So as not to hijack another knife forum, the name Bark River Knives came up. Not being familiar with them, I looked them up. Nice stuff. That looks like that could be a deep rabbit hole
Bark River Knives
- Thread starter Narragansett
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I'll have to check them out as I'm unfamiliar with them as well.
Richard Simmons
Member
I've got a couple and have been quite pleased with them. This is the only one I have a pic of at the moment, Bravo 1 with golden elder burl scales. Don't recall the specs but the blade is a nice thickness and the convex grind cuts well. Sheath is nice quality as well.
THE PILGRIM
Member
I guess us Barbie fans haven't talked about them enough!
American Made, from small to really big, they use about every steel and handle material available!
They make so many models, variations, blade lengths, improvements-changes that they can be confusing!
And often they put models into production , then stop that one and move on to another!
When you are slow on the trigger, it's sad singing and slow driving!
YES, I WANT A CHUTE KNIFE!
Out of production and going up in value like Fighter with Burner lit.
Here's my Largest Bark River.
It's a Smoke Jumper, middle Knife.
Randall on top, Bottom - Loveless Pattern Dixon Fighter - made by NM Knife Whiz Hank Kubiabo.
American Made, from small to really big, they use about every steel and handle material available!
They make so many models, variations, blade lengths, improvements-changes that they can be confusing!
And often they put models into production , then stop that one and move on to another!
When you are slow on the trigger, it's sad singing and slow driving!
YES, I WANT A CHUTE KNIFE!
Out of production and going up in value like Fighter with Burner lit.
Here's my Largest Bark River.
It's a Smoke Jumper, middle Knife.
Randall on top, Bottom - Loveless Pattern Dixon Fighter - made by NM Knife Whiz Hank Kubiabo.
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THE PILGRIM
Member
I will speak pure blasphemy in a public forum—I think any Bark River knife equals any Randall. There I said it!
When I set up at gun shows I have My knives in a display case so people have to ask to see one. I have Randall, Ruana, Morseth, CR Sigman and My partner puts in some of His WWII knives and two Bark River knives. What do the Philistines walking the aisles ask to see? The Randall, Ruana, and WWII knives. Only names they know.
I have a few:
Classic Drop Point Hunter in 4V
Classic Utility Caper
Wilderness Explorer in Cruwear
Kalahari Thorn
Springbok, one in BCM, one in Desert Ironwood
Featherweight Fox River
PSK EDC
Survivor
Bird & Trout
Kalahari Mini Sportsman
Kalahari Sportsman
Bushcrafter
They use great steels and good quality designs and handle shapes.
Classic Drop Point Hunter in 4V
Classic Utility Caper
Wilderness Explorer in Cruwear
Kalahari Thorn
Springbok, one in BCM, one in Desert Ironwood
Featherweight Fox River
PSK EDC
Survivor
Bird & Trout
Kalahari Mini Sportsman
Kalahari Sportsman
Bushcrafter
They use great steels and good quality designs and handle shapes.
Very good blades.
So far, I have one Bark River and like it a lot. Want more.
Pretty much all of the more well-known makers from Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Bark River, Rapid River, Hess, etc., make good quality knives. Most of the guys up there worked at Marble's in Gladstone at one time or another and are well-familiar with producing quality classic Scagel (influenced by Webster Marble and who influenced Bo Randall)-type knives. You really can't go wrong with any of them.
OP
BearBio
Member
I have (or have had) a half dozen Randalls and a dozen or so Bark River. I would never say Bark River is as good as a Randall but I wouldn't feel unarmed and powerless with a Bark River.
shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
I've owned several Bark River knives, and still have three. One is a discontinued model, but is one of fifteen Mike Stewart made especially to try out my suggestion that instead of a metal guard he use a contrasting Micarta one. He was gracious enough, for some time afterward, to refer to that guard design on subsequent models by my name.
All the Bark Rivers I've owned have been pretty early ones, all with blades of splendidly cryo-treated A2 steel, convex ground. All were fiendishly sharp from the box, held an edge extremely well, and could be stropped back to sharp on a piece of corrugated cardboard.
My favorites of the ones I've owned have been a first-production Highland Special with a four-inch drop point blade with a thickness of 0.170" (compared to a later one I acquired with a 0.25" thick blade, which I liked but thought it was a bit less agile than the older one); and a Mini-Canadian with a 2.5 inch blade.
All three knives had green canvas Micarta handles. I carried the Mini-Canadian in a hip pocket wallet-style sheath for cutting up boxes, etc. The Highland Special was to my way of thinking just about the perfect field knife--versatile, virtually indestructible, felt wonderful in my hand, and a ferocious cutting tool.
Nowadays Mike seems to be pitching heavily to collectors, with a bewildering range of designs and materials. But I'd bet the old homestead that anything he produces will still be one hell of a cutter.
All the Bark Rivers I've owned have been pretty early ones, all with blades of splendidly cryo-treated A2 steel, convex ground. All were fiendishly sharp from the box, held an edge extremely well, and could be stropped back to sharp on a piece of corrugated cardboard.
My favorites of the ones I've owned have been a first-production Highland Special with a four-inch drop point blade with a thickness of 0.170" (compared to a later one I acquired with a 0.25" thick blade, which I liked but thought it was a bit less agile than the older one); and a Mini-Canadian with a 2.5 inch blade.
All three knives had green canvas Micarta handles. I carried the Mini-Canadian in a hip pocket wallet-style sheath for cutting up boxes, etc. The Highland Special was to my way of thinking just about the perfect field knife--versatile, virtually indestructible, felt wonderful in my hand, and a ferocious cutting tool.
Nowadays Mike seems to be pitching heavily to collectors, with a bewildering range of designs and materials. But I'd bet the old homestead that anything he produces will still be one hell of a cutter.
2ndshift
Member
Say ya to da UP!
THE PILGRIM
Member
I been known to tell folks-
I been Everywhere -
I been to the PI, DI, ZI and the UP.
I can say Escanabia but I can't spell it!
You can still go to all of them except the DI.
They tore it down!
I been Everywhere -
I been to the PI, DI, ZI and the UP.
I can say Escanabia but I can't spell it!
You can still go to all of them except the DI.
They tore it down!
I found them because of the "KnivesShipFree.Com" website. They are also good folks to deal with.
Tim
Tim
OP
Hmmmmmmm... I did not see a model named Shouldazagged?
I think I am getting dangerously close to buying one of these Bark River knives
