Best Budget Carbon-steel edged Bushcraft Knife?

[Bhunterbushcraft]

Hey Guys,

Quick inquiry into the best budget CS-blade Knife for between £10/£20..? :confused2:

I already own the Mora Clipper 840 so any other, more heavy duty, knife recommendations would be great.T^


The £10/£20 limit is just a preferred guideline any other suggestions are very welcome !! :)

Cheers! ;)



:campfire:

[richardathome]

£10 over your budget but this is a solid knife.

http://www.ronniesunshines.com/condor-bushlore-knife-4-3.html

[Sar-ian]

Just a suggestion, why not have a blade made to your own design by one of the many gifted makers on the forum, and then fit your own scales etc... You'll then get a bespoke knife, and as I have found, I got a great sense of satisfaction when it was finished. I now have a very special knife, and to me it's worth every penny...it took me ages to take the plunge, but I'm so glad I did, you can see some pics of said knife on the forum in various stages of construction, "New knives rolling out of the SB Stables" would put a link on, but the kids are out and I really am a thicko when it comes to this kind of stuff.... Cheers Ian...

[luresalive]

£10 over your budget but this is a solid knife.

http://www.ronniesunshines.com/condor-bushlore-knife-4-3.html
Avoid those knives like the plague they are terrible !!!!!!

[FishyFolk]

Avoid those knives like the plague they are terrible !!!!!!

I've seen some good reviews on them on YT. Can you tell us more?

[HillBill]

Have a look at the hultafors heavy duty knife. Its a lot of knife for £6, good steel, good reputation.

[luresalive]

I've seen some good reviews on them on YT. Can you tell us more?

Got them on a pass around on British blades,also bought the nessmuk version myself and was shocked how bad they were.. Blade was so badly ground it was laughable., supposedly a zero Scandi but it was all over the show and actually very convex and a nightmare to sharpen freehand..It was nothing more then a lump of badly made steel with a poorly ground bevel scraped onto it.
Handle was rough and uncomfortable and the knife was incredibly unbalanced, probably the worst production knife I have ever seen..but don't take my word for it, check out the pass around on BB and see for yourself, the only thing I can say to anyone who seriously considers that this a sensible tool is HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

[JonnyP]

A Lapp Puukko would be a good knife to go for as a step up from a Mora, but it will cos ye a bit more.

[FishyFolk]

You base it on another model knife than the knife suggested. The Condor Bushlore 2011 has seen a lot of positive responses. The post 2011 Bushlore however was horrible, with a ricasso that was an inch long...
Well, well, I shall not pursue this. I have never seen a condor knife in my life. And you have.

[SimonB]

If you have a local toolstation, a glaziers hacking knife..... £7.odd, nice and thick, plenty of blade, and sharp as....

I also have a mora clipper, but want to keep the edge good for other jobs, hence the hacking knife....

[Silverback]

Cant go wrong with the Hultafors at them prices

[treefrog]

Cant go wrong with the Hultafors at them prices

+1 for Hultafors. My 2 nephews each have one... cheap, sharp, and indestructible.

[Sar-ian]

If you want something really heavy duty, there's always the british army survival knife, but there are cheap copies about, I'm sure plenty of the forum members can advise on the best/reputable sellers.........

[luresalive]

You base it on another model knife than the knife suggested. The Condor Bushlore 2011 has seen a lot of positive responses. The post 2011 Bushlore however was horrible, with a ricasso that was an inch long...
Well, well, I shall not pursue this. I have never seen a condor knife in my life. And you have.

I have handled the following Condor knives,either by passaround by purchase or by seeing a friends own that he has bought

Bushlore
Bushlore Mini
Sapiens
Nessmuk
Bushcraft 2"
Bushcraft 4"

Not at anytime was there a good thing to say about any of them, although I may grant you the more recent Bushlores may be better, I won't be buying one to find out . Thanks for your feedback.

[OakAshandThorn]

A Lapp Puukko would be a good knife to go for as a step up from a Mora, but it will cos ye a bit more.
+1 for Lapin Puukko. :D

[Bhunterbushcraft]

Thanks guys for all the responses T^
Never a bad reception for questions (no matter how basic!) but hey! One of the first rules of Survival is having the right equipment.

