Search for decent camp knife

S

SMAT

Joined
Apr 22, 2002
Messages
199
Guy's, I need your help.
I'm looking for a decent camp knife that is:
4-5 inch blade of D-2 or similar steel.
Spear point (or blade that isn't to curved)
Micarta handle with no Deep finger grooves but a small guard is fine.
With the back of the blade to be used for striking a fire lighting stick.
I've already looked at Bob Doziers, but I don't know where to look for others similar ( I want to check out as many as possible)
I appreciate this may have been asked many times before, so I apologise if you would be repeating yourselves.
Any suggestions?:) :confused:
 
Queen Cutlery just came out with a new line of D2 fixed blade hunting knives that look nice (they are in the fall hunting SMKW catalog, and prices are tempting at $25-35 depending on the handle material).
 
some knifes are better than others for striking a flint or chert. i think that jeff randall had tops make some knives that were made for firestarting with the back spine differentially treated so that it would spark flint, the handle had a fire bow drill socket made into it, and a good high carbon steel blade. most of the owners of these knives were happy with them as i recall. knives of alaska makes some d-2 blades like drop point hunters that you also might be interested in, and i think k-bar is making some d-2 models with spear and warthog and k-bar blades and full tangs with slab handles.

alex
 
Swamp Rat Knives has just started advertising a new utility knife with a four and one-half inch blade. The introductory price is $79.95. This is the new lower-priced line by Jerry Busse. The steel is an improved version of 52100, and the earlier models have gotten rave reviews.

DLT Trading has a few models of Marble's knives in 52100.
 
SMAT,

While not a spear-point, here is the Swamp Rat offering.

IMHO, most knife for the money, best warranty, and great handling piece.

Visit Swamp Rat Knives for more info.

The piece Hoodoo mentioned is a great piece also. He gives real world use advice. (even if he is a Hoosier in Wolverine country...;))

Of course, if you want a tougher, do more blade, the Busse Badger Attack Gen. 3, 4 1/2" blade, seen here.


Mike
 
Cheers guys', you've pretty much said what I'd been thinking:
A Dozier or a Busse badger attack 3.
Which means I'm on the right track.:D
Can any one tell me how D-2 compares to INFI? I have never used either so I don't know which would be best or is the difference negligble?:confused: :)
 
I find Bob Dozier's D2 to be much easier to sharpen than INFI. INFI is extremely abrasion resistant, which is awesome under certain conditions, but tough for sharpening.

If it came to a decision between the BA3 and a Dozier for a small outdoor knife, I'd personally do the Dozier. Bob’s D2 rocks the house down, and his knives are known far and wide for their slicing efficiency. Bob also makes a killer sheath. If I were after a larger chopper, then I’d be looking closer at a Busse.
 
Mate, If ya can't find a Dozier you like ask Bob to make you a knife
to order. He did for me and at a fair price to boot. Had to wait a bit
but I've NEVER been sorry I waited. ;)

There really is nothing to compare to a knife made .......just for you:D
 
Have you checked out Ka-Bar's new D-2 knives yet? They have one in their "Impact" series that has a 4.5" spear point D-2 blade, Eagle sheath, gray Micarta scales, integral guard and a lanyard hole.
They also have a newer model with a clip point 5.5" D-2 blade with the same handle shape as the Impact series knives.
And they have the classic Marine Corps Fighting knife in D-2 with 7" blade, Kraton handle and a stainless steel guard and buttcap which are heavier duty than the ones equipped on the original Ka-Bar.
The last two I mention have partial serrations at the base of the blade but they don't take up much blade space.

If possible, handle these first to see if they fill your needs as the first two (Impact series knives)I mentioned have kind of an unusual but decent grip.

I have the D-2 Impact and the D-2 Marine Fighting knife and am very happy with them, even though I do not care for the partial serrations:barf: on the USMC knife.
 
Doesn't England have strict weapons laws? Maybe the Ka-Bar Marine Fighting Knife would be illegal there. I think I have read some posts by other English members stating that there are many restrictions on the kind of knife one can carry in England.
 
Ahh yes. My bad. I didn't notice SMAT is from England.
The Impact series knives do not have sharpened false edges so they might be cool there. Actually, the spear point model falls right into the criteria SMAT stated. There is a finger cut-out, but it's not too deep.
Hope this helps.


All the best,
Mike U.
 
D2 isn't exactly tough. Dozier does it hard at Rc61, and hollow, so his knives are outstanding slicers. But under heavy impacts/chopping, stuff bording abuse, D2 will chip out.

INFI is going to be a much tougher steel if you think the knife is going to see hard use ... i.e. impact toughness will make INFI much harder to chip if you pound around with the knife.

However, as a compromise, if you don't mind a moderate reduction in corrosion resistance, Dozier will do you a knife in A2 instead of D2. Significantly tougher, but still not as tough as INFI.

I don't think Dozier flat grinds much if at all anymore, but you could always ask.

On sharpening... I certainly note differences in the difficulty of sharpening various knife steels, but unless field sharpening on a rock is a high priority (and it could be), and you simply won't carry a field sharpener in diamond, all steels yield quite nicely to diamond stones, whereas natural stones can be frustrating with any particularly hard (Rc60+) steel, and particularly with very high vanadium and/or moly and/or tungsten steels (CPM 420V/440V/30V, D2, BG-42, ATS-34, M2, etc).
 
SMAT

I have seen a Fallkniven A1 advertised with micarta scales and a small guard. The steel is VG-10, so I don't know if that would qualify as similar to D-2.

Actually, I think the type of knife you describe is made by very many custom makers. If you want to see a wide variety of customs take a look at Bladeart.com. Provided you can tolerate the exasperatingly slow download of their web pages, you can probably find a large number of knives fitting your criteria.
 
I know what you mean about bladeart's download time!!
I sent an email to Bob dozier, but he doesn't accept international credit card orders.:( Thats' fair enough when you consider the amount of fraud that goes on regarding credit cards, but its still pretty annoying for me, I'm left handed and would an ambidexterous or left handed sheath. It may have to be the Badger attack, though I'm not too keen on the blade coating. Or maybe an Alan Wood custom (maker based in England).

About the laws in England. The Ka-bar are perfectly legal as long as I only carry it going to (must be packed in a bag so I can't get to it quickly) During or returning from an activity that warrents a fixed blade knife e.g. hunting, fishing and things like survival courses (which is the only time I would be carrying it). Of course what I have just written is a very quick example of our knife laws.
And for the record, Yes they SUCK big time. But don't me started on them.:grumpy: :eek: :footinmou
 
SMAT,

I doubt we are too far behind you on those laws. Once the Democrats regain control of the federal government here, I am expecting all sorts of Draconian weapons laws. George Bush won the presidential election here by a very small margin. As a result of immigration, the Democrats will eventually be in power - probably by the next election.

I wouldn't rule out Civil War #2 as a possible outcome.
 
This may be a little different than what you want but have you checked out the Benchmade Outbounder? It's smaller and I believe ats34 but it's a nice little package! The Nimravus is also real nice.
 
Hello again, SMAT,

Alaska is awfully cold in the winter. I don't think anyone can predict what might happen here should the Democrats take control of both the presidency and the congress. However, there are very many heavily armed people here with VERY strong feelings about traditional American freedoms. I just can't imagine these people submitting peacefully to a massive move to the left, especially on social issues and gun control. I cannot see conservatives lining up to surrender their guns, and when the government starts coming after them, I think there will be very serious resistance.
 
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