Smaller Bushcraft Blade

L

ljcsov

Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
201
Hello everyone,

I am in search of a smaller sized bushcraft blade that comes in around 4" or less. Currently, I have an older Condor Bushlore, a BK11, and a Mora 511, but I would like to get something a bit more refined. After much time and effort expended, the Bushlore's edge is now serviceable, but I still have doubts on how reliable it will be when I am away in the woods. As for my BK11, the handle proves to be very uncomfortable even when wrapped with plenty of paracord. And finally, the 511 is not bad, but the handle isn't the best where I have already endured a major slip that scarred my pinkie finger.

After considering this, I've developed a brief list of potential candidates based on the foregoing criteria.

1. Price: $100 or less, preferably $70ish or less. (I'm a poor grad student!)
2. Blade about 4" or less
3. Handle suitable for a hand that is about 3.75" across the palm.
4. Something that looks nice :)

Here is what I have been considering as a result of my research around the web, but please feel free to make your own suggestions!

1. Kellam Puukko - beautiful handle, nice sheath that isn't too big of a pain for a leftie, carbon steel with scandi edge, can be had for $60ish
2. BHK Frontier Valley - made in the USA, small blade, but maybe too small, wearable as a leftie made neck knife, lightweight, price around $70
3. Helle Eggen - beefy handle which is very nice looking, $80ish in price, not sure about the stainless in terms of durability and fire steel use
4. BHK Long Trail - slightly larger than the Frontier Valley, problem: not a production knife and unsure of cost, still can be a nice neck knife
5. BHK Bush Pig - need to act on this one soon, a bigger knife, heavy?, seems like I could be waiting 90 days or more for it to arrive, also it is at the top of my budget
6. Try another Mora - could be the 2000, Companion, or another blade, cheap and light, maybe some of the other ones would be more suitable

Any other suggestions welcomed. I do like the looks of the BHK's, especially for their affordable price. In addition, I find Scandi blades to have very nice aesthetics.

Thanks!
 
I just pulled the trigger on the Bush Pig... it looks to be an excellent knife. I just received the Lumberjack toothpick that I ordered back in November. Well worth the wait, infact the day I received it I placed my order for the bush pig. Very high quality in both the f/f of the knife and the sheath.
 
Have a look at the Boker Plus Bushcrafter. It's 440C but the HT is spot on. The grinds/plunge lines can get a little uneven but nothing compared to soem other knives I could mention. The whole package is a lot of knife for the money, leather sheath, ferro rod in a knurled steel kubotan, with compass on the end. The presentation box has a magnetic lid. A lot of knife for £45.
I took mine to NZ with me for a month and it performed sterling service, even being hammered through about 10kg of red deer leg bones (with a rubber mallet) There were 2 microchips in the edge barely visible to the naked eye.
 
ljcsov said:
3. Helle Eggen - beefy handle which is very nice looking, $80ish in price, not sure about the stainless in terms of durability and fire steel use
Thanks!
Click to expand...

I can clear this up for you.

Stainless steel done right is just fine for durability. There are stainless steel machetes out there that take a beating and work just as well as there non-stainless counter parts.

The firesteel thing is a bit confusing to newbies and a lot of incorrect info is spread about them. A firesteel just needs something sharp and hard to get sparks with. That's it. Carbon steel, stainless steel, a piece of glass, a rock off the ground...all of these will work. The confusion is when you start to talk about traditional flint and steel. The whole "I'll strike this rock on the back of my knife and I'll get sparks" idea. If this is what you want to do it will NOT work with stainless. You need a hard carbon steel for that and the harder the better.

As to your original question, it really depends on you. They'll all work. I've been using a Mora Companion for the past couple years and like you it works well but I wanted something "nicer." Several hundred bucks in customs later, I'm still using the mora. So I say pick the one you like the best and go for it. You're the only one who can say for sure if it will work for you in the long run.
 
Thank you for the clarifying information on the stainless steel. For some reason, I believed that the Helle stainless is considerably more fragile than a carbon steel, but I see that is not the case. After your insight, I am thinking that a Helle would do anything I would need to do, mainly being carving, fire starting, and very light batoning. Addressing the debate over which knife to go with, I guess it is a matter of me just pulling the trigger on one, but unfortunately, I'll be committed to one choice and change my mind soon after. Like in many instances, I think price may be the final deciding factor, which coincides with how I have had an eye for the NOrdic designs and curly birch exhibited in the Kellam. Even so, the deal presented by the BHK Bush Pig is surely tempted along with the American-made factor. Also worth mentioning and noted by you, those Moras do so much and cost so very little!
 
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