Final Choice for All Around Outdoor Knife

M

MassKnives

Joined
Feb 1, 2011
Messages
6
Hey all,

This is my first post, but I have done plenty of reading. I am currently looking for my first fixed blade outdoor knife. Something that can do the smaller tasks while still taking abuse. I created a list of 62 knives that fit my parameters; after browsing most if not all of the knife sellers and makers. I have further narrowed it down to 8 knives and was looking for peoples opinions and reasoning to help. Hopefully something will be pointed out that I missed about some of the knives. So here is the list.

Bark River Bravo-1
Bark River Montana Guide
Bark River Gameskeeper
ESEE-4
Fallkniven F1
Ontario Knife TAK 1 (1095)
Ontario Knife TAK 1 (D2)
TOPS Rogue Wolf

If you could pick what you think is the best one, two, or three and the reasoning behind the first ranked knife, that would be of great interest to me.
I am definitely leaning towards a few, but I am having trouble deciding on the final one.

Hopefully this post is not too obnoxious, repetitive, or comes off as too demanding.

Thanks for all the help.
 
MassKnives said:
Hey all,

This is my first post, but I have done plenty of reading. I am currently looking for my first fixed blade outdoor knife. Something that can do the smaller tasks while still taking abuse. I created a list of 62 knives that fit my parameters; after browsing most if not all of the knife sellers and makers. I have further narrowed it down to 8 knives and was looking for peoples opinions and reasoning to help. Hopefully something will be pointed out that I missed about some of the knives. So here is the list.

Bark River Bravo-1
Bark River Montana Guide
Bark River Gameskeeper
ESEE-4
Fallkniven F1
Ontario Knife TAK 1 (1095)
Ontario Knife TAK 1 (D2)
TOPS Rogue Wolf

If you could pick what you think is the best one, two, or three and the reasoning behind the first ranked knife, that would be of great interest to me.
I am definitely leaning towards a few, but I am having trouble deciding on the final one.

Hopefully this post is not too obnoxious, repetitive, or comes off as too demanding.

Thanks for all the help.
Click to expand...

get the F1. its the best of them all. its stout, durable, doesnt rust, small enough to pack. it doesnt get slippery if yourhands are wet or bloody, and if you have to baton wood with it, or make a lot of tinder,it resists blisters the best. it also has an awesome sheath (the zytel one) and happens to magically curl wood shavings away better than any other knife. i have a bravo 1 and a bravo 2 also. get the f1.
 
From that list, the only two I'd be really interested in are the ESEE-4 and the F1. Of those two, I'd take the ESEE in a heartbeat. I like the carbon steel better, I like the warranty better and I like the fact that the ESEE is made in the US.

---

Beckerhead #42
 
I'd say esee, bark river, or fallkniven. My izula is sure one of the best knives ive owned...i only have had 3 fixed blades, and its the best. but I have heard nothing but the best from the other two brands.
 
My choices, in this order are:

F1
Esee 4
RTAK 1 (1095, D2 really isn't suited for hard use IMO)
Bravo 1
 
MassKnives said:
Bark River Bravo-1
Bark River Montana Guide
Bark River Gameskeeper
ESEE-4
Fallkniven F1
Ontario Knife TAK 1 (1095)
Ontario Knife TAK 1 (D2)
TOPS Rogue Wolf
Click to expand...

They are all respectable choices but the ones that REALLY stand out are...

1)F1
2)ESEE 4
3)Bravo 1

Choose whichever one looks best to you because each one is tough as nails and razor sharp out of the box. You'll end up with all three someday anyway.

The only big difference (of the 3) is the BRKT and ESEE lifetime warranty vs. the 2 year warranty on the F1.
 
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freq18hz said:
get the F1. its the best of them all. its stout, durable, doesnt rust, small enough to pack. it doesnt get slippery if yourhands are wet or bloody, and if you have to baton wood with it, or make a lot of tinder,it resists blisters the best. it also has an awesome sheath (the zytel one) and happens to magically curl wood shavings away better than any other knife. i have a bravo 1 and a bravo 2 also. get the f1.
Click to expand...

Exactly what he said. Except that I sold the Bravo 1 and Kept my F1, it's just much lighter and more compact. I found that when I was going on a long hike. All that I really care about is size and weight.
 
