I am employed at bark river and work on the handle side. I will vouch that every handle I do can be different. Also, some of the softer woods cannot be machined so they must shaped by hand. Which is what I also do. All those are amazing, Bushcrafter LT in 3V is my go to knife and would also recommend the Bravo 1.25. Keep up the great videos.
Love my Barkies. Could not debate one thing yall said. My go to is a Bravo 1.5 in 3V my favorite steel. Albeit Magnacut has become a close second. Carry on.
Bark Rivers are things of beauty. IMO. I am forever picking mine up to pull it out and look at it and smell the leather for the sheath I bought for it. Good luck.
One of my fav Bark rivers is the Highlander Special, mine is in A2, an I use it as an EDC knife, as I am A handy man that is retired from Construction, this knife is a dream from bushcraft, work, an edc. Thank you gentlemen enjoy your channel so much!
Big fan of DBK here, I love their videos and their reviews of Bark River Knives plus Mike Stewart's videos inspired me to get a Bark River. I bought my first bark river, a Bravo, one month ago for USD $270 on dlttrading and it came with a few defects that were not negligible by any means. The grind was visibly uneven, the edge near the guard was ground down because the maker's hand slipped on the belt, the pins had scratches, the tip was slightly uneven, a corner on the micarta scale on one side had frayed micarta, and the belt loop on the leather sheath was not measured properly because it was not long enough to button to itself even without a belt slotted through the loop. I thought what the hell: this was probably a fluke and since they have such a good reputation on the internet and their prices are exorbitant they must be a good company. It is a good knife, with the kind of edge retention I anticipate it's steel to have, but I expected it to be perfect for that price and the brand's renowned craftsmanship. This was my opinion of the company until I did more digging on the internet. If you look wide enough on the internet you will find many many dirty ugly things about BRK products which people don't talk about but are definitely existent across the years. I was horrified to learn so many shady things about the company on bladeforums, bushcraftusa, and reddit. There is a significant amount of evidence that BRK is not the upstanding company with honest business practices that knife TH-cam channels and Mike Stewart (the founder and owner of BRK who has a few youtube videos) make it out to be. Do some research and you will find out for yourself.This is a quote from 5 years ago I found on reddit which in my experience as a customer is quite accurate, even after having contacted their spokesperson on facebook about my knife. "As a knife maker here, you don't tend to see a lot of our kind posting our opinions about manufacturers and other makers. But here we go. Bark River, from what I've seen, is an immoral company. They have a forum where they were encouraged to bash people that didn't like their products, and where they blatantly censor people that try to have civil and open conversation, or offer polite criticism. Disingenuous in testing, unprofessional heat treating and Grinding (th-cam.com/video/4cfCYb-Gamg/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=kenneths123). From that video you can see a ton of mistakes. A man holds a knife by the spine, while he grinds the blade, such that the he won't notice the heat build up nearly as much, and really bears down on the knife. It's cheaper to bear down on a knife with worn belts instead of changing to a fresh one. And when he quenches, you should absolutely not see a plume of steam coming from the blade, nor should you dunk it for a split second, all you are doing is creating micro fractures in the edge and ruining the heat treatment of the edge and not really adequately cooling the blade. It sounds silly in a way, knives are tools. But you know, this is metallurgical science, and people are paying for premium. They offered on some models, sub par sheaths that everyone and their grandmother had problems with, but it's okay because for a 'X' dollars you can buy another, better one made for the same model. Hell, the same company that made the sheaths if I'm not mistaken, basically did a rename. I could be wrong about that, but the 'new' manufacturer had almost 100% identical styles. And all of that, and they won't take responsibility for the numerous damaged knives that have been proven damaged through empiricism time and time again, by the good ol' folks on youtube, Cliff Stamp, Ckc knives and Virtuovice have done tons of testing and have some pretty good evidence to suggest inferior hear treatments that they simply won't be held accountable for. It sucks because they're huge players in the knife game, and they legitimately make high performance stuff sometimes that really kicks ass and looks great (Mostly their A2 stuff from what I've seen), but other times they have issues they won't address or won't take responsibility for, and that's wrong. If a customer had an issue with a knife I made, I wouldn't ridicule them, I'd work to rectify my mistakes because that's the right thing to do, and make sure I don't make them on the next knife. I'd also like to say, I've never done business with them nor been wronged by them, but the evidence is there, they do generally walk around with this air of superiority that prevents them from doing a better job. They make some great stuff, and then some not so great stuff."
Agreed. I have a couple of bakies aswell; not a single of them was finished well enough for the price. Two of them had heat-treatment issues (1x slightly burned edge and 1x very badly burned edge), others have some horrible grind mistakes. The finish on the handles was ok, some unpolished spots here and there but nothing major. Dont get me started on the sheaths tho....the only good one i have is from 2012...the rest, especially the "new designs" are trash for the price. When buying a bark river you most likely wont get a perfect knife by any means. Its something you have to put some work in. (treating the leather, reprofiling the grind, polishing the handle etc.) But if you do that they are among the greatest factory knives out there. I actually just bought another gunny, and i kinda regret it already lol
@@nils-ph3zs I agree with you about all that stuff. The company is running on reputation marketing these years because if they were a new company and this is the quality they sell, they would close down from lack of customers. What steel are your barkies in and how is the heat treat/steel performance? (mine is in Cru-wear)
@@Jerry-uc1pn i have 3v, A2 and cpm154. The heat treatment itself is good, but they burn the steel while grinding...The A2 knife needed alot of sharpening in order to perform (the burned portion around the edge had to be removed). Before that i got rolls all over the place; the tip just came of (just a little piece tho). I dont know how the 3v would have performed unsharpened, since the geometry of the bevel was so horrible that i reprofiled it straight away. The cpm154 had just a little burned edge. After good reprofiling the steels perform good tho. Really good
Yup. Everything you say is true. I have quite a few of their knives, and almost all of them came with fit and finish issues that are unacceptable considering the price. It’s a shame because I really like many of their designs, but I can’t bring myself to spend any more money on their knives; for the same price, I can buy an LT Wright with the confidence that it will arrive flawless. I can’t justify paying $200+ for a knife only to have to spend hours fixing quality control issues that should have been taken care of at the factory. And Mike Stewart claims that each knife is checked for issues every time the knife is passed to a new worker. If that were true, the knife would never leave the factory with such issues. Either his entire staff are incompetent, or Mike is lying. My guess is the latter
Very detailed! I myself am just beginning knife buying because I moved to a state that has much less knife laws than my previous state so these talks really help me to make a more informed decision, so thank you!
