Recommendation? Condor Hudson Bay or Hudson Bay Mini? Also, how much different is Otter Boat from Ka-Bar BK62?

[vinprom]

The title pretty much says it. I am interested in how do you feel these knives. Not interested in Bushcrafting and no clear idea for a specific use. Thanks.

 

[MolokaiRider]

I have a full size Hudson Bay. It is not a great cutting/slicing blade, as the edge is sorta scandi-ish, but the 1075 is treated in a way that makes it very strong, and has handled chopping and de-limbing quite well.

Batons rounds pretty well too. The walnut is a bit slick, but works. Nice leather sheath. The unique blade treatment hides wear, and looks cool. I have seen some that have a smooth finish, rather than the rougher texture.

I think the mini would hinder these attributes, and defeats the purpose of the design.

 

[marthinus]

I dont know how thick the Ka-Bar is but the Hudson was way too thick for me. For green foliage this is now suitable.

I did push it too it limits on hard wood and had serious damage but it was fixed with a leatherman. So I dont know if the Hudson has a high HRC to deal with harder wood. I have similar geometry knives that do not experience similar issues but is more expensive.

That being said. There is am enjoyable knife in the Hudson with some customisation.

 

[vinprom]

I have a full size Hudson Bay. It is not a great cutting/slicing blade, as the edge is sorta scandi-ish, but the 1075 is treated in a way that makes it very strong, and has handled chopping and de-limbing quite well.

Batons rounds pretty well too. The walnut is a bit slick, but works. Nice leather sheath. The unique blade treatment hides wear, and looks cool. I have seen some that have a smooth finish, rather than the rougher texture.

I think the mini would hinder these attributes, and defeats the purpose of the design.

Thanks MolokaiRider ,that is what I am curious - whether the mini version has to much compromises that makes it inferior in nearly any aspect in comparison to the Hudson Bay? I assume the shortening of the handle is made for the sake of weight balance, for example. About BK62, it is much more expensive than the Otter Boat or Condor Kephart, and often this is a result of a little better fit and finish wich drives the price exponentially. I am quite tolerant to fit and finish, so hopefully folks will share their experience with these. The opinions here are more credible to me than those in Amazon and You Tube.

 

[vinprom]

Maybe I need to clarify about the second knife I intend to buy, the first will be either Hudson Bay or its mini version even though the scaling it down makes it completely different knife. About my second purchase, both Otter Boat and BK62 are over 5" and with not Scandinavian grind. There are plenty of knives with wood handles and leather sheaths that look better to me than the above mentioned, but I will not buy a knife with scandi grind, or a knife with fixed blade less than 4.75".

 

[A.L.]

The Otter boat sailor knife? It’s not scandi knife, it’s full flat. It’s nothing special, used to have one. They used to market it as ”industrial use” I think. Very thin leather sheath and the handle finish was bit bad. No knowledge of if they improved it anyhow.

 

[vinprom]

The Otter boat sailor knife? It’s not scandi knife, it’s full flat. It’s nothing special, used to have one. They used to market it as ”industrial use” I think. Very thin leather sheath and the handle finish was bit bad. No knowledge of if they improved it anyhow.

That's why I intend to buy it, either this one or BK62. Is the leather sheath that bad? BK 62 is about twice the price and I do not like that the handles are with screws. For how long have you had the Otter's knife, and how much and for what kind of cutting tasks did you use it?

 

[A.L.]

That's why I intend to buy it, either this one or BK62. Is the leather sheath that bad? BK 62 is about twice the price and I do not like that the handles are with screws. For how long have you had the Otter's knife, and how much and for what kind of cutting tasks did you use it?

I haven’t had it for years. The sheath was literally like millimeter thick if even that. Very cheap. I guess the knife is okay but for me the knife has to be more than just knife and afterthought sheath, even if budget one.

 

[vinprom]

I dont know how thick the Ka-Bar is but the Hudson was way too thick for me. For green foliage this is now suitable.

I did push it too it limits on hard wood and had serious damage but it was fixed with a leatherman. So I dont know if the Hudson has a high HRC to deal with harder wood. I have similar geometry knives that do not experience similar issues but is more expensive.

That being said. There is am enjoyable knife in the Hudson with some customisation.

Thank you marthinus , especially for the the pictures! I have never tried to sharpen convex grind. Since I only do free hand sharpening, I usually rely on my tactile feeling to keep the angle of the factory edge. For less pronounced convex grind I am OK, but for this Hudson I a but concerned. For every knife I have purchased, regardless of its sharpness, I sharpen it myself as soon as I unpack it. Sometimes, but not very often, initially the knife gets duller, but after the second or third try the edge sharper than the factory one. So, seemingly I will have to learn and sharpening like an axe with these round stones, or get a mouse pad?

 

[MolokaiRider]

Thank you marthinus , especially for the the pictures! I have never tried to sharpen convex grind. Since I only do free hand sharpening, I usually rely on my tactile feeling to keep the angle of the factory edge. For less pronounced convex grind I am OK, but for this Hudson I a but concerned. For every knife I have purchased, regardless of its sharpness, I sharpen it myself as soon as I unpack it. Sometimes, but not very often, initially the knife gets duller, but after the second or third try the edge sharper than the factory one. So, seemingly I will have to learn and sharpening like an axe with these round stones, or get a mouse pad?

