ISO knife. need help choosing.

[Deerhunter21]

im looking for a knife that is a set one. not a flip pocket knife. i want to use it for making bows as a scraper, chopper, and wood shaver (kinda like draw knife). just a all round good knife. what type of knife would you reccomend. i dont know. would a kukuri work, camp knife, buoy kife? i like the look of the kukuri but thats just my opinion. i could use some help finding a type of knife

[Pat B]

Go to a thrift shop and look for an "Old Hickory" kitchen knife. Should be cheap, has good steel and you can flatten the spine(back side) and use each edge as a scraper. They come in all different sizes so maybe you can get a few of different sizes to help cover all bases.

[KHalverson]

pat is correct,
get an old hickory butcher knife,
its a quality knife that will fit the bill for what you need and they don't break the bank.

[dylanholderman]

If you can’t find one at a thrift store look at a local hardware store, the ones around me often have new ones on the shelf

[Mr. Woolery]

Next option is a Mora knife. I suggest the carbon steel blade option. They are cheap enough new that you’d swear they have to be garbage. They aren’t junk. Best value for an all-around knife ive ever seen.

I’ve had good experiences with Ragweed Forge. Great prices and I like supporting a small business.

(I unthinkingly posted a direct link initially, forgetting about the PA policy against that. Sorry. A simple search will find it if interested.)

Patrick

[bubby]

I'll second the mora

[Hawkdancer]

I've heard good things about the Mora, and have a couple Old Hickorys in the kitchen, good knives.  I used my Buck 119 as a scraper when I made my hickory bow last year. Honed it a bit and took it deer hunting, dressed out Jacie's doe with it!  Got 2 of the as gifts the same year - Keep one in my backpack and one in her backpack.  Good knives, but they aren't cheap!
Hawkdancer

[Deerhunter21]

they both look like good knives but i should have specified that i wanted a good 6-7" knife so i think ill go with the old hickory. i was also going to see if i could do a trade with some of the forging people once i knew what type of knife i wanted! But i think im going to buy the 7" old hickory butcher knife. i might still try to trade but i dont know now. thanks for pointing me in the right direction!

[Sidmand]

I've used several kukris and while they are great knives that could be made to do pretty much everything, it's going to take some practice to do everything with them.  The blades are typically a very heavy, thick convex so using it like a draw knife will be a bit of a challenge without practice.  The downward curve though, it does give some hand hold, so that's nice.  Kukri's EXCEL at chopping though, I used to use a big one to rough out staves, process kindling, clean fencerows, you name it.

I think a good overall shape is a bigger camp knife, kind of like a hudson bay style (I like that style a lot) with a full flat grind, in about 3/16 thick.  That would be a good one in my mind for just about everything.  Look at the Condor Hudson bay or Moonshiner, that might be something to consider.

[Mr. Woolery]

I wonder if you wouldn't be happier with more than one knife.  Even for carving spoons, I often have at least 2 and up to 4 knives on my work surface (often a park bench while my kid plays).  While it is possible to make one knife do it all, usually it is more efficient to have specialized tools.  And that isn't really all that much more expensive.

I'd want a blade for rough work.  Probably a hatchet.  Smoky Mountain carries Marbles hatchets fairly affordably. 

Then a draw knife of some sort.  Maybe the Mora woodworker's drawknife with in-line handles. 

Then a basic all-purpose knife for scraping, whittling, and assorted other cutting.  Just a basic plastic-handled Mora. 

These three tools together would be in the ballpark of $60, plus shipping. 

Just something else to consider.  Do please let us know what you end up with and how well you like it.  I think everyone here probably loves to talk tools!

-Patrick

[Deerhunter21]

is the mora knife site called morakniv its kinda hard to know after looking at the site you posted mr.woolery

[Mesophilic]

I know I don't have the rate of production that some guys have here but I've really enjoyed using a folder in CTS-XHP steel. I know you said no flipper/pocket knives, just throwing it out there.  Out of all the steel I've tried out for shaving and scraping,  from simple carbon steels to higher alloy like S35VN and 3V, even tool steels like O1 and A2, the CTS-XHP just performs better for me.  It's billed as a carpenter's steel, and I'm very inclined to believe.

[bubby]

is the mora knife site called morakniv its kinda hard to know after looking at the site you posted mr.woolery

That's the site, he's right you will be happier with a hatchet, drawknife and mora

[Mr. Woolery]

On Ragweed Forge, you will see the best prices, best selection, and most amateurish web design anywhere. But it is a one man shop and he is a very helpful guy.

Mora is a city in Sweden, which is a center of knife manufacturing. Morakniv is Swedish for Mora knife. I used to find that confusing until a Swedish classmate explained it to me when I was in college before.

Patrick