The Badger’s price places it in an unusually competitive middle ground. You may compare it to the Spyderco Para 3, which is comparable in size but much slimmer and comes at a much higher price. You might also bring up any number of good Chinese firms, such as CIVIVI or Kizer, which create a lot of fine knives in this price range but aren’t as durable.
During my testing, this knife took the place of the OKC Rat 2, and it performed admirably. They have almost the same blade length and are both drop points. Aside from the price (about $30), the primary difference is the weight. They have a similar shape, however the Rat 2 is substantially slimmer. Depending on what you want to accomplish with it, the difference in blade real estate can make a major impact, but I’ve come to love how much cutting edge I get with the Badger. If I’m being completely honest, the Rat 2 is all most people will ever need, but if that were the sole reason for buying knives, I wouldn’t have spent so much time writing about them. The Badger is bigger, more fun, and tougher all around.
Another nice parallel I can think of is the Cold Steel 4 Max Scout. The Badger’s blade is an inch longer than the 4 Max’s, but they both feel like substantial pocket knives meant for punishment thanks to their blade stock and excellent heat treatment. Of course, the Scout is capable of chopping down a tree. Although the Badger isn’t great at chopping, you could throw both of them at a brick wall for a long and merely injure your arm.
If size isn’t an issue for you, the Off-Grid Rhino is the way to go. The Badger is less expensive, but the motion, cutting capabilities, and price are essentially the same. The Rhino’s larger size simply improves ergonomics and makes it more enjoyable to play with. In addition, I prefer the G-10 scales to the Badger’s smooth FRN.
Conclusion
At $60, this should be a difficult knife to pass up. In every aspect a work knife should be, it’s strong and dependable. I’ve pointed out a few flaws, like as the motion and slickness of the handle, but that’s just knife nerd nitpicking. The weight and thickness of the knife are the significant drawbacks, because most individuals who desire a pocket knife of this length want something light and small. However, this is not a knife for them. This is the kind of knife you can pound into a tree, drop on concrete, pick up, and go back to work as if nothing happened.
That’s a feature of pocket knives that I’ve come to enjoy. Because I can’t actually pack a fixed blade around, my EDC tasks largely require abusing pocket knives (for a lot of different reasons). So the closer I can get to a harsh, cutting folder, the better, and that’s precisely where Off-Grid took the Badger.
Where do off-the-grid knives come from?
Many of our knives are built in Taiwan; our Taiwanese manufacturing partner makes or has made knives for Ka-Bar, SOG, Kershaw, CRKT, Cold Steel, and a slew of other brands that you probably own or carry on a daily basis.
Bestech, based in China, manufactures the ELITE SERIES “Black Mamba V2” and “Scorpion” knives. Bestech also makes our Rhino, Black Stallion, Raptor, Cleaver V2, Caiman, and Enforcer XL knives. Bestech and our Taiwan partners have stringent fit and finish and quality control processes, and they know how to produce outstanding knives with incredible movement, so collaborating with them was a no-brainer. I’ve met with the proprietors of Bestech and our Taiwan partners in person, and they’re enthusiastic and caring people with the same aspirations as us: to manufacture high-quality knives with the greatest fit and finish at inexpensive, fair rates.
We’ve tried to make high-quality, low-cost production knives in the United States, but it’s simply not viable to match our customer’s price requirements.
We painstakingly evaluated the firms with whom we partnered, personally sampling and testing all prototypes prior to releasing any knife onto the market, making any required improvements, and taking our time before releasing any new knife. Read our customer feedback; our knives are manufactured to last and are designed to be used frequently.
We understand if you’re only interested in knives made in the United States; nevertheless, give Off-Grid Knives a chance; we’re convinced you’ll be pleasantly pleased. With registration, we offer a money-back guarantee as well as a Lifetime Replacement Guarantee. Except for overpaying for a “big brand” knife, you have nothing to lose.
Nick Shabazz has 140,000 knife nut subscribers on YouTube and is a very knowledgable (funny) and savvy knife reviewer. When it came to Asian-made knives, he expressed it best:
Spyderco Endura 4
The Spyderco Endura 4 is a razor-sharp, long-lasting folding knife with a strong, well-made feel.
Our Top Pick for hiking knives was the Spyderco Delica 4, which is essentially a smaller version of the Endura 4. This knife appealed to us for the same reasons.
The Endura 4 has a sleek, crisp feel about it as it opens and closes. Its thumb hole makes it simple to open with one hand.
It’s razor sharp right out of the box, and it’s equally at ease cutting wood or slicing open packages. Boring holes in wood, carving notches for improvised tent posts, and slicing through thick cordage with its serrated edge were all things it excelled at.
The handle and style didn’t lend themselves well to chopping veggies, thus it wasn’t the most comfortable knife to use for food prep. The Endura 4, on the other hand, features a big handle that is well-suited to persons with large hands.
You can’t go wrong with the Endura 4 if you want a durable, sharp, and well-made folding knife for around camp.
Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Fixed Blade Knife
The Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Fixed Blade Knife is billed as a survival knife, and it comes with a whistle, a sharpening block, a ferrocerium rod, and a (very) basic survival guide.
It wasn’t the sharpest camping knife we tested, but its long blade and partial serration made heavy-duty cutting jobs go by quickly.
It also has a hammer-like hard metal pommel on the end, which came in helpful for pounding tent stakes in. A number of other reviews complained about the pommel hammer’s lack of durability. We didn’t have any durability difficulties despite putting it through the wringer on tent stakes, tree stumps, and even a couple of rocks.
The KA-BAR Becker and Schrade Frontier are both heavier-duty blades, but this one isn’t. It is, however, a far more versatile knife.
Its partial serration was useful for sawing into branches, and its stainless steel structure was enough for food preparation and other basic camp duties. It also worked great for lighting a fire with the ferro rod that came with it.
The Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife is a master of none and a jack of all trades. It wasn’t as powerful for heavy-duty use as some of the other knives we tested, and it didn’t feel as at ease in the camp kitchen. But, in general, it’s a good camping knife that’s both durable and adaptable.
Light My Fire Swedish FireKnife
It was by far the most effective at starting a fire, ejecting a spectacular shower of sparks onto our tinder with no effort. The supplied ferrocerium rod locks into the handle for storage, which we loved.
While the handle and grip were extremely similar to the Morakniv Companion, the blade itself was disappointing. It constantly behind the Morakniv in our paper test and cutting speed test.
The food preparation was where we really noticed the difference. The Morakniv sliced far more smoothly and effortlessly than the FireKnife.
Overall, we think it’s a good knife that shares many characteristics with the Morakniv, but its biggest advantage is its capacity to ignite a fire. If that’s important to you, this is a great knife to have. Otherwise, the Morakniv Companion is a better choice than the FireKnife.
Kershaw Clash
Kershaw knives have always been a favorite of ours. The Clash is one of their more economical entry-level versions.
Its blade is razor-sharp, and the partial serration makes it a capable cutting instrument despite its short length. It also has a natural and comfortable grip.
It didn’t feel as substantial or stable as the Endura 4, and the aided open was a little clumsy. The materials didn’t appear to be as durable as those of the other knives in our test. After a month of use, the Clash’s clip, aided open mechanism, and handle all showed signs of wear.
Although the partial serration and narrow blade offered us a relatively limited edge to work with for cutting vegetables, it performed admirably in food prep activities.
Although the Clash’s retail pricing isn’t the cheapest, we’ve routinely found it on sale online. We think it’s a good deal when it’s on sale. It’s a good knife to have in your pocket when you’re at camp.
What are the many knife styles used in the outdoors?
Outdoor Blades: 10 Knife Types
- #2 David Bowie. Jim Bowie, a 19th-century American pioneer, popularized this huge sheath knife.
What does Sandvik 14C28N stand for?
Sandvik 14C28N is a high-quality martensitic stainless chromium steel with a chemistry tailored for professional knife applications. The chemical makeup confers a one-of-a-kind set of characteristics, including:
Sandvik 14C28N is primarily used in knife applications where edge sharpness, edge stability, and corrosion resistance are critical. Pocket knives, chefs knives, hunting knives, and fishing knives are just a few examples.
Where does M390 steel come from?
The Bhler M390 is manufactured by Bhler Edelstahl GmbH & Co KG in Kapfenberg, Austria. This company creates steels that are extremely resistant to wear and tear. ‘Specialty steels,’ as they’re known. Almost all varieties of steel as we know them now were not invented as knife steel, which may come as a surprise. For ball bearings and other parts in jet engines, a variety of steels have been created. The same may be said about the Bhler M390.
Despite the fact that Bhler M390 is one of the most popular and high-performing steels on the market, it was designed specifically for injection molding molds. The major purpose is still indicated as the principal purpose on the Bhler datasheet. The fact that it is also excellent for usage in knives is considered an additional benefit.
The steel used in these molds must also be particularly wear and tear resistant. If you wish to be able to cast the same form from the same mold around 10.000 times, it should not wear out between the first and last casting. As a result, these molds are produced from high-quality steel.
As a result, it’s not surprising that M390 is employed as a mold steel. After all, the industrial market is significantly larger. Bhler can sell a lot more kilos of steel to this industry than it can to the knife industry, where the sheets of steel are relatively small and light.
What is the ideal sharpness for a camping knife?
In a survival crisis, one of the most crucial items in your armory is your knife. You can use a survival knife to hunt for food, gather plants, build a shelter, defend yourself against intruders, and make additional tools to help you survive. You could even argue that it’s the most crucial tool you’ll ever own: a dependable knife allows you to build other survival equipment, whereas other tools won’t allow you to build a reliable knife.
It’s a requirement to have at least one knife, and it’s not difficult to get one. It does not require batteries, is simple and portable, and will serve you well for many years if properly cared for. Even a knife, as low-tech as it is, requires TLC from time to time. You’ll wind up with a dull knife if you don’t perform the necessary maintenance.
Knives will naturally dull over time, even with constant use. Cutting and chopping normally causes the blade’s edge to roll, reducing its sharpness. Corrosive elements such as acidic fruits and vegetables, as well as high temperatures, can erode a blade’s sharpness over time.
Properly Using Your Knife
Unlike other knives that are designed for specific tasks such as paring or filleting, your survival knife is meant to be a tough-as-nails, all-purpose constant companion. It’s only logical that being the all-around knife, it wears out faster than the others. You can perform the following to keep the edge of your survival knife sharper for longer:
- When cutting or chopping, use a soft cutting surface or mat. This will keep your knife from becoming blunted when it comes into contact with rough surfaces.
- Clean the blade promptly after cutting produce to remove corrosives.
- Coat your knife with a little film of oil every now and again, especially with high carbon blades, to keep moisture out and avoid rust.
A sharp knife should be able to cut with the least amount of pressure. Hold a piece of paper vertically and try cutting it diagonally from the edge with your knife using a downward motion to test the sharpness of your knife. Without much effort, a sharp blade should be able to cut cleanly through it. The paper will crumple, shred, or have a jagged cut line if the knife is dull.
Having a decent blade on hand is a must while going camping. Everything from preparing s’more sticks to cutting rope and repairing random items around camp will require a good knife.
So, how do you choose a nice camping knife? A decent camping knife will have a blade made of high-quality material that resists corrosion, keeps a sharp edge, and is easy to sharpen. A tougher steel retains an edge longer but is more prone to rust and is more difficult to sharpen. A softer steel is easier to sharpen and has a higher corrosion resistance, but it will not retain an edge as well. We propose a stainless steel blade for these reasons.
Stainless steel, on the other hand, is a metal alloy made out of steel mixed with components like chromium, nickel, molybdenum, silicon, aluminum, and carbon. It is rust and corrosion resistant.
Non-stainless high carbon steel is noted for its toughness and edge retention. However, it is more prone to corrosion than stainless-steel blades, rusting more quickly and necessitating more care.
What is the definition of a bushcraft knife?
Bushcraft knives are sometimes known as survival knives since they are meant to tackle a variety of outdoor chores such as building a shelter, lighting a fire with a Ferro rod, and batoning (splitting wood with a knife and mallet or a stick used as a hammer).
Bushcraft knives nearly always have lengthy blades with a flat edge and are fixed-blade knives. (Short blades limit the thickness of wood you can work with, and serrated edges aren’t good for the cutting and chopping activities indicated above.) Bushcraft knives usually feature a gripping handle, which is mostly constructed of synthetic material these days, however some still use wood.
What to Look for in a Bushcraft Knife
When looking for a bushcraft knife, keep in mind the fundamental characteristics listed above; some blades are advertised as bushcraft knives even if they don’t match all of these requirements. You should also examine how you want to use the knife – perhaps you want a knife that you can use with a Ferro rod to ignite fires, but you won’t be batoning, in which case a smaller, lighter, and easier to pack knife will suffice. Here are a few general guidelines to remember.
Knife Construction: Look for a knife with a full-tang design. This means that the blade’s steel also flows through the handle and into the knife’s butt. This results in a heavier knife, but one with a far more durable structure that can withstand hammering and leverage.
Blade Steel Characteristics: Steel isn’t all created equal, and enhancing one attribute usually means sacrificing another. Toughness, which is a measure of a blade’s ability to endure unexpected impacts and forces, is a feature that most bushcraft knives prioritize (think chopping). Because toughness and edge retention are typically inversely related, many bushcraft knife blades are made of carbon steel, which is also easier to sharpen in the field. Carbon steel has the disadvantage of not being as corrosion resistant as stainless steel. There are always trade-offs, and it all depends on how you want to use the knife.
Handle: While wood handles have a vintage appearance, they aren’t always as gripping or lightweight as current synthetic materials. Remember that a bushcraft knife is basically a tool, and you must be able to use it as such for extended periods of time without it slipping out of your grip. Don’t overlook the importance of comfort.
Navy SEALs carry what kind of folding knife?
The United States Navy SEALs carry the Ontario MK 3 Navy Knife as standard issue. It’s a wonderful small piece of equipment for this top and efficient group, with a 6-inch stainless steel blade. Though many SEALs prefer to carry their own knives, this is the one they all geta solid piece of gear that gets the job done without getting in the way.