£250 survival knife...

[sidpost]

@sidpost I play it safe - usually Mora Convoy 4-4.5k 519a for close up flood and xhp70.2 for longer reach.

XHP70.x for a larger reflector and XHP50.x for the smaller ones works really well for me on my farm with a balanced flood and throw. Convoy, Wurkkos, and Sofirm all provide good cost-effective options for those.

The new FC13 with XHP50.2 from Amazon for $17USD including battery is sized like a dry erase marker and carries well in my pocket. It is also working really well for general utility on my farm.

 

[Mugen]

So F1 and Puukko went back and Lionsteel arrived. Handle is comfortable for size 9.5 hands, durable micarta and overall quality of the knife and sheath is nice. Length of the blade is short and with rounded spine it will be comfortable to cut wood and to control the tip. I couldn't make sparks with the flint on the spine, but with the but it's doable.
Even being skeleton tang it's still plenty strong I think, but maybe Skrama will compliment it later. Time will tell if I made a good choice or will get something else later down the line.

Now is the time to get into the edge grinding science...

 

[C_Claycomb]

Which steel is your M4?

 

[Mugen]

Which steel is your M4?

Magnacut

 

[Nice65]

Magnacut

Your fire steel scraper is on the butt of the handle. Glad you noticed the instant fit of it, they used to make a knife called a Rasul that everyone who held it just ‘got’. The M4 is the closest to that handle I’ve managed to find. Molletta, he designs a fine knife.

I’m fairly sure I see a Skrama in your future, it really is a capable chopping and wood processing tool, strong with a section of blade up close to the handle with a finer grind for feathers and curls. You probably know all this. I had mine so sharp I was hedge trimming with it, nipping off little tops of conifer and the wisps.

 

[Mugen]

Yeah I was reading a bit about the knife and remembered that butt was designed to strike something if needed, but seeing that sharpish angle I showed off with new knife in front of the mrs and threw some sparks in the kitchen sink.
She wasn’t impressed.


Rasul looks like sturdy kitchen knife with good handle. Probably good cutter.

 

[sidpost]

I’m fairly sure I see a Skrama in your future, it really is a capable chopping and wood processing tool, strong with a section of blade up close to the handle with a finer grind for feathers and curls. You probably know all this. I had mine so sharp I was hedge trimming with it, nipping off little tops of conifer and the wisps.

Why not a small Bushcraft-oriented axe?

I see people all over the place recommending large field knives for wood processing and shelter building. The Busse Battle Mistress was a classic for that on this side of the Atlantic though, there is a large group of Skrama advocates too.

Simply put, I find a good axe of modest size and weight to be much better overall. 14"~17" in length and ~1Kg/1.75lb~2lb head weight in an appropriate head shape to cut on the edge and split at the poll. The Lars Falt inspired Gransfors survival/outdoor axe is pretty good too but, I'd like a little more head weight. I got mine from Lamnia on sale for ~$125USD shipped so, a bit spendy but a really good axe, especially if I don't have a fixed blade on my person.

Outdoor Axe

 

[Pattree]

THIS ^^^^^^^
There is a YouTube of an idiot using an Opinel 13 as an axe, a froe, and a machete. He also uses it to punch holes in a sheet of steel and calls his performance a review.

Decide what you are going to do and take the right tools.
The OP certainly needs two tools for their job list.

 

[GreyCat]

Is scrama still legal in UK? I did look up the recent updates and looks like it still meets what allowed. It’s just looks big…

Yes. Over 8 inches but only one hole and no serrations. Legal so long as you have "good reason" to be using it (as with all other fixed blade knives and with axes).

The Skramas are well balanced, the 240 in particular. Yes it's big but the differential profile means you can choke up the grip for finer work near the handle or hold the end for a it of umph when chopping. It also takes and holds a good edge easily.*

I really second the recommendations for getting decent sharpening tools. If there's one thing I've learned it's that a decent sharpening stone, a strop and learning how to use them will give much better results than chasing a holy grail of a magic steel. Even "bog standard" tool steel these days can be incredibly good if forged, heat-treated and sharpened properly.

I don't think there's one perfect knife to do everything, although the Skrama 240* plus a pair of DC4 and CC4 stones and a Mora 106 or 120 for carving is probably the closest I can think of to what you're after*- and you'd still have a few quid left over from your budget. A Mora 106/120 are a good starting point for carving, and can be kept stropped and "carving sharp."

Corrosion resistance: Just check, clean, dry and hone/strop your knives after use. Good practice for any blade as you can check for damage whilst doing so.

But... if you just hanker after something in a "special" steel (because it is), that's OK too


*(please note, I have a soft spot for blades out of Varusteleka )

GC

 

[GreyCat]

Why not a small Bushcraft-oriented axe?

I see people all over the place recommending large field knives for wood processing and shelter building. The Busse Battle Mistress was a classic for that on this side of the Atlantic though, there is a large group of Skrama advocates too.

Simply put, I find a good axe of modest size and weight to be much better overall. 14"~17" in length and ~1Kg/1.75lb~2lb head weight in an appropriate head shape to cut on the edge and split at the poll. The Lars Falt inspired Gransfors survival/outdoor axe is pretty good too but, I'd like a little more head weight. I got mine from Lamnia on sale for ~$125USD shipped so, a bit spendy but a really good axe, especially if I don't have a fixed blade on my person.

Outdoor Axe

Yeah, I'm a Skrama advocate, but also like my Wood Tools carving axes and woodland axe. Depends what I'm doing really.

Some jobs I pick up the Skrama in preference to an axe, and vice versa. I don't think there's One True Way, just the one that works at the time.

