New BRKT Bravo 1 LT

bedgoo

bedgoo

Joined
May 16, 2010
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I've been looking to pick a Bravo 1 recently and realized that BRKT release the new Bravo 1 LT, a new thinner version. Just wondering if anyone has gotten one so far. For those who have one, what would be your thoughts on it?
 
I have the original Bravo 1 in A2, but IMHO the Bravo 1 LT is too thin for the knife's intended purpose of a hard use survival knife. Looking at the specs its thinner than some folding knives and I would be hesitant to use it for shelter craft/fire prep type tasks. Now for skinning/food prep and general camp tasks it would be great due to the thin stock. The original is super tough and has a wicked sharp edge even though its nearly 1/4'' thick. It all depends on how you will be using it, but if you intend to use it hard you should think about getting the original.
 
... I would be hesitant to use it for shelter craft/fire prep type tasks.
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The LT is 5/32 thick, which is 30 thousandths of an inch thinner than 3/16, which is plenty thick for an ESEE-6, Beck WSK, and many other bushcraft knives. Most Moras are 1/8" thick and get pounded through wood just fine without snapping so long as the user knows what he's doing and doesn't let the target log contact the handle.

Combine "plenty thick" with uber tough 3V steel and I wouldn't worry a second about breaking the Bravo 1 LT. The only reason I don't have one yet is because my S35 Bravo 1 does everything I want, and I don't need another fixed blade at the moment. The LT is on my short list though...
 
MatthewSB said:
I wouldn't worry a second about breaking the Bravo 1 LT.
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You are probably right. I was looking at the .156 thickness and compared it to my XM-18 at .165 and it just seemed a little thin. I generally prefer a little thicker stock in my outdoor blades but that's just preference.
 
I just picked up a 1.5. In carbon fiber:) Was looking hard at the new LT though.
 
Seriously??

Survive! knives GSO-4.1 and EDC-4 in M390, Elmax, and CPM-3V, all 5/32" thick:

[video=youtube;DQcZO2jWIy8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQcZO2jWIy8[/video][video=youtube;Wo6vRFgOAAA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo6vRFgOAAA[/video][video=youtube;blBpIByW5Y8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blBpIByW5Y8[/video]

The LAST thing to worry about the BRKT knives durability-wise is their thickness - you are FAR more likely to get burnt/fragile edge prone to chipping. I am surprised it took so long for BRKT to put out a thinner version of this knife. But while cutting performance will improve, this does nothing to fix the handle issues. *shrug*
 
The knife looks awesome, and in 3V, I'd definitely get one. I have a Bravo 1 in S35VN as well, it's seen some yard work and it's a keeper in my mind.
 
I'm tempted. I set myself a personal boycott on Bark River knives a couple of years ago due to some issues I had... but the Bravo 1 is the only knife I kept, and I always felt like it was thicker than I wanted.
 
I know this is an old thread, but I can't find much on the Bravo-1 LT. I have the original Bravo-1 in A2, and am thinking about getting the thinner LT in 3V. Any more experience with the LT version?
 
I have a few BR's in 3V and the Bravo LT Hunter is one of them. I also own an A2 and 3V Bravo and always thought they were unnecessarily thick, for my needs. The LT is the sweet spot for me. As others have stated, 0.156"(⁵⁄₃₂") is plenty thick.

Got the LT late in the hunting season and didn't get a chance to use it for field dressing. I did try it out batoning and making shavings. Not extensive use. It has the secure comfort of the Bravo handle in a more 'nimble' feeling package. It weighs 2.3 ozs. less my regular 3V Bravo, both are rampless and fits the same sheaths, including one of the BR kydex sheaths for the B1.

I like 3V steel. Takes a little longer to sharpen originally, but holds the edge and is significantly more rust resistant. I don't let things get dull, so stropping after use keeps things up to par.
 
chiral.grolim said:
Seriously??

