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Handmade Knives KIT REVIEW www.bushcraftmagazine.co.uk By Grant Neale ade knives. A handmade This review for Bushcraft & Survival Skills magazine is concerned with handm which is basically not of or knife encompasses the bespoke design and manufacture of ‘your’ knife truly unique, inasmuch as it is from any factory production line. It is as individual as its maker and it is cation of the purchaser. handmade, often just done to order or to the precise design and specifi T he knives selected for this review are of the Bushcraft genre, meaning that they are designed and purpose-made for the multiplicity of tasks a knife could be employed for, when used by country enthusiasts and those engaged in outdoor activities. This range of uses includes cutting, carving, shaping, whittling, splitting, striking, boring, skinning, crafting and slicing of a myriad of materials and things. Tactical knives, in comparison, are typically the sort used by Special Forces/military/police, whose role and use of knives are vastly different to those of this magazine’s readers. My observation in relation to knives is that it is the skill and expertise of the knife-user that determines and defines a good bushcraft knife (or any other knife, for that matter). Just as owning an F1 car does not mean you can drive like Lewis Hamilton, but, at least, it provides the capacity and ability to do so, if you were trained, so it is with bushcraft knives which have differing price tags. Just because you coughed up for the best one, it will not make you Colonel “Jim” Bowie. Bushcraft knives are unique in design, to enable the user to perform all these functions and roles with a single, general-purpose knife. The design of both the blade and the handle is of great importance; thus, a suitable term like ‘ergonomic’ (which just means that it’s apt for the environment of work/use, in relationship to people), is most often used to describe the characteristic shape of the knife. I reviewed eight handmade knives, all of the Bushcraft Genre, made by skilled knifemakers, both in the UK and in America.. The blade design and metallurgical characteristics are of great importance, particularly, as the stresses placed on the knife demand that it be of the right flexibility and hardness, to allow for its general use and longevity. The handle makeup and material is also important, as it may be used in differing environments, be it wet or dry, hot or cold, etc. It will have to be able to cope with these changes, without affecting its performance or the grip of the user. It is my observation that ‘knives are tools’; no matter how they are designed, decorated, dolled up or advertised, they are but inanimate, shaped objects of different materials, which have been designed and made to be recognisable as knives. Handmade Bushcraft Knives are generally made and designed by innovative, skilled bushcrafters, who have, through their own experience, refined a design that they have found works well. They then have been able to produce these articles, together with handcrafted sheaths and other accessories, for an available niche market of like- minded people. The difference between these producers and the commercial ones is mostly evident in the price; ranging from £100 upwards for handmade knives makes them part of a specialist market. 48 • BUSHCRAFT & survival skills The select group - read oon to fin d which is we preferred. ©Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine 2006 Reproduced with permission. www.bushcraftmagazine.com KIT REVIEW www.bushcraftmagazine.co.uk TESTEIRCE’S CHO The Bushcrafter - by Bernie Garland Handma and of www.berax.co.uk Made and designed by Bernie Garl and has an English burr elm handle. This knife is made of 01 tool steel leather with a loop for a firesteel. The sheath is handcrafted stitched 0 with extras) Basic Bushcrafter price: £180 (£28 ability and strength whilst carving. The handle is extremely well This knife, with its curved flat ground cutting edge provides better cutting carving and holding of the blade whilst working. The sheath is of designed and comfortable to hold, yet versatile enough to allow for delicate This knife was my favourite all-round bushcraft tool and, although finest quality stitched leather and can be slung, using paracord, or looped. of luxury. it has an impressive price tag, it is pure quality and everyone deserves a bit Overview... In Use... Pointing a stick Cutting a notch Splitting a stick Free cutting paper Shaving arm hairs General usability ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Feel in the hand (handle) Weight / Balance Quality of workmanship (Knife) Quality of workmanship (Sheath) Details supplied with knife Aesthetics (looks) ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 170g Knife Only The Bushcraft/Hunter - by Mask UK Made and designed by Mark Smithson of MASK of www.freewebs . com/mask-knives. This knife is made of RWL-34 Stainless Steel with a steel finger guard. The handle reviewed is of wood but is also availabl e in micarta, corian and resin. The leather sheath is made to order and specification of the customer. Prices from £165 This knife is of a different design and of different metal to all the other bushcra ft knives on review. It’s branded as a bushcraft/hunter but it’s more hunter in appearance and function. A mini bowie knife, suitable for splitting wood and heavier tasks than delicate carving, etc, I found this knife to be of average quality and workmanship but very awkward to be used as a specific bushcraft knife. The sheath was of flimsy leather, with a press stud latch fastener which did not secure the knife in the sheath. The price for this knife, in comparison to the quality and cost of cheaper production line knives, would cause me some disappointment . Overview... In Use... Pointing a stick Cutting a notch Splitting a stick Free cutting paper Shaving arm hairs General usability ★★★✩✩ ★★★★✩ ★★★★★ ★★★✩✩ ★★★✩✩ ★★★✩✩ Feel in the hand (handle) Weight / Balance Quality of workmanship (Knife) Quality of workmanship (Sheath) Details supplied with knife Aesthetics (looks) ★★★✩✩ ★★★✩✩ ★★★✩✩ ★★✩✩✩ ★★★★★ ★★★✩✩ 190g Knif e Only ©Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine 2006 Reproduced with permission. www.bushcraftmagazine.com BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 49 KIT REVIEW www.bushcraftmagazine.co.uk Bushman Scout - by Paul Baker Made and designed by knifesmith Paul Baker of www.bushmanuk.co.uk or www.bakk-knives.com These bushcraft knives are made of 01 tool steel and the knives reviewe d have micarta and walnut wood handles. Prices from £155 Handma These two knives by Paul Baker were very well made but each one was so different, demonstrating the versatility of this knife maker. The black-handled (micarta) knife had a slightly wider and heavier blade which I liked and which I found still performed as well as the thinner, shorter, traditional bushcraft knife. The sheaths were both snug to the knife and well made of quality stitched leather. There is a loop for a thin firesteel to be housed and a very small pocket for inclusion of a diamond sharpening stone. This is one feature that I felt was unnecessary, as I wouldn’t use a diamond stone on these knives; a bigger loop for a firesteel would have been more appropriate. Overall, these knives are impressive and are of a high quality, being noticeably well designed and well made. Pointing a stick Cutting a notch Splitting a stick Free cutting paper Shaving arm hairs General usability 190g Overview... In Use... ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★✩✩ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Feel in the hand (handle) Weight / Balance Quality of workmanship (Knife) Quality of workmanship (Sheath) Details supplied with knife Aesthetics (looks) ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★✩ ★★★★★ Knife Only Walnut 210g Knife Only Micarta BCNW-O1 - by Mike Lumio Made and designed by US knife maker, Mike Lummio of www.bushcraftnorthwest.com The blade is made of 01 tool steel of full tang construction. The ovalshaped wooden handle is suitable for both left and right handedness. for Thumb scallops in the handle provide extreme comfort and control e availabl sheath leather side grip and fine carving. Belt loop stitched with or without a firesteel holder. Prices from $175 cal as a bushcraft knife, without any icity of its design and shape. It is solid and practi The most noticeable feature of this knife is the simpl b scallops in the handle which taper thum e of this knife compared to the others is the distracting fanciness to complicate it. A great featur ed. The blade is shorter than the other select both comfortable and effective to the task down to the blade, making side-holding/positioning act bushcraft knife. comp did not detract from it being a superb, all-round, knives reviewed, as is the handle. This, however, name or lack of one. The only real criticism I can find for this knife is its Overview... In Use... Pointing a stick Cutting a notch Splitting a stick Free cutting paper Shaving arm hairs General usability ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Feel in the hand (handle) Weight / Balance Quality of workmanship (Knife) Quality of workmanship (Sheath) Details supplied with knife Aesthetics (looks) ★★★★✩ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 180g Knife Only ©Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine 2006 50 • BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine Reproduced with permission. www.bushcraftmagazine.com KIT REVIEW www.bushcraftmagazine.co.uk CLOSED SECON The GreenMan (basic) - by Dave Budd Made and designed by Dave Budd of www.davebudd.com This knife is made of high carbon steel, forged finish with an English yew handle. The brown leather stitched sheath has a belt loop attached and comes with a firesteel-holder. There is no ricasso on this knife. (This is the unsharpened and unbevelled section just above the guard or handle.) Prices from £210 ade Knives Dave Budd is a very skilled knife/tool maker with an extensive range of product s, from specialist tools to archaeologically correct pieces for re-enactors and museums. The GreenMan is not a copy of the Woodlore, but it is an inspired design of his own to create a general-purpose bushcraft knife. This knife looks ancient and basic with its unpolished forge-fin ished blade and sturdy handle with a noticeable finger guard at either end, thus preventing the hand from slipping off the knife or on to the blade. My 9-year-old son loved this knife the most: ‘As,’ he said, ‘it’s great to hold and I can’t cut myself.’ Noticeably, the knife is basic, yet it has in its handle tritium inserts (glow-in-the-dark radioactive material) with a 25-year life, thus making it handy to locate in the dark. I found this knife up to any task, and easy for a beginner, such as my son, to use. The sheath is excellent, with the design being such that the firesteel is located at the narrow end recess, making the appearance less bulky while also protecting the firesteel from falling out. My only criticism of this knife is that it does not have a lanyard tube. Overview... In Use... Pointing a stick Cutting a notch Splitting a stick Free cutting paper Shaving arm hairs General usability ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Feel in the hand (handle) Weight / Balance Quality of workmanship (Knife) Quality of workmanship (Sheath) Details supplied with knife Aesthetics (looks) ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 140g Knife Only The Bush-craft knife MS - by Mick Spain of England at www.msknives.co.uk Made and designed by Mick Spain The handle is of spalted polished The blade is made of 01 tool steel. and looped sheath. maple with a leather stitched belt Price £190 and flat ground cutting edge. It is a slimmer and lighter knife than This is a good example of a quality bushcraft knife, with its tapered blade expect of a bushcraft knife. The handle is designed to fit the hand some of the others reviewed, yet just as effective to perform the tasks I would near the ricasso is MS England which, although simple in design, of any person, which it does very well indeed. The engraving on the blade is of great appearance and the thing I like about wood handles is that shows quality and thoughtfulness overall. The handle material in this one yet well made. I am overall impressed with this knife. they are easily warmed up but don’t get hot or cold. The sheath is simple, Overview... In Use... Pointing a stick Cutting a notch Splitting a stick Free cutting paper Shaving arm hairs General usability ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Feel in the hand (handle) Weight / Balance Quality of workmanship (Knife) Quality of workmanship (Sheath) Details supplied with knife Aesthetics (looks) ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 150g Knife Only ©Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine 2006 Reproduced with permission. www.bushcraftmagazine.com BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine • 51 KIT REVIEW www.bushcraftmagazine.co.uk The G.M Knife - by G Mills Made and designed by G.Mills of www.gmhandmadeknives.co.uk This knife is made from 01 high carbon Sheffield steel. The handle is of mauhuhu wood, fitted on to the tang by handmade bronze and stainles s steel loveless bolts. There are 3 brass lanyard tubes. The sheath is of stitched quality leather with a belt loop and firesteel-holder attache d. Price: from £145 My first impression when I got this knife was that of the Wild West, due to the font style on the sheath of the letters leather appearance of the sheath itself GM as well as the saddle . The knife is solid and heavier than som e of the reviewed knives, but the best knife, much like the Bernie Garland knife thing I found about this , is that the blade has a curved cutting edge. Although it still tapers to a fine a very slight kukri curve to it which assis point, the blade has ts greatly with sharpening and cutting/ directional tasks. The handle is shaped at the back of the palm end, preventin with a wider section g the hand from slipping off the hand le. The maker, Gary Mills, has only recently knives, but his 30+ years of using kniv started out making es and in bushcraft have certainly insp ired him to create an amazing, practical will be very much in demand in the bushcraft knife which future. This is one knife I would recomm end. Overview... In Use... Pointing a stick Cutting a notch Splitting a stick Free cutting paper Shaving arm hairs General usability ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ BERAX UK www.berax.co.uk We have teamed up with Berax to offer you the chance to win a fantastic Bernie Garland custom handmade knife. Handcrafted entirely to your specification, you choose, blade shape, scales, liners, pins and even the sheath! Feel in the hand (handle) Weight / Balance Quality of workmanship (Knife) Quality of workmanship (Sheath) Details supplied with knife Aesthetics (looks) ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 230g Knife Only W A han in! dm knife ade For a chance of winning this great prize, send in a description and sketch of your ideal bushcraft knife. Closing date for this competition 31st December 2008. see T & Cs Page 3. ©Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine 2006 52 • BUSHCRAFT & survival skills magazine Reproduced with permission. www.bushcraftmagazine.com
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