Hunting knife and bushcraft knife in one?

BK-16 is 1095 cro-van, comes with a very nice warranty, it's designer is a good honest man, and it's tough-as-nails. The Esee-6 is a little more pricy, it's makers are good honest people, and the warranty is great. You can't go wrong either way, just depends on budget. Might be the 16's handles would be more suited to gutting, though, though you might want to customize to increase grip in slippy conditions.
 
For your stated preferences, I like the BR Aurora in 3V and Fallkniven H1. Both would easily do the job, both are great knives.
 
I will always suggest designing the knife the way you want it and finding a maker here to build it to your specs. I've had several of my designs made by John at JK Knives and have never been let down by one.
My Rule #9 goes with me everywhere I go. I would not feel underknifed in any situation with it.

Look around. Guys like John are happy to get good designs and make them for you. It's a great feeling to be carrying something you designed and had built specifically for you instead of simply buying off the shelf.
 
Shotgun said:
Not quite 6 inches but the swamp rat ratmandu would do nicely. Whatever you choose though, send it to a custom maker to have the edge thinned. Every knife I've come across in that size range has had an edge way too thick for bushcraft or food prep. Most come with a "I want to bash my knife through a cinder block" edge.
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The ESEE-6 is big but comes with an edge plenty fine enough to handle anything I had to do in the woods. I just prefer slightly smaller knives these days.
 
protourist said:
I will always suggest designing the knife the way you want it and finding a maker here to build it to your specs. ...It's a great feeling to be carrying something you designed and had built specifically for you instead of simply buying off the shelf.
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I completely agree. I had Matt Tackett make me this knife. To me it's the ideal bushcrafter, but I could use it to clean game if I had to. I'd prefer something much smaller and will hopefully be getting him to make me one just for that soon.

 
This is my compromise knife. Its got a 4-1/2" blade in 5160, which I think is a bit long for skinning (I think 3-1/3" is ideal) and just a tad bit over 1/8" thick, but with the tube rivets, you can add a lanyard, and use your wrist and finger tips, and get the job done.
I really like carrying one good camp knife, and a good pocket knife..you can field dress a deer with a folder with no issues, and the camp knife is there for what ever comes up.
But I think a knife like this, can handle just about any camp chore, and makes a nice bushcraft blade as well.
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Sulaco said:
I completely agree. I had Matt Tackett make me this knife. To me it's the ideal bushcrafter, but I could use it to clean game if I had to. I'd prefer something much smaller and will hopefully be getting him to make me one just for that soon.

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That's a fine looking blade. May I ask about how much that ran you?
 
gunknifenut said:
this is my compromise knife. Its got a 4-1/2" blade in 5160, which i think is a bit long for skinning (i think 3-1/3" is ideal) and just a tad bit over 1/8" thick, but with the tube rivets, you can add a lanyard, and use your wrist and finger tips, and get the job done.
I really like carrying one good camp knife, and a good pocket knife..you can field dress a deer with a folder with no issues, and the camp knife is there for what ever comes up.
But i think a knife like this, can handle just about any camp chore, and makes a nice bushcraft blade as well.
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awesome
 
Lots of good advice here. If you go production I second the BK16 or other Tweeners. IMO 6" is a little long for field cleaning game and more then you need for bushcraft. You could get a larger knife and a little psk for the fine bits.
 
6 is a little big for hunting knife in my opinion. But ask and you shall receive. Try a cold steel outdoorsman.
 
sodak said:
For your stated preferences, I like the BR Aurora in 3V and Fallkniven H1. Both would easily do the job, both are great knives.
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The Fallkniven H1 is the first production knife that came to my mind thinking about knives that perform well as both a hunting knife and a woods knife. That being said I'm more of a believer in the small knife + big knife (or axe/saw) solution than a single knife compromise.
 
as long as you are willing to compromise, there are a huge multitude of knives that will work. :p
 
If I were to pick a combo hunting/bushcraft knife, it would be in the 5" range. Even though I prefer 3" to 4" for my ideal hunting knife, I feel the 5" blade to be the best all around one knife only pick. My suggestion is to carry two knives which is what I usually do when hunting or camping.
Scott
 
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Both from the shop of Bryan Breeden
5.5" blade and 2.31" blade.
Knives are fun so two knives are twice the fun.
Also you have a back up.
 