I'm a big barkie fan. I own 12 of them. Cpm3v is my favorite steel. It works for me. When it comes to knives and steel,just find one that works for you. Everyone is different and live in areas with different environments.
I have been researching which bark river to get for a while. I just ordered a Gunny in A2, my thought is I'll practice sharpening and taking care of that then pass it to one of my son's and get an elmax or cruwear. I really like my Mora's because of how easy they are to sharpen, but I have an S30V that once I get it sharp I don't want to use it because it's such a pain to do. Thanks for sharing your insight.
haha i know how you feel. A2 is very easy to sharpen but just has a little too less edge retention for us compared to the little price you pay more for 3v
I just got my first last week. An early Fathers Day present.an UP Bravo in A-2 Amboynia burl. Nice. I use knives like this to break down large pieces of pork, like whole shoulders.
I recently received my Bark River (in collaboration with Dark Timber) Grizzly knife! I like it very much! My father lives approximately 10 miles from the Bark River knife factory. Thank you for your time and work!
i was given the bark river mini fox river 3v. best knife iver ever had. much better than my spyderco s30v pocketknife i was using every day at work. i want a longer blade though. it just feels to small for my daily uses
Try the BRKT Gunny Sidekick. A new knife in CPM M4. Also the Kalahari Bushman II in CPM 3V and the Adventurer I Neck Knife in Elmax. Although I would not consider any of these a primary knife for bushcrafting, I think they would make excellent knives for food prep and feather-stick making and great backup knives for everything except batoning.
Please take a look at the First Edge 5050 which was developed with input from the US Navy Special Warfare Group supporting the SEAL Team Cold Weather Survival School. It's 0.25" thick, heavy and Elmax with G10 scales. It's also expensive at US$315.
It looks like a very usable knife! most army knives look a bit fancy in my opinion but this one looks very practical. It is indeed expensive. Elmax is becoming more and more available on much lower priced quality knives.. Thanks for sharing mate!
I am heading to Escanaba Michigan today which is home to knifeshipfree and Bark River knifes. I grew up there and a very good friend of mine used to own Marble Arms before they went to hell. I will try to get a picture of the places while I'm back home. You guys would be in heaven there!
Dutch Bushcraft Knives Bark River Knifes is actually located in Escanaba also. About 2 miles from KSF. They moved the plant to Escanaba when they outgrew the plant in Bark River, about 10 miles from Escanaba
At the end of the day what really makes a difference in knife blades is heat treating and blade geometry. Most of the rest such as steel composition and names are mostly hype that is used to drive up the cost.
But!!!! If you have great design, thermal cycles, steel alloy and geometry, you've begun to be able to expect a better tool! So I can not ignore the things that are hyped. I got torqued bec I heard of a company that would use super steel alloy, but not even try to reach it's potential, so why use it??? Market hype. Underhardening a knife to save headaches later sucks!!!!
In recent lookings around on the web ive come across the bravo vortex. I really like the idea of the horizontal sheath. I figure you guys have discovered it too. Any chance of seeing it on your channel in the future?
We have so many knives to test but who knows. No knife can hide in the shelves from us for ever. i'm kinda waiting for bark river to try some new steels before I buy another one. -stay sharp mate!
One of the most clever geometries is the JX6 Companion. Along with the Canadian Special, my two favorite geometries. The Gunny is a fantastic knife, and for good reason why you guys have so many. The Kalahari Bushman is a great extension to that blade. BTW Bark River Knives is in Escanaba Mi. which happens to be my hometown! Glad you're enjoying the knives!
I originally had purchased a Bark River Bravo 1 and was disappointed. It was dull as a butter knife. It had sharp edges sticking out all around where the handle material met the steel and the rivets were also sticking out, not flush with the handle material and sharp too. The knife had 2 dark rust pits too. One on the back of the handle and a smaller one on the spine of the blade. Not to mention the stiff, very cheap feeling and ugly looking leather sheath. This was not an anomaly, because I also purchased the Bravo 1.5 which had IDENTICAL issues, INCLUDING pitting in the steel. BOTH were returned. I ended up purchasing the TRC South Pole and Apocalypse from and just recently got a TRC This Is Freedom. ALL 3 knives are like fine jewelry. Unparalleled attention to detail and all 3 knives were shaving hairs out of the box. NOT to mention their sheaths, two Kydex and one leather. MIND-BLOWING, I almost couldn't believe how nice they were. TRC clearly care about what they are doing and the respect for their customers is obvious. NO comparison really. TRC is just several levels above I think.
I love the quality of the knives but what I don't like is the lack of choice regarding the sheath which is strange given the massive variations available for the knives itself. I currently have the bravo necker knife first run which has a nice sheath except it has no way to attach it to a belt at all and the other I have is the Bravo 1 and the sheath it came with is very high quality but I don't want a dangling sheath style I want one that can be supported where the weight of the knife is, kind of the middle back section not the top dangle down. Otherwise I love these knives which is why I am going to buy another.
Thanks for the Video....always appreciated...... Gunny rampless with a slight drop point with with red C-tek..and white liners with hollow pins...Virtuovise has one in a video. it's a beautiful piece.
i am a faithful subscriber to virtuovice and I have seen it. it really is a beaty indeed. I would love to have it haha. the handle looks like it came from the future. -stay sharp
He is the Master you know.... :)......I did want to ask you about A2 steel....I have a gunny hunter in A2 with scarlet maple burl.....I did some light Bushcrafting last summer and I put a ding in the blade after one hour.....just working with black spruce. Do you think BRK get their heat treat right on A2 ? I really love the esthetics with their knives....but the heat treat is my biggest question....I'm starting to fancy "Cross" Knives too.
