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Basic outdoors knife

Since it's within your price range, here's another vote for the Fallkniven F1 - one of my all-time favorite fixed blades.
 
RDog said:
Price has little to do with true usefulness of a "woods/bush Knife." I do not question the quality of ESEE or Becker, but I would get a Mora or Green River and IF it failed you or didnt live up to what you want then look for something a little costly/modern.

(I would also look at how I used a knife if one of those failed me BTW.)

The mora or green river would give a great time tested blade that was designed for an outdoorsmen/hunter and not for youtube battoning vids...plus it would leave some $ for things like beer/wine, some new books, a pair of nice slippers, something nice for the woman, bills, etc etc.
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^This. At less than $20 a pop, either of these knives will handle most of your "outdoor" knife tasks. On a good day, you can pick them up on ebay for less than $10. Both types have several different styles available to suit whatever you plan on doing. The steel on both is good enough to hold an edge, they are easy to touch up on a stone, and the Moras can even be had in stainless if that is a concern. I have all kinds of fancy, custom-made knives. My collection (inherited from a friend) leans heavily towards Dawson and Crawford. But when I am going out hunting, hiking or just schlepping through the woods, 99% of the time I take either a Mora (the older ones with the wooden handles, or the new ones with plastic) or a Green River sheath knife. Well, those, and an old schrade sharpfinger, but that is another story. I have yet to run into something that they couldn't handle. And at that price range, I don't feel bad whacking them with a branch to baton something. Or using them pry something open. Or cut a hole in some PVC pipe (don't ask). If I manage to break them, I have half a dozen more in the sharp implements box in the garage. There is no way I could imagine doing any of that stuff with a custom, hand-made knife. Not because they couldn't do it. But because it just feels wrong to treat a great knife that way. With a low-cost knife, who cares?

-Mb
 
all of the things u suggested i would be doing and i dont really care about the corrosion resistence
 
I'd suggest either whatever ESEE or Becker that you find attractive/fits your price range. Also, Mora's are pretty cool; you can snag a few of them at the same time within your budget range.

Also, a machete is a cool and relatively inexpensive option if you want to spend a little time on it. You could put a scandi grind towards the handle of machete to give you some edge to work with (e.g. whittle wood, make tent stakes). Leave the edge from about the middle to the tip convex (or just a normal v grind if you prefer) for chopping. You don't need the proposed "scandi" part to chop with. The spine can be filed to a sharp 90 angle for firesteel striking. A machete+Mora combo should be less than let's say a single ESEE blade, though you'll have to work up a little of a sweat.
 
Both of you: Criss and Meanwhile, I can most certainly see where you guys are coming from, but maybe I can shed some light on the matter. I think is has something to do with the phisicaly gratifying sensation of hefting the knife and knowing from that there is a real tool there. Small light and thin knives just seem like lightsabors according to this train of thought. Knives under something like 4 ounces might not seem like they are there. The stoutness and weight acid like a security blanket. Some people are willing to trade that for a bit of functionality.

I hope that explains thing a bit.
 
If you want a tool that feels "real" but doesn't work very well. Then that's your choice. I prefer a real tool that is a real tool, not one that I have to pretend is a real tool.
 
When I think of a basic fixed blade outdoors knife, the Mora Classic comes to mind. It was my first fixed blade knife for outdoors and I used it for several years. Later I tried other Mora knives too and they all serve well as a simple knife for camping and hiking. Last year I bought a Brusletto Kniven, also an affordable, simple and functional fixed blade knife. For folding knives, I use a SAK most of the time.
 
At less than $120, for you knife, it leaves you alot of choices. I think the most important thing is to find a knife that is comfortable in your hand, and is built to do what you want.

I have several "basic outdoors" knives, from Mora's to high end customs. No one knife is better than the other, just different. I'm a big fan of Mora's, I own several, and my first choice in that line, is the Bushcraft Force. I usually take with me on "wet" trips, where I will be wading and gutting fish. Maybe cutting me a stringer or making a little fire by the creek for tea.

If I am heading back country, I generally take a belt knife in the BK16 category. Maybe a Fiddleback Forge Bushcrafter, ESEE 4. If I am heading into unknown terrain, I usually take something will a little more sand in its britches. My BK2 or my BK9. I got a friend that shows up about twice a year, gives me about a 5 minute heads up, and we wind up in some of the best adventures. When he calls, I grab my BK2.

Nothing in the world is gonna beat a machete, Mora, SAK combo, and all can be had for under $60 combined.

The world is yours, my friend, I recommend spending time just holding and physically checking out as many knives as you can, then make your decision from there.

That said, buy a Becker BK16. :D

Moose
 
Get a Becker BK2 and a Victorinox Pioneer. There is nothing you cant do with those two knives. Plus its an inexpensive and very high quality combo.

Alternatively... Go with a BK14 or BK16 if you find the BK2 a bit intimidating. Although, nobody ever regrets a BK2 once they get it in-hand.
 
c10darren said:
Get a Becker BK2 and a Victorinox Pioneer. There is nothing you cant do with those two knives. Plus its an inexpensive and very high quality combo.

Alternatively... Go with a BK14 or BK16 if you find the BK2 a bit intimidating. Although, nobody ever regrets a BK2 once they get it in-hand.
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:D

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Moose
 
c10darren said:
Get a Becker BK2 and a Victorinox Pioneer. There is nothing you cant do with those two knives.
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This is a bit silly. You might never need a longer blade or an axe but that doesn't mean that no one else will. The BK2 is not The Ultimate Plus 2 Knife Of Doing Everything.

Plus if you are going to carry an over-thick blade in that awkward no-man's land between 4 and 7 inches, the BK2 isn't exactly a shining star. It looks tougher than hell but I remember that Noss at knife tests found that quality was quite poor when he tested - not a blown heat treat, but definitely second rate and prone to much more chipping that its rivals. Not extreme toughness should be a priority in an outdoors knife - but if I was going to pay the weight penalty of a short blade as heavy as a BK2's then I'd definitely want the full package. Otoh, I suppose the US price is good if you want a knife in that style.
 
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meanwhile said:
This is a bit silly. You might never need a longer blade or an axe but that doesn't mean that no one else will. The BK2 is not The Ultimate Plus 2 Knife Of Doing Everything.

Plus if you are going to carry an over-thick blade in that awkward no-man's land between 4 and 7 inches, the BK2 isn't exactly a shining star. It looks tougher than hell but I remember that Noss at knife tests found that quality was quite poor when he tested - not a blown heat treat, but definitely second rate and prone to much more chipping that its rivals. Not extreme toughness should be a priority in an outdoors knife - but if I was going to pay the weight penalty of a short blade as heavy as a BK2's then I'd definitely want the full package. Otoh, I suppose the US price is good if you want a knife in that style.
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Correct, Sir.

I should have said there is nothing outdoors that I have ever wanted to do or that I reasonably foresee wanting to do that those knives do not excel at.

Although, I have to ask... What BK2 are you using? I love my Becker and have put it through its paces. I know there are hundreds of others just here on the forums who have done the same.
 
If I'm going to go into the woods with a knife, it has got to perform well as a knife. I'm not going to be prying off car doors in the woods. I need something that can cut very well, is comfortable, easily maintained, and can hold up to the type of activities it will be used for. I usually wind up with my falkniven F1 or my stainless fiddleback bushfinger. I can process enough firewood with those to be comfortable, and they'll cut for a long, long time without getting dull.
 
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