The LAST thing to worry about the BRKT knives durability-wise is their thickness - you are FAR more likely to get burnt/fragile edge prone to chipping. I am surprised it took so long for BRKT to put out a thinner version of this knife. But while cutting performance will improve, this does nothing to fix the handle issues. *shrug*
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I'm new to the party too... what does he mean by, "handle issues?"

thanks!
 
whiskeyfox said:
I'm new to the party too... what does he mean by, "handle issues?"

thanks!
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Most people who complain about Bark River have little in the way of evidence, other than "I read on the internets about a knife that broke".

I've had a dozen BRKT knives. One had to go back to the factory for a "handle" issue. They cut the slabs off (they don't come off easy, after being epoxied and bolted down with the bolt heads ground off) and replaced them with new ones. They also resharpened it and cleaned all the scratches off of the blade, accumulated wear from several months of hard use. The knife looked brand new when I got it back. They even covered shipping. No issues after several more years of use.

If you are going to use the knife, order it with G10 or Micarta and you should never have any issue with the handle. Either material is extremely durable, and resists shrinking or swelling due to temperature and moisture changes like wood, bone, or other natural materials will.

Even if you have "handle issues" or any other kind of issue, it's very unlikely that you'll get "burned" in any way. BRKT's service is incredible.
 
I'll chime in here - I have 12 BRKT fixed blades and (whilst I have many others including a Survive Knives 4.1) I haven't had any issues with my Barkies. I get that some people have raised issues but my view is that if Toyota can have production issues so can anyone.

I am more of a fan of A2 as I seem to be able to sharpen it more readily (and that is factor in the field for me too). But I do have several 3V Barkies and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.

'Fanboy' comments will result in some kick back as I have more of other knives but I don't always get the negativity towards BRKT...

Ben
 
whiskeyfox said:
I'm new to the party too... what does he mean by, "handle issues?"

thanks!
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"Handle Issues" meaning that it is VERY poorly designed - very straight spine, excessive pommel-flare but minimal beak, VERY slick, and also very ROUND such that it is prone to slipping and twisting in use if not held VERY tight even with bare hands. With gloves on, or tired hands, or in cold/wet/slimy conditions, the knife is a danger to the user. And then there is the poorly designed "thumb ramp" (which most users grind off anyway, the very reason BRKT started offering it ramp-free). Now many folks won't use their knife under such conditions or may not have handled a knife with a better handle or may just delude themselves into thinking it is great since they spent so much money on the knife, but I am picky about the handles of my hand-tools since I tend to use them under ALL conditions. The BRKT is inferior. *shrug* But even BRKT offers knives with better handles.

And NO this is NOT something I simply read on the internet. This is my own experience, something I detailed in a video and my review of a couple of similar knives:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...comparison-to-BRKT-Bravo-1-amp-Swamp-Rat-HRLM

[video=youtube;welPk493sPM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=welPk493sPM[/video]


As to handle slabs actually requiring replacement, I have read about that a couple of times, and THAT really surprises me! I am glad that they were willing to stand behind their manufacturing when something is wrong, though I am surprised they'd send back the same knife rather than simply a replacement, but they are also known for grinding blades down to a shadow of their former selves as "warranty service" rather than offering shop-credit or replacement *shrug* THAT is only something that i have read/seen on the internet.

Again, this 'LT' should be a much better cutter, and the original was no slouch! But the handle-design and BRKT's reputation keep me away. I have more confidence in cheap Mora or Gerber, and for the price of this BRKT I could get a custom handmade knife from a maker of good repute here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/754-For-Sale-Fixed-Blades
 
chiral.grolim said:
"Handle Issues" meaning that it is VERY poorly designed - very straight spine, excessive pommel-flare but minimal beak, VERY slick, and also very ROUND such that it is prone to slipping and twisting in use if not held VERY tight even with bare hands. With gloves on, or tired hands, or in cold/wet/slimy conditions, the knife is a danger to the user. And then there is the poorly designed "thumb ramp" (which most users grind off anyway, the very reason BRKT started offering it ramp-free). Now many folks won't use their knife under such conditions or may not have handled a knife with a better handle or may just delude themselves into thinking it is great since they spent so much money on the knife, but I am picky about the handles of my hand-tools since I tend to use them under ALL conditions. The BRKT is inferior. *shrug* But even BRKT offers knives with better handles.
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Which one? Maybe a model in their lineup wasn't designed well, but that doesn't reflect poorly on the entire lineup.

