My recommendation would be for a
Swamp Rat Knife Works "Ratmandu" (a sibling company of Busse Custom Knives). $139 plus shipping. Custom Leather or Kydex sheaths are available for an additional $50. It is just about the perfect bushcraft knife out there right now IMHO.
It is a full-tang 5 3/8" blade, 10 1/2" overall length, 0.189" thick, and weighing in at a nice 10 ounces. It is made from the Swamp's proprietary SR-101 steel (a special heat-treat of 52100 ball-bearing steel), which will take a
scary sharp edge and
hold it through some pretty
BRUTAL work (google for reviews). They come with either canvas or paper micarta handles. Either way they're impervious to most chemicals. The only thing to be careful of is that 52100 is a carbon steel, so it will rust if not treated properly (one of the main reason for the usual powder coating on these blades).
They are currently out of stock (had some just a few days ago), however they are expecting more in very shortly.
Here are a couple of pictures of one where a member on
Bladeforums stripped the blade coating and gave it a satin finish, then put a very nicely polished convex edge on it:
Originally Posted by CO_Flyfisher
My recommendation would be for a Swamp Rat Knife Works "Ratmandu" (a sibling company of Busse Custom Knives). $139 plus shipping. Custom Leather or Kydex sheaths are available for an additional $50. It is just about the perfect bushcraft knife out there right now IMHO.
Reply With Quote