Thanks for the review. I think the F1 is a very good knife, but I use specialty knives for processing game. Your review is fair and comes from experience. People often don't like criticism, but critical reviews are the ones I pay most attention to because they point out issues.
As we all know it was designed as a Pilot’s knife. I opine its a knife that a pilot can use as a jack-of-all-trades in a cold environment until he is rescued or until he reaches civilisation/friendly areas. In such a situation only the barest of needs must be done and the goal is to get home quickly.
@@mateodeleon1185 You nailed it. I will give an additional observation. We all read about carrying a fixed blade knife. I am urban. If I walked around with a knife strapped to my waist (which is legal), I would be stopped by every police officer. And, where do you put a fixed blade when you wear a suit? Easy answer. The F1 in its factory issued and ugly sheath can be slipped into a suit pants pocket. I couldn't do that with any other 4 inch blade, using the factory sheath.
Give him and me a break. This man has perhaps the most informative knife channel on UA-cam! He has superior insite to sharpening techniques, a huge collection of varying knives using varying steels and critiques them based on his observations from real world use to his incredibly detail curiosity and shares this with us who don't have his means or skills. Speaking perfect english is a distant second to what he teaches us. I'm just glad he speaks english so I can understand.
Excellent review. Very good points I had never thought of before. Someone made a comment about your English. I personally understand you perfectly. Besides, I'm willing to bet your English is a lot better than his Japanese. Have a great day.
I am a big fan of Bark River's convex geometry. Especially I like their Rampless Gunny in A2 tool steel. Its high and shallow convex zero grind bevel bites wood real deep. It's typically nice for bushcraft. But we need to watch out to get a Bark RIver knife because their current quality control is poor. Some of their knives have a large angle micro bevel remaining from their production flaw. Mora Companion is always super sharp but doesn't bite wood deep because of its blade thinness. Thanks.
I totally agree to what you say. Fallkniven F1 is not a great hunting knife but a great survival knife in a compact size. Its handle material is warm in coldness. We can hold it without touching the cold blade for its front end design. VG-10 is a maintenance free stainless steel. Its fat geometry makes it work as a strong prybar. Its large angled edge makes it hold long in tough uses. All are military survival features. I personally used it for hunting and my viewpoint was different. Thanks.
I had the H-1. It was a very thick and heavy knife. And its handle had less ergonomics and my right arm was much tired using it for processing a stag. And its crescend blade shape was good for skinning but not for getting muscles. Thank you.
Hello Daniel, I just finished the review of the 3V Fox River. It had a large angled micro flat bevel from the factory and I converted it to a convex one. Then the final angle seemed to go over 35 degrees judged from the paper cut test. Then the edge was no chippy after the deer dressing. But it was really tough for me to convert the micro flat bevel to the convex one. So I think 3V is an exceptionally hard steel. Take care!
Great review. Clear, precise and informative. Your english is great too. Slightly unnatural phrasing but on the other hand you umm and ahh a lot less than most natives speakers.
I have the PHK and I was very very surprised on how comfortable it is. It's construction from 3G steel and its contour make it very very sharp and has excellent edge retention. I did two deer at the same time with it and had no problem in either cutting or skinning. The picture does not do it justice, it is far more elegant in real life. I hope you get the chance to work with it, it is far superior from BR, in my opinion. Carry on the great reviews!
I have used my Fällkniven F1 3G for many years now and I know from the manufacturer of this knife why the blade has that curved convex formation at the edge, its all about keeping the edge sharper for a longer period time. A thin edge is a weaker edge and wont hold the sharp edge as easy as the one of the F1 model. About getting the knife sharp, it´s no problem to get this knife as sharp as any other knife, it´s actually all about your grinding technique. About the thumb grip I am all with you, the transition between the blade and the handle could have been much more smoother.
I love his accent. And I've come to find his diction soothing. He's well informed and backs it up with a lot experience. I'm grateful he makes the effort to share his wisdom with us hunters in a language that is not his own.
@903lew I once owned H1 but left it immediately because I didn't like its crescent belly curve and its blade thickness. I remember its handle was much thicker than F1, but more difficult to hold without a guard. Thanks.
@blugularis First I showed you Fallkniven TK2 which was the best 4 inch blade in the world by all means in my opinion. The 2nd knife was Enzo Trapper from Brisa, whose handle was much better than F1 in my opinion. The last knife was the short KaBar USMC knife of which edge I had profiled to a Scandi edge and of which upper guard I had removed for hunting purpose. Thanks.
