Fallkniven vs Bark River?

[ljg]

Hi everyone,

I’m on the search for a good all-round camping/survival knife. I’m hoping it will be my only fixed blade that I carry when doing multi-day wilderness hikes.
I’m partial to 4-5” blades that have a comfortable grip, relatively easy to carry, cut well, and are pretty tough. Chopping is not that important to me as I can always baton what wood I need.
However, any knife I get will have to be a good throwing knife too. I know, I know, you should never throw your good knife, but tell that to the 4 year old inside me when I’m camping!!!!

I’ve narrowed the field down to:

Bark River – Fox River (4.25” blade, A2 steel, micarta handle)
Fallkniven – F1 Survival Knife (3.8” Laminated VG-10 blade, Thermorun handle)
Fallkniven – S1 Forrest Knife (5” Laminated VG-10 blade, Thermorun handle)

My Questions are:
How do the Fox River and the F1 compare with each other for cutting ability and throwing?
Does the S1 cut as well as the F1 or Bark River. (I’m assuming it throws better, but if anyone has used one please let me know.)

Thanks in advance,

ljg

 

[djolney]

I wouldn’t throw either, but that’s just me: the A2 blade on the Fox River will not deal with shocks very well, and the thermorun handles on the Fallknivens are likely to sustain damage.

The laminated blades on the Fallknivens are far more likely to survive throwing.

The S1, IMO, would probably be the best cutter of the three.

If you really want to throw it buy a Swamp Rat or a Busse. They’re not made for it either, but I think they would survive longer.

 

[GarageBoy]

Grab a Randall 18 (I think) and throw that !

 

[ljg]

...the thermorun handles on the Fallknivens are likely to sustain damage.

I've thought about the thermorun handles getting damaged from throwing but, I figured if they eventually get torn up too much I could rehandle the knife in micarta.
It would be a good excuse to try my hand at something new!


ljg

 

[phatch]

I'd take the Bark River. More options to personalize it to you and great knives.

Don't throw it. Buy a cheap knife for throwing. It would be a crime to so negligently break a good knife.

Phil

 

[ljg]

Oh, I forgot to mention. I have never personally handled these knives.

Can anyone who owns these knives comment on how comfortable each knife is to hold when cutting? As that's what I'll be mainly doing with them. I’m curious how the difference in handle shape between the F1 and S1 change the feel. Also how the Bark River compared to the Fallknivens.

Thanks for the replies so far!!!!

ljg

 

[s0rce]

I would say that the Carbon steel in the BRKT is more likely to survive throwing than the laminated stainless in the fallkniven as stainless steel's are never as though.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Chopping is not that important to me ...

This and prying are the two real reasons to get the S1 over the F1. I have used the older v-ground Fallknivens (A1,F1,S1,WM) and the new convex ones (H1). The convex ones cut very well as they taper to a fine edge. The F1 and Fox River should compare well.

In regards to throwing, the F1 is a small knife so the shock isn't going to be a problem unless you are pin wheeling it from 50 ft or so. The real problem is going to be missing the target and whacking the fine edge into a few rocks which will mangle the edge.

-Cliff

 

[ljg]

Cliff (or anyone else)

Does the S1 have similar cutting abilities to the F1? Their edge geometry seems different in photos. The handles are different too. How are the S1 handles when used for sustained cutting?

ljg

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Of possible interest :

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/knives/H1.html

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/knives/s1_f1_wm.html

Note the new S1/F1/WM all have convex grinds and are laminated so the S1 and F1 will cut better than the ones I reviewed and more like the H1. The F1 is thinner stock and will outcut the S1 on binding material like cardboard but both will carve hardwoods and do similar shallow cutting quite close.

The S1 and F1 have differnet grips, as does the A1. I was impressed by how suited each grip was to the style of use of the knife. Fallkniven really worked into the details there. The S1 grip is more suited to really heavy work, chopping and heavy power cuts while the F1 has a more versatile grip for precision work.

-Cliff

 

[Andy_L]

I own the convex F1 and have handled the bark river you mention and have used the north star.
The F1 has a thicker (stronger) edge then the BRKT but it wont slice just as well. It has never let me down though and will slice around the camp. I really don't like the handles on the BRKT in question, not quite as much as the one on the north start. I am not the only one with this problem. Having said that a few people have comented that the F1 handle could do with being a little thicker.
I'd go for the F1 as it's a tougher knife.

 

[fishface5]

I found the edge on the old S-1 too thick for fine slicing but ok for utility. Handle seemed kind of thin in my hand. Nice slab of steel. You can throw that sucker all day long and no worries about hurting it . . . as long as there are no rocks in the vicinity.

 

[Franciscomv]

Don't throw your knives!

That being said , both Fallkniven and Bark River are excellent companies. A knife from either of them is a good buy.

However, there are somethings I like more about Bark River than Fallkniven. First of all I think they are way ahead on the aesthetic aspect of their knives, but that's just IMHO (the Fallkniven knives I really like, like the Tre Kronnor and Northic Light series are quite pricey). You have a lot more handle options than with Fallkniven and the blades are a little more suited for general work. I've found Fallkniven blades to be a bit too thick for me (they would be great hardcore survival knives). Their stainless 12C27 knives, while they don't use a "super" steel like VG-10, cut like a laser. I don't know how they heat treat them, it's just magic. I bought a Mountaineer a few weeks ago, and I can't get enough of it. My only complaint with BRK&T is that sometimes the handles could be a bit beefier, but I have very large hands, so it's something I'm used to.