The only a2 i have experience with is from bark river and we also didn't really like a2. the edge retention seems to be crappy in my opinion. I know bark river sends their knife blades to another company for heat treating. That company does a lot of heat treading and is one bof the best in the industries. CPM-3v is sublime but I just think a2 isn't a very good steel. stay sharp mate
Hi guys. Thanks for the comments about Bark River. One questions: Bravo 1, or 1/25 for all around camp, hunting, game prep? Which would you choose for ease of handling?
Hey guys, I agree with Bark River knives being one of the best. What you forgot to mention is the convex grind of 99% of their knives. The knive kind of sharpens itself and won't get stuck easily either, bc of the convex grind.
I don't understand hard to sharpen. I mean, I understand a longer time taken, but as long as u maintain the angle and start on a coarse enough grit, 3v can take like, 10-15 mins
yes 3v is pretty doable as long as you have proper stones. On soft stones it can be almost impossible making it a harder steel to sharpen than an average steel like O1
Hey Michael, Don't worry mate it's mostly esthetics. It took quite a while (years) before we achieved this level of sharpening. It also depends a bit on which stones you use. Some stones just give a cloudy finish.
I'm in the same boat. Fallkniven F1 Pro... or a Bark River. And if I choose Bark River... then I will still need to choose between the many technically and aesthetically pleasing knives.
+1 to that. Even if you do find a Fallkniven at a better price (but still expensive) online, they may not provide any warranty. I recently inquired about Fallkniven's warranty if I were to purchase through a certain vendor, the response was... "DLT is for sure an excellent internet dealer but when they offer 30% discount, they won't be able to assist you if any problems should occur. So, buying from DLT will void our life-time warranty, see this link fallkniven.com/en/product-information/warranty/ -" Coupled with the fact that it is only for the original owner, that's a rather crappy warranty.
Q: where were you guys able to choose a bravo with no thumb ramp or jimping? As far as I can see knivesshipfree and dlttrading doesn't provide the customer with those options.
This may be too late for you, but when you buy your knife there is a comment section at the checkout. There you can ask them for no ramp and/ or jimping. I recently did that with DLT Trading, the shipment may take a little longer, but that is because they send it back to Bark River so they can modify it for you. I hope that helps you out.
No Problem, if you have any other requests like that, email them and ask if they're able to complete your request before putting it in the comment section at check out that way you know for sure before you buy. I hope you get that perfect knife for ya!
Both companies will send them straight to BR to have mods done. I have suggested trying the knife as is first because you can always send it in at a later date to have mods done free you just pay shipping. I didn’t think I would like the ramp on my bravo 1.25 but it turns out I do. Glad I didn’t have the ramp removed.
hey you guys should go to a bark river grind in and meet Mike and jim and jackie stewart and derrick bohn. also you get to make your own knife with the help of crew. they are held 3 times a year
I really want to like bark river knives but I've had nothing but bad luck with them. Iv'e had 3 bravo 1 knives, the first one the blade chip badly while I was cutting up a fir branch, fir isn't even hard wood. The other was a bravo 1 lt I ordered from DLT trading the jumping on the ramp looked like a chimp cut it in, it was all crooked and uneven and one line wasn't even cut all the way across. and the 3rd was a bravo 1 in s35vn on that one the point is not centered because the bevels on each side are ground differently. I think that its ridiculous to have these issues on a mid-teck/semi custom knife. One would think they would have some sort of quality control to catch this sort of thing before it leaves there shop. Have you guys has any issues like the ones I've had?
+luke schwebke wow that is very bad! Please do report it to their customer service because as far as I know they take things seriously! As far as the performance flaws. Have you bought the 3v model?
I would like to ask you guys... I kow you had the ramp removed on your Bravo 1 knives, but there's now a "Field" version with Jimpings, would you preffer that option than just have plane with no ramp and no jimpings?.. you have used this knife for looong time now.. so before i go buy me one i wanted to know wht you think.. thanks!
hello guys, i'm interested in what do you mean by "natural handles need more care" - what kind of a care? It's like I should always have to wipe the wooden handle to dry and don't left it wet or what?
What kind of oil? How often (approximately)? I think you should make a video about that, about how to care your blade and handle and sheath, I think there's not just me who don't know. Thanks. ) P. S. found interesting option on the knivesshipfree site like "waterproof sheath treatment" what is it? Is it useful? I know you said that it's very wet in the Holland, so do you use this treatment?
can I ask you a question since you've actually held and used these knives? I'm a big guy with big hands, and I prefer a 4inch blade. I'm trying to decide between a gunny and a bravo 1. The only batoning I do is to get pencil size pieces to fuel a fire. I do want to use this as my main carry. Would you suggest the gunny or bravo 1?
The Gunny has a pretty thin handle. I would suggest the Bravo 1 for bigger hands. it's does feel a lot bigger than a gunny but it's still nimble enough. If you rreally want nimble and versatility the Aurora would also be a great choice.
OK, OK, what is best overall knife blade size, 4", 5", 6"! For the guy who can only own 1 blade for backpacking, hunting bush crafting...Help us out, I am guessing 5"?????????
+Randall Kelley metric system here ! Haha I would say the 5 or 6 inch. The saying a large knife can do everything a small knife can but a small knife can't do everything a large knife can is true. Although the bigger knives lack precision you can do a lot with them if you get used to the size
Hi guys, recently confirmed from Mike Stewart personally - the liners do NOT add any additional thickness!!! Big surprise for me. Thx for a lot of fun with knives!
I was looking at a bark river knife. I have small hands and I don't know what knife to get or what steel. I was looking at the gunny and the bushcrafter. I do not know what to do. Please help. P.S. Love you channel, great videos, keep making them!
Mars fishing Gunny in CPM 3V world be my pick. If you’re going to get it wet often get Elmax steel. And handle material they covered well. I always get micarta handles.
sorry i meant the gunny scandi, i know the gunny scandi is discontinued and the other gunny models have saber or flat grinds, so i don't know if i should go with the bushcrafter or not. And also i decided on 3v.
Mars fishing gotya. Most all bark river’s are convex. One of there best selling is the ultra light bushcrafter ULB. Look at it. The other top all purpose/hunting is the Fox River. Watch videos on TH-cam about the ULB fox river and gunny. That way you can watch individual reviews of each knife.
