The Ray Mears Bushcraft Knife

  1 of 101

  What a wonderful knife, an extravagant purchase by my usual standards, but it was to celebrate a big birthday! The build quality was the first thing that struck me, the work that went into the knife and sheath are truly sublime and unlike any of the more affordable knives that I've handled up to this point. The handle has a lovely shape to it which sits very nicely in the hand. One of the things that led me to purchase this knife was the fact that the design was influenced by the previous version made by Wilkinson Sword. That knife had a relatively narrow blade design which, I felt, lent itself very nicely to all manner of campcraft and woodcraft projects. Since taking delivery of this knife a few weeks ago, I have found it a pleasure to use around camp and use it I have, this knife is no drawer queen that's for sure! It has prepared feathersticks, split down primary fuel for the fire, made tent pegs, cooking rigs and has been put to task on a few whittling projects. It takes it all in it's stride and at the end of each day, it's wiped clean, stropped and ready to take on the next challenge. I'm not a knife collector, but I do appreciate good craftwork and this knife exemplifies that, it's quite possibly the last utility/'bushcraft' knife that I'll ever buy. If there was one thing that I'd change about this knife, it would be the blade thickness. For a multi-purpose knife such as this, I've always felt that 4mm is a bit excessive. 3mm or there abouts is the sweet spot in my humble opinion, giving the user a knife that is more agile for crafting, yet strong enough for the heavy duty tasks such as firewood prep and batoning. But with that said and done, I'm splitting hairs here and the Ray Mears Bushcraft Knife is a fantastic product.  

  Gavin

  2 of 101

  Like anyone who would spend this kind of money on a knife, I have quite a collection of custom fixed blades. The fit and finish on the Ray Mears bushcraft knife is ideal. The hardware as well as the tang is seamless with the scales, it's not uncommon to be able to catch your fingernail on the slightest edge on even some of the best knives out there. Plunge lines are perfect, scandi grind is consistent the length of the blade. This knives quality is very good. It came razor Sharp, and the leather selection for the sheath is very good. In a similar price range I would say that this knife is extremely well made and can compete with and in it's size and function category. It is comfortable in hand for me with large hands and easy on the eyes. For a knife collector I would recommend this blade if you can get your hands on it.  

  Brandon Kidd

  3 of 101

  This is a work of art!  

  Severo Henry

  4 of 101

  Extremely high quality product, the fit and finish is superb and the Leather Sheath is the highest quality. The Black Micarta Handle is very robust and durable and the use of 01 Carbon Steel the blade is durable and will hold a sharp edge. The Knife out of the box is the sharpest I have seen, with my collection of Custom Knives including products for the US, Japan, Scandinavia, Europe and the UK, this knife is second to none. Great service and very quick delivery.  

  Graham Hill

  5 of 101

  An absolute joy of a knife! Cuts through wood like butter, easy to handle as you carve through wood. Makes good feather sticks , great when used for food prep, and solid enough to split wood if necessary, wouldn’t advise it, better to use an axe for such purpose. An excellent knife with Ray Mears, the legend of Bushcraft behind it, its quality and craftsmanship. Love it.  

  Daniel Llorens

  6 of 101

  I ordered this knife based on my experience of using one on the Winter Bushcraft Course in the Northern Forest. It is beautiful to look at and is well balanced and very sharp. The handle is comfortable and the sheath holds the knife securely and discreetly. It arrived in a lovely presentation box. It is beautifully made and definitely feels like it will last many lifetimes. I love carving things from wood and this knife is a real pleasure to use. I would recommend anyone who wants a serious bushcraft knife give this one serious consideration.  

  Mark Rollinson

  7 of 101

  A long thought about this purchase. Beautifully made, presented in a lovely box, a wonderful knife.  

  Alastair J

  8 of 101

  Beautiful, it needs no further words from me.  

  Richard V

  9 of 101

  Have almost purchased one of these knives in their many guises so many times and have always regretted not doing so when they are out of stock. As a tool you can see the thought that has gone into the design process and the workmanship from the makers. The handle fits perfectly in hand ( I’m a size 7 glove) it is contoured in such a way to be comfortable and to give secure confident grip in a variety of holds, the linen micarta scales are symmetrical, warm to touch and have a unique grain pattern, similar to wood but more resilient. The edge is razor sharp and easy to bring to a mirror polish, first testing making a simple feather stick resulted in fine curls and I look forward to putting this to use in a variety of tasks. The price is higher than many other similar knives however you do pay for the artisan craftsmanship from Emberleaf and the lifetime of experience and refinement from Mears, the made locally element also appealed as the maker is only a short drive away. The knife feels like a solid tool, and I have no trepidation in using it and ensuring it is in my kit for longer overseas trips, I believe the right combination of materials had been used and whilst a wooden handle would be more natural the feel, weight and pattern of the micarta gives it a charm of its own. The sheath is very snug and secure and the Woodlore team did swop the sheath to a left handed version, it is a lovely shade and the character of the leather is evident. I am incredibly happy to have joined the Woodlore knife fraternity after seeing my first example nearly 20 years ago as I first experienced bushcraft for the first time and it will be a tool I make great use of going forward. As always service and communication with Woodlore has been second to none.  

  Shaf Hansraj

  10 of 101

  I absolutely respect the legacy of the Woodlore knife, however, I feel this one falls short of the promise. Don't get me wrong it's a great knife, just that I found so many other knives that are less expensive and have better quality materials. I wish the handle was made out of exotic wood or even wood in general, as in previous models. I find myself paying a lot of money for a plastic micarta, not plastic handle. Whatever happened to the brass rivets that gives the handle distinction? The other thing is that the handle is way too thin and my hand gets tired trying to get a hold of it. The ricasso is too wide, so of the most important parts of the blade is missing by a centimetre. The photo represents a cognac sheath, yet I received one that was nearly dark brown yet the strap was cognac as it was supposed to be (I wanted the cognac as advertised) that I paid for. The handle to blade is incongruous. The blade needs a longer handle. Am I content with the knife, yes, but would I purchase it retroactively in hindsight, no.  

  Lob