Hi Virtuovice, Excellent and very informative videos, thank you for taking the time. Have you any thoughts on the Fallkniven PHK? I have been using this knife for a while now and I am impressed with its performance. Whilst it does not strike you as functional when one sees it, it is fantastic on processing deer. I would also like to hear your thoughts on the HK9, which looks very very nice, but I have not had the chance to handle it yet. Carry on the great work!
This knife is made in Japan. The Japanese maker doesn't have a capability to make a real convex edge as a production level like Bark River has. So all Fallkniven knives have a secondary micro V bevel and don't take leather stropping which Bark Rivers take. And its bevel geometry is ridiculously fat to make a keen edge. I reground its bevel from the spine to the edge like Bark River knives and now it takes stropping well. But its VG10 is still softer than Bark River A2 and takes rolls. Thanks.
VG-10 goes uselessly dull after some deer dressings. I need to resharpen. But its secondary micro V bevel and its large geometry prohibit me from putting it a needed sharp edge. So I reground it from the spine and made the total bevel shallower to take a small angle zero edge which satisfied my need. Thanks.
I have never batoned wood for actual purposes nor built up a shelter. I understand from my hunting experience that Enzo O1 is on soft side and Fallkniven VG10 is also on soft side. Enzo Nordic had a very thin geometry from the factory and I needed to put a micro deeper bevel on it not to take rolls from touching bones. F1 geometry after removing its secondary micro V bevel was fat enough not to take rolls. Anyway Enzo Nordic is not a hard use knife but Fallkniven F1 can make a wedge or a prybar.
@drkknight614 On F1 a convex bevel starts from 2/3 from the spine while on TK2 from 1/3 in my observation. So the edge angle is pretty different between the two. Thanks.
The edge on the F1 is a 30 or more degree micro V edge and doesn't need sharpening for a while. It's primary bevel is pretty deep convex to be thick enough to work as a pliebar or a wedge. The front end of its handle is longer on the spine side not to need to touch the cold blade in the arctic climate. Its a genuine cold climate survival knife, and not a hunting/bushcraft knife for its primary purpose. But their website puts it at the top of their hunting knife corner. It's a contradiction.
I love my F1 very much as a useful knife. I like to use many interesting knives from next to next during deer dressing for UA-cam. When I don't need to take a video or when the tested knives go dull within a day, I use the F1 quite often for the next deer. I completely reprofiled its geometry shallow and it is now as sharp as Bark Rivers. It is stainless and I can treat it quite roughly, so it is very useful to me. I don't need a great knife always but often need a handy tool like F1. Thanks.
All Fallknivens have a secondary micro V bevel which doesn't take stropping. My standard sharpness is done by stropping and it cannot take it unless getting rid of it. And even after doing it its basic geometry is critically large to take a sharp edge. After a chip restoration its edge angle goes deeper and it needs full height regrinding to take a sharp edge again. It is nice as a batoning wedge but not very nice as a carving tool. And even for light wood chopping a longer knife is recommended.
For hunting I will take your point. In Fällknivens defense the F1 was designed as pilot survival knife, the bushcraft aspect of it is by-the-by. Apart from the TKs, Fällkniven make the H1 (hunting knife). Might be worth a go. Me, I love my F1. But I mainly use it for bushcraft.
I will get the Sako .308 rifle when I get the riffle license 2 years ahead. We need 10 year shot gun experience before having a rifle in this silly peace loving country. Anyway I wanted to make the title simple. And Fallkniven website puts the F1 at the top of their hunting knife corner. If correctly speaking it will be a game dressing knife. Thanks.
I've heard it quoted that this a basic design of what a knife needs to be, not what a knife could be. Take from that what you will. Great review though, and a good insight into comfort and control of the knife. Thanks 😊
@virtuovice i watched that comparison video on 4 types of grinding. that's why i was researching mora but a lot of their knives are not full-tang. I want to maintain full tang within my blades. i will research around more.... thanks!
@driftworld86 If you like a relatively affordable full tang blade in stainless steel, I only come up with the Enzo Trapper in AUS8 and Fallkniven F1 in VG10. But their edge angle is rather deep for wood carving but just good for wood batoning or game dressing. Thanks.
It's not designed to be a hunting knife. It is a swedish survival knife designed for our pilots. Its like reviewing a Ferrari when you search for a family sedan.
