Benchmade - Bushcrafter 162 Fixed Outdoor Survival Knife Made in USA with Kydex Sheath and Belt Loop, Drop-Point Blade

This is a serious tool for a competent outdoorsman. S30V steel holds a keen edge longer and resists corrosion and pitting, requiring far less care and maintenance than a carbon steel blade. Proven G10 handle material is just as sturdy and resistant as the blade. Tough, pressed-in tubular titanium , also very resistant to corrosion, hold the handles in place.This is a true field blade, not a display knife to be kept in a climate-controlled case to prevent rusting. You don't need to constantly clean and oil it, or worry about rain, snow, dew, blood, or sap corroding the blade. You can use it all day, wipe it on a shirt tail or pant leg, and keep on going, the blade will stay sharp and rust free. You can clean it and sharpen it when you get back to the house or camp, if needed. The blade is thick and sturdy, it isn't ideal for cutting see-through tomato slices, but it is nearly perfect for tough outdoor tasks.Unlike most carbon steel knives, there is no coating on this blade to cause excess friction and catching in the work. The smooth polished blade glides cleanly and predictably (thus more safely) through any task.The included, very high quality, leather sheath won't give you away while hunting, unlike kydex or polymer sheaths which often rattle against gear or "scratch" when they are rubbed by a twig.This knife won't impress your mall-ninja buddies, but you'll get a smiles and nods when you pull it out in a group of experienced outdoorsmen who understand the requirements for real field tools. If what you need is a no nonsense tool for hard field use and serious woodsmanship, then look no further, this knife will deliver. But don't expect to impress the internet gurus or glass-case collectors, this isn't a pretty toy, it's a sturdy, working man's tool. For a production blade in the "bushcraft" class, this is as good as it gets.

Having used this knife for 18 months for camping, yard work, utility use around the house, and work, I can easily say that this is an extremely comfortable, durable, and useable tool.Now I did modify the original grind angle to a 20° and had it convexed for a while, and I did like it convexed but it just didn't cut quite the same. So I hand sharpened the angle down to a 25°ish. Cuts just like it did out of the box. It's a Lazer.Now to address the steel and my only reason to give this a 4 star instead of a five. I bought this knife after only having used lower end steels (1055, 1095, 440a,b,c, 8cr13mov, etc.) And I was not extremely proficient in sharpening. So when I initially dulled the edge out I had an extremely hard time getting it sharp once more, I didn't anticipate a steel being hard to sharpen using a diamond sharpener. Having months and months of practice I keyed in my technique and learned to get the angles proper. My issue with this not being my own short comings here, but the fact that I couldn't buff out the scratch damage from sharpening this by hand. It's a hard steel, and it's meant to be used hard. I shouldn't complain about it having some scratches but I still want it to look nice because I will probably have this until I die.All and all, this is a fantastic blade, to be carried along side and axe for camping, a multitool for the house, or your weapon of choice for hunting. It will cut, gut, and carve all things you put it to. It is a piece of art, and will reward it's used for keeping up with all of its maintenance.

First off this is a serious knife for the bush! It is almost too pretty to use outdoors! It looks like a work of art but it does the job well! It fits well in the hand and the S30V steel is sharp and holds an edge very well. The stainless steel looks so clean and resists stains. The sheath is ok. I use a d ring to attach to my belt and it pivots nicely and stays out of the way when sitting etc.You can use this blade for everything from cutting food and preparing meals to making feathersticks and battoning wood for the fire. It cleans up well, in fact well enough to use in food preparation if you worry about carbon steel. I put a Light My Fire Swedish fire steel 2.0 Army with 1/8" bungy paracord to secure it to the sheath. A great addition to the sheath. You can use the spine of the bushcrafter to throw some serious sparks on your kindling.Great sized bushcrafter that is not too large, but very capable!