Is Bark River worth the $$?

T

TWBryan

Joined
Jun 11, 2006
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I'm considering buying a bark river knife,still trying to figure out which model. I'm just wondering if they are really worth the $100 + price tag? I'll pay that much for a HI khukuri,but that's a lot of steel for the money. Anyone here tried one out and formed an opinion?

Thanks
 
Yes. and Yes.

Remember that this is an American Manufacturer. Its going to cost more.
 
Fiddleback-Understood,perhaps you could recommend a model that would be 90% tool and 10% weapon?

Thanks
 
I have a nice little Fox River I picked up some time ago from A. G. Russell. Russell's version has stainless steel bolsters to go with the custom wood handle.

It's a real little beauty made of A2 (an excellent knife steel) and it comes with a good leather sheath.

It's not a pry-bar or a chopper, but it has an excellent edge on it and cuts as well as just about any knife I've ever had. It holds an edge very well, as any well-made A2 blade will ... I've only stropped it occasionally. No signs of rusting at all, although I haven't always dried it properly after use. :o

I'd call it a completely satisfactory knife -- an excellent design with top-notch fit and finish.

And if the Fox River doesn't float your boat, BRKT has quite a few other excellent designs.
 
Bark Rivers are incredibly good knives. They are worth every penny. They are known for their superb fit and finish, ergonomics, and crazy sharp factory edges. They use high-grade materials, and their designs are well thought out. They come with nice sheaths, too.

Good "90% tool and 10% weapon" knives would be the Bravo1, the Sandstorm, the Aurora, the Northstar, the Canadian Special etc. Bark River knives don't seem to be designed as weapons at all, they are designed to be useful for cutting stuff efficiently, while remaining tough and reliable. Of course, they could be used for SD if they needed to. They're plenty sharp and pointy.
 
Oldphysics-Thanks for the info,one of my concerns with A2 is rust. It's reassuring to know you haven't had that as a problem. I like the looks of the Fox River.

Moonwilson-Thanks I was looking at the slither ,I was considering the aurora ,but it doesn't seem to have a full-tang. Glad to see recommendations popping up for this brand of knife.
 
I love my two Bark Rivers....got a Gameskeeper (though I think I might try and swap it for a Bravo-1 which is the same but without the choil) and a Teddy Varient. They've both got perfect fit and finish, and and pretty thick/strong. They have fine tips and fine convex edges so they're very efficient cutting tools while still having the toughness of a thick knife....they hold an edge exceptionally, either a strop or some 2000 grit paper will keep em poppin. I took an old blade magazine I was going to throw away and folded it in half (legnthwise) twice and sliced the whole thing in half very cleanly and evenly with my Teddy varient after honing the edge fresh the other day....the effectiveness of the convex edge is undeniable and A2 is an exceptional steel...it's more corrosion resistant than you might think....though it's a good idea to put it away clean!
 
moonwilson said:
bark Rivers Are Incredibly Good Knives. They Are Worth Every Penny. They Are Known For Their Superb Fit And Finish, Ergonomics, And Crazy Sharp Factory Edges. They Use High-grade Materials, And Their Designs Are Well Thought Out. They Come With Nice Sheaths, Too.

Good "90% Tool And 10% Weapon" Knives Would Be The Bravo1, The Sandstorm, The Aurora, The Northstar, The Canadian Special Etc. Bark River Knives Don't Seem To Be Designed As Weapons At All, They Are Designed To Be Useful For Cutting Stuff Efficiently, While Remaining Tough And Reliable. Of Course, They Could Be Used For Sd If They Needed To. They're Plenty Sharp And Pointy.
Click to expand...

That Says It All!!!!

Listen To Him!!!!!!

And Mike Stewart Is Excellent To Deal With As Well

Dr.Bill
 
Top Knives, the Barkies! Go with a Bravo 1 and a Woodland Spl. Then get on the Busse Forum!! :)
 
Lycosa said:
Top Knives, the Barkies! Go with a Bravo 1 and a Woodland Spl. Then get on the Busse Forum!! :)
Click to expand...

Always good advice ...

Take a look at that Fox River, though. I do love that little blade. Not much it can't do and a full tang, too.
 
Thanks guys, I think the Bravo 1 is a bit bigger than what I want to edc. To give you a general idea I'm currently working with an old camillus cuda jr. I'm looking for something in this size range,A2 steel, and full tang.
 
