"Bushcraft" knife? (car camping)

Michael_Aos

Michael_Aos

Joined
Jan 25, 2001
Messages
1,639
I keep "flip flopping" between a single knife for food prep and "everything else" and 2 knives -- 1 dedicated to food prep and 1 dedicated to "everything else".

"Everything else" in this case would be pretty light-duty. Cutting rope, opening packing material. Maybe sharpening a stick or chopping twigs off a branch. If the task is big enough for a hatchet, I'd use a hatchet.

Cooking is a hobby of mine, so I'd place more emphasis on the food-prep componant. I've been going to 2-knife route lately, but it's not working so great. My 7" Chicago Cutlery chefs knife is a little unwieldy on a 12" cutting board and Coleman Cooking Station table. Plus I invariably find it laying in the bottom of the "sink bucket" when others are doing camp chores. Typically 6-8 people total.

I bought a Wusthof 4" cooks knife as a possible single "do it all" but I think it's a little too small and delicate.

CK-2.jpg


Now I'm leaning either toward a Wusthof 4182 / 14 Santoku, or the Dozier Pro Guides knife, or Bark River "North Star", or Seki Cut outdoor Santoku.

4182-14.jpg

phpVhnWrK.jpg

br-ns-gcm.jpg

SC187f.jpg
 
That last one is awsome! Very cool.....and bushcraft looking ;)
 
Since you're still looking...

I've only had this out in the woods once, but it passed the chile test at home with flying colors :)

jeger2.jpg


Helle Jegermester, Sandvick steel, 5" blade & a reindeer spacer in the (birch?) handle.
The scandi edge rocks for woodwork ie: marshmallow & fuzz sticks.
I like the extra inch of blade for cooking. The 4 inchers seem too small.
At around $50 from SMKW you won't feel too bad if a nonknife person gets ahold of it and does something silly.
 
My kitchen camping knife is the Swedish army knife aka SWAK. Yes it has the guard but I use it at the edge of the cutting board surface and it doesn't bother me. The plastic case that it comes with works well.

I think a kitchen knife for group camping needs to be cheap and rust resistant...friends may not practise "knife care" as well as we do!

My other prefered camping knives include the SAK Soldier, BK-10 and GB small forest axe.

Cheers,
Collecter
 
So, given a choice, you'd rather have two knives? 1 for kitchen-duty, and 1 for "other"?

Here's my current knife for "other".

bowie.jpg
 
I knew I liked the looks of this when I first saw it, but even more so now.

It seems to me it's got some great characteristics of an outdoor kitchen knife / bushcraft knife.

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Michael_Aos said:
So, given a choice, you'd rather have two knives? 1 for kitchen-duty, and 1 for "other"?

Here's my current knife for "other".

bowie.jpg
Click to expand...

Who makes this one? anybody? this thing looks awesome :eek:
 
That knife is VERY badass looking. I like it!

I owned a North Star for a brief time. My impressions were highly favorable. It was very sharp and performed kitchen duty extremely well. I would argue that chopping isn't great due to the blade shape (not very wide and blade is not much lower than handle), but it slices like crazy.

That said, I traded it back for a new Fox River (coming soon). I thought the North star had some issues that didn't suit me as well as as the Fox River will. Here they are:

This knife has a smallish handle. I got used to it, but it is smaller than my griptilian in girth.

Very little choil to protect from your hand slipping onto the blade. I don't stab much so I doubt this would be a problem but it didn't inspire my confidence.

I like more belly and when I originally set out to buy a knife, I wanted a drop point. It is a spear point. Great for bushcraft I guess, but I just like the way more belly looks.

The Fox River has all three of those things that the NS didn't. I'm getting one.

I will also say that these knives seem to be an interesting blend of hand made and bulk production and so no 2 are really alike. You will find small nuances of imperfections here and their. I like this as it makes me think the knife has its own character. Some probably won't like this. My NS came with handle slabs that were very slightly different thicknesses and some machining imperfections on the firestarter grooves. Again, I thought this was a unique characteristic and so it bothered me none, but it may bother you....
 
kbog said:
That knife is VERY badass looking. I like it!

I owned a North Star for a brief time. My impressions were highly favorable. It was very sharp and performed kitchen duty extremely well. I would argue that chopping isn't great due to the blade shape (not very wide and blade is not much lower than handle), but it slices like crazy.

That said, I traded it back for a new Fox River (coming soon). I thought the North star had some issues that didn't suit me as well as as the Fox River will. Here they are:

This knife has a smallish handle. I got used to it, but it is smaller than my griptilian in girth.
. . .

The Fox River has all three of those things that the NS didn't. I'm getting one.
. . .
Click to expand...

First, I think the Fox River has the same handle as the North Star. You may want to look at the Forager (hidden tang) or Gameskeper (full tang) for a similar blade to the Fox River but a longer handle.

Next, I have several BRKT knives and only one came with the "character" irregularities you mention. The others were, at least to the unassisted eye, without flaws.

Tom
 
Considering that you seem to be vehicle camping, (same applies to going in on horses and pack mules) I don't understand why you'd not have at least three dedicated, quality kitchen knives, such as a chef's knife, a boning type, and a good paring knife. (?) I take more than that, as when I'm cooking for my group, usually four, sometimes five, I want the right cooking and cutting "equipment." But those three would handle just about anything I'd prepare and I prepare very good meals in hunting camp.

Of course, if one is backpacking and having to watch the ounces, that's a whole different ball game.

As for someone handling my knives carelessly when they are washing the dishes afterward, I make sure that those several knives are washed by no one but ME. Therefore, no problems.

My belt knife is for taking care of elk, deer, bear, etc. I don't use it to slice carrots and rutabagas.

Just my opinion. L.W.
 
Thomas Linton said:
First, I think the Fox River has the same handle as the North Star. You may want to look at the Forager (hidden tang) or Gameskeper (full tang) for a similar blade to the Fox River but a longer handle.

Next, I have several BRKT knives and only one came with the "character" irregularities you mention. The others were, at least to the unassisted eye, without flaws.

Tom
Click to expand...

This thread discusses the handle - first post by Mike Stewart.

http://www.knifeforums.com/ubbthrea...92901&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=14&fpart=1

The thicker slabs will be accompanied by a tang that does not taper. I would expect a noticable difference.

The irregularities have been brought up by many users: Here is the thread in which I brought it up about the handle slabs specifically. Mike's reply indicates that these are normal occurances:

http://www.knifeforums.com/ubbthrea...e=y&olderval=&oldertype=&bodyprev=#Post482006
 
I guess I may be back to carrying the Bowie and putting a 5" chefs knife and Camillus 154CM combo-edge Talon in the "kitchen box".

I've been using a Wusthof 12cm "multi-prep" knife around the house, as a dry-run for camping. I've used it exclusively to prepare several meals, and it works, but I think the 14cm version would be better.

Mike
 
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