Which Lapin Puukko would you recommend? (price no factor at this stage) and where to buy from..?

Cheers! :D

[Bhunterbushcraft]

Any good points about these British Army survival knife?

http://militarymart.co.uk/index.php?_a=product&product_id=1816

[OakAshandThorn]

Thanks guys for all the responses T^
Never a bad reception for questions (no matter how basic!) but hey! One of the first rules of Survival is having the right equipment.

Which Lapin Puukko would you recommend? (price no factor at this stage) and where to buy from..?

Cheers! :D
I'd probably go with the Leukupuukko 3, which costs around $50 here in the States. I can't seem to find a place that sells Lapin blades and ships to the UK...all the ones I came across ship only to Canada or the US. :ashamed:
Maybe JonnyP or someone else can answer that??

[Primerib]

I'll recommend a Hultafors HVK GH knife! Usually costs a buck less than the Mora Companion MG. I'm quite impressed by this knife!

[bkemeny]

The all new all wonderful Mora Heavy Duty Companion! Or the Marttiini Jätkänvuolu I've just reviewed :)

[admo919]

i think i would ask myself what i really wanted to do with my knife!?
i only use my knife for small cutting work, pot holders, small shaping work on thin twigs and branchs for pegs etc and food prep.

so for a cheap carbon edged knife an Opinal No8 would and does suffice, i have a heavier bespoke knife i have carried around for years and hardly used, if i need any heavy stuff doing its either a small hatchett or a folding saw.

everyone has their preferences, if you only want to carry one sharp item then go for an allrounder especially if you like to 'put them to the test' ;-)

i have a nice nessmuk style blade i got off a forum maker and handled it myself, thats very nice to handle and work with, a good shape for food prep.

as i said before, ask yourself what you want to do with it and then chose the tool to fit the job.

only my opinion and not meant to offend.

Adam.

[nilo52]

MORA companion heavy duty. While I haven't done so yet , I have read here that you can baton wood with it. The blade is THICK for a MORA , and has a near full tang. ( I just got one , can you tell he he)

Adam has got a good point.

[backlasher]

I just got one of the black bushcraft knives by Mora. I haven't had it long enough to make up my mind but it seems like a good one. The blade is one eighth inch thick.

[snowleopard]

Hultafors hvk not that I have one!:o

Joel

[othan1]

A good quality knife is for life. I would reccomend buying/saving for a higher quality knife rather than a £10/£20 budget knife besides the mora you have is the best knife for that budget imo (i own the same knife).

[MASC703]

Hultafors GK. I have a big hand and the longer handle fits it well. Someone mentioned condor, they have gotten much better but still are spotty as far as QC. I sent back two bushlores until getting an acceptable one. So on one hand my opinion of them is somewhat jaded but on the other hand, I beat the heck out my bushlore and it holds up well. But I don't know if I'd want to got through sending two back before getting a good one, which is why I haven't pulled the trigger on the kephart.

[Realbark]

i think i would ask myself what i really wanted to do with my knife!?
i only use my knife for small cutting work, pot holders, small shaping work on thin twigs and branchs for pegs etc and food prep.

so for a cheap carbon edged knife an Opinal No8 would and does suffice, i have a heavier bespoke knife i have carried around for years and hardly used, if i need any heavy stuff doing its either a small hatchett or a folding saw.

everyone has their preferences, if you only want to carry one sharp item then go for an allrounder especially if you like to 'put them to the test' ;-)

i have a nice nessmuk style blade i got off a forum maker and handled it myself, thats very nice to handle and work with, a good shape for food prep.

as i said before, ask yourself what you want to do with it and then chose the tool to fit the job.

only my opinion and not meant to offend.

Adam.

Agreed Adam. My usage patterns are similar to your own. I have a number 8 opinel for day to day stuff and a Mora too - its not used much tho. For what i do they are fine tho im sure the regular campers use stuff that will stand up to more abuse - batonning and the like.

