We Have Custom Bushcraft Knives for Sale

Jun 8 2021 - 7:41

Now that the weather is warming up, more and more people are enjoying some time in the woods. The woods are starting to team with life again, with trees and shrubs sending out new growth. This means that it is the perfect time to start brushing up on your bushcraft skills. If you are ready to go on a bushcraft trip and need a new knife, we have custom bushcraft knives for sale so you can create the perfect knife package for your next trip.

Bushcraft Basics

As many outdoor enthusiasts already know, bushcraft is an umbrella term that covers a wide range of survival practices. Developing these skills is a great way to learn to appreciate the woods and learn how to survive in the wilderness. Bushcraft not only covers the basic survival needs of warmth, shelter, water, and food, but also includes a wide variety of other tasks including mastering primitive technologies in order to make wilderness survival as simple as possible.

While bushcraft deals with survival in primitive environments, modern bushcrafters often start with a few modern tools. The most essential tool for engaging in bushcraft is a well made knife. A knife can achieve a wide range of bushcraft tasks, but not all knives are created equal. When you are going into the woods, you will want a knife that is dependable. Before you check out our bushcraft knives for sale, it's important to understand what makes a good knife

Bushcraft Knives

As one of the most important tools for any bushcraft enthusiast, a well made fixed blade knife is essential. This is not to say that a good folding knife has no place in bushcraft. In fact two knives are always better than one. Carrying a folding knife or a multitool in addition to your fixed blade knife is beneficial for bushcraft because a folding knife offers some additional utility than what you can achieve from your fixed blade. Despite their usefulness, having a folding knife as your primary bushcraft knife is not the best idea.

Fixed blade knives are best for the bushcraft enthusiast because they can handle the kind of hard tasks that would damage a folding knife and possibly put the user in danger. One of the most common examples of these kinds of jobs is processing wood. If you need to chop a branch and all you have is a small folding knife, you are going to be in trouble. You will need a knife that has enough heft and strength to perform the task of chopping.

Batoning firewood is another common reason why you need a fixed-blade knife. If you plan on literally whacking your folding knife through a piece of wood to split it, you are probably going to end up breaking your folding knife. The solid construction of a full tang knife will let it tackle these kinds of tasks with ease. Obviously a full tang knife is not indestructible, but they are far more likely to survive hard impacts.

On top of their sturdy construction, fixed blades also tend to have a larger average blade size compared to folding knives. Some manufacturers do make large folding knives, but most are designed to serve as a compact alternative to a larger knife, limiting the average size. Still, as long as you have a reliable fixed blade to handle the tough tasks, then keeping a folding knife on your person is always a great backup for performing fine tasks. In fact, it's not uncommon to find a seasoned bushcraft enthusiast who trades their workhorse of a knife for a classic Swiss Army Knife when they need to handle a delicate task. Plus SAKs and multitools have their own advantages due to all of the extra tools that they contain.

Similarly, sometimes your average bushcraft tool might not be enough for the job that you are performing. Sometimes big solutions require bigger and more powerful implements than the average bushcraft knife. If you are doing a lot of heavy chopping or processing a lot of firewood, then a larger tool like a machete or hatchet might also make a great addition to your bushcraft kit.

No matter what kind of knives you plan on taking with you, let's talk about your main bushcraft knife. Your standard bushcraft knife should be a full tang knife with a blade length from 3.5 to 6.5 inches. Aside from that the specifics of blade design, grind, and handle scales is really all about personal preference. One thing to consider is the blade and point design. A good belly for slicing and a point that is sturdy are both useful things to have. This is what makes drop point and spearpoint blades such popular choices.

Using Your New Knife

There are a wide range of bushcraft tasks to practice during any trip. This includes covering all of the basic survival needs. Being able to construct a shelter or a fire is not only important from a survival point of view, but it can be incredibly rewarding to be protected and kept warm through your own hard work. If you are new to bushcraft, there are a few important skills to master.

One of the rites of passage for bushcrafters is starting a friction fire. Despite the stereotypes about rubbing two sticks together, this process can take a lot of work. Ultimately you are going to be rubbing two sticks together, but you need to do it in the smartest way possible. Making a bow drill is one of the most effective ways to do this and a knife can definitely help create a bow drill. Some bushcraft knives will even have a dimple on the handle that can be used in place of the top block on a bow drill.

