Bushcraft knife !

H

Hatari

Joined
May 4, 2005
Messages
51
I am reading all the posts of this forum and I hesitate between Bark River Knife, Chris Reeve and Fällkniven for a bushcraft knife.
All these knives are nice with a strong blade.
What would you choose for outdoor activities ?
 
hey Hatari I see you to are on a holygrail hunt for a Bushcraft knife,I've gotten mine down to the Busse GW or SCW kit knife......best of luck!
 
Hatari said:
I am reading all the posts of this forum and I hesitate between Bark River Knife, Chris Reeve and Fällkniven for a bushcraft knife.
All these knives are nice with a strong blade.
What would you choose for outdoor activities ?
Click to expand...

You really need to define your "outdoor activities". I know bushcraft is similar to what we often refer to as "camp chores"...such as cutting cord, food prep, sharpening stakes and maybe some battening for kindling; but, true bushcraft in my mind constitutes working with wood to build traps, triggers, wood-craft such as making eating utensils, whittling or even bigger tasks such as building shelters, etc. If you're using your knife for extended periods, you really don't want a rubber handle found on the F1 (non-Micarta version), as you'll most likely get hot spots. Additionally, there's a balance between a good skinning blade and one with a decent and robust drop point for drilling holes into wood. The handle on BRKT's Aurora is a tad too big for me, but the Nebula is right on the money. I also like my Northstar and another big endorsement for that knife for "bushcrafting". The F1 or for me, my coveted Fiddleback Nessmuk would be ideal for hunting, fishing and the numerous tasks found in camp.

So, if I was going out to do a little bushcraft and just toy around, I would take my BRKT Nebula or Northstar. If I'm going camping or hunting, a good skinner such as my Nessmuk would be joining me. I wouldn't discount the F1, as I think it a great knife...stout, can do all the camp chores plus the heavy duty tasks of splitting wood (small rounds) into kindling or buidling a shelter.

ROCK6
 
Hatari, it's no secret around here that I'm a big fan of Busse knives, but I've read similar threads, and seen pix of fine examples of a "bushcraft knife". In addition to Busse, I definitely own a few other outstanding custom fixed blades including Begg, Graham, Martin, Sibert, and Lightfoot... :)


It seems to me that:

A. Weight is an issue.
B. Blade needs to be maybe 4-5 inches give or take, many fine folk here wiser than me may have opinions that vary more than this.
C. Blade should have some width.
D. Knife should be very tough, the blade from a high quality steel.
E. Easy to clean & maintain a useable edge while out in the bush.

I'm probably forgetting more than a few other priorities on that 'List', LOL

I'd have to throw a vote for the Busse "Badger Attack" (BATAC) or maybe a Swamp Rat Knife Works "Ratmandu". The 'Du's are pretty reasonably priced, but I prefer the BATAC's. They cost more but are worth it.

BATAC top, RATMANDU bottom:
BATAC_Ratmandu1.jpg


Here's a BATAC compared to the 10 inch blade on a Busse "Fusion Nattle Mistress"
FFBM_BATAC2.jpg


They are scary sharp; the Combat Grade model is pretty light for it's size & useful in a wide range of tasks, all are tough as heck and have a great warranty. Same with the 'Du.
If you like more weight, there is a 1/4 inch version although they are already out of production, except for custom offerings when available, and the occasional LE for sale by others.

These are 2 of the Limited Edition version:
27_23_BATACLEs-2.jpg


Here is a BATAC with a Busse Game Warden (GW):
BATAC_GL-GW_Ken44.jpg

Photo Credit: Ken44

2 quarter-inch Custom Shop BATAC versions with different hardwood handles:
Custom_BATACs.jpg


Just my opinion. :D:thumbup:
Happy Hunting!

Jaxx
 
Whatever your choice, you can't go wrong.

I'm a bit partial to Fällkniven and Bark River myself. Busses are great too, but I'm not too impressed with my Game Warden's ability to throw sparks from a firesteel.
 
Fällkniven F1 has been a favourite of mine, along with some traditional Finnish puukko designs, the Tommi in particular. It's easy to recommend the F1: it's practically zero maintenance because of the very stain resistant steel, cuts like a knife should, it's very durable, and best of all, it feels right in the hand. Personally, I find large finger choils like those you can see on the Busse photos very inefficient and wouldn't want them on my bushcraft knives. They just waste some of the cutting edge, and unfortunately they waste the very best part for precise work, which is the part nearest to the handle. And on a small to medium knife, the choils are absolutely unnecessary, if the blade is balanced correctly. You don't need to "choke up" on the blade with a choil, if the blade has been made with precise work in mind. Of course, if the knife has an awkwardly large guard, then a choil might actually help, but would still give you an incredibly unergonomic grip. The blade is for cutting. The handle is for gripping.
 
and the Chris Reeve knife.......like shadow, mountaineer,....
Some people use these knives !
Thanks for yours advices;)
 
I fully agree with Elen on the choil/handle design issue. It's the main reason I don't really see my Busses as good bushcraft knives. A shame as I really like the steel. There's just been a similar discussion on the Busse forum about the choil/guard/talon hole design. When I do use them (BATAC, BA-III), I'm putting up with what I see as a design flaw on an otherwise superb knife.

