Knives of Alaska Bush Camp - D2 Done Right

Knives of Alaska offers some of the finest outdoors tools around. The Bush Camp is the most universal model. At 6", the blade is long enough for any camp chores. The razor sharp edge makes slicing easy, and the bowie shape gives the latter half of the blade good sweep and belly. The flat first half of the edge is more usefull for bushcraft tasks, especially since you have a deep finger choil and thumb indent for choking up. Notching wood and making feathersticks is easy with this knife. The robust handle scales are rubberized Suregrip, offering excellent purchase in any weather. The most amazing thing about the knife, however, has to be the perfectly heat-treated D2. It takes and holds a wicked edge like most D2 blades, but also survives a pounding - batoning and chopping into wood - which I have never seen before from this steel. This makes the blade useful for wilderness survival, and shelter making and wood processing are within its capabilites. The leather sheath is attractive, but not advisable for a D2 blade destined for the outdoors. Some spine jimping would also be a welcome improvement. Given the toughness of this D2, a relief bevel is not needed and a scandi grind would be best. 8/10

Category:

Education

Tags:

• knife
• knives
• alaska
• bush
• camp
• wilderness
• survival
• bushcraft
• bowie
• suregrip
• leather
• sheath
• scandi
• grind
• D2
• steel
• high
• carbon
• hunting
• skinning
• fishing
• outdoors
• review

[roaringwaterbay]

isn't it a pain to sharpen knives like this one due to that little section at the back of the blade that has no edge? . . . i like knives where the edge extends along the entire blade. i think this would be an ever bigger pain on knife made out of D2 which is really hard to sharpen anyway.

[icychap]

@roaringwaterbay No, in fact it gives you a point at which to index so you don't have an uneven angle throughout the edge (i.e. even if you don't start your stroke at exactly the same angle as the last one, it will correct once you hit actual edge). It is also safer, as the point at which pressure is applied is further from your hand.

[roaringwaterbay]

what's the name of that song at the beginning?

[icychap]

@roaringwaterbay Spill The Wine, by Eric Burdon & War

[LandAndSeaKahuna]

Do you prefer this or your ranger rd6?

[icychap]

@LandAndSeaKahuna Easily my RD6!

[madchildM]

i had this knife for about 3yrs as many other of there knives all leather sheaths and been carring every condition heavy rain and snow..and had no trouble with sheath..D2 is a hard steel will take a lot of wear to dull..

[NeuronTree]

Did you end up converting this to a scandi?

[borderraven]

You can wax the leather with beeswax or use an light oil like 3-n-1. Also warm the steel knife and apply beeswax.

[Boxterr17]

would you take this or a rat-5? how does the the rd6 compare?

[shaerkhan82]

Scandinavian grind any day

[Ingethal]

Never had an issue sharpening knives made out of D2 including KOA knives of which I have several and I must say after taking them out in the woods many times now, that they are excellent knives, bar none! I also have several knives made out of CPM S30V which is harder to sharpen than D2. Haven't had any problem with chipping and God knows I have used them to baton a bunch of wood as well as making shelters and blinds.

[tommydee1978]

Re your comments on D2 chipping on wood, I've got VG-10 and S30V blades and they chip also it's not D2 specific.

[Gadsbodikins]

In what way is this a bowie? ;)

[BigDumbJerk]

KOA are great knives. People bitch about D2 being hard to sharpen. Think about the time you spend to touch up softer steel when skinning animals. As you don't have to on D2. I skinned and de-boned a large muley using a KOA magnum.Great knife and great company.

[uddoss]

i know somebody..he experienced the opposite..his carbon steel knife got rusty in

a kydex sheath and it got not rusty in the leather sheath..he assumedt..that the leather took off the moisture from the blade..because leather can soak it up and

the kydex not..and last time..found somebody here in youtube..who told the same story..but most people think it's the other way..kydex keeps the knife dry and leather is bad..may it depends on more facts..it's not always true..