Fixed Blade Knives

Four repros emulate the knife Horace Kephart made famous.

Before Rambo provoked people to rush to their local sporting goods stores searching for a hollow-handle, saw-back survival knife and long before Ray Mears popularized the quest for the perfect Scandi-ground knife, a timeless classic woods knife endured the test of time—the Kephart.

Who Was Horace Kephart

Horace Kephart (1862-1931) was a prominent figure known for his contributions as an author, librarian and outdoorsman. His extensive exploration of the Southern mountains led him to conduct valuable research on the region and its inhabitants.

Among his many books, he is best known for Our Southern Highlanders and Camping and Woodcraft, with the latter serving as an enduring guide for outdoor living. Both works are still widely available and highly regarded. In the 1920s, Kephart was pivotal in advocating for establishing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

What Is a Kephart Knife?

The Kephart-style knife features a spear-point blade and an oval cross-section handle. The blade is typically 4-to-5 inches long, 1095 carbon steel, and forged using techniques reminiscent of 18th-to-19th-century bladesmithing. The blade is typically an eighth inch at the thickest, supporting a sturdy and durable structure. A distinctive feature is the asymmetrical spear point with a full-length edge enhancing its utility in various cutting tasks. The scales are often walnut or maple. The overall design aims for simplicity, with attention to detail to ensure comfort and usability.

In the words of Horace Kephart, “A camper has use for a common-sense sheath-knife, sometimes for dressing big game, but oftener for such homely work as cutting sticks, slicing bacon, and frying ‘spuds.’ For such purpose, a rather thin, broad-pointed blade is required … It is tempered hard enough to cut green hardwood sticks, but soft enough so that when it strikes a knot or bone it will, if anything, turn rather than nick.”

ML Knives Kephart

Kephart Specs
Blade Length: 4”
Blade Material: 1095 carbon steel
Blade Grind: Convex
Blade @Thickest: .125”
Blade Finish: Forged
Handle Material: Tiger maple
Overall Length: 8.25”
Sheath: Leather
Country of Origin: USA
MSRP: $295

I received my first Kephart-style knife from Matt Lesniewski of ML Knives back in 2007, and it instantly became my favorite. The craftsmanship of the piece is truly remarkable, as Matt employed early 18th-to-19th-century bladesmithing techniques, using 1095 carbon steel and handforging each blade. The handcrafted sheaths are also stunning works of art that truly stand out.

My ML Kephart features a 4-inch blade and a 4.25-inch handle, with scales of beautiful tiger maple. The handle’s oval cross-section provides a comfortable grip, with just the right amount of rounding to prevent discomfort during use. The spear-point blade and eighth-inch thickness, along with the full convex edge and visible forge marks, give the knife a rustic yet simple charm.

Naturally, after reading Horace Kephart and Nessmuk, I made many backcountry trips and always had a stout, reliable fixed blade. When traveling afoot, as the old timey adventurers would say, I had minimal kit and seldom took a large axe or saw. I used a light tomahawk, as Kephart spoke of, and a jackknife in the form of a Swiss Army knife. I had to do more with the fixed blade, and I did. The ML Kephart excelled at woodcraft as the convex edge was ultrasharp and robust.

I always test every cutting tool by shaving arm hair*, whether it’s an axe, long blade or anything with an edge. The next task is always shaving wood, as a fire is ultra important when camping or woodcrafting. The ML excelled at the task—but could it drill? I broke a few old seasoned planks apart by drilling through and twisting them for kindling. The handle seemed comfy, and the natural maple gave me enough traction to keep a solid grip during any task. The flat primary grind with a convex edge is the best of both worlds. And no camp food or sandwich was safe from the ML Kephart.

KA-BAR/Becker Knife & Tool BK62 Kephart

BK62 Specs
Blade Length: 5.125”
Blade Material: 1095 Cro-Van carbon steel
Blade Grind: Flat
Blade @Thickest: .158”
Blade Finish: Satin
Handle Material: Walnut
Overall Length: 9.625”
Sheath: Leather
Country of Origin: USA
MSRP: $232.29

The KA-BAR/Becker Knife & Tool BK62 Kephart is a modern tribute to the classic American bushcraft knife based on the version of renowned author, outdoorsman and gear designer Ethan Becker. “Many copies of the Kephart are based on the one at Western North Carolina University because it was the only one anybody knew about,” Ethan said. He added that his design is based on the only known example, which was virtually pristine, outside a museum. That’s why Ethan said the BK62 is the closest anyone can get to the original Kephart.

