Bears knife.

[leon-1]

I realy cant get my head around prices like that. We have sourced hand made knife and sheath, lifetime warrenty, all made by a Cornish knifemaker for under £100. (Mods this is not an attempt to advertise) How can they justify £350 for it? I've tried one and in my opinion its c##p. Too hard to field sharpen (how many times have you seen Mr Grylls put the edge back on his knife in the field?). The grip is thin and made my hand tired quickly. I didn't hit it with any rocks! and found the 4mm blade a bit thick for feathering and fine carving.

Nice to hear a point of view from somebody who has tried one.

On cost from my point of view I can't see how they justify it either, yes I do appreciate how the metal is HT'd, but there are many other knives out there that are handmade that do not cost £350 and the materials just do not warrant the extra cost.

 

[Tiley]

I'm afraid that I too have tried one. Apart from being too thick, the blade is also far too deep, making any carving involving a turn or even a gentle curve next to impossible. It took me ages at home trying to get a sharp, working edge on the blade - so long, in fact, that I am loath to use the knife at all. The handle shape - I think it's called 'coffin' shape - is not good: it is edged and too narrow and is definitely not one to use for prolonged periods.

The price of the thing was a shock. I still don't understand why I took the plunge but there is one thing I do know: it'll be up for grabs either on eBay or in the classifieds here before the month is out!

 

[FerlasDave]

what you have to remember is this is nto a bushcraft knife, it is not meant for carving or feathering, it is a survival knife. it is meant for chopping and butchering, people dont realise bear isnt a bushcraft man he is a survival man and this knife is meant for survival too, rough use for a few minuets at a time not a week spent crafting in the forest.

(no offense to anyone.)

 

[Neil1]

what you have to remember is this is nto a bushcraft knife, it is not meant for carving or feathering, it is a survival knife. it is meant for chopping and butchering, people dont realise bear isnt a bushcraft man he is a survival man and this knife is meant for survival too, rough use for a few minuets at a time not a week spent crafting in the forest.

(no offense to anyone.)

I have got an old Mora Knife (wooden handled job), it has been used and abused over the ten years I have had it. It regularly is used for skinning and butchering deer (three in the last month), it gets batoned on a regular basis and is a demon carver. The thin blade works well for food prep and spreading butter.
Its carbon steel, but its not rusted, its easy to sharpen in the field and I can wear it round my neck all day because it weighs next to nothing, and that means its the knife I've normally got with me (which I think is the definition of a survival knife?)
The money I paid for it works out at about a pound a year and I'm more than happy with that and the use I have had from it.
Neil

 

[Tiley]

what you have to remember is this is nto a bushcraft knife, it is not meant for carving or feathering, it is a survival knife. it is meant for chopping and butchering, people dont realise bear isnt a bushcraft man he is a survival man and this knife is meant for survival too, rough use for a few minuets at a time not a week spent crafting in the forest.

(no offense to anyone.)

A good point. Knives should be able to do whatever is asked of them, with the understanding that they will be able to do some jobs better than others. It is a pity then that a knife that is as well-made as this - and it is well-made - should be so poor in so many areas. As for chopping with the Bear/Bailey knife, I reckon it would be next to impossible to do so as the blade is simply too short - and that is from rather bitter, knuckle-bashing experience!

 

[leon-1]

what you have to remember is this is nto a bushcraft knife, it is not meant for carving or feathering, it is a survival knife.

If you want advice on a survival knife ask a survival instructor.

SMARTY has given his opinion and he is a survival instructor.

it is meant for chopping and butchering, people dont realise bear isnt a bushcraft man he is a survival man and this knife is meant for survival too, rough use for a few minuets at a time not a week spent crafting in the forest.

(no offense to anyone.)

This knife hasn't got the length for chopping, knives designed for chopping also have more belly out towards the tip like a parang or a machete, it allows them to carry a large amount of inertia with the swing of the knife. They are also normally quite thin for their length, that allows the blade to make maximum use of the inertia from the rest of the blade design. A thinner longer bladed mountain man knife that you can fillet with would also be better for butchery.

In a survival situation you may still have to carve triggers for traps and making fuzzies / feather sticks are basics for making fire, both skills which are handy to have and if the tool is not upto that then it's not really going to be much use to the person using it.

If you can't chop with a knife you would baton it and the blade thickness would put this at a disadvantage over a frosts mora as you would find the mora would pass through the wood quicker and easier than Bear's knife.

Also people have mentioned that it made the hand tired quite quickly this would probably make Bear's knife dangerous to use for prolonged periods.

These are just my observations and opinions, I leave you to make your own once you have handled one.

 

[Zammo]

I can't help thinking that where Bear has his knife sheath is a bit of a dangerous place. He has it on his belt pointing horizontal, so when he sheaths his knife he is pushing it into his guts area. He doesn't seem to ever locate the end of the sheath with his other hand he just sort of shoves it in and hopes.

 

[Tiley]

I can't help thinking that where Bear has his knife sheath is a bit of a dangerous place. He has it on his belt pointing horizontal, so when he sheaths his knife he is pushing it into his guts area. He doesn't seem to ever locate the end of the sheath with his other hand he just sort of shoves it in and hopes.

Ah, but he's an 'expert' ...