4" Camp/Bushcraft Knife: Aurora, Bravo-1, Recluse, or BHK Bushcrafter??

LightGuy

LightGuy

Gold Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2010
Messages
1,074
I'm looking for a good all-around 4" knife to use around camp. I'm looking at a couple of BRKTs - Aurora or Bravo-1, the production Recluse (also BRKT), and the BHK Bushcrafter. Each of these knives look like they'll do a great job on paper, so I'm having a very hard time deciding.

Also, I already have a BHK Bushbaby scandi grind which I love and use for my main carving/whittling blade.


Any thoughts?? Thanks in advance!
 
Last edited:
I own and love the BHK Bushcrafter with the scandi grind..cant really speak for the others though as I do not own them
 
I like my Ontario Tak-1. It's pretty much an Esee 4 blade with Esee 6 handles so its super comfortable to use with a strong blade. The sheath sucks, but its a great camp knife that can be had under $60
 
Even if money didn't matter, I font think you could buy better then the BHK bushcrafter or the spyderco bushcrafter model. Love the feel of the spyderco, even more then the BHK.
 
Thanks for the input so far. I don't know if it will change your recommendations, but I already have a BHK Bushbaby to use as my main carving/whittling blade. In addition, I also have a larger 6", 0.25" thick camp knife for light chopping and bigger battoning needs. I absolutely love both of these, but I am looking for a very good all-arounder in a 4" blade that will be for all-around camp chores, hiking, etc. I'll carry this one with me all the time.
 
Bark River's Bravo-1 was not designed as a bushcraft knife.

Bark River's Aurora, NorthStar, and Liten Bror were.

Why not go with a knife specifically designed for what you want it to do?
 
I'm not a fan of Bark River so I say go with Blind Horse. I bought a mini northstar and there was a large gap between the steel and scale and it was ground so thin that the blade rippled when it was batoned through a 1 inch thick piece of cedar. I'm better served with a mora.
 
Shotgun said:
I'm not a fan of Bark River so I say go with Blind Horse. I bought a mini northstar and there was a large gap between the steel and scale and it was ground so thin that the blade rippled when it was batoned through a 1 inch thick piece of cedar. I'm better served with a mora.
Click to expand...

I agree. But if one insists on a Bark River bushcraft knife, one should at least get one of the Bark Rivers that was designed to be a bushcraft knife.

Or one can get a handful Moras that will perform their bushcraft tasks very, very well. And have money left over for a folding saw. And beer.
 
I have a Bark River Bravo 1 SS that I bought for Hiking/Backpacking/Camping, I sold my Bravo 1 A2 to get the Bravo 1 SS because the SS is less prone to rust and patina like the A2.
I also had and sold a Bark River Aurora, Bark river makes very nice knives, I've had over a dozen in the last couple of years and held on to a couple.
Between the Bravo 1 or the Aurora, I would go with the Bravo 1 as a Hiking and Camping knife(Which I did), The Aurora as mentioned in a prior post was designed as a bushcraft knife and is well suited for that. The Bravo 1 was developed with input from U.S. Marines Force Recon and is better suited as an all around outdoor knife.
I've never owned a Blind Horse knife but I will eventually and I will be buying a Fiddleback this week for bushcraft.

My current Bravo 1 SS:
2wps3eo.jpg


Aurora I Sold:
2ez1tsg.jpg
 
I really like my Bravo-1, it's also the knife I take with me most for camping/hiking, and despite its thickness it cuts very well due to its convex edge, though its harder to do things like fuzz sticks because it tends to want to cut deep. With that said, it wouldn't be my first choice for a dedicated bushcrafter because its more of a all-around general use knife and less built for dedicated bushcrafting, I'd want something made of thinner stock. I would say 3V liten bror, BHK Bushcrafter, Koster Bushcrafter in 3V.
 
i noticed you had a very nice F1. what about it didnt work for you? are you looking for a tougher carbon 4" blade?

how about the Busse street boss? i dont know how well a bushcraft knife it is, but i imagine it would be able to handle anything.
 
