Bushcraft/fixed blade recommendation

I love the look of the BHK knives, and I don't doubt their quality. I wish they offered a variety of steel choices. I like O1, but if I'm paying that price for a blade in that steel, there are plenty of forum makers that I would consider first.
 
I'm not sure how much it cost but I ordered with everything I wanted on it. Polish black micarta with lime green liners, gun blued blade and a great sheath. I have bushcraft blades from $90-$400 and I grab the highlander most of the time. I'm also not a steel expert but i have 3v, O1, Infi s90v, 1095 and the highlander is just a better knife.
 
Another vote for L.T. Wright knives. Liked his work when it was Blind Horse Knives, and his new stuff seems even better.
 
The BK2 is a very strong knife
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Check out LT Wright Knives. I own their Gary Wines Bushcrafter and have been very impressed.

Also, as others have said, its hard to go wrong with a Mora. The Mora 2000 is my favorite to date. The handle is extremely comfortable, and the edge bites into wood wonderfully.
 
oldmanron said:
I've had a BK2 for several years and wore it almost every day working on a wilderness ranch in the mountains of SW Alberta. It's a real tank ... wicked strong ... and I had a pro at an industrial sharpening shop in Lethbridge to make it more of a sabre grind (as opposed to the convex grind). The sheath was a POS and was heavily modded to a Tec-Loc system.

My new favourite knife is a wonderful Camillus Bushcrafter that sells for $100 at Canadian Tire up here in Canada. ($65 US?) Made in Idaho. Primo micarta handle. 1095 steel. Classic sheath that looks(and smells!) like it was made at a good saddle shop. Lifetime store-exchange warranty ...

You don't hear too much about it, but I strongly urge you to check it out. It's all that most people need. You could supplement it (when required) with a small Fiskars X7 hatchet or a Silky folding saw ... about $30.
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I really like my Camillus Bushcrafter as well. Its fantastic. The BK2 is just too thick for most carving chores, IMHO. The Camillus is only 4"L, though.

You might want to look at two great knives by Cold Steel, the Master Hunter and the SRK. I have both, but recommend the 4.5" Master Hunter the most, unless you just have to have a longer knife.

For me, I carry a Silky Folding Saw and a 4" to 4.5" knife. IMHO, medium sized knives will cut and slice better than your big choppers, and the Silky will easily cut bigger wood than your chopper too
 
Tragg said:
I really like my Camillus Bushcrafter as well. Its fantastic. The BK2 is just too thick for most carving chores, IMHO. The Camillus is only 4"L, though.

You might want to look at two great knives by Cold Steel, the Master Hunter and the SRK. I have both, but recommend the 4.5" Master Hunter the most, unless you just have to have a longer knife.

For me, I carry a Silky Folding Saw and a 4" to 4.5" knife. IMHO, medium sized knives will cut and slice better than your big choppers, and the Silky will easily cut bigger wood than your chopper too
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Hey Tragg,

Thank you for chiming-in with your comments. After I made my post about the Camillus Bushcrafter, I (being human) naturally checked-back every couple of days to see if anybody had a comment about my comment. You don't hear much on the Internet about that knife ... it seems to be a well-kept secret. I too have a Silky saw, a Gomboy, for when I think I might need to process a lot of wood while actually camping ... as opposed to a casual day-hike.

The little Fiskars hatchet is the catsass for splitting small/medium rounds cut by the Silky ... a great source of dry wood in a soggy forest.
 
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oldmanron said:
Hey Tragg,

Thank you for chiming-in with your comments. After I made my post about the Camillus Bushcrafter, I (being human) naturally checked-back every couple of days to see if anybody had a comment about my comment. You don't hear much on the Internet about that knife ... it seems to be a well-kept secret. I too have a Silky saw, a Gomboy, for when I think I might need to process a lot of wood while actually camping ... as opposed to a casual day-hike.

