How To Choose A Survival Knife

How To Choose A Survival Knife

This is just a rough guide for newcomers to the knife game looking for one knife that does it all but has no idea where to start. I could just reel a list of good survival knives off, but this is more for introducing somebody to the traits they should be looking for in a good survival knife. It's one thing to have a good knife but a completely different story to know why you have it and how to use it.

 

I always use cheap knives when I'm out and about. I don't carry expensive blades as standard, but I never go anywhere that requires me to have a 'Survival' knife. As a big user of cheaper knives though I know their limitations but I forgive them that as I don't need to have anything more than that for what I generally do. If I go somewhere I think I might need to rely on my knife in a potential survival situation then I take something I know will keep me in good standing. The one thing you should always consider before looking to buy a survival knife is cost. Cheap is not good here. Cheap usually means inferior steel and lack of quality that can cause problems when you need it the most. Invest in something that's good quality from a good name, but I don't mean something that's endorsed by somebody like Bear Grylls. Most knives endorsed by a person will be terrible, not all but MOST, in comparison to just a good, regular blade. Just choose the right company like TOPS or ESEE and you shouldn't be able to go wrong. You can find some true gems out there for less, but generally £150-250 will get you something that should last a lifetime and can be relied upon in any survival situation.

 

Always look for fixed blade and full tang. Always. These will be stronger and therefore more useful for chopping when, and if, you need to. All folders have a massive flaw and that's the pivot point, so don't get one of those. Also, do not buy anything that comes with a fishing kit or any other rubbish jammed into the handle. If the handle is hollow then the knife is weak. These are just more gimmicks like the endorsed blades I mention previously.

 

Get a blade that is the right size. Don't get a massive, arm sized, bowie as you only limit yourself with what you can actually do with it. A big knife might help you chop some wood but a smaller knife, with a weight behind it, could do the same job while offering the ability to do finer tasks you might require. You are more likely to lose control of a large blade while cutting into game, which could spoil your meat, or you could just end up injuring yourself performing other tasks.

 

Get a good, thick spine, without going so far as to carry a hammer. It should be thick enough for you to use it to chop wood but thin enough that the blade has good edge geometry for cutting. Get something with a simple edge, no serrations or fancy bevels. The right sort of grind here could make a huge difference to your survival capabilities. I personally like the Scandinavian grind as its easy to sharpen and offers strong edge reinforcement. You want something that will be easy to maintain, with minimal equipment, and as long as its good steel, from a good brand, it should see you through the hardest of tasks.

 

Choose the right steel. Usually survival knives are made of high carbon steel. This is a good steel that can be struck (in the right manner) to produce fire. The downside is that high carbon steels rust, so you need to maintain the blade regularly. If you thought you would be somewhere very moist for a long period of time, choose stainless steel, but you should remember that you no longer have the option to make a flint steel with the knife and therefore should find some way to incorporate an alternative into your blade (usually in the sheath). Fire is very important for survival so make sure you have a way to make it with your knife at all times.

 

Get the right handle. Lots of companies offer paracord wraps and these can be good to an extent. The problem with a paracord handle is that once you use that cord you are left with just the tang of the blade as a handle. This can cause more problems than 5 meters of cordage can justify. You wont have a firm grip anymore and when its wet or in freezing temperatures you might find it altogether useless or dangerous to use. Most people would look for a rubberised grip for security and a lanyard hole never hurts (you can get a good paracord lanyard to cover one more area then).

 

As for a sheath there are many options out there for a knife beyond what it is supplied with and there's no 'best' material in my opinion. Lots of companies make custom sheaths so if you require something different approach somebody for a better solution. If you require extra pockets on them for items like a sharpener or flint steel or maybe you want to carry the blade horizontally rather than drop down. I personally prefer the horizontal sheaths as I find them less cumbersome and more accessible. Get a sheath that allows for easy access to the blade using only one hand yet has a secure and reliable way of holding the blade in place. The last thing you want is to have one hand holding on for survival, while fumbling around with the other, trying to get at your blade.