Interesting, i totally understand what ypur saying. Fallknivens are not full convex blades, but have a flat grind with a convex edge. I believe the convex starts at the lamination line no? thank you for showing the attention to detail on the tk2, helps explain the higher price tag as well. F1 comes in vg10 also, which would be easier to sharpen, but the geometery would be the same.
@frankdrebin I understand all Fallknivens are made in Japan. But I don't see any less expensive ones here. So I got all my Fallknivens from the US. I don't know about the Cold Steels. Thanks.
@simfmasik I have ever owned Master Hunter. And I didn't like its VG-1 due to rust, and didn't like its gummy Kraton handle in little ergonomics. Although I have ever heard its handle was good over a glove. I basically like 4 inch blade both for speedy processing and for sure cutting. The Pendleton has a 3.5 inch blade which will be good for sure cutting but will not be good for speedy processing. I like 3.5 inch blades in folders which have a pivot portion between a hand and a blade. Thanks.
I do not agree... Oriental have small hands. Matter of fitting ones hand... F1 is a great knife and VG10 is easy to sharpen and holds an edge well...Enough said..........
I have ESEE4. Its bevel is flat and its V edge angle is 40 degrees from the factory. I had IDUN. Its bevel was natural shallow convex and it had a micro V edge whose angle seemed less than 40 degrees. The natural shallow convex bevel has large wood separating potential while the flat bevel has nothing. And the edge angle of IDUN seems even smaller. If you haven't tried it yet, Rampless Gunny will outperform your IDUN. Its bevel geometry is superb. It is now available in many steels. Thanks.
I am happy that you did it as I had done it. I think you share the same perspective to the F1 with me that its strange bevel geometry never gives it the sharpest edge. But now it is even nicer than the current Bark River 3V Gunny's geometry which has a clear bevel transition line in the middle of the bevel and of which edge angle is even larger than F1 in conjunction with its micro bevel. Thank you!
I have never held the PHK. It looks like a long and stout hunting knife to me. Its long belly will be for efficient skinning. Its saber grind will be for rib cutting or such tough jobs. The HK9 looks like a very nice knife to me. But its price is far over my range. Thanks.
All these dolts criticizing the gentleman's English skills need to do a bit of traveling. Let's hear them ask for directions in downtown Hong Kong. Now that would be funny. Thanks for the review.
@virtuovice Thank you for the nice answer. But I have been using my F1 for skinning and dressing deer ever since I saw your video about the F1 being your favorite knife and I still love it :) works great for me still. Best regards, Alex
Oh I see. I have never used it on large game only rabbits and fish. I mainly use mine for wood working and I think it is good for that purpose. Seems to keep an edge for a long time.
I suspect 3V Gunny has a fatter geometry or a deeper microbevel from the facts that 3V Bravo1 has a fatter geometry than A2 and 3V Fox River has a deeper microbevel which A2 doesn't have. 3V is a high wear resistant steel. But it is a bit chippy and BR needs larger angle on 3V. Chip restoration is a nightmare because we necessarily need to put a new deeper microbevel onto the deeper factory bevel. I don't recommend you 3V for the reason. I think Rampless Gunny is much more versatile than Bravo1.
that f1 handle looks very much like the knives i see at wal mart which has a lot of lower end knives and yes the ergonomics are very mediocre ,,, i have been questioning the general use of fallknivens for yrs ,,, i did not own one personaly ,, but i do not like a brittle edge ,, and the ones ive known got chipping a bit ,,,, not what i want in a high end knife ,, so , i never wanted to buy one,,,,,,, you have a great review here ,, i always like honesty ,
A2 takes spotty rusts, not very easily though. Now Bark River has Rampless Gunny in S35VN which I will need to purchase for myself. The fishing knife will be better in a stainless steel. Thanks.
Good informative videos. I'm not hunting, but am looking for a camping knife. Is the F1 good enough to help with preparing food (meat, vegetables cutting), while still being good to chop some wood and make e.g. a walking stick in the woods? Can you recommend a good knife for such use? How small is it smart to go?
@buggsubique, interesting, even the videos here show that it can handle a stag and still remain sharp, I frequently take apart big mule deer and elk with no problem using the F1, its initial sharpness out of the box, will lose its edge and or can small chip easy, but after your first good sharpening, it remains tough and holds a great working edge, many times longer that a lot of steels i have tried.
