Bark River Bravo 3V LT or BOB DOZIER KS-3 Pro Guide

ivan51

ivan51

Joined
Dec 9, 2003
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Would like to hear some opinions on which blade you would pick for a all around outdoors blade for camping/fishing ect.. cant decide between the 2 and would like to hear some input. Thanks


 
For me the answer is which one can you actually buy? The wilderness is not as tough. It is really neat, but when I contacted them the wait time was in years. I am too old for that. I own the Bravo 1 LT in 3V. I really like it.
Ronald Athay
 
Sorry, my mistake. I missed you were referring to the Pro Guide. However my comments are the same.
Ron Athay
 
The Bravo 1 LT is one of my favorites. I have several Bark River's, Survive!, Busse, Koster, Swamprats, etc. The LT is one of my first picks for backpacking and hikes. It's a great slicer, light, fits right for my hand size, and tough enough to handle anything I can ever throw at it. Survive! GSO series are also really nice too.
 
No experiences with the Bob Dozier knife but but I do own a bravo 1 and bravo 1 LT. The LT is defiantly my favorite all around camp knife! The thinner blade is an improvement over the the original bravo 1's thick blade. This knife slices like a dream. I have skinned and quartered a deer with it. The 3V steel holds a better edge then its A2 counter part. But is a but tougher to sharpen then A2, but easier to sharpen then D2. Its a great design, super comfortable and even though the blade is thinner, Im not worried about battoning the snot out of it! I would pick this knife first ever time over the other knives I have e.g... F1, ESEE 4 and JG3, My woodlore clones. Had GSO 4.1, traded it away once I got my LT!
 
neither would be my choice, but either would work. It's all personal preference. One blade does not have a real advantage over the other.
 
I have a Dozier Yukon Pro Skinner and have to say it is certainly a level above Bark River (which is really saying something). The D2 heat treatment really is a work of art: I've never used a stereo like it and I've had tons of standard D2, CPM-M4, M390, ZDP-189, 3V etc. The grind is perfect, the Micarta very well done, and the ergonomics are top notch.

I love Bark River but for a knife meant to cut it doesn't get much better than Dozier.
 
I don't care for Bark River much; just personal preference. Dozier's D2 is supposed to be everything you need. I wouldn't compare it to any other D2 or anything you know about D2.
 
If you aren't going to be trying to chop down a forest with it, I'd pick the Dozier. Overall I think the Bark River might be a little tougher but may not cut as well as the hollow ground Dozier. Maybe you need both.

I have the Dozier and the standard Bravo 1. I would like to try a Bravo 1 LT, or a Bravo 1.25.
 
IME, hollow grind is better for processing meat and convex grind is better for working with wood.

But, I would rather process meat with a convex grind than work wood with a hollow grind and by a very, very large margin.

I don't ever see buying another hollow ground fixed blade unless it is a dedicated hunting knife. I prefer thin convexed sabre grinds (or convexed Scandi grinds).
 
bluemetalchurch said:
I don't care for Bark River much; just personal preference. Dozier's D2 is supposed to be everything you need. I wouldn't compare it to any other D2 or anything you know about D2.
Click to expand...

I heard this said many times (I tried to express the same idea above) and always thought "oh, so he probably just hardens a bit more or something". I then used and sharpened my Dozier and saw the light. This steel really is like no other! It sharpens to an absolute razor far easily than any D2 I've sharpened and keeps that edge better than any steel in my drawer. It's truly amazing stuff.
 
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