 

Finally always make sure you get to hold the knife before you buy it. Often the internet will tell you the blade has a certain grind and reviews tell you that the handle is great, but until you see it and hold it yourself, you just don't know. Its great to get an opinion on a knife but don't take the word of the seller. They are less likely to have used the knife and more likely to just want your hard earned cash. Don't take the word of youtubers either. They usually get sent knives for free so they can often exaggerate good features and forget to mention bad ones so they get sent more in the future. Just trawl through forums and you should get a good overview of whatever knife you are thinking about getting. The more reviews you find on it the more informed you can be when buying.

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Mora Light My Fire Review

Here is our Mora Light My Fire Review.

 

Some general stats on the Mora Light My Fire.
The blade is made of Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel. It is 8.5" in length with a 3.75" blade. It has a polypropylene sheath with a belt clip and the Light My Fire firesteel in the handle.

 

Well, I don't particularly like Mora's. I'm not a fan of how they look, and I don't ever plan to buy one for myself. I have very little use for such a small blade besides cutting cordage and that's what a mini folder is for in my book. Most of them basically look the same but range from £5 to over £100, and yet I couldn't tell the difference in price just by looking at them. That being said they aren't terrible knives and some such as this Light My Fire version offer an affordable and practical blade with an extra level of utility.

The sheath is some of the cheapest plastic you will ever find and while they put a thumb stop on there to assist with removing the blade, it's really an onerous task trying to free the blade with one hand. I'm sure more than a few people would slice some fingertips trying to do this. It has a basic but functional belt clip on it and as a whole is very unobtrusive. With the knife in it's very light and I wouldn't notice it on my belt.

The handle is very comfortable, although I expect that because Mora developed one handle shape years ago that worked and stuck with it, so if it was bad they likely would have changed it by now. The firesteel in the handle is small, but does its job and it's pretty secure, so I doubt it will fall out of its own accord any time soon. It also has a lanyard attached to it but I have no idea why there are cutouts in the handle for you to look at it while its stored.

I mentioned the blade is small, although that's just in comparison to what I would usually carry. This is smaller than most of my folding knives and despite its looks it doesn't actually have a Scandi grind on it. I can't say for out of the box, as this one belongs to a friend, but it's not very sharp although this one has seen a decent amount of use and the edge still looks perfect. Very good at feathering, which is what you want in a fire lighting knife, and enough flex in the blade for it to not break or bend if it gets stuck and you yank it. I don't really understand the need for all of the bevels, the false Scandi going around it at least appears to be the same angle, so adding the extra bevel on the tip has no practical use in changing edge geometry, but I guess it could just be an aesthetic display.

If it broke, would I buy another one?

Well as I mentioned this isn't mine and I don't ever plan to buy a Mora for my kit. It's not a bad little knife though and if you have a younger kid that you plan on talking out and teaching some bush craft to, this would be an excellent first knife. Practical for its purpose and pretty good on price. It is worth the money over almost anything I can find, so you could do a lot worse. I would definitely recommend this for a scout knife, and when my nephews are old enough, I'll probably be looking at them if they are still available.

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Sawyer Mini Review

Sawyer Mini Review

Well this is something that I am very excited about and also very scared. Obviously at this point in writing I have yet to use the Sawyer Mini, so I'm excited to find out how good it will work (if at all), and I also feel rather sick knowing I must find some nasty body of disease infested water and chugging down on it like it's the first pint of the night.

Well before I do that, lets talk to you about this item and hope that when my review is done, I wont be in hospital with the plague.

