Full flat or scandi?

B

BC Bushcraft

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Jul 27, 2016
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I've come across the Nieto Terrano and am trying to decide between the scandi or full flat. It's a solid 4mm thick (5/32) bohler n690co or O2. I generally like scandis but more around the 3mm thickness.

It'll be my belt knife when I explore the wilderness without an axe and maybe only a small folding saw. I don't hunt so no skinning for me.

Opinions?
 
FFG is good for everything, scandi is good for woodcarving. I prefer FFG myself. I have experience with both grinds.
 
I'd say ffg, I love my mora and it's scandi grind for cooking (yup) soft things because the scandi slices well but I can't figure myself with this grind on more than 3mm thick blades.
 
BC Bushcraft said:
I've come across the Nieto Terrano and am trying to decide between the scandi or full flat. It's a solid 4mm thick (5/32) bohler n690co or O2. I generally like scandis but more around the 3mm thickness.

It'll be my belt knife when I explore the wilderness without an axe and maybe only a small folding saw. I don't hunt so no skinning for me.

Opinions?
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I think it all depends on your need. You'd mention it's for wilderness, no axe and small saw--would one of the major task of this knife be wood carving/fire prepping? Possibly some batoning? I like both FFG and Scandi, but definitely prefer Scandi if one of main task is to fire prep or wood carving, generally give me more confidence if I do need to baton that knife.
 
With a folding saw, you don't normally need to baton anything unless it is for fun. I suppose in a real wet environment, splitting wood with a knife would be quite useful and perhaps a convex or scandi grind, but how often does that happen? So, if I have a choice, I would go with full flat grind.
 
I've been looking at the knife myself now, and I think it will be a fine knife for the price in either grind. I'd only go scandi if you'd use it for wood-related chores more than half of the time. That said, I do think every collector needs at least one knife with a scandi grind in their collection. It's got a unique feel to it when working with wood.
 
Lodd said:
I've been looking at the knife myself now, and I think it will be a fine knife for the price in either grind. I'd only go scandi if you'd use it for wood-related chores more than half of the time. That said, I do think every collector needs at least one knife with a scandi grind in their collection. It's got a unique feel to it when working with wood.
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It is a great price for the steel, fit, finish and style. I have a Kellam Falcon scandi puukko which I love for wood tasks outside of chopping and battoning. Been searching for another stainless knife to add comparable to a Condor Bushlore but just better steel. I think I'm leaning FFG and maybe just bring a mora eldris or something if I want something more detailed
 
Lodd said:
FFG is good for everything, scandi is good for woodcarving. I prefer FFG myself. I have experience with both grinds.
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This is generally my take, with a slight adjustment for saber flat or high saber grinds which I consider a better all-purpose design whereas full flat is a better slicing design, all other attributes, like steel thickness and blade width, being the same. Generally, I only see scandi's advantage for wood carving and fire starting tasks, but the advantage can be pretty noticeable for those tasks.

At 4mm thick though, scandi isn't a good choice unless it's an acute angle, in which case it will end up as roughly a saber grind anyway.

If you want to modify into a convexed scandi (scandivex), then go scandi and around the shoulders a bit and I've had very good performance from that type of mod as it seems like it doesn't catch material as badly at the shoulder like a normal scandi. I've started modding all of my moras that way.
 
BC Bushcraft said:
It is a great price for the steel, fit, finish and style. I have a Kellam Falcon scandi puukko which I love for wood tasks outside of chopping and battoning. Been searching for another stainless knife to add comparable to a Condor Bushlore but just better steel. I think I'm leaning FFG and maybe just bring a mora eldris or something if I want something more detailed
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I wouldn't discount an inexpensive carving knife for a detail knife either, like a mora 106 or 120. The eldris isn't a bad knife but I personally don't care for the blade with for how short of a blade it is. Also, I'm just a fan of the sloyd blade shape like on the other 2 moras mentioned.
 
I wouldn't want a scandi grind on any knife thicker than 1/8" at the spine. They're good for carving but with practice you can do well with a FFG. Full flat is more versatile in my opinion. I like to carve any chance I get, and I enjoy feather sticks as much as the next guy, but I also love to slice food with my outdoor knives. YMMV.
 
I think this goes in trends anyway.

To explain, I lurk periodically in the bushcraft world to augment backpacking and survival skills. I'm not a bushcrafter per se, although I learn from that community. My "ideal" main outdoor knife is a 5"-6" "field knife". From time to time however, I'll REALLY get drawn into the bushcraft world and start looking at PURELY bushcraft knives.

Several years ago, Scandi was all the rage. I initially knew of their existence and heritage (and DEFINITELY respect that background) but thought them unattractive on modern knives. However, it seemed almost everyone in the BC community was carrying them and harping on them. Hollow ground and sabre ground were "okay" for general purpose, but not ideal for bushcraft, was what I picked up. So, I bought my first Moras (Craftlines and Companions, and later, when the HD came out I had to have a couple of those.) Loved those Moras. By then though, I noticed a lot of folks (and some of the SAME ONES:confused:) were then suggesting FFG. Small (but well known and respected) shops began offering their BC knives in FFG as an option, and a couple of places even offered Moras that were "customized" by being REGROUND down to FFG.

Now I'm peeking back in again, and am amazed at how I've been hearing that a HIGH SABRE GRIND is almost ideal on a bushcraft knife. :thumbsup::cool:
 
Looks like the consensus is FFG. I realize now that visually I like the look of a scandi probably because of a sharp grind line. I'd like a convex but there isn't maybe options at this price besides a real steel fixed blade. Maybe the Benchmade puukko with it's sabre grind but it's similar to other knives I have
 
The Benchmade Puukko is a great knife! But it doesn't outperform a FFG knife per se. (It's one of the knives I've tested rigourously).
 
I'm not bushcrafter or anything like that, but for some reason I always had aversion to scandi grinds...
I honestly don't care about the grind while I'm buying a knife.
I only care it's not scandi grind tho...
 
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