Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Playing with knives

The recent bug-out knife thread got me interested. Always have been fond of knives, when I was a kid I used to get one every couple of months from the Westbury Knife Corp. as advertised in the back of Outdoor Life magazine. I still recall my disappointment with the soft steel on the Hitler Youth Knife But that thread rekindled my interest.

Long ago I had a Finnish pukko, and I've been impressed with the simplicity and well thought-outness of Scandinavian blades. I sent away for a Morakniv Bushcraft for around $50 delivered, a bit brighter orange than I was expecting, but stainless, stout and sharp as delivered.

Morakniv also makes in inexpensive (like $15) "Companion" in carbon steel, so, curious as to their basic model I ordered one of those too.






Of the two, I find myself liking the Companion better, both come with pretty good plastic sheaths wherein the knives securely snap into place but the Companion is so lightweight ya hardly know its there. Also, not having undergone survival/bushcraft training nor watched enough videos I dunno why the Bushcraft knife needs to be as stout as it is. I'm not sure there's anything I would use a knife for in the woods that I couldn't do prob'ly more easier with thinner, lighter Companion.

Only drawback of the Companion is the spine ain't machined off square so it doesn't spark well with a flint/magnesium firestarter rod (and knives nowadays HAVE to work with a firestarter,) so the guys in the know grind the spine square as is already done on the Bushcraft.

What's the easiest way to square off that spine so it will throw sparks with a rod?

Headed over my ex BiL's house later today, me and my nephew are gonna give that Companion a bath in hot vinegar to put a finish on it and then sharpen the heck out of it.

I remember my "authentic' Indian tomahawk,from Westbury knife Corp in the late 70's.softest steele I ever,saw.I got it from the back of "outdoor life ",too.

You should be able to get plenty of spark out of a non-"squared" spine like that.

Really quite good knives of good design and inexpensive....a great value.

People waste way too much money on knives.

But it's OK for guns.....................

I was going to say the same thing.....guns...knives....binos….trucks...…..taxidermy...….whatever blows your dress up ….have at it...….bob

I like knives with orange handles. In my opinion there ain’t nuthin stupider than a camo knife.

I bought a Kellam Tracker on a whim and it has been perfect traditional cutting tool. I was afraid the dry desert air and heat would affect the birch handle but it has experienced no shrinkage or cracking at all. The leather sheath is a little on the flimsy side but i can't bring myself to put a hand made Laplander knife in a plastic sheath.

I have a couple customs and a semi-custom, but my $14 Mora companion is, well, a steady 'companion' in my daily go-to-the-office pack.

If you plan on sharpening that Scandi-grind, i'd recommend going to a strop right away....though keeping a "perfect" Scandi is quite difficult unless using a very fine water stone.

What makes you say that?

+1

Or flashlight.

Don't forget wallets...

And who should decide what I should spend my money on?

Spend all you want.
I've cut meat for 40 years.
The $30 Victornox knives I use are the industry standard.
Virtually every professional cutter uses them.
Different strokes for different folks...

So you're saying... Birdie's knives cost too much in comparison to your kitchen knives?

Hey, it's your money...blow it all you want.

He literally spent like, $30 and is just asking basic schit.

What exactly is your point?

I'd venture a guess and say the $30.00 Victornox knives were sharp enough, held an edge long enough and were economical enough to be the logical utilitarian choice as a professional tool.

Yep.
I'm excellent at g o d d a m n few thing in this life, but cutting meat is one of them.
I hate seeing people blow money on status symbols.