In the box there is the Sawyer Mini Filter(obviously), a 16oz water pouch, a cleaning plunger(syringe) and drinking straw. It doesn't stop any chemicals or pesticides (so don't use it near farms or in an urban environment), but it removes 99.99999% of bacteria and protozoa. It filters up to 100,000 gallons from fresh water (I guess salt water would still be salty but it could also just be the chemical and pesticide thing), and among its uses, apparently its 'ideal for' hunting and fishing. Not sure about you guys but I don't often try to kill fish and dear by sucking on them through a straw, although I've never actually tried, so who knows.

So it's called a mini and it's not so big that I'd notice it in my kit and it could fit in a pocket easily enough. It's rather useful in a sense that it can be attached to multiple devices such as in line on your hydration bladder, attached to a bottle or with the pouch that's supplied with it, though I dare say you can just shove one end in a puddle and suck away. It can filter up to 100,000 gallons of water which, if my internet does not lie to me, is about 85,000 gallons more than the average person consumes in a lifetime. So really you should only ever need to buy one and it could work for up to 6 people, providing it is kept clean. The way it filters water means that it always retains some left over water in the filter, so if you are in a cold environment keep it near your body so that it doesn't freeze.

Well I think I've dragged out this as much as possible(sorry for that) and I guess I'm going out to find a scummy pond full of bugs. I don't feel so good.

Ok, I found a nasty little pocket of filth up on a mountain near me. I wandered around for half an hour before I filled the pouch up. You can see by the picture that it was rather cold (all the ice around the tree) as it had been snowing a bit the day before. I didn't hang around to get a good picture of me slurping freezing water on top of a mountain and you can just about make out the red coat of one of my mates ditching me to get to the camp and start the fire. I wandered around for a few minutes trying to convince myself that I could just say it worked, and nobody would be any the wiser, but then I wouldn't know how good this little device could have been, and deep down inside I'd despise myself. I manned up and attached the straw, took a deep breath, then started slurping like it was the end of a Slush Puppie (yes there was brain freeze). I readied myself to vomit and had my mates number at hand in case I was too pathetic to walk home and required some air support. To my utter delight it tasted fine, no weird taste or cloudy liquid, just clean water. Cold water, but clean. I was very impressed and quickly caught up to the boys so I could make a cup of tea.

The next day I discovered I had serious man flu, but so did my daughter (who must therefore be a man), and since she didn't drink any of the water, it was just a coincidence. Honestly though this was a surprisingly effective little device and seriously cheap. I wish I had one in my pack a lot sooner. It's small enough that I can fit it in my first aid kit or EDC pouch and just leave it there for 20 years knowing that when the time comes, it's ready. And by then, hopefully, they will have cured man flu.

I got mine from here at a very good price:

https://www.prepperssupplies.co.uk/collections/water/products/mini-water-filtration-system

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Olight H1R Nova Review

 

Olight already made the epic H1 Nova, a 500 lumen multi function torch. They didn't stop there though, and said let's go one step further, lets turn it up to 11. So here comes the upgraded Olight H1R Nova Review.

 

Olight really went to town on the H1 and H1R Nova. I like it when companies look at the standard items out there and think there we can make it better. The head torch has always been a hated but necessary item for the outdoor community. I think we can all agree that having a headband on for long periods of time is uncomfortable, and often by the time you are done with them, you throw them in your backpack with a sigh of relief. So they came up with a head torch that you could keep using after you gave your self an itchy red band around your head.

 

They made a mini torch that can be attached to a headband or clipped on a shirt  or magnetically attached to, well, anything that was magnetic. I have to point out that this thing is small, seriously small for a 600 lumen torch. I'd call it thumb sized, if your thumb happened to just be the victim of a vicious bee attack, and as far as I'm concerned that's awesome. The size thing, not the bee thing. This is so well made and is so small that its perfect to fit in an EDC pouch and survive even the harshest of conditions you put it through. At its lowest setting(2 lumens it will run for 6 days, or you can run it on high(180 lumens) for 100 minutes with the option of bursting into the 600 lumen turbo mode for about 3 minutes at a time. It is IPX 8 rated to survive water of depths up to 2 meters.

