KSF/Bark River Machete(s) First impressions.

Rat Finkenstein

Rat Finkenstein

Joined
May 18, 2005
Messages
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So I ordered one of these with the Black canvas Micarta and red liners. When it arrived, it had a slightly bent blade and some rust/pitting about 1/2" up from the edge on one side and a rusty fingerprint on the other. The plunge lines were uneven. Back it went. Just got my second try today. Some rust on the spine, but the plunge lines are even. The blade is a little bent, but not as bad as the first. . . .

Went out and cut some burdock a little. Sailed through like nothing was there.:thumbup: then after I wiped it down, I gave it a closer look. This time the grind is sloppy(has a fairly large divot on one side where the belt dug in too deep) and the tip is lopsided. Of course now it is technically "used" and I can't send it back.

My first Bark River, I expected more from all the positive reviews. Sure, it is just a modded Ontario machete but they do put their name on it.

Positive: Sharp, Cuts well, ok handle

Negative: Rust, Poor F&F. (at least the two I have seen)

Conclusion: Disappointed.
 
I had thought about getting one but now I think I may just order a Barteaux and just mod it myself. I have no history with Bark River but most people that do have positive things to say about their experiences. You may have gotten 2 bad blades but after the first one as a seller I would have sent you the best I could find with your specified handle material. Sorry you had that experience. Maybe other people that purchased the same blade can chime in with their experience in terms of the quality of the product received.
 
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I am thinking I would have been better off buying that Golok after all, assuming they put more effort into the blades they make from scratch. I am sure the slight bend to the blade is from the original Ontario machete.
 
Rat Finkenstein said:
I am thinking I would have been better off buying that Golok after all, assuming they put more effort into the blades they make from scratch. I am sure the slight bend to the blade is from the original Ontario machete.
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I thought about the golok too but in any event even if the rust was due to poor shipping conditions it should have still been better inspected and packed to prevent this. The uneven plunges and messy grinds would really concern me and I think it would concern Bark River and KSF. You should call the distributor and bring these issues to their attention any way even if you already used the blade. Maybe they will inspect the remaining supply more thoroughly prior to any other future purchases. It may not solve your issue but it may just help future buyers.
 
BRKT's warrantee is very similar to Busse's - if you have a problem, contact BRKT.

On teh other forum, Mike has said he does not check knives for evenness of grind. That's just not something he's real concerned about. When someone there complained about it, he suggested they take the knife out and use it, cuz that's what he makes knives for - to be used. Then if they still have a problem with it, get back to him, and he'll take care of it.

I don't think he's going to be upset at all that you used the machete - give him a call on Monday.




FWIW, I think the Golok is the better knife of the two.
 
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Strange, my recent Bark River Bravo-1 also came with a rusty fingerprint on one side. I didn't send it back, cuz it was the only jade green handle they had in stock, so I polished it out with some Flitz. Luckily it came out pretty easy, but it's really quite disappointing to receive a brand new knife with a good spot of rust on it. I'm guessing the people who do final inspection on the knives don't wear gloves or wipe the blades off fully, or someone at the store inspected it without wiping (mine wasn't from KSF).

The grinds aren't perfect either, and not really what you'd expect for $180, but they're not terrible. I also owned a Woodland Special at one point and the F&F there wasn't anything special either. I guess the philosophy here is that the knives are meant to be used, not looked at, but plenty of manufacturers make great users with excellent F&F. At the pricepoint that BRKTs sell at, I kinda expect both, but can say I'm generally pleased with the Bravo-1. The design, ergos, and convex edge are all top notch.
 
I got a message from Mike Stewart today, regarding the knife. He offered to fix it up. A class act for sure. I think I will just keep it as is, though. Anyways, I definitely would not hesitate to buy more Bark Rivers. I know they are willing to go the extra mile for their customers. :thumbup:
 
I just found this thread. A couple of notes.

I have received a couple back. Here are my thoughts.
...All of the pitting I saw was a result of Ontario's poor finish quality which BRKT cleaned up substantially, but some remained.
...1095 is famous for rust. If you are quiet, you can hear it rust. But the rust I have seen (including the fingerprint) was actually the blackening like when they mark the blade. I took it off with Brasso.

