Coldsteel Recon Scout

[DRU]

I'm looking for a hard use camping knife in the $100 to $150 range. I was wondering if any of you guys have had any positive or negative experiences with the Recon Scout and what other knives I should give a look.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Dru

 

[clipper]

I own the srk and have taken it camping many times and found it to be an excellent hard use camp knife.

 

[tknife]

I own a Recon Scout which served me well for about 2 years, but the Kraton handle cracked and came off recently. Otherwise, it's a great choice.

 

[GONESAILING]

Probably the strongest knife in it's price catagory. I have used mine to chop, cut, dig and afterwards, cleaned it off and cut up vegetables for dinner. It is one heavy duty
tool. It will also cut a tomato thin enough for a sandwich.
Jim

------------------
What? Another knife? Don't you have enough of those things already?
How many does one person need?

 

[TOMBSTONE]

I would suggest looking at the links page to custom knife makers.I would think for $150.00
you would probably be more satisfied with something say from Bob Dozier.I would personally recommend staying away from kraton handled knives.Thats just my two cents though,RS

 

[ekaagan]

I ahve always liked this knife for a variety of reasons: size, style, blade steel, company. You can't go wrong with this knife, it's a scaled down Trailmaster--very thick, very sharp. Caerbon V does require regular maiintenance, but the epoxy coating allows you to get away with some neglect

What I don't like about it though is the Krayton handle. It's kind of cheap for such a well made knife (overall). The handle is just a bit too narrow. You may also not want the added weight of the 1/4" thick blade.

Since you're looking for a camp knife, and the RS is much more than that, for around $100-$150, this knife is at the top end. Buy it from an Internet dealer.

Lastly, I really think that the Bush Ranger would also serve your needs well, and it isn't as costly. It's a LOT of knife for its weight. Carbon V or AUS8 (stainLESS).

Happy hunting.

EK

[This message has been edited by ekaagan (edited 31 May 1999).]

 

[bansidthe]

I have both the recon scout and the bush ranger and time and time again I reach for the bush ranger simply because it is lighter and with a slimmer blade it cuts better. You can use the rs to jack up your car if you have aflat though

 

[Joe Talmadge]

DRU -- What exactly does "hard-use camping" mean to you?

Like bansidthe, I'd pick the Bush Ranger handily over the Recon Scout. For me it has better ergonomics; I don't like the Recon Scout's ergonomics that much, especially the double guard. More importantly, in head to head tests it blows away the Recon Scout in just about all cutting and piercing categories... UNTIL you need the Recon Scout's incredible strength. The Bush Ranger is plenty strong, but the Recon Scout is just huge.


If great strength is needed, the Recon Scout definitely wins. The Bush Ranger will outcut it left and right though -- so you really should consider what you're actually going to be doing with these knives. For camp use, I would usually rather have better cutting. For light chopping, the Bush Ranger will do great. For heavy chopping, I don't want to use any 7" knife, neither Bush Ranger or Recon Scout.

If you do get the Recon Scout, I strongly suggest you take a lighter knife for food prep and the like.

Joe
jat@cup.hp.com

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Joe :

If great strength is needed, the Recon Scout definitely wins. The Bush Ranger will outcut it left and right though

To add one thing to what Joe said. Increased strength does not just mean you can pry and such with it - it also means that you can use different methods of chopping/cutting/splitting that you can't use with a weaker knife.

So while if you used the same methods on both the Bushmaster would probably come ahead on all cutting tasks (even chopping, see a post in the Review forum comparing an ATAK an a Bushmaster awhile ago), if you adapt your methods to take advantage of the strength the Recon Scout, things can be significantly different.

-Cliff