@TheBladebuster I canceled camping because of rain and had a chance to show this issue. Anyway I keep it for general purpose not for hunting. Thank you!
Shows a good comparison of ergonomics differences. But while watching this video I could not help but notice that the F1 appears to have more wear on it as compared to all the other knives, for instance its finish was almost gone. If you look at the first knife he compared it to didn't appear to be used. I wonder of all the knives on that table which one had been used the most? IMHO
I own a F1 and a Trapper D2, I use the Trapper in summer and the F1 in winter (it has a thinner handle because in Sweden it is likely you'll wear gloves in winter) thanks for the review!! the Trapper is a good bushcraft-tool, I'd choose the F1 for harder use
@Urudrim It's made of plastic called thermorum. I guess it is easy to sand it. But I won't do it because its edge cannot satisfy my standard for sharpness needed in deer dressing. Recently I have assigned it small but tough jobs in mountains. And it serves me very well. It's stainless and I can treat it roughly. It's a flyer's survival knife literally ( I guess F is flyer ). Thanks.
@HatchetJacks50 Yes. The edge sharpness is quite similar between the two, not as sharp as Bark Rivers. The handle ergonomics is much better on CABS. F1 handle does not fit my hand and is not comfortable. Thanks.
G'day wako. Next time you get out to hunt during winter, I would love to see how the edge on the Enzo Nordic stands up to working frozen wood when compared to the F1 (including shelter building and batoning firewood). It might not be possible, but I would love to hear of your experience with the resilience of each knife when used for more than a couple of cuts in wood, i.e a serious comparison over a couple of days of continuous use without maintanence. Kind regards Mick
The edge angle of Enzo Trapper is fairly deep. I put a micro convex bevel on it and made the angle larger just before the critical line to go dull. I am saying on O1 and AUS8. Then the edge got not to take micro rolls during deer dressing. The S30V Trapper is pretty pricey. Even if it didn't need a secondary bevel, its primary edge angle is too deep to bite wood well. I don't think its large angled edge deserves S30V like the F1 doesn't deserve 3G. AUS8 or O1 is enough for the Trapper IMO.
@fastcamo I was only able to do half a small animal before the blade dulled beyond use, and that was after a professional hone. Twice that happened - the second time I just wanted to see if such an expensive knife really was that crap. And it was. The F1 is a real let down from my brief experience. I've now just bought a cheap Buck 479 and it pisses all over the F1 for dressing and general outdoor use, not to mention holding an edge which the VG10 center layer of the F1 is supposed to do...
@stefanwolf88 Your opinion is very supporting to me. I have experienced many chips and rolls on it too. But I have been suspicious that my using was wrong because the VG-10 was pretty famous as a good steel. Then you say the same opinion as mine. I have ever eaten meat of wild bore. It's very expensive here and very tasty. So If I were a bore hunter, I would take all the meat from the bones. Unfortunately we have no bore on this island. Anyway VG-10 cannot make a good edge for us!!
The S35VN Rampless Gunny is on the way to me. I will check its durability in the field as soon as possible for viewers who are thinking about Gunny. A2 is a strange steel. It makes a small angled keen and tough edge which other steels cannot make. It's easy to sharpen and holds its edge decently. In short its a very good steel for outdoor knives. Thanks.
I like your videos but here in Canada a 30 06 rifle or perhaps my favorite Sako .308 rifle is used for hunting Rifles are for hunting and knives are used afterwards. I would have no issues with using a Fallkniven F1 knife to skin a moose. Your criticisms are fine and well taken and your videos are good videos though. Knives are not used FOR hunting but used for processing game AFTER the hunt.
i compleatly agree with you. alot of my friends love the f1, but i kept telling them that i needed a knife for skining deer and elk and when i used the f1 when the handles got wet the knife was very slippery and makes it dangerous. im glad ive found another person who understands what i have been saying. the f1 is a good survival knife, but not a good hunting knife. thanks
@virtuovice ありがとうございます。私は大学生なのでお金てきに余裕がありません。子のさいきん stone sharpeningで腕が少し伸びました。できれば V-edgeにkeep したくてMaster Hunterのこと聞いて見ました。 I am not serious camper so all i need is a dependable knife that is rust resistive and can perform variety of tasks within 3.5"~4.5". How do you feel about hollow grind vs. flat/saber grind? are they as dependable and retain the sharp edge as flat grind?