The little Fiskars hatchet is the catsass for splitting small/medium rounds cut by the Silky ... a great source of dry wood in a soggy forest.
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I don't want to come off as if I'm claiming that I think the Camillus Bushcrafter is the ultimate bushcraft knife, but I am surprised that more folks aren't talking it up on the interweb. It is a moderately priced USA made knife that has so many of the features that are sought out and recommended for an outdoor knife:
  1. 1095 Carbon Steel
  2. Scandi Grind
  3. 4" Blade Length (4-4.5" is almost universal recommendation)
  4. Squared off blade spine for sparking a ferro rod
  5. micarta handle scales (removable no less)
  6. factory patina finish (no gunky paint coating)
  7. classic nessmuk styled blade shape
  8. thick, high quality leather sheath (not just a cheap after-thought)
  9. MADE IN THE USA
Maybe its name recognition thing, or a price thing, but I think it is priced competitively at around $70 (online). Sure, if you only want to spend $35-45, you look to the Condors (manufactured abroad). But to me, the Camillus is a step up, and you are not going to be able to manufacture a quality knife in the USA with the features above for $50. The Camillus is significantly cheaper than a TOPS BOB, Spyderco Bushcraft, Bark River, or custom. Heck you'll spend at least $100 for the excellent Becker BK16 with aftermarket micarta scales, and have to settle for their nylon sheath and strip the blade coating off yourself.

Well I'll get off the soap box. I just think it is worth a serious look. For me, I developed a crush for the Nessmuk shaped blade, and when I found the Camillus I was hooked.

Aint she pretty?
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Tragg said:
I don't want to come off as if I'm claiming that I think the Camillus Bushcrafter is the ultimate bushcraft knife, but I am surprised that more folks aren't talking it up on the interweb. It is a moderately priced USA made knife that has so many of the features that are sought out and recommended for an outdoor knife:
  1. 1095 Carbon Steel
  2. Scandi Grind
  3. 4" Blade Length (4-4.5" is almost universal recommendation)
  4. Squared off blade spine for sparking a ferro rod
  5. micarta handle scales (removable no less)
  6. factory patina finish (no gunky paint coating)
  7. classic nessmuk styled blade shape
  8. thick, high quality leather sheath (not just a cheap after-thought)
  9. MADE IN THE USA
Maybe its name recognition thing, or a price thing, but I think it is priced competitively at around $70 (online). Sure, if you only want to spend $35-45, you look to the Condors (manufactured abroad). But to me, the Camillus is a step up, and you are not going to be able to manufacture a quality knife in the USA with the features above for $50. The Camillus is significantly cheaper than a TOPS BOB, Spyderco Bushcraft, Bark River, or custom. Heck you'll spend at least $100 for the excellent Becker BK16 with aftermarket micarta scales, and have to settle for their nylon sheath and strip the blade coating off yourself.

Well I'll get off the soap box. I just think it is worth a serious look. For me, I developed a crush for the Nessmuk shaped blade, and when I found the Camillus I was hooked.

Aint she pretty?
hqdefault.jpg
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Pretty? Damned right ... :)

And as they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Thank you for posting that excellent photograph. :)
 
One problem facing the new, resurected Camillus is the fact they are Camillus in name only, just as the current Schrade and Marbles. Kind of hard to rebuild damaged brand recognition. Doesn't matter where a particular model is made or how good it is if the brand name is associated cheap imported junk.

Buck should be paying attention to this problem, IMO.
 
pinnah said:
One problem facing the new, resurected Camillus is the fact they are Camillus in name only, just as the current Schrade and Marbles. Kind of hard to rebuild damaged brand recognition. Doesn't matter where a particular model is made or how good it is if the brand name is associated cheap imported junk.

Buck should be paying attention to this problem, IMO.
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I believe there is a lot of truth to what you say. For whatever reason, the knife buying public (chatting on the internet) are not overly enthused by this new design made in the US by a resurrected old US knife label.

While on the other hand, the web is flooded with video reviews (many quite complementary) of Chinese made Schrade knives even though several of these knives have broken during testing. Of course I have seen at least one video of a Chinese made Camillus zombie machete breaking as well. Evidently getting a good quality, Chinese made, rugged outdoor knife is a crap shoot.
 


Three Battle Horse Knives. You can get them in any configuration you want. Like mine with black polished Micarta, green liners and gun bluing on the O1 tool steel
 
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