A good bushcraft knife needs to be reliable, packable, and durable, and our team of testers would confidently recommend any knife in this guide for a demanding wilderness excursion. Learn more. This bushcraft knife is, like all great bushcraft knives, a jack of all trades that will form the backbone of your defense against the ravages of nature in a survival situation. The Garbergs blade is very nice, but the hard plastic grip becomes difficult to hold after only a short period of time. Joe works closely with Condor Tool and Knife, and for over the past 10 years, the hard working company, based out of El Salvador, has consulted with him on knife design, promotion, production, and endeavors related to the knife industry. In order to wield your bushcraft knife safely then make sure you: A: A bushcraft knife can loosely be defined as one that is at least 3 inches long, is full tang, can be held firmly in any conditions and can cut effectively with the entire length of the blade. Worried about dulling your blade? In the quest to reconnect with our heritage, the growing bushcraft movement is full of enthusiasts who are rediscovering traditional skills and embracing age-old technology. Sign up to receive GearJunkie content direct to your inbox. The Morakniv brand is built on a history of 400 years of knife making, and every tool they produce is the very definition of excellent workmanship. Best Overall Bushcraft Knife: LT Wright GNS Saber. This is different from the concept of survival, which has to do almost exclusively with life-and-death situations. Dig the pieces out of the trunk, mail them to ESEE, and theyll send you a replacement. Ensure that all your carving, cutting or hacking motions move away from your body. While it can rust if not properly cared for, carbon is relatively tough and easy to resharpen with only the most basic of tools. They can be used in food prep, yard work, and even dressing game. The main attraction is the ultra-sharp 4.1-inch hardened Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel blade, designed for food preparation, cutting tinder, and general carving. We scoured the web, scoped retail shelves, and chatted with our survivalist friends to narrow in on the best bushcraft knives for every use and budget. A: Bushcraft knives are used to build shelter, start and maintain fires, collect water (think carving through ice on a frozen stream), make secondary tools like batons orspears for catching fish, prepare food and for self-defense and rescue. Jason Knight Designs; Duane Dwyer ; Ken Steigerwalt; Featured Custom Knives . Things like carving, building shelters, starting fires, and laying snares and traps all fall under the umbrella of bushcraft. 4. Dont forget to stop back regularly for more insightful product reviews from the experts at Gearhungry.com. While some would argue that the Bushcraft Black has been eclipsed by the newer Mora Garberg, I tend to disagree. But most importantly, its comfortable to use. All the features in the world wont matter if the knife is uncomfortable to use. This helps prevent discoloration while maintaining an easy-to-sharpen, durable Scandi edge. These hold an edge for a reasonable length of time when dealing with natural materials such as wood. And after all that, does the knife still carve effectively after performing brutal work? Also, be sure to check out our handy comparison chart, buyers guide, or FAQ sections at the bottom of this article. More robust tangs are the full height of the handle. Is the knife good for chopping? Its only 3.75 inches long, with an overall length of 8.25 inches. The matching sheath is made of hardened plastic, featuring a belt clip and a thumb-ramp for easy draws. Covenant Design Works on Instagram: "Black Sheath w/blue welt for For our purposes, lets say youre a little more prepared than that, and youve gotten a specific knife to help you survive, or practice surviving. The Principle tips the scales at just 3.7 ounces, making it among the lightest knives on this list. This could, in theory, be the simple pen knife you keep on a keychain if the situation is dire enough. The scandi grind blade is a handy 90mm long ( approximately a palm width ) and the spine is . This is one tool with a serious design. You're getting a slim-belly knife that's exquisitely sharp and excellent and stabbing and piercing. The Benchmade is indeed bench-made in Oregon and intended for use as a high performance tactical, outdoor survival knife. The TOPS