Best cheap knife?

[bigmac1952]

Hi Guys!

Looking for a decent cheap knife to take away with me next week. I can probably go up to about £15. Just need a multipurpose one for taking fruit off things, and for general camping jobs. Nothing too huge or heavy duty. Anyone got any good suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

R

[Humakt]

I'll save everyone the bother and get in first before everyone else ends up saying the same thing:

Get a Mora. Something like this:

http://www.greenmanbushcraft.co.uk/cutting-tools/knives/mora-companion-heavy-duty-mg-bushcraft-training-knife.htm

[bigmac1952]

Excellent thanks. I'll take a look. I need to order today so i'll post which one I buy in the end. Any suggestions as to which model?

[FishyFolk]

Mora 911 stainless if you are going to use it for food prep...

[Humakt]

Tell you what, Bigmac, PM me your name and address and, so long as you are in the UK or have a BFPO address, I'll send you a Mora Clipper (that I've re-handled with an antler handle) FREE - it's been sitting around and doing nothing and since they're so cheap it has no re-sale value. It's a carbon blade, in very good condition, and it has a leather sheath as well.

You can have it.

I won't be able to put it in the post until Wednesday.

There's only a couple of conditions - you've got to look after it, you've got to use it, and you've got to help someone who needs help if you can.

If you're OK with that then PM me your name and address and I'll stick it in the post to you.

[midas]

Tell you what, Bigmac, PM me your name and address and, so long as you are in the UK or have a BFPO address, I'll send you a Mora Clipper (that I've re-handled with an antler handle) FREE - it's been sitting around and doing nothing and since they're so cheap it has no re-sale value. It's a carbon blade, in very good condition, and it has a leather sheath as well.

You can have it.

I won't be able to put it in the post until Wednesday.

There's only a couple of conditions - you've got to look after it, you've got to use it, and you've got to help someone who needs help if you can.

If you're OK with that then PM me your name and address and I'll stick it in the post to you.

Thats the "Spirit of Bushcraft",n this forum,for you!.Aways someone out there to offer help n advice !!

[bigmac1952]

Oh thanks so much! I already went ahead and got a knife though. Damn!

[bigmac1952]

Anyone tried these fiskars knives btw? I got one free when buying other supplies just now. I think my wife will be worried with so many knives coming to the house :confused2: - http://www.qvsshop.co.uk/ekmps/shops/qvsshop/images/fiskars-folding-garden-knife-3079-p.png

[midas]

All ways best to have the right tool for the job in hand !!!
Does she worry about axes ?..screwdrivers ?..hammers.??

[David_JAFO]

hello,
Looks kinda like my Jack knife.
Regards
David

13356

T^


Anyone tried these fiskars knives btw? I got one free when buying other supplies just now. I think my wife will be worried with so many knives coming to the house :confused2: - http://www.qvsshop.co.uk/ekmps/shops/qvsshop/images/fiskars-folding-garden-knife-3079-p.png

[thebushcraftcave]

Mora was one of the first knives I ever got which was given to me as a gift, and I still use on most trips today. For the price I can't recommend a better knife. https://www.thebushcraftcave.com/product-category/brands/mora/

[shepherd]

Anyone tried these fiskars knives btw? I got one free when buying other supplies just now. I think my wife will be worried with so many knives coming to the house :confused2: - http://www.qvsshop.co.uk/ekmps/shops/qvsshop/images/fiskars-folding-garden-knife-3079-p.png

i have a very very similar shape knife.. we have always called them 'farmer's curve' knives.. brilliant shape for general tasks around the farm or camp, brilliant for pruning and small branch work also...

[SteveW]

Worth looking at the Hultafors heavy duty as well as the Mora. I've been using one for a couple of weeks now, and I have to say I'm very impressed, it is every bit as good as my Mora and in some respects a bit better.

http://www.heinnie.com/hultafors-heavy-duty-knife

[shepherd]

Worth looking at the Hultafors heavy duty as well as the Mora. I've been using one for a couple of weeks now, and I have to say I'm very impressed, it is every bit as good as my Mora and in some respects a bit better.

http://www.heinnie.com/hultafors-heavy-duty-knife

looks a good buy for £6.95!!

[SAC7602]

No contest:
http://www.clasohlson.com/uk/Cocraft-Mora-Knife-/30-9870

Unless you have to have green or black, rather than blue in the handle.

Mind you, these used to be about £3.95 each only a couple of years ago.

May have been priced then as a "loss leader" of course but I think people buying ten at a time and re-handling them etc then selling on, might have had something to do with the huge price hike.:rolleyes:

Regardless, these are pretty much standard, mass produced, (like all moras) Mora Clippers in stainless steel.


