael
 
panella said:
Well, I paid $289 on sale from KnifeCenter not $400. That's a great deal IMO for a large 8.5" blade knife that, so far, compares with my Busse HOG FSH and HH FSH including ergos and a design in CPM-3V that I really like . I also like the nice leather sheath included. (Had to pay over $100 for a ChuddyBear dangler for my Busse's). Did the sheath need to be sent back? The retaining strap was too short, so yes. Not really a big deal. BRK gave me a new one that fits.

In the end, I can only judge a knife by its performance, not by what the internet says about the company owner. Was the knife priced fairly? Yes. Was it delivered in a timely manner? Yes. Did the company stand behind its warranty claims and deal with my issues courteously and to my satisfaction? Yes. I mean, we're not talking about "Survive Knives" here. And for under $300 this is a great knife. I've got my eye on a Bravo Survivor.
Click to expand...
Yeah I feel the same way. Recently got my Rio Grande camp knife for under 3 c-notes. A good deal for a huge bowie knife. And it's well made. Maybe not perfect, but it's not a thousand dollar custom knife, so I'm perfectly satisfied. There's no one else making these kinds of knives either, at least at this price point. About their sheaths, they are very tight at first but when broken in, they're the best sheaths in the business, as far as production knives.
 
Mikael W said:
Hi, I have to ask what happened with the Mora?

I mainly use 3 brands when it comes to fixed blades and they are:
Bark River Knives
Fällkniven
Moraknife
I can probably fill 3 buckets with them all.
Here are a few:

View attachment 1325638


Regarding Mike Stewart I used to have an almost daily contact with him, but that is many years ago and nowadays I have no personal contact with him.
I think he has added more to the knifecommunity than what he takes, but I have not always agreed with him. Anyway I regard him as a friend.

Some of the BRK's I own are among my top favorite users and I plan to continue using them as long as I am able to do so.
I think they are among the best production knives availible on the market today, due to their combination of design, steel, heat-treatment and convex geometry.
That said I'm also very fond of my Fällkniven blades and I'm glad I bought them before prices went skyhigh.
Mora's are for work and that's where they fit their role the best, but they are very useable in many other situations and I don't want to be without at least one.

Regards
Mikael
Click to expand...
The Mora Companion was actually my fault. I was whittling a sword for my daughter while on my porch and hit it on the concrete and snapped the tip. I usually have a rubber mat underneath me to protect my blades but didn't that time. I also have a Fallkniven F1. It was actually the first higher quality knife my husband bought me when we first started dating. Good knife but I don't care so much for the laminated VG10 versus my CPM3V or CPM154 fixed blade knives.
 
panella said:
I recently bought my first Bark River knife: a Crusader in 3V. I'm driven by design more than any other factor in buying a knife and the Crusader's geometry was the determining factor. The price seemed competitive with other knives of that size and quality. The sheath that came with the Crusader didn't fit and it was sent back to be fixed. Their CS was friendly and they eventually replaced the sheath at no cost. I've used the Crusader to chop some small trees and through larger tree limbs of very hard Western Dogwood. It chopped easily and was unblemished and very sharp after splitting several limbs. On par with my Busse's and Swamp Rats. The balance is excellent and the handle comfortable. I'd have no reservations about buying another Bark River based on my experience.
Click to expand...

All BRK sheaths with the retaining strap are purposefully made with the strap on the smaller side. It is supposed to be VERY tight to snap at first. That is so when the leather breaks in the strap will still fit and not be loose. All that is needed it to stretch/twist it a bit and when you get it closed LEAVE IT BE for a day or two. Leather stretches if it fit loose from day one over time the strap would become useless. I really can't believe how many posts I have seen with people thinking their sheath was wrong when when it wasn't. My Crusader, Bravo 2, and 1.25 were all the same way way, as was my husband's Tope Recon.
 
brownshoe said:
Good example here of why not to buy Bark River....it's 2020 and the company can't deliver a sheath that fits a $400 standard production knife. Shame on them!

Do a GB&U search and judge for yourself. It's not just one guy either, it's the company.
Click to expand...
The sheath was made purposefully with the retaining strap smaller. All is takes is a little stretching and it will snap closed. Leather stretches and if it was loose from day one it could become too loose over time and not do its job (retaining the knife).I have 3 knives with the same sheath and I (as a female) had no problem "muscling" it closed after working with it for a minute or so.
 
Fn_perfect13 said:
All BRK sheaths with the retaining strap are purposefully made with the strap on the smaller side. It is supposed to be VERY tight to snap at first. That is so when the leather breaks in the strap will still fit and not be loose. All that is needed it to stretch/twist it a bit and when you get it closed LEAVE IT BE for a day or two. Leather stretches if it fit loose from day one over time the strap would become useless. I really can't believe how many posts I have seen with people thinking their sheath was wrong when when it wasn't. My Crusader, Bravo 2, and 1.25 were all the same way way, as was my husband's Tope Recon.
Click to expand...

I understand about tight straps on sheaths and how leather stretches, but the snaps just weren't properly positioned. After a day of twisting, pulling, and stretching the retaining strap (including using warm water), even the outside edge of the top snap still wouldn't begin to overlap/touch the outside edge of the bottom snap. As I indicated, the fit was too short . The replacement still had to be stretched in order to snap shut, but the alignment was much closer to begin with and it only took a minute to, as you say, "muscle" it closed. Sometimes the retaining strap is just too short. But Bark River fixed it, so no problem.
 
Last edited:
Fn_perfect13 said:
The Mora Companion was actually my fault. I was whittling a sword for my daughter while on my porch and hit it on the concrete and snapped the tip. I usually have a rubber mat underneath me to protect my blades but didn't that time. I also have a Fallkniven F1. It was actually the first higher quality knife my husband bought me when we first started dating. Good knife but I don't care so much for the laminated VG10 versus my CPM3V or CPM154 fixed blade knives.
Click to expand...

Snapped tips, dents and chips out of the edge are quite common to see on old Mora's, as they are used overhere (Sweden) by construction workers and craftsmen.
I have sometimes picked them up from the ground at the recycling station, after they have been tossed as garbage.
I give them new tips + convexed edges on my 1" x 30" beltsander and they continue to see years of good service.

VG-10, CPM3V & CPM154 all belong to my favorite steels, but I think heat-treatment and geometry are far more important than the choice of steel.
With a good heat-treatment and geometry, I feel I also can get a lot out of simple steels like Sandvik 12c27 or 1095 carbon.

Regards
Mikael
 
Last edited:
I do wish there were more pictures in this thread.
I only have one Bark River. It was given to me by a long time friend. I think they did a good job with putting it together. I've never used it for too much, so I wont comment on edge holding and whatnot.
l7AIL4ch.jpg
 
Don W said:
I do wish there were more pictures in this thread.
I only have one Bark River. It was given to me by a long time friend. I think they did a good job with putting it together. I've never used it for too much, so I wont comment on edge holding and whatnot.
Click to expand...

BRK sure offer a wide range of beautiful handlematerials!
Sadly many materials are gone because of CITEs rules or have been banned for export like India Sambar Stag.

As for pic's: my much beloved 7" Bowie after use
IMGP6234.JPG
It's very hard to get another one like it, so I appreciate it very much.

Regards
Mikael
 
Last edited:
Last edited:
Here is a shot of the Wilderness Explorer. It was meant to be the ultimate woods knife for me.... not to big and not too small.... What I learned is that with my kind of needs, it's still a bit large.
DSC03469 BRKT Wilderness Explorer2.jpg

Then there is is Mini Kephart that I like a lot. It is one of my favorite fixed blades and so handy.
IMG_5370edec.jpg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top