Fieldcraft 3.5 is a beautiful bushcraft knife with a balanced design. Buyers are covered with an unconditional, fully transferable lifetime warranty. Its a full-tang sandwich, comprising a VG-10 core between two slabs of 420 stainless steel. It looks like somethingthat belongs in your kitchenbut really comes to life when you need it in the wild. It's also the cheapest full tang knife on this list. A tool must be sharp, however, to make these thin shavings. View Condor Designs. According to the makers website, The Fieldcraft was designed by The Brothers of Bushcraft, a coalition of men across North America focusing on sharing wilderness living skills of all categories.. A: Here are the main considerations that go into choosing a bushcraft knife. We prioritize field testing and objective data when reviewing products. Bushcraft. The handles are carved from curly birch, providing a warmer feel than plastic or other synthetics. Weight: 13.4 ounces (380 grams) including sheath. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Buyers even have a choice of grinds: saber for an all-around cutting edge or Scandi if youre looking for something a little more wood-focused. From flies, rods, and reels to waders, vests, and even sunglasses, this handy guide will help fly fishers new & old navigate the sport, The colorful collection includes a lightweight daypack, Gore-Tex hiking shoes, and gaiters designed for fast and light pursuits in rugged terrain, Our reviewer put five kid carriers to the test on trails in the snowy peaks of Maine and the sunny Blue Ridge Mountains (and at a petting zoo, too), Any chair is better than a rock, but these are the best of the best, All you need to know about the most legendary, underrated, and rightly hyped 35mm and 120 medium format rangefinders, SLRs, and point & shoot cameras, Whether you're trekking across the Grand Canyon or through Grand Central, you'll want a pair of supportive and responsive shoes to get you going, Field Mag is a registered trademark with U.S. Pat. The 4.1-inch drop-point blade is available in either 12C27 stainless steel or a high-carbon variation. Ka-Bar Becker BK2 Campanion. . The lightweight but heavy duty Boltaron sheath (considered superior to kydex sheaths by many) is a huge plus. But the Ultimate's bones are solid too: it has a partially serrated stainless steel blade and its grippy handle has an exaggerated guard to minimize the risk of hurting yourself when you're trying to survive. The Morakniv Companion ($20) is a legendary knife and for good reason. This bushcraft knife is fairly light so it wont wear you out, safe to use, modest in length at 3 inches and boasts a sure grip thermorun handle. Anyway, the PR4 is an excellent performer for all around woods use. enabling you to choose the best bushcraft knife to fit your needs. Building a shelter and making fire both involve the manipulation of wood, so you'll need a strong knife that . Imagine a carpenters frustration, trying to saw with a hammer or trying to drive nails by banging them with a saw. Hunters, fisherman, backpackers and mountain rescuers are all going to appreciate the degree of effectiveness the Craftline bushcraft knife provides whether yourebuilding trapsor notching poles for your emergency shelter. These steels are usually softer, making them less likely to shatter under heavy use. Whereas survival knives are heftier and generally designed for life-and-death situations, bushcraft knives are meant for carving, kindling a fire, and performing everyday chores in the woods. My initial tests went very well, and after several seasons of hard use, the Garberg is still holding up great, and its my pick for the best survival knife that excels at bushcraft tasks. Outstanding customer service. Handle: Friction Grip. The Buck Compadre continues this trend. Theyre also easier to sharpen in the field and can take on a wicked edge. LionSteel M4-WN M390, walnut handle. Were not stuck in the wild trying to stave off death, were going out into the wild to really live. Theres no fat on this fixed blade knifeits all business, which is probably also why it's moderately priced for a high carbon steel full-tang knife. A bushcraft knife with a blade size between 89mm and 152mm will be sufficient for most tasks. Bushcraft is about getting to know nature, about having the knowledge needed to be in nature and survive there. Hiroaki Ohta Custom OFF-L Lightning Strike Carbon Fiber and San Mai . How to Choose the Perfect Bushcraft Knife