Bark River or Similar

[seabil]

I have some bark rivers. They are a production shop making tons of knives. It’s not one guy making the knives. They make knives for a lot of designers and other brands. I sure they have bad ones come out.

I like the bravo and gunny handles, very comfortable for my hand. When KSF was in Oregon I use to try and stop in when I was down that way. Tried out a lot of knives. I do not have huge hands but many are too small for me, including most BRs. With the Bark Rivers I have not had any problems. No rust or edge issues. The blades are marked A2, 3V, Elmax. For the price I get ironwood and good ergos for a price that I can’t usually match. I would suggest the LT Bravo, unless you want a very thick blade as folks have noted. I also suggest the rampless with jimping.
If you get the ramp and change your mind I am told they will grind off for you.

Buy from a dealer like DLT where you can easily return if you have any worries. I have sent things back to DLT with no problem. DLT "Returns for a refund are accepted for 14 days from the date of your order." KSF - "100% Refund in the form of a store credit. Refund to your Credit Card with a 20% restocking fee".

I have a Survive knife, old style and was in stock when I bought it. I probably won’t have another because I do not send money unless the item is in stock. I prefer the feel of the bravo. I can’t seem to snag a Carothers. L.T. Wright has not clicked with me. So can’t comment on those.

 

[mmmotorcycle]

BRKT are a bit expensive for what you get. They make a good option but there are other better options, as noted. I don't regret selling my Bark Rivers.... I do regret selling my LT Wright knives.

Nuff said.

 

[seabil]

Took a quick look at what else is out there and readily available. There some nices things here on the forum as noted by others. Customs are out there, mostly outside my budget. And So Ok maybe this just kicking the hornet nest, but dlt has koster bushmaster 3v in stock. Nice ergos, (different than the bravo) 3v steel. I have one. Only from a dealer, do not order it from the maker. Lots opinions about that maker!

 

[Gvard]

I did do a BR A2 steel test by chopping into a brass rod with a bravo 1. As a comparison I had a blade, heat treated at home, thinnner convex grind than the bravo, same adge angle, 1/8 stock, from 80crv2 steel. i first chopped into the rod with my home made knife and there was barely any damage (maybe 0,3mm). I thought what the hell, here is this super tough, professionally heat treated, new bravo 1 I just got, can't do worse, right? After the first chop I was left with about a 2 mm big dent/chip in the edge. I was kind of baffled by the result, so I chopped once more. Same thing. I then proceeded to chop/hammer through this brass rod with all the knives I've ever made (just started out, so my heat treat definately wasn't the best), I couldn't get a damage that severe. Also, I just didn't like the ergonomics on the bravo 1. I (hand!)sharpened out the chips and sold it. Probably would've been interesting to redo the test after sharpening, but I just couldn't afford to do so on a knife so expensive.

Now my test is anecdotal at best, but that's my experience. I think they do have some good looking designs. And an owner that doesn't really understand how edge retention works (no, convex edges don't last longer just because they are convex). My suggestion is to buy used and see if you like it and think the pricing is justified. I don't see myself buying a BR again.

 

[gitarmac]

I have quite a few bark rivers, all users. I beg to differ about the convex edge, when I was a member of a hunt club I could dress multiple deer and hog without the edge showing any wear or dullness.

I use the same ones butchering the meat. They go through it like a Lazer. Hitting a little bone has not damaged them at all.

The models I have are Canadian special, mini Skinner, mini Canadian, woodland special, and a few others. Oh, and the bravo 1.

My other favorite convex edged knives are swamp rat but I got a chip in the blade of the camp tramp and the sheaths kind of suck.

I won't be getting any more bark rivers, or any other knife for that matter because I have so many and I'm too old, when I croak I don't have anyone to leave the ones I have to.

Actually that's kind of a lie, I got a buck last month and an esse izula is to be delivered today.

But that's the last. Really. I mean it this time.

 

[22-rimfire]

I have quite a few bark rivers, all users. I beg to differ about the convex edge, when I was a member of a hunt club I could dress multiple deer and hog without the edge showing any wear or dullness.

I use the same ones butchering the meat. They go through it like a Lazer. Hitting a little bone has not damaged them at all.

The models I have are Canadian special, mini Skinner, mini Canadian, woodland special, and a few others. Oh, and the bravo 1.

My other favorite convex edged knives are swamp rat but I got a chip in the blade of the camp tramp and the sheaths kind of suck.

I won't be getting any more bark rivers, or any other knife for that matter because I have so many and I'm too old, when I croak I don't have anyone to leave the ones I have to.

Actually that's kind of a lie, I got a buck last month and an esse izula is to be delivered today.

But that's the last. Really. I mean it this time.

Your last. That's funny. But it's possible certainly. Even when I don't need anything, I get the new knife urge from time to time. But I can say that I have cut back on my buying this year and even less than last year which was a reduction in knives purchased for me from previous years. We all get old. Think young and be active, and maybe you'll live a long long time.

Good testimony on a Bark River knife(s). I assume you're talking about A-2 steel. They do A-2 real well overall. My latest is a Bark River in Cruwear which I haven't used yet but fondle it regularly. I'm just itching to get out in the woods and cut some real life things with this blade to see how it does. No, I will not pound a knife (any knife) through a steel bolt unless I absolutely don't care what the result is to the knife. I generally use bolt cutters for such things or a chisel at times.

My hunting knives are Doziers.

 

[Chris*33]

Im starting to lust after the Bravo 1 ramped. But Im a bit leery as I remember BR having heat treat issues. Is their steel ok? What other makes/models should I be looking at? Whatever I get, gotta have a leather sheath.