Our goal with the Machete project was to produce the finest working machete out there. I think we did it. Because we began with the Ontario product, there are some imperfections and because they are completely hand modified, there are some irreglarities in the grind.

Mike is a winner of a guy and will fix it--I say give it some working time and then send it in. That way you can use it and get a free sharpening out of the deal! :)
 
I've owned three Barkies. I still have two. One of the blades had the thumbprint mark Rat and ehhh mentioned, so I guess that is an issue with BRKT.

That same knife also had uneven grinds. It wasn't bad, but it was noticeable. I guess that perfect fit and finish isn't one of the manufacturing parameters of Bark River. A little disappointing, but the cutting ability of Mike Stewart's knives can't be denied.
 
I don't think anyone should be surprised by uneven grinds on a knife. Disappointed perhaps, but not surprised. I've seen a lot more knives with uneven grinds than ones with anywhere near even, much less perfect, grinds. And that goes for all manufacturers. Out of the Scandinavian companies, Fällkniven is a good example. I own practically all of their models in current production, and have never ever seen one with a perfectly even grind. Most have more or less uneven grinds, particularly at the tip - typically a lot thinner on one side than the other, enough to appear bent. Actually, it seems to me that the best fit and finish is typically found on, unsurprisingly, custom knives, but also, much more surprisingly, on relatively cheap knives, such as Ka-Bars. Out of all the Ka-Bars I have, not one has a grind even near as uneven as the most evenly ground Fällkniven I have. A lot of companies just don't care that much about fit and finish. Which isn't all that bad, since performance is the most important factor. Still, some fit and finish issues can affect performance, too. A tip ground too unevenly will be thinner and therefore weaker than a properly ground tip would be. It seems most people don't notice these things, but then, most people aren't as knife nuts as I am. :D
 
Elen--

Cheap knives are almost all done completely by a jig and machine--Fallkniven, like Bark River, are sharpened by hand. Skilled, human, craftsmen.

Not perfect, but like you said, the performance speakes for itself.
 
okbohn said:
Elen--

Cheap knives are almost all done completely by a jig and machine--Fallkniven, like Bark River, are sharpened by hand. Skilled, human, craftsmen.

Not perfect, but like you said, the performance speakes for itself.
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Exactly right. Of course, what differentiates these knives from customs is that with customs, those skilled human craftsmen aren't in such a hurry that they ignore fit and finish. ;)

This may sound a little odd coming from a guy who owns a lot of these knives. :D But hell, I just think it wouldn't be that hard to make the grinds at least somewhat even... On the other hand, it does make using the things easier for those of us who feel the need to baby knives that look pretty, and a better fit and finish would be more costly, obviously. So I guess it's kind of a 50 - 50 situation. Uneven grinds, as long as they're not too uneven, are fine by me - but actually physically bent blades is too much for me. I would return a knife that had a bent blade, such as the one Rat got, twice. That already puts extra stress on the blade, and would affect durability.
 
It shouldn't be that hard to get the grind even, but when I try to even out grinds, I realize why I'm not a knifemaker. :o

The bottom line is whether Mike is pleased or displeased with his purchae. Since the price includes Stewart's customer service, I'd say he is.
 
In my experience, Buck is one of the most consistent in terms of consistent grind lines, and edge bevels. Of course, it's been several years since I bought a new Buck knife, so my information may be dated.
 
uneven grinds and other fit and finish problems really annoy me for some reason. being a machete though i could probably live with it.
 
An interesting exploration. It is good to know how far Mike will go to make things right for a customer. Thanks for the review!
 
BRKT quality makes it tough on the "middle man". I bought/sold a bunch and after buyer complaints, I had to drop them. (blade stains, blades rotated in handle, grinds no where close to being even, sheaths with blade cuts). I like their knife designs, but the quality risks aren't worth the hassle.

whitie
 
Mr. Whitie,

I have seen you say this before and it just does not ring true from what I have seen so I think you have some other ax to grind.

With the volume of knives they seem to produce and the volume of very satisfied customers it sounds like your information is a little stale.

Respectfully,

Jim
 
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