for Your Outdoor Adventures This is a big, aggressive blade thats meant for heavy duty cutting and whittling, heavy duty cleaning of large game and even light wood chopping duties. Blade Material: 1095 Cro-Van steel Customers have been crying for thicker tangs and more robust blade construction. With full tang construction, this 9-inch carbon steel knife has a 4.3-inch blade and weighs in at a beefy 9.6 ounces. Buy one, buy two, buy a dozen for your friends. So what makes a knife a survival knife? Modified Item. Blade Length: 3.4 inches The gentle arc to the handle and blade allow you to project maximum force upon the task at hand and when youre done stow it away in the sturdy nylon sheath. Condor Bushlore Camp Bushcraft Knife. The blade length isn't gargantuan. 19. r/Bushcraft. Its comfortable to hold, to wear, and even to look at. . The 9 Best Bushcraft Knives of 2023 - Gear Patrol Speaking of handle, the handle here is another Schrade winner that looks way too attractive to be of much use but which actually kicks butt in both the grip and comfort departments. In the late 1980's, Ray developed the design for his Woodlore style knife, which by now must be one of the most recognizable and cloned knives within the bushcraft community and is widely considered the best bushcraft knife. Blade length : 4 inches. Blade Material: triple laminated Helle stainless steel Andrew Martin is a New York-based outdoor enthusiast and history buff. Whether splitting logs or whittling by the fire, we've found the best bushcraft knives for every budget and use. With an overall length of over 11 inches, this full-tang knife is built to take a beating without failmeaning its more than up to the task of batoning logs into kindling and pretty much any other bushcraft task you need to perform. 2% OFF. In a true wilderness emergency, a strong, sharp, reliable blade can be your ticket to fire, shelter, and survivalthey're also fun for regular camping. Manufactured in Norway by Helle, the Temagami ($209) is definitely an attractive piece. In the end, it comes down to how you plan to use the knife. 01 Carbon Steel Blade. Its 4.3-inch carbon steel blade falls within the ideal range for most outdoorsy types, and the anti-corrosive black coating helps keep rust at bay. And if youre looking for a tool to use for hours on end, something a little larger would be ideal. Your dads old folding Buck knife oughta work well enough in most casual situations, too. $468.95. Wright, its incredible feature set and solid build earn it a place in the best bushcraft knife discussion. Wright specializes in quality handcrafted kni. However, a blade that thin has very little weight (averaging 4 ounces, with the sheath), so its a poor chopper and a little sketchy to use for baton work. A Swiss Army Knife will do for most lightweight backpacking needs. But since the blade on a bushcraft knife is typically big and sharp you have to know how to wield it or your savior could wind up being your enemy. If youre looking for a modern, minimalist take on the classic bushcraft knife, look no further than the Gerber Principle ($68). Feather sticks are fuzzy pieces of kindling that are great for fire making in bad weather, as the curly shavings burn more easily than whole sticks. Most bushcraft knives are meant to be carried on a belt with a formed sheath in either plastic or leather. Best Bushcraft Knives: L.T. Wright Tells Us What To Look For Check out our top picks for men's rain jackets, the best women's rain jackets, the best camping lanterns, and more in our GEAR section. It also features an attachment point for a ferro rod, which comes included in the package. The Ultimate Guide to Bushcraft Knives - BushcraftInfo The Selkirk Fixed Blade Survival knife features a 4 inch drop point 420 high carbon stainless steel blade and weighs in at a relatively stealthy 7.6 oz. BENCHMADE 112 H2O FIXED Dive Rescue Knife. Before you end up deep in the backcountry with a wimpy knife, its smart to take the tool for a test run. My favorite is a flat grind commonly known as the Scandi grind. Buck N Bear Knives Tactical Bushcraft Tracker. Plus, the quality of the material makes it super resistant to corrosion and rust. Bottom line: Make it look like the design you traced out. $433.95. Morakniv, for instance, adds contours for the palm and a subtle finger guard. And at $20, this is far from a dealbreaker. Knifeprint is the first cloud CAD service specifically for knife design. Maybe theres something in