Scandi Bushcraft, Kephart or something else ?

[stingray4540]

Just my opionion, but definately a Scandi grind!

I have no experience with the custom makers here though, but I've heard they put out some great stuff! I would probably try to find someone who does a grind you like and support one of them.

 

[ROCK6]

Here is one I'm just gonna throw out there, for general Bushcraft, camping and woods bumming what do you think is the ideal knives?

It's hard to just say one as I think most knife users here could make do with a butter knife and sharpening stone. I love my Dozier Skinner or Fiddleback nessie for hunting/skinning and the Fiddleback makes a great multipurpose camp knife. If I was just out bumming around with bushcraft in mind, I would have to say a good scandi grind like my SBT which would be the top pick for me. For general purpose do-all, I really fight between my BRKT Bravo-1 and the Wet Enviro knife...both have a convex grind, solid performers for a whole host of tasks.

Thank God, I don't have to make choices like this I can woodsbum with one knife or ten and avoid debates like this

ROCK6

 

[Myakka]

A Scandi Grind is my choice, my favorite is the Skookum Bush Tool :thumbup:

 

[matthewdanger]

I like scandi grinds well enough. But I also find that as long as an edge has sufficiently thin geometry many grinds work well. I like full convex knives quite a bit and flat grinds with convex edges are a personal favorite. They are all equally easy to sharpen.

 

[Cpl Punishment]

There's a lot to be said of the puukko-style knife (which are what the current rage in bushcraft like the Skookum/Koster knives are). I for one think the puukko is nearly ideal. I do however, like the point dropped to be along the centerline of the blade, rather than on top for a bushcraft blade. Something like this:

with a scandi grind would probably be my ideal.

 

[Wandering_About]

My general idea of a great woods bumming knife is one with a simple but comfy handle, 4-6" blade length, flat grind with convex edge, upswept point blade shape. Right now my Breeden Peacemaker fits that just right. There are a couple other knives I own that do make good knives for woods bumming, but I just like that one best.

 

[Halfneck]

I've enjoyed my Koster Scandi-Nessmuk a lot. My next outing I'll be taking my new Blind Horse Knives Bushcrafter. Sometime in the future, when Charlie May gives me a call, I'll be getting a Big Hand Scandi.

I started late with Scandis (just within the last year), but I have come to prefer them on my fixed blades while out in the woods.

 

[d_filgate]

Pitdog,
I've got a Koster Nessmuk almost identical to yours, and also have one of his
Bushcraft knives. Both are scandi grind, and I find that I tend to use the Bushcraft
more than the Nessie, and in fact, I use it more than any of my knives.
The funny thing about it, is that I really didn't like the design to begin with.
Got the knife in a trade, and stuck it in a drawer for the first month or so.
I have a Bushmaster coming soon, so we'll have to see how that stacks
up with my Bushcrafter knife.

Cheers.
Dave

 

[Wandering_About]

Should also add that I have a JK "slim hunter" that works very well also. It doesn't have a convex edge, but it still cuts well enough, and it's a very handy sized knife.

 

[JK Knives]

Should also add that I have a JK "slim hunter" that works very well also. It doesn't have a convex edge, but it still cuts well enough, and it's a very handy sized knife.

That would be the one and only Slim Hunter I ever made. I should bring it back with wood handles.

John

 

[Natural-Outlaw]

Many good knives out there for use in the woods---wouldn't want to berate anyone's choice (ok, I might). Other than a folding knife I prefer Mora's with 1095 high carbon. Nothin' wrong with the stainless varities, I've just been useing the 1095 for about 40-yrs and like the traditionalness of it. I have used these for field cressing and butchering Whitetail and small game, and for camp use including batoning fire wood. Best knife for the price IMHO.

The carbon steel Jarvenpaa's from Finland are very rugged knives with the Scandinavian grind. Some of these have a very, very slight secondary bevel which can be removed very easily to get the traditional single bevel. The carbon steel in these is not
1095, rather about 8% carbon content. They take and hold an edge extremely well. I was using one the other day to cut the tip off of corncobs in the back field. The blade was about 3.5 inches long and went through with a single swipe as slick as snot on a door knob.

