I want to buy a good all purpose knife

[pitta-pitta]

For hunting, camping, batoning. I'd like to buy something more than just an average woodlore. Any suggestions? Happy to pay £200+

 

[brancho]

I recomend a nice custom Scandi pair of knives for that money to cover all bases. Or you could get a pretty dmascus blade.

 

[pitta-pitta]

Any particular makers worth checking out?

 

[TeeDee]

Any particular makers worth checking out?

Suggest you check out all the old post from this ' Edged Tool' section , there are loads of quality makers on here who make knives as a hobby and a way of living.

I would be tempted to put up some names for you to check out their work but i would surely miss someone so will refrain.

Just my opinion , £200+ will get you a lot of knife , but £100 will get you a very similiar knife and dare i say it just as good.


Strongly suggest you start going through all the posts in 'Makers Market'


HTH & Good luck!!

TD

 

[Chris the Cat]

Loads!
Guy Stainthorp and our own Dave Budd to name just two!
Take your time and have a good look around and ask them lots of questions!!
You can get alot of knife for that money so don't rush it!!
Good luck!
Chris.

 

[pitta-pitta]

Thanks. Very helpful. Will do as you suggest. Any other makers worth a look anyone wants to suggest. I'll take my time like you say. I want to get this right. I keep seeing Bernie Garland and Stuart Mitchells names what are there knives like? Anyone got one? I like the look of some of Hill Bills too? Any opinons? All help gratefully received.

 

[tobes01]

Got a Bernie Garland bushcrafter and little whittler, and they're fab - I'm sure others can make to his quality, but you'd be daft not to give him serious consideration.

If I weren't a BG addict, I'd probably give the Spyderco some serious consideration.

Tobes

 

[Celt_Ginger]

I can recommend Bernie Garland Knives through personal use. His B&T is very good. Hillbills knives do look good as well. FYGT is another good maker. I have one of his too.

 

[pitta-pitta]

Thanks. I do like the look of Bernie Garlands stuff. So your not so keen on Stuart Mitchell then?

 

[Chris the Cat]

Have you handled many top end (ish!) Knives pitta-pitta?
Mr Mitchells knives are top class and his reputation is second to none.
But as Tee-Dee said there are many good makers and it hard to mention one good one with out mentioning some of the others! ( Well it is for me,as I am a collecter as well as a user!)
All I would say is that maybe a trip to one of the shows ( buy a Mora to keep you going!!) and get to meet some of the makers and handle some of the knives!!
I know I wish I had done that before buying my first £200+ knife!
My best.
Chris.

 

[brancho]

I recomend looking through various threads and pick a style you like and maker whos stuff you like and go with that. Have a look in makers sales as well as some knives are only shown there. Once you have a style in mind pick a maker that will do that for your price range.

For that money something nice is out there.

 

[Chris the Cat]

Stu Mitchell familty have been 'little mesters' in the Sheffield cutlery industry for generations.
Top of his game,and you should look at his work.
Are you a member of British Blades? ( although I think Stuart is a member here as well!?)

 

[Draven]

My four favourites are a Bernie Garland blade, an Enzo Nordic 95, a Brusletto Sameblad and a E. Jonsson Mora, all handled by myself; none of the blades you could go wrong with:

From top to bottom is the Leuku, BG knife, Mora and Enzo. The Leuku blade costed £20 + £3 for the handle, I was quoted £50 for the BG blade but we settled on a labour exchange instead + £20 for the dyed curly birch handle, the Mora was £12 and the handle wood was free and the Enzo was about £60 as a kit.

I assume you're after a completed knife though, in which case I'd recommend Bernie Garland or EnZo (google for 'brisa'). Naturally, Enzo doesn't do custom work, but they might have something you like anyway. If you like a bigger knife, the Brusletto/Stromeng Sameblad/Leuku is your friend, though I found that the grind was too obtuse so I raised it on the grinder. I'm pretty sure that all of those can be had within your price range.

Pete

 

[Celt_Ginger]

Thanks. I do like the look of Bernie Garlands stuff. So your not so keen on Stuart Mitchell then?

I've not handled or used one of Stuart Mitchel's knives so I can't comment on them. I did email him about a custom build a number of years ago and he never replied, so it kind of put me off a bit. His knives look quite nice though, I'll give him that.

 

[tobes01]

For hunting, camping, batoning. I'd like to buy something more than just an average woodlore. Any suggestions? Happy to pay £200+

What do you own at the moment?

If you've not got your own knife yet, then I'd urge you to splurge ten quid on a Mora, and use that to find out what you do and don't like/want.

My first knife was a nice Kellam Puuko, but I didn't feel comfortable about battening with it (I suspect it would be fine). That was £60 down. Then I bought a Fallkniven TK1. Wonderful knife, but I found the handle had too many 'hot spots' for me, so that went. Total £300 down so far. Then an 'Old Oak' bushcrafter, very pleasant but unremarkable. £500 down now. Finally got the BG knife.

That's a whole lot of money wasted (OK, so got some back when I sold them) when I would have been able to bypass the expense had I figured out what I really wanted in the first place.

Anyway, the point is if you don't have a knife yet, get the Mora pdq and have a play. Then decide what you really want.

 

[brancho]

My first knife was a nice Kellam Puuko, but I didn't feel comfortable about battening with it (I suspect it would be fine).

You could batton with that until the cows come home.

everthing Draven has shown will do an admirable job I need to get a handle on my Enzo nordic
I was sad to put THIS in the post.

 

[rancid badger]

Thanks. Very helpful. Will do as you suggest. Any other makers worth a look anyone wants to suggest. I'll take my time like you say. I want to get this right. I keep seeing Bernie Garland and Stuart Mitchells names what are there knives like? Anyone got one? I like the look of some of Hill Bills too? Any opinons? All help gratefully received.

I really like Bernies work;I made the sheath myself for this one

This is a picture of my knife and one Bernie made for my brother below it:

On the strength of the knife I own, I'd buy again and happily recommend Bernies work. In my experience; He's also good to deal with and talk to.

atb

R.B.

 

[tobes01]

One thing to think about carefully is your sharpening skills: if you aren't able to sharpen properly then you'll quickly stuff a good blade such as Bernie's. Once again, you should learn on a cheap one like a Mora.

I had Bernie make one with a straighter blade for me since I wasn't comfortable I could maintain the edge on a knife with more of a belly on it. Think I'm getting better now, but I'm very happy with the one I have.

 

[pitta-pitta]

I really like Bernies work;I made the sheath myself for this one

This is a picture of my knife and one Bernie made for my brother below it:

On the strength of the knife I own, I'd buy again and happily recommend Bernies work. In my experience; He's also good to deal with and talk to.

atb

R.B.

This is the kind of thing I had in mind. I like the one in the middle with an unusual sheath.

 

[pitta-pitta]

Loads!
Guy Stainthorp and our own Dave Budd to name just two!
Take your time and have a good look around and ask them lots of questions!!
You can get alot of knife for that money so don't rush it!!
Good luck!
Chris.

I like the look of Guys work. I've been looking at his website. Is he a bit expensive though. Would he be able to do something really nice for £200?