I have a couple of Fallknivens (a WM-1 and an F-1), and I think they are great knives, too (I specially like the WM-1 as an EDC fixed blade). But I've found Barkies to be a bit more functional.

 

[fudo]

I have the old style F1 and S1. The S1 is ok but I like the F1 and A1 better. I wouldn't throw any of them unless you just like to throw away money.
Of the 3 knives you mentioned, I'd take the F1. I also like the Cold Steel Master Hunter-Carbon V- not the stainless one.

 

[Andy_L]

What made you prefer the Fox river over the northstar from BRKT?

 

[Coonskinner]

I would go with the Bark River, but that is mainly because I have this love affair with carbon steel, convex edges, and natural handle materials.

 

[ljg]

...If you really want to throw it buy a Swamp Rat or a Busse. They’re not made for it either, but I think they would survive longer.

I’ve eyed the Swamp Rat – Howling Rat but I’m not sure about a choil on a relatively small blade.

They list the blade length as 4.5” but I don’t know whether that is the length of the exposed metal, or the length of the actual sharpened part of the blade. It looks to me like you get a lot of handle in that design (choil included) and not much cutting length. Is this true???
Can anyone tell me how the Howling Rat is balanced?
For a decent throwing knife (which I know I’m not supposed to do ) It would be nice if it was balanced at the transition from handle to blade, and not far forward like a chopping knife.

... I would say that the Carbon steel in the BRKT is more likely to survive throwing than the laminated stainless in the fallkniven as stainless steel's are never as tough.

I would have thought that too, but I’ve read some surprising reviews of the fallkniven laminated steel that says it would be tough enough to survive the abuse I will subject it to. Cliff Stamp seems to have done some decent prying with the S1 Forrest knife.

... The S1 grip is more suited to really heavy work, chopping and heavy power cuts while the F1 has a more versatile grip for precision work. The F1 is thinner stock and will outcut the S1 on binding material like cardboard but both will carve hardwoods and do similar shallow cutting quite close.

Cliff, thanks for the links to your reviews. I had read one before, but I must have missed the links to them in your reviews page, thanks for providing them here.

I really don't like the handles on the BRKT in question, not quite as much as the one on the north star. I am not the only one with this problem

What made you prefer the Fox river over the northstar from BRKT?

As I have never handled one I read as many reviews as I could. I actually thought the Fox river had thicker and more comfortable handles than the North Star. Could you elaborate on why you find the North Star handles more comfortable.
The only other reason that I eyed the Fox River over the North Star is that the Fox River blade has more belly, and it looked like the blade hung out farther from the hand, thus (in my eyes) giving it a more ergonomic feel for cutting. I could be wrong though.

...I have the old style F1 and S1. The S1 is ok but I like the F1 and A1 better.

Why do you prefer the F1 and A1 over the S1? I’d like to hear more….
I don’t think I want a knife as big and heavy as the A1 though (on their website they claim the A1 is 50% heavier than the S1, but the S1 and F1 are of comparable weight)

the (Bark River) blades are a little more suited for general work. I've found Fallkniven blades to be a bit too thick for me….

I was wondering the same about slicing ability and general work. I was all set to get a Bark River, but then I read the Fallkniven reviews. I really do have a soft spot for throwing knives into dead wood on a hiking trail and wasn’t sure if the Bark River was up to the task length-wise. The BR knives do seem very well made. I’m also moving to the West coast of Canada in a few weeks and will be around a lot of rain often, and salt water once in a while. I thought perhaps the VG-10 would be more suited to those type of conditions (although the stainless could potentially be a bit weaker when prying)
I’m still having a hard time choosing between the knives though.


Thanks for all of your replies so far,
sorry about the long reply!!!

ljg

 

[Andy_L]

Sorry if I was unclear, I do find the handle on the fox river is a tad more comfatable but it's the less of two evils. For me the F1 is more comfatable to use then either of them
this is the review thread on Britishblades of the north star, the handle on the fox river to me has the same problems but to a lesser extent
http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6451
I find the tang extention on the F1 very handy for hitting things with but I'm not sure that's any benifit to you. The belance on the F1 is slightly handle heavy. I'm not sure if the Fox Rivers have an option of no lanyard hole but the F1 is a fair chopper if you hold it like a sammi knife. The fox river I held wasn't as good for this hold

 

[Cliff Stamp]

They list the blade length as 4.5” but I don’t know whether that is the length of the exposed metal, or the length of the actual sharpened part of the blade.

The entire blade, including choil. The sharpened edge is about 3 5/8" .

It would be nice if it was balanced at the transition from handle to blade, and not far forward like a chopping knife.

Bingo.

-Cliff

 

[ljg]

Sorry if I was unclear, I do find the handle on the fox river is a tad more comfortable but it's the less of two evils. For me the F1 is more comfortable to use then either of them
this is the review thread on Britishblades of the north star, the handle on the fox river to me has the same problems but to a lesser extent.

Thanks Andy for the link!!!
After your comments and reading the reviews I think I will not get the Bark River. I have pretty large hands and it looks like the Bark River handles will be much too small.

I'll probably end up with the Fallkniven S1 to start with......and perhaps get the F1 as I can afford it.

Thank you all for your help!

ljg