function over form...my ghetto bushcrafter.

[JV3]

when it comes to survival or hard use knives, the questions that always comes up are "how good is it at chopping?", "what kind of steel is it/how's the edge holding?", "how rust resistant is it?", etc. the question i rarely see is "how ergonomic is the handle?".

for a few months now i've been trying to get used to my bhk bushcrafter's notch in the handle to no avail (it's the bottom knife in the pic). i just couldn't get a comfortable grip with it. on recent hikes, i actually opted to take my $12 mora over the bushcrafter simply because the handle was more comfortable...so how good is a knife with a super steel if it's uncomfortable to use? function over form

i met up with a couple of bf members about 3 weeks ago and esav was nice enough to bring his spyderco bushcraft so i could handle it. as soon as i held it in my hand i knew it was one of the most comfortable, if not the most comfortable, handle i've ever held! i just had to have one so i ordered it a few days later. the handle reminded me of something although i couldn't quite put my finger on it at the time...

hmmm...look at the spine/palm swells - look familiar? something tells me one of those bushcraftuk guys that helped design the bushcraft's handle might have a becker or two as a model of a well-designed knife

so in comes my bushcrafter...i rolled-up a piece of paper, taped it over the notch and bam! i went from almost selling it in the exchange (i was getting really sick of the uncomfortable notch and the spyderco's handle nearly pushed me over the edge) back to liking it again!

there are a few members here who remind me/others of a particular knife...rescueriley (bk-7/mora/sak), tonym (the guy with a gazillion custom scandi knives), guyon & bladite (the guys who probably have more beckers than ethan himself!), moose (bk-2). i colored all my esee scales black back when no one else did it but there are tons of people doing it now. all the cool knives are already taken...so i think i want to be known as the guy with the ghetto bushcrafter

 

[C_Tanner]

I like that Blind Horse...

 

[GoNadz]

Jay, i might have some black cloth tape (like gaffers or hockey tape) in my toolbox from some wiring harness repairs if you wanna try that. Might be a little crippled than what you're using, perhaps. Lemme know.

-Nadz

 

[hiwa]

JV3 , I'm really liking mine , although the nod goes to the Spyderco. They sure got that handle right at least for me:thumbup:

In hand:

 

[hiwa]

Taping the notch on your bushcrafter makes it look like the boat-tail Scandi.
That's another BHK I'd like to get:thumbup:

 

[JV3]

I like that Blind Horse...

i really like the spear point blade shape. i think it stands out from the rest of the custom maker scandi knives, in a good way.

Jay, i might have some black cloth tape (like gaffers or hockey tape) in my toolbox from some wiring harness repairs if you wanna try that. Might be a little crippled than what you're using, perhaps. Lemme know.

-Nadz

thanks, man. i have black gaffers tape too. i just wanted to use tactical orange

Taping the notch on your bushcrafter makes it look like the boat-tail Scandi.
That's another BHK I'd like to get:thumbup:

hey, pete. yeah, it was a toss-up between the boat-tail or this...the spear point blade shape won out. i think i'll contact bhk and see if they're willing to rehandle it for me for a reasonable amount...or wait until i get to handle other custom scandis and have the maker put their handle on this blade.

 

[obsessis]

Your black-dyed ESEE's were super sweet and way easy to do. That caught on really fast. I might do it if I get a green 5 w/ serrations because I don't like the handle color with the OD blade.

I have the Spyderco Street Beat that has the index finger indent and I really like it for daily use in my office (cutting boxes, envelopes etc...). I think I'd like that knife with the indent/finger choil.

The spyderco looks nice as well, but I have been looking at mora's for a while, just haven't gotten around to picking the one out I want. I would like one I can hide in my bag (3.5" or under) and then one a little bigger.

 

[tknife]

The finger cutout on the BHK is a love/hate thing for a lot of people. It doesn't bother me though and it's been my most used knife over the past year. But the Spydie Bushcrafter definitely has one of the most comfortable handles that I've ever held. It just feels like it was built specifically for my hand!

 

[Guyon]

If you can get it out of Moose or Ethan, get them to tell you what one famous knife maker said about how a knife handle ought to feel.
I got the story second-hand, so it's not really my story to tell.

If you want a handle that just feels right, IMO the best young maker who works in the bushcraft genre these days is Andy Roy.

 

[tek77]

The finger cutout on the BHK is a love/hate thing for a lot of people.

I agree.
I don't think there is a universally accepted perfect bushcraft knife handle design. Many makers get really close to perfection...Spyderco Bushcrafter is a very good example - especially for a production model.
My BHK Buscrafter was not used extensively yet, so I am not sure if I like it or not. But JV3's mod gives me an option if I don't :thumbup:.
I would probably add inner tube over the entire handle for consistency and a thicker grip.

On a personal note, the only handle types I can't work with are the skinny ones.

Here are a few models that I've been happy with....therefore are still here.

And of course,there is Mora #2 ......very comfortable handle for long carving session....just can't beat it for the price.

