6 months with the bark River Liten Bror

[SouthernCross]

G'day guys

I hope no one minds if I repost a review I did of the Bark River Liten Bror. This review was originally put up in July of this year over on the Bark River forum.

I have had the pleasure of using the Liten Bror (LB) for 6 months now, and I’m finally in a position to post my thoughts on it as a Bushcraft knife.

Specs are as follows:

Overall Length: 8.125 Inches
Blade Length: 3.775 Inches
Blade Thickness: .156 Inch
Blade Steel: CPM3V @ 58rc
Weight: 5.125 Ounces.

Since the knife is designed with Bushcraft in mind, it’s appropriate that the review start with Bushcraft tasks.
I had originally intended to take the LB on my regular week long winter hiking / camping trip. Unfortunately prior family commitments precluded me from going this year. So I had to make do with using the LB and GB mini on the back verandah to carve out a camp kitchen utensil from a length of hardwood limb. IMO, this is a good test of a Bushcraft knife as it involves using a knife for extended periods and in a variety of grips. The hardwood selected for the test will quickly show any shortcomings in the toughness & edge retention of the steel used.
The following videos will give an accurate idea of how the LB performed and how well the 3V steel keeps its' edge.


First up, how did the LB go at notching, fuzz sticks and shaving

[video=youtube;cY5yJ3dPVr0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY5yJ3dPVr0[/video]



Next is the carving test. The first video in this series shows the limb being squared off with a Bahco Laplander folding saw. This has been included at the start of the next series of videos to help give an indication of the sort of wood that is being used for the carving.

[video=youtube;Dzm-Ui8fCAU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzm-Ui8fCAU[/video]

[video=youtube;DFcWqTLp_L0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFcWqTLp_L0[/video]

[video=youtube;_667EWid5x0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_667EWid5x0[/video]

[video=youtube;VGKYcN55H3Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGKYcN55H3Q[/video]

[video=youtube;tKWo4vac00w]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKWo4vac00w[/video]

[video=youtube;ZFPMKQUcnrM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFPMKQUcnrM[/video]

[video=youtube;5zFrydTEKU0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zFrydTEKU0[/video]

[video=youtube;zpd_3ADlk80]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpd_3ADlk80[/video]

[video=youtube;MEz3XxoXLqk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEz3XxoXLqk[/video]

[video=youtube;XCTJ9YUR0uw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCTJ9YUR0uw[/video]

[video=youtube;bfKLwKHY5ag]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfKLwKHY5ag[/video]

[video=youtube;QWtSKemNYpo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWtSKemNYpo[/video]

Please note: The edge was not touched up at all during this stage of the testing. It did not even get a strop on my pants leg.



Tip strength was tested by drilling a hole in a seasoned hardwood limb.....

[video=youtube;_SHMCYWY318]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SHMCYWY318[/video]

....and using the LB to open some oysters.

[video=youtube;1EeKxE15yVo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EeKxE15yVo[/video]

The LB certainly has a strong tip.



IMO, a Bushcraft knife needs to be good at a range of tasks and not just cutting wood.

To this end I used the LB to process a goat for the table. This is a good test of the knives ability to perform the opening cuts, skin, dress and process the carcass. As you can tell from the videos, the LB worked well.

[video=youtube;HFuLY3_NbFk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFuLY3_NbFk[/video]

[video=youtube;x_OWphZX0Cw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_OWphZX0Cw[/video]

[video=youtube;mdu49Z6rcRo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdu49Z6rcRo[/video]



Interestinly enough, it was on a Fly fishing trip for Carp that the LB saw its' first use.

[video=youtube;KNiqbF9M6zA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNiqbF9M6zA[/video]

The LB worked well in humanely dispatching all the Carp caught.

The LB has also been used to clean a number of fish for the table. The defined point certainly makes it easy to open the fish for cleaning.



The LB has also seen use in the kitchen.
With harder vegetables like carrots, the thickness of the spine causes the harder veges to split rather than slice. However it is a wicked slicer of meat. The video below shows the LB slicing up a chicken thigh fillet to use as bait on an Estuary fishing trip.

[video=youtube;g3EHrX7BnIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3EHrX7BnIA[/video]



I hope the included videos have helped to give all who see them a very good idea of some of the use the LB has seen over the last 6 months.

To sum up, IMO the LB is a very usefull Bushcraft knife that is also handy in a range of activities.

I find the handle comfortable in a variety of grips and extended use.

The 3V steel is very tough and has excellent edge holding. It also doesn't appear to be prone to rust either.

I guess the fact that I have bought a second LB from the 2nd run is a pretty fair indication of what I think of this knife

Thanks to all who have taken the time to view the videos


Kind regards
Mick

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Very helpfull thanks Mick... I'll be buying one in a few weeks as planned, so thats made the purchase even easier!

Thanks for your time to add such detail to the review.

Regards, al.

 

[luckylee]

love the review mate, but the pictures of the carp, i did not find, at all pleasing, i don't now how you treat them in your country, but we adore them here, this is what i do as a second income, i teach people to catch and care for these creatures, i'm not to sure how it will sit with the other lads on here, but i can bet you a pound to a penny, there will be other anglers on here, who feel the same way.
did not no, you had such amazing mirror carp in australia.

 

[SouthernCross]

G'day luckylee

Carp are considered an introduced pest species over here, with local regulations discouraging the release of live carp back into the water.

After they were introduced, their population numbers litterally exploded. In some of our river systems they now represent well over 90% of the biomas of the river systems.

The watersupply dam where these were caught used to be renowned for both introduced trout & other Australian native species. That was untill the carp found their way into it. Now Carp are just about the only species of fish caught.

The above picture was taken at this dam in October 2008. The carp were spawning at the time. The density of carp present in this picture was continuous along the bank of the dam for many kilometers (that's right, kilometers).

Whilst I can appreciate them being highly regarded in their natural environment, over here they are a real environmental problem.




Kind regards
Mick

 

[Highbinder]

Mick,

I found this review over on the BRT&K forums and definately pushed me over the edge when it came to buying my own Liten Bror..

So cheers, because so far it hasn't disappointed!

 

[milius2]

I would love to see so many carps, they're great oven cooked! Thanks for the review!

 

[luckylee]

i understand that in some countries that they are reagrded as being a problem, i was just expressing my views of the people over here, i personally find it very hard to see these beautifull creatures treated this way, i have spent many many years in pursuit of these stunning creatures, and the joy of the people that i teach to catch and respect these creatues, there faces when they catch there first carp is something to behold.
This was not in anyway targeted at just you mate, i love and respect these creatures very very much, they have given me some of the best sport that i have ever had, and in the pursuit of these wily creatures, have taken me to some of the most beautifull places, all over the world.
i understand that not everybody feels this way, but in this country, there are allot of us that do, and on a personal note, i had to say how i feel.
i hope you understand.
take care
lee.

 

[SouthernCross]

G'day Lee

No problem at all.

As a matter of fact, I was particularily pleased to see you honestly express your thoughts, as well as taking the time & effort to explain why you felt this way.

I agree that they put up an excellent fight on light tackle and are a worthy target for sportfishermen.

I can only hope that yourself & other UK anglers can now understand the valid reason behind my humane dispatching of every single one I catch here in Australia.



Kind regards
Mick