Recommendation for medium sized bushcraft knife?

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titan6277

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Apr 3, 2013
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I was hoping someone could send me in the right direction for a medium sized bushcraft knife thats <$80. I've been looking at the Becker bk15 but don't like the blade shape very much.
Thank you.
 
How about the Becker 16, or 17? Different blade profiles. Becker is one of the best bang for your buck values out there.
 
Were I limited in funds, I'd get a Mora, and a spare. Otherwise I'd save more and get something nicer.
 
Condor offers a lot of very different knives of that kind. Several qualities of good steel, handle materials, shapes, sizes... The prices are well into your range, the finish is... "rough" : expect some personal work, or not... (they are progressively smoothing out some production problems). Basic quality is good : thick blades, solid handles, full tang builds, great quality sheaths. They are definitely for the woods, not for display. In the same price range, the Moras are a sure choice : excellent steel, sharp as hell and robust construction, but "hidden tang" so probably less able to resist abuse than the Condors.
 
Mora, Condor Bushcraft Basic, Marttiini, Boker Plus 02Bo296 Bushcraft Knife, Helle, Brusletto
 
What is the general consensus on the marttiini full tang knife for bushcrafting with some minor chopping?
 
herisson said:
Condor offers a lot of very different knives of that kind. Several qualities of good steel, handle materials, shapes, sizes... The prices are well into your range, the finish is... "rough" : expect some personal work, or not... (they are progressively smoothing out some production problems). Basic quality is good : thick blades, solid handles, full tang builds, great quality sheaths. They are definitely for the woods, not for display. In the same price range, the Moras are a sure choice : excellent steel, sharp as hell and robust construction, but "hidden tang" so probably less able to resist abuse than the Condors.
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Have you ever a destruction test on a Mora? You can destroy them eventually, but they're very tough - and the fail point isn't the tang. Kukris, huge billhooks, katanas and many other sharp things that take far more stress than a Mora have had hidden tangs for centuries, and still do. What matters when comparing toughness with knives will probably be the quality of heat treat given the steel and the steel itself.
 
titan6277 said:
What is the general consensus on the marttiini full tang knife for bushcrafting with some minor chopping?
Click to expand...

You'd be much better with a clipper and a Fiskers X7 hatchet, a clipper and a Bahco saw, or even a clipper and a wire saw. Or a clipper and a SAK with a saw blade. That's assuming that the knife you are talking about is anything like medium sized. Or get a clipper and an MTech 151 bowie. Chopping with a medium sized knife should be restricted to onions and celery. It gets closely to barely tolerable in small doses with a 10 inch overall knife, like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/M-Tech-Fixed-...8&qid=1365113892&sr=1-9&keywords=mtech+rescue

- These are crazily cheap and very popular as beaters, so you could try one and see if the size works as a do-it-all for you.
 
The BK16 IS a bushcraft knife. So many to pick from.

Ontario SP47, SP2 Air Force Survival Knife, Survival US Military Issue, Ranger RD4, RD6, RBS4, RBS6
BK&T BK16, BK2, BK7
ESSE 4, 5, 6
Boker Plus Rold
Condor Hudson Bay, Toloza, Bushlor, Lifeland Hunter, Kephart, Rodan, Bushcraft, Varan.
Buck Frontiersman, CSAR-T fixed blade
Tops B.O.B. Brothers of bushcraft, Alaskan Harpoon & a few others

On the cheap/er side

Mora Bushcraft Forest
Ontario/Old Hickory 7"/10"/14" butcher knife

I own most of these knives i listed. Cant go wrong with any of them.
 
Glock 78, little longer than the becker & more of a tactical field knife, but i use the hell out of mine as a bushcraft knife, & for <$40 its hard to pass up..... here a fun vid on it haha

[video=youtube;0PltVIwdKPY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=0PltVIwdKPY[/video]

he shows the 81 not the 78
 
The Becker BK15, 16, and 17 surely have a blade shape you like. They're all great knives, though I'm partial to the 16.

Aside from that, like TwinStick pointed out, there are many to choose from. Ontario's Ranger, Rat, Spec Plus, or Bush series, ESEE if you can find one in your price range, even some Condors(though my limited experience with their stuff hasn't been spectacular). There's also Swamp Rat, Scrapyard, Bark River(these are mostly just outside of your price range, but what they offer over all of these knives is a better steel.)
 
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