Looking for a knife for my girlfriend.

I'd vote for the Condor Kephart as well. Great design, almost defiantly old-school. Good size, easy-grip wood handle. Nice leather sheath.

But consider removing the black coating on the blade. Looks too SOGy on a trad knife, if you get my meaning. And a somewhat rough-finished bare blade looks properly Nessmukian-Kephartian and will serve well on woodland trips by foot or canoe.
 
look at the range of scandi knives
there are very beautiful knives with amazing wooden handles, quite a few in stainless steel which is easy to maintain
 
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For use at the cabin, an ULU.
Hiking, canoeing, Buck 110
Fixed blade for hiking and canoeing I'll second the Condor Kephart and nominate the Condor Nessmuk as an alternative to the Kephart.

edit: Over in the Buck forums there is a thread entitled "Buck Survival Knife?"
The voting appears to have ended. The Buck 110 won. The 124 fixed blade came in second.
 
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Bark River in 3v. Multiple to choose from.

Wish my wife was wanting another fixed blade. She likes the PSK (Elmax) and is content with it.
 
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions guys! I'm getting a clearer idea of what I should get her. I'm guessing it wouldn't be recommended to take a leather handled knife a canoe trip?
 
ItalianStallion303 said:
... I'm guessing it wouldn't be recommended to take a leather handled knife a canoe trip?
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Actually, the classic Marble's and other knives taken into the woods and on canoe trips, ca. 1900, very often had stacked leather handles. Frankly, on a canoe trip, the idea is to keep the knife out of the water, if possible. And if you've worked mink oil or other waterproofing into it, brief dunkings won't matter at all. Nor will the rain that will assuredly fall upon it (and you).

This really comes down to esthetics & feel: does she like stacked-leather handles or no? If not, then you don't need the threat of occasional dunkings not to buy one. If she does like them, then don't be deterred by a little wet from time to time.

Buy something that will make her happy. Remember who this is for....
 
If you get stainless it doesn't much matter if the leather handle gets wet.
The old carbon ones sometimes got rusty tangs which swelled and popped the leather washers, which is why Western invented the split tang with the H-shaped leather "washers". Mink oil or sno-seal or perhaps even Johnson's paste wax are good to keep the leather happy.
Lots of nice wood out there though.
 
But remember, the world famous Ka-Bar Marine and Army fighting knives of WW II and beyond, as well as the Ontario 499 Pilots Survival knife have stacked leather handles, and were/are used in all climates.
As others have stated, a bit of mink oil will waterproof the leather, just like it does your boots.
 
afishhunter said:
But remember, the world famous Ka-Bar Marine and Army fighting knives of WW II and beyond, as well as the Ontario 499 Pilots Survival knife have stacked leather handles, and were/are used in all climates.
As others have stated, a bit of mink oil will waterproof the leather, just like it does your boots.
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Please re-read the post again, noticing the latter half of the former sentence. Mink oil might work well for my boots...
 
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Rappy said:
how about the buck 102 woodsman very light in hand, small and nimble.
I like mine just received it today in the mail.

DSC01282.jpg
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This ^^ :thumbup:

It is the perfect design and is light in weight. It has stood the test of time, and most of the other makers cannot make that claim. It is about perfect.
 
It's hard to find a knife that says canoe more than one with a Birch bark handle :D You could likely find one in stainless.

Good luck

Best regards

Robin
 
Very cool. I have a stainless Jarvenpaa in birchbark, which would be great for OP's consort, but I've never trusted the way it perches high in its sheath with no keeper strap.
 
scrteened porch said:
Very cool. I have a stainless Jarvenpaa in birchbark, which would be great for OP's consort, but I've never trusted the way it perches high in its sheath with no keeper strap.
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I like this style of sheath. I make them with a soft thick leather on top and sew it tight so it grabs the handle. I've been putting a slight "bulb" in the butt of the handle so it grabs very well.

Best regards

Robin

 
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