bushraft knife. who make the best??

[jamesoconnor]

hi all,
im in the market for a new knife and was wondering in your opinion, which company and/or person makes the best knife around.
i'd really like to hear from you alll on this as im desparate to get a new toy to play with in the woods!! lol

regards
james

 

[sandbender]

Had a chance to see many of the front runners at the recent Scottish Meet, see this page....

I thought that the Allan Blade knifes, the Packpal and Runt really stood out, incredibly well made, very comfy in the hand when working and superbly made kydex sheaths. Hard to believe that he sells them for around £50 each.

I'm probably going to buy a Runt to supplement my Woodlore.

Allan Blade...

http://www.bladecutlery.net/

 

[leon-1]

I am with sandbender on this, for the cost you cannot beat an Allan Blade knife.

There may be a bit of a wait at the moment, but they are well worth the wait

 

[Lord Farquhar]

Had a chance to see many of the front runners at the recent Scottish Meet, see this page....

http://homepage.mac.com/andrewrush/Pictures/Meet/20.jpg

I thought that the Allan Blade knifes, the Packpal and Runt really stood out, incredibly well made, very comfy in the hand when working and superbly made kydex sheaths. Hard to believe that he sells them for around £50 each.

I'm probably going to buy a Runt to supplement my Woodlore.

Allan Blade...

http://www.bladecutlery.net/

There is one of my knifes in there
who can spot it?

 

[dtalbot]

There is one of my knifes in there
who can spot it?

Guessing here but bottom left corner ish?

 

[Lord Farquhar]

Guessing here but bottom left corner ish?

BINGO!

I dont know how it got there...

 

[dtalbot]

BINGO!

I dont know how it got there...

Proof for you you have a distinctive and recognisable style! I was 99% sure when I took the guess.

 

[Andy]

I notiiced it in all that lot. I think the handle colour threw me though

 

[SARHound]

Anything buy Busse/Swamprat is worth the investment. All other steels are second rate. Allan Blade would give his testicles for Busse's infi steel.

http://www.bussecombat.com/home/

http://www.swampratknifeworks.com/

Hound

 

[eraaij]

Any good scandi ground knife will do. Either in a carbon, laminated or good stainless steel. Choose a knife with a comfortable handle for your hand.

Production knives? The cheap Moras are great, but go for a full tang version. Helle and Brusletto knives are great too. The various Puukko brands offer great value for money.

As for custom: Makers like Allan Blade produce excellent knives with a good heat treat in various steel types. The blokes from British Blades regulary offer excellent pieces. Personally I am attached to my 1998-AW Woodlore.

Do not take something too heavy or made out of some 5mm thick 'secret' steel with uncomfortable handles to boot. A Bushcraft knife must be comfortable to hold in any cutting position - most of the knives designed are optimal for just one grip. Just try to whittle a spoon with a Battle Mistress.


-Emile

 

[SARHound]

To trust your life to just any carbon or stainless steel is foolish. I have owned and used MANY a blade in my day and have broke most doing bushcraft.

Not only can I carve a spoon with a battle mistress I can chop and split wood and pry and pretty much do anything else I feel like doing with it.

A large blade can do everything a small blade can just maybe not as well. A small blade can never do everything a large blade can.

A BM is not and EDC item of course but it makes a great survival blade when needed.

Smaller than an axe more utilitarian than a saw.

Hound

 

[Tony]

OK, this already seems to be getting out of hand. People are entitled to their opinions and this thread is asking for them. It is not asking for people to argue about the merits of big and small knives, people have their preferences and that’s what makes these conversations valuable.

Do not take this thread off course and do not talk about the preferences of makers, they can talk for themselves if they so wish.

The best bushcraft knife is an impossible subject to decide on a conclusion, as I said, it’s down to personal preference.

 

[Fallow Way]

Personally I go for a `medium` sized knife everytime. I belive you can do the widest range of the most common jobs. By medium I mean the Mora sort of size. I dont think it really matters who made it or what its made from too much, a well looked after knife is everything you need. Note `well looked after`.

