Trueways survival knife/tool

[ex Member swampy99]

The quest for the ultimate all rounder goes on. I have seen this on the DVD and was wondering if anyone else has one and what there thoughts are on it http://www.survival-school.org/Default.aspx?tabid=246&ProductID=1027
I was going to go down the Kuhkri route but they are ether to small or to big and heavy for what I want, plus all the parangs don't have a full tang. Can't find anything in Australia or from around the South east Asia area. So this is starting to tick all the boxes. So something like this and a bushcraft knife should be all I need for outback and jungle work.
Discuss.

 

[Shewie]

Not got one myself but I remember a bit of banter about them recently ...

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=60518&page=1&highlight=trueways+tool

 

[bandel4]

How about the Condor Machete?
Has anyone had much experience with them?
Link below:
http://www.condortk.com/productsdetail.php?prodid=900

 

[JonathanD]

How about the Condor Machete?
Has anyone had much experience with them?
Link below:
http://www.condortk.com/productsdetail.php?prodid=900

A colleague of mine bought one and said it was balanced wrong and had an utterly useless grind for what it is designed for.

 

[BarryG]

I have the MK1...If I could choose again, I would save a fortune and go with the authentic Kuhkri.

 

[slasha9]

I have the Mk1 version of this beast and even though I have a (ridiculously) huge selection of knives and more than a few axes this one still keeps getting brought out to play. I won't claim any expertise or special skills but this tool has served me fine, and for some reason I never worry about abusing it like I do with other kit, so it's picked up quite a lot of 'mojo' over the years. It's sturdy.

 

[gowersponger]

i was looking at the condor but got put of as it doesnt come with a sheath,got a webtex on the way but cant have it intell xmas lol

 

[ex Member swampy99]

Thanks so far but not the answer to my main question about the new trueways tool. I did know that the Mk1 was not great so I had gone then for a Khukri but it is very heavy for what I need. I am also now looking at the Chris Cain tool that is similar to the LW Mk2 but a bit more chunky and bit cheaper (if you don't go for the leather sheath) these seem to be new this year and have seen the you tube vid for it. Chris likes to cut up old trees. ANy thoughts.

 

[born2roam]

Wayyyyyy too pricey with regards to the O.P.

A certain Les Hiddins used a Martindale Golok a lot if you NEED (?) full tang....

Me? Perfectly happy with my (stick) tang parang from Sarawak....

Grtz Johan

 

[widu13]

Cold Steel kukri?

Here

 

[lupus]

i had a truways tool for 24 hours, then sent it back.
i was going to do a comparison review of the chris cain tool /stanforth made lofty tool and the truways tool, but i did not even manage to cut and split the wood for my fire that day with it as the blade started to bend and chip.
the truways tool has a very thin flat ground scandy edge(not upto much hard work).

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Cold Steel kukri?

Here

Mine been well and truly abused and is till ok, I need to change the handle as the plastic one it has is uncomfortable,, yet one more project for the winter........

 

[lupus]

here's a quick update.
after speaking with Glyn he has assured me that the failure on my tool was down to a bad batch of heat treating and that another tool has suffered the same problems.
this said there is still a reluctance on trueways side to give a refund three weeks after receiving the faulty tool back.

 

[British Red]

Thats pretty poor service!

 

[lupus]

Thats pretty poor service!

POOR SERVICE don't get me started!

i can see no reason for delaying a refund. if it's the heat treating it's their problem so i should be refunded. if it's the blade's grind it's their design that failed so i should be refunded.if thay are calling it misuse all i did was trying to cut and split some wood for a fire. if that's misusing the tool then what on earth is it supposed to be used for.
i have another survival tool made by A wright and son and it's never had a problem doing any task ive used it for(even chopping through 9 inches of well seasoned oak).

can you tell im not happy? lol

still it will soon be christmass.

 

[Stew]

That is pretty bad. The bad feelings that've you're sharing could have been easily avoided. Makes you wonder....

 

[Andy BB]

I admit to being a complete novice in the knives arena. But I must admit I did like what I've seen about the Chris Cain knife. In particular, it seems to offer what a khukri does, but without the drawbacks of a handle I could never get on with re the Kukhri, or the partial tang that kukhris have.

however, I've seen a lot of negative comment on here re the Cain knife - not so much about how good it is, but about how its expensive/rip-off of the Lofty original design etc. Now as far as I can understand, Chris was a student/colleague of Lofty, and there are no hard feelings on Lofty's part about the knife. And furthermore, the pricing seems pretty reasonable for a top quality piece of kit. Am I missing something here?

 

[JonathanD]

Am I missing something here?

Yeah, the fact that the Chris Caine version retailed for £299 only a couple of months ago. The pricing has come down loads.

 

[British Red]

For me also, the fact that original Lofty design was heavy, cumbersome and just generally not very good. I know, I had one.

 

[Andy BB]

True - 299 is a bit more than my Moras! But the Chris Cain knife is a pretty big chunk of metal, with a very decent sheath, and very well made from what I can see. And people are prepared to spend that and more for a custom 4" bladed woodcraft knife. I guess I just failed to understand why the approbrium!