In addition to assisting with building a friction fire setup, a knife can be invaluable for a lot of other valuable tasks when it comes to building a fire. You can use a knife to make a fuzz stick, process kindling, and baton firewood to reasonable sizes. If you are just trying to make a fire using slightly more modern tools, a knife with a sharp spine is perfect for striking a ferro rod.

You can also produce sparks using a knife and a traditional flint, though this old school method does have its disadvantages and should probably not be your primary method of firemaking. When you strike a ferrocerium rod, the rod is consumed to make the spark. When you strike a knife with flint, the iron in the blade is consumed to make a spark. This can wear blades over time, so it's best to use a dedicated steel with flint. Luckily, ferro rods are extremely common, easy to carry, and extremely efficient for starting fires.

Once you have mastered firemaking, one of the next most important bushcraft tasks is shelter building. There are many different types of bushcraft techniques used in the crafting of shelters, but most of them involve the construction of wooden shelters. Your shelter can range from a simple lean-to insulated with leaves to a permanent structure made with wood, earth, bark, grass, and cordage that you build over time wherever you practice bushcraft. No matter what type of shelter you plan on building, you will need a good knife to help process wood, cut cordage, and complete other tasks

Custom Knife Builder

Now that you know the kind of tasks that your knife will be tackling, it's time to look at our custom bushcraft knives for sale. Our exclusive Knife Builder tool is a great way for users to take a little control over the look and feel of their knife. This tool lets you choose from several popular knife models from ESEE Knives, Ontario Knife Company, and our own Architect Knives. Once you have selected the knife model that you want, you will be able to choose the color of the blade, the handle scales, and a great selection of accessories to pair with your new knife. This includes sheath systems, ferro rods, and other accessories that are invaluable for bushcrafters. In order to give you a quick overview of the options that we carry, let's look at a few of the customizable knife models that we carry.

Architect Field Buddy - The Field Buddy is a pretty amazing knife when it comes to performing outdoor tasks. This knife is the result of years of work that all started with our founder Dale wondering how he would design his perfect outdoor knife. The Field Buddy is available with either a 5.5 inch or 6.5 inch blade. The knife is constructed from 1095 carbon steel or CPM-3V tool steel. The Field Buddy itself has a drop point blade design, thumb jimping for extra control, a ferro rod notch, and a comfortable handle design over a skeletonized frame. The pommel of the knife also features a crusher end for delivering a hard impact. Overall, we think this knife will really impress users in the field with its limitless applications.

ESEE 4 - The ESEE 4 is an outdoor knife designed to handle a wide variety of tasks. Like all ESEE Knives, the ESEE 4 was designed with survival in mind and features a sturdy full tang build. The 1095 high carbon steel drop point blade is slightly over 4 inches in length with a 4.5" cutting edge. The knife has a finger choil and thumb jimping so you have several secure grip options whether you're doing some light chopping or you are performing some delicate cuts.

ESEE Laser Strike - The Laser Strike is another great survival knife from ESEE. These knives have a 4.5 inch blade with a spear point design. The blade is made from sturdy 1095 carbon steel and is powder coated to protect the blade. One unique feature on these knives is a section between the handle scales that can be used to house small essentials like a ferro rod. The handles on these knives also have a small dimple for securing a bow drill spindle during operation.

OKC Tak 1 - The TAK 1 is a great knife designed by Jeff Randall. These knives are designed for hard survival tasks and built from powder coated 1095 carbon steel. The blade itself has an ample cutting belly for slicing, a sharp drop point for fine tasks, and a generous handle size to provide an incredibly comfortable grip.

Once you have picked the perfect knife for you and selected your custom options, you can add your new knife package to your cart, place your order, and we will put together your new knife for you. In addition to the accessories that we offer as part of our custom Knife Builder tool, you will also find plenty of other great outdoor supplies in our shop. This includes everything from a handy first aid kit to cordage. If you need anything for your bushcraft pack after you've finished looking at our custom bushcraft knives for sale, we will probably have a great option for you.

If you are ready to get a new, hard working knife for your next bushcraft adventure, check out our selection of custom bushcraft knives for sale. Our Knife Builder tool makes the process of putting together your own custom knife package quick, easy, and pretty fun. We know that when you get your new custom built knife, you will love both the utility and distinct look of your new knife. If you have any questions about our Knife Builder or any of the great products in our shop, feel free to reach out to one of our knife experts. Just send your questions to support@theknifeconnection.com and we will be happy to help in any way we can.