Is the Fallkniven F1 still popular for bushcraft?

tidefan

tidefan

Joined
Nov 23, 2004
Messages
1,081
I remember about ten years ago here on the forum, the F1 was extremely popular and constantly talked about. But, in the last ten years, the market has been flooded with knives in that size range and the F1 seems to have lulled a bit. I know that carbon steel seems to be really popular right now and it's funny but back then TOPS took a lot of flack for using 1095 and now it seems to be the buzz steel. I like Dave Canterbury and learn a lot from his videos, but I really like the stainless steel benefits. Anyway, is the F1 still popular around here?
 
It's still on my side on I go out...but it's not alone.
Not as popular as it used to be, but a winner design in my book.
 
G'day Tidefan.

Do you realise that another American forum has recently claimed ownership of the term "bushcraft" by having the audacity to claim ownership of the tem (that has been in commmon use for over a hundred years across the world) with the laughable "US patent office'. LMFAO

IMO, this can directly lead to their ability to shut down any use of the term "bushcraft" on any internet forum that doesn't directly lead to their own profit.

When it comes to any international internet forum. I equally hope you realise that Americans will try to promote "home grown products" as a way of keeping jobs in the US. Perfectly natural IMO.

If your question about the F1 is valid, I would suggest that you consider that a lot of internet respondents will naturally try & direct business to those manufactures that still employ Americans.

Perfectly understandable, but does this provide the best advise available?

It's up to you to decide.

Mick
 
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Macchina said:
Mick: what?
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lol, I was thinking the same thing :rolleyes:

on-topic:

The F1 is a great all-round knife, but when it comes to bushcraft I personally feel it has to be a scandi-grind knife. Ime it is the far superior grind when it comes to woodwork.
 
I have and use an F1 fairly regularly; the only reason it doesn't see much more use is I also have a Fallkniven TK2 which I slightly prefer.

The F1 is an expensive knife compared to many other good designs, although there are plenty more expensive than it too. As mentioned, it's not made in the USA and also does not have the appeal (to many knife aficionados) of being 'custom'. I guess it's less widely available/known over there compared to many other brands. Being stainless also puts off a lot of people... I won't comment on that one as it's been 'discussed' too many times already, :foot:.

The F1 is perfectly relevant as a bushcraft knife, just as it always was. It's a case of "does it work for you?" and what you use it for. Some people, including me, find the handle just a touch too short. That's one reason why I prefer the TK2. I guess the blade design is more of an all-round field knife rather than specifically a wood-carving knife. For me that's OK as I define bushcraft (as I have for about 40 years) to mean getting out in the woods and living there comfortably for a while. My 'bushcraft' knife is whatever knife works for that. Don't think the F1 can't carve wood though - it most certainly can!

It's a great knife for bushcraft. End of :D
 
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SouthernCross said:
Do you realise that another American forum has recently claimed ownership of the term "bushcraft" by having the audacity to claim ownership of the tem (that has been in commmon use for over a hundred years across the world) with the laughable "US patent office'. LMFAO
Click to expand...

Seriously??? That's utterly ridiculous of the forum and its owners and frankly shows up an atrocious and ridiculous system that would even allow it. I'm going to find out which one and have my say on that I think... then I'll claim ownership of the word 'milking' and sue farmers across the country for squeezing their cows and everyone else using the phrase! The mind simply boggles at people's idiocy and greed.
 
Macchina said:
Mick: what?
Click to expand...

I think he was drawing attention to the fact that in framing the question tidefan has used a term that is now regulated by law, and this doesn't appear to be common knowledge:

"There is no more or less to it than what there actually is. I know it sounds vague, but basically, the facts are the facts.

Bushcraft USA did not trademark the phrase "Bushcraft USA", or the phrase "Bushcraft Outfitters" (their store) or "Bush Class". They trademarked the actual word "buschraft".

The fact that they managed to hide it for over a year doe snot make that better. The trademark designation that they have been using on their forum and products is for "Bushcraft USA", not the word "bushcraft". As your average woodsman does not spend too much time in the trademark office, it is no surprice that no one found out about it for almost a year after its publication. Bushcraft USA certainly made no announcement, and the thread about the issue on their forum has been deleted along with all comments on their Facebook page.

Of course, that was all after Guy Wood explained that it's no big deal... now simply forums, blogs, and online businesses that want to use the word "bushcraft" in their name have to ask him for permission and pay him a fee.

This is as outrageous from a legal stand point as it is from a common sense one."

Gilmore

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushcraft
 
SouthernCross said:
G'day Tidefan.

Do you realise that another American forum has recently claimed ownership of the term "bushcraft" by having the audacity to claim ownership of the tem (that has been in commmon use for over a hundred years across the world) with the laughable "US patent office'. LMFAO

IMO, this can directly lead to their ability to shut down any use of the term "bushcraft" on any internet forum that doesn't directly lead to their own profit.

When it comes to any international internet forum. I equally hope you realise that Americans will try to promote "home grown products" as a way of keeping jobs in the US. Perfectly natural IMO.

If your question about the F1 is valid, I would suggest that you consider that a lot of internet respondents will naturally try & direct business to those manufactures that still employ Americans.

Perfectly understandable, but does this provide the best advise available?

It's up to you to decide.

Mick
Click to expand...

No biggie Mick. We have both seen the term used to describe two totally different groups of activities already. The clear shift from something with genuine utility value as a lifestyle to a hobbyist thing making corn dollies and cutting sticks is why I had to separate them with the term Neo-Bushcraft.