 

It comes with a magnetic USB charger that is interchangeable with other Olight torches including the S1R/S2R/S10RIII/S30RIII and undoubtedly any others that are capable of magnetic charging that they might release in the future.

 

I really like clip on torches that are angled at 90 degrees. I can clip them to my collar, hang them from my pocket or just use them as a hand torch. They mostly serve the same function as a head torch (obviously you can't turn your head with them), but none of the discomfort. The thing is with this torch if I need it the headband is always an option making it a truly versatile piece of equipment and therefore a must have for my gear. I highly recommend this to anybody looking for a new head torch or just a general multi use piece of equipment. There are more powerful torches out there that are cheaper than this one, and there are also cheaper and more powerful head torches. The thing is they are cheaper for a reason, they lack quality and all of them are about 4 times larger or more. It doesn't have the longest beam distance on the planet, but it is plenty big enough for urban environments or dense shrub land and forests.

 

I usually end up clipping my phone on my collar when I walk my dogs or I'm trying to get back from the camp when I've stayed there far too late. Having a torch that is this powerful and this small though is a welcomed change. I know not everybody has dogs, but that ultra setting of 600 lumens is very nice for spotting them running around in the woods to make sure they haven't ditched you for some other weird dude wandering around a creepy, pitch black forest at 1am (I thought I was the only one...and he didn't even have a torch).

There are a lot of different torches from various manufacturers out there and it can be difficult to choose between them.  Whatever your chosen price range though, you can be sure Olight has something for you.

Top hunting and fishing tools for the UK

Top hunting and fishing tools for the UK

This list does not include firearms as they are not really accessible here in the UK but obviously you can get these items all throughout the world so its worth having a look.

[caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignleft" width="300"] TBS Grizzly[/caption]

Knife
A good knife is the most important tool any prepper/hunter/bushcrafter can carry. It should always be attached to your belt so no matter what happens you have a good tool at your disposal. They offer great utility depending on the knife and also you can get knives like tanto blades that could be dismantled and used as spear heads. Get a small paracord handled knife if you want a spear as they are easier to take apart and the paracord can then secure the head to a shaft. You can get away with multiple knives for different jobs but always make sure you spend the extra money and get one really good knife for your belt that wont let you down when you need it the most.

Bow or Crossbow
Both have their advantages but one obviously takes more skill than the other. A bow requires consistency in the archers abilities where as a crossbow will basically fire the same way every time. If you can shoot a bow I would say take this over the crossbow as its smaller and lighter while also offering the option to be dismantled (depending on its type) and put into a backpack. I would suggest looking into a compound bow for hunting as they offer a relief of up to 85% when drawn enabling you to aim more freely. There are many entry-level bows that offer great diversity in pull weight, giving you a versatile bow that can be adjusted for multiple users.

Pistol Crossbow
You can use this for hunting smaller game like rabbits or birds if you can get close enough but I would probably just take it to a shallow river and get some fish with it. As its much more compact than a bow or full-sized crossbow its an ideal companion in a bug out bag and offers a very good deterrent to would be attackers. They are also very cheap compared to full-sized bows and crossbows so its worth getting one of these pretty early on for your kit.

Traps
Many different sizes and types of traps can be purchased for different game but most of them (at least modern ones) are pretty simple to set up and can be used without bait if placed along obvious animal runs. They can be quite heavy, especially if you carry multiple traps, but they last a lifetime and allow the users to focus on other means of hunting or building shelter, while offering an additional means of securing food.

Spears and Atlatls
These come in various types such as barbed, trident or the ever popular boar spear depending on the game you are pursuing. As the heads are rather small they can be easily stored in a bag and then you can make handles up as and when required. You can also turn knives into spears and there are many variations of this tool that can be very effective, such as the atlatl. If you aren't familiar with the alatl, check some out online as they are really great tools for hunters.