I use a certain knife for 99% of everything I do, but i also own Mora training (both the old one and clipper) and a dutch one thats very similar that i cant remember the name of , cue knife-nuts..... and they are all excellent, i would always suggest one of those to begin with. I still carry a Mora in my sack as a spare and lender. Then when your happy get yourself one of the more robust knives if you wish to. Its nice to have `a knife`, one that is special to you. You should be able to throw your knife into a pile of others of the same make and still knows yours

 

[AUSSIE]

God I'd hate to see this forum go the way of a lot of the American "Survival / Knife" Forums!! Please!!!!!!!!!!! spare us the "my knife is bigger than your knife" type garbage here!!

 

[OldJimbo]

I'll second that Aussie!

 

[RovingArcher]

Now that that's settled.

Which is the best knife can only be an opinion and a biased one at that. I think each of us has some sort of an idea as to what we would consider to be the perfect knife for where we are located and the type of duties we would be asking of it. If money is no option, get several and give them all a try. However, if you're like me, get them one at a time and after it's all said and done, get a Mora and have fun.

 

[The General]

A Rally car does not a Rally driver make...

Give Mors a high end pricy blade and he would probably shrug and carry on using his Mora knife to a degree of skill that would astound and amaze.

 

[SARHound]

Now that that's settled.

Which is the best knife can only be an opinion and a biased one at that. I think each of us has some sort of an idea as to what we would consider to be the perfect knife for where we are located and the type of duties we would be asking of it. If money is no option, get several and give them all a try. However, if you're like me, get them one at a time and after it's all said and done, get a Mora and have fun.

What a Liberal sit on the fence comment that is.

Had 2 Mora's both are in pieces left where they broke.

Fact is there is a heirarchy of steel whether a persons feelings are hurt or not because their $200 custom blades steel is middle of the road.

Baton it into large log and pry it for all you are worth and split it open. If you are unwilling to trust your blade to such abuse or break it in the process you at least have learned something.

This prevailing attitude of "any half decent blade will do" is a crock of **** and speaks of serious inexperience. Put your money where you mouth is.

Mora's LMAO.

Hound

 

[ilovemybed]

What a Liberal sit on the fence comment that is.

Had 2 Mora's both are in pieces left where they broke.

Fact is there is a heirarchy of steel whether a persons feelings are hurt or not because their $200 custom blades steel is middle of the road.

Baton it into large log and pry it for all you are worth and split it open. If you are unwilling to trust your blade to such abuse or break it in the process you at least have learned something.

This prevailing attitude of "any half decent blade will do" is a crock of s hit and speaks of serious inexperience. Put your money where you mouth is.

Mora's LMAO.

Hound

I fundamentally disagree. Frosts Mora knives are almost universally accepted as an excellent and dependable budget tool. Their example, and many other examples prove time and time again that price does not matter a jot towards how good a tool is.

Many generations before us had perfectly suitable tools made from stone, flint, bone, bronze, iron and simple carbon steel. How did they get by if one must "Put their money where their mouth is" and buy top quality tool steel to get the job done?

How exactly did you break your Moras? Were you using them properly? One can only expect a tool to last if it's only used properly and for the job it is designed to do.

Finally, what's the problem with being Liberal?

 

[RovingArcher]

Umm, Liberal I'm not. Nor am I conservative. I'm a free man that can look at both sides of the coin and make up my own mind!

I learned using an old slip joint and by the time I graduated to a fixed blade, I had gotten pretty good with a knife. I actually own several large knives and even use a couple of them once in awhile. Nope, your particular blade isn't one of them. My favorite is a WWII Khukuri that is an excellent chopping blade and handles the kitchen duties pretty good too.

From where I stand, Mora's are excellent bush blades. But, if you're having troubles with breaking them, then it is good that you've found a blade that can live up to your expectations and rigid standards. Nothing worse than having a blade you can't count on when you really need it.