I don't own an F1 yet - it seems to be a superb knife though and is on my wish list. When I get one, it will be with micarta scales, not rubber. An even more personal choice than the choil issue I suppose; I just don't like rubber handles. I think the micarta handle would be more durable.

Bark Rivers are great knives. My fox river is one of the sharpest knives I have and fits my hand like a glove. I have read some comments regarding handle size on some of their knives though, so if possible I would suggest handling the knife before buying.

The only issue I have with my Bark River is that the A2 steel rusts more easily than I would like. North-West England is perpetually wet, plus I seem to have very corrosive skin! I don't have a problem with the blade itself, I take good care of that, its the tang where it is exposed between the scales that likes to rust. I need to coat it with clear nail varnish. It is worth the effort though for a superb knife in good tool steel.

I don't own a Chris Reeves knife, although I like them to an extent and am sure that they are excellent knives. My problem with the one-piece design is the round handle. I have a round-handled knife and I much prefer a shaped handle - it's easier to tell where the edge is going. Also, the all-metal handle can get very cold; a serious issue in cold weather. Personally, I see them more as 'survival' type knives than bushcraft knives, for warmer climates than Engalnd!

To sum up, For me it's a choice between a Barkie and a Fallkniven. Or both. Decide if the A2 rusting is likely to be an issue for you though. If it is, either plan for rust prevention of get a stainless blade - some Bark Rivers come in very good stainless models.

Just my 2p, YMMV.
 
foxyrick said:
I fully agree with Elen on the choil/handle design issue. It's the main reason I don't really see my Busses as good bushcraft knives. A shame as I really like the steel. There's just been a similar discussion on the Busse forum about the choil/guard/talon hole design. When I do use them (BATAC, BA-III), I'm putting up with what I see as a design flaw on an otherwise superb knife.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly on the choil thing.

I have a Swamp Rat Howling rat, a Ranger RD3.5 both with large choil notches and the area where the notch is is normall the area of the edge on a knife where you have the most leverage when deep cutting.

Try an experiment sometime.

Take a stick and hold it with your hand extended out in a flat plane with your arm. Then, trying to hold your wrist straight have someone push on the part of the stick nearest your hand while you try to keep them from moving your hand. Then have them grasp the part of the stick say 4" out from your hand and push.
 
ROCK6 said:
You really need to define your "outdoor activities". I know bushcraft is similar to what we often refer to as "camp chores"...such as cutting cord, food prep, sharpening stakes and maybe some battening for kindling; but, true bushcraft in my mind constitutes working with wood to build traps, triggers, wood-craft such as making eating utensils, whittling or even bigger tasks such as building shelters, etc. ROCK6
Click to expand...

Really. If you read any of the bushcraft stuff it is almost more like crafts than what a lot of us do.

I'm not really into bushcrafting as far as what I take to be the definition. What I like is just a good general purpose camp knife. Now when we say "camp Knife" that also usually means some large blade that you might build a shelter with but what I mean is a good averaged size blade that's easy to cut stuff with. I like to do a lot of slicing so I don't like thick blades much either. I like a good handle too.

So what you do is real important in your choice. My advice would be to pick one that is really good at doing what YOU do often with a knife in the woods, rather than something that you might do 1 time sometime.
 
Nebula_Blaze_Orange_S.jpg


Bark River Nebula

stainless, excellent heat treatment, timeless proven design

your choice of handle materials, fancy wood, stag, Micarta, G3, ect. ect.
 
Aurora_Ant_Stg_Bone_Mosaic.jpg


Of course if you like A2 steel the Aurora may be more you cup of tea. I put a finish on my blade with hot white vinegar to help prevent rust.

A2patenia3.BMP
 
smbushcraft1.BMP


Of course if money is no object a custom Stewart Marsh Bushcrafter with antique ivory Micarta is one of my all time favs.
 
Over at knivesshipfree they still have Nebulas in ivory and black canvas Micarta, a half dozen fancy woods and blaze orange G3

DLT has them in blue G10 and ivory Micarta

They are still out there just Google it.
 
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