Slingshot
Well I'm not a fan of ball bearings but lately there have been multiple versions of sling-bows appearing that make them work essentially as a pistol crossbow. They are small and require little maintenance. They offer the ability to reload much faster than a pistol crossbow and the additional ability to use pretty much anything from bb's and arrows to small stones as ammo. What more can you want from a weapon than unlimited ammo everywhere you walk. These tools are very portable and can be pulled out quickly in order to catch something spur of the moment.

Snare Wire
This is just another form of trap that's much smaller and lighter, although knowledge and skill are required to make an effective trap. You can use paracord also and I often replace handles on my knives with paracord giving me many options from one tool. Also paracord belts are widely available which can obviously give you more uses than just a normal leather or nylon belt.

Fishing Kit
It doesn't take a genius to grab some line and a hook find a few worms and set up by a river for a few hours. They tend to be very cheap, so there's no reason to not carry one in a bug out bag and in a pinch you could even use the line and hook to stitch wounds. I think it's a definite must have for anybody intending to go outdoors for a long period of time.

 

There are many tools out there that can cover a range of tasks which can save you weight in a pack and money in your wallet. You can get a fishing kit that works with snare wire, a knife that can work as a spear, a slingshot that works like a mini crossbow and even a hammock could be used to make a trap, if you know what you are doing. No one tool or method can guarantee you a successful bounty, so always utilise as many options that are available to you.

 

Top hunting and fishing tools for the UK

Top hunting and fishing tools for the UK

This list does not include firearms as they are not really accessible here in the UK but obviously you can get these items all throughout the world so its worth having a look.

[caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignleft" width="300"] TBS Grizzly[/caption]

Knife
A good knife is the most important tool any prepper/hunter/bushcrafter can carry. It should always be attached to your belt so no matter what happens you have a good tool at your disposal. They offer great utility depending on the knife and also you can get knives like tanto blades that could be dismantled and used as spear heads. Get a small paracord handled knife if you want a spear as they are easier to take apart and the paracord can then secure the head to a shaft. You can get away with multiple knives for different jobs but always make sure you spend the extra money and get one really good knife for your belt that wont let you down when you need it the most.

Bow or Crossbow
Both have their advantages but one obviously takes more skill than the other. A bow requires consistency in the archers abilities where as a crossbow will basically fire the same way every time. If you can shoot a bow I would say take this over the crossbow as its smaller and lighter while also offering the option to be dismantled (depending on its type) and put into a backpack. I would suggest looking into a compound bow for hunting as they offer a relief of up to 85% when drawn enabling you to aim more freely. There are many entry-level bows that offer great diversity in pull weight, giving you a versatile bow that can be adjusted for multiple users.

Pistol Crossbow
You can use this for hunting smaller game like rabbits or birds if you can get close enough but I would probably just take it to a shallow river and get some fish with it. As its much more compact than a bow or full-sized crossbow its an ideal companion in a bug out bag and offers a very good deterrent to would be attackers. They are also very cheap compared to full-sized bows and crossbows so its worth getting one of these pretty early on for your kit.

Traps
Many different sizes and types of traps can be purchased for different game but most of them (at least modern ones) are pretty simple to set up and can be used without bait if placed along obvious animal runs. They can be quite heavy, especially if you carry multiple traps, but they last a lifetime and allow the users to focus on other means of hunting or building shelter, while offering an additional means of securing food.

Spears and Atlatls
These come in various types such as barbed, trident or the ever popular boar spear depending on the game you are pursuing. As the heads are rather small they can be easily stored in a bag and then you can make handles up as and when required. You can also turn knives into spears and there are many variations of this tool that can be very effective, such as the atlatl. If you aren't familiar with the alatl, check some out online as they are really great tools for hunters.