This strikes me as just the next stage of the evolution. In fact, when I was on the offending site and the discussion was about dogs roaming on one's property the following was proposed as an excellent solution: “Get a big block of frozen blood and with a bunch of razor blades wound into it. Because it is cold the dogs don't know their tongues are getting carved up and they go off and bleed to death”.

In short, Bushcraft may come to mean a route to having your children taken away by social services following a route something like “Gee dad, there's a dog in our garden again”. “Well watch this son”.
 
G'day foxy

foxyrick said:
Seriously??? That's utterly ridiculous of the forum and its owners and frankly shows up an atrocious and ridiculous system that would even allow it. I'm going to find out which one and have my say on that I think... then I'll claim ownership of the word 'milking' and sue farmers across the country for squeezing their cows and everyone else using the phrase! The mind simply boggles at people's idiocy and greed.
Click to expand...

IMO, save your time & effort. The wannabes over there who have censorship rights , have a long track record of deleting posts & banning anyone who isn't a ki$$ ar$e.

IMO, the really sad thing is in the number of internet "Walter Mittys" who will support this because posting there and being popular, somehow makes them feel important.
 
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On the F1 question:

I don't know about popularity, fashions change. Not only that but I don't think the knives people talk about on forums are necessarily the ones they grab to actually do something.

For myself. I tried an F1 as an upgrade in the back when and liked it a lot. It didn't last though and soon enough I was back to my arguably inferior 440C Boker because that works better for me. I still use that Boker remarkably often after years and years.

That said, I still hold the F1 as something of a benchmark in its class. As I said to a mate “I don't use one, but that is where you should start. There may be very good reasons why you end up using something else too, but it is against that F1 that you will judge them all. It sets an excellent standard to frame all the others”.
 
G'day baldtaco-II

baldtaco-II said:
No biggie Mick. We have both seen the term used to describe two totally different groups of activities already. The clear shift from something with genuine utility value as a lifestyle to a hobbyist thing making corn dollies and cutting sticks is why I had to separate them with the term Neo-Bushcraft.......
Click to expand...

I continue to appreciate the insights you have consistently provided.

Kind regards
Mick
 
SouthernCross said:
IMO, save your time & effort. The wannabes over there who have censorship rights , have a long track record of deleting posts & banning anyone who isn't a ki$$ ar$e.
Click to expand...

Quite right - I thought that after I posted. I've been a member there for years although not a very regular visitor. Couldn't help leaving a comment on their facebook page though, just to get it out of my system. It's gone now.


Back to more important topics...


baldtaco-II said:
That said, I still hold the F1 as something of a benchmark in its class. As I said to a mate “I don't use one, but that is where you should start. There may be very good reasons why you end up using something else too, but it is against that F1 that you will judge them all. It sets an excellent standard to frame all the others”.
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Yep -that's probably a 'me too'. I ended up with the TK2 although I do still like to use the F1 occasionally. It's still a great knife. Funny that I always think it's too small in my hand, then I hold it and see that it actually fits quite well. It's when I start moving my grip around that I notice the lack of length compared to the TK2 and I like that extra length. Each to his/her own.

Here's a picture of my remaining Fallkinvens and my NWA forum knife.

For those not familiar, the forum knife is at the top, then the F1, TK2 and A1. I had an A2 (bigger version) but sold it because it never got used.

DSC_0033a.jpg
 
Not quite on topic, but it is related to 1095 steel, which was mentioned. I am looking for a budget fixed blade, and have narrowed it down to the Buck Nighthawk or the Kabar Mark 1. I have always wanted a NIghthawk, but am thinking now that the Kabar's 1095 is probably better than the Nighthawk's 420HC. What say ye, my brothers?
 
numbersman said:
Not quite on topic, but it is related to 1095 steel, which was mentioned. I am looking for a budget fixed blade, and have narrowed it down to the Buck Nighthawk or the Kabar Mark 1. I have always wanted a NIghthawk, but am thinking now that the Kabar's 1095 is probably better than the Nighthawk's 420HC. What say ye, my brothers?
Click to expand...

I doubt there'd be much in it during real world use.

If those were the kind of direction I was considering I'd anticipate the Boker Plus Rold Scout to beat them at cutting and edge retention by a significant margin, for about the same price.
 
There is alot more out there today, look at the GSO 10... It's been around for a bit now... and has made its mark (in my opinion) here on the forums... many threads/talks about it... Ive been fortunate to handle one that my friend has picked up and let me tell you, I havn't handled anything like it before...

I personally feel as though if I were to pick up an outdoors/woodworking blade it would be the GSO 10 without a doubt...

It's a big blade and would handle anything from de-limbing branches to battoning with..

The sheath Guy sends them out with is also a very nice, durable kydex sheath... with a drain hole on the bottom.. that way if your in a moist/wet environment and crossed through some water... you wouldn't need to worry about it all sitting in your sheath..

A small detail to many, but when your in a place like that, it'd be one less thing on your mind...
 
The GSO-10 is a touch bigger than the F1 though... not what most would think of as a 'bushcraft' knife.
 
I have the F1 and like it. It's still with a whole pile of other bushcraft-appropiate knives. It's not on my top of the list. Once got a small chip in my F1, maybe of batoning. Another nice knife within the same price point got a small chip when just carving some dense wood (not batoning that time). Tend to use often a Mora or Condor, hurts less to really use it ;)
 
It's a nice knife, but the edge is a bit thick for my liking. I've been using the H1 more and more, and while it's bigger, I'm starting to like the blade shape more than the F1. I like the 3G steel, once I've thinned the edge out a bit, but that's a complaint I have with most knives, not just Fallkniven.
 
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