WS Woodlore, the One?

[GaryB]

Hi All,

I'm looking for some comments on choosing a good knife for outdoor & survival use. My first choice is the WS Woodlore which looks ideal for general bushcraft use. However, I don't want to buy this model just because it's associated with Ray Mears, fine chap that he is. Any comments appreciated.

Gary Buckham
www.ancient-stones.co.uk

 

[Andy]

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5921

may interest you. I'll try and list bushcraft knives that I know of (up to your budget)
*mora training knife - better then I thought it would be. great for learning about knives and what you want from one
*kellam puukko (did I spell that right) £30+ traditonal scandy knife
*fallkniven F1 (RRP £65) great knife for what I want, nice large handle though a little thin. very think blade and convex grind might not bethe best to learn to sharpen
*WS woodlore, very well known seems to be the benchmark
*bushman knife, A brand new review is around, looks nice but the handle sounds like it might be a bit small for large hands
*bision bushcraft knife (a bit thinner blade then the bushcraft)
*svord drop point knife (about £45 i think), thinner blade the WS. reviews are around of that too

 

[Paganwolf]

Hi All,

I'm looking for some comments on choosing a good knife for outdoor & survival use. My first choice is the WS Woodlore which looks ideal for general bushcraft use. However, I don't want to buy this model just because it's associated with Ray Mears, fine chap that he is. Any comments appreciated.

Gary Buckham
www.ancient-stones.co.uk

Hi and welcome Gary, Many people on here use this knife and have good results it is a knife designed for bushcraft after all, there are limitless amounts of views out there on what makes a good knife for bushcraft, a cheap frost knife would be a good starter knife,it may be inexpensive but you can practice your carving cutting, splitting and importantly your sharpening with out messing a more expensive blade up. Then perhaps come to a BCUK meet or other bushcraft meet up and have a look at individuals knives and see which one you prefer, this is a can of worms question so as i say look around and see what you like, I use a Bison Bushcraft mostly as its smaller and has a thinner blade (3mm) and i think it suits carving and bushcraft bits better (purely IMO) wishing you luck in your quest :biggthump PW ps i like the link on the stones whats your connection? PM me so as not to interupt your thread

 

[maddave]

A knife is a very personal item. In all the time I've spent teaching in outdoor pursuits (including junior soldiers) I've seen people use everything from small penknives up to virtual machete's and everyone has a different view. The best advice has already been given I think. The Frosts mora/clipper is behaps the best 'budget' knife around to try. Good steel, easily sharpened, no nonsense design and won't break you heart if you damage it. The things in a knife I'd look for are the following:
a)good carbon steel (easy to maintain an edge but does need looking after)
b)Full tang construction (if the slabs break you could still have a serviceable knife by wrapping the tang in cloth etc)
c) Drop point (good all round design for skinning, chopping, carving etc)
d)comfortable grip (use a badly designed knife for an hour and you'll soo blister your hands)

The bottom line is, it's all about choice and what's good for Mr Mears may be bad for you. If you get to one of the meets, play with all the knives you can and try and grab hold of 'Bowdrill Dave' if he's around. With the help and guidance of Green Pete he made his own knife and even tailored the grip so his hand fits just right. Take your time and remember the right knife for you may not have to cost the earth, you might grab a mora for £7.00 and be completely happy with it... There are quite a few on here who swear by em !! and I always have one in me possibles bag.

Happy hunting

 

[Hoodoo]

I would go with your first choice. I've used that knife quite a bit and it's excellent. I actually have two of them, the first I received has a mirror finish and the second a brushed finish, and both perform well. The first came with a slight secondary bevel which I removed, the second came with a full scandi grind. Both were well made, with great fit and finish, and sturdy, secure sheaths. Some folks had some problems with fit and finish and some rust when they first came out, but I've not heard any complaints since. Maybe there are still some problems, I dunno. From what I've heard, WS has done a good job of standing behind their knives.

Having said all that, I can also say that there are some good blades out there that work just as well or maybe even better for woodcraft, depending on how you plan to use your knife and how you like the knife to fit your hand. We tend to be obsessed with full tang knives, myself included, but there are a LOT of traditional scandi/finnish knives out there that are not only effective for bushcraft, but very light to carry due to the stick tang. So you may want to consider one of those as well. One of my favorites is this this Mora from Ragweed Forge. However, the barrel handle will take some getting used to if you've never used one before.