the water in the industrial town of Mora, Sweden; but the blades that have been coming out of that city have become a bushcraft tradition. Available with or without leather sheath. This is generally seen as more of a hobby for outdoors enthusiasts. Usually referred to simply as Moras, the entry-level Companions have earned a reputation for comfort, toughness, and capability. The knife: A foundational tool of human civilization. While that beautifully textured and contoured handle makes it easy to grip and easy to perform every type of task from the most brutish to the most delicate. The result is a material that is durable and offers great grip without feeling rough to the touch. Of all the factors that go into effective bushcraft probably none is more important than the knife you choose. Drop point: The blade slopes from the handle to the tip, with a convex curve. In stock. Building a shelter and making fire both involve the manipulation of wood, so youll need a strong knife that will hold its edge. GGD Handmade High Carbon Steel Fixed Blade Bushcraft Knife. This additional weight, however, is usually worth carrying as full tang knives are much less likely to break at the handle junction or inside the handle (when compared to knives with a hidden tang). The belt loop and sheath are both well-made and hold the blade securely while you hike or work around the campsite. The GearJunkie team consists of avid outdoorsmen with keen eyes for what makes the best tool for the backcountry. While the handle is on the small side too, the brownish-tan Micarta handle scales create a comfortable grip and they hold a bonus feature for primitive skills enthusiasts. But then youd be missing out on their excellent leather sheath, featuring a dangler configuration and ferro rod-holder. Like so many Bucks, the Compadre is a hollow ground drop point knife. But with the release of the RB3 ($119), the company added a proper bushcraft blade to its repertoire. Scandi grind? Blade Material: CPM-S30V steel Its a thin blade, good for carving yet its tough enough to harvest the wood you need to get a fire going and shelter built. You can resharpen an edge thats chipped or rolled, but not one thats broken to pieces. Once this system snaps into place, its about as close to a fixed blade as a folder can get. The Craftline bushcraft knife has a 3 inch blade crafted from high grade stainless steel and an overall length of 8 inches which puts it firmly in the mid-sized category of bushcraft knives. Find the right blade for you today. Overall Length: 7.8 inches TVs Survivorman? You can learn more about our staff. While the B.O.B. Best Bushcraft Knives in 2022 [Buying Guide] - Gear Hungry Being such a critical point of contact, the handle needs to be both comfortable and reliable. 3 in stock (can be backordered) Qty : Its comfortable to hold, can really take a pounding, might struggle a bit with larger branches due to its light weight but will otherwise rise to every occasion in spectacular fashion. And while the rounded blade spine wont help you when scraping a ferro rod, it makes for a nice landing place for your thumb. While some would argue that edge retention or a precision Scandi grind is the most important feature of a bushcraft knife, Id put handle comfort at the top of the pile. Knifeprint - A platform for knifemakers, created by knifemakers The difference between bushcraft knives and survival knives is not always clear-cut. Bushcraft itself is a relatively new term to most people even though thebasic concepts of bushcrafthave been around seemingly forever. Micarta, rubber, and non-rigid handles with a gentle palm swell usually offer a more ergonomic grip. And leather sheath and the all-black stylish look pretty sick, too. Ray worked with prominent UK knife maker Alan Woods to bring his design to reality. It is meant for heavy duty tasks though its so well balanced and engineered it can also handle finesse jobs. Ka-Bar Becker BK2 Campanion Bushcraft Knife, Morakniv Carbon Fixed Blade Bushcraft Knife, Morakniv Companion Fixed Blade Outdoor Knife, GET THE VERY BEST OF GEARHUNGRY STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX, I confirm I wish to sign up to the Gear Hungry mailing list, Editorial Guidelines: How We Create Reviews and Buyers Guides, Making the Cut: Best Benchmade Pocket Knives of 2022, Swiss Shields: Best Swiss Army Knives for EDC Reviewed, Best Pocket & Folding Knives in 2022: Rugged-Ready, The Best Ka-Bar Knives for Tactical, EDC, and