Fixed blade, outdoor/camping knife?

Spyderco Street Bowie belongs in the street.

Maybe get a knife and a splitting froe?
 
John @ JK Knives does make some Fantastic knives, and the Element series is right around $100. Not only that, but his Heat Treat is Absolutely Fantastic.

The price was one of his sticking points when he made it. He wanted a strong, quality custom knife for as much as a production knife would run you.

ETA:
Though some (ok, a lot) of pics are missing, quite a few are still available. This thread is the Element 01 & variants thread.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/element-01-series-its-variations.1321098/
 
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A lot of good suggestions in this thread. Mine should be taken more as a supplemental suggestion than in opposition to them. No matter what knife you decide on, you should also pick up a humble Mora Companion to try out camping. They're great little knives that work well for the kinds of tasks you list, weigh next to nothing and, at around $15, is cheap enough to relegate to kitchen or garage utility duty with no buyer's remorse if you decide it doesn't fit your camping needs. I usually have a more expensive fixed blade on my belt or pack, but there's still pretty much always a companion floating around in my pack somewhere.
 
hexenjager said:
A lot of good suggestions in this thread. Mine should be taken more as a supplemental suggestion than in opposition to them. No matter what knife you decide on, you should also pick up a humble Mora Companion to try out camping. They're great little knives that work well for the kinds of tasks you list, weigh next to nothing and, at around $15, is cheap enough to relegate to kitchen or garage utility duty with no buyer's remorse if you decide it doesn't fit your camping needs. I usually have a more expensive fixed blade on my belt or pack, but there's still pretty much always a companion floating around in my pack somewhere.
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You read his mind.
He has a companion and a full size Ka-Bar fighter already and is looking to add to to them. He didn't state that he had them until about the third to last post on page 1 though.

Good points otherwise though. I have one and it is basically a household utility knife for yard, garage and garden.
 
'Survive! Knives' made in the U.S.A.

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NJBillK said:
You read his mind.
He has a companion and a full size Ka-Bar fighter already and is looking to add to to them. He didn't state that he had them until about the third to last post on page 1 though.

Good points otherwise though. I have one and it is basically a household utility knife for yard, garage and garden.
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Oops. I either missed that while I was reading or he posted it while I was formulating my post.

For the weight (I'm not an uber ultralight fundamentalist, my clothes retain their washing instruction tags) I like having one as a backup/complement to whatever I'm carrying as a main knife. It's reassuring to know that I'll have a Mora to quickly get back to whatever task broke my Busse. :D
 
Get a Mora. They are insane value for what you get and capable of everything you need.
I'd suggest the Mora Robust Pro, or the Mora Robust (if you have larger hands), both around $15.
There also is the Mora Garberg which is the most expensive hard use version they have but still sub $100, or the Kansbol and Mora 2000 in the $30 price range.
 
I add my voice to the Mora, though I would suggest the Mora Robust. Of all the Moras, they are the most durable. Very nearly indestructible.


(Yeah, these Euro-bros are a couple of dingbats most of the time, and the abuse is silly, but it really is one helluva knife.)

I also second the Becker. I have the BK-15 and it's outstanding in every role. Paired with an SAK or a multi-tool that has a saw, I'm well equipped.

Zieg
 
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Out of the ones mentioned by you and others in this thread: Mora or/and Esee 3.

You mentioned wood carving/sticks, general cutting etc, and for that, a thinner blade is better. I took my shaving sharp Esee 4 out yesterday because it's been neglected lately, and while it was possible to make a good featherstick, the thinner 3 does it easier. It's also cheaper and lighter than the 4. I have the 3 mil with TKC handles, love that thing. Strong enough for some batoning to, if you do it smart.

A Mora is good and cheap, you won't regret getting one. For the money you have left, get a SAK Huntsman :)

Helle is another option for the uses you describe, depending om model they are not that expensive either. You pay more for a Helle to get curly birch handles, leather sheats etc, but probably the same performance as a Mora.
 
xyrium said:
Wow, thanks guys. Seems like the Mora and KaBar get lots of love for this purpose.
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You can't get much further apart than a Mora and a Ka-Bar/Becker. Sounds like you really need to figure out if you need something small/thin/light for fine work or big/thick/heavy for chopping, pounding, and wood-splitting.

