Knife choice in the outdoors made by favorite makers....

[jds1]

The Potawatomi by JK Knives has become my new favorite. I get the most use from a small knife that can be easily carried in my back pocket. This one has been great for preparing kindling and for food prep. If I need something bigger, I'll bring an axe.

Jeff

 

[kyturkey]

Most of my outdoor use revolves around hunting. JK Knives likes to make customers designs or use your input to tweak a design. So, I designed myself a deer hunting/all around camp knife and had John make it. He executed the design well. I find the handle very comfortable and hand filling.

Kentucky Woodsman

 

[Diomedes Industries]

KGD,

Here are three of the knives I carry the most:

ML Straight Back Kephart:

Fiddleback Arete:

BRKT Rampless Gunny:

All three have very similar characteristics - so I will list why I carry this type:

4 inch or under blade - does most of what I need it to do - and is legal in most states.
4 inch or slightly over handle - fills my hand - allows for all cuts - and is not too much.
Neutral or slight contour to the handle. Allows for a nimble switch between grips without hotspots.
Small to slight finger guard: More practical for choking up on.
Convex grinds for here in the South: Tree's are more dense for the most part and the convex edge holds up better.
Scandi for when I head home to the North: Trees are a bit softer and the scandi simply eats them up. I prefer a Scandi in the field - but I need the right too for the job.
High Carbon steel. Easy to sharpen and maintain.
Lanyard tube: Never put one on unless I am in a situation where I can make a hasty lanyard and lash it to myself (such as near water where I would fear loosing my knife). I rarely use this option - but I like having the option.
Hard woods with good protection or synthetic materials. When I want bomb proof I prefer the synthetic materals - but when I want the 'feel' of the knife I like wooden materials. Andy does a great job of marrying both of these.
Good name on the maker. Andy and Matt are simply stand up guys. If something is wrong, which it rarely is, they make it right - period. BRKT has a very fair policy and I have had nothing but good luck with their knives.

This is not what you asked - but a good sheath is a must. Andy provides JRE sheaths - which I find are about the best bang for the buck out there. ML will make you a sheath on request and does so at a very fair price. BRKT uses Sharpshooter which I think makes an able sheath - although it is a bit thin for my tastes (although I never had a problem with them when I use them). I have learned to make sheaths - so I just make my own now - but a great knife without a good sheath is like not locking your doors at night. It just isn't safe.

I hope that helps bro.

TF

 

[mtnfolk mike]

lots of great looking knives(especially JK's) folks..

here are 2 that have seen lots of use.. my un-scandi bushcrafter, which was a colaboration by Ray Laconico and Mark Wohlwend and my ever so faithful SAK Camper..

this knife is just about perfect for me.. it's got a 4 in. 1/8 thick O1 blade with black canvas micarta scales.. the 4 in. handle has slight contours to it and is very comfortable in many different positions.. both Ray and Mark are amazing knifemakers and very cool guys too..
of course there are quite a few other blades that get rotated in here and there too..

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Mike - I have a very similar Laconico - it is a close runner up and now that I have it back - will certainly find its way into the rotation.

TF

 

[kgd]

Keep èm coming guys. I especially like the descriptions (uses) that go with the knives!

 

[pitdog]

lots of great looking knives(especially JK's) folks..

here are 2 that have seen lots of use.. my un-scandi bushcrafter, which was a colaboration by Ray Laconico and Mark Wohlwend and my ever so faithful SAK Camper..

this knife is just about perfect for me.. it's got a 4 in. 1/8 thick O1 blade with black canvas micarta scales.. the 4 in. handle has slight contours to it and is very comfortable in many different positions.. both Ray and Mark are amazing knifemakers and very cool guys too..
of course there are quite a few other blades that get rotated in here and there too..

Similar looking knife to mine Mike, we often seem to share the taste in knives eh !

 

[Ossa1970]

Here is the knife I use the most, my JK Kephart, with 4 1/2 inch, 1/8th 01 blade with Oak scales. John makes the best rendition of the Kephart in my opinion. It fits my hand perfect and does everything I ask of it in the field and at home.

Another favorite is my JK EDC Kephart, 1/8th 01, 3 inch blade and yellow G0 scales. I take it with me on walks and when the regular Kephart is to big, it slips into my back pocket.

And last but not least is my HD Kephart from JK Knives, sporting a 5 1/4 inch blade of 3/16th 01 steel.
This is used for hunting mainly, great for breaking bones and can do all camp chores. The Mircata scales work for me when working around blood and other fluids. Hope to give it a good work out this deer season.

