A bushcraft knife tends to be a generalist by design, which makes it highly utilitarian for a wide range of tasks.
That said, here are 8 things you can use a bushcraft knife for.
Starting a Fire
A good bushcraft knife can help you practice firecraft in more than one way. The most straightforward way is to use the spine to shave sparks off of a ferrocerium rod, but some bushcraft knives also have divots in the scales that can be used as bow drill sockets.
Batoning Rounds
Get a small round with square cut ends, sit it upright, lay the edge of your bushcraft knife across it, and smack the spine with another piece of wood. This will help you process small rounds of wood, either for making a fire or for carving camp tools.
Draw Cuts
Pound the point of your bushcraft knife into a small round of wood; now you have two handles. You can turn the edge towards you, and use the knife handle and the improvised handle to execute draw cuts for shaving and profiling.
Clearing Areas, Felling Small Trees
A bushcraft knife might not be as good as a machete, but you can still use it to clean small areas. You can also fell small trees using a bushcraft knife as a baton.
Carving Camp Tools and Making Camp Furniture
A smaller bushcraft knife can be used to carve camp tools like handles and hafts, as well as spoons or other utensils. Also, a good knife can be used to carve camp furniture.
Cleaning Harvests
Whether you’ve harvested some small game or a few fish, a bushcraft knife can be used to process the meat. A filet knife might be better, but you’ve got to take any port in a storm.
General Food Prep
Just as a bushcraft knife can be used for cleaning harvests, it can also be used for general food prep. You can even use it as a utensil for cooking if you don’t have one.
Digging a Small Pit
Lastly, and though this is not an ideal use for a bushcraft knife, you can also use one for digging a small pit, such as if you need a latrine, a hole for a post, or are making some sort of oven in the ground like a Dakota fire pit. Just be conscientious if you do this as it is not generally advisable to dig with a knife because the ground will damage the edge.
What to Look for in a Bushcraft Knife
What you need in a bushcraft knife might depend on what you do outdoors and where you live, but as a general rule you should want:
- Full-tang construction.
- A tough steel that also offers some degree of corrosion resistance.
- A practical blade profile like a drop point or spear point.
- Comfortable handle scales with good ergonomics.
- And a sheath that offers good retention and can be carried more than one way.
Where to Get a New Bushcraft Knife
In the market for a new bushcraft knife? Start your search online at The Knife Connection. They carry a wide range of options from the top brands and can help you find what you’re looking for.
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