Outdoor Use. They are specially designed for those who are passionate about knives and the outdoors. In his classic book Bushcraft 101, David Canterbury states, Bushcraft is a term for wilderness skills and is the practice of surviving and thriving in the natural world. So, bushcraft knives are the same as survival knives? Harking back to my roots many years ago, this Bison Bushcraft knife is the first design profile I ever made. Its flat-ground 1095 blade is coated in a protective black finish, measuring 5.25 inches long and a beefy quarter-inch thick. But if were looking at secondaries, youd ideally want something on the budget end of the spectrum. Handle Length : 4 inches. Benchmade - bushcraft 162 is a good-looking knife designed for the trail. If you spend any time out in the wilderness, you need a knife like the Morakniv Companion. Companies like ESEE boast an unconditional lifetime warranty on all their bushcraft knives. More recently, Micarta has become a very popular material for knife handles. The Shape and Design of the Blade. Compare. Its specifically designed as a striker for the ferro rod, allowing users to scrape sparks without exposing the blade. Its only 2mm thick, which may turn off many knife enthusiasts. Lets hear from Kochanski again, straight from his Knifecraft chapter: The blade should be of a good quality carbon steel Carbon, unlike stainless steel, can be used as the striker in the flint and steel method of fire-lighting. If you gotta survive in the woods, these knives are essentials! While the Principle is eminently carryable, its also relatively small. Fieldcraft ($145) ships with a hardened Kydex sheath, sporting a steel belt clip. It features a 4 3/8 inch 1095 high carbon, full tang blade, a nylon handle that's light and grippy and a hardened plastic sheath with ripstop nylon belt loop. TOOR KNIVES Serpent Fixed Blade Caiman Green. That means you dont have to shy away from the heavier tasks because the VG10 steel in the blade can take it and then some. Buck has been making quality knives for outdoor enthusiasts for over a century. Toss in an incredibly low price point and this may be the one bushcraft knife you cant afford not to have. If you just want a reliable knife to keep in your glove box, purse, or pocket, then a folding knife will work fine. GearJunkie Copyright 2013 2023. The fixed blade knifes razor sharp blade is 3.54 inches long and made of high-end CPM-S30V stainless steel, which will hold up to serious use over time with solid edge retention and corrosion resistance. Many people believe bushcraft knives should focus primarily on survival skills. Bushcraft knives are medium-size fixed-blade knives, mostly utilizing carbon or high-quality stainless steels. Full-tang knives are best for practicing bushcraft techniques too. $111 AT AMAZON. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial . I mean that in two ways, starting with the full Micarta handle. Blade Edge. In this spirit we are pleased to host a library of our own knife designs and templates, free for anyone to learn from and use. Wild grinds, recurves, or serrations will only hinder its usefulness as a tool. The blade swings on a combination of Teflon and phosphor-bronze washers, making for a generally simple deploy. For instance, bushcraft knives are perfect for camping and hiking as well. While the Temagami does boast a partial-full tang, this isnt what Id consider a heavy-duty blade. Well, as unhelpful as it sounds, a survival knife is any knife youve suddenly become dependent on to survive. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. How To Make A Bushcraft Knife Part 1 - YouTube How to Make a Bushcraft Knife - Instructables (Looking at you, PR4). Overall Length: 7.9 inches Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. . 1. It has been manufactured to stand up to all kinds of applications and challenges you will encounter on your outdoor adventure. In spite of what it might sound like bushcrafting isnt the art of turning shrubbery into sculptures, its the method by which people survive in the wild. And its available at a very reasonable price. The black Thermorun handle swells to fit the palm, and the Zytel sheath is serviceable if a little basic. This is a husky knife. Weight: 11 ounces (312 grams). What should I look for in a bushcraft knife? 7 Best Bushcraft Knives: Long-Term Survival - Pew Pew Tactical We sell a variety of bushcraft knives designs, and due to our large selection . In stock.