Bear Grylls ''Grandfather'' Knife ?

Niels

Full Member
Mar 28, 2011
2,582
3
27
Netherlands
I find it a bit 'wannabe traditional' looking. The copper bolsters are ok, but it needs stag or hardwood between them. Not rubber.:eek:
 

demographic

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,742
760
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By the looks of that knife the ugly tree is very tall indeed and has a hell of a lot of branches.

Maybe something with horn scales would be more appropriate for the Grandfather name?
 

Tiley

Life Member
Oct 19, 2006
2,364
377
60
Gloucestershire
I don't much like the shape of the blade - just too pointy for me. Having been brought up with the Victorinox SAKs, I find them difficult to beat. I would love it if they'd produce an alox-handled Farmer with a corkscrew though!
 

Hagrid

Tenderfoot
May 23, 2013
51
0
North Devon
I thought it had his name on it? therefore he's either endorsing it or getting some dosh from the sale of it, I just said I-PERSONALLY- wouldn't buy anything with his name on it as I believe it will be over hyped and over priced, I prefer my knives unbranded and plain.
 

Goatboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
14,956
18
Scotland
As some folks like to compare the two folk this is from the Woodlore sight, and I'll admit much more to my taste. It's also the only legal carry knife on his website - all the others lock. It also costs £50. I think the Gerber one as stated before would maybe be a better bet for a kid or Cub/Scout as it's cheaper and has the Chief Scouts signature on the knife. It'll teach them in the long run about what a good knife is and if they loose it it's bad form but not the end of the world. My first knife from my Grand-dad was an old sheepsfoot knife that had been kicking around his shed for years and had been a pruning knife at one time. But I was told if I learned to look after it and was careful with it I'd get a better blade as I got older. Which I did.
 

demographic

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,742
760
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I'll be honest here, I really just will not ever buy anything that's got his name on it. We could argue that he is successful because he's on the tellybox a lot and made a bob or two.
That argument could be used for Alan Sugar as well but I still think he's a chull tip.

He is to outdoor pursuits what WWF wrestling is to martial arts. Showy, fake, and loud.

Is that a critique of the knife? Not really, sorry but to me that's enough. I'm just never going to get past all that.

Oh, the knife might be OK, its like a cross between a Swiss Army knife with a few less features and a traditional knife the likes of which was made in their hundreds of thousands in Sheffield. I'd far rather have either.
 

Bladeophile

Tenderfoot
Jul 23, 2013
96
0
Basingstoke UK
I agree on the styling - They did well, got half way then shoved rubber inbetween instead of something pretty and traditional! Why? IMO the capable Buck110 I have is more Grandfatherly as a knife with that big ole blade, brass bolsters and wooden handle. To answer the corkscrew v SAK saw agony - I had a vision of tripping over casually discarded bottles of claret in the wilderness (real cork of course!) An seein as I've never encountered any yet, except SAK sized branches aplenty ready for processing - me thinks I'll stick with my SAK.
 

demographic

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,742
760
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AND... Whats with the obsession with rubberised "Comfort grips" nowadays?

I see them on cordless drills, handsaws, chisels, screwdrivers, knives, adjustable spanners and loads of other stuff.
Thing is I can't remember wooden handles chisels, hard plastic handle screwdrivers, hard handle cordless drills, wooden/leather washer/plastic grip/horn handled knives, Bahco metal handles adjustables (the exception being in extreme cold) being uncomfortable?

Is it just me? Don't think I'm especially numb. I honestly don't think they are an improvement and in many cases (screwdrivers and spanners especially) they retain oil and grime far more than the hard handle alternatives.

The main area where rubberised comfort grips really works well is on tape measures where I can drop them down a couple of scaffold lifts and they bounce instead of smashing to bits.
Are they designed for silky soft skinned officewallas?
 
Jul 30, 2012
3,570
224
westmidlands
I do like it, as a pocket folder, nice handle like the look of the blade. Not being funny, but scouts have to have a rounded tip on the large blade, too many holdups, this one's for grandad instead. Not allowed sharp implements. Ok it ended up sarcastic.
 
Jun 27, 2011
105
0
Canada
Saw one up close yesterday. First impressions: The blade seems too long and narrow, especially the tip. I can foresee the tip breaking with anything more than moderate usage. Workmanship comes off as poor looking, nothing really to base this on other than gut feeling. Not enough usable tools on it like an SAK, but I realize it's not being marketed that way. And it comes in a metal gift tin, and I'm always leary of knives that do, they seem to be bottom feeders...that being said, it was on sale at my local outdoors store for $19... ;)
Hope someone buys one, and gives it hard usage so that we can get a better judgement of it...
...my 2 pence worth.
Cheers
Alex
 

chimpy leon

Full Member
Jul 29, 2013
549
146
staffordshire
The tip looks way too delicate to be of any practical use other than opening a letter. I admit I do kind of like some of the gerber bear grylls range (especially the small parang) and they perform well in some of the reviews Ive seen, but this thing is just marketing gimmik tat. Better getting an opinel, Joker, SAK or any other folding knife for that matter.
 

demographic

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,742
760
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The tip looks way too delicate to be of any practical use other than opening a letter. I admit I do kind of like some of the gerber bear grylls range (especially the small parang) and they perform well in some of the reviews Ive seen, but this thing is just marketing gimmik tat. Better getting an opinel, Joker, SAK or any other folding knife for that matter.

Don't get me wrong, I like Opinels but they don't have a strong tip to the blade. That's no big deal to me cos I have a prybar in the van but some people do seem to need something stronger.
 

dwardo

Bushcrafter through and through
Aug 30, 2006
6,463
492
47
Nr Chester
From the images and videos it looks pretty horrible. A bad modern take on a traditional knife.
Could be good steel and well treated but blimey he looks of the thing.. Much better knives in the style and for around the same money.
 

John Fenna

Lifetime Member & Maker
Oct 7, 2006
23,278
3,069
67
Pembrokeshire
To my eye it looks cheap and tacky .... surprise!
There are better looking knives out there for a reasonable price.
My EDC is a SAK that had the plastic scales replaced with antler and looks "Granfather"ish....
 

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