Does anyone actually own a Ray Mears bushcrafter?

[Magnaminous_G]

Ray Mears is a legend in modern bushcrafting, and his ideas on the perfect bushcrafting knife have inspired many makers. Does anyone actually own one of the bushcrafting knives that he sells? He has two makers that make them for him, both in the UK, I believe.

The first is made by Stephen Wade Cox and costs 325 British pounds, or a whopping $509.00, which I think is a bit much for a user that you might baton with. The second is made by Alan Wood and costs an almost insane 450 British pounds, or $705.00.

I'm sure they are fantastic, but I can't see how anyone would use a $700.00 knife. Whatever people do with them, I'd like to see a review or pics if anyone owns one.

- Mag

 

[econnofoot]

I'm on several Bushcraft forums and know no one that has one....I'd buy one maybe if I won the lotto.

 

[Rockywolf]

There is a guy on here with one, can't remember his name...I like them but there are many makers who will create one almost exactly the same for far less.

 

[scruffuk]

There's a guy on BCL (Buscraftliving.com) who has recently been selling his collection.

He's had them all, in all the guises, and by all there makers.

Personally I don't like them. I think they are simply too thick, especially for the length of the blade.

 

[pilgrimuk]

Mine arrived this morning!

You are actually right, I think it's an insane amount to pay for a knife to use. When I was first interested in buying one I put my name down on the waiting list, that was about 5 years ago! So when Woodlore contacted me to say I could go ahead I bit the bullet. Why? Ummmm.....well I KNOW I can resell at ANYTIME and get at least the money I paid for it by those who want to beat the waiting time. It is the first knife I bought to put away for my kids to sell as an heirloom. I always said to myself that I would never buy I knife and never use it, but this is the exception I suppose.

I also bought a Stephen Wade Cox version several years ago, before he started making for Woodlore to use at work (I'm a Bushcraft Instructor), is there a big difference in quality/workmanship? Absolutely NO! The SWC version is a user though and has seen plenty of use. Very good design for heavy duty bushcraft, but as stated it can be a bit thick for some duties, but it is bomb proof.

Let me know if you want any further information and I'll try and answer them.

atvb, John

 

[trentu]

Not really. They are too expensive. That is why I bought a Redneck Knives version. To pay that much money for one and use it would be scary.

 

[Jakeboy]

I went and bought a Condor Bushlore for about $35.00. It seems to be a great value for a traditional "Bushcraft", knife. The design of the Condor is suspiciously similar to the Ray Mears model! There is no doubt that the Ray Mears knife is a superior knife to the Condor, but for the difference in price, I'll stick with the Condor and spend the difference on a few other blades that strike my fancy. If I inherit some money from an unknown rich uncle or hit the lottery, I'd definitely buy a Ray Mears knife. I'm sure they're awesome.

Pic of my Condor:

 

[Redeye]

It's a fine knife, but I'd rather have a custom made by Alan Wood with my own tweaks.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

The Condor Bushlore is a similar knife that performs all the same functions at a cost that actually makes you want to use it.

 

[evert67]

The Spyderco Bushcraft also looks a lot like this knife. A local dealer sells it, and more than once I've been inclined to buy it...

 

[scouter27]

...I think it's an insane amount to pay for a knife to use...

I feel quite the opposite, generally. My most expensive knife (at $575 US) almost got traded because I didn't use it. When no took me up on a trade, I decided to take a dremel to it in order to modify it to my liking then use the hell out of it. To me, any tool, especially an expensive one, is pointless unless you use it as it was intended.

As for your Woodlore heirloom, I'm sure the future owner will love it, in the way he or she sees fit. Me, I'd be batoning it through oak branches right about now

 

[Liveitloud]

I won't say that the price is too high for "a knife" but I would not pay that much for "that" knife. I have a knife coming from Adventure Sworn and have knives from Makers like Wohlwend, Fletcher, Fiddleback forge, KFU and BA Customs and I just don't see spending that much on that knife. Power to anyone who wants or owns one. I just don't see that as being anything heads or tails over what I already have.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I feel quite the opposite, generally. My most expensive knife (at $575 US) almost got traded because I didn't use it. When no took me up on a trade, I decided to take a dremel to it in order to modify it to my liking then use the hell out of it. To me, any tool, especially an expensive one, is pointless unless you use it as it was intended.

As for your Woodlore heirloom, I'm sure the future owner will love it, in the way he or she sees fit. Me, I'd be batoning it through oak branches right about now

I agree--I think it's silly to spend a lot of money on a knife and NOT use it. :thumbup:

 

[Jakeboy]

The Spyderco Bushcraft also looks a lot like this knife. A local dealer sells it, and more than once I've been inclined to buy it...

I, too, like the looks of the Spyderco Bushcraft knife. Just not sure about how it would do as a food prep knife due to it's thickness with the Scandi grind. I've found that 1/8" is about max thickness for decent slicing with a Scandi. I might consider the Spydie if it was in a FFG, given it's .140" thick blade. Of course a person could carry a Mora for chow duty. YMMV, of course.

 

[Dagon]

I, too, like the looks of the Spyderco Bushcraft knife. Just not sure about how it would do as a food prep knife due to it's thickness with the Scandi grind. I've found that 1/8" is about max thickness for decent slicing with a Scandi. I might consider the Spydie if it was in a FFG, given it's .140" thick blade. Of course a person could carry a Mora for chow duty. YMMV, of course.

The Spyderco Bushcraft is an awesome, indestructible knife, and indeed for finer culinary slicing it is too thick. Perhaps add a cheap Opinel, or one of the longer blade swiss army knives for these tasks.

 

[nextmission]

i will prefer the spydo bushcraft, i love this grinding style！！！

 

[Guy Vanderveken]

This is about as close as I came for a whopping 200 Pounds Sterling- A. Wright & Sons O1 bushcrafter in Snakewood.
I loved the idea in the begining, but common sence should have prevailed, too shallow a bevel and the blade starts too far forward from the handle to work well, I just happened to be visiting Sheffield at the time.

I have been meaning to get the blade convexed and brought back to the handle for good use, and contouring the handle a bit to make a better user, how ever for the money I will spend on it I could get a Fallkniven F1 blank and get a handle made for it, ending up with a better user, and more practical:grumpy:

I have yet to decide, If only I heard about Ray Laconico back then

Perhaps the spydie would also have been the one to go with??

 

[evert67]

Doesn't look too bad, and snakewood is great, of course. But it is indeed a bit shallow. (And where does that firestarter fit in?) But as a user, I don't think there'd be anything better than an F1. Although the Spyderco might also be very good. I'm doubting between the two. It's just that I've got an A1, which is simply to large for this type of task. But Fallkniven is about really great construction quality and great steel. (Don't know the Condor Bushlore, but it looks like real value for money.)