Mars fishing I know you didn’t ask about LT Wright but his Genesis is one of the best bushcrafter out there. You can get it in a full flat grind or Scandi. My Genesis is a flat grind.
you could ask knivesandtools.co.uk to order one for you with their next batch. You could also check out www.klingenwelt.de/epages/61030058.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=2465670&ViewAction=FacetedSearchProducts&SearchString=canadian Otherwise you'll have to import it yourself from DLTtrading.com. I don't know about UK custom decelerations but here in the Netherlands they are crazy high so importing or ordering one here doesn't really make a difference in the total price.
I would definitely like to see a vid on the bark River adventurer or the black jack 155 made by bark River. both are smaller EDC sized fixed blades. with neck carry options. 👍😎👍
Just ordered a BRKT Ringtail in CPM154 steel with the exotic Bocote wood handle scales a few days ago. Got it for just $102 shipped after a 20% off coupon sale. :) My only other experience with BRKT is the uber tiny EPK (even smaller than the PSK!) so I'm really looking forward to handling something from them that fills the hand better. I have a feeling my future holds a collection resembling yours when funds allow it. You have some amazing blades! 👍🏼😀
Hey guys :) After watching a lot of your videos, you have me considering a bark river for the first time. Just wondering if you two worry about rust under the scales? Considering the scales are bolted on and you cannot take them off to clean under?
Thanks for the reply! Recently found this channel and wish you guys the best. You have a great dynamic and presentation that provides both knowledge and entertainment.
GREAT video, you guys! Keep up the great reviews on Bark River knives. Thankfully, they have so many other models for you to review! Also, you might consider going to one of their "Grind-ins".
I am employed at bark river and work on the handle side. I will vouch that every handle I do can be different. Also, some of the softer woods cannot be machined so they must shaped by hand. Which is what I also do. All those are amazing, Bushcrafter LT in 3V is my go to knife and would also recommend the Bravo 1.25. Keep up the great videos.
Absolutely LOVE your work brother 👍👍
You should go check out survive knives at their factory and see how to do micarta and scales the right way.
Bushcrafter LT? Or ultra light? I have not seen a LT version! I would get one
@@grizzlycountry1030jokes on you jackass survive went out of business because they’re a shitty scam company
Love my Barkies. Could not debate one thing yall said. My go to is a Bravo 1.5 in 3V my favorite steel. Albeit Magnacut has become a close second. Carry on.
I was into all the Scandinavian made knives for awhile but once I got my first Bark River I find it hard to spend my money on anything else.
Bark Rivers are things of beauty. IMO. I am forever picking mine up to pull it out and look at it and smell the leather for the sheath I bought for it. Good luck.
One of my fav Bark rivers is the Highlander Special, mine is in A2, an I use it as an EDC knife, as I am A handy man that is retired from Construction, this knife is a dream from bushcraft, work, an edc. Thank you gentlemen enjoy your channel so much!
I just bought a Gunny Scandi in CPM-3V for $215 on eBay. I’m so pumped. Lightly used, only ever stropped. I had to tell someone.
Awesome! Hope it'll serve you well..that knife is legendary
Are you supposed to oil bark river micarta handles ?
I've had my gunny for 6 months, and I still frequently stare at it in awe.
Hahaha!
Dude me too it’s so cute
Wow! 7 years ago! Not fiddling about, just informing knife users. Good job you two!
Big fan of DBK here, I love their videos and their reviews of Bark River Knives plus Mike Stewart's videos inspired me to get a Bark River. I bought my first bark river, a Bravo, one month ago for USD $270 on dlttrading and it came with a few defects that were not negligible by any means. The grind was visibly uneven, the edge near the guard was ground down because the maker's hand slipped on the belt, the pins had scratches, the tip was slightly uneven, a corner on the micarta scale on one side had frayed micarta, and the belt loop on the leather sheath was not measured properly because it was not long enough to button to itself even without a belt slotted through the loop. I thought what the hell: this was probably a fluke and since they have such a good reputation on the internet and their prices are exorbitant they must be a good company. It is a good knife, with the kind of edge retention I anticipate it's steel to have, but I expected it to be perfect for that price and the brand's renowned craftsmanship.
This was my opinion of the company until I did more digging on the internet. If you look wide enough on the internet you will find many many dirty ugly things about BRK products which people don't talk about but are definitely existent across the years. I was horrified to learn so many shady things about the company on bladeforums, bushcraftusa, and reddit. There is a significant amount of evidence that BRK is not the upstanding company with honest business practices that knife TH-cam channels and Mike Stewart (the founder and owner of BRK who has a few youtube videos) make it out to be. Do some research and you will find out for yourself.This is a quote from 5 years ago I found on reddit which in my experience as a customer is quite accurate, even after having contacted their spokesperson on facebook about my knife.
"As a knife maker here, you don't tend to see a lot of our kind posting our opinions about manufacturers and other makers. But here we go.
Bark River, from what I've seen, is an immoral company. They have a forum where they were encouraged to bash people that didn't like their products, and where they blatantly censor people that try to have civil and open conversation, or offer polite criticism. Disingenuous in testing, unprofessional heat treating and Grinding (th-cam.com/video/4cfCYb-Gamg/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=kenneths123).
From that video you can see a ton of mistakes. A man holds a knife by the spine, while he grinds the blade, such that the he won't notice the heat build up nearly as much, and really bears down on the knife. It's cheaper to bear down on a knife with worn belts instead of changing to a fresh one. And when he quenches, you should absolutely not see a plume of steam coming from the blade, nor should you dunk it for a split second, all you are doing is creating micro fractures in the edge and ruining the heat treatment of the edge and not really adequately cooling the blade. It sounds silly in a way, knives are tools. But you know, this is metallurgical science, and people are paying for premium.
They offered on some models, sub par sheaths that everyone and their grandmother had problems with, but it's okay because for a 'X' dollars you can buy another, better one made for the same model. Hell, the same company that made the sheaths if I'm not mistaken, basically did a rename. I could be wrong about that, but the 'new' manufacturer had almost 100% identical styles.