Precision crafted, the BK62 features a 5.125-inch blade of 1095 Cro-Van carbon steel, known for its durability and edge retention. Overall length: 9.62 inches. The blade’s full flat grind and spear-point design make it versatile for wood carving and food preparation. The handle is walnut, providing a comfortable grip and a timeless aesthetic. The BK62 is a functional tool and a piece of history, as it closely replicates the original Kephart knife, which played a significant role in the early 1900s wilderness culture. Each Becker Kephart comes with a leather sheath.

The BK62 arrived when I was about to do a little cooking, so I quickly put it into service cutting roast and chicken breast. The flat-ground blade sliced meat like a champ. It performed like a kitchen knife and felt natural in the hand. The BK62 did its share of slicing potatoes, carrots and beef for a pot roast. Thoroughly convinced of its ability to handle food, I moved on to the woods test.

I performed two tasks with the BK62. The first was batonning practical pieces of wood approximately the width of a pencil. The blade’s .158-inch thickness allowed it to glide into the wood, and a twist of the wrist made the seasoned oak split. However, it didn’t perform as well as a saber grind for the latter chore. The next task was feathering hard oak, and this is where the blade’s thinness shone. The feathers were thin and curly, perfect for tinder with a ferro rod or coarse kindling.

ESEE Knives PR4

PR4 Specs
Designer: Patrick Rollins
Blade Length: 4.19”
Blade Material: 1095 carbon steel
Blade Grind: Saber
Blade @Thickest: .125”
Blade Finish: Tumbled black oxide
Handle Material: Sculpted Micarta®
Overall Length: 8.9”
Sheath: Leather
Country of Origin: USA
MSRP: $190.64

The PR4 is part of the Camp-Lore series from ESEE Knives and is named after the initials of its designer, Patrick Rollins, lead instructor for Randall’s Adventure & Training.** The knife features a 4-inch 1095 carbon steel blade with a high saber grind. It pays homage to the timeless Kephart design while incorporating Patrick’s modifications. The approximately 4.5-inch handle is suitable for large hands or use with work or winter gloves. The knife has a black oxide tumble finish resembling a patina but not a coating. The handle is fitted with textured brown Micarta® scales for a distinct look and comfortable grip. The knife comes with a plain tan leather sheath made by Wickett and Craig, one of the oldest tanneries in the USA.

I used the PR4 extensively in the Eastern Woodlands for various camp tasks. The knife proved versatile and was particularly effective for making camp implements and starting fires. It excelled in splitting small sticks and igniting the ferro rod to create a fire. Its sharp spine was practical without being overly flashy.

While I don’t typically baton wood when a chopper is available, I found the PR4 excellent for cross-grain baton work, making precise stop cuts on trap parts, stakes and pot hooks. I also used the PR4 to carve a chisel point on a thick piece of maple for a digging stick and found that it easily sliced dry maple. The knife remained effective despite exposure to various weather conditions.

After establishing a fire, the PR4 proved equally adept at culinary tasks, precisely slicing onions, peppers, potatoes, mushrooms, garlic and sausages for a stew. The thin grind made kitchen tasks a breeze, especially achieving paper-thin garlic slices. The knife performed exceptionally well in all tasks, including prepping tinder from fatwood and dry, split poplar. The high saber grind and sharp spine made the PR4 ideal for camp and woodcraft chores.

Bear Forest Knives GT-3

GT-3 Specs
Blade Length: 3”
Blade Material: 80CrV2 carbon steel
Blade Grind: Flat
Blade @Thickest: .125”
Blade Finish: Rock tumbled acid wash
Handle Material: Micarta®/G-10
Overall Length: 7.25”
Sheath: Black kydex (.08”) w/nylon cross-draw/Scout belt loop
Country of Origin: USA
MSRP: $149.99

Garrett Tremblay of Bear Forest Knives based the company’s GT-3 on his favorite bushcraft knife, the ESEE PR4. After discussing it with the knife’s designer, Patrick Rollins, and receiving approval, Garrett developed the Bear Forest entry.