Flash Owl said:
i noticed you had a very nice F1. what about it didnt work for you? are you looking for a tougher carbon 4" blade?

how about the Busse street boss? i dont know how well a bushcraft knife it is, but i imagine it would be able to handle anything.
Click to expand...

Yep - I want a good carbon steel blade. Plus, I just didn't care for the F1. Looking for something closer to a bushcraft blade that is also stout enough to make a good all-arounder.

The Boss Street is a pretty good suggestion, but I think I'd prefer something that will hold a nice sharp edge a little longer for a smaller knife like this. Maybe something like O1 or A2.
 
I have used my Bravo 1 as my main outdoor knife since I got it in 2008, its been used for everything! Day to day cutting, battoning splitting, carving, food prep, skinning, butchering, fire making and yes it works fine for bushcraft. I have handled and played with the Aurora to, also a very nice knife, if you want a spear point, go for the Aurora.
 
I have an Aurora. I still want some sort of camp knife.

Since you have the detail work covered with the BHK Bushbaby, I'd say grab the camp knife that you most like. For me it would be either the ESEE-6 or the Bravo-1. etc.
 
Last edited:
I say get the BHK Bushcrafter, I've handled them and they are really nice, not too thick, but not too thin, very good all around blade.

A BHK Bushcafter is on my "Want to get" list.
 
LightGuy said:
Yep - I want a good carbon steel blade. Plus, I just didn't care for the F1. Looking for something closer to a bushcraft blade that is also stout enough to make a good all-arounder.

The Boss Street is a pretty good suggestion, but I think I'd prefer something that will hold a nice sharp edge a little longer for a smaller knife like this. Maybe something like O1 or A2.
Click to expand...
I'm surprised you found the F1 unsuitable as an "all-arounder" + bushcraft, I haven't used one but anecdote and descriptions of it fit that precisely...
Second point, edge-retention for INFI or O1 or A2 from different manufacturers really depends more on quality of the heat-treatment and geometry of the grind. What makes you think that INFI's will be less than O1 or A2?

Flash Owl said:
swamp rat rodent solution?
Click to expand...
THERE's a suggestion! Any issues with coated blades? SR-101 is a "special" version of 52100, a great steel choice if you're looking for something with better edge-retention than INFI (easily comparable since they both have the Busse HT), but without the coating it is rust-prone like A2. The Rodent Solution is quite comfortable in hand, and is thin enough for good slicing (with the proper edge-geometry) while stout enough for harder use... How much do you care about weight of the knife?

Personally I consider this size of blade (3-4") more for hunting or utility, too small for "all-around" camp use - I prefer knives the size of the RatManDu for that, but you already have one of those.

marcinek said:
... if one insists on a Bark River bushcraft knife ... one can get a handful Moras that will perform their bushcraft tasks very, very well. And have money left over for a folding saw. And beer.
Click to expand...
+1 to this! :thumbup::thumbup:
 
chiral.grolim said:
I'm surprised you found the F1 unsuitable as an "all-arounder" + bushcraft, I haven't used one but anecdote and descriptions of it fit that precisely...
Second point, edge-retention for INFI or O1 or A2 from different manufacturers really depends more on quality of the heat-treatment and geometry of the grind. What makes you think that INFI's will be less than O1 or A2?
Click to expand...

I guess that just goes to show you not everyone likes the same things. The F1 isn't bad, it is a great knife. But, I just wasn't keen on the feel of the knife in my hand, and I am just much more partial to a tough carbon steel for a fixed blade. I have just had great results with carbon blades, and prefer them. A lot is just my preference - so I sold it and I need to get me another 4" all-arounder.

Regarding INFI, this has only been my personal experience. I love my Busse Boss Jack (won't be selling it anytime soon), but it doesn't have the best geometry or edge retention compared to O1 in my experience. But, the Boss Jack is the one I know can handle batoning petrified wood if need be.. that's where INFI excels IMO.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top