I keep one in my fishing tackle box and another in my paddling kit and they're excellent.

[ChrisCraft]

for the price, i dont think you can get much better than a mora 511
perfect for beginner and pro alike.

http://www.thebushcraftstore.co.uk/mora-511-basic-utility-knife---carbon-19602-p.asp

[Ashley Cawley]

I'll save everyone the bother and get in first before everyone else ends up saying the same thing:

Get a Mora. Something like this:

http://www.greenmanbushcraft.co.uk/cutting-tools/knives/mora-companion-heavy-duty-mg-bushcraft-training-knife.htm
I would second that, you can't really go wrong with Mora, honestly don't be fooled by the price they're good knives.

[Tigger004]

Hi, I was issued with a pruning/cabling knife just like that 35 years ago at work, I still use it on a daily basis.

Lost it for a while and was reunited when cleaning the inside of the car, I can't explain how much it meant to have it back in my pocket.

You will need something like Humakt is offering as the folder will not be able to some bushcraft tasks

[Ehecatl]

I would second that, you can't really go wrong with Mora, honestly don't be fooled by the price they're good knives.

Thirded

[Charltons Sea Scouts]

Hi All,

Great website with loads of excellent info - thanks.

I shall be asking lots of questions in other threads, but couldn't resist showing off the website I have found whilst trying to find cheap bushcraft knives for the scouts: for instance, the heavy duty hultafors craftsmens knife is just £4.27! http://www.my-tool-shed.co.uk/p1093620/Hultafors_Craftmans_Knife_Heavy-Duty_GK/product_info.html the 'standard duty' ones are even cheaper.

Hope that helps someone bag a bargain,

Warren

[shepherd]

hi warren, that same knife has been mentioned earlier in the thread, except you have found it for cheaper! so many thanks! looks handy tool.. are your scouts using it? if so any feedback on how it performed? easy for youngsters to use? cheers

*edit* - could be a good separate thread reviewing it, just a thought :)

Shepherd

[Pootle]

I had a play with one of the hultafors knives today. and I'm now texting with one thumb as a result!
I quite liked the knife but not as much as my old mora clipper. The handle is much nicer on the mora and it feels much more robust. but is be more than happy with the hults at that price.

[True Survivor]

I just ordered 15 Hultafors Safety Knives from my tool shed. Ugly knives. Good prices, and they seem like good people to deal with. I have a couple of Hultafors Heavy Duty knives. One lives in a tool box and is regularly abused. The other I cut down to make the handle an inch or so shorter. I used that for quite a bit of bushcraft and it performed perfectly. It does everything my ESEE 3 does for a fraction of the cost. I bought one for my brother too, and he never felt the need for anything more fancy. I wouldn't normally encourage someone to buy a knife they hadn't used, but for under £5 you can't go wrong because if you hate it, it can live in the toolbox :)
I do think Moras feel better in the hand though. The Hultafors handle is easier to cut down/sand down though.

[Greenbear]

I rate the new style handled mora - nice comfortable feel and no chance of fingers straying from the handle onto the blade.

[Midge_Fodder]

Mora are usually more than enough to cope with most bushcraft abuse. If I'm honest I only upgraded my knives because I like pretty things.

[OakAshandThorn]

Ye gods, how did I miss this thread? :O

My first fixed-blade outdoor knife was a *GASP* Bear Grylls Gerber. Still can't believe I paid *GASP* $60 for that piece of junk. I got tired of it pretty quick and upgraded to a Mora Companion heavy duty. What a world of difference - much better steel, more comfortable handle, not a "made in China" horror, and only $18 when I bought it 4 years ago. That was an excellent re-starter for me, and I still have it. About a year or two later, the Companion heavy duty started getting a lot of attention in the bushcraft community, with reviews popping up all over the place on the net; I have added my own review to the pot.

The Companion heavy duty is something I consider to be a great basis for someone fairly new to outdoor living/bushcrafting because it's an excellent all-around performer. It can be used for moderate batoning, skinning and butchering game, fire preparation, food preparation, wood carving, and even making cordage (such as using the spine to remove flaky outer bark from plants so that inner bark fibres can be made into cordage). Plus, the rather large handle is great for people with beefy hands who often struggle to find a knife that fits comfortably in their hand. It's also excellent in winter when you're wearing gloves or mittens, because the larger handle is much easier to control than a knife with a smaller handle. And if the knife breaks? Big deal, it's only $18 :).

Other Mora knives such as the Classic series are also fantastic, though those are a little more task-specific.

