Title Change: I bought a Bark River Bravo 1.5!

BMCGear · Nov 30, 2014

Below in italics is the original thread. I wanted to update the OP and let anyone interested know that I bought a 1.5 instead of the 1.25.

I've been wanting to buy a good camp knife for a while now. I actually bought a TOPS Silent Hero but I didn't dig it. I've always thought the Bravo 1 is a bit too short and the 2 is a bit too long so the 1.25 looks to be about perfect.

I'd like to hear from people with experience with Bark River Knives.

Thanks!

GlockandBalls · Nov 30, 2014

I've never heard of a 1.25.. I think you mean 1.5

Yea buy it, if that's the size your looking for. If you can sharpen go with 3V

Silvanus · Nov 30, 2014

There are such thing as Bravo 1.25's. I owned the Bravo-1 and it was my primary woods knife for a while. Bark River knives are solidly made and the fit and finish is really good. The convex grind is very sharp and mine held an edge well with the A2 steel. The egos on the handle are comfortable and the scales provide adequate traction for camp use. My only issue with Barkies are the un-removable scales. They are epoxied on as well as bolted and one of the scales on mine started to separate from the epoxy. Being A2 steel water could have creeped in the gap and started to rust the tang with no way to fix it. The warranty covered it and it was fixed but now I exclusively go for knives with removable scales.

BMCGear · Dec 1, 2014

Silvanus said:
There are such thing as Bravo 1.25's. I owned the Bravo-1 and it was my primary woods knife for a while. Bark River knives are solidly made and the fit and finish is really good. The convex grind is very sharp and mine held an edge well with the A2 steel. The egos on the handle are comfortable and the scales provide adequate traction for camp use. My only issue with Barkies are the un-removable scales. They are epoxied on as well as bolted and one of the scales on mine started to separate from the epoxy. Being A2 steel water could have creeped in the gap and started to rust the tang with no way to fix it. The warranty covered it and it was fixed but now I exclusively go for knives with removable scales.

That's actually one of my concerns is that the scales aren't removable.

Silvanus · Dec 1, 2014

Look into Survive! Knives. They are similarly priced but a little difficult to find in stock at the moment. They are high quality with easily removable scales

WEB2 · Dec 1, 2014

I would go for a blackjack tac ops 4 over the bravo.

craytab · Dec 1, 2014

GlockandBalls said:
I've never heard of a 1.25.. I think you mean 1.5

No. He means exactly what he said.

I have a Bravo 1 & 2 (also a necker II but that really isn't relevant to this discussion).

I love Both my Bravos. I have thought about a 1.5 or 1.25. I am sure if you get one it will be great. Only issue might be finding the right size that works for you (IE, 1, 1.25, 1.5, or 2, hell, even the 3 looks awesome!)

Pilot1 · Dec 2, 2014

I have a Bravo-1 in A2, and it is my primary fixed blade. At one point I talked to Mike Stewart about a five inch B-1, guess he listened as I was going to buy a 1.5, and have him cut it down to five inches which he offered to do for the cost of shipping. I think that is the perfect length. Get the B-1.25. You will not regret it. I am torn between that and the B-1 LT as my next Barkie.

BMCGear · Dec 7, 2014

craytab said:
No. He means exactly what he said.

I have a Bravo 1 & 2 (also a necker II but that really isn't relevant to this discussion).

I love Both my Bravos. I have thought about a 1.5 or 1.25. I am sure if you get one it will be great. Only issue might be finding the right size that works for you (IE, 1, 1.25, 1.5, or 2, hell, even the 3 looks awesome!)

I enjoy seeing pictures of your Bravo's as well.

Pilot1 said:
I have a Bravo-1 in A2, and it is my primary fixed blade. At one point I talked to Mike Stewart about a five inch B-1, guess he listened as I was going to buy a 1.5, and have him cut it down to five inches which he offered to do for the cost of shipping. I think that is the perfect length. Get the B-1.25. You will not regret it. I am torn between that and the B-1 LT as my next Barkie.

Apparently a lot of people have requested that length. I have decided to go with the 1.5 though. I don't necessarily feel that I needed the knife to be longer but it was the same money (one was even cheaper) so I went with the 1.5.

craytab · Dec 7, 2014

bluemetalchurch said:
I enjoy seeing pictures of your Bravo's as well.

Apparently a lot of people have requested that length. I have decided to go with the 1.5 though. I don't necessarily feel that I needed the knife to be longer but it was the same money (one was even cheaper) so I went with the 1.5.

Well, let's see some photos! Also info. A2 or 3v? Handle Material/color? Sheath? I went custom Kydex for my Bravo 2 and my Bravo 1 came used but with the factory kydex.

BMCGear · Dec 7, 2014

craytab said:
Well, let's see some photos! Also info. A2 or 3v? Handle Material/color? Sheath? I went custom Kydex for my Bravo 2 and my Bravo 1 came used but with the factory kydex.

I haven't gotten it yet; just bought it tonight.

I didn't see any option for kydex at KSF. A2 steel and green micarta handles.

Here is their stock pic:

Rappy · Dec 7, 2014

Bark river has so many tempting blades, I'm looking at the Teddy II, So I can wack some bushes in the park, like a crazy person would.
I'm sure that the Bravo will serve you well.

craytab · Dec 8, 2014

bluemetalchurch said:
I haven't gotten it yet; just bought it tonight.

I didn't see any option for kydex at KSF. A2 steel and green micarta handles.

Here is their stock pic:

Looks great. Iirc a stock kydex sheath is only offered with the bravo 1 and only at certain dealers or maybe just from brkt themselves.

MatthewSB · Dec 8, 2014

bluemetalchurch said:
I didn't see any option for kydex at KSF.

As far as using kydex for your Bravo 1.5, keep in mind that Bravo series knives are hand-made so there will be variation between handles, blades, etc. knife to knife. If you do want to use kydex, make sure the maker uses your knife.

Green micarta looks great!

BMCGear · Dec 8, 2014

craytab said:
Looks great. Iirc a stock kydex sheath is only offered with the bravo 1 and only at certain dealers or maybe just from brkt themselves.

MatthewSB said:
As far as using kydex for your Bravo 1.5, keep in mind that Bravo series knives are hand-made so there will be variation between handles, blades, etc. knife to knife. If you do want to use kydex, make sure the maker uses your knife.

Green micarta looks great!

Good info, guys, thank you! Yea, I went green micarta because I want the handle to age with the steel.

BMCGear · Dec 12, 2014

The knife arrived. When it first got it I pretty much hated it. The handle was not as large as I thought it would be and the thumb ramp was really odd (I know it's not designed as a traditional thumb ramp). After handling it last night and this morning it has grown on me. This is one nice chunk of steel. It's THICK!

MatthewSB · Dec 12, 2014

bluemetalchurch said:
This is one nice chunk of steel. It's THICK!

When I got my first Bravo 1 I thought it would be a bad slicer because of the thickness. Something magical about the convex ground .2" blade, it zips through cardboard (and everything else) surprisingly well.

BMCGear · Dec 12, 2014

Well, I've decided that the knife isn't for me, sadly.