need advice on a camp/backwoods blade

[proven]

i've been trying to research a few blades to use as a general purpose camp/backwoods blade. first and foremost is blade strength. next in line would be cost, field serviceablility (sharpening), and a decent sheath. i want a blade that will last quite some time.

that being said, i've eyed the ka-bar, ontario rat-7, becker cu7, and swamprat camp tramp.

first off the camp tramp is a bit more than i'd like to spend. a good knife no doubt, but i saw no mention of a sheath on their site. i'm assuming that one must purchase a sheath on their own which only adds to the expense. also i'm not a huge fan of the handle. i really like full length and width tangs with slabs.

the ka bar is nice but the handle issue arises. also the ka bar looks the most like a fighting knife out of these, and i'd like it to be a bit less flashy to those i might meet along the trail.

the becker seems to get rave reviews from most. blade design seems nice and i like the use of slabs for the handle. the matrial seems like it might be a bit slippery though. the sheath leaves something to be desired from what i'm told. and as far as price, it seems like a winner.

now for the rat-7. this is the one i'm leaning towards the most. i like the drop point blade design. the sheath seems acceptable. the handle design/material seems like the best set-up of the bunch. and the price is reasonable.

now for the tough questions.

if the rat-7....1095 or d2?? i'm told that d2 needs the proper heat treating. does anyone know of ontarios process?? also are there any that i'm missing?? preferably in the under $100 price range.

i've seen plenty of comments on everything but rat-7. anyone with personal experiences with this blade?? any comments on the camp tramp's sheath or handle??


thanks for your time.

 

[Kingcreek]

You might want to take a look at Bark River
www.barkriverknifetool.com
or Northwoods or Marble's

 

[hso]

The Swamp Rat knives come with sheaths and are full tang constructin using micarta scales. I don't have one, but wouldn't mind adding it to the collection and wouldn't hesitate taking it to the woods.

The Becker is a good product, but you need to sort through them to be certain that you get a good primary bevel. If you can handle a grinder or hand grind you can reform the rare bad edge yourself. I don't know what's not to like about the sheath since it's pocket is designed to take an Altoid tin as a survival kit.

I like the RAT-7, but I've read a bad review on one of it's sister pieces that had tip breakage problems due to the overly fine point. Look it over before making a decision.

 

[proven]

hso-
the swamp rat camp tramp does not have micarta scales. they use a resiprene c handle over full tang. i worry about this handle coming loose (paranoid i guess). and i don't want to have to regrind anything i just bought new. what model pf the rat line had the breakage, and do you have a link to the review??

kingcreek-
BRKT...nice but still a bit pricey.

 

[Valkman]

I don't know how big you want to go, but the Kershaw Outcast is excellent. I got one at Blade and have chopped stuff up in the back yard. Sweet!

 

[nwmanitou]

Go with the Swamp Rat Camp Tramp. I just bought one and have to say it's the most amazing knife I've ever owned or seen. The handle is made of Respirin C. It's completely impervious to solvents and such. It also keeps it's grip even if wet. My hands sweat a lot so I'm greatfull for this feature. Also, their heat treating process is amazing. Also, they have a lifetime no questions asked gaurantee.

check out the site: Swamp Rat Knifeworks

Also, here is a very good link on knife testing. Knife Test They guy has tested quite a few cutting tools. When I say tested, I mean torture tested, many times to the point of destroying the knife in question.

 

[Boats]

This Bark River Gameskeeper is like one of my three, but mine has hollow pins. Sharpest. Production. Knives. Ever.

Currently $142.00 though. Worth every penny.

 

[c_yeager]

Nice knife boats.

Did you recently post one with Olive Wood scales in another thread as well?

 

[Boats]

Yep. I have yet another in burled maple too.

 

[Kestrel]

Hey, that Bark River Gameskeeper looks great. I don't have any experience with Bark River knives - are they well made? Have they been around a long time? What other knives (quality-wise) would these compare to?

Thanks.

 

[Zeke/PA]

Check out what Cabellas has to offer.
The Camillus clone of the Marine K-Bar is a great and reletively inexpensive
knife.
Knives are what you make them!!!!
Regards, Zeke

 

[Boats]

Here is the BRKY Gameskeeper tale of the tape:

Blade Steel: A2 Tool Steel, double quenched, triple tempered, cryo-treated, convex ground, full tang construction.
Thickness: .217 inches
Blade Length: 4.25 inches
Overall Length: 9.1 inches
Weight: 7 ounces
Hardness: 58-60RC

The scales are pinned and adhered to the tang to prevent moisture from getting under the scales.

IIRC, the blades are water cut, tempered and cryo treated to specification by Aeroblades in Ohio. The blanks are then transported to the UP in Michigan where they are inspected, hand ground, and hand finished into shippable product.

They haven't been around all that long, but Mike Stewart, the owner, worked for Blackjack and Marbles knives back in the day.

 

[hso]

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/knives/reviews.html

Cliff Stamp is this loonatic physicist up in Canada that has a fetish for abusing knives at the extreem end of the user spectrum. He's performed tons of "no one in their right mind would do that with a knife" evaluations. Within the no limits bounds of these tests you will also find the more normal performance strengths and failures of the knives he's abusing.

Sorry 'bout the micarta. I had just been looking at some old Busse knives and it just got carried over (Busse's wife is Swamp Rat ).

The Bark River knives are excellent and they make great field knives. If you take a small axe with you into the woods you can keep the knife small and handy. It's a pain in the butt to try to use some 8 inch choppenhacker to cut cheese or bread or carve tent pegs when the small axe does the beter chopping and hacking and the 3-5 inch sheath knives does everything else better.

 

[middy]

I agree with hso, knives are for cutting. Take a look at the Spyderco Moran and the Gransfors Bruks hunter's axe.

If you just want a big honkin' knife that can sever limbs (of all kinds), then by all means, you can't go wrong with a big ol' Swamp Rat.

 

[Cosmoline]

I really like the Roselli Ultra-High-Carbon "Hunter" Puukko I recently got from Ragweed Forge. Amazingly sharp and it holds its edge a long time.

http://www.ragweedforge.com/RoselliCatalog.html

Ditto on the Bruks axe. I have a campers axe from them. It's extremely sharp and tough. Those axes are built to last for ages.