 

[Ossa1970]

Another JK Knives speciality, a JK Scout Jr, 3/16th's, 01' 4 1/2 in blade with matching fire steel

Three of my JK's that accompanied me hunting this year, JK HD Kephart, JK Scout Jr and JK EDC Kephart

Another shot of my JK Kephart with 1/8th, 4 1/2 in 01 blade with Neckmuk

 

[scout_77]

The one with the cord wrapped handle is mine. Forged from an old bearing race and chisel ground, I like chisel ground but that's just me. The other one is an o1 tool steel I made for a customer, full flat ground (this is the best pics I have of my knife, sad I know). The blade is just under 3.5" and so is the handle. The sheath is the kydex lined leather covered sheath.

I carry it cause it has done the job for more then 3 years and keeps on trucking. I have carved traps with it, gutted deer and sheep, and dozens of rabbits. Basically it does what I ask.

 

[Tim the Slugman]

My Fallkniven A1 goes with me the most. It will do everything that I use a knife for, big or small.

 

[RescueRiley]

I have about 5 knives I use regularly

the bk7 gets allot of play

bk9

just about any mora knife (love 'em)

gray wolf custom

and my edc an probably the most used knife in my battery.. my constatn companion for the past 2 years, My victorinox Forrester

 

[Rockywolf]

I have about 5 knives I use regularly

the bk7 gets allot of play

bk9

just about any mora knife (love 'em)

gray wolf custom

and my edc an probably the most used knife in my battery.. my constatn companion for the past 2 years, My victorinox Forrester

Any more pics of the gray wolf?

I'm having trouble attaching a pic but I use my JK Phoenix often and a custom scandi by a guy out of England. Pics later...

 

[RescueRiley]

here yo go

 

[Mannlicher]

These are all by my friend Tim Olt. The top two are made with A2 Steel, the center knife is S30V, and the bottom two animal processing blades are CPM 154.

Tim makes a sturdy, functional blade. He takes his time, gets it right, and stands behind his work.

I was on a three day trip on the Withlachooochee River this past weekend, and took the top three. (not gun season here yet). They processed firewood, helped make a shelter, carved fire drill implements, and did the kitchen chores. Hard work indeed, and no need to touch up the edges.

 

[Rockywolf]

I remember the review of the middle Olt knife. Good stuff. Does he have a website?

Pics of a few I use often:

JK pocket scandi

Custom scandi

JK Phoenix

 

[Mannlicher]

no, Tim does not have a web site. He is retired Coast Guard, and makes knives more as a hobby than as a business. He stays busy though, and has a fair wait time. I guess he feels that if just word of mouth and friends supply all the biz he wants, he is a happy man.

This weekend, a number of the fellows in our group played with, and worked some of these knives. Three of the guys make knives themselves, and the others are all long time bushcrafters.
Some of the knives they carried were by Turley, JK, Fiddleback, Laconico, Bark River, Spyderco, Brian Andrews, and Adventure Sworn. Tim's blades were judged to be the equal of any of those in fit and finish, and in performance.

 

[River-8]

Cool thread and Great Knives!

For me its the Siegle SAR-4:

Super-solid, simple design, holds a great edge and fits the hand to perfection (for me!)...
Carry it all the time; at home, at work and out in the brush.

Cheers,
8

 

[lambertiana]

If we're talking fixed blades we carry outdoors, it's no secret that I am a fan of Ray Laconico's work. For long backpacking trips, this one always comes with me. It's very light and gives me everything I need

For shorter hikes and car camping, this one comes along....another great blade

And I have a special knife for car camping with my wife's family. When I was in the Philippines, my wife's cousin found out that I wanted a piece of narra wood, so he took me on his motorcycle to his bangus fish farm outside Dagupan, where he had a well-seasoned narra board blocking a gap at the bottom of his back door. He let me cut some from that board, and I used it for the handle on this one

 

[defaultuser]

Hey Ken and all,

Here's the one I carry on hikes since the spring:

I wanted a very light but still robust knife for general camp duties - whittling tent pegs, making fire, processing small firewood, making utensils or wooden tools if need be, opening food package, cutting paracord, myriad of other widerness things. I wanted very good edge holding, as I prefer to sharpen my knives back home and I usually do not carry sharpening methods on hikes. Wanted a light kydex sheath and a matching firesteel

When car camping, I bring this one along:

I really like this thread :thumbup: