A great bushcraft knife for under $20? There’s got to be a catch, right?
Actually, no. This bushcraft knife from Frosts Mora (aka Mora of Sweden) has everything you need in a survival knife and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
The blade …
Bushcraft and Survival Knives
A bushcraft, or survival, knife is used for various outdoor tasks such as cutting rope and other materials, chopping tree branches, whittling wood or skinning game. The wide range of tasks it can accomplish is necessary since most outdoorsmen can’t afford to be weighed down by multiple tools.
Bushcraft Knives vs. Survival Knives
The term bushcraft knife and survival knife are used interchangeably. Some say a bushcraft knife is designed for a situation where the owner has intentionally set out to accomplish wilderness tasks, whereas a survival knife is designed for more of an unintentional, emergency situation. In practice, however, this distinction is minimal at best and most manufacturers do not distinguish between them.
Further complicating matters is that these knives are also sometimes referred to as “wilderness” knives or “camping” knives.
One task that does seem to be suited for a survival knife but not for a bushcraft knife is “batoning”. Batoning is using the knife as an implement for chopping larger branches. The knife is placed on the wood to be cut and the owner hammers on the spine of the knife to drive it into the wood.
Blades
Survival knife blades should typically be about four inches long. Those with a larger palm may desire a longer blade, though a blade longer than five inches is not generally recommended.
Better quality knives are typically have a full tang or hidden tang. A full-tang knife has a blade that runs the entire width and length of the knife and is often visible on the edges of the handle. A hidden-tang knife runs the full-length of the knife but narrows as it enters the handle and is completely covered by the handle.
Steel can be stainless or carbon-steel. Stainless steel will not rust, a big advantage in wet conditions. Carbon steel blades are easier to re-sharpen and will hold a keener edge.
Edges can be serrated or straight. Full-serrated edges are typically not recommended since they are difficult to resharpen, but many knives will have a small part of the blade that is serrated while the majority of the edge is straight.
A2 and VG-10 are popular, high-end carbon steels, while 440C and AUS8 are popular high-end stainless steels.
Handles
A survival knife handle should be rugged, comfortable and easy to grip in any weather condition. Micarta and stag bone are popular choices. Stacked leather grips are popular as well, though may not be the best choice in a consistently-rainy climate.
Knives of this type typically do not have any sort of finger guard, since they are not intended for the forward-and-back motion of sawing, but rather for the up-and-down motion of cutting and slicing.
Hollow handles with screw-off butt caps can double as storage compartments but are typically less durable than solid handles so are not recommended.
Complementary Knives
While versatile, these blades are not designed to be “utility tools”. Tasks that require twisting, wrenching or screwing, for example, are inappropriate for this type of knife. A multi-tool is a better choice for those tasks and makes a perfect complement to a survival knife.
For tasks that require a longer blade, a machete or ax would be a more appropriate tool.
Brands
Most major knife manufacturers make a knife in this category. Popular, well-regarded choices include knives from Fallkniven, Bark River Knife and Tool and Ontario Knife Company.
Where to Buy Bushcraft Knives
We’ve written about a number of great bushcraft knives below — you might want to check those out before shopping. But if you want a quick list of links, here are links to two of our favorite manufacturers:
- Click here to find Bark River knives at eBladeStore.com, a vendor with a great reputation and return policy
- Click here to find Fallkniven knives at Amazon.com
Fox River Hunter Knife | Bark River Knives | Survival, Bushcraft Knife
Posted on: May 20
Bark River is known for their attention to detail and the quality of their ergonomics. Their knives have a devoted following and for good reason.
This knife is from their Professional series and has all the characteristics of a great bushcraft knife.
The blade is made of high-carbon A2 steel and …
Ontario Knife Company RAT-3 Survival and Bushcraft Knife
Posted on: May 19
Ontario Knife has gained a reputation for making top-notch military and tactical knives. Their RAT-3 knife meets all of our requirements for a good survival knife.
