What appeals to you about a kephart blade shape?

[el gigantor]

I bought a Becker BK-62 because I loved the history and lore surrounding the Kephart shape. Turns out it works well for me in camping and outdoors situations. I'm happy!

 

[Onies]

After reading an article about the Kephart knife in American Frontiersman, i decided to make my own to the suggested dimensions. O1 tool steel for blade steel and Osage Orange for a handle. Ugly as a burnt boot, but it is probably the most versitile knife I have made. Simplicity and versatility are its hallmarks, it seems to do everything pretty well, from wood carving to field dressing pretty much any game animal. I have used it to break down deer and moose as well as rabbits and grouse, split kindling and spark a ferro rod. It quickly became a favorite.

 

[DanF]

Ugly as a mud fence but the longer you are in camp the more you learn to appreciate it’s versatility. I don’t go camping without it.

 

[EngrSorenson]

I bought a Becker BK-62 because I loved the history and lore surrounding the Kephart shape. Turns out it works well for me in camping and outdoors situations. I'm happy!

After reading an article about the Kephart knife in American Frontiersman, i decided to make my own to the suggested dimensions. O1 tool steel for blade steel and Osage Orange for a handle. Ugly as a burnt boot, but it is probably the most versitile knife I have made. Simplicity and versatility are its hallmarks, it seems to do everything pretty well, from wood carving to field dressing pretty much any game animal. I have used it to break down deer and moose as well as rabbits and grouse, split kindling and spark a ferro rod. It quickly became a favorite.

Ugly as a mud fence but the longer you are in camp the more you learn to appreciate it’s versatility. I don’t go camping without it.

It’s wild to think that people who use them, in a similar setting that Kephart once did, and rave at the functionality. It’s almost like Kephart knew what he was talking about.

I’ve been sorely tempted to buy one several times, even put one on wish lists for gifts, but never got one. Once again i’m sorely tempted.

 

[Sgt 127]

I have yet to order one. But, I’ve always liked them.

For some of us I think it triggers a recollection of a knife as just…a knife.

It does knife stuff. And, does it reasonably well. It cuts stuff. It doesn’t have G10. Or titanium. Or exotic steels.

It’s the Buck 110 you carried as a kid. It’s the Old Hickory kitchen knife your mom used in the kitchen. But, has an even earlier lineage.

I think it’s rather a breath of fresh air in simplicity.

 

[Joefairbanks]

I was caught up in the “Old Time” look of the design and bought the BK and the BRK pictured below. At first, I was less than mesmerized by them. I took them hunting that fall in Alaska, and used the smaller BRK in 3V along with a small hatchet to process a caribou. I instantly understood the usefulness of the design. These 2 tools were all I needed. Is the design beautiful to look at? Well, to me it now is. Because I understand the usefulness. Is it what I carry daily? No. As far as woodcraft use, I don’t really know- yes it makes feathersticks great. But as a tool (1 of 2) it earned its place in my hunting pack

 

[Joefairbanks]

I was caught up in the “Old Time” look of the design and bought the BK and the BRK pictured below. At first, I was less than mesmerized by them. I took them hunting that fall in Alaska, and used the smaller BRK in 3V along with a small hatchet to process a caribou. I instantly understood the usefulness of the design. These 2 tools were all I needed. Is the design beautiful to look at? Well, to me it now is. Because I understand the usefulness. Is it what I carry daily? No. As far as woodcraft use, I don’t really know- yes it makes feathersticks great. But as a tool (1 of 2) it earned its place in my hunting pack View attachment 2068083

I also had an Umnumzaan in my pocket and an ESEE 6 in my pack! Just in case.

 

[ferider]

Bump. So practical ....

 

[Sam Wilson]

Looks like some others have explained this a little earlier in the thread, but no offense to anyone I'll put it like this. Just about every time I hear someone say they don't get Kepharts, Kepharts are ugly, Kepharts look stupid or like they can't accomplish anything, it is almost always by someone who has never used one much in the woods.

Call it bushcraft, woodcraft, call it playing around the woods, call it whatever you like. But when you use a knife in the woods for things like fire prep, making simple furniture or pot hangers, traps and snare triggers, or just about anything else that you find yourself doing while in the woods and working with wood, the Kephart does an amazing job. That's why it's still a very relevant blade shape after all this time.

It's not as sexy as a Rambo knife, a dagger, or the latest fighting knife flavor of the month. But the bottom line is the tip, spear point shape, and ergonomic handle is fantastic for actual extended use.

Sam

 

[conan11]

 

[marchone]

I own two Kepharts currently, one in almighy D3V from CPK, and the Becker BK62.

I'm glad to have them in my collection, now I just need to find a good Nessmuk or two to kinda round things out.