The issue seems to be mislabeled steels which in turn will lead to a heat treat process optimized for a different steel.
A few people reported such an incident / suspicion, but i would say if you really like the knife then go for it. Thousands of people are happy with their BR knives, so get it out of your system. You could always get one from secondary market if you're 100% there.

 

[Jhansenak47]

The issue seems to be mislabeled steels which in turn will lead to a heat treat process optimized for a different steel.

I have yet to see any proof that the mislabeled steels were not heat treated correctly. They do use different patterns on the skeletonized knives to differentiate the steel types. Once the scales are on it is very easy to confuse them. If you have any proof to backup the claim that the mislabeled knives were mixed up prior to heat treating, besides conjecture that it could have happened, please present it.

 

[Chris*33]

I have yet to see any proof that the mislabeled steels were not heat treated correctly. They do use different patterns on the skeletonized knives to differentiate the steel types. Once the scales are on it is very easy to confuse them. If you have any proof to backup the claim that the mislabeled knives were mixed up prior to heat treating, besides conjecture that it could have happened, please present it.

As i originally wrote, that is what some people have claimed, so no, i do not have any proof.
My point is that IF this is the case then it won't be surprising if the heat treat is off.
A mislabeled steel would have wrong patterns then, right?

 

[22-rimfire]

I wonder when in the Bark River knife making process the steel is marked on the blade blank? My guess is that it happens nearly last and right before the handles are put on. So, a mis-marked steel would not necessarily be improperly heat treated.

 

[simple6]

Thanks everyone! One of the things that attracted me to BR was their sheaths.

The custom route sounds interesting...........geezus, I'm already broker than a headless hooker.

 

[trevitrace]

Took a quick look at what else is out there and readily available. There some nices things here on the forum as noted by others. Customs are out there, mostly outside my budget. And So Ok maybe this just kicking the hornet nest, but dlt has koster bushmaster 3v in stock. Nice ergos, (different than the bravo) 3v steel. I have one. Only from a dealer, do not order it from the maker. Lots opinions about that maker!

Worth repeating.

 

[seabil]

I wonder when in the Bark River knife making process the steel is marked on the blade blank? My guess is that it happens nearly last and right before the handles are put on. So, a mis-marked steel would not necessarily be improperly heat treated.

In videos Derrick, KSF, posted they showed blanks with the steel type marked on the blank. I think it was on blanks before going to outside heat company.

 

[seabil]

To see the marks they use look at KSF Facebook page, go to the video walk through 9-27-2017 the younger Stewart talks about it at 2:09.

 

[Jhansenak47]

As i originally wrote, that is what some people have claimed, so no, i do not have any proof.
My point is that IF this is the case then it won't be surprising if the heat treat is off.
A mislabeled steel would have wrong patterns then, right?

People have been claiming that the steel type was not the same as what was engraved on the blade. That is not the same as claiming that the heat treat is off. Your original post did not clearly delineate between the two and as it is written I would even go so far as to say it suggests that people have been making the claim that the heat treat is off. The bulk of evidence has been based on oxidation characteristics, i.e. rapid rusting of supposed stainless when exposed to water.
The cutouts on the Bravo 1 (and ilk) have three cutouts on the A2 knives. The 3V knives have one of the cutouts deleted, I believe it is the rear one. This is done when the pattern is cutout from the steel sheets. You can research it for yourself. Enzo does the same thing with their blade blanks. Some of their blade blanks have measurable differences in thickness between different steels of the same model.
Bark River has certainly screwed the pooch on a lot of things, but even given their checkered past that does not change the fact that I believe in factual substantiated criticisms.

 

[Chris*33]

People have been claiming that the steel type was not the same as what was engraved on the blade. That is not the same as claiming that the heat treat is off. Your original post did not clearly delineate between the two and as it is written I would even go so far as to say it suggests that people have been making the claim that the heat treat is off. The bulk of evidence has been based on oxidation characteristics, i.e. rapid rusting of supposed stainless when exposed to water.
The cutouts on the Bravo 1 (and ilk) have three cutouts on the A2 knives. The 3V knives have one of the cutouts deleted, I believe it is the rear one. This is done when the pattern is cutout from the steel sheets. You can research it for yourself. Enzo does the same thing with their blade blanks. Some of their blade blanks have measurable differences in thickness between different steels of the same model.
Bark River has certainly screwed the pooch on a lot of things, but even given their checkered past that does not change the fact that I believe in factual substantiated criticisms.

I understand what you are saying and the process involved, but still every option remains open. If the steel is mislabeled when still in sheet form then it will have wrong markings, in which case it would go through a heat treat optimized for another steel, messing that steel's ability to resist stains.
As you wrote, it might be that it's the engraving that was wrong in which case people assumed they had a more stainless steel and turned out to be A2 which is more prone to rust than their other steels i guess. Any other possibility you can think goes here.

Still none of this counters the logical assumption that if a steel sheet is mislabeled then the whole process until that sheet turns to finished knives, follows one that suits another steel. Which, again, is a possible explanation and not a fact.

Keep in mind that i'm not saying it's done on purpose and i never had any dealings neither with BR knives nor a BR representative.
On the contrary, i believe they really know their stuff, evident from many many satisfied users and all the different designs and steel options they have out there.

 

[22-rimfire]

.... On the contrary, i believe they really know their stuff, evident from many many satisfied users and all the different designs and steel options they have out there.

I do think Bark River knows their stuff when it comes to knife making. For me the only real issue is whether I want to pay any mind to Stewart's past and that was mostly in the 90's. There is always a possibility that something is mislabeled. That is a factory defect if the customer catches it. Does BRKT sell "seconds"? Never have noticed stuff labeled such.