The blade is appropriate for those who want a slightly-shorter blade. It measures 3.9 inches, about 1.5 inches shorter than its cousin, the …
Fallkniven F1 Pilot Survival Knife Review | Thermorun Handle, Black VG-10 Steel Blade
Posted on: May 15
Looks can be deceiving. At first glance, looks like there’s nothing special about this knife.
What sets it apart from the rest?
For one thing, it’s got a textured Thermorun handle that’s lightweight, rock-hard, protective, and weatherproof.
It’s got an extremely sharp convex blade with a small top swage that scarcely …
Western Small Game Fixed Blade Knife (WL628)
Posted on: Apr 3
This Western knife is manufactured with a 2-3/4 inch fixed, hollow ground clip blade.
Made of high quality carbon stainless steel, this full-tang blade is designed especially for small game. It is structured to last and remain sharp for a long time.
The handle is a stacked leather for a …
Schrade Old Timer Sharpfinger Fixed Blade Skinning Knife
Posted on: Mar 28
Schrade has always been known for providing high-quality knives at reasonable prices. This knife is a great example of that.
Schrade has found a way to offer its customers durability in the classic Western style when they decided to manufacture this old time Deerslayer Sharpfinger knife.
The knife’s blade is …
Cold Steel Bushman Knife | High Carbon Stainless Steel
Posted on: Mar 6
This is a unique knife from Cold Steel — it’s pretty inexpensive, is made from high-quality materials and has no seam.
It has no joint or seam because it’s made from a single piece of SK-5 high-carbon steel. It is heat tempered and treated up to RC54.
The edge of the blade is …
Randall Made Knives | Model #14 Attack and #15 Airman | Collectible USMC Militaria | Survival Knife
Posted on: Feb 25
The Model #14 Attack and the #15 Airman are so similar, they almost don’t deserve their own model numbers. The only real difference is the blade length.
The 15, with its 5.5″ blade, was designed especially for airman survival and was developed in co-operation with the USMC equipment board. And …
Randall Made Knives Model 1 | Models 1-5 1-6 1-7 1-8 | All Purpose Fighting Knife
Posted on: Feb 22
This is the one that started it all. In World Ward II, the popularity of Randall Made Knives too off, due to the popularity of this model among American GIs.
Randall describes this is a Fighting Knife, but it’s more of an all-purpose knife than that. It features a high-carbon stainless steel …
Randall Made Knives Model 5 | Models 5-4, 5-5, 5-6, 5-7, 5-8 | Camp & Trail Survival Knife
Posted on: Feb 21
I won’t go into much detail on the Randall Made Knife company here. You can find that in our review of the Model 17, the Model 18 or in this comprehensive book.
Instead, I’ll focus on the Randall Model 5. This is a all-purpose outdoor knife, intended for camping, …
Randall Made Knives Model #18 | Stainless Steel “Attack and Survival” Fixed-Blade Knife
Posted on: Feb 19
Now seventy years in production, Randall Made Knives have always had a reputation for quality. During WWII, they gained quite a bit of notoriety as several well-known soldiers carried and endorsed them. Ronald Reagan, for example, owned a Randall during WWII.
These knives were also used by NASA as it built its …
Hen and Rooster Stag Bowie Knife | Made in Solingen, Germany for Frost Cutlery
Posted on: Feb 6
The Hen and Rooster brand has a bit of a tortured history. Founded in 1845 in Solingen, Germany by Carl Bertram, the name comes from Mr. Bertram’s primary business at the time — poultry! The Hen and Rooster logo was used to mark the knives and has since become an …
Bark River Knife and Tool Bravo 1 | Wilderness, Bushcraft Knife
Posted on: Jan 27
When the US Marines went looking for a standard issue Bushcraft Knife, they anonymously tested out a wide array of knives and then eventually settled on the Bark River Gameskeeper as an ideal starting point. They then approached Bark River with some requested customization …
Fallkniven Pocket Folding Knife | FN U2 Lockback | Scandanavian Bushcraft Knife
Posted on: Jan 21
Fallkniven has been making knives for a relatively short time — only twenty years or so. How far they’ve come in such a short period of time. They are now known as one of the foremost makers of specialty knives and, as their marketing literature states, supply knives to the King of …
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