Fox River vs Canadian special vs Highland Special

CUTS LIKE A KRIS

CUTS LIKE A KRIS

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Sep 28, 2005
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Does anybody have in hand pics or side to side pics of Bark River's Canadian Special, Fox River and Highland Special? I am interested in them (mostly the Highland) but want to see them together to see the differences. If anybody has them with a northstar that would be good too as I am getting a Northstar sometime (hopefully) soon. Plus never a bad time to get barkie pics up.

P.S. I want red ones so bonus points if they are in red!

Thanks.
 
Nope - but what a great question. All three I think look like great knives. If I was the one ordering them (at this moment of course) I'd go after the highland special. Just a little bit thinner, but still very robust. I think this one is the real cutter of the bunch. Plus, there is just something about the Highland that is sexy and so functional. Okay - I want a Highland Special!!!
 
I asked this question a while back on the Bark River subforum on that other board. The clear consensus was that the CS was the one to get. I haven't purchased any of these yet, but after that discussion, the CS is the next knife on my list.
 
I don't have a Canadian Special,but here is a pic of the Highland Special with the Fox River:

001-5.jpg


Cliff
 
I recently purchased both an Aurora and the Highland Special because everyone here is ranting and raving about them. So far the HS is best suited for my wilderness needs and I'm going to get rid of the Aurora. The HS is close to ideal for my needs but it is just a wee bit too short both is the handle and in blade length. I'm seriously considering selling both of them and then buying the Fox River because it appears to be just about right after examing the photo from Cliff (thanks by the way!)

The only complaint I have about the BRKT is the micarta scales are way too slick and polished for serious wild work. I tried to clean a fish and the darn knife just flew out of my hand after handling one trout. A wild knife in my opinion needs some texture to it. Some would argue that the texture will cause discomfort, fatique and/or a sore hand but it is my experience is a tenderfoots hands will become conditioned if they use the knife long enough! Also the first time I get blood on them during field dressing game the knife will not stay positioned in my hands as blood is the best natural lubercant on the planet. If I would keep them, and I'm not going too, I would bead blast the scales or rough them up with some sandpaper.
 
Thanks Cliff. Hmmm.... the length of the Fox with the belly of the Highland, and the finger grips of the Canadian.....

To you, which one feels more filling in the hand? Would it be possible to get a spine shot of the two together?
 
i've found their handles to be rather slippery myself, and sold off the 2 i owned. i still have the 3rd one.... a mini canadian in canvass micarta.

But...YMMV.
 
Quirt said:
I recently purchased both an Aurora and the Highland Special because everyone here is ranting and raving about them. So far the HS is best suited for my wilderness needs and I'm going to get rid of the Aurora. The HS is close to ideal for my needs but it is just a wee bit too short both is the handle and in blade length. I'm seriously considering selling both of them and then buying the Fox River because it appears to be just about right after examing the photo from Cliff (thanks by the way!)

The only complaint I have about the BRKT is the micarta scales are way too slick and polished for serious wild work. I tried to clean a fish and the darn knife just flew out of my hand after handling one trout. A wild knife in my opinion needs some texture to it. Some would argue that the texture will cause discomfort, fatique and/or a sore hand but it is my experience is a tenderfoots hands will become conditioned if they use the knife long enough! Also the first time I get blood on them during field dressing game the knife will not stay positioned in my hands as blood is the best natural lubercant on the planet. If I would keep them, and I'm not going too, I would bead blast the scales or rough them up with some sandpaper.
Click to expand...

I use 2 minutes to rough up the canvas micarta scales with sandpaper on mine and they aren't slippery at all. Even covered in blood.. ;)

I prefer the contoured scales on the Aurora, Bravo-1 and Canadian Special over the ones on the Fox River and North Star when skinning and dismembering game.

Sverre
 
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CUTS LIKE A KRIS said:
To you, which one feels more filling in the hand? Would it be possible to get a spine shot of the two together?
Click to expand...

Here are some pics for you...I threw in a Mora 510 for comparison,& because it's RED:)

The Highlands grip tapers near the blade,making it feel less hand filling:
001-9.jpg



003-8.jpg


004-6.jpg


Overall though,there's not alot of difference (to me anyway) in the way they work. I was a little concerned when I got the Highland that the grip would be too small,but once I started using it,I liked it just fine.
Cliff
 
I can't help you out with the Highland Special photo, but here is one comparing the Woodland Special, Fox River and Canadian Special. The Canadian Special is hand filling and I never have any slippage problems due to the design. It is my favorite barkie.
 
IUKE12 said:
I ......The Canadian Special is hand filling and I never have any slippage problems due to the design. It is my favorite barkie.......
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+1 on "no slippage" with the CS.
+1 on "favorite Barkie - I am a hug fan of the CS for "woodsy work"

I went through a LOT of Barkies, looking for "the one."
Although I HATE finger grooves, this one is different - honest. It tool Sgt Mike's review to finally convince me to try it.
Everything about this handle is right and works for me.
Everything about the Northstar, Fox River, etc. handles was not even as attractive, sleek and beautiful knives they were:(.
I was never able to get a good purchase on those handles, and manipulating the knife in hand to change positions was dicey. It had nothing to do with how shiny the handles were but how they were shaped like a wedge and worked backwards out of my hand if I loosened my grip and moved the knife at all.

I reluctantly let a super sweet Fox' go recently that I got from Kevin Estella with slightly longer scales and it almost "made it" for me. Now, I am not knocking the Fox', NS, etc. - they just didn't work for ME. Just pointing out how the "funny-looking" Canadian Special (again, no offense) handles so much better for me than the others that I dearly love the look of. It should be noted that there are many, many other folks out there who get along with the Fox' and NS handles just fine and I envy them.
 
bill_G said:
i've found their handles to be rather slippery myself, and sold off the 2 i owned. i still have the 3rd one.... a mini canadian in canvass micarta.

But...YMMV.
Click to expand...

If you talk to your dealer, they can always custom order one in a matte finish. That seriously increases the grippiness. Honestly, though, I have never had a problem with slippage, but I mostly have natural handled knives.

:)
 
okbohn said:
If you talk to your dealer,........:)
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Yeah, speaking of dealers, okbohn is one of the "stocking" dealers and I can speak form personal experience that he and the others will take good care of you. One found me a brand-spanking new Imp (long out of production) once when I had simply mentioned I would like to have one. He found it, ordered it and told me it was mine if I wanted but I didn't have to take it. I did.

If you have a specific need in a BRKT and don't see it on their sites, ask them.
 
A note on BRKT's canvas and linen micarta handles:

BRKT finishes the micarta handles with what seems to be a wax or heavy grease based polish.

I've found that if I wash the handle in warm water with a mild detergent, the polish is removed, and the linen or canvas fibers are exposed on the micarta surface. This gives the handle a very nice, grippy feel, even when wet.
 
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