Man, their entire line is good. If the Bravo 1 is a little big, the Huntsman may suit you well. Its small.

The've got a lot of knives, and every one I get I love.
 
Boy, sometimes I do get OCD ... So, the Fox River:

FoxRiverBRKTRussell.jpg

Picture courtesy of A. G. Russell.

4.25" blade of A2, overall length of 8.5", 5.6 ounces, handle of California Buckeye, hardness is RC58.

The BRKT Lite Hunter has a blade of 3-7/8" (full tang, 3.8 oz weight); BRKT Highland Special has a 4" blade; and ... if you really want a smaller blade:

BRKTLittleCreek.jpg

The BRKT Little Creek.
The specs:

Blade Steel: A-2
Hardness: 59-60Rc
Thickness: .150"
Blade Length: 2.5"
Overall Length: 5.687"
Weight: 2.5 oz

That's a lot of cutting power in a very small package.
 
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Definitely worth it. I myself haven't been real impressed with the fit and finish of most of my Barkies, but it still performs like a custom grade knife at around half of the price.

IMHO, a good regular carry piece would be the Highland model. Just enough handle and blade to do what you want without becoming too cumbersome.

Oh! And another one I just remembered that might be perfect! Snowy River. It's a four inch blade, but a very light, thin four inches. carries much better than most three inch blades I've known. Mine's a guardless model, and very well suited to EDC.

One of my closest buddies EDC's a Nebula, and one of my main around town Barkies is a Bosnian Skinner. (which is a hellaciously wicked knife)

I regularly carry a PSK around my neck also.


Did I mention that I'm a huge fan of Barkies?:D:D
 
I love the Bay de Noc. It's a solid large camp knife, but is very graceful and well balanced.
 
Old physics-Neat pics,fox river is closer in size to what I had in mind.

Runs with scissors-I like the snowy river,but with a guard. I originally wanted a nebula,but it doesn't appear to be full tang.

tedwca-The bay de noc is impressive,but I prefer khukuris. I was seriously thinking about the canadian camp knife,but that might be too long as well.
 
Was just going to chime in with the Bay de Noc also. I understand (believe me) about preferring khuks, but try chopping carrots with one. You need a helper catching the pieces with a net. I've cooked entire meals with the Bay de Noc, and it handles all aspects.

Mine's dressed in antique ivory canvas micarta. Love that color.

The blade is 9.5", so I'd guess that the weapon index is up there around 10%, at least.

Definitely not an EDC though, at least in the city.
 
Aardvark- Well,yeah I try to only use ther khukuris on watermelons,and zombies.:) . For carrots I'm leaning towards a canadian special,or a slither. I still can't make up my mind..
 
Well, i recently bought the BRKT Aurora with the African blackwood handle:
AfricanBlackwoodSolid.jpg


Overall Length: 9.5 Inches
Blade Length: 4.5 Inches
Blade Steel: A-2
Hardness: 58-59 rc
Blade Thickness: .170 Inch
Weight:6 Ounces

It's a little bigger than the Northstar and Fox River (mostly in the handle. if you look at the handle in the pic, my hand is almost as wide as the handle is long). I have to say, it is without a doubt, the finest knife I own. It came shaving sharp. I don't mean a few strokes and hair comes off, I mean one drag along my forearm left a patch of bare skin. I bought the BRKT strop and compound along with it and some blaze orange 550 cord for lanyards.

For the casual knife user, they are most certainly not worth the money. But I doubt many on this forum could be accused of being a casual user. If you are a more serious user and want a knife that is supremely nimble, well balanced, and a made-for-the-bush tool, it's worth it. Not to mention the Sharpshooter sheaths they come with rock.

Aura_in_Sheath.jpg


BTW, the cooking with kukris thing. BTDT. At least with an Ang Khola it's not that hard. You grip the blade in the big fuller looking thingy (the "back valley" or Ang Khola, from whence the name of the blade comes), and use it like a big ulu. Not that hard, but a bit fatiguing, as my 20" one weighs in at 3 pounds. . .:D
 
Cpl.Punishment-Thanks for the nice pics. Is your aurora a full tang? I think at this point I would really like a BRKT,just can't decide which. I like the looks of a number of them,fox river,aurora,canadian spl,slither,etc etc. Is it just me or do those blue G10 handles look great? For some reason they really catch my eye.
 
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