For clarity, the blade in his picture has been radically re-ground into a near full-flat grind. Much better at cutting, but as mentioned, the softer steel deflected more readily with chopping.

 

[vinprom]

I haven’t had it for years. The sheath was literally like millimeter thick if even that. Very cheap. I guess the knife is okay but for me the knife has to be more than just knife and afterthought sheath, even if budget one.

Thanks, same here about sheats.

 

[marthinus]

Thank you marthinus , especially for the the pictures! I have never tried to sharpen convex grind. Since I only do free hand sharpening, I usually rely on my tactile feeling to keep the angle of the factory edge. For less pronounced convex grind I am OK, but for this Hudson I a but concerned. For every knife I have purchased, regardless of its sharpness, I sharpen it myself as soon as I unpack it. Sometimes, but not very often, initially the knife gets duller, but after the second or third try the edge sharper than the factory one. So, seemingly I will have to learn and sharpening like an axe with these round stones, or get a mouse pad?

As MolokaiRider said mine has been heavily reground. The original grind on the Hudson you would have to do some serious work as it is a thick scandi type edge.

If you are looking at outdoor knives have a look at ESEE Knives they have some models in the BK62 price range as well.

 

[craytab]

About BK62, it is much more expensive than the Otter Boat or Condor Kephart, and often this is a result of a little better fit and finish wich drives the price exponentially.

I'm a big fan of the BK62. After having four of them through my hands, I can say the quality is absolutely there. That said, in considering a response to this post I looked around at BK62 pricing and dang it is getting expensive! If you can get in at closer to $130 then the value is better but at $150 or above, I think that is getting to be too much. For me anyway, I bought used and had to replace the scales and sheath which turned my $100 used BK62 into a $180 knife. It is a gorgeous workhorse of a blade though.

If you are looking at outdoor knives have a look at ESEE Knives they have some models in the BK62 price range as well.

Well below the BK62 even! I'd look hard at an Esee 6 with 3d sculpted Micarta or G10 for under $130.

 

[LimpCroissant]

I've had my Hudson Bay knife for many years, atleast 10, and it's been a pretty good piece of kit. It's a big ol' beast. It works pretty dang well for chopping small limbs, big blackberry vines, batoning kindling, that kind of stuff. I've put it through some pretty hard use and the coating has held up surprisingly well. However it's not much of a precision instrument. It's like a troll, big, slow, bulky, and a little unwieldly, yet when it hits, it hits very hard and causes a lot of damage. The edge sucked big flopping donkey phallus when I got it. Like other people said it's got a semi-scandi edge, however it was definitely not a true zero grind or anything. More like just a quick and dirty convexed scandi grind that wasn't very sharp. I never really took the time to give it an impressive edge as it takes more abuse than any other knife I have really. One of these days I'll give it a real edge.

 

[MolokaiRider]

I've had my Hudson Bay knife for many years, atleast 10, and it's been a pretty good piece of kit. It's a big ol' beast. It works pretty dang well for chopping small limbs, big blackberry vines, batoning kindling, that kind of stuff. I've put it through some pretty hard use and the coating has held up surprisingly well. However it's not much of a precision instrument. It's like a troll, big, slow, bulky, and a little unwieldly, yet when it hits, it hits very hard and causes a lot of damage. The edge sucked big flopping donkey phallus when I got it. Like other people said it's got a semi-scandi edge, however it was definitely not a true zero grind or anything. More like just a quick and dirty convexed scandi grind that wasn't very sharp. I never really took the time to give it an impressive edge as it takes more abuse than any other knife I have really. One of these days I'll give it a real edge.

It is interesting how CK&T changed up the finish on those. My scales were very dry and dark brown, and the blade had that acid-drip sorta fake forging type of finish. On one side the "drops" we're proud, on the other side the "drops" are recessed.

Your assessment of a bashing tool is spot on.

Back when they were just north of 40 bucks it felt like you were stealing them. Such a great deal.

 

[vinprom]

After some considerations I ordered Condor Scalper, some sites indicate that the knife is discontinued, but it is still available. This is the knife I purchased instead Hudson Bay. I stay away from scandi grind. My only fixed blade currently are the Mora Classic 1, 2, and 3. Enough bushcraft stuff. Interestingly, I have been using 1 and 3 more than 2.
After a lot of thinking, I decided to get Otter 3-rivet and Buck 301 instead. Sounds silly maybe, but that's what I did. Maybe for Christmas I will have BK62, but first I have to convince my wife that having a knife with such a price is not so much more crazy than to have 30 slipjoints.

 

[vinprom]

craytab , that BK62 is a beautiful knife, hopefully I will have something like that one day!

 

[LimpCroissant]

It is interesting how CK&T changed up the finish on those. My scales were very dry and dark brown, and the blade had that acid-drip sorta fake forging type of finish. On one side the "drops" we're proud, on the other side the "drops" are recessed.

Your assessment of a bashing tool is spot on.

Back when they were just north of 40 bucks it felt like you were stealing them. Such a great deal.

Yea it is interesting what they've done with the finish now days. I kind of like the smooth finish better being that it'd be easier to keep clean and dry being a carbon steel. My scales are pretty dry too, I should probably actually rub some Howard's Feed-N-Wax into the wood now that I think about it. The knife lives in my Jeep now days under my seat always at the ready in case I get into a bad situation out in the woods or something. I'll say that it has been a good chopper to have, although yea the prices have gone up considerably and it's becoming less of a deal I agree.