RWT said:
I use my CABS and a small caper lately I keep the 4" blade around as my "beater" and blade for running around the joints and up against bone. The caper does 90% of the field dressing and the 4-5" I can use for everything else and not worry about the tip breaking. This includes any camp chores or bushcrafty stuff which I really never need. I've estimate I have cleaned 500+ animals in 25 years and used everything from a 6" filet knife to a leatherman. The closest thing I have found to the right size is a Rodent Solution or a CABS, but both need to be moded. The RS blade is way to thick and has to be stripped of the coating, but it holds a decent edge and is just about the perfect size over all. The CABS I need a slimmer blade and bigger handle(slabs). I am going custom as the cost is to close to what a modification on a production model would be. For instance a RS is $125 new. I then have to have the blade stripped, thinned out and I might as well have the slabs replaced to the thickness I like and add pins so it is easier to clean(blood in the rivet holes sucks). Just my 2 cents.

List of blades I have used to clean animals- at least what I can remember and why I am no longer using them
6" filet knife- flexed to much and too long
Mora clipper- great handle - blade length is good - scandi grind left odd cuts in the backstraps
CABS- close to perfect but I had to have mine mod'd- to much invested to risk losing it so it is for sale now
RS- like it and still have it but am selling it for a custom caper due to wanting to mod it to much
Kabar 6 1/2 blade given to me by my dad- used it as a kid since I did not know any better and thought I was a bad ass at 13 having huge fixed blade on my hip
Schrade Sharpfinger(two of these)- love the blade shape- a little short for good size deer on the backstrap- derlin handle blows when wet and is to small for my hands- still I went through two of them as I sharpened the first to a nub
Schrade with gut hook- derlin handles blow when wet and I started hating gut hooks with this one
Schrade safety with gut hook- learned to hate gut hooks as I could not sharpen them and the blade is too long and wide
Case Blade trader -love it-still have it - used multiple blades every time- hate cleaning it
CRKT drifter- forgot all my knives- this is my EDC
Original Leatherman- seriously I was in a pinch and only had this in my pack
6"boning knife I found in the kitchen- great handle - too long of a blade and flexed
KOA caper- still in use today
KOS Alaskan- loved the size but D2 hates me when sharpening so I sold it
Buck 110 knock off - still have it but sucks to clean it
Case stockman- broke the tip and hated cleaning it
Gerber unknown free blade - EDC and never held an edge longer than 15 minutes

If I had only one it would be :
Stainless in CPM 154 or Elmax due to ease of sharpening and less maintenance - I am lazy and prefer to drink beer than clean up
4.5-4.75" handle that is thick - arthritic hands
3.5-4" blade that tapers to very skinny at the tip and maximum 1" wide near handle
No ricasso at all
No choil
Full Flat Grind
1/8" thick steel
toss up between drop point and upswept tip like the sharpfinger- I clean more animals than process wood so upswept tip it is.
solid pins and g10 on handle
tapered tang to reduce weight
moonglow liner so I can find it when I set it down- lost the Kabar that way
no lanyard hole- I don't need to chop- I can push cut/whittle any up to wrist size and that is all I will ever need to cut down to build a shelter or a fire- If bigger is required the BK9 or machete goes with me.

What you see below is a custom I had made by another maker that did not meet my expectations so I sent it to Big Chris to salvage and he did a great job at correcting someone else's mistakes. That is why he is building my new caper. I am still working on the one blade as the one in the pics is a salvage job


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That is extremely nice!
 
I found this and I believe is very much apt!

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Hunting knife and bushcraft knife in one

Why one?
Split the usage into two:
  • Splitting logs and chopping
  • Fine cutting work like skinning and bushcraft tasks

Buy a 8" Condor Varan as a beater for chopping and splitting for a small amount of money
Then a decent 3 to 4" knife for skinning and bushcrafting
 
Whisper21 said:
I'm looking for a 6+" knife that is strong enough to split logs, but can do the precise cutting that a hunting knife should do. What is the ultimate compromise?
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Bark River Knives -- Gameskeeper II will meet your needs.


Mine's been slightly modified.

qzn9.jpg

Modded Gameskeeper II




Big Mike
 
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