Slingshot
Well I'm not a fan of ball bearings but lately there have been multiple versions of sling-bows appearing that make them work essentially as a pistol crossbow. They are small and require little maintenance. They offer the ability to reload much faster than a pistol crossbow and the additional ability to use pretty much anything from bb's and arrows to small stones as ammo. What more can you want from a weapon than unlimited ammo everywhere you walk. These tools are very portable and can be pulled out quickly in order to catch something spur of the moment.

Snare Wire
This is just another form of trap that's much smaller and lighter, although knowledge and skill are required to make an effective trap. You can use paracord also and I often replace handles on my knives with paracord giving me many options from one tool. Also paracord belts are widely available which can obviously give you more uses than just a normal leather or nylon belt.

Fishing Kit
It doesn't take a genius to grab some line and a hook find a few worms and set up by a river for a few hours. They tend to be very cheap, so there's no reason to not carry one in a bug out bag and in a pinch you could even use the line and hook to stitch wounds. I think it's a definite must have for anybody intending to go outdoors for a long period of time.

 

There are many tools out there that can cover a range of tasks which can save you weight in a pack and money in your wallet. You can get a fishing kit that works with snare wire, a knife that can work as a spear, a slingshot that works like a mini crossbow and even a hammock could be used to make a trap, if you know what you are doing. No one tool or method can guarantee you a successful bounty, so always utilise as many options that are available to you.

 

TBS Grizzly Knife Review

Time for the big daddy of the TBS knife range. Its our TBS Grizzly Knife Review.

Ok, before I start this I we get on with this was the last thing on my mind the night before, and all I could think about through-out the morning. I was so excited for this knife but, fearful it would not be everything that I had hoped. The thing is, it was so much more.

I don't usually mention unboxing because it's quite standard, but the plain brown box with a small white sticker saying Grizzly was underwhelming yet, by far the most pleasing I've encountered. You know that they aren't bothered about making fancy boxes for you to pay for and then discard within a minute. The plain box re-assures you that this isn't some fancy show piece. This is an honest, hard working knife.

It's made from K720 high carbon tool steel, and this particular knife has mircata scales(others materials are available). The blade is 5 inces long, 6mm wide and has a Scandinavian grind with a firesteel cutout on the spine. It's just shy of 10 inches in total, and comes with a very functional and customisable leather sheath. You can choose to have a firesteel, or a firesteel and sharpening stone in a detachable pouch. This is the version with both the firesteel and sharpening stone, and I must say that as a full package, looks really beautiful.

The leather sheath is quite plain but very functional and the contrasting cream stitching looks fantastic.  It allows you to carry it as a standard drop down blade, or horizontally across the belt, while still giving the option for attaching the firesteel and sharpening stone to the outside.  As a complete package it's still very pleasing though, and I think, more impressive by not having any fancy designs sprawled across its face. The fastening loop is much larger than i am used to but again is very beautiful and functional. The knife does not move. Not even a wiggle.

The Fallkniven DC4 sharpening stone is just prefect for this blade with the diamond and ceramic stone surfaces. The stone requires no lubrication which makes it far more practical to take into the field, and the firesteel came with a matching mircata handle and a striker, so you don't have to use the blade.

The handle is superbly designed and crafted for a knife this size. This really is a big knife. I mean if it was a kid you'd tell it to stop eating cake and go for a run. It has presence, yet even with my small hands, it felt instantly comfortable. There is plenty of grip and security and with the mircata scales having hex bolts just makes it look more heavy-duty. The other choices of wood are all very beautiful though and are definitely worth considering.

