Condor tool and knife?

T

TheGoldenWalrus

Joined
Jul 16, 2011
Messages
433
are Condors any good? just curious.

Thanks,
Scott

edit: to be a bit more specific the knives i currently have my eye on are the nessmuk and the bushcraft basics.
 
Last edited:
They make a very solid, if not very refined product. They use good steel, 1075 I think, and they know what they're doing. They are basically a machete company that also makes quite a few knives. The fit and finish is...rugged. I think they are simple, good quality, durable, and sharp products. Their machetes are some of the best in the business and I know that the bushcraft community (of which I am on the fringes at best) think highly of their bushcraft models.
 
Last edited:
Condor makes very good knives. I have 5 of them including the Nessmuk and the 4 inch blade bushcraft basic. I refer to them as full tang moras....lol
 
They use 1075 for their knives and machetes. :)

I'm absolutely in love with the brand. As HoosierQ mentioned the finish is on the "rustic" side and they have a little higher incidence of QC slips than a lot of North American or Asian manufacturers (which they've been working hard to improve), but they give tremendous performance per dollar spent and if you chance to get a bad one their customer service is fantastic and they'll make sure any problems are taken care of to your satisfaction. They do a great job of listening to their customers and have often made significant changes to their products to reflect customer desires. Good solid working tools for very little money, and most of the designs were done by Joe Flowers (Joezilla) who's a member of our community and an all 'round great guy.

In spite of owning plenty of much more expensive knives and machetes I reach for my Condors and Imacasas (their parent company) more than anything else.
 
I own plenty of more expensive knives, but more often than not, when I need something done it will be a Condor doing the job. Not because I am afraid to use the more expensive knives (because they see a lot of use, too) but because they are better for the job. They have many models that are perfect for a lot of tasks.
 
I have the Hudson Bay camp knife.

For the price, it would be tough to beat. It gets a lot of kitchen use, actually (though it is thick for that use).

The fact that they ship with a convexed edge is a huge selling point for me. It saves me time, so I don't have to do it my self!
 
sounds good to me, i'm not one to complain about the grind being off or anything, as if the handle has sharp corners, just hit it wish some sand paper, and if the grind is off, it would end up that way with me sharpening it anyway XD
 
probably some of the best knives dollar to value wise for larger blades, I think mora gets the title for small fixed blades. They will occasionally have some uneven grinds etc. They usually come sharp and with a sheath thats usually worth the knife price alone. I have a tote of condors multiples of many models. Not quite as refined as some of the US makers but hard to compare at the price point.
 
Considering all the guys trying their had a Patinas and altering the wood scales to better fit them; I think Condor is a great choice.
 
I own several, and for the price you can't beat them. But it's the leather sheath that knocks it out of the park! If they ever take away the leather sheath it will be a sad, sad day.
 
Just got some minty fresh Bushlores in today and holy crap the quality is NICE! True scandi grind and the scales are nicely shaped and sanded and are a nice rich reddish color. Blade profile is crisply defined, and the whole thing just screams quality. The only tiny nit-picky fault I can find with them is the plunge of the grind at the very base of the blade is slightly angled on one side (as if the blade weren't quite held perpendicular to the grinder--the actual grind angle is fine) but that's common on plenty of knives from other companies and doesn't affect it in real world performance. I also got a Scout Hatchet that looks absolutely PERFECT. Looks like Condor is kicking things up a notch, yet again! :cool::thumbup:
 
TheGoldenWalrus said:
are Condors any good? just curious.

Thanks,
Scott

edit: to be a bit more specific the knives i currently have my eye on are the nessmuk and the bushcraft basics.
Click to expand...





Condors I own: Boomslang, Pack Golock, Nessmuk, Lochnessmuk & a Woodworker Axe. I love them all. I would not get rid of any of them. Condors in a nutshell: Yes, they usually will need a little work to get them where you want them (unless you get a "special grade" from BaryOnyx----shameless plug), but they are a high value for the money. The 2 most common things needed are: thinning of the edge of the blade (& then a good sharpening) and maybe some handle refinement. Thats it. If you are a knife enthusiast like most of us, then that will not bother you. Sharpening is always good to know how to do. The 3 tools that made my knife owning soooo much easier are: a 1"x30" belt sander, a Dremel Tool & my drill press. In less than 30 min, i had all 4 of my new Condors edges right where i want them, shaving paper & hair.

A 4'x36" belt/6" disc sander may be in my future as well, seeing as how they are on sale now. :D
 
I must say I like what I see in their "Kukri Machete". Thing about modern Nepalese Kukris as made today is that they are so thick. The thinnest of them are monsters and some are 1/2" thick or more. This Condor model not only has the traditional Cho but the blade is a much more like a machete blade which is how real war Kukris were made let's say WWI and prior. Soldiers do a lot of things but wood chopping is not really one of them...and if they do chop wood, they're gonna use an axe. Modern, traditional Kukuris are geared toward the bushcraft crowd who want to chop a lot with their knives.

I am putting the Condor Kukri Machete on my short list. I think it seems to really capture the spirit of the old Kukris better than the new Nepalese ones...up to a point I guess.
 
HoosierQ said:
I must say I like what I see in their "Kukri Machete". Thing about modern Nepalese Kukris as made today is that they are so thick. The thinnest of them are monsters and some are 1/2" thick or more. This Condor model not only has the traditional Cho but the blade is a much more like a machete blade which is how real war Kukris were made let's say WWI and prior. Soldiers do a lot of things but wood chopping is not really one of them...and if they do chop wood, they're gonna use an axe. Modern, traditional Kukuris are geared toward the bushcraft crowd who want to chop a lot with their knives.

I am putting the Condor Kukri Machete on my short list. I think it seems to really capture the spirit of the old Kukris better than the new Nepalese ones...up to a point I guess.
Click to expand...

Just as a heads-up the one I've got in right now seems to be a revised version. Looks like they're tapered now and have a redesigned cho that's both more attractive and less likely to cause structural issues. :cool::thumbup:
 
I had a condor 18 in machete once, it snapped in half while I was chopping a pine branch about 2.5 inches in diameter. Not saying anything bad about them. That's just my experience.
 
Did you contact the company? Sounds like a bad heat treatment. They'll send you a new one on their dime.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top