I suppose that with the OP's budget, they could buy a Skrama 240 and a Wood Tools woodland axe (and still have enough change left for a Mora 106 or 120 for carving) and then come back on here and let us know what they prefer.....

GC

 

[Nice65]

Why not a small Bushcraft-oriented axe?

I see people all over the place recommending large field knives for wood processing and shelter building. The Busse Battle Mistress was a classic for that on this side of the Atlantic though, there is a large group of Skrama advocates too.

Simply put, I find a good axe of modest size and weight to be much better overall. 14"~17" in length and ~1Kg/1.75lb~2lb head weight in an appropriate head shape to cut on the edge and split at the poll. The Lars Falt inspired Gransfors survival/outdoor axe is pretty good too but, I'd like a little more head weight. I got mine from Lamnia on sale for ~$125USD shipped so, a bit spendy but a really good axe, especially if I don't have a fixed blade on my person.

Outdoor Axe

I definitely hear you Sidpost. I like the Skrama because it’s an immensely pleasing tool to use. When I used to cut Chestnut coppice with an old Elwell handbill, I soon found the Fiskars to be a better tool. But it still would get hung up in amongst the stems. Then the Skrama came along and proved itself to be very good at the job.

It’s horses for courses all this, but generally the recommendation is for 2 tools. I have a Gransfors SFA, a Gransfors Mini hatchet, Skrama, Fiskars billhook (or handbill as they call them in Sussex), a Silky Big Boy, Silky Zubat, Silky Super Accel, plus various tough knives like the M4 and ESEE3. In the camper where I am now, Zubat for easy dead wood cutting, Mini hatchet for kindling and splitting with a baton, ESEE3 and a Spyderco Military. And a serrated Opinel 12 that I wish were easier to get hold of here, they’re great for bread.

 

[C_Claycomb]

For cutting stuff up to 2.5" diameter I reckon that the right large knife like tool is better than an axe. I have a GB SFA, and a Wildlife, and a Mini. The SFA is forged as more of a limbing tool than it is a splitting tool. For the last 30 years my mum has been a notable volunteer involved in restoring and maintaining a small arboretum, and I have had plenty of opportunities to test tools on tree felling and clearing jobs. My parangs are quicker and more efficient for breaking down the sub-3" crown branches than the axe is.

If I am doing firewood prep and crafting (spoons for example) then the axe is better and safer than my parangs which are either too thin to split or too long to hew with precision. I can imagine a Skrama could bridge these two cases.

 

[Daniel71314]

I have the Terava Jakpukko 140 after seeing the destruction test on DBK channel. Great knife and value for money, so good to see so many mentions of the Skrama, I'll have to add and pair it up with its little brother.

My chopper is the Condor Kukri, for heavy work it's going to have an advantage over normal knives, and I like the front half of the spine is rounded so nice to use as a draw knife if needed, or to hold that side for carving.

For the OP I'd recommend something like that and a small companion, maybe the Tops mini scandi. Get both for under £200

 

[August Landmesser]

So F1 and Puukko went back and Lionsteel arrived. Handle is comfortable for size 9.5 hands, durable micarta and overall quality of the knife and sheath is nice. Length of the blade is short and with rounded spine it will be comfortable to cut wood and to control the tip. I couldn't make sparks with the flint on the spine, but with the but it's doable.
Even being skeleton tang it's still plenty strong I think, but maybe Skrama will compliment it later. Time will tell if I made a good choice or will get something else later down the line.

Now is the time to get into the edge grinding science...

Joe X (the king of ping) just destruction tested the Lionsteel T6

 

[Garnett]

It’s taken me many years to find contentment with the knives that I own. I do not think that I’m alone.

Why not buy something really cheap, like a Mora and an £8 hatchet.
Use them for six months (OK-4 months ) and keep a list of all the things that they won’t do that you want to do. List all your frustrations and issues while at the same time, practice sharpening and knife skills on tools that you can afford to damage.
Then look for a tool (or two tools) that will fill the gaps and give you pleasure to own at your budget.

Form follows function.

Slightly late, but it's rare I see my philosophy shared, which is genuinely to "buy cheap; buy twice".

Whatever job or hobby you're buying for, quite often you see some aficionado assert that the enquiring beginner should buy expensive option X, and some other will assert they should buy expensive option Y etc. Usually there will be merit in both recommendations - it's just that one or both of the experts won't have appreciated the particular circumstances of the person asking for advice.

Wherever this is the case, my view is, get the cheap option that does 90% of the what the most expensive recommendations can do for 10% of the price (there's alway this option, it seems, regardless of what field of endeavour being considered).

That might suffice in itself, or you might find you don't use/need it as much as you antipated, in which case you have not spent much and have an excellent tool at hand in the future.

But if not, and you want to invest in an upgrade, you now know exactly which aspects you want to improve on, and whether expensive option X or expensive option Y is the one for you.

 

[TeeDee]

Slightly late, but it's rare I see my philosophy shared, which is genuinely to "buy cheap; buy twice".

Whatever job or hobby you're buying for, quite often you see some aficionado assert that the enquiring beginner should buy expensive option X, and some other will assert they should buy expensive option Y etc. Usually there will be merit in both recommendations - it's just that one or both of the experts won't have appreciated the particular circumstances of the person asking for advice.

Wherever this is the case, my view is, get the cheap option that does 90% of the what the most expensive recommendations can do for 10% of the price (there's alway this option, it seems, regardless of what field of endeavour being considered).

That might suffice in itself, or you might find you don't use/need it as much as you antipated, in which case you have not spent much and have an excellent tool at hand in the future.

But if not, and you want to invest in an upgrade, you now know exactly which aspects you want to improve on, and whether expensive option X or expensive option Y is the one for you.

This. 100% If its good enough for Mors - Its probably good enough for most of us.

 

[Tony]