And all of that, and they won't take responsibility for the numerous damaged knives that have been proven damaged through empiricism time and time again, by the good ol' folks on youtube, Cliff Stamp, Ckc knives and Virtuovice have done tons of testing and have some pretty good evidence to suggest inferior hear treatments that they simply won't be held accountable for.
It sucks because they're huge players in the knife game, and they legitimately make high performance stuff sometimes that really kicks ass and looks great (Mostly their A2 stuff from what I've seen), but other times they have issues they won't address or won't take responsibility for, and that's wrong. If a customer had an issue with a knife I made, I wouldn't ridicule them, I'd work to rectify my mistakes because that's the right thing to do, and make sure I don't make them on the next knife.
I'd also like to say, I've never done business with them nor been wronged by them, but the evidence is there, they do generally walk around with this air of superiority that prevents them from doing a better job. They make some great stuff, and then some not so great stuff."
Agreed. I have a couple of bakies aswell; not a single of them was finished well enough for the price.
Two of them had heat-treatment issues (1x slightly burned edge and 1x very badly burned edge), others have some horrible grind mistakes. The finish on the handles was ok, some unpolished spots here and there but nothing major. Dont get me started on the sheaths tho....the only good one i have is from 2012...the rest, especially the "new designs" are trash for the price.
When buying a bark river you most likely wont get a perfect knife by any means. Its something you have to put some work in. (treating the leather, reprofiling the grind, polishing the handle etc.)
But if you do that they are among the greatest factory knives out there.
I actually just bought another gunny, and i kinda regret it already lol
@@nils-ph3zs I agree with you about all that stuff. The company is running on reputation marketing these years because if they were a new company and this is the quality they sell, they would close down from lack of customers.
What steel are your barkies in and how is the heat treat/steel performance? (mine is in Cru-wear)
@@Jerry-uc1pn i have 3v, A2 and cpm154. The heat treatment itself is good, but they burn the steel while grinding...The A2 knife needed alot of sharpening in order to perform (the burned portion around the edge had to be removed). Before that i got rolls all over the place; the tip just came of (just a little piece tho). I dont know how the 3v would have performed unsharpened, since the geometry of the bevel was so horrible that i reprofiled it straight away.
The cpm154 had just a little burned edge.
After good reprofiling the steels perform good tho. Really good
Yup. Everything you say is true. I have quite a few of their knives, and almost all of them came with fit and finish issues that are unacceptable considering the price. It’s a shame because I really like many of their designs, but I can’t bring myself to spend any more money on their knives; for the same price, I can buy an LT Wright with the confidence that it will arrive flawless. I can’t justify paying $200+ for a knife only to have to spend hours fixing quality control issues that should have been taken care of at the factory. And Mike Stewart claims that each knife is checked for issues every time the knife is passed to a new worker. If that were true, the knife would never leave the factory with such issues. Either his entire staff are incompetent, or Mike is lying. My guess is the latter
@@1mataleo1 Why did you keep buying their knives then?
I absolutely love my Bark River Tundra which has a Canadian 3V blade with an Aurorra handle !
I've got a lot of bark rivers. They are my no 1 knife brand. I've had awesome dealings with their customer service as well.
I just met mike Stewart at the factory. He’s a good dude. Gave me a personal tour.
I have just bought a Antique Ivory micarta Gunny. Beautiful knife.
I want all knives
hahaha we take that as a compliment.
Markus Messer me too. Everyone ever made ever
Markus Messer I swear to god if that’s your real last name I’m so jealous.
@@0rang.utan.bananaman199 i know, right?
Very detailed! I myself am just beginning knife buying because I moved to a state that has much less knife laws than my previous state so these talks really help me to make a more informed decision, so thank you!
you are very welcome! thanks a lot!
I'm a big barkie fan. I own 12 of them. Cpm3v is my favorite steel. It works for me. When it comes to knives and steel,just find one that works for you. Everyone is different and live in areas with different environments.
I have been researching which bark river to get for a while. I just ordered a Gunny in A2, my thought is I'll practice sharpening and taking care of that then pass it to one of my son's and get an elmax or cruwear. I really like my Mora's because of how easy they are to sharpen, but I have an S30V that once I get it sharp I don't want to use it because it's such a pain to do. Thanks for sharing your insight.
haha i know how you feel. A2 is very easy to sharpen but just has a little too less edge retention for us compared to the little price you pay more for 3v
I have a Bark River Aurora. I love it so much. Cool video - now I want more Bark River blades :)
The Aurora is my favourite! It's one of the most versatile blades I think.
I just got my first last week. An early Fathers Day present.an UP Bravo in A-2 Amboynia burl. Nice. I use knives like this to break down large pieces of pork, like whole shoulders.
I recently received my Bark River (in collaboration with Dark Timber) Grizzly knife! I like it very much! My father lives approximately 10 miles from the Bark River knife factory. Thank you for your time and work!
Can you review some larger Bark River Knives such as the Bravo Vortex, Bravo Survivor or Bravo 2or 3 as I do not know which to choose!
Got myself a nice Bravo 1 LT, 3/16ths thick 3V. Arrived today, very happy. Sheath is a bit silly - should have been simpler!
i was given the bark river mini fox river 3v. best knife iver ever had. much better than my spyderco s30v pocketknife i was using every day at work. i want a longer blade though. it just feels to small for my daily uses
Try the BRKT Gunny Sidekick. A new knife in CPM M4. Also the Kalahari Bushman II in CPM 3V and the Adventurer I Neck Knife in Elmax. Although I would not consider any of these a primary knife for bushcrafting, I think they would make excellent knives for food prep and feather-stick making and great backup knives for everything except batoning.
I plan on driving up there to check out their operations soon. Its like a 4 hour drive from my place.
+rosie roseberry that's awesome. Tell them to make a knife in cooperation with us hhaha
Please take a look at the First Edge 5050 which was developed with input from the US Navy Special Warfare Group supporting the SEAL Team Cold Weather Survival School.
It's 0.25" thick, heavy and Elmax with G10 scales.
It's also expensive at US$315.
It looks like a very usable knife! most army knives look a bit fancy in my opinion but this one looks very practical. It is indeed expensive. Elmax is becoming more and more available on much lower priced quality knives..