Finally I can talk to you about the blade. Although the other TBS knives come in stainless this is a high carbon tool steel only knife. The Scandinavian grind is lovely. It's angle makes even this fat blade very effective for chopping, batoning, slicing, pretty much any task you require from a   knife. The extra width and weight of this blade compared to its smaller brethren just gives it the utility needed for heavier tasks when required. I never use knives for chopping or batoning, that's what axes and hatchets are for. But if you want a knife that can do all of this very effectively in a pinch, or if you just want something to carry as a one knife does all, then you wont be disappointed. There is also an indent into the spine of the blade for a firesteel, but if you check out The Bushcraft Store's knife care section, even they advise you to not use blades for batoning or fire starting, unless you do so very infrequently. But if you buy one of these you are likely to be using them regularly so just remember you can replace a flintsteel for a few quid, and you can baton with knives, but you really shouldn't.
If it broke would I buy another one?

Yes. Just absolutely yes. The only problem for me, is that I can't get it in stainless steel, otherwise it would be the only knife I ever carry. At least they make the TBS Boar in stainless, so I guess ill be raiding the wedding fund later tonight, and hoping she's not keeping count.

 

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TBS Boar Knife Review

 

Here is our TBS Boar Knife Review.

Here are some specs on the TBS Boar:

N695 Stainless Steel - 5mm thickness or K720 High Carbon Tool Steel - 4mm thickness

Both steels come with a 4 3/8" (110mm) blade length and 4 3/4" (120mm) handle length.

There are various woods and mircata scales along with several different sheath options for both left and right handed draw including a Nordic sheath or the customisable TBS sheath.

 

I discovered the TBS range of knives at the only knife show in the UK back in 2016. I browsed the tables of various knife makers from around the world and handled some really great knives. Then I came across a table with 6 "bushlore" style blades of varying sizes and materials. I liked the look of the medium sized knife with micarta scales, so I asked for a look . The handle felt instantly comfortable and the fit and finish was spot on. I wanted a knife that would be very comfortable to use and maintenance free, which I could take everywhere and do pretty much all of the tasks I required, so the stainless steel and mircata option in the Boar were perfect for me.

There are two different sheath options including a Nordic style and TBS's own design. They come in both left and right handed variants and the TBS design (as shown in the pictures) is capable of being mounted horizontally across a belt and also accepts the  TBS attachments for a firesteel and sharpening stone.

The handles ergonomics are perfect and has no hot spots or any kind of imperfections. The design is more rounded and have thicker scales to fill the hand than most of the other bushcraft knives I've handled. So I find it fits my larger hands quite comfortably. It also works for a variety of grip styles and offers a good secure feel even when wet.

 

The blade has a Scandinavian grind and has perfect symmetry. The high grade Bohler N695 stainless steel is one of the best grades available today and can compete with most high carbon steel blades with ease. The blade works its way very easily through organic fibres and wood and it's a bit longer than standard bushcraft blades, so it does have a little bit for room for batoning. Out of the box my blade was shaving sharp which amazed me as most blades at least need a bit of a strop or tickle to get the edge performing on this level. I have used this knife for food preparation such as cutting raw meat, peppers, onions and melon. I've processed wood by notching and carving and many more camp tasks and the edge has held up wonderfully. Sharpening it should also be very easy being a Scandinavian ground blade, but I have only needed to give it a quick strop both sides and it was back to shave sharp.  The Boar logo is also a nice feature.

 

This knife is very well suited to most tasks easily process meat , wood and food with ease.  The way it feathers is effortless and carving is so easy with its Scandinavian grind and comfortable handle.  I honestly love everything about this knife and its amazing quality that rivals other knives at twice the price.  I would recommend one to anyone for bushcraft, hiking  camping or fishing but make sure you know what steel works best for you.

This knife is as good at splitting logs as with the finer tasks such as feathering and carving. Its got an amazing edge thanks to steel and heat treatment and the handle and sheath options offer plenty of personalisation. As I mentioned, it has only needed a strop once since July, and has covered an awful lot of mixed use, yet today, is still exactly the same as the day I got it. It needs no real maintenance or care, is versatile enough for most tasks, and costs a fraction of the price of any of its real competitors. This is exactly what I was looking for in a bushcraft knife, and all most of us will ever need.

 

 

[taq_review]

 

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