Seven Bushcraft Knives forced ranking and mini reviews

DavidZ

DavidZ

Gold Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2004
Messages
4,225
I have been meaning to post this since the end of this summer, but time was never found. My plan was simple - get a group of what I think are some of the best bushcraft knives available, and put them through their paces all at the same time. I compared them side by side, all summer long, after work, and on the weekends. I used them to do what I would do with them in the woods.
  1. Split kindling
  2. cut notches
  3. whittle points
  4. cut boughs
  5. debark sticks
  6. cut rope and para-cord
  7. make fuzz-sticks
  8. lite a ton of fires
  9. and just played in the woods with them
My original plan was to do an exhaustive test on each one, but that changed after a short while. I will say, to be fair, that I had my preconceived favorites from the start. Here is a picture of the seven candidates.

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They are from left to right:

  1. Charles May OSK-1 in S30V
  2. Kellam Tommi puukko
  3. Fallkniven F1
  4. Busse Boss street customized by Ban
  5. Bark River Aurora in 3V steel
  6. Spyderco Bushcraft
  7. Bark river Bravo 1 in S35VN

Before I started the testing, I was convinced that the Tommi would win for sure! It was a preconceived notion that I had, but it ended in the first couple of days. The edge chipped out with just light use! :eek:

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Not an easy to fix rollover, but about 3 sizable chip outs. I was crushed and very disappointed. The one that I was sure would win, and secretly hoping would win, crashed and burned hard and fast. I will not even go into how the handle created hot spots in my XXL hands.

IMG_7682.jpg


The others performed well, but as the weeks went on, I found myself almost unconsciously leaving one then another behind, until only two continued to come with me on my outings. They were the Charles May, and the spyderco bushcraft. Of these 7 tested, one failed big time, and the others performed well, but the Charles May and the Spyderco are the only two that are keepers. Here are some more random early pictures for your viewing pleasure:

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wow very surprised on the Kellam! i have a kellam puukko and wolverine and ive used the hell out of them with no issues at all. not surprised on the spyderco its a great knife
 
That's not a Kellam. It's Kainuun puukko
http://www.kainuunpuukko.com/tako-hirvitommi-125-50t-384-eng/?vo=0

Kellam is only a dealer, all the knives are made by others.

By the way, the Kainuun is tempered to 62 HRC and on Tommi puukkos the edge is around 15-17°. If the wood was hard the edge could have suffered, still the damage isn't excusable. I'd say to put a microbevel or convex the cutting edge.

You got hot spots due to the hooked pomell? What did you do with it?
 
Frederick89 said:
That's not a Kellam. It's Kainuun puukko
http://www.kainuunpuukko.com/tako-hirvitommi-125-50t-384-eng/?vo=0

Kellam is only a dealer, all the knives are made by others.

By the way, the Kainuun is tempered to 62 HRC and on Tommi puukkos the edge is around 15-17°. If the wood was hard the edge could have suffered, still the damage isn't excusable. I'd say to put a microbevel or convex the cutting edge.

You got hot spots due to the hooked pomell? What did you do with it?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the added information on the Tommi - I did then add a micro-bevel, but the original magic was gone. :( I did not give any of these knives what would be considered hard use. The hot spots were both on the pommel end, and the front, but a lot of it was due to the size of my hand vs. the size of the handle. It was a poor match for me. It was also a case of my preconceived notions and high expectations of the knife vs. the actual reality of the performance once I got it.
 
DavidZ said:
Thanks for the added information on the Tommi - I did then add a micro-bevel, but the original magic was gone. :( I did not give any of these knives what would be considered hard use. The hot spots were both on the pommel end, and the front, but a lot of it was due to the size of my hand vs. the size of the handle. It was a poor match for me. It was also a case of my preconceived notions and high expectations of the knife vs. the actual reality of the performance once I got it.
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong in putting a microbevel or convex the edge. Both solutions are adopted by many finnish puukko makers.

Speaking of the knife, being a user of rhombic puukkos myself, I can tell you that the geometry has great potentiality. Still the Tommi was born as a hunting and every day carving tool. In this case carving is made mainly on green wood and freshly killed flesh is obviously soft, so the blade can generally be harder without giving any problem

In my experience, for general bushcraft use, rhombic blades work better if tempered bit softer (59-60 HRC) and with a tiny microbevel that takes the edge to 19-20°. After use I always strop to bring back original bite. In this way I never had any big problem.

If you're really eager to use a rhombic puukko I'd say to look around for another one, bigger, and made by a maker willing to discuss.

Lastly, I really tell you not to take it so bad. This problem might lead to another puukko, better suited for you.
 
Interesting review, thanks. I have an Aurora that I haven't gotten around to trying yet, it feels great in the hand, but so often, perceptions can change when you start using something. You've given me incentive to start using!

I haven't held a Charles May, but love the handle on the Spyderco.
 
Great review - thanks for taking the time to post it! Which grind did you find performed better in these bushcraft/camp type of chores? The scandi of the Spyderco or the flat grind (or sabre grind) of the Charles May?
 
LightGuy said:
Great review - thanks for taking the time to post it! Which grind did you find performed better in these bushcraft/camp type of chores? The scandi of the Spyderco or the flat grind (or sabre grind) of the Charles May?
Click to expand...

Hi LightGuy -
To add to this review, if I had to pick just one of these two survivors for bushcraft use, the Spyderco would win hands down! The handle was and still is the most comfortable of any of them by far! Nothing came close before or after, and that is a huge testimonial for me, as 01 steel is not even close to my favorite blade steel, but it works well on this knife. This knife would be even better in a modern CPM stainless. Oh how I can wish.:) ;)
 
Thomas Linton said:
Thank you, but what we don't know, in any systematic way, is why.
Click to expand...

Hi Tom - You are right - I started to keep notes and records over the months, which I have somewhere, but being an old guy, with typing skills that include the full control over one finger on each hand (hunt and peck) - I just could not put it all in print. Sorry about that. As noted, they all worked, but the handle ergonomics on the Spyderco, and the blade shape and geometry of this knife worked the best by far. Subjective for sure, but real from my standpoint - just wanted to share. I was playing with my sharp toys, and this one kept me the happiest!:) your mileage may vary.
Dave
 
Nice Emberlit stove by the way!

I can only second, the spyderco handle is the most comfortable that I have used, by far. Particularly if you use it as an all around bushcraft knife. It does not have a distal taper, so choking up on the blade is somewhat awkward but I don't really have to do that a lot (I don't carve spoons etc.). I only wish that more custom knife makers would copy that beefy handle more often than not!
 
Thanks for sharing. It is nice to see my Spydie stacks up well against the competItion. Charles May is a good maker too.
 
Please could you do some hunt and pecking and tell us more of your Subjective view of how the Charles May and the Spyderco are the only two that are keepers
What did not work on the others and what yes worked on these
 
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