As far as a cheap pocket knife goes, something an ultralight backpacker or scout might carry, there's always the old stand-by of Victorinox and Wenger Swiss army knives. I have one myself, a Victorinox Huntsman. Alternatively, you could pick up a simple Opinel, which have become quite popular here in the States over the past few years. Svord peasant knives are also decent, though they may require a little fine tuning to even out the grind.

But don't be fooled into thinking that you "need" a fixed-blade knife for all things outdoor/bushcraft related. You can do A LOT with the humble pocket knife, and for most people, a folding knife is all they really need. As far as what you want, well,....that takes a different route. Some people struggle to find "the one" until they pay top dollar for a custom knife, whilst others are content with their production blades.

My favourite knife right now is a Martiini Arctic Circle puukko. It is budget-friendly at less than $50 (mine was $35 when I bought it two or three years ago), and a very nice start for someone who wants an authentic puukko. It might not have a thick tang for batoning, but I no longer use knives for batoning, and I've found that the puukko style suits my needs the best. I adore mine. It has been with me on many trips, always a reliable friend I can depend on. The blade is only 9 cm/3.5 inches, but that's the perfect size for what I need in a knife. And the thinner 2.5 mm blade with a high Scandinavian grind gives almost unrivaled slicing efficiency.

So yeah...it really depends on what you want in a knife. Ask yourself what you want to use the knife for, and use that answer as a guide.

[Midge_Fodder]

Ye gods, how did I miss this thread? :O

My first fixed-blade outdoor knife was a *GASP* Bear Grylls Gerber. Still can't believe I paid *GASP* $60 for that piece of junk. I got tired of it pretty quick and upgraded to a Mora Companion heavy duty. What a world of difference - much better steel, more comfortable handle, not a "made in China" horror, and only $18 when I bought it 4 years ago. That was an excellent re-starter for me, and I still have it. About a year or two later, the Companion heavy duty started getting a lot of attention in the bushcraft community, with reviews popping up all over the place on the net; I have added my own review to the pot.

The Companion heavy duty is something I consider to be a great basis for someone fairly new to outdoor living/bushcrafting because it's an excellent all-around performer. It can be used for moderate batoning, skinning and butchering game, fire preparation, food preparation, wood carving, and even making cordage (such as using the spine to remove flaky outer bark from plants so that inner bark fibres can be made into cordage). Plus, the rather large handle is great for people with beefy hands who often struggle to find a knife that fits comfortably in their hand. It's also excellent in winter when you're wearing gloves or mittens, because the larger handle is much easier to control than a knife with a smaller handle. And if the knife breaks? Big deal, it's only $18 :).

Other Mora knives such as the Classic series are also fantastic, though those are a little more task-specific.

As far as a cheap pocket knife goes, something an ultralight backpacker or scout might carry, there's always the old stand-by of Victorinox and Wenger Swiss army knives. I have one myself, a Victorinox Huntsman. Alternatively, you could pick up a simple Opinel, which have become quite popular here in the States over the past few years. Svord peasant knives are also decent, though they may require a little fine tuning to even out the grind.

But don't be fooled into thinking that you "need" a fixed-blade knife for all things outdoor/bushcraft related. You can do A LOT with the humble pocket knife, and for most people, a folding knife is all they really need. As far as what you want, well,....that takes a different route. Some people struggle to find "the one" until they pay top dollar for a custom knife, whilst others are content with their production blades.

My favourite knife right now is a Martiini Arctic Circle puukko. It is budget-friendly at less than $50 (mine was $35 when I bought it two or three years ago), and a very nice start for someone who wants an authentic puukko. It might not have a thick tang for batoning, but I no longer use knives for batoning, and I've found that the puukko style suits my needs the best. I adore mine. It has been with me on many trips, always a reliable friend I can depend on. The blade is only 9 cm/3.5 inches, but that's the perfect size for what I need in a knife. And the thinner 2.5 mm blade with a high Scandinavian grind gives almost unrivaled slicing efficiency.

So yeah...it really depends on what you want in a knife. Ask yourself what you want to use the knife for, and use that answer as a guide.

Kind of goes hand in hand with the question, do you buy an axe. Tbh Like yourself I never Barton as I always have an axe or hatchet, so battoning a knife never happens.

[crazydave]

thread ressurect, interesting on the hultafors now I've looked more closely at them. they cant be any worse than the moras with the stubby tang I used to hand out to the scouts broken loads of them but they are cheap enough to scrap.

one of the cheapest and best knives I have is a re purposed chefs knife I cut down and reground to prove a point to someone that expensive does not mean better. its stainless but you can remodel old carbon ones if you can find them at car boots and the like. good handle and a full tang, sheath made from cereal packet, velcro and duct tape.

and my old wood handled moras with the button loop and no guard - still razor sharp 30 years on. 4 quid if my addled memory is correct