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- Jun 23, 2014
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I have been eyeballing the Bravo 1 as an alternative to an Esee 4 I have been wanting to get. I own a Esee 5, its just a little heavier than I like to carry while camping.
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Opinions on Bark River Knives
- Thread starter CookieRawwr
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- Aug 12, 2014
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- 117
Bark River is very nice quality for the price and they use A2, the Esse is 1095. I think A2 is much better blade steel than 1095. The build quality will be about the same, you won't find any flaws in either knife, and you will like the look and feel of both. The blade steel should be your deciding factor.
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2013
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- 141
Do a little searching here and in the GB&U section and you will find varying opinions about Bark River knives. Personally I like mine a lot. I have a golok machete, two neckers, a Glenn Eagle hatchet and an sts-5. My only complaint is that they rust VERY easily. I keep them well olied and in the safe with all my other knives yet all my BR knives get a spot of rust on them where none of my many other knives do. The rust spots aren't your typical pitting or rust. They looklike tiny fissures or spider veins that seem to run deeper into the metal.
The black powder coating seems to wear off fairly easily. But BR guarantees their knives and will recoat them for nothing if you send them in.
Here is my Sts-5
The black powder coating seems to wear off fairly easily. But BR guarantees their knives and will recoat them for nothing if you send them in.
Here is my Sts-5
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2013
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I think Bark River knives are very highly thought of. I don't own any personally, but I'd certainly like to one day. Of course, not that I'd need one (which certainly hasn't stopped me from buying knives before LOL). I went the Swamp Rat route for my camp/woods knife needs.
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- Aug 12, 2014
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- 117
Send that one back and have them blackout the whole blade, that would look nice. A2 seems to rust pretty easy, i have several A2 blades and keep them coated with dry teflon, and my safe has a dehumidifying rod in there. Nothing like A2 for a razor edge that holds up well
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2012
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I personally would go with Swamp Rat over Bark River. You get a better quality knife for less money. IMO the RMD trumps the Bravo 1 in every way possible.
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2014
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- 816
unsupported chopping phenomenon.
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2013
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I agree, also check out the light weight version in 3v if you want more of a slicer/lighter knife.
I have a aurora in 3v and I used it, batoned, cut, carved, Resharpened, hacked, chopped, drilled. Zero damaged to the blade, right now the convex edge slices through phone book paper like butter.
I'm always looking at brk, I want the bushcrafter next, then maybe bravo.
TheJeepster
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Jeeps Rule!
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The Bravo 1 is way nicer, and better at everything, than the ESEE-4. It is very light for a 1/4" thick knife, and very efficient for its size. It's like a perfectly balanced ESEE-4, but made from better material with a better grind and a better handle.
Someone else posted a picture of an STS-5, another great design from BRKT. The STS-5 is like an ESEE-5 combined with a fighting knife, but again with a better grind and better steel and a better handle and better everything else.
*Don't get me wrong, I love ESEE knives, except for the '4 and '5
*Not if your hands don't fit the teeny tiny handle. I couldn't get it to work for me.
Also, a lot of people can't stand coatings and choils :barf:
Heh?
Some people end up with chipped edges on choppers like the Bolos or Goloks when the convex edge is ground too thin. They're hand ground so there can be some variation, every once in a while, it's a problem. I had a BRKT chopper that chipped, it's immediately obvious and was corrected with a quick trip back to the factory. Blade came back looking like new and it hasn't happened since.
It's really not a big deal. Bark River stands by their knives.
Heh?
If I may try a hand at translation: "they are overhyped for what they are without the stones to back it up." I'm sure countless YouTube testimonials would prove this untrue, but this is what I think is being said.
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- Jan 26, 2012
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- 29,050
After owning both the Esee 4 and the Bravo I the Esee 4 was sold. The Bravo I just felt better in hand and in use it is great as well. The A2 is great but it will rust so I would recommend forcing a patina. Or better yet, get one in 3V! If sheath options are a consideration, Esee wins here for me. I need a kydex or molded plastic sheath. Fortunately, some Bravo I knives can be had with a kydex sheath (like mine) and it is a great sheath. If the weight of the standard Bravo I is an issue, like stated above, go with the LT version.
I am certainly aware of that recurring situation. That is why I said they are "...capable of making a ... well-made knife." And, to give credit where credit is due, if you get a knife from them that chips on you, they will regrind your blade to make it thick enough to suit the way you use your knives.
Not sure why knife chop chose to veil his post in such cryptic language, if that was his point. We are free to express our negative opinions about BRK without fear here on BF.
We are free to express our negative opinions about BRK without fear here on BF.
The bolded part being operative here....
OH no I didn't!!
Sorry, I'll shut up now I promise.
chiral.grolim
Universal Kydex Sheath Extension
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- Dec 2, 2008
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- 6,422
The Bravo 1 is certainly prettier and has a longer handle and old ones had thinner edge geometry (I think they changed that), but will rust more easily, chip/crack/roll more easily, and is more expensive with a worse sheath.
The Swamp Rat RMD has a wider, more open-length handle-design than the Bravo 1, it'd be an odd hand (or a poor understanding of grips) that would think it "teeny tiny" in comparison to the slippery round Bravo 1. Also, Swamp Rat offers uncoated versions of most of their knives and those are often STILL less expensive than a BRKT. Also, the Bravo 1 is significantly shorter than the RMD.I think he is referencing video of "unsupported chopping" with BRKT knives leading to catastrophic edge failure (i.e. major chips, fractures) ... which are usually deemed the user's fault by BRKT fans and, most especially, the owner.
To the OP, I wrote a review of a few similarly sized/purposed knives that included the BRKT Bravo 1 here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...comparison-to-BRKT-Bravo-1-amp-Swamp-Rat-HRLM
I have another one including some larger knives here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...n-to-SYKCO-511-SRKW-RatManDu-Cattaraugus-225Q
I am not trying to push you toward one of those included in the reviews, but i would push you AWAY from the Bravo 1 - too many things wrong with the design (mostly the handle and 'fin', also the thickness) to justify the expense, especially with so many other designs in similar size on the market. Have you looked at custom makers? For example: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...ON-knife-O1-steel-very-nice-and-unique-(SOLD)
A handmade knife by MLL Knives that sold for ~$200
But for production knives, I add to recommendations for Swamp Rat and also for Survive! knives, an SK-4 or GSO-4.1 if you don't want to go a little larger and get the GSO-5.1 or a Swamp Rat RMD.
Ah. I'm sure many might say that.
I would say that Mike Stewart does have the knifemaker stones to back up a very good, honest, intelligently designed outdoors/field knife and it has always frustrated me when he/BRK doesn't and/or loses sight of the fact that he can.Very complicated dynamic, as you know full well. Wish it wasn't.
But, he keeps on selling them, and BlackJacks, and Northwoodses like cronuts at a fat guy convention, and, again, gotta give him credit for that. Guy can sell the heck outta a knife. Best in the business.