Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Knives

For a good Price to Performance ratio (from small to large)...

Terävä Jääkäripuukko 110
Terävä Jääkäripuukko 140
Terävä Skrama 200
Terävä Skrama 240

I have the 110 and the 240. If you have XL-XXL hands, the 110 handle will be a little crowded with gloves on, but they are made of quality steel, come SHARP and the handles are made from an excellent material (for year-round use).

For the money look hard at Esee.

https://eseeknives.com/product-category/esee-knives-0

Street prices will be much less. Most are 1095 carbon steel just over $100-$150 depending on the model. SS versions can be $150+

Back in the 80s......damn dude, that cuts deep. Making me feel OLD.

My son gave that to me for this Christmas past. Was skeptical when we got it all out of the box. Skeptical, and almost unwilling to fool with it. Looked like a gimmicky gadget, and a pain in the ass to use. Until he said let me show ya dad. He did a knife, took less than 5 minutes, and he was shaving his arm with it.

Still, I waited a few days and until I was alone to try the dang thing myself. After one knife I was convinced it was the best sharpening rig I'd ever used. This thing is light years beyond a Lanasky. The edge looks like it was CNC machined, and downright scary sharp. The strop block is obsolete now, simply no need for it.

I’m a loyal Cold Steel user. There are lots of good knives from CS in a wide range of prices, but they all come razor sharp and are easy to sharpen in my experience.

I primarily use a steel and a ceramic sharpening rods for my knife sharpening. Very quick and simple. I can get my knives shaving as harp rather quickly. If the blade is very dull or damaged, I use a medium diamond stone to reshape my edge.

Spyderco. Vg10 solid steel you can go h1 or sv35 for really stout corrison resistance. loves my spydies.

+ 1,I just got one,I'm very impressed with it.

Gerber has been caught donating to anti hunting outfits, do you really want to be buying their products?

I've been using a Gatco set-up for years and recently received this unit as a gift. I'm anxious to try it out...

For hunting, I prefer a 3"-4" fixed blade over a folder, though do carry a folder with pocket clip daily. I have a drawer full of production and customs, but one that has served me well is the KOA Alpha Wolf in S30V. I think it fits your "not looking to break the bank but not bottom end" criteria.

https://www.knivesofalaska.com/Store/alpha-wolf/alpha-wolf-s30v---suregrip

Not sure on survival knife requirements, but do have a USMC Kabar that comes to mind and would probably serve well in that role.

Another vote for ESEE. High carbon steel, not difficult to sharpen, and tough as a woodpecker's beak.

Forever no questions asked replacement warranty, if you should ever find a way to break it.

I recently retired my Buck 110 that was given to me 50 years ago. I then bought a new 110 from Buck’s Custom Shop. It has a drop point blade in S30V and it really takes a sharp, durable edge. Finger grooves too. Feels good in my hand and has nice balance. About $130 and worth the
up-charge in my opinion. Go to Buck’s website and you can design your own. Website allows you to pick several choices. The drop point blade is a must if you’ll be doing any gutting with it.

For sharping my knives, I use Spyderco sharpener works great on all my knives.

The locker we use, use a grinder to sharpen knives.

Another vote for a Buck 110 in a folder , buck Vanguard or 105 in a fixed blade. Most of my pocket knives are Benchmade but Buck has plenty in that category too

Benchmade, SOG, CRKT, ESEE, Case, Buck are all good choices. My current EDC is an ESEE 4".

Buck 110 is good. It sharpens easily with just a couple strokes on a good steel. It loses its edge fairly fast but is not an issue if you keep a sharpener or just a steel handy.

Mora carbon steel is the best knife you can get without going full custom and it's likely as good as many customs. Sharpens easily and holds an edge twice as well as a 110.

Dozier D2 holds an edge a long time ,is harder to sharpen than either of the above but not that difficult at all with a red DMT stone.

For sharpening, a red DMT and a Dexter Russell classic steel plus a loaded leather strop if you want it sharp enough to scare the hairs off your arm. Fixtures are nice but not necessary and too many parts and complications for some packing situations. A red DMT will go anywhere and last forever. It's just better to learn how to sharpen free hand.

Case xx, find a vintage NOS carbon steel hunter or trapper. Or get both. If you can find a Case xx carbon steel finn, bonus.

For the price Mora knives are a bargin.

Buck 102 or 112
Add a Havalon to the mix

GTG

You might feel old. We are getting there for sure.

Cool that they have upgraded the ability of the lanky type platform.

FWIW on paper wheels I can get shaving sharp in 4 passes on each wheel. I doubt its much more than a minute. But they are dangerous to use.

Havalon are the easier by far. Grins. I don't know of any guides that use anything else for years now.

Cheaper very workable survival finally the name came to me.. Ka Bar. Not the best but sure works for splitting wood and like survival stuff.

I carry something by Gerber called BFK or such, thats bigger and stronger. But the Ka Bar has done well.