I do all my shopping at ragweedforge.com
Great sight and great guy to deal with.

Natural-Outlaw
Lord, help me to be the man my dog thinks I am.

 

[MTF3]

Yeah I have looked at May's knives many times and drooled over the keyboard, I have been put off though by people talking about the narrow handle slabs, this is a big downfall for me !!!:thumbdn:

Knives are a personal choice and getting one that fits your hand requires you actually handle the knife. Not all knife makers will use the same methods. Along with this, the handle size and shape needs to match the job intended. Handle widths are a dimension which is suitable to a particular individual; I have found Charles May knives to be very ergonomic and comfortable in my hand. One of my favorites is the Big Woods model, which is more of a skinning knife than a bush craft model. I asked myself if the Charles May knives are narrower than other? If they are why did I like then so much?

I gathered a few of my knives, leaving out the Charles May camp knife, because it is not the normal model size of the orders he gets. I used a metal ruler and best eyeball measurement across the back spine of the knife handle, remembering this does not include the depth of the handle. All measurements are in inches across the back handle width. The camera was set on wide angle.

Left to Right as pictured: Charles May Scandi Trace – 1/2, Geno Denning – 9/16, Swamp Rat Mike Thourot skinner – 5/8, Charles May Fire maker – 5/8, J.P. Jones Chute (Loveless Spec) – 11/16, Rat-7 D2 – 3/4, Busse NO-E – 5/8, Busse SH-E – 11/16, Kellum Scandi – 3/4, Helle Scandi – 3/4, Stag & Steel Chute – 11/16, Charles May Big Woods – 7/16, Benchmade CSK – 3/4, Ka-Bar D2 – 1 inch, Gerber LSKII – 3/4, and Cattaraugus 225Q – 15/16.

Conclusions? I remember buying the Geno Denning and the Charles May Big Woods after I held the knife, so I must not need a thicker handle, plus I was thinking about deer skinning rather than bush craft. Plus, the balance of the knife was the main factor I was seeking. The Charles May Fire Maker, SwampRat and Busse Natural Outlaw both are all 5/8 inch in width, but they are bigger knives with wider blades, but only 1/8 inch wider than the Charles May Scandi Trace. I find these three models also comfortable. My “bushcraft” knife is slightly wider than my skinning choice. The bigger models are wider than the smaller as expected. When reading about a particular knife not being wide enough, I was confused because I found them to be fine for me.

Maybe what we need is a Standards and Measures for knives like other items; a set of particular dimensions and values common to knives to list when ordering a model, including items like handle contouring, choils and swedges. Then the knifemaker could tell you if that was possible with the materials specified. When I ordered the Big Woods and the most recent Charles May Fishbone model, I told Charlie to make me a knife just like the one I was holding. I didn’t specify a particular measurement. Charlie picks up his micrometer and measures a lot even when just talking about knives. Maybe if we as buyers when ordering knives from various makers need to specify the various dimensions of the knife we are ordering.

Overall Conclusions: Everyone has their own likes and dislikes. If I was ordering a knife from a maker and I wanted particular specs, I would ask for it to be made with exacting dimensions, but I would have to accept the wait time. Lots of knifemakers have a backlog, especially the good ones.

 

[Karl5]

I'd prefer to bring the "classic" scandi bushcraft knife into the woods before the Kephardt version. I prefer the slightly pointier tip, and I do like a good scandi grind.

 

[udtjim]

Buy them all and let mother nature sort them out.

SCANDI.

 

[Wandering_About]

That would be the one and only Slim Hunter I ever made. I should bring it back with wood handles.

John

I wondered if there were any more of these, never seen this model mentioned around much. It's really a great little design. It would look really classy with wood handles.

 

[greenwoods]

Buy them all and let mother nature sort them out.

SCANDI.

Right on:thumbup:
My new mantra, now to convince SWMBO

Mark

I'm looking forward to this bright new baby
The NeverLost Mora 2000

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Pit,

Keep an eye out for Koster's next run of Bushcrafts. They will have thicker scales. I have a Koster - I will pick up another when this runs.