The knife boasts a striking design, featuring a full-flat-ground, 80CrV2 carbon steel blade with a black oxide finish. The handle showcases an exceptional blend of burgundy and green burlap Micarta scales complemented by vibrant orange G-10 liners, all held together by Corby bolts. The difference in cutting performance between the full-flat-ground edge and the PR4’s saber grind was instantly noticeable. The GT-3 is equally at home as an everyday carry tool, a useful household companion or a reliable camping partner.

The knife is perfect for making notches for tarp stakes and trimming the ends to a chisel point to pound into the ground. The 90-degree spine is ideal for scraping poplar tinder and striking ferro rods. The 3-inch blade is just the right complement for a campsite that includes a bow saw and tomahawk/hatchet.

As Horace Kephart mentioned, a sheath knife is always “get-at-able” for quick tasks, which saves the jackknife from the messier work. This perfectly describes the GT-3. The handle is consistently comfortable. I keep a charred coffee can full of wood shavings—tinder and kindling—in camp. I whittle poplar and maple until the can is full. This is the last but most important task of the night, as it prepares for the next morning’s fire. The GT-3 is always up for the task.

*BLADE does not recommend shaving arm hair as a test of edge sharpness as it can cause injury.

**Both ESEE Knives and Randall’s Adventure Training (RAT) are owned by Jeff Randall and Mike Perrin under the parent corporation of TransEquatorial Solutions, Inc.

Check Out More Outdoor Knives:

• NESSMUK KNIFE: OPTIONS IN THE ALL-AMERICAN OUTDOOR KNIFE
• BEST TOMAHAWKS: OUR TOP HAWKS FOR BACKWOODS TO BATTLEFIELDS
• BEST BUSHCRAFT KNIFE: WHEN STEEL MEETS THE WOODS
• BEST EDC FIXED BLADE KNIFE: A CUT ABOVE THE REST
• BEST CAMP KNIVES: OUTDOORS DO-ALLS

Part big knife/part small machete, 4 fixed blades do both well.

All-terrain has been used to describe the cross between a small machete and a large knife. It’s a tool that doubles as a machete for brush clearing, but, unlike a machete, can do fine cutting and, unlike even a large hunting knife, can build a shelter. It’s less than a kukri, bolo, parang or machete but more than “just” a big knife.

My team and I compared four such crossover hard-use knives, each with blades roughly 10 inches long. All use 1095, 1095 Cro-Van or 1075 carbon blade steels—in other words, alloys that are survival oriented and field-sharpening friendly. All have some standard knife features such as integral guards and bowie-type blades, and some standard machete traits like serviceable blade bellies and large handles. Some have simple, subdued features while others are more aggressive and exaggerated. All are compromises between a big hunting knife and a small machete.

To test the knives as objectively as possible, we did some common BladeSports International (BSI) trials, which have their origins with some of the American Bladesmith Society tests for journeyman and master smith ratings. Among other abilities, the knives of BSI contestants must cut through a 1-inch free-hanging rope and chop clean through a 2-by-4 board.

All test materials (hemp rope, 2-by-4s, 4-by-4 posts, paper tubes and water-filled plastic bottles) were consistent from knife to knife, and we made all feathersticks and tent pegs from the same branches. Yes, we treated backwoods knives like competition choppers to objectively find their real strengths and weaknesses.

The knives were tested right out of the box, with the factory edge and with only a 600-grit stone sharpening before all the stages were repeated to get the average results. All tests were done with bare hands—if there were hot spots during hard work or precise use, we wanted to find them. Four knife enthusiasts with different hand sizes did some of the evaluations.

