I want a particular knife. What are my options?

H

Havokk

Joined
Dec 4, 2000
Messages
146
I want a particular knife, a Bushfinger ⅛" with bone or stag handles. What are my options? Keep watching this forum in the hope that one appears and (unlikely) that I'm the first to say "I want!"?

Thanks in advance.
Craig
 
Your options are take what you can get. There's a long Luke of people waiting on these knives.
Why do you want bone or stag? They are cool and all but IMHO they are not practical for a working knife. Too heavy and can be easy to break. I'm not even sure if Andy will make one.
 
I don't work with bone or stag. This is because of the smell for the most part.

There will be lots of 1/8" Bushfingers though. No problem there.
 
Just loiter in Andy's forum. A new batch will come up, and you will like what you see! :)
 
Andy what benefits do you see with the 1/8" Bushfinger? I know it's thinner, which will make it cut a little better but doesn't that also test the integrity of the edge?
 
chainring said:
Just loiter in Andy's forum. A new batch will come up, and you will like what you see! :)
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But if you see something that you like you better jump! If you mess around and think about it it will be gone! I am waiting on a particular handle on a certain model. Been three batches and I aint seen it yet. But patience, which I am short on most of the time, is key. Nothing good comes easy!
 
BBQ BOY said:
Andy what benefits do you see with the 1/8" Bushfinger? I know it's thinner, which will make it cut a little better but doesn't that also test the integrity of the edge?
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Some folks just like thinner blades. (I am one.) They tend to be more patient careful folks in the woods, who are cautious with their tools, and use them properly. (No offense to you thick blade lovers. Those look killer and take a beating, but cut for shit.) I like 3/32" thick a lot too. You are correct that they are not as strong as thicker blades. But, a properly used knife can be ground very thin and still do the job in the right hands. They take MUCH more skill to make with convex sabergrinds. If you have a Fiddleback Nessmuk with a convex sabergrind in 3/32" thick steel, then you have my best achievement to date. That is a very hard grind to get right. Even on 1/8" thick blades, I really have to hold my breath and pray my way through the finish grinds.
 
I also really like thin(er) knives IMO 1/8" is the maximum thickness a knife needs to be. Anything more and performance suffers so people can be reckless with their knives. But obviously some people like that quality in their Knives or you wouldn't see so many maker's using 3/16 & 1/4".
 
I like thinner knives too but all the Bark Rivers I had that were thinner chipped and rolled with light use. Now my Busse CABS is EXTREMELY thin and takes a beating without any damage whatsoever.
What is the thickness of my Bushfinger? I am awful at measurements so if you say 5/32 I don't know if that is thick or thin.
 
Its 5/32" thick. Its the right compromise between thick and thin IMO. I rarely make a thick knife.

I've never managed to damage a BRKT knife. You are worrying me.
 
Fiddleback said:
Its 5/32" thick. Its the right compromise between thick and thin IMO. I rarely make a thick knife.

I've never managed to damage a BRKT knife. You are worrying me.
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Sorry. I damaged both of my bravo-1's one broke while battening. About 2" from the front. I threw it away I was so pissed. That was on a 9 day hike/ camPing trip with 2 other guys. Later I orders another because I really liked the knife. The first time I battened with it the edge chipped badly.
I have 2 Bark Rivera left. A Golok and a Fox River. The Fox River has been through a lot and I will keep it.
I have had 2 other Barkies chip and roll as well. One was a..... What was that dang knife. I think it was a Highland Special with a special sprint run of steel. I didn't even do anything to the knife hardly and it chipped.
 
Thanks all. It looks like my option is pretty much what I thought it was. Continue to lurk here and hope I'm first to say "I want".

It looks like I have to change my view on bone handles, which was all about the looks of the knife.

Cheers
Craig
 
BBQ BOY said:
I like thinner knives too but all the Bark Rivers I had that were thinner chipped and rolled with light use. Now my Busse CABS is EXTREMELY thin and takes a beating without any damage whatsoever.
What is the thickness of my Bushfinger? I am awful at measurements so if you say 5/32 I don't know if that is thick or thin.
Click to expand...

Most Bark River knives aren't particularly thin at the spine, original stock, etc., but some of them get way too thin at the edge, even for folks who are careful and use their tools properly. I think 1/8 can be plenty thick enough if the grind and edge are done properly.
 
I certainly don't mean to bash bark river, but I have heard stories from a lot of people about knives braking,chipping,rolling and being ground to thin. But I have also heard from a lot of the same people that bark river make great knives. I don't own one so my comments are based solely on what I here on this forum. I personally like many of their knives, but I have vary limited "fun" money so it go's elsewhere. But one day ill give one a shot.

Wen it comes to thin knives the heat treatment and the grind has to be perfect or your going to have issues. I prefer 3/32 but sometimes I'm hesitant to buy them, unless the maker is experienced in treating and grinding thin blade's.
 
Bark River.

Never had the problem you describe but I don't do a lot of batoning.

I can usually start a fire even in the wet w/o doing it.

Simple fact. The better a knife cuts and the easier it is to sharpen then the more fragile the edge is. Steel and tempering also play a part but in general........

I'm with FB on the thinner blades.

My experience.

If the edge is too thin it's easier for me to thicken it up till it is thick enough for my use.

If the edge is too thick it takes me a LOT longer to thin it out.

If you use your knife for splitting wood a lot and pounding thru things you should choose a thicker blade and steeper grind.

If you use your knife for food prep and cutting things then choose a thinner blade with a scandi or thinner grind.

:D:thumbup:
 
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