Also - have you checked out his Bushmaster?


TF

 

[Liam Ryan]

I have been looking into getting a nice traditional scandi from ragweed forge to match my gransfors, lots of great selection. The Helles particularly stick out for me.
What I don't like about scandis is how hard they are to sharpen, at least compared to a convex edge.

 

[mmmotorcycle]

Knives are a personal choice and getting one that fits your hand requires you actually handle the knife. Not all knife makers will use the same methods. Along with this, the handle size and shape needs to match the job intended. Handle widths are a dimension which is suitable to a particular individual; I have found Charles May knives to be very ergonomic and comfortable in my hand. One of my favorites is the Big Woods model, which is more of a skinning knife than a bush craft model. I asked myself if the Charles May knives are narrower than other? If they are why did I like then so much?

I gathered a few of my knives, leaving out the Charles May camp knife, because it is not the normal model size of the orders he gets. I used a metal ruler and best eyeball measurement across the back spine of the knife handle, remembering this does not include the depth of the handle. All measurements are in inches across the back handle width. The camera was set on wide angle.

Left to Right as pictured: Charles May Scandi Trace – 1/2, Geno Denning – 9/16, Swamp Rat Mike Thourot skinner – 5/8, Charles May Fire maker – 5/8, J.P. Jones Chute (Loveless Spec) – 11/16, Rat-7 D2 – 3/4, Busse NO-E – 5/8, Busse SH-E – 11/16, Kellum Scandi – 3/4, Helle Scandi – 3/4, Stag & Steel Chute – 11/16, Charles May Big Woods – 7/16, Benchmade CSK – 3/4, Ka-Bar D2 – 1 inch, Gerber LSKII – 3/4, and Cattaraugus 225Q – 15/16.

Conclusions? I remember buying the Geno Denning and the Charles May Big Woods after I held the knife, so I must not need a thicker handle, plus I was thinking about deer skinning rather than bush craft. Plus, the balance of the knife was the main factor I was seeking. The Charles May Fire Maker, SwampRat and Busse Natural Outlaw both are all 5/8 inch in width, but they are bigger knives with wider blades, but only 1/8 inch wider than the Charles May Scandi Trace. I find these three models also comfortable. My “bushcraft” knife is slightly wider than my skinning choice. The bigger models are wider than the smaller as expected. When reading about a particular knife not being wide enough, I was confused because I found them to be fine for me.

Maybe what we need is a Standards and Measures for knives like other items; a set of particular dimensions and values common to knives to list when ordering a model, including items like handle contouring, choils and swedges. Then the knifemaker could tell you if that was possible with the materials specified. When I ordered the Big Woods and the most recent Charles May Fishbone model, I told Charlie to make me a knife just like the one I was holding. I didn’t specify a particular measurement. Charlie picks up his micrometer and measures a lot even when just talking about knives. Maybe if we as buyers when ordering knives from various makers need to specify the various dimensions of the knife we are ordering.

Overall Conclusions: Everyone has their own likes and dislikes. If I was ordering a knife from a maker and I wanted particular specs, I would ask for it to be made with exacting dimensions, but I would have to accept the wait time. Lots of knifemakers have a backlog, especially the good ones.

Good points and quiet the accumulation of knives....

I tend to prefer scandi as well but as of late my little woodcarving knife, some of you may have seen it, has been able to outslice a few of my moras. Of course, I did put a slight convex edge on it and it already .09 thick with a full flat grind.....

 

[MTF3]

Good points and quiet the accumulation of knives....

I tend to prefer scandi as well but as of late my little woodcarving knife, some of you may have seen it, has been able to outslice a few of my moras. Of course, I did put a slight convex edge on it and it already .09 thick with a full flat grind.....

Thanks, the more I used my scandi Trace the more I like it. I peeled the bark off a walking stick last week with it and it worked great.

Originally Posted by udtjim
Buy them all and let mother nature sort them out.

I love this quote, it has to become a classic.
I expect to see a thread started on what brand of wheelbarrow to use when going to the woods with my knives. Good thing I have two more coming and presently pondering on a new slipjoint. Maybe I'll get a red wagon to pull.