what makes a knife a (real bushcraft) knife?

[Gadgetaholic]

Personally, I think the best bushcraft knife is a actually one knife... and an axe!

I guess it comes down to personal preference

Yep, whatever you prefer to use! My point is that 1 knife alone isn't really going to cover every task - 1 knife + 1 chopper (big knife/axe/khukiri/machete) should be pretty good at covering almost any cutting task required.

 

[kurodrago]

my hands

 

[teacher]

It's whatever knife fits you best and does what you want it to do. Everyone is different so there is no one size fits all answer.

Whatever you want it to look like. Seriously, regardless of wether it's a scandi or a bowie, traditional or tactical, it will still get the job done. Whatever floats your boat in other words.

What ever works for you for wood working is the best Bushcraft knife around, it can be absolutely anything within reason.

what makes a knife a (real bushcraft) knife?

I believe it's user's skill.

A bushcraft knife is a knife that you have out in the bush and it works for you doing bushcrafty things

Anyway, my take on a Bushcraft knife is; what ever knife you are using while out in the woods or bush....

For that matter, you could just go with a Mora knife, which you can sometimes find for as little as $10-15. The Mora is thought by many people to be pretty much the basis for the Mears style bushcraft knife.

All excellent answers IMO.

How much of the term "Bushcraft Knife" do you think might just be a 'marketing tool' used to sell more knives?

A very effective tool I might add also.... looking at all the ones I have.

When the bottom line, to me anyway; after giving it a lot of thought: is that I can do just about anything with my trusty drop point hunting knife that can do with one of my "Bushcraft Knives".
And do it just as well I might add.

Some food for though maybe.............

 

[redsquid2]

IMO, a knife that is suitable for genuine bushcraft needs to do more that cut wood.

It also needs to be able to process any animal taken to provide meat for the table.

Have a look at what is currently taken as "the look of a bushcraft knife", ala the woodlore & various clones.

Do you reckon these are the best design for skinning & processing game?

In my experience they are not.

Any design that appears to optimise it's performance with wood tells me that the designer really doesn't know what genuine bushcraft is about.

Kind regards
Mick

So, if put in a wilderness situation, running out of food, and your tent torn to shreds, you would choose a flat grind over a scandi grind?

 

[Shotgun]

So, if put in a wilderness situation, running out of food, and your tent torn to shreds, you would choose a flat grind over a scandi grind?

I would. To be honest I think scandi grinds generally work better for most people because they're easier to sharpen. Meaning the knife is generally sharper then an equivelant flat or convex grind and therefore gives the impression it's better. If you have the skill to put the same fine edge on a flat or convex grind knife, I think it performs better as an all around knife.

 

[pitdog]

G'day Carspidey



Now that I have the semantics about the "origin of the term bushcraft out of my system", some personal thoughts about your original question .

Please bear in mind right at the start, that my opinions are different to what most folks these days would describe as "Bushcraft", and I acknowledge that this post will put a bullseye on my forehead .

IMO, a knife that is suitable for genuine bushcraft needs to do more that cut wood.

It also needs to be able to process any animal taken to provide meat for the table.

Have a look at what is currently taken as "the look of a bushcraft knife", ala the woodlore & various clones.

Do you reckon these are the best design for skinning & processing game?

In my experience they are not.

Any design that appears to optimise it's performance with wood tells me that the designer really doesn't know what genuine bushcraft is about.

IMO, look for a design that is usefull for processing animals as well as wood. This is a knife that is designed by someone that knows what bushcraft is, rather than someone that is merely following what they think the majority think it is.

Comfort in hand during extended use is another important aspect, as is edge holding.

IMO forget the often repeated BS about the only steel suitable is carbon steels, i.e. non stainless steels. IMO, these people repeatedly show they have no experience with some of the modern stainless steels on offer :thumbup:

To finish off, please bear in mind this is one persons opinion





Kind regards
Mick

Great points Mick and I agree with everyone except the Stainless comments.......I don't think anyone will ever get me sold on Stainless over good old high Carbon......each to their own though !

 

[stabman]

People used to process animals with bits of sharpened stone.
If you can't do it with a "bushcraft" knife, maybe the fault lies with the user rather than the knife.

 

[pitdog]

People used to process animals with bits of sharpened stone.
If you can't do it with a "bushcraft" knife, maybe the fault lies with the user rather than the knife.

I think the discussion is what style knife is the best all round for bushcraft tasks. I can make traps and skin animals with an axe but I'd never say it's the best all round Bushcraft tool.
I have to agree with Mick in that a scandi may be the best on wood but a convexed is for me a better all round grind !

 

[paperairplane]

I am in the 4-5" blade, high carbon steel with a nice round handle club. I can get most things done with a Mora #1.

 

[Codger_64]

Styles and preferences change. One only need look at the evolution of commercial outdoor knives this past century to see it plainly. IMHO, at some point, most of us find a design and material choice that just works for us, and stop buying and trying every new knife that comes along. My preference is and has remained a knife design that I first used 40 or so years ago. It has done everything I have asked of it and remains as useful as it was when new.

 

[NothingCoherent]

Any knife can be a bushcraft knife, but when I heard the words I picture... a fairly thin, 4" long scandi ground blade with a rat-tail tang and oval shaped handle. Think the red handled Mora!

 

[grunt soldier]

Couple tips:
1.) Try choking up on the blade like this:

2.) Try moving what you're cutting, rather than mover the knife. I.E. you move whichever is smaller, the piece you are cutting or the knife, much easier that way.

No, we're just picking big tools because that's what we're used to using -- just like small knife guys.

this made me lol. all very good points and all horses can be beat to death by any side. some prefer the bigger blades, some like the mid sized and some like the smaller blades. to each his own. my personal opinion is just have a blade with you in the woods and use it. some days i rock a bwm, some days its a koyote 6 incher, some days a jk phoenix, some days andy's 12 inch machete, others is a mora. it's all about the skills you possess the knife is just a tool to help you accomplish what you need to get done. all my opinion of coarse. carry a blade out there and keep it sharp, enjoy the woods and the serenity and i would say that is bushcraft.

 

[remmmm]

IMO a 6" blade is really good at making you wish you had either a larger or smaller knife. I'd rather have a Junglas (or similar) combined with a Mora or a quality 3-4" folder.

To the OP, if you don't already have a few Mora's, make that your next purchase. They are fun to play with, cheap and scratch the "I need a new knife" itch. I prefer the rubber handle models vs. the wood handle Mora's.

 

[jca21]

buck 110 has to be one of my most used field/bush knives.

combined with my gb sfa i haven't really needed anything else.

 

[22-rimfire]

I think the best bushcraft knife for YOU is the knife you are most comfortable carrying in a size that allows you to do both detailed cutting chores as well as the more substantial wood cutting. I like big blades, but I always come back to about a 6" blade when it is all said and done and the others just sit unused. My Condor Golok is a great addition to the bushcraft tool kit, but if I could only have one it would be in the 5.5-6" size range. Some tasks would be harder to do and others would be easier with that blade size. But you have to know how to use the knife safely. Cutting yourself badly 20 miles from help is not a good thing to experience because the knife just didn't work for YOU and you were clumsy or the size caused you to be reckless. For some, the best bushcraft blade may well be a pocket knife simply because they know how to use it safely and very well within its limitations.