Define "Bushcraft" knife for me please

peripatew

peripatew

Joined
Jul 31, 2007
Messages
1,421
I'm curious of the specific characteristics of a knife that make it a "bushcraft".

Thanks!

L
 
Okay I'll bite. This term will get different definitions depending who you ask. For me it's a simple one: An outdoor utility knife that can handle precise carving, efficient whittling, batoning, drilling, notching, game skinning & gutting, food prep, fire prep, and be able to produce a nice spark with a firesteel. The handle should be comfy for extended use. The blade, long enough to handle the above, short enough for control in finer tasks, durable enough to remain intact. The edge should sharpen easily but hold a good edge. Many of these points may be subjective but that is the point.
 
I had not heard the term until I came here but thats a darn good explaination in my book. You are probably looking at a four inch blade or something in that length range. Maybe the Mora 2000 would be in the picture to go along with the text.
 
People with higher levels of skill, knowledge and experience will observe more in that design than I will but let me make some observations based on my experience in why I think that knife is the favorite of somebody like raymears. First is that the knife is made for whittling and drilling, the point is in a line with the handle that makes for much better controll when exerting above average levels of force. There is enough belly on the knife that you can skin or field dress with it, nice even for fishing. The handle has contours that allow for a good grip.(this is something I always look for), the handle looks forgiving in terms of long use, it wont cause blisters. The knife is more about precise controll, it is not a chopper. If you notice on the rest of his site, there are many hatchets. Hatchets are for chopping and knives are for craft. In my opinion this is another defining charateristic of bushcraft.
 
batoning? to me that term means batoning someone, with a baton (ASP). What does it refer to with a knife?


drilling?
 
Well, first one one has to determine what is put under Bushcraft:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushcraft
Main generally identified proponents of concept have been:
Richard Graves (1898-1971)
http://tions.net/CA256EA900408BD5/vwWWW/outdoor~03~000#intro
Mors Kochanski
and recently Ray Mears

Kochanski basically describe it as a 4-6 inches scandi-grind (full flat single-bevel grind) thin blade, guardless knife. Pictures from his book mostly display moras. So Bushcraft Knife would be a Mora.

Now Ray Mears who recently made the concept popular has come with his very own design he labelled "Woodlore knife", which is basically a beefed up, full, tang mora:
http://www.raymears.com/shop_item_desc.cfm?id=72&itemType=Cutting Tools

Since the high price of the knife and its scarce availability (which drove prices on ebay to insane levels), many (mostly British) makers have made clones (size, thickness, full tang, scandi grind) which most of then quickly labelled "Bushcraft knife".

So here is "the" bushcraft design.
 
It has taken on a broader meaning, but to me it is the Brit term for a knife in the Woodlore pattern. Ray Mears brought the term to the forefront I think.
 
ah ok...i do that but have always called it hammering. Batoning makes sense though.

for drilling i've never used my knife (hence why i asked) . I use a cut down spade bit that fits my fire bow.
 
macgregor22 said:
bushcraft knives are a wierd fad that has hit the survival community lately
they are almost worthless in survival situations and are over priced
an example is the bear grylls survival knife
more info here
http://m4040.com/Knifemaking/REVIEWS/FieldBladeReview-BushKnives.htm
Click to expand...


I cant believe this post. Worthless? As was said earlier they are based on moras and scandi, they have many fine attributes, they are pricey I admit. But the Bear knife is an abberation and shouldn't negate the merit of standard bushcraft knives in anyones mind. Also high price doesnt lessen the value of a knife. I dont like the Bear knife because of the handle insets but I would never say such a knife is worthless or useless.
 
That review is what is worthless, there is hardly any supporting arguments beside "political correctness" to back up his claims. The review is based on vauge impressions and a bias for macho image over recognition of a sensible and serviceable tool. Further his comment that there is little whittling in survival situations shows that he lacks knowledge and experience. whittling is one of the most basic functions you can do with a blade, everything from carving notches to fit together limbs for shelter to carving stake for a snare or making more advanced trap parts.
 
You know how that post about bushcraft knives being worthless happened? That post was made by a guy with zero time in the woods using a knife for any kind of minimalist camping or survival. He wanted to join into the discussion so he googled woodcraft knives and copied the first link he stumbled on. His own post is just a rehash of what that review contains. No first hand experience or knowledge.

No one who has had any experience with using a knife could dismiss the validity of the class of knives that come under the name "bushcraft" as being worthless. This is just another example of people with no experience in a field or activity jumping in and shooting their mouth off. You see it all the time in the prac tac forum where people whose only experience with fighting or combat is from playing video games shamelessly offer opinions that fly in the face of anything that is sensible.
 
ok
I haved used many moras
small blades like that just dont do it
in a survival situation time is your life, can you quickly build a shelter with a little knife like that
they are less durable also
no I dont always agree with m40's giant blades but he has a point
and it is true, bushcraft blades fall short in many survival tasks
 
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