Other than the ontarios I'd love to have any of those but I do own an ESEE-4 and it's my go to knife for camping or hiking/woods wandering so my recommendation would be the ESEE-4 and I think as far as price goes it's the best deal on your list
 
I was deciding the same thing awhile back, my list had only three though the Bravo-1, F1, and ESEE-4. All some some of the best knives out there in their blade length, I ultimately went with the bravo-1 because of the stoutness and blade steel. A2 seems to hold an edge and be a little tougher than 1095, and both carbons are tougher than vg-10 blade. Also the bravo-1 has an extremely comfortable handle, while the other two have smaller handles, which would be ok if you have smaller hands. I also prefer uncoated blades to coated blades. The ESEE has the best warranty hands down, followed by BRKT's lifetime warranty, and then Fallknivens 2 year warranty (one of the biggest deterrents for me). I'm definitely glad I went with the Bravo-1 though I may end up with an F1 as well just to try it out, and also have a ESEE-5 on my list. Bottom line, you can't go wrong with any of the three.
 
For me, it would be the ESEE 4 or the F1. The bark river knives you list are pretty big and bulky. If the bark river highland special was listed, that would have made my "short list" too.


Fred
 
Sorry, I know you have your list, but do consider custom makers, for the price you can get a ML Kephardt for about 150.00 and check out other models. If you cannot get a custom, my vote is for the ESEE 4 or F1, it all depends on preference. The f1 just feels awesome in my hand, havent used it too much, and the ESEE just grows on you even though it is a little more hefty. +1 also check out Becker 2 companion, a work horse and it will come back asking for more.
 
Thanks for all of the replies so far. So far it is looking like people are generally confirming my top 3, ESEE-4, F1, and Bravo 1.

I really do like the F1, as it is stainless, but I am concerned about the fact that it is a foreign company. Does anyone have any experience with having to ship a Fallkniven back for any reason? It seems like it could be very expensive and take a lot of time.

Thanks again for all the great posts.
 
The Bravo 1 and Gameskeeper are not the "Something that can do the smaller tasks while still taking abuse." knives in Bark River's line.

The Bravo is more a military-style knife that was not designed with civilians in mind, and the Gameskeeper is for dressing large game.

Bark River has several knives designed specifically for "Something that can do the smaller tasks while still taking abuse." outdoors. Like the Liten Bror, Aurora, North Star, and Canadian Special.

If they make a knife designed specifically for the purpose you have in mind...why not consider it?
 
MassKnives said:
...I am currently looking for my first fixed blade outdoor knife. Something that can do the smaller tasks while still taking abuse...
Click to expand...

1) ESEE-4: stout knife of good length, worthy of both the hunt and campsite, very durable (will take abuse) and easy to maintain/resharpen, amazing warranty, comes in a variety of handle/coating options +sheath accessories, ~$100.
Only concern - some people find ESEE handles uncomfortable. If you want a stouter knife with a better handle, check out the Swamp Rat HRLM or RMD - but these knives are more expensive ($130 & $140) and do not include a sheath.

2) Fallkniven F1: shorter knife, excellent for smaller tasks, well suited to hunting, bushcraft (but bring a hatchet - not a "camp knife" or chopper), excellent stainless steel (VG10, tougher than you might expect), "prettier" than ESEE offerings, simplicity + elegance + excellence. ~$120, lesser warranty, handle less suited to larger hands (but can be modified with wrap), kydex-sheath less impressive than ESEE-offering but the leather sheath is excellent.

3) Some other knife?
I don't have experience with Ontario or TOPS knives.
The bark rivers all tend >$150. The Bravo-1, touted as their toughest knife, does not handle abuse as well as the ESEE, is overly thick for many tasks and too short for those where the thickness would help, has a slippery handle with too much swell, has a thumb-ramp that assists well for piercing but is useless for other purposes (ignore the websites about its "proper use" as a notch-ramp or striker - the flat spine is demonstrably superior for both purposes). My Bravo1 is very pretty and very sharp, but it sees little use due to functional inferiority. (But that is how I weigh the values, you may prefer pretty to efficient.) I haven't used the other BR knives, but information on the company owner's practices is sufficient dissuasion.

Summation: ESEE and Fallkniven are both good choices, however you should be more specific regarding intended use and limit expectations. For most woods-related tasks involving knives of this size, a Mora Clipper (<$20) may be sufficient.
 
marcinek said:
Bark River has several knives designed specifically for "Something that can do the smaller tasks while still taking abuse." outdoors. Like the Liten Bror, Aurora, North Star, and Canadian Special.

If they make a knife designed specifically for the purpose you have in mind...why not consider it?
Click to expand...

Thank you for the response.

The Gameskeeper was kept in based on the general shape of the knife and its dimensions, it wasn't near the top of the list as it was designed for dressing game.

I did look at the Aurora, North Star, and Canadian Special. They were part of my original 62 knives. They were ruled out based on certain characteristics, but perhaps I should take a second look at them. Honestly the Bark River line was a bit daunting to filter through and perhaps I was too eager to narrow the list down.

I cannot say that I have run across the Liten Bror, but will look further.
 
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