Bushcraft knife advice

C

corpulentmantis

Joined
Mar 29, 2010
Messages
3
Hey guys, this is my first post and I'm pretty new to knives. I would really appreciate some advice on which knife to choose for bushcraft. My knowledge of knife brands and reputation is pretty slim, so any help will do :)

Originally I was going to go with the Helle Eggen, but then I heard a couple things about the handle coming loose after hard use so I was kinda pushed away from that option. Could anyone expand on this? Are Helle's other knives like the Harding a good option? I really like the Helle designs, but I'm just looking for something durable and inexpensive, so any adivice is great.

My criteria for a knife is pretty broad:
-4-5" blade
-preferably full tang, but a good stick tang is acceptable
-Wood handles are a plus
-durable enough for batoning
- under $100

Based on the information provided, anyone have any good suggestions?

Thanks in advance! :)
 
I can't help you with the "wild bear hunting knife" but I have a Kellam wolverine and it's a very nice knife, very sharp too (I cut myself the day after I got it :o). It has a differential heat treatment I believe, so the edge is harder than the spine, this means it'll hold an edge well but will also be flexible so it won't snap as easily as if the whole blade was that hard. The only problem with that is the edge is quite hard (it say's the edge is 62HRC on their site) so it can be prone to chipping and the spine won't work as a striker for a firesteel (not a big deal for a lot of people but you said it's for bushcraft and it seems a lot of bushcrafters do that). Mine hasn't chipped though and I also know of at least one other person who uses his more than me and I don't think he's had any trouble either, but it's still something to think about. If you don't want one with that kind of blade though, Kellam does have some other knives that are good quality but without the "SPT" blade.

As for Helle knives, both the Harding and Eggen seem well liked but I don't have one myself so I can't say how good they are for sure. I think I heard something about the handle loosening one one too and I've also heard that some peoples blades have delaminated on them (as in the three layers of steel have seperated from each other).

You might want to have a look at knives from Brusletto, Wood Jewel, or of course Mora knives which seem to always be suggested for bushcraft knives (for good reason too because they're both decent quality user knives and incredibly cheap).


Just to clarify, when I said the Wolverine's edge was 62HRC that's the hardness on a Rockwell hardness scale (the C scale). Usually for knives a hardness of 57-58 or 58-59HRC (I forget which is liked more) is preferred for decent edge retention without becoming too brittle and still fairly easy to sharpen, but some people like their knives harder for really good edge retention and others like softer for ease of sharpening so maybe you would like a knife with an edge that's 61-62HRC, you'd have to find that out for yourself.


I forgot one, it's a very well liked full tang bushcraft knife, the Enzo Trapper. They're a little over $100 but not by too much and their blades are slightly less than 4" but most scandi ground knives have shorter blades anyway. Full tang scandi ground knives are a little harder to come by than stick tang ones unless you look at custom made bushcraft knives which are pretty expensive usually so the Enzo Trapper is a good alternative.
 
Last edited:
Thanks so much for the help guys! I think I'm going to go with the Wolverine :) My favorite is the Enzo Trapper, but its just a little too out of my price range. I really appreciate all of your advice. I would have ended up getting the Helle Eggen, but I'm glad I decided to come on here and ask about it first :)
 
check over in the W&SS forum. Lots of info there. Also look in the Maker's for sale area, fixed blades.

Bargains galore!!
 
The ESEE (formerly Rat Cutlery) RC-4 will fit the bill quite nicely. Just under $100, lifetime warranty and it comes in a variety of colors and edges:

http://www.eseeknives.com/rc-4.htm

Typical example:

rc-4_image2.jpg


One good place to get them with free shipping: http://www.the-knife-connection.com/rat-cutlery--rc-4-series.html

Good luck.

Al
 
Check out JK knives in the makers section. He has a budget line for 100 dollars. Inexpensive for a custom.
 
Last edited:
You might be able to find a Fallkniven for that price. They are really good knives and have a nice convex edge. If you're willing to go around $150.00 Bark River Knife and Tool "Kephart" All the way. It's be the best wilderness knife I've ever owned. I picked mine up for $135.00. You can find one used in Micarta for less. There is one for sale on the forums right this minute. Here are a few pics of mine
381602854.jpg

381602859.jpg


Spyderco may also still be selling their Bushcraft seconds for cheap (But you may have to replace or reinforce the handle one day as they've been known to crack) But the blade is 100% GTG.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top