[ammo]

Get yourself a blank knife blade for 30-40 pound from one of the makers. It will be a quality tool. Put your own handle on it. Now you got a quality tool that has sentimental value, and at a great price

[steampunk]

Just beat my, Condor Bushlore with micarta handles, through 22" red oak split, but still wet(green) wood. I'm amazed. It held up fine, even through knots. I would have never done this with more expensive knives, Condor has made a good knife as far as mine.

[watatoad]

A good knife depends on what you mean by good. There are a lot of considerations, what do you want it for, how large do you need, what will be your main usages whittling/carving, making medium to large sized items, do you carry an axe or a saw or will the knife be expected to cover these areas?

[Alexdermietzel97]

I would go for a mora mate. If you want a heavy duty one with carbon steel; I would go for either the mora companion heavy duty of the mora robust. The robust has an unfinished spine so it would be good for using with a firesteel.

[treefrog]

I'll be up before the committee for this bit of blasphemy, but I'm not willing to recommend a Mora. I mentioned this on the forum last winter;
I bought a new Mora to replace my old one which had been sharpened to death and was starting to get a loose handle. The new one came with
an ill-fitting leather sheath and a blade that was overly prone to rust. I did the vinegar trick someone suggested in order to give a deep patina,
but the sharpened part of the blade would grow rust like an old bean can, and definitely didn't hold an edge like the previous one. I'm not a collector
of knives; I use only 2: a skinning knife and an all-purpose belt knife, and I want both of them to be usable 100% of the time. So I have retired both
the Moras to the kitchen to live out their lives peeling taters, and I ordered a new Helle knife. I'll let you know how it works out...

[watatoad]

I cant recommend the Mora as I know people whose Mora has bent or the handles have come loose, at the end of the day its a cheap small knife. I was lent one to try and I passed it back in disgust. I have been sleeping outside for well over 50 years and handled many knives and am certainly very unimpressed with the Mora.

We used to say sleeping bags cost most then knives then rucksacks the rest simply follows.

[rik_uk3]

The Mora range are good standard knives. If your not using is a lot I would certainly go for a stainless steel blade instead of carbon.

[Silverback]

Hands up who likes marmite ? ;)

[jus_young]

Hands up who likes marmite ? ;)

Thats me then!

[Primerib]

Prefer marmite to vegiemite

[Rasputin]

Hands up who likes marmite ? ;)

Can we get back on topic please, Ha Ha, How ya doin lad

[midas]

[QUOTE=Bhunterbushcraft;65920]Hey Guys,

Quick inquiry into the best budget CS-blade Knife for between £10/£20..? :confused2:

I already own the Mora Clipper 840 so any other, more heavy duty, knife recommendations would be great.T^


The £10/£20 limit is just a preferred guideline any other suggestions are very welcome !! :)

Cheers! ;)

Know its an old post!but if one looks at www.clasohlson.co.uk or popsintoone of their shops the Morakniv range are very reasonable.ie moracraftline q511knife,carbon steel 94mm blade.£3.69 each or 3 for £9.49.(make good presents for the beaters when I'm in Croatia,shooting wild Boar.)They also do several with stainless steel blades priced from £3.99 to £8.50.Then the bushcraft Forrest knife at £18.99.They also have carving EF120 at £7.99./ Eric Frost162 spoon knives for.£13.99.sell an enormous shopping bag for a £1.to carry away all the goodies.(got my "Mummy"sleeping bag in one..
Got no connection with the store just a happy customer!!!

[-Tim-]

I'm another Mora fan, I bought a cheap as chips Mora for £2.50, I have had it for a few years now using and abusing it around the campsite and at home, batoning wood, cutting/shaping wood and DIY it has took it all in its stride a little touch up with a sharpening stone every now and then to keep it shaving (the hairs on my arm) sharp.

