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- Dec 5, 2005
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Part 1 of 3:
The purpose of this article is to surmise the Real-World utility and survivability of the cheap junk knives often encountered in retail chains such as Walmart and Meijers. The three knives we will examine in this three part series are the Bushmaster gut-hook skinner, the Bushmaster 702 skinner, and the Winchester drop-point hunter. It should be noted that the Bushmaster brand of cutlery has no affiliation with the firearm manufacturer, and that Gerber manufactures the Winchester drop-point.
The Test: All knives were submitted to the same battery of tests AFTER mild use, with no re-sharpening.
Step 1: The knives were tested for initial sharpness by slicing off a segment of a water bottle. Each knife was judged on how much effort was needed to cut, and how clean of a cut it left.
Step 2: The knives were tested for edge retention by shaving a solid chunk of hickory wood. Each knife was judged on how much effort was needed to produce clean shavings, and how well it retained its edge afterward.
Step 3: The knives were tested for edge retention and general durability by digging holes in the semi-frozen late February soil. Each knife was judged on how well it retained its edge afterward.
Step 4: Step 2 was repeated, in order to see if the knife had retained a useable edge after digging.
Step 5: The knives were tested for durability by being thrown, full force, at the ground ten times. They were then thrown, full force, at a pile of hickory logs an additional ten times.
On to test number one!
The subject: $10 Bushmaster gut-hook from Meijers
The steel: God only knows
Handles: Rose wood scales, secured with 3 brass pins
Full tang: YES
Step 1: The knife made a clean, easy slice through the bottle.
Step 2: The Shavings were fairly easy. The knife shaved a clean, smooth plane without much effort.
And the shavings:
Step 3: The knife was used to dig this hole, in a similar fashion to a garden trowel. The digging was fairly easy for the first inch or so, but then became more difficult as pebbles and semi-frozen soil was encountered.
Step 4: The knife was re-tested for sharpness and edge retention by shaving the hickory block yet again. The slices were noticeably more stiff, but still not very difficult. The plane was also slightly rougher.
Step 5: The knife was thrown, hard, twenty times. Ten strokes were into the ground, and ten into hickory logs. During the process it bounced several times striking several solid objects including a shed, a steel boat trailer, and a chain-link fence. It also made a cool-sounding metallic clang on several occasions
As the final insult, I drove it into another hickory log.
After the Abuse:
Notice that the knife did NOT bend!
The edge, while dulled in several locations, still held a useable utility edge. The scales also received a beating and suffered multiple scratches and a small chip. They DID, however, remain firmly and securely attached to the blade.
* In durability, I give this knife a 7 out of 10: The handles scratched fairly easy.
* In edge-retention, I give this knife a 5 out of 10: It was acceptable, but still not that great.
* In nifty features, I give this knife an 8 out of 10: The Gut-hook is nice, and it has anti-slip serrations.
Overall: I give this knife a 7 out of 10. Its good for the price, and makes a good beater-knife, or a good inexpensive knife to put in a kit.
Round two coming, probably tomorrow.
The purpose of this article is to surmise the Real-World utility and survivability of the cheap junk knives often encountered in retail chains such as Walmart and Meijers. The three knives we will examine in this three part series are the Bushmaster gut-hook skinner, the Bushmaster 702 skinner, and the Winchester drop-point hunter. It should be noted that the Bushmaster brand of cutlery has no affiliation with the firearm manufacturer, and that Gerber manufactures the Winchester drop-point.
The Test: All knives were submitted to the same battery of tests AFTER mild use, with no re-sharpening.
Step 1: The knives were tested for initial sharpness by slicing off a segment of a water bottle. Each knife was judged on how much effort was needed to cut, and how clean of a cut it left.
Step 2: The knives were tested for edge retention by shaving a solid chunk of hickory wood. Each knife was judged on how much effort was needed to produce clean shavings, and how well it retained its edge afterward.
Step 3: The knives were tested for edge retention and general durability by digging holes in the semi-frozen late February soil. Each knife was judged on how well it retained its edge afterward.
Step 4: Step 2 was repeated, in order to see if the knife had retained a useable edge after digging.
Step 5: The knives were tested for durability by being thrown, full force, at the ground ten times. They were then thrown, full force, at a pile of hickory logs an additional ten times.
On to test number one!
The subject: $10 Bushmaster gut-hook from Meijers
The steel: God only knows
Handles: Rose wood scales, secured with 3 brass pins
Full tang: YES
Step 1: The knife made a clean, easy slice through the bottle.
Step 2: The Shavings were fairly easy. The knife shaved a clean, smooth plane without much effort.
And the shavings:
Step 3: The knife was used to dig this hole, in a similar fashion to a garden trowel. The digging was fairly easy for the first inch or so, but then became more difficult as pebbles and semi-frozen soil was encountered.
Step 4: The knife was re-tested for sharpness and edge retention by shaving the hickory block yet again. The slices were noticeably more stiff, but still not very difficult. The plane was also slightly rougher.
Step 5: The knife was thrown, hard, twenty times. Ten strokes were into the ground, and ten into hickory logs. During the process it bounced several times striking several solid objects including a shed, a steel boat trailer, and a chain-link fence. It also made a cool-sounding metallic clang on several occasions
As the final insult, I drove it into another hickory log.
After the Abuse:
Notice that the knife did NOT bend!
The edge, while dulled in several locations, still held a useable utility edge. The scales also received a beating and suffered multiple scratches and a small chip. They DID, however, remain firmly and securely attached to the blade.
* In durability, I give this knife a 7 out of 10: The handles scratched fairly easy.
* In edge-retention, I give this knife a 5 out of 10: It was acceptable, but still not that great.
* In nifty features, I give this knife an 8 out of 10: The Gut-hook is nice, and it has anti-slip serrations.
Overall: I give this knife a 7 out of 10. Its good for the price, and makes a good beater-knife, or a good inexpensive knife to put in a kit.
Round two coming, probably tomorrow.
Its not a bad test at all to see what these beater knives can/can't do. The relevance of it is to help inform the general public as to what their capabilities are when considering purchase.
, but The day may come when even THEY may need to use one of these TERRIBLE, AWEFULL, INSIDIOUS pieces of CRAP. :jerkit: In such a situation, Its good to know exactly what you can expect out of such implements. 
