Anyone have experience with Bark River Knifr and Tool?

I love my Aurora. In fact that knife has pretty much taken me out of the role of knife buyer. Combined w/ my ontario sp50 I'm set for camp/hiking knives. i just don't need another, since my primary use is camping.

BRKT has reduced me to being a knife user. Now if only Mike would produce something w/ a hollow handle ala the randall 18.

BRKT also make the Blackjack line. Take a look at them as well. The Model 13 would make a solid bushcrafter IMO.

Mark
 
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lambertiana said:
I used to have a bunch, only a few left. For the price, the fit and finish is nothing to write home about. Performance-wise, I experienced a wide range. Some of mine did very well as a bushcraft knife, including batoning, and one had a complete, catastrophic edge failure when whittling wood (and it was a model touted by BRKT as well-suited for whittling).

I figure for the same price range I can get a custom from someone like Ray Laconico, whose knives are superior in every way.

Like others here, I have other strongly-held "reasons" why I won't be buying one again, and it has nothing to do with the knives themselves.
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Similar experience, can't comment on the ethics of the owner although he shows another face if you have the insolence or temerity to disagree with him....the other place is sponsored by his firm, hence the ceaseless fanfare there.

I returned one knife as it had holes in the wood burl, serious bits missing. First told to fix it with epoxy, then send it in we fix everything (even whiners..) it got returned after a long time but with totally different scales (no explanation or apology) They had also ground off most of the nail grooves on the top of the spine making it un-sellable, thank you. Colonial Patch knife soon got warped Bocote, peeled back so I had it re-handled elsewhere-been great since. Mini Northstar I've used as a kitchen prep knife (only handwashing and always dried) its micarta is receding and less than good after 2 years of moderate use. Unimpressive.

The steel is certainly good but the handles do not inspire me(look nice but don't appear to last) don't think much of the sheathes either, most of them will not hold the knife secure enough for my needs.

A mixed bag, initial impressions are very good, but I question the finish and other things. That said, I do think well of their smaller knives, they go beyond their size and i've found them better than the larger ones personally. Worth trying but watch out for the propaganda...
 
markpmc said:
@StretchNM

I love the early B1 w/ the micarta bolsters.
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Honestly, I haven;t kept up with the Bravo's "evolution". That knife is from about 2007 I think....maybe early 2008....maybe. It's a stout blade and one of my sharpest knives. The scales on this one are just fine, but here lately I've turned away from wood, for the most part, opting for micartas whenever possible.
 
Maybe they have just gotten too big too fast and can't keep up. On one website There were 49 variations of the Bravo 1. Kinda seems like overkill. Maybe they need to take the old Hardee's approach, reduce the models made and some of the handle options and focus on making a really good knife and sheath of course.
 
The sheaths are fine for their purpose. As far as their focus on making really good knives, well....that's been Bark River's output for years. I see no problems with them because their model count is high. It's always been that way.
 
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