Wood scales are light and don't make good balance on the Trapper. Its handle must be Micarta IMO. Trapper current edge angle is on deep side and good for survival purpose like batoning IMO. So, if it were S30V, I would expect a smaller angled edge for hunting personally. But i think Micarta handle S30V Trapper will make a petty good survival knife. For the Trapper I would prefer a black handle, but their handle variation is poor and it doesn't seem available for now. Take care.
I think the main problem here is that the F1 was designed as a pilot survival knife so they gave it a convex blade profile so the edge would be very hard to damage. The diagonal line between the handle and blade seems like a glaring oversight though, wonder why they did that? They probably had a reason for it... anyone got any ideas?
@gremlock Honestly speaking the F1 is the most often carried and the most hard used knife in my collection. Its blade is stainless and its handle is plastic. So I don't need to take care of it much. And it has a pretty good performance and durability for the price. I think it's the best value knife in that price range as you think. Thanks.
you can find the knife on both survival and hunting section. but, it clearly says that its a pilot survival knife, not a hunting knife. and if you read the info on the knife it says nothing of hunting/ skinning or anything like that. i do think they should take it away from the hunting knife section, but people should realy start to read the info details of the products.
i don't know if the F1 has ever been marketed for an hunting knife and i understand your disappointment if you thought so. This knife is made to be good for many things rather then superb at one thing. Its a survival knife for the swedish military(airforce) and aswell Mora 2000. Cheers from Sweden !
I think the front end of its handle is typically designed not to need to touch the metal portion in extreme coldness in the arctic area. I think its fat geometry is typically made to do a hard stuff like prying. What I wanted to say in this video is Fallkniven F1 is not typically designed for game dressing although Fallkniven website takes it as the top of its hunting knife corner. I got it as a hunting knife but it was not a great hunting knife in my experience. Thanks.
Sharpening a laminated vg10 blade by hand after several years use is very hard. I am thinking of sending my A1 to be sharpend due to the difficulty im having in putting a fine edge to it. Different hands, different handles different for everyone its a question of preference.
I don't remember if it was even being advertised as a hunting knife by the manufacturer. It was never intended to be a hunting knife, either. Nice observation skills, though.
@virtuovice Grenadil wood was ans is mine favourite heavy duty wood for knife handles but i am disapointed of VG10 - for my type of hunting - big wild hog/bore is not so impressive in edge holding when i make it fine thin convex - burls and small chips, when I make it convex on a big angle - sut not so well - for meet cutting ang dressing - good, but for teaking all the meat 100/180kg of the bones - not so good as scandinavian handforged carbon steel blades!
I have to disagree, The F1 is a superb hunting blade, the edge lasts through a complete field cleaning of big game, and that little hump on the handle to blade will hardly get touched in that hold, "pinch grip" for skinning or extracting meat is the better grip. Thin your edge spine out more if you want it sharper. ... I personally think the Bark river fox river is the best "hunting" blade yet, the F1 is not far behind though.
Is the TK2 a good survival/camping knife? I'm considering buying a new knife for camping duty. I'm considering kabar short, fallkniven f1, or cold steel master hunter. Which do you recommen I would prefer less expensive option but I don't want to sacrifice quality... I live in Canada. Thank you Wako San
virtuovice Survival knife vs hunting knife, big difference. ^^ Carving, chopping, batoning, hammering with a hunting knife? Dont think so. ^^ As you most likely are aware, a knife is a tool, and a tool is for a purpose. A hunting knife is meant for skinning/cleaning an animal, not to carv wood, split firewood etc. It CAN do it, but not as good as other knifes. The same thing goes for the F1. It CAN skin/clean game, but that is not it's purpose and it can't do it aswell as a true hunting knife.
This isnt a knife for the average person the target usergroup are professionals. They are counting on you to know how to put an edge on it that works for your intended purpose. Out of the box its got a grind like an axe and Fällkniven are also counting on you to know what that means in terms of usefullness and limitations. It doesnt make sense to pay this kind of money for a knife without those bits of knowledge. Basically the knife has the potential to fill all those roles very well, just not out of the box. If you want a great swedish made (unlike fällkniven that are swedish by design only) hunting knife the Eka Swingblade is what almost everyone i know know here in sweden uses. Another popular choice is the Mora Laplander.
if you whant some more info on the Fallkniven knives, go to there webbsite... fallkniven. com there it says clearly that the F1 is a pilot survival knife.... not a hunting knife like the TK1, TK2 and TK3. if anyones says otherwise just tell them to look at their site. the edge on the F1 is a Convex grind, its meant for heavy duty tasks, just like the A1 and S1. so dont complain when you use the wrong knife to do work that its not meant for.