Good topic JV3 :thumbup::thumbup:

 

[vba]

It just goes to show that everyone is different, especially the hands. I love the BHK Bushcrafter cutout. I can sock my hand real good into the handle and it feels right.

Vin

 

[PropThePolecat]

Fallknivens handles are pretty good too IMO. Specially the A1 which has that swell you mention.

 

[JV3]

Your black-dyed ESEE's were super sweet and way easy to do. That caught on really fast. I might do it if I get a green 5 w/ serrations because I don't like the handle color with the OD blade.

I have the Spyderco Street Beat that has the index finger indent and I really like it for daily use in my office (cutting boxes, envelopes etc...). I think I'd like that knife with the indent/finger choil.

The spyderco looks nice as well, but I have been looking at mora's for a while, just haven't gotten around to picking the one out I want. I would like one I can hide in my bag (3.5" or under) and then one a little bigger.

yeah, i hate wood on anything but outdoors. i don't like them as furniture, car trim, etc. when micarta starts getting dirty it starts to look like wood...i call it poop brown :barf:

i'm really digging moras now. i started using mine in the kitchen too! sure beats anything i have except for a chef knife or cleaver. and the thing is you don't care about loaning it some non-knife friends.

The finger cutout on the BHK is a love/hate thing for a lot of people. It doesn't bother me though and it's been my most used knife over the past year. But the Spydie Bushcrafter definitely has one of the most comfortable handles that I've ever held. It just feels like it was built specifically for my hand!

yeah, i loved it at first but the more i used it the more i hated that notch. i think it's just a tad too deep for my index finger.

If you can get it out of Moose or Ethan, get them to tell you what one famous knife maker said about how a knife handle ought to feel.
I got the story second-hand, so it's not really my story to tell.

If you want a handle that just feels right, IMO the best young maker who works in the bushcraft genre these days is Andy Roy.

a knife handle needs to feel like a pair of supple...yeah, i'd really like to get my hands on a fiddleback arete. that and the terrasaur are the only ones that are on my radar.

I would probably add inner tube over the entire handle for consistency and a thicker grip.

i just tried the innertube. it does improve the grip but sadly it won't fit inside the leather sheath anymore.

It just goes to show that everyone is different, especially the hands. I love the BHK Bushcrafter cutout. I can sock my hand real good into the handle and it feels right.

Vin

there's a 3-day custom knife show this weekend. if i end up picking another scandi, watch the exchange closely in the coming days. a bushcrafter will be there for really cheap

Fallknivens handles are pretty good too IMO. Specially the A1 which has that swell you mention.

cool. i'll check 'em out although i've been on a downsizing high lately. by this weekend i think i'll be down to just 8 fixed blades. i either get antsy to buy something or antsy to get rid of something once i haven't used it for a few weeks. i'm a complete opposite of a pack rat i guess.

 

[GoNadz]

While I don't own any scandis (yet) or any bushcraft knives, per se, I really dig the handle ergonomics of my two Fletcher Knives:

-Nadz

 

[JV3]

While I don't own any scandis (yet) or any bushcraft knives, per se, I really dig the handle ergonomics of my two Fletcher Knives:

-Nadz

i like fletcher's style. i can instantly recognize a fletcher (and i'm not even following his knives that closely yet) like a becker handle would. in your pic, that top knife didn't agree with my hand (the middle bump is a hot spot for me) but the bottom one felt really nice! i'll wait until the becker 'tweeners are here to see though. my izula and becker necker are gone so there's an opening...that hatchula is interesting too.

 

[randalljames6]

You could probably mix up some two part epoxy and ruff up the micarta. Then put some epoxy in the groove and let dry and give it a sanding. You could use masking tape to make a form to allow the epoxy dry .... Just a idea

 

[JV3]

You could probably mix up some two part epoxy and ruff up the micarta. Then put some epoxy in the groove and let dry and give it a sanding. You could use masking tape to make a form to allow the epoxy dry .... Just a idea

you, sir, think a lot like me although i don't think that's a good thing that would've been plan c. i have stainless pins laying around somewhere. i can drill holes in the existing slab for the pins as support and either fill the notch with jb weld or another piece of micarta and get to sanding it.

this is really ethan's fault. if he had the 'tweeners out already i wouldn't be straying away from the beckers to begin with and getting into this kind of problem with uncomfortable handles

 

[Bladite]

mmm, i bet you could fill that entire gap with something like silicone caulking, and THEN wrap the handle, and it would be marvelous... easy to remove too.

if you like that, you could probably use UV cured bondo perhaps? or marine two party expoxy putty to fill the gap, shape, sand, color... perfect!

or just sell it, and get something you really like. life is too short for bad interface.

 

[JV3]

or just sell it, and get something you really like. life is too short for bad interface.

i most likely will sell it and go back to the corner in fetal position muttering, "tweener...tweener".

phalanges...interface. you've been throwing big words at us beckerheads lately. sounds like a pick up line i'll try this weekend..."how yah doing? nice phalanges! wanna interface?"