Granted its not a pretty thing but is a little work horse. Only let down by its crappy sheath, so I bought a leather on for a tenner-problem solved
https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash2/375128_516233458413228_1117779270_n.jpg

I was happy until I had an email from Woodlore selling the heavy duty Mora two for £20......the sheaths were impressive too a good "click fit"
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1461175_604848196218420_2128342287_n.jpg
endorsed by some chap called Ray
https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1471396_604848316218408_317953635_n.jpg
the handle fits my hand well and the blade is thicker,
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1455944_604849482884958_1384264322_n.jpg

AND they are still on offer.....HERE (http://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Product/1015-Morakniv-Craftline-HighQ-Robust-Knife-Woodlore-30th-Anniversary-Edition-Pack-of-2/)

Although I was happy with the sheath a jolly nice fellow I know gave me this one :)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1474400_607517845951455_2102909820_n.jpg

Hope this helps

Cheers
Tim

[Fellows]

Svord peasant knife if ur just after a food/pocket knife. 15 quidish. A few guys doll them up anake nice sheaths for them on here as they are a bit rough around the edges.

[OakAshandThorn]

Another vote for the Companion Heavy Duty - probably the best "all-around" Mora made. ;)
If you're looking for a traditional puukko-style knife, you can't go wrong with the Martiini Lynx or Arctic Circle (around $35) :).

[Martin123]

Just to add my two penny worth. The Opinel - lightweight, locking blade, easy to keep sharp and quite cheap.
Cheers

[Rasputin]

Thats me then!

and me !

[jus_young]

You either love it or hate it! Much like an individuals choice of knife, I am pretty broad minded and have a selection of all sorts from my Dave Budd to Moras and Opinels. All have their uses and do get used.

[okcmco]

DO you guys get the COndor Knife and tool blades over there? I like the Kephart. It is under 40 bucks US but what that is in real money I do not know. Of course I have Moras but I now have several Condor Knives and they are performing well in the field, especially for the price

[SteveW]

I have a Condor Bushlore, very happy with it for the price. It's a step up from a Mora in terms of being full tang and having a nice leather sheath and wooden handles, takes a very good edge and keeps it well.


DO you guys get the COndor Knife and tool blades over there? I like the Kephart. It is under 40 bucks US but what that is in real money I do not know. Of course I have Moras but I now have several Condor Knives and they are performing well in the field, especially for the price

[Dreward]

For a High Carbon Steel Knife how well the hardening and tempering process is carried out is important. After the heat treatment the metal should have a combination of hardness and springiness. Hard at the cutting edge and springy behind, this is so the edge will hold and cut but the knife will not break if it takes at blow e.g. Batoning. The next thing to look at is the grind and what tools and techniques are required to sharpen the said grind or angles. As for price if you can get hold of the information mentioned it is then up to you on which knife you think is worth the outlay.

[okcmco]

I have a Condor Bushlore, very happy with it for the price. It's a step up from a Mora in terms of being full tang and having a nice leather sheath and wooden handles, takes a very good edge and keeps it well.

Yes I just picked up a bushlore (wooden handles) second hand from a member of a US based bushcraft site. I think I paid 30 bucks shipped. It strikes me as an excellent and robust blade of the right size and holds an edge and is easily sharpened by a hack such as myself. My first Condor is their flagship model, the Kephart. Of course I have a few Moras too

[okcmco]

Hultafors hvk not that I have one!:o

Joel

I had never check out this knife but I just did on Amazon and it looks all business for not much money. I ordered a couple! Thanks

[Rasputin]

I had never check out this knife but I just did on Amazon and it looks all business for not much money. I ordered a couple! Thanks

You wont be sorry, they are great knives, Ken. T^

[Old Dog]

New boy here, not to doing stuff outdoors, but to this forum, and this is my first post. Mora do these little red handled knives at less than five quid, I cannot remember where I bought them (yes I bought several) but they sharpen nicely, they feather brilliantly and the handle is very sweet to handle. As I recall I got them from an online hardware supplier.
These aren't the ones I have but similar

Mora Basic 511 Carbon Steel Knife

[midas]

Hi OLD DOG,welcome to the forum,Its usual to post your first post on the introduction Thread,then everyone can get to know you n welcome you aboard etc.atb.m

[Old Dog]

I did look for such a thing, found it now, didn't scroll down far enough. Being and doing the usual is not something I have ever managed to perfect...