Bushcraft Knife under $40

B

Bob808

Joined
Oct 24, 2010
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15
I am looking for a nice solid bushcraft knife between 4-5 inches long. I have been looking around and the most popular knives seem to be Moras. If anyone has any suggestions, I would love feedback.
 
The Mora/Frost knife is by far the best the best inexpensive bush-craft knife you can buy in my honest opinion. I just got back from a four night solo and I can tell you the Mora I brought split wood, cut through roots, and gutted a few fish while still holding its edge and working extremely well...and its wasn't even one of their high end knives. Mora knives are the best inexpensive knives out there. Just a heads up, some of the sheaths are terrible, so consider upgrading if you get a traditional type one. Personally, these two are my favorite Moras. I've carried both of these and five more, and I've never had a significant problem. Both of these sheaths are pretty good
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The above one isn't pretty, but it's great if you have large hands or need to wear gloves
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This is another great one

Hope this helps, Ironwood
 
I absolutely love my Condor Rodan. Good heat treat on 1075. Convex grind. I found the handle a bit round for my small hands but a few minutes with some sandpaper fixed that. Great leather sheath. Got mine at Baryonyx Knife dot com but lots of them online. Talk about a solid bush knife wow. Google up the reviews on this one.
 
WallyWorld, etc, still carry the Buck 110 Folding Hunter and 119 Special fb, both under $40, as great US-made 'bushcraft' knives.

Stainz
 
Check out Ragweed Forge for a wide selection of excellent steel from a variety of Scandinavian makers. Great prices and service.
 
i have to second the moras. i have never had one die on me. they are super tough great edge from factory, and take and hold that edge well after the factory edge has been replaced....also a side note...and i would NEVER recommend this with any knife that was not specifically designed for it but...they make pretty good throwers while board and camp and its not your only knife....
 
Victorinox Outrider (about $35) is a good one or the smaller Camper or Huntsman models as secondary ($20-30) - I know sawing isn't as fun as batoning but it's reliable if trip actually turns things into a need instead of want.
 
Mora Mora Mora - for $40 you can get 3. The one shown is I think a 711 (700 series for sure). That's one of the best at it's about $11.
 
Alberta Ed said:
Check out Ragweed Forge for a wide selection of excellent steel from a variety of Scandinavian makers. Great prices and service.
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I've purchased almost all my Mora/Frost knives from Ragweed Forge, and I've never had any problems with him...take a look at his Mora page, its got a huge selection...
 
Thanks for all of the replies, they have been a big influence on my choices. Right now I am stuck between the Mora Force, the Condor Sapien, and the Condor Nessmuk. If any of you have any experience with any of these knives I would love some feedback.
 
Bob808 said:
Thanks for all of the replies, they have been a big influence on my choices. Right now I am stuck between the Mora Force, the Condor Sapien, and the Condor Nessmuk. If any of you have any experience with any of these knives I would love some feedback.
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Sorry, Bob, I don't have any exposure to the Condors.

The Mora Force, on the other hand, is a variation on a Mora pattern of which I have perhaps six or eight.

That blade is a very good general purpose shape and grind. I use mine for various things. Keep one in the truck center console. Use one of them in the kitchen from time to time. It's a good, simple, durable knife.

I also have a number of the Mora 2000 knives. It's the same blade that's used in the Bushcraft Forest and Bushcraft Signal. It's the one pictured above -- the bottom one in post #2.

It's a departure from the standard "Scandi grind" knife for which Mora is so famous, but it's a tremendously effective edge. This is a knife designed for slicing and cutting, not for chopping or batoning. The idea is that it is, you know, a knife, and that chopping is delegated to an axe.

See, in particular, the Eriksson Hand Axe and Survival Knife Set at the bottom of the Mora page, and the Eriksson Hand Axe just above that set.

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There you have the chopping tool and the slicing/cutting tool.

It took me a while to grasp the principle that there is actual wisdom in the old mantra of the right tool for the job. I tried to find a do-it-all tool early on, and found that while I might be able to get a knife to "do it all" that same knife would seldom "do it well."

I've settled on a blade between 3" and 5" (typically four-ish) with a thinner blade and more gradual grind as my go-to outdoor knife. And then I make sure I have a companion tool -- like a hand axe or folding saw -- for the heavier chop-n-saw duties.

 
Why buy crap like a condor when you can get a mora (companion / bushcraft force) that will dominate even 100$+ knives ?
Stick with what the experts use: mora knives.
 
Revolverrodger said:
Why buy crap like a condor when you can get a mora (companion / bushcraft force) that will dominate even 100$+ knives ?
Stick with what the experts use: mora knives.
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I have both the sapien and the companion mg. The mora is a better slicer but the condor is stronger. For wood work either would do fine. If you do even a little batonning the condor is the better choice.
 
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