I have a Mike McCarter Kephart. He made his (very short first run) after personally measuring the museum Kephart. What diffentiates his and others is the center spine as it were. The blade is thicker in the center. Almost like a spine. That makes it useful as a pry bar.

I recently thought I would like to add a Nessmuk and a hatchet to complete the trio. I know I can use a Nessmuk as a skinner.

The Nessmuk makers I am looking at are Lucas Forge and C.T. Fischer.

I am still undecided on a hatchet maker. There a lot to choose from though some prices are pretty high.

 

[kobold]

I am still waiting for my first Kephart, so I don't have practical experience, but I expect it will perform great in the kitchen. Here is an older thread vs the Aurora: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bark-river-kephart-or-aurora.753781/

 

[NapalmCheese]

I am still waiting for my first Kephart, so I don't have practical experience, but I expect it will perform great in the kitchen. Here is an older thread vs the Aurora: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bark-river-kephart-or-aurora.753781/

A Kephart woudn't be my first kitchen knife choice... Kitchen knives are kitchen knives because they do kitchen knife things well. The Kephart his not a kitchen knife. It's an outdoors allrounder.

So unless your kitchen duties revolve around cooking over a campfire after gutting a deer, I would not expect the Kephart to perform great in the kitchen.

 

[Hammer67]

I guess I didn't get the memo - mine works just fine in the kitchen for basic tasks. It may not perform like a custom Nikiri, but it gets the job done, and better than some other options. I don't know why a knife would only work in camp kitchens, and not in the kitchen at home.

 

[shinyedges]

I don't always comment when I don't care for the aesthetics of a knife, as that's highly subjective and there no sense in just crapping on a design another person may really like. The utilitarian nature of the design of kepharts is something I understand and can respect.

For me, there are many designs that can accomplish the same tasks as a kephart while also being more pleasing to my eye. I will say the width of the blade carried almost all the way to the tip is better at spreading jam or peanut butter than many other designs I would choose, but I almost never do that with my field knives and for the limited number of occasions I would do it, any knife I have will do fine.

As a lot of people here know I raised hogs and other animals for years, hunted and butchered both wild game and farm animals and processed them from hoof to package in the freezer. So I'm no stranger to using knives.

The aspect of a knife I came to really look for in a design that I use in adverse conditions is a defined stop for my hand, so my hand doesn't slip up on to the blade. Spending time in -20f while a knife handle is covered in fat and blood, my hands had less dexterity. Often times depending how long I'd be out there you want to get the job done quicker rather than slower, which combined with less dexterity makes room for errors. A more forgiving handle is something I appreciate.


Even when an animal is hung and you are out of the elements, I find animal fat to make handles slick, and I've been bitten many times by knives that I loved in awesome steels that just didn't have the hand stop. Is it the end of the world? No. Can you do these tasks with a knife with no mechanical way of stopping your hand from slipping? Yes.

If I had a choice I'd grab a knife that protected my hand better.


Anyway, long story short use what you like and works best for you.

 

[marchone]

A sheath knife, a folding knife and a small hatchet are the Classic Kephart Trio. They still work. Add a Nessmuk for skinning to keep the references. Then, (stepping out of the past), a modern folding saw and a modern multi-tool complete the hand tools for most outdoor challenges today. Add a sidearm and/or a rifle for hunting and security on multi-day trips and in bear country.

If I didn’t have another sheath knife I would be dependent on my Kephart Knife. So be it.

My likely Trio now are a Carothers Basic 5" Field Knife, Shirogorov F3 and a Fiskars Hatchet. I could field dress a whitetail or boar with one in a pinch. I always carry a Leatherman outdoors and at the farm. To satisfy my historical interests, I have a Mike McCarter Kephart. A Lucas Forge Nessmuk and Wolf Valley Kephart Hatchet are on order.

They all work as intended. And maybe the differences are really negligible.

If I were to go back to my youth with only a Kephart knife to use I imagine I’d get pretty good with it. “Beware the man with only one gun, for he likely knows how to use it.”

 

[Hammer67]

If I had a choice I'd grab a knife that protected my hand better.

Any version of the Kephart that adheres to the original design does have a guard to it - it's not a huge guard (which might interfere with other tasks), but it's certainly enough of one that your hand is not going to slip past it on the the blade with you knowing it, even in slippery conditions. A so-called "Kephart" that doesn't have this is a Kephart in name only.

 

[marchone]

Here’s a close up of my McCarter Kephart. Taken from actual measurements including the handle dimensions from the original Colclesser knife.

 

[marchone]

The Kephart is the CZ75 of the knife culture.

 

[Sam Wilson]

The integral guard on the original design is usually sufficient, but I personally prefer a little more significant guard/protection there for the reason Shinyedges mentioned. Once covered in mud/blood/whatever, I don't want any possibility of my fingers needing to get rewired by a team of surgeons.

Sam