@johniac7078 What you are saying is quite correct. I have nothing to do recently and noticed this issue. It's not a big issue for sure. I hope people will not take it very seriously. It's just my maniacal observation. Thanks.
I am using my F1 for hunting and bushcraft for about 4 years now. I disagree with Virtuovice's conclusion " not good hunting knife" as many points just regard personal taste. And taste surely cannot be discussed. The F1 performs well on cleaning, skinning and butchering game. Guess I can say that after processing around 20 deer with it and having rich choice of comparisons to other knives in similar numbers. However it's design is intended for survival/bushcraft. Chopping small trees an
Thanks for the review. I think the F1 is a very good knife, but I use specialty knives for processing game. Your review is fair and comes from experience. People often don't like criticism, but critical reviews are the ones I pay most attention to because they point out issues.
As we all know it was designed as a Pilot’s knife. I opine its a knife that a pilot can use as a jack-of-all-trades in a cold environment until he is rescued or until he reaches civilisation/friendly areas. In such a situation only the barest of needs must be done and the goal is to get home quickly.
@@mateodeleon1185 You nailed it. I will give an additional observation. We all read about carrying a fixed blade knife. I am urban. If I walked around with a knife strapped to my waist (which is legal), I would be stopped by every police officer. And, where do you put a fixed blade when you wear a suit? Easy answer. The F1 in its factory issued and ugly sheath can be slipped into a suit pants pocket. I couldn't do that with any other 4 inch blade, using the factory sheath.
Give him and me a break. This man has perhaps the most informative knife channel on UA-cam! He has superior insite to sharpening techniques, a huge collection of varying knives using varying steels and critiques them based on his observations from real world use to his incredibly detail curiosity and shares this with us who don't have his means or skills. Speaking perfect english is a distant second to what he teaches us. I'm just glad he speaks english so I can understand.
Excellent review. Very good points I had never thought of before.
Someone made a comment about your English. I personally understand you perfectly. Besides, I'm willing to bet your English is a lot better than his Japanese. Have a great day.
I am a big fan of Bark River's convex geometry. Especially I like their Rampless Gunny in A2 tool steel. Its high and shallow convex zero grind bevel bites wood real deep. It's typically nice for bushcraft. But we need to watch out to get a Bark RIver knife because their current quality control is poor. Some of their knives have a large angle micro bevel remaining from their production flaw. Mora Companion is always super sharp but doesn't bite wood deep because of its blade thinness. Thanks.
A very honest assesment of the F1. Thankyou for sharing, and i think your English is very good.
I totally agree to what you say. Fallkniven F1 is not a great hunting knife but a great survival knife in a compact size. Its handle material is warm in coldness. We can hold it without touching the cold blade for its front end design. VG-10 is a maintenance free stainless steel. Its fat geometry makes it work as a strong prybar. Its large angled edge makes it hold long in tough uses. All are military survival features. I personally used it for hunting and my viewpoint was different. Thanks.
I had the H-1. It was a very thick and heavy knife. And its handle had less ergonomics and my right arm was much tired using it for processing a stag. And its crescend blade shape was good for skinning but not for getting muscles. Thank you.
Hello Daniel,
I just finished the review of the 3V Fox River. It had a large angled micro flat bevel from the factory and I converted it to a convex one. Then the final angle seemed to go over 35 degrees judged from the paper cut test. Then the edge was no chippy after the deer dressing. But it was really tough for me to convert the micro flat bevel to the convex one. So I think 3V is an exceptionally hard steel.
Take care!
this gentleman knows what he's talking about...
I learned watching this video
Great review. Clear, precise and informative. Your english is great too. Slightly unnatural phrasing but on the other hand you umm and ahh a lot less than most natives speakers.
I love how you always start your videos with "Hi - knife people." LOL. Too cool! :) Keep up the great work!
I have the PHK and I was very very surprised on how comfortable it is. It's construction from 3G steel and its contour make it very very sharp and has excellent edge retention. I did two deer at the same time with it and had no problem in either cutting or skinning. The picture does not do it justice, it is far more elegant in real life. I hope you get the chance to work with it, it is far superior from BR, in my opinion. Carry on the great reviews!
