Hey folks. Looking for a good quality knife.

Carbon steel that can take and hold an edge (within reason, I don't mind sharpening just don't a cheap knife that's too brittle and chips, or too cheap and rolls an edge)

Using it for general purpose hunting/outdoors knife. Could be gutting big game and fish, skinning, camp chores, bushcraft, whittling sticks, cutting rope, you name it. I head off my property to the woods or rivers and this will be my companion.

I currently use a "condor basic bushcraft" for the last 5-8 years and I like it, but would like something new. A little more dedicated towards hunting/bushcraft.

not looking for a 300$ knife, but not a cheap 40 or 50$ knife. Part of me wants a buck for tradition but I know their stuff now is Chinese junk.

Looking at a condor again also a grohman knife is made locally here in Nova scotia and they are world famous outdoor knives so may lean that way, what other carbon steel knifes do you guys like? I want a quality knife I can keep forever. probably around 5". 6" blade may be too long but would look at it, 4" would be a better skinner probably but may be lacking elsewhere. anyways. I'm done rambling,

suggest away!

Carpenter

Have you looked at the Esee 4 or 5?

No, I know some people like Esee. I've heard of them anyways. They do carbon steels and fixed blades and all that jazz?

I'm guessing you have one you like Nate?

Buck still has made in usa knives, i own 3. Look at the vanguard from buck. I love my made in usa bucks.

I got a new knife from Slick Knives on Monday. I won it in a contest last Wednesday, that I entered back in May, when Warrior won the same monthly drawing and posted about it.

It is excellent quality. I obviously haven't had much chance to use it yet, but think it will perform very well. I have a lot of knives and it may be the best.

https://slicknives.com/

It's the SlicKnives ClipPoint 4.5 - Brown - Skinning & Hunting Knife on the left.




Here's what they sent me.



It feels very good in my hand, with a great weight and grip.

Keith

Buck 110s are still made in the USA. Around 60 bucks. You said you wanted a belt knife though.
IMO the best knife for the dollar is a Mora Companion. 20 dollars and worth every bit of that. 4 1/8th" blade of 1094 steel. They come sharp and are easy to sharpen. They will rust.
Gut out a deer, clean small game, spread mayonnaise on a sammich, cut up bacon...........You name it.
Bushcrafters like to baton their firewood. I' ve tried it playing around with my Mora's. It does ok without hurting the blade at all.
I've got them stashed everywhere. In the boats, in the trucks.......Gave them to my son and son in law as gifts......

You said you've been using a Condor Bushcrafter knife. Unless they've changed they were/are using 1055 carbon steel which is about the same as steel ax heads are made of. 1094 is a higher carbon content steel. It will take a keener edge and keep it longer than the 1055 steel though not as ductile. You're up there in Scova Nosha, so you've got no hardwoods to speak of. Down here that's all we've got. I bought one of those Condor Bushman knives when they came out and tried battoning with it and rolled the edge on a piece of oak.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TNWD40/?coliid=I1H593NF2QFEQK&colid=1O3JNCHHWFGLS&th=1

I am a fan of the Russel Green River knives
this one they call a camp knif or a hunters knife I have also heard it called the fish knife , it actually has very useful geometry the design is old
I get the blanks from track or the wolf and put the wood I want on


this is a Belt knife 4 1/2 inches it does nice as a skinner , a small butcher , and a good cooking knife for many things
I got it as it is in the bottom picture and modified it to my liking giving it the Kephart finger groove and rounding off the end to fit in my hand a little more like a Nessemuck it is sort of a blend of the 2 schools




if you want to Batton wood you are going to be disappointed they make good slicers not great for beating on they have a thin blade that makes them good for many things but not being beat on.

You just described the " Nessmuc " knife...look into it.

Lots of history on that design...and yes I own one...lol

for a long time it was hard to find an actuall Nessmuck you had to have a custom made for you

now I see Bark River is making a nice looking nessy

https://www.dlttrading.com/bark-river-nessmuk-cru-wear-desert-ironwood-brass-pins-3-127


Gorge Washington Sears , carried a hatchet for chopping wood , a pocket knife for whittling and used the Nessmuck primarily for skinning , butchering and cooking cutting

he called them his woodsmans trio

Buck zipper

I second the Mora companion, carbon steel, very sharp and stays sharp, decent sheath, it's a bush style knife..for around 20 bucks it's a bargain..
I've skinned and boned a bunch of deer with mine, just needed a steeling now and then. Mora makes some different and more expensive knives but their basics are great, I probably have a half dozen stashed in the truck, car, boat, and the house.....and if you lose it?, you're not out anything..

I have a bunch of good, and custom knives here, I never use them anymore.

thanks for all the input folks

For the money, which sounds like a factor to you, a Mora knife is unbeatable. I don't know how they make such a quality knife and be so cheap. They really are great knives despite being low dollar. I own several and would not hesitate to buy another.

The surprise you will get when you use this knife and wonder why you didn't pay more will be huge. I have the orange one and the black one. The orange is not carbon. The black is carbon.

https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Bushcraft-Carbon-Fixed-4-3-Inch/dp/B009O01H0Y/ref=sr_1_1_pp?crid=2S4I9D5GMSFLB&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.gAxzxG432GEWQbZhm65XXfcDEVw8iP6_D2XCZghgYilWv8xUB_FMG6uwFMTgc8t9g4KW_bCUR97T2KzKFMobz6AcqCpkpwkS3ODjLSJUiNTnXX_Gs4K5XLxTu_BiOZGpzO0nV5BE312OJcbKm9NTNSIlmGeBE6mJ1e9DtUWgCaJo20xiovr_upVhOmn0H-1h3CObAf-V8mFF7E9O-0y8e2TukDtkLHh56_kJEYwzTV18g7vKo7WlrvB0mgtYOO1YotCNn8N-pJjZOEq99PmqcCHIp74Vi0t2mGJWu72aCo4.OR3ojVjamNlge6qAP4hZ7-wW7Y2CrpXQWXtDzoA3UTQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=mora+companion+knife&qid=1761408822&sprefix=mora+companion%2Caps%2C127&sr=8-1

They are a little harder to sharpen because they are carbon.

But when talking knife traits, holds an edge and easy to sharpen do not gee haw.

Knives of Alaska?

isn't carbon steel easier to sharpen but rusts? vs stainless steel which is harder to sharpen but doesn't really rust much?

i'll check them out

Generally, carbon steel is harder than stainless steel, especially high carbon steel. But there are many different grades of both and there is some overlap.

Getcha some 1095 and make your own. I suck but its fun trying.

I've definitely thought about it ! it's a someday thing. My oldest wants to try blacksmithing so we're going to build a small forge, someday. First it's larger woodshed then furshed then blacksmith shop