You might consider a Swedish Army Knife, which has a more secure grip. These can be had for very little money.

 

[Geoffrey]

What about the Allan Blade Bushcrafter? I am waiting on mine still, its in the mail and the wait is killing me. I think that it is a good bush knife. Take a look here. http://www.bladecutlery.com/bladecutlery1_008.htm

For the price $89US you cannot go far wrong. Great looking knife and Allan is great to deal with.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Geoffrey

 

[Hoodoo]

Geoffrey, I agree with you 100% on Allan's Bushcrafter. I really love a knife with a mortised tang and Allan make 'em to perfection. If you can get one, it's a super knife. The handles on some of the first bushcrafters he made were pretty narrow and not too comfortable for woodcarving but Allan has adjusted the knife beautifully and the handle is now wonderfully comfortable. Top kit!

 

[tomtom]

http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/showthread.php?t=2786&highlight=wilkenson+knife

http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/showthread.php?t=666&highlight=woodlore+knife

http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/showthread.php?t=2394&highlight=woodlore+knife

http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/showthread.php?t=1190&highlight=woodlore+knife

http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/showthread.php?t=860&highlight=woodlore+knife

http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/showthread.php?t=399&highlight=woodlore+knife

theres been a fir bit of disscussion on the topic.. have a trawl through this lot and see if you find anything useful!

 

[GaryB]

What an amazing forum! Loads of useful replies within an hour or so. Thanks to all. I must admit to being much wiser but more confused than ever. I guess its down to either going for the WS Woodlore at £105 or the Frosts Mora at £10.50. Perhaps both. Thanks again. Will sleep on it and let you know what I decide.

 

[MartiniDave]

As you will see if you look at the "How many knives..." Thread, I have several knives of different sorts. My absolute favourite is the Woodlore Micarta, which I would replace without hesitation with another were I to loose it.
That said, for the price the Frost mora "training knife" (the green one in hoodoo's post) has to be the best value out there, I've seen them for about £8.00 somewhere. I keep one in my shooting bag with a firesteel.

Dave

 

[tedw]

Geoffrey, interested in your comments on the Bushcrafter (which I'm considering instead of a WL Micarta) and a few questions if you don't mind:

What was the waiting time?
How much to ship to the UK?
Any idea of the customs charge?

Thanks,

Ted W

 

[GaryB]

Well, couldn't wait any longer and faxed off an order to WS for the Woodlore Mikarta. Now I won't be able to sleeps nights until it arrives!

 

[Geoffrey]

TedW, the wait time, well I lucked out on that one, normally 6 weeks, I got one that he made for someone else and the sale fell through. So I got a few non standard items at the standard price. I will post pics and a review once I get the knife. I got mosaic pins and the firesteel holder at no extra charge. The post to Canada was $8US. Shipped as a gift with no $value declared.

Thanks.

Geoffrey.

 

[Hoodoo]

Well, couldn't wait any longer and faxed off an order to WS for the Woodlore Mikarta. Now I won't be able to sleeps nights until it arrives!

Must have been a short nap. ):

You'll get a lot of use out of that puppy!

 

[GaryB]

With the knife chosen, now I need to get hold of a new sharpening kit. I have a couple of old arkansas stones but would like to get hold of a comprehensive sharpening kit. Any ideas for stuff here in the UK?

 

[tedw]

TY, Geoffrey, should have spotted you were in the Canadas! (Doh!) Looks like you got a great deal. I'll go to the horse's mouth this time!

Ted W

 

[MartiniDave]

For decent water stones try www.axminster.co.uk They do a 1000/6000 combination stone that works really well.

Any reasonable leather belt is ok for stropping.

Dave

 

[masongary44]

Dont forget the Starkie sharp, I did not believe the ravings read on the forum until i bought one....

Polished, razor sharp edges are easy for both Flat and convex grind.... even my F1 is easy to get razor sharp now !!

Cheap too ):

 

[Hoodoo]

Before you run out there and spend a lot of bucks for a sharpening system, I ask you to contemplate the lowly wooden block. :star:

With a piece of sandpaper mounted on it, it no longer is just a wooden block, but a fierce, metal eatin' muhsheen. :bu: Good for the home or the field (it's light) and it's easy to always have fresh sandpaper handy, it will put an edge on a knife quickerna cat can swallow a hairball. Glue a hunk of leather on the backside and you got your strop as well.

Just a thought. :wave:

I almost forgot! If you don't want to make a sanding block, you can buy one.