The Lapp knife I posted earlier basically splits the difference. I've got a couple of Marttiini knives and nothing comes close to the quality you get for the price.
 
The Zieg said:
I add my voice to the Mora, though I would suggest the Mora Robust. Of all the Moras, they are the most durable. Very nearly indestructible.


(Yeah, these Euro-bros are a couple of dingbats most of the time, and the abuse is silly, but it really is one helluva knife.)

I also second the Becker. I have the BK-15 and it's outstanding in every role. Paired with an SAK or a multi-tool that has a saw, I'm well equipped.

Zieg
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These guys put the Mora up against a Fallkniven pro and the Mora did quite well up until the point they hammered both knives into a tree stump and used the knives as a step up. The Mora quit at that point.
 
Emre said:
You can't get much further apart than a Mora and a Ka-Bar/Becker. Sounds like you really need to figure out if you need something small/thin/light for fine work or big/thick/heavy for chopping, pounding, and wood-splitting.
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Big/thick/heavy may describe some of the Beckers (2, 9, 20, 21) but not all of them (5, 15, 16, 17, 11, 14, et al).

There are knives for every appetite in the Becker line up. Hell, they even have a Stainless BK7 if you are willing to look around for a little bit.

One thing is certain, they are not all thick, heavy brutes that need a hammer or a full swing to work best.
 
^^^Thanks for that!

The few Ka-Bar/Beckers I've seen have been giants. Didn't know they made smaller/slimmer models.
 
I really like my BK 7. It was a gift from a friend on the forums many years back and I have used the knife for a lot. Clearing some branches and weeds from hiking trails, chopping up a few pieces of wood to make a quick fire, and it has performed some kitchen duty. I think that it is a very well disigned tool, I wouldn't ever push it too hard into work that would break it, but if you know how to find the right tool for the jab then it should last a lifetime.
 
Emre said:
^^^Thanks for that!

The few Ka-Bar/Beckers I've seen have been giants. Didn't know they made smaller/slimmer models.
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There are a small necker series. There is the middle size "tweeners" and then the large. The middle size compare to the mora robust.
I vote BK 16, Mora Companion, Condor Bushlore, etc. Stay with a simple steel for what the OP asked about
 
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Avoid knives with finger grooves. They never fit anyone's hands very well and are natural hotspots. ESEE 4 is a great base for a camping knife.
 
NJBillK said:
Any?

Would you include the Eldris in that classification?
Lol
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I like that one but not for the OP's purpose. My bushcraft blades are currently the BK-15 (discontinued) and the Dozier Pro Guides knife. I like this size. The Mora gets tossed in the pickup as a backup. They generally just don't do it for me. I have three Mora's.
 
The BK 2 ... Esee 4HM ... and BK 15 just to give you size comparision ... I was lazy didn't go dig out a Mora from the camper but its closest in size to the Esee 4HM. The BKs both have the Micarta replacement scales.
 
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Wow, so much KaBar love here. Ok, so it looks like I might just pick up either a BK2 brute, or a BK16. The 16 appears to be a great middle ground, in that it's a thinner blade and can probably do feathering and carving better than the BK2, while the Bk2 would probably rock at batoning/splitting. The goal is really to just have two knives on me if possible. These aren't week-long excursions, just light weekends. I might just use my ColdSteel Ultimate Hunter for the stick and rope work, and buy a Bk2 for splitting, if necessary. Otherwise, perhaps I should buy the BK16 and eliminate the folder altogether, and just run the risk of needing to split on occasion. I highly doubt my More Companion will split anyting, but it does feather and carve well.

The Gerber Strongbow looks interesting, and is available for only 50 bucks. The whole Bear Gryllis nonsense turned me off of Gerber, but perhaps this is an opportunity to bring them back onboard as well.

I think I'm just looking for an excuse to add to the collection here....LOL Maybe I just need an axe and use the ColdSteel for everything else. Damn, the options...
 
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