Thanks for sharing mate!
Bought a Bark River Bravo 1.5 with the CPM 3V and Mil-Spec G10 handles. It's a beast of a knife.
I am heading to Escanaba Michigan today which is home to knifeshipfree and Bark River knifes. I grew up there and a very good friend of mine used to own Marble Arms before they went to hell. I will try to get a picture of the places while I'm back home. You guys would be in heaven there!
I would love to check out KSF! Isn't Bark River itself located in Michigan? I would love to compete in a Grind-in there and make my own barkie.
Dutch Bushcraft Knives
Bark River Knifes is actually located in Escanaba also. About 2 miles from KSF. They moved the plant to Escanaba when they outgrew the plant in Bark River, about 10 miles from Escanaba
cool! if this channel will grow enough we might be ably to buy ourself some tickets and fly over for a grind-in ! thhat would be amazing haha!
BRK has, or had a model called Liten Bror, which is mini Aurora. It has a scandi convex grind. I wonder how Mikey would feel about this knife.
I'd love to see more on the Bark River Wilderness Explorer.
Kunnen jullie een video maken van alle Bark River bushcrafter messen? De bushcrafter, bushcrafter 2, mini bushcrafter en de ultra-lite bushcrafter.
At the end of the day what really makes a difference in knife blades is heat treating and blade geometry. Most of the rest such as steel composition and names are mostly hype that is used to drive up the cost.
But!!!! If you have great design, thermal cycles, steel alloy and geometry, you've begun to be able to expect a better tool! So I can not ignore the things that are hyped. I got torqued bec I heard of a company that would use super steel alloy, but not even try to reach it's potential, so why use it??? Market hype. Underhardening a knife to save headaches later sucks!!!!
In recent lookings around on the web ive come across the bravo vortex. I really like the idea of the horizontal sheath. I figure you guys have discovered it too. Any chance of seeing it on your channel in the future?
We have so many knives to test but who knows. No knife can hide in the shelves from us for ever.
i'm kinda waiting for bark river to try some new steels before I buy another one.
-stay sharp mate!
One of the most clever geometries is the JX6 Companion. Along with the Canadian Special, my two favorite geometries.
The Gunny is a fantastic knife, and for good reason why you guys have so many. The Kalahari Bushman is a great extension to that blade.
BTW Bark River Knives is in Escanaba Mi. which happens to be my hometown! Glad you're enjoying the knives!
I originally had purchased a Bark River Bravo 1 and was disappointed. It was dull as a butter knife. It had sharp edges sticking out all around where the handle material met the steel and the rivets were also sticking out, not flush with the handle material and sharp too. The knife had 2 dark rust pits too. One on the back of the handle and a smaller one on the spine of the blade. Not to mention the stiff, very cheap feeling and ugly looking leather sheath. This was not an anomaly, because I also purchased the Bravo 1.5 which had IDENTICAL issues, INCLUDING pitting in the steel. BOTH were returned. I ended up purchasing the TRC South Pole and Apocalypse from and just recently got a TRC This Is Freedom. ALL 3 knives are like fine jewelry. Unparalleled attention to detail and all 3 knives were shaving hairs out of the box. NOT to mention their sheaths, two Kydex and one leather. MIND-BLOWING, I almost couldn't believe how nice they were. TRC clearly care about what they are doing and the respect for their customers is obvious. NO comparison really. TRC is just several levels above I think.
Not sure if this will help you guys but try Bushcraft Canada. Located in Kelowna B.C.
Thanks for the video. I think I'm going to get a Bravo EDC in Desert Ironwood with Black Liners and Mosaic Pins
that's going to be one beauty!
I hope so it'll be here tomorrow!
I love the quality of the knives but what I don't like is the lack of choice regarding the sheath which is strange given the massive variations available for the knives itself. I currently have the bravo necker knife first run which has a nice sheath except it has no way to attach it to a belt at all and the other I have is the Bravo 1 and the sheath it came with is very high quality but I don't want a dangling sheath style I want one that can be supported where the weight of the knife is, kind of the middle back section not the top dangle down. Otherwise I love these knives which is why I am going to buy another.
Thanks for the Video....always appreciated...... Gunny rampless with a slight drop point with with red C-tek..and white liners with hollow pins...Virtuovise has one in a video. it's a beautiful piece.
i am a faithful subscriber to virtuovice and I have seen it. it really is a beaty indeed. I would love to have it haha. the handle looks like it came from the future.
-stay sharp
He is the Master you know.... :)......I did want to ask you about A2 steel....I have a gunny hunter in A2 with scarlet maple burl.....I did some light Bushcrafting last summer and I put a ding in the blade after one hour.....just working with black spruce. Do you think BRK get their heat treat right on A2 ? I really love the esthetics with their knives....but the heat treat is my biggest question....I'm starting to fancy "Cross" Knives too.
The only a2 i have experience with is from bark river and we also didn't really like a2. the edge retention seems to be crappy in my opinion. I know bark river sends their knife blades to another company for heat treating. That company does a lot of heat treading and is one bof the best in the industries. CPM-3v is sublime but I just think a2 isn't a very good steel.
stay sharp mate
Guys how good is the bark river survibor and cruzader whats the differences bettween those two knives
Hi guys. Thanks for the comments about Bark River. One questions: Bravo 1, or 1/25 for all around camp, hunting, game prep? Which would you choose for ease of handling?
which model would you guys choose if you could only have one for survival ? and thank you for you videos, you guys are amazing
Are you supposed to oil bark river micarta handles?
Hey guys, I agree with Bark River knives being one of the best. What you forgot to mention is the convex grind of 99% of their knives. The knive kind of sharpens itself and won't get stuck easily either, bc of the convex grind.
Thanks pal!
What do you think about the bark river Kalahari? I hunt and need an all around knife. Skinning ect.
E had one in A2 but modified it because we didn’t really like it. The handle is great though!
4 years ago... But anyway... You have to check out the bark river v44 bowie!
In your opinion, is cpm 3v or cpm 4v better and why. Thanks for the awesome content i enjoy watching!
Good job describing the differences. Thanks for your time! 🇺🇸
I don't understand hard to sharpen. I mean, I understand a longer time taken, but as long as u maintain the angle and start on a coarse enough grit, 3v can take like, 10-15 mins
yes 3v is pretty doable as long as you have proper stones. On soft stones it can be almost impossible making it a harder steel to sharpen than an average steel like O1
I bought a Bravo 1 Lt in 3v. Even with water stones and leather I cannot get that mirror Polish that you gents achieve.
Hey Michael, Don't worry mate it's mostly esthetics. It took quite a while (years) before we achieved this level of sharpening. It also depends a bit on which stones you use. Some stones just give a cloudy finish.
Love your videos. Do they still make the gunny scandi? Can't find it on Amazon.
No. It seems one cannot get a gunny in scandivex grind
Have you tried the Fox River? Apparently it’s the best hunting knife that Bark River makes(i think, not sure)
Bark River of Fallkniven? Such a hard call, may as well own both!
get both!
Make your own knives friend, you will be millionaires!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm in the same boat.
Fallkniven F1 Pro... or a Bark River.
And if I choose Bark River... then I will still need to choose between the many technically and aesthetically pleasing knives.
Bark River has a better warranty. Also Fallkniven has raised their prices through the roof.
+1 to that. Even if you do find a Fallkniven at a better price (but still expensive) online, they may not provide any warranty. I recently inquired about Fallkniven's warranty if I were to purchase through a certain vendor, the response was...
"DLT is for sure an excellent internet dealer but when they offer 30% discount, they won't be able to assist you if any problems should occur.
So, buying from DLT will void our life-time warranty, see this link fallkniven.com/en/product-information/warranty/ -"
Coupled with the fact that it is only for the original owner, that's a rather crappy warranty.
Which Bark River is the most suitable for hunting purposes (skinning and dressing small to large game)?
I would say the bark river fox river in 3v or elmax
Q: where were you guys able to choose a bravo with no thumb ramp or jimping? As far as I can see knivesshipfree and dlttrading doesn't provide the customer with those options.
This may be too late for you, but when you buy your knife there is a comment section at the checkout. There you can ask them for no ramp and/ or jimping. I recently did that with DLT Trading, the shipment may take a little longer, but that is because they send it back to Bark River so they can modify it for you. I hope that helps you out.
Cool! Thank you very much. Yeah, I definitely don't think knivesshipfree offers people that option. It appears DLTtrading is the only one.
No Problem, if you have any other requests like that, email them and ask if they're able to complete your request before putting it in the comment section at check out that way you know for sure before you buy. I hope you get that perfect knife for ya!
Thanks! =)
Both companies will send them straight to BR to have mods done. I have suggested trying the knife as is first because you can always send it in at a later date to have mods done free you just pay shipping. I didn’t think I would like the ramp on my bravo 1.25 but it turns out I do. Glad I didn’t have the ramp removed.
Have you guys played with an aurora 2 at all?
Bark River uses CPM Cruwear and CPM D2 steel as well
I really want a bark river knive but I acn't afford ine and they don't sell it here in the philippines. 😞
what you think of S35VN steel in comparison to CPM3V? much appreciate
Please do a full review on the Canadian!
Just got the mini Kalahari sportsman. Curious if Y'all have checked it out yet?
Wow that's a pretty cool but odd knife haha. Whats it's primary use? fishing?
do a review on the Canadian!
hey you guys should go to a bark river grind in and meet Mike and jim and jackie stewart and derrick bohn. also you get to make your own knife with the help of crew. they are held 3 times a year
+Donald I've looked at it. I would love to be there. Its kinda a long trip getting there though haha. Its on my wish list though!
I really want to like bark river knives but I've had nothing but bad luck with them. Iv'e had 3 bravo 1 knives, the first one the blade chip badly while I was cutting up a fir branch, fir isn't even hard wood. The other was a bravo 1 lt I ordered from DLT trading the jumping on the ramp looked like a chimp cut it in, it was all crooked and uneven and one line wasn't even cut all the way across. and the 3rd was a bravo 1 in s35vn on that one the point is not centered because the bevels on each side are ground differently. I think that its ridiculous to have these issues on a mid-teck/semi custom knife. One would think they would have some sort of quality control to catch this sort of thing before it leaves there shop. Have you guys has any issues like the ones I've had?
+luke schwebke wow that is very bad! Please do report it to their customer service because as far as I know they take things seriously! As far as the performance flaws. Have you bought the 3v model?
How do you guys sharpen a convex edge on the bark rivers ?
water stones! We have a few videos on the channel that show how. basically as long as you keep your wrists loosened up you'll get the convex
you guys should take a look at the BRK mini-aurora ... fantastic knife, i will be getting one soon!
I really want one but I'm waiting for bark river to come with a new exotic steel to test out.
:) i will take one in 3v because all my bark rivers atm are cpm s35vn.
I would like to ask you guys... I kow you had the ramp removed on your Bravo 1 knives, but there's now a "Field" version with Jimpings, would you preffer that option than just have plane with no ramp and no jimpings?.. you have used this knife for looong time now.. so before i go buy me one i wanted to know wht you think.. thanks!
hello guys, i'm interested in what do you mean by "natural handles need more care" - what kind of a care? It's like I should always have to wipe the wooden handle to dry and don't left it wet or what?
+iscreamonu jaisanbai they need oiling once every now and then
What kind of oil? How often (approximately)? I think you should make a video about that, about how to care your blade and handle and sheath, I think there's not just me who don't know. Thanks. )
P. S. found interesting option on the knivesshipfree site like "waterproof sheath treatment" what is it? Is it useful? I know you said that it's very wet in the Holland, so do you use this treatment?
How about Bravo 1.25 LT in 3v and the Bravo 1.5 in 3v?
What about the highland special with g10
1909 Michigan Bowie. Fly to Detroit, drive north 9 hours.
can I ask you a question since you've actually held and used these knives? I'm a big guy with big hands, and I prefer a 4inch blade. I'm trying to decide between a gunny and a bravo 1. The only batoning I do is to get pencil size pieces to fuel a fire. I do want to use this as my main carry. Would you suggest the gunny or bravo 1?
