Highlander Jaguar Bushcraft Knife

[Corfe]

I've been looking at this from various traders

http://www.militarymart.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=1749

and for around the 30 quid mark it seems like a bargain, despite the ugly sheath. Does anyone have any hands-on experience with this knife, or any recommendations? I'm thinking of buying it for my brother, to get him out of his Mora fixation, and while cheapness is a definite plus, I don't want to be handing him over a load of rubbish.

 

[The Lord Poncho]

No direct experience of one i'm afraid, but from the photo, the ricasso (the blunt bit between the cutting edge and the start of the handle) looks a little too big for my tastes. For around the same money you can get a Condor Bushlore, the latest version of which i hear is pretty good. It has a similar shape.

 

[Corfe]

I have a Bushlore, (the Mark 2 version), and it's a good piece of kit, though the blade is an odd scandi / convex shape which is hard to sharpen. Beautiful sheath though. I just wanted to hand over something pretty in a box...

 

[Silverback 1]

Don't want to be a killjoy but keep your money in your pocket.
Save up another £30(or more) and look for a decent 2nd hand one one this forum,they come up quite often and chances are you will get a good user with a blade that has been properly heat treated,not some far Eastern monkey metal jobbie that will be either too soft to hold an edge or too hard to sharpen.

 

[Corfe]

Cheers Silverback - reckon I'll take your advice.

 

[ssj]

If I were looking for the best knife possible for the least money spent I'd go to Brisa (https://www.brisa.fi/portal/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1) or a local supplier and get an Enzo Trapper or an Enzo Elver 85 blade and put a handle on it. It's actually quite simple.

 

[JonathanD]

From the example pic posted. It doesn't look like the knife would fit very well into the sheath.

 

[plastic-ninja]

I think I saw one of these at the Bushcraft Show last year.Junior was very tempted but on closer inspection the finish was awful and the sheath appeared very random in shape like this one.It was also very light when picked up and just felt very tacky and cheap.If you fancy trying your hand at a sheath I have a nice knife for sale in classifieds.Or you could have a look at knifebargains online for some sound kit.I have dealt with them and they are good.
Cheers , Simon

 

[Corfe]

Thanks for the suggestions guys

 

[Wolfmanuk]

I'm sorry but I simply love my £10 Mora. Haven't found much it can't do (although batonning is tricky due to the thin blade)

 

[zed4130]

I'm sorry but I simply love my £10 Mora. Haven't found much it can't do (although batonning is tricky due to the thin blade)

i feel the same as moras are great value and go on for years and have ahuge following, also the hultafors heavy duty GK model is goot at Batonning as has a thick blade although could do with another inch . this knife here remonds me of the bushlore as mentioned,

 

[HillBill]

Looks to have a hollow grind, and the steel is an unnamed stainless, the fit and finish look poor and so does the sheath, so that indicates a "one to avoid" to me.

Let him keep his Mora.

 

[Corfe]

Have to admit, I usually end up using the mora more than any other too....

 

[edschembri]

careful however - the angle of the EnZo Trapper is a little too shallow, and results in a lot of micro-chipping, which needs constant sharpening (this occurs a lot in the 01 version). It is thus recommended to put a secondary bevel or a convex on it to improve edge retention. the new Trappers have solved this problem with a steeper bevel. other than that, nothing to say about the absolutely beautiful, functional, sturdy, well priced knife

 

[Robbi]

looks like a left handed sheath on that Jaguar

 

[JonathanD]

Unless the pic is flipped. I wonder if anyone has actually bought one of these and can comment on it.

 

[PeteD]

I bought one for my son a while back. I've got mixed feelings on it to be honest, the firesteel is average, as is the sheath (you're right, it IS left handed). It was not very sharp when it arrived and it took ages to get a decent edge on it. My son went back to his Mora and I now use the Jaguar as a tool for splitting wood and other rough and ready jobs, in order to save the edge on my Trapper for finer jobs. I've found the Jaguar to be very good for the less subtle jobs around camp and it's held up well to a lot of abuse.

 

[Corfe]

I ended up giving my brother a Condor Bushlore, which is complicated in its own way - looks like a scandi grind, but is actually a convex - took me a while to figure it out! Anyway, he's happy as a pig in poo - you get a really nice sheath with that knife. Off the point a little, some time ago I also ended picking up a Shing Bushcrafter from a member here, which has now become my pride and joy -it gets used every other day, and we loves it my precioussss..... I don't believe in paying hundreds of pounds for a knife to be honest, but if you manage to pick up that kind of quality for a reasonable price, then by gum, there really is a difference. For a start, when you enjoy the look and feel of a knife, you're more likely to look for ways to use it. My tuppence worth.

 

[The Lord Poncho]

I have a Bushlore (the old version)- the edge was very convex (not in a good way)- I must admit i'd thought they had sorted it out with the Mk2 version. A bit (well quite a lot actually) of hard work with a file, diamond stones and lastly a Lanksy has sorted it out and turned it into a true scandi.

 

[Corfe]

I used a mouse-pad and wet-and-dry in the end, and handed it over shaving-sharp, but I felt no affection for the thing, even after all that work. The scales soaked up linseed oil something horrible, too. It's a pretty good, robust knife, but I can carve wood-spirits with the Shing, even though it's 5mm 01 steel...