-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Help me decide Nyala, Spyderco BushCraft or other
- Thread starter blade12
- Start date
Esav Benyamin
MidniteSuperMod
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2000
- Messages
- 90,915
Pick any one, you'll be fine. That said, hunting (skinning?) and bushcraft can be two different activities.
The Spyderco is a beautiful knife but it is pretty big for a bushcrafter and the Scandinavian grind isn't as suited for slicing as higher grinds. If you have large hands and most of your activity is going to be camping and hiking, it's a great choice.
Purely for hunting, you probably won't beat the Nyala. Decent small camp knife, too.
The Bark Rivers are good general purpose knives. Find one that fits your hand.
The Spyderco is a beautiful knife but it is pretty big for a bushcrafter and the Scandinavian grind isn't as suited for slicing as higher grinds. If you have large hands and most of your activity is going to be camping and hiking, it's a great choice.
Purely for hunting, you probably won't beat the Nyala. Decent small camp knife, too.
The Bark Rivers are good general purpose knives. Find one that fits your hand.
My 'bushcraft' knife of note was a Buck 192 Vanguard - until I discovered some of the UP of MI knives, inc Barkies, Marbles, & Northwood. Others were tried, but the Barkies were most, numbers wise. I went for users - with the lesser expensive Micarta or G10 handles, which were lookers in my book anyway. Of note, I have a few great Barkies - Gameskeeper, Fox River, Journeyman, T.U.S.K., Huntsman, and North Star, in decreasing order of 'bushcraft' utility, from my use. As the old Marbles - and the Northwoods - are hard to find these days, I will leave them out. Then, Mrs. Santa/Stainz shocked me with this:
That Nyala is a hard act to follow. My only complaint is the edge isn't convex - but, that can be remedied. More importantly, every edged device I've taken to the boonies before - and after - those Barkies, Marbles, and Northwoods were not convex! Seriously, a Chris Reeves knife for $230... and made of S35VN? Great sheath, too. Great handfit to my medium+ sized hands. I've just piddled with it thus far - but I expect it to be a regular carry when woods stomping.
Stainz
That Nyala is a hard act to follow. My only complaint is the edge isn't convex - but, that can be remedied. More importantly, every edged device I've taken to the boonies before - and after - those Barkies, Marbles, and Northwoods were not convex! Seriously, a Chris Reeves knife for $230... and made of S35VN? Great sheath, too. Great handfit to my medium+ sized hands. I've just piddled with it thus far - but I expect it to be a regular carry when woods stomping.
Stainz
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2001
- Messages
- 3,157
I've owned around 10 high end fixed blades... been carrying my Nyala for around five months and it is my all around favorite. It is as sturdy as you could ever want while having a nice thinish grind. LOVE the steel. Love the handle. Its the perfect size as well.
tundratrader
BANNED
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2009
- Messages
- 1,312
At one point or another I have had each of the listed knives. They all have pros and cons.
I am not a scandi fan. It is supposed to be easier to sharpen but I have never found that to be the case. The bushcrafter is a big thick blade I dont know how well it would do skinning. That being said Spyderco does not make a bad product ever.
The fox river is a smaller knife than you would imagine. The bark river knives get and stay very sharp but I think the edges are a little thin. I have severely dinged edges with minor slip ups cutting critters and messing around.
The Nyala is a beautiful knife and would be my choice. I was not brave enough but I think if someone sanded the handle down and removed the slickness and some of the contour it would make it even better. The S35V is amazing steel and was designed by Chris.
Like others have said they are all good knives and will do anything. They all sell and trade well so you can easily try them all.
I am not a scandi fan. It is supposed to be easier to sharpen but I have never found that to be the case. The bushcrafter is a big thick blade I dont know how well it would do skinning. That being said Spyderco does not make a bad product ever.
The fox river is a smaller knife than you would imagine. The bark river knives get and stay very sharp but I think the edges are a little thin. I have severely dinged edges with minor slip ups cutting critters and messing around.
The Nyala is a beautiful knife and would be my choice. I was not brave enough but I think if someone sanded the handle down and removed the slickness and some of the contour it would make it even better. The S35V is amazing steel and was designed by Chris.
Like others have said they are all good knives and will do anything. They all sell and trade well so you can easily try them all.
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2010
- Messages
- 1,897
Really? i thought CRK put a convex edge on all their knives. My Insingo and my professional solder both came convexed.
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2011
- Messages
- 65
bravo 1. get one!
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2010
- Messages
- 3,950
I would go for a fallkniven F1 or S1 or an esee 4 or RMD personally. But I hear really great things about the Bravo 1