The Gunny has a pretty thin handle. I would suggest the Bravo 1 for bigger hands. it's does feel a lot bigger than a gunny but it's still nimble enough. If you rreally want nimble and versatility the Aurora would also be a great choice.
Thank you brother, I really appreciate it. Thank you for the videos
I bought the Aurora off your recommendation, thank you I love it. This is my first knife that cost over $25..lol
@@Devil0983 SWEET! Nothing wrong with just one real good knife. Guard it well. Two is one, one is none when you're in the outdoors
OK, OK, what is best overall knife blade size, 4", 5", 6"! For the guy who can only own 1 blade for backpacking, hunting bush crafting...Help us out, I am guessing 5"?????????
+Randall Kelley metric system here ! Haha I would say the 5 or 6 inch. The saying a large knife can do everything a small knife can but a small knife can't do everything a large knife can is true. Although the bigger knives lack precision you can do a lot with them if you get used to the size
i dont understand why the terava jakaripuko steel dont show up in the charts :(
Will you please do a review on a Bark River in 154cm?
I have several BRK knives, you should check out the Bravo Survivor in CPM 3v, its and awesome blade.
Hi guys, recently confirmed from Mike Stewart personally - the liners do NOT add any additional thickness!!! Big surprise for me. Thx for a lot of fun with knives!
but wood handles are thinner most of the time
lignum v wood is what they use to make carpenter`s mallet`s, very hard wood. Nice one lads.
Bushcrafter II. Review ?
Great video guys picked up a Aurora in A2 and it absolutely perfect !
Lloyd Jacobson do you like the steel I can't decide between a bravo in cpm 3v or a2 or a gunny in cpm 3v or a2
Nickers 18 the A2 is super tough and way easier to sharpen I prefer it over 3v
Ok thanks
What do you guys think about the buck s30v blade ?
do you edc a fixed blade? i carry an izula but am thinking about changing to the gunny or edc. would love a vid on a fixed blade edc
not in the city as it is illegal. So I actually don't carry a fixed edc all together. If I would I would take the patriot Manly in CPM154 I guess.
please do a review on the bark river bravo vortex
we would love to haha sadly we don't have one yet.
Dutch Bushcraft Knives thank you for the videos and your content and the reply itself shows a lot
Keep on doing these highly entertaining videos - but - my question is : why are there so less videos about the Vidarr or Hauk? :)
I was looking at a bark river knife. I have small hands and I don't know what knife to get or what steel. I was looking at the gunny and the bushcrafter. I do not know what to do. Please help.
P.S. Love you channel, great videos, keep making them!
Mars fishing Gunny in CPM 3V world be my pick. If you’re going to get it wet often get Elmax steel. And handle material they covered well. I always get micarta handles.
sorry i meant the gunny scandi, i know the gunny scandi is discontinued and the other gunny models have saber or flat grinds, so i don't know if i should go with the bushcrafter or not. And also i decided on 3v.
Mars fishing gotya. Most all bark river’s are convex. One of there best selling is the ultra light bushcrafter ULB. Look at it. The other top all purpose/hunting is the Fox River. Watch videos on TH-cam about the ULB fox river and gunny. That way you can watch individual reviews of each knife.
Mars fishing I know you didn’t ask about LT Wright but his Genesis is one of the best bushcrafter out there. You can get it in a full flat grind or Scandi. My Genesis is a flat grind.
hey man, how do you make that lanyard thats on the gunny ?
Hey guys, can you sharpen cpm3v with a DC4/CC4?
jes
its diamond so it can sharpen any steel
Love the knives, sometimes I don’t like the sheath for esthetic reasons. They are well made enough. I just prefer other styles.
Guys any idea where is the best place to order the Canadian Special. I'm based in U.K.
you could ask knivesandtools.co.uk to order one for you with their next batch. You could also check out www.klingenwelt.de/epages/61030058.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=2465670&ViewAction=FacetedSearchProducts&SearchString=canadian
Otherwise you'll have to import it yourself from DLTtrading.com. I don't know about UK custom decelerations but here in the Netherlands they are crazy high so importing or ordering one here doesn't really make a difference in the total price.
I would definitely like to see a vid on the bark River adventurer or the black jack 155 made by bark River. both are smaller EDC sized fixed blades. with neck carry options.
👍😎👍
Just ordered a BRKT Ringtail in CPM154 steel with the exotic Bocote wood handle scales a few days ago. Got it for just $102 shipped after a 20% off coupon sale. :)
My only other experience with BRKT is the uber tiny EPK (even smaller than the PSK!) so I'm really looking forward to handling something from them that fills the hand better. I have a feeling my future holds a collection resembling yours when funds allow it. You have some amazing blades! 👍🏼😀
+allemander thanks a lot mate and congratulations on the great purchase!
Hey guys :)
After watching a lot of your videos, you have me considering a bark river for the first time. Just wondering if you two worry about rust under the scales? Considering the scales are bolted on and you cannot take them off to clean under?
+Christian you can't take them off. We have e never experienced rust on the 3v yet so we don't really worry about it.
Nice video. Where do you buy those Bark River knives? Gotta buy one.
+Hiếu Trần we bought them at dlttrading.com
thank you so much. gotta buy 2.
yeah i want a DBK kniiiiife
Any opinion on the Bushcrafter 2?
+mogrimy nope but it should be great
Thanks for the reply! Recently found this channel and wish you guys the best. You have a great dynamic and presentation that provides both knowledge and entertainment.
how does cpm 3v compare to cpm 154? im going to buy one but im not sure what get?
In my opinion both are great steels but 3V is better overall in my experience. 154 CPM might be slightly more easy to sharpen
Do you like the a2 steel?
GREAT video, you guys! Keep up the great reviews on Bark River knives. Thankfully, they have so many other models for you to review! Also, you might consider going to one of their "Grind-ins".
Yea.. That would be amazing! but sadly we live in the netherlands so a grind in is quite far away for us haha!
Id like to see the fox River if your still looking for requests
I have the Bark River Bravo Necker in CPM 3 , awesome little knife!
DUTCH BUSHCRAFT KNIVES!!!! CAN YOU GIVE S A LINK TO WHERE YOU GOT THIS KNIFE?!