ESEE Junglas

Junglas Specs
Designer: Jeff Randall
Blade Length: 10.4″
Blade Steel: 1095
Cutting Edge Length: 9.8″
Maximum Blade Width: 2.0″
Blade @ Thickest: 0.188″
Blade Pattern: Drop Point
Blade Grind: Full Flat
Blade Finish: Powder Coat
Handle Length: 6.1″
Handle Material: Micarta
Pommel: hammer
Lanyard Hole: one
Weight: 23.0 ozs.
Overall Length: 16.5″
Sheath Material: Kydex, MOLLE
Country of Origin: USA
MSRP: $309

Like most ESEE knives, the Junglas (pronounced “HOON-glas”) is based on the lessons learned from jungle operations, in this instance after ESEE co-owner Jeff Randall spent time with the Colombian Jungla Special Operations Forces. Thus the name of the Junglas, designed to have the strength and rigidity of a fixed blade and the cutting efficiency of a machete. 

The 1095 of the Junglas is the go-to steel for many military, survival, hunting, camping, tactical and bushcraft blades. Compared to all carbon, tool, high speed and stainless steels, 1095 is on the low end for edge retention but in the middle for toughness. What makes it a favorite choice for survival/bushcraft knives is its toughness and very high overall rating for ease of field sharpening with small, simple hand tools. As a carbon steel it has a very low rating for corrosion resistance, which is why nearly all 1095 blades, like with the Junglas, have a protective coating. 

During our tests, we found the Junglas to have excellent balance. The Micarta® scales have the right amount of texture, and their shape allowed full control and orientation of the blade and point. We initially wondered if a choil would be needed for precise cutting, but got along surprisingly well making notched tent pegs and feathersticks.

The Junglas has a Cordura®-backed sheath with snap retaining strap and full pommel cover. The sheath has an adjustable blade tension, which doubles as a knife lock. Like all ESEE knives, the Junglas is no-frills simple and totally functional. It performed extremely well in every test and in the subjective cutting impressions review. It really is a knife, ax and machete all in one.

TOPS Armageddon

Armageddon Specs
Designer: Trace Rinaldi
Blade Length: 10.6″
Blade Steel: 1095
Cutting Edge Length: 10.0″
Maximum Blade Width: 1.9″
Blade @ Thickest: 0.25″
Blade Pattern: Drop Point, Recurve
Blade Grind: Partial Flat
Blade Finish: Powder Coat
Handle Length: 5.9″
Handle Material: Micarta
Pommel: Hammer
Lanyard Hole: Two
Weight: 24.0 ozs.
Overall Length: 16.6″
Sheath Material: Ball. Nylon, MOLLE
Country of Origin: USA
MSRP: $350

All four review knives chopped, cut, batonned and carved nearly the same. Blade steel and edge geometry are very similar. The big differences are in the handles and the most distinctive grip belongs to the TOPS Armageddon. Consider Forged in Fire’s Doug Marcaida and his emphasis on the handle. You must be able to “feel” where the point and edge are, and the handle must not have hot spots. That said, the Armageddon grip gives some good handling options.

If you choke all the way back for chopping on this bushcraft knife, and your hand is large or larger, your little finger will be up against the bird’s-beak pommel, a definite hot spot. The obvious solution is to put your forefinger in the finger cutout. This makes the grip extremely secure when chopping, and there is plenty of room for the other three fingers. That is how we held the Armageddon during the 2-by-4 chop and 1-inch rope cut, when the big TOPS knife exhibited plenty of power.

In fine cutting, we used the choil cutout and spine gimping for precise blade control. With this grip, the finger cutout fit between the middle and ring fingers. If this grip is not completely comfortable, three minutes of radiusing and rounding with a Dremel® tool will customize the choil and finger cutouts and bird’s-beak pommel to your hand.

Blade steel is 1095. The Micarta scales are a clear solution for heavy use, offering the right amount of texture for bare hands under wet conditions. The exposed full tang can easily be hammered, and we found the twin lanyard holes helpful.

We selected or excluded knives for this roundup partially based on the sheaths. The Armageddon comes with a ballistic nylon model over a rigid plastic insert. It has two fabric-fastener handle straps and can be belt worn. The twin accessory pouches can hold a sharpening stone, fire kits, mini med kits, multi-tool and/or flashlight.

The tests showed just how effective the big TOPS knife can be. At a quarter-inch thick, it has the stoutest blade of the test bunch, which helped chop and baton. The flat grind kept the thick blade competitive during slicing tests. The choil/finger-cutout handle offers cutting technique options not found on any of the other test knives.

KA-BAR/Becker Knife & Tool BK9 Combat Bowie

BK9 Combat Bowie Specs
Designer: Ethan Becker
Blade Length: 9.3″
Blade Steel: 1095 Cro-Van
Cutting Edge Length: 9.3″
Maximum Blade Width: 1.9″
Blade @ Thickest: 0.188″
Blade Pattern: Clip Point
Blade Grind: Partial Flat
Blade Finish: Powder Coat
Handle Length: 5.5″
Handle Material: Ultramid® Nylon
Pommel: Hammer
Lanyard Hole: One
Weight: 16.8 ozs.
Overall Length: 14.8″
Sheath Material: Ball. Nylon, MOLLE
Country of Origin: USA
MSRP: $195

The KA-BAR/Becker Knife & Tool BK9 Combat Bowie is a large, low-profile bushcraft knife. During the tests, it did everything we expected a big bowie to do. It chopped, hacked and batonned with gusto, and cut, sliced and slashed quite well, especially considering it is by far the lightest and nearly the shortest of the review knives. 

Used by KA-BAR on assorted of the company’s knives, 1095 Cro-Van is essentially 1095 with the addition of several elements. Arguably, 1095 Cro-Van is an incremental improvement in edge retention and toughness over 1095. While the chemistry is there, we didn’t notice any big differences in testing. 

The knife has smooth, rounded nylon scales. We decided to use from-the-factory models in the testing, even if factory parts were available to improve performance. Indeed, high-texture Micarta scales are available from KA-BAR. Somewhat surprisingly, the smooth scales with palm swell proved perfectly acceptable during testing, even the hard chopping. Since one of the tests involved cutting water-filled plastic bottles, our hands got wet. However, there was no noticeable hand slipping and the handle was comfortable in hard use.

The BK9 comes with a ballistic nylon sheath over a rigid plastic insert, and one snap retention strap. If you order Micarta replacement scales from KA-BAR, consider getting the Becker Remora skeleton knife, which fits in the BK9’s sheath pouch. 

The lighter, shorter Becker excelled at smaller carving and whittling jobs. In close work, it did the precise cutting easily. We like the gimped thumb rise and used it for precision work. Overall, this is a very versatile bush blade. The big Becker punched way above its weight class in every test.

Condor Tool & Knife Plan A Bowie

Plan A Bowie Specs
Designer: Julio Diez
Blade Length: 9.0″
Blade Steel: 1075
Cutting Edge Length: 8.8″
Maximum Blade Width: 2.0″
Blade @ Thickest: 0.188″
Blade Pattern: Clip Point
Blade Grind: Partial Flat
Blade Finish: Polished
Handle Length: 6.5″
Handle Material: Micarta®
Pommel: Covered tang
Lanyard Hole: One
Weight: 18.0 ozs.
Overall Length: 14.5″
Sheath Material: Kydex®
Country of Origin: El Salvador
MSRP: $168

The Plan A Bowie from Condor Tool & Knife is very much a big bushcraft knife, complete with an upswept, false edge, clip-point blade. It has the shortest blade of the test knives and the shortest overall length. However, the blade’s partial flat grind and longest handle of the review models kept the weight up a bit. As a result, it held its own in heavy chopping, the difficult slicing and precise carving.

The 1075 blade steel is very similar to 1095. Each alloy has slight advantages. The 1095 is harder and known for better edge retention, while 1075 is known for enhanced toughness, making it ideal for chopping.

The knife sports sculpted palm-swell scales and a pronounced kukri-type pommel swell. We found the handle comfortable and secure during testing and the subjective evaluations. The kukri swell is sharp cornered but we didn’t find it to be a hot spot.

The Condor is the only review knife with the scales covering the full tang, and an exposed tang to hammer with is sometimes helpful in the field. There is a hole for a lanyard. The full sheath has a molded retention feature and a thick leather belt loop.

The knife handled like the big bowie that it is. It performed as confidently during chopping as during slicing. It took the hanging rope, water bottles and 2-by-4 in stride. There is something special about a big, aggressive bowie and the Plan A has that something.

Cross-Over Success

Each knife was able to cross over into virtually all areas of bushcraft. Perhaps a bit more chopping to make a tent peg than carving in some cases, but the end result was still a usable tent peg. Each passed such standards as slicing through the hanging 1-inch rope and chopping through a 2-by-4. Each is a little different from the other, a little better in some areas than others. Overall, however, they are more alike in performance than different in appearance.

Check Out More Outdoor Knives:

• NESSMUK KNIFE: OPTIONS IN THE ALL-AMERICAN OUTDOOR KNIFE
• BEST TOMAHAWKS: OUR TOP HAWKS FOR BACKWOODS TO BATTLEFIELDS
• BEST BUSHCRAFT KNIFE: WHEN STEEL MEETS THE WOODS
• BEST EDC FIXED BLADE KNIFE: A CUT ABOVE THE REST
• BEST CAMP KNIVES: OUTDOORS DO-ALLS

B. Goode H.U.T. 4 high steps its way through the author’s test drills

The H.U.T. 4 by Brian Goode of B. Goode Knives reminds me of my military days—it just needs the “2, 3” before the “4.” The acronym and number stand for Hunter, Utility, Trail, 4 inch. An all-around edged tool that can be used for multiple tasks, it’s the one knife you always grab for when cutting needs to be done. How well it cut I’ll let you know.

Light Duty Cutting

I began with a simple yet effective test—the paper slice. I grabbed the H.U.T. 4 with my thumb and index finger and slid the edge into the paper. It kept slicing for the entire blade length. I could hear each slice, so it’s very aggressive in the 20-pound bond paper. You really have to watch closely so you don’t skin a flap from your finger.

Single-walled cardboard was next. I used a push cut and the knife didn’t fail. I felt no resistance while cutting. The H.U.T. 4 zipped through quickly. The blade did get some wipe marks on the acid finish.

Medium Duty Cutting

Grabbing some scrap 8-ounce leather, I did some skiving and slicing. The knife sliced quite forcefully once more. Each time the edge hit the leather, you could hear it cut. This is a very cool test to do. Brian’s knife is light and fast, so you must be quick and get your fingers out of harm’s way.

Heavy Duty Cutting

The H.U.T. 4 was a whittling beast on a ¾-inch dowel rod, providing extremely smooth cuts with nice curlicues at the end. The handle is very comfortable with no hot spots. I went from fine cuts to deep cuts with a slight movement of my wrist. The knife is easy to control.

Even though the knife has only a 4-inch blade, it can handle larger trail chores like splitting wood. Using a chunk of wood railing as a baton, I beat the H.U.T. 4 into another piece of railing. The wood split very fast and no shock carried up my arm. I split both with the grain and across the grain with no difference. The edge was still perfect and I gave it some wood smears for character. It is a fun knife to use.

It was on to my favorite medium: sisal rope using push cuts. The H.U.T. 4 didn’t let me down. Two-hundred sweet crunching cuts happened very quickly. This is one smooth slicing, sharp knife. As fast as I could move the knife it was cutting. The handle is contoured for control and comfort.

In what could be construed as abuse, I gave the fixed blade 30 whacks into a deer antler. After scattering antler chips all over the workbench, the knife passed with flying colors—no damage and still very sharp. Excellent heat treat!

It was back to the 20-pound bond paper for the final cut. There was no difference between the first paper cut and the last one. The H.U.T. 4 stayed sharp.

Bottom Line

This is a great knife to have on you all the time—not too big, not too small and extremely sharp. Any changes? Maybe some thumb notches.

H.U.T. 4 Specs
Maker: Brian Goode, B. Goode Knives
Blade length: 4”
Blade material: 8670 carbon steel on the test knife; other steels available
Blade grind: Full flat
Blade @thickest: .125”
Blade finish: Acid dipped
Scales: Red and black canvas Micarta®
Handle pins: G-10
Weight: 4.5 ozs.
Overall length: 8.5”
Sheath: Leather pouch/belt model
Weight w/sheath: 6 ozs.
Maker’s price for a similar knife and sheath: $350

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