I've never had an issue with my Golok or Bravo 1 or STS-5 or any other BRKT knife I've bought. They've all had excellent handles, with just right palm swells and other design features. My canvas micarta handled Bravo 1 works when cold, sweaty, or whatever.

I wouldn't buy a model with a smooth handle then complain about the handle being too smooth.

chiral.grolim said:
As to handle slabs actually requiring replacement, I have read about that a couple of times, and THAT really surprises me!
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It doesn't surprise me at all. BRKT offers a hundred different handle materials, most exotic and made from dead animals or plants.

People buy the prettiest wood handle, then take it outside in the heat or cold and humidity, then bring it inside and get upset when the material swells and shrinks and pops free from the metal it's epoxied to.

What surprises me is that BRKT provides the same excellent warranty on their "pretty" knives as they do the "users", the pretty handled knives are bound to have problems while those with handles made from G10 or micarta are unlikely to.
 
Well, it's probably a moot point now anyways.... I think that when I get the knife I'm gonna look at it and think the blade is too thin... I've been looking at a BK16, which has a thicker .16 blade and I think it looks to thin. Right now I'm leaning towards Swamp Rat Rodent 4.
 
MatthewSB said:
Which one? Maybe a model in their lineup wasn't designed well, but that doesn't reflect poorly on the entire lineup.

I've never had an issue with my Golok or Bravo 1 or STS-5 or any other BRKT knife I've bought. They've all had excellent handles, with just right palm swells and other design features. My canvas micarta handled Bravo 1 works when cold, sweaty, or whatever.

I wouldn't buy a model with a smooth handle then complain about the handle being too smooth.
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My post, the video, and the review are all very specific to the Bravo 1. Other models in their line-up my be better, though the Golok would be another on the sad list. The handle material is not the issue, it is the surface finish. I have wood-handled knives with better surface finish than BRKT micarta and G10. There is "smooth" and then there is slick - BRKTs tend to the latter, with what appears to be a final PU-coat for making them pretty. And they are pretty, but I have other "pretty" knives which are much more useable and less dangerous to me. It isn't just the surface finish either. If you read the review or watch the video, you should get a better sense of this. I am not saying that the handle won't work for people, it is still a handle, but it is among the worst on the market even before you mention the sorrowful thumb ramp. There are many better designs, and on could get a custom knife with a handle specifically designed for their hand for about the same price as even the Bravo 1 LT (though you may have to wait for it)

MatthewSB said:
BRKT offers a hundred different handle materials, most exotic and made from dead animals or plants.

... the material swells and shrinks and pops free from the metal it's epoxied to...
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Yes, lots of pretty handles, but all are resin-impregnated to minimize if not eliminate deformation just as with micarta (remember, linen and canvas and paper are all plant products as well). The resin stabilization is effective to temperature extremes and very long time-frames. If your scales pop loose on a BRKT, it means that either the piece wasn't straight when they tried to glue it on or they did a poor job securing it.

whiskeyfox said:
Well, it's probably a moot point now anyways.... I think that when I get the knife I'm gonna look at it and think the blade is too thin... I've been looking at a BK16, which has a thicker .16 blade and I think it looks to thin. Right now I'm leaning towards Swamp Rat Rodent 4.
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It won't be too thin at the spine, and BRKT has lately been leaving them thicker behind the edge as well, don't worry about that. As to the Rodent 4, the Swamp makes incredibly durable knives at a good price, and usually their handles are among the best for ergonomics (though i haven't handed the 4 specifically), but keep in mind that their 'CG' blades tend to be pretty thick beind the edge as well and are coated, they won't present the high cutting efficiency of a well-sharpened BRKT satin blade. Also, the actual cutting edge of the Rodent 4 is quite a bit shorter than the Bravo 1, putting more room into the choil.
 
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