Suggestions on bushcraft knife

Knarls

Knarls

Joined
Apr 20, 2017
Messages
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Hello all, I am looking for some suggestions on a bushcrafting knife in the price range of $200.

I am looking for something not to big and bulky with a 3.5”-4” blade. And not a survival knife with thick stock. I already have a tops BOB and I find it quite cumbersome for smaller camp tasks.

I have been looking at a bark river north country or the 3.88” bushcrafter which I can’t seam to find for sale anywhere. The ultra lite bushcrafter at 3.25” is a little small for me.
One of the concerns I have is the steel. The north country comes in CPM-154 I am aware that this is a stainless so it won’t rust as easy as tool steels. But I wonder if it is tough enough for some lite batoning to make a fire.

I am up for suggestions the bark river is just where I have started. I am interested in hearing people’s opinions on steel types and different companies.

I have also been looking at the custom knife makers page is this a better way to go?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
 
Check out Scandinavian knives -- Ragweedforge is a good source. I wouldn't obsess over the steel -- high carbon steels are ideal for bushcraft. I'd also look at blades in easy-to-sharpen, tough Sandvik steels. Another is Helle's Viking model in laminated high carbon. You might also consider Roselli knives -- the Carpenter is a classic puukko.
 
cpm-154 is wonderfully tough steel, for stainless. aeb-l is also a great tough stainless steel. @Horsewright makes some amazing blades in aeb-l but might be just a bit over budget (still worth looking at if you want hard working functional art)

Outside of that, you can get tougher if you go non-stainless, with cpm-3v. Benchmade has a puuko in it that is near the top of your budget.

If you don't need stainless, you have many options that cost only a small fraction of your budget:
mora companion hd - under $30, all around the best bang for the money
terava jääkäripuukko - about $31 + 28 for the nice leather sheath, and about $15 or 20 for shipping from finland - uses 80crv2 steel, super tough
 
One more vote for Scandinavian knives, and Mora in particular. Nobody has yet mentioned the Kansbol, which may be the best of the bunch, especially considering the under-$50 price. I paid $27 for mine on sale. Steel is 12c27 Sandvik. Ambidextrous sheath, no-nonsense handle, comfortable with any grip. It has an unusual grind, some would say bizarre, part Scandi and part FFG. It works, and does not detract from the function.

I suggest this knife because it is slightly less bulky than the Jakkaripuukko, which would be my own first pick.
 
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