Looking for a good Camp/Woods knife!

S

scoutdog

Joined
Feb 23, 2008
Messages
6
Hi, this is my first post here, I came to this forum & got a membership because I'm in the market for a new general use camping/woods knife. Maybe you guy could help me decide between the ones I'm already looking at, or give me some new ideas.

I'm not looking in the high end range, but I want a decent quality knife, the price range I'm looking at is around $40-$65. I'm guessing that the steel quality in that range is all fairly similar, the knifes I'm looking at so far have either Aus-6, Aus-8, 420HC, or 440A, are these all comparable or are some better that others.

The knifes I'm liking right now are.

Sog NW Ranger - Aus-6 steel, 5" blade, 5.8oz.

Sog Seal Pup Elite - Aus-8 steel, 4 3/4" blade, 5.4oz.

Buck Nighthawk - 420HC steel, 6 1/2" blade, 10oz.

Gerber Steadfast - 440A steel, 6" blade, 11oz.

I'm kind of leaning toward the Sog Ranger, but I'm not sure if it's heavy enough if I need to do some chopping with it. Please feel free to give me your opinions, advise, or experience, Thanks.
 
It's hard to beat the Bark River Northstar. From personal experience, I would cross Gerber and Buck off of my list.

Bark River Knife and Tool makes dozens of models for any purpose you can imagine. Most are made from A-2 tool steel. Their prices are reasonable, and both their product and customer service are top notch. :thumbup::p:thumbup:

Ben
 
Good advice from Ben. How much can you spend? BRK&T is a great place to start. Post what you decide on. Research, take your time and have fun.
 
I think your price range may keep you out of the SOG's. Seal Pup and the Elite are not bad. I have both but the tips are very thin. I filed one down after it snapped on a small stone and it's actually better now.

NW Ranger is pretty light weight so chopping might be an effort. I was at the SOG factory in Lynwood last week and got to see the current catalog.

Keep an eye on the exchange forum. You can often find something pre-owned that will fall into your price range. Think about an extra 20 bucks and that will get you into a much wider choice.
 
Any particular reason you can't carry a hatchet, small camp axe, or tomahawk for chopping? It might be kind of a pain in the @ss chopping wood with a knife.
 
from your list /$ range ,I guess the Buck...but being on this site ,the wealth of knowledge you'll soon aquire is overwhelming as are the blades,no matter which blade you chose from your list,you will not own that very knife in a year.Welcome to the BF.
 
Peak_Oil said:
Any particular reason you can't carry a hatchet, small camp axe, or tomahawk for chopping? It might be kind of a pain in the @ss chopping wood with a knife.
Click to expand...

Well I guess I should have been more clear. I don't intend on using the knife to do a lot of chopping, just more of a emergency kind of thing, if I need to make a shelter or something.
I realize that on a forum like this $65 isn't enough to pay for a quality knife to most of you, but I don't plan on putting it through a lot of hard use. I do know that I can get either of the Sog's that I mentioned for under $65 though. But keep the info, & recommendations coming.
 
scoutdog said:
Well I guess I should have been more clear. I don't intend on using the knife to do a lot of chopping, just more of a emergency kind of thing, if I need to make a shelter or something.
I realize that on a forum like this $65 isn't enough to pay for a quality knife to most of you, but I don't plan on putting it through a lot of hard use. I do know that I can get either of the Sog's that I mentioned for under $65 though. But keep the info, & recommendations coming.
Click to expand...


Then get the NW Ranger and you're set. It was the most robust of the SOG's you listed. While your at it, at under 65 bucks get me one too!
 
Benchmade Fixed Griptillian- $68
154CM Steel. Full tang.

Cold Steel SRK - $64
Carbon V steel, Full tang


There. Don't waste your money on the other ones. I'm sure there are others similar to this, but I'm looking for the same kind of knife and these are good for your price range.
 
Don't forget the venerable Fallkniven F1. Its a bit over your price range, but I've yet to hear of somebody not falling madly in love with it.
 
I agree with Squeezymo regarding the Benchmade BM151 Fixed Griptilian.

And, if you can swing the funds to get a Fallkniven F1 - definitely get it!
(I have three and love 'em all!)

Another one to consider is the brand new Benchmade CSK II (BM158BK).
That retails for ~$70
http://www.benchmade.com/products/product_detail.aspx?model=158

If you have a chance to go to a gun show/knife show and handle some of the knives you're interested in, that might help.
There have been many times when I liked a particular knife and/or gun yet once I had a chance to handle/feel it, I cooled to it rather quickly since it just didn't "fit".
That could potentially be a deciding factor in your final purchase.

Good luck and have fun!

-Mike
 
I own both Cold Steel SRK and Recon Tanto in carbon V and for chopping the recon tanto is very better...but these knives are not good slicer,cutter....but they are very tough,strong,thick.
take a look to (Buck 120 the general) 7 1/2 blade for 57,99 at Cabela's,i have one, and the 120 is very strong and also a goog slicer,cutter and a 7 1/2 blade its good for chopping some small trees.some people dont like 420hc so its a little kind of steel (snobism)
 
so buck 120 is my favorite wood knife in that range of price...buck 119 is a good choice too with 6 inches blade
 
I have a Seal pup elite straight edge special edition :) For me its too small to carry in the wood.So i love fight a bear with my knife :D
 
I find the size perfect for me. I guess some people just prefer bigger knives :) Its very sharp and slices very good whilst remaining durable enough for most uses
 
A few others you could consider are the Blackjack Grunt, the Marbles Fieldcraft or Woodcraft, one of the Queen drop points, the Benchmade Rant Bowie or Rant MDP, the A.G. Russell Deer Hunter, and the Xikar Hunting Knife.
 
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