"Bushcraft" knives, Why?

[schoolmaster]

I have been on several bushcraft sites and the test for a good bushcraft knife is to hammer it into a piece of wood to split pieces off it. Other tests were to hammer it into a tree, and make fuzz sticks. They also mentioned filing the spine of the knife square to make sure it worked well with fire making rods. Now I understand the value of the fire making aspects but the splitting and hammering escapes me. When I saw the flint knives in these other posts, they seemed to me to be more bushcraft than what is called bushcraft today. I have gotten along on extended primative camping trips with a large 3 bladed stockman's pocket knife. It did a lot of cutting chores quite handily. So, what am I missing?

[inthebeech]

I think the Bushcraft thing might be about doing more with less; if that's your thing when you go camping, have at it.  If you have the space in your truck and drive 99.5% of the way to your camping destination like most of us, I'd say continue to use your stockman for what it is intended to be used for and bring more task-appropriate tools with you for the other stuff.  If you really want to pack light I guess a Leatherman might be good but you're on the right track with a basic knife, ax, folding saw, bottle opener, yada yada.
It is about limits for most of us.  I am sure you can find the tyro who wants to try to build a boat with knife too.
To each his own.

[Victor3]

So, what am I missing?

 What you may be missing is that any knife with a catchy, survivaly word like "bushcraft" in it will sell better. 

[Swampman]

I prefer a 6" Butcher Knife.  They can call it what they like.  It does it all.

[Victor3]

 I think any reasonably sturdy small/medium knife will do. I guess this old Case qualifies as my bushcraft knife since I've cut bushes with it a few times...

[Joel]

The word "bushcraft" is an English(as in UK) term that is what we call woodlore/survival over here.  Ray Mears, the famous English video star who has numerous videos out about living and surviving in the outdoors was responsible for the design of the bushcraft knife.  It suited his needs for performing basic knife functions.  As an English friend of mine said " what we English call bushcraft, you Americans call a picnic".  It's a different world over there.
I don't like the design at all; even the handle irritates me, but the bottom line is if it has an edge, you can use it.

[Empty Quiver]

I may be mistaken in what I think the Bushcraft knife is. I think of it as a lousy substitute for a machete, a hatchet and a skinning knife all rolled into one.

 My personal belief is that one would be better served with a modest pocket knife and a good hatchet, I would allow that for some locals a machete would be better than the hatchet.

Too many people watch Rambo movies and believe that load of horse crap. Would one in one hundred thousand of us qualify as a Spec Force Operator? Could we hope to use those tools as intended? Lots of knife fighting goin' down out there in the wilderness, what with all the terrorists lurking about.

[gcrank1]

A lot of what I see called 'bushcraft' is similar to  our (USA) 'buckskinner' made knives. Some are great, some......not so; but it can do a job if it has an edge.
Great fun making them for those who just have to have a project going.
Swampman, I am kinda with you. As I look back over 'how many years', my main carry and use 'large' knife has been an antique six-pin scalper pattern butcher knife. It has seen more service preparing food than anything and it will cut a fuzz stick. Any heavy duty use goes to the Ft. Meigs style belt axe or even larger axes or machete, as the need be. The past few years I finally made the investment in the Nessmuk Triad, just because, but havent put them to use more than casually. At 58 Im not getting into the rough as much......
In the world, Ive carried the SAK 'Tinker' for 35ish years. The best knife is the one you have with you when you need it.

[ironglow]

  Although "bushcraft" denotes some general features, I think it is actually a catchy 'sales phrase' (IMO).  Looking back at the real survivalists, the mouintain men..I think Swampy is onto something. The mountain men usually carried a Russell Green River knife.  Now, the Russells have high-carbon stainless blades..so a closer copy may well be the Ontario line..old time carbon steel...
 
     http://www.builderdepot.com/showbrand.ihtml?id=10624
 
  I would suppose an Ontario 6" butcher and a good hatchet would serve well...and still room for a pocket knife.

[gcrank1]

I just took a look at those, truth is, the 4" paring knife would do most all you need to, and would fit in a neck sheath really well and thus always be with you (my Indian brothers were onto something there...). The next up in the 7" butcher is a long knife and will get in the way on a belt sheath, but sure will cut bread, and big chunks of cheese and sausage.

Take a look at the 'Smokey Mountain Knife Works' site for the Condor brand, they have several inexpensive blades along these lines and maybe closer than the Ontario to what you have in mind. With their belt Dbl. Bit and the Nessmuk or any of their Bushcraft and a pocketknife you probably already have you will be in for under $100.

One thing Ive read about the B-crafters wanting is a knife that 'does it all'. Ive never found it. And I dont want a heavy, awkward thing to dig holes with as well as cut stuff, I respect my fine edge too much. I cringe everytime I see somebody on a show stick their one & only knife in the ground in between tasks.

[schoolmaster]

I have a Nessmuk style knife made by Ron White that is made from the original pattern. It is carbon steel and pretty thin compared to some other bushcraft knives I have seen. Sears thought that knives were made to cut with and carried his double bladed hatchet to chop with. I like a folding saw when I am serious about cutting large branches and small trees. For smaller cutting chores I like my 3 blade stockman. I have used it to field dress and bone out a deer or two when I didn't have access to my other knives. It wasn't ideal but still did the job handily. The Nessmuk knife is very similar to the butcher knives referenced in the earlier posts. The blade is just shaped differently. Even when primative camping I have practically no need to chop or split wood. 

[gcrank1]

I like my Rem. Stockman too, samish size as Sear's 2 blade and we have an extra, what can be bad with that?
Since revisiting the 'field' knives of late I got out a bunch (hey, they need love too) and have started using them in the kitchen. I sure do like my traditional chef's knife (the 8" Chicago model) and recently picked up a cheap Santoku (?) type at Walmart, very thin and shorter, about 5". Both are dandy, of course, and Im thinking that more of a chef's blade pattern, though not as wide, would make a good camp & trail knife for me where most of my use is still food prep. The key in handling is that it cut sausage or cheese straight down, and thus will with veggies or anything else. I hate it when the blade skews the cut. A broad Scandi grind would probably do well, way better than a bevel grind (a grind better for the afore mentioned chopping), but I favor a tall flat grind that I can dress a fine secondary bevel on (diamond 'stones' are wonderful for reshaping badly treated knives you may find on a bargin table).
Sears said most knives carried into the bush were too thick and heavy, and I think 3/16 would be about max. My old six-pin runs about 1/8 and fine, though a tad too long, but I cant bear to shorten it after it has survived so long as is.
Hit the St. Vincent or Goodwill stores regularly to check out their butcher knife selection, sometimes good old blades turn up to make you 'bushcraft' notion into reality before you maybe go with some custom version.

[ironglow]

  Remember; with some judicious use of a sander or angle grinder, you can make a very nice Nessmuk from an Ontario skinner.. or sand/grind other ones to your own preference..just keep the steel cool..