I have used my Fällkniven F1 3G for many years now and I know from the manufacturer of this knife why the blade has that curved convex formation at the edge, its all about keeping the edge sharper for a longer period time. A thin edge is a weaker edge and wont hold the sharp edge as easy as the one of the F1 model.
About getting the knife sharp, it´s no problem to get this knife as sharp as any other knife, it´s actually all about your grinding technique.
About the thumb grip I am all with you, the transition between the blade and the handle could have been much more smoother.
I love his accent. And I've come to find his diction soothing. He's well informed and backs it up with a lot experience. I'm grateful he makes the effort to share his wisdom with us hunters in a language that is not his own.
@903lew I once owned H1 but left it immediately because I didn't like its crescent belly curve and its blade thickness. I remember its handle was much thicker than F1, but more difficult to hold without a guard. Thanks.
@blugularis First I showed you Fallkniven TK2 which was the best 4 inch blade in the world by all means in my opinion. The 2nd knife was Enzo Trapper from Brisa, whose handle was much better than F1 in my opinion. The last knife was the short KaBar USMC knife of which edge I had profiled to a Scandi edge and of which upper guard I had removed for hunting purpose. Thanks.
Hi Virtuovice, Excellent and very informative videos, thank you for taking the time. Have you any thoughts on the Fallkniven PHK? I have been using this knife for a while now and I am impressed with its performance. Whilst it does not strike you as functional when one sees it, it is fantastic on processing deer. I would also like to hear your thoughts on the HK9, which looks very very nice, but I have not had the chance to handle it yet. Carry on the great work!
This knife is made in Japan. The Japanese maker doesn't have a capability to make a real convex edge as a production level like Bark River has. So all Fallkniven knives have a secondary micro V bevel and don't take leather stropping which Bark Rivers take. And its bevel geometry is ridiculously fat to make a keen edge. I reground its bevel from the spine to the edge like Bark River knives and now it takes stropping well. But its VG10 is still softer than Bark River A2 and takes rolls. Thanks.
VG-10 goes uselessly dull after some deer dressings. I need to resharpen. But its secondary micro V bevel and its large geometry prohibit me from putting it a needed sharp edge. So I reground it from the spine and made the total bevel shallower to take a small angle zero edge which satisfied my need. Thanks.
I have never batoned wood for actual purposes nor built up a shelter. I understand from my hunting experience that Enzo O1 is on soft side and Fallkniven VG10 is also on soft side. Enzo Nordic had a very thin geometry from the factory and I needed to put a micro deeper bevel on it not to take rolls from touching bones. F1 geometry after removing its secondary micro V bevel was fat enough not to take rolls. Anyway Enzo Nordic is not a hard use knife but Fallkniven F1 can make a wedge or a prybar.
@ryanrrx I carry it as a backup knife quite often. It's made of a stainless steel and fairly dependable. Thanks.
@drkknight614 On F1 a convex bevel starts from 2/3 from the spine while on TK2 from 1/3 in my observation. So the edge angle is pretty different between the two. Thanks.
@Freedom100fan Thank you very much for your kind comment! My intention was just what you are saying.
The edge on the F1 is a 30 or more degree micro V edge and doesn't need sharpening for a while. It's primary bevel is pretty deep convex to be thick enough to work as a pliebar or a wedge. The front end of its handle is longer on the spine side not to need to touch the cold blade in the arctic climate. Its a genuine cold climate survival knife, and not a hunting/bushcraft knife for its primary purpose. But their website puts it at the top of their hunting knife corner. It's a contradiction.
I love my F1 very much as a useful knife. I like to use many interesting knives from next to next during deer dressing for UA-cam. When I don't need to take a video or when the tested knives go dull within a day, I use the F1 quite often for the next deer. I completely reprofiled its geometry shallow and it is now as sharp as Bark Rivers. It is stainless and I can treat it quite roughly, so it is very useful to me. I don't need a great knife always but often need a handy tool like F1. Thanks.
All Fallknivens have a secondary micro V bevel which doesn't take stropping. My standard sharpness is done by stropping and it cannot take it unless getting rid of it. And even after doing it its basic geometry is critically large to take a sharp edge. After a chip restoration its edge angle goes deeper and it needs full height regrinding to take a sharp edge again. It is nice as a batoning wedge but not very nice as a carving tool. And even for light wood chopping a longer knife is recommended.
For hunting I will take your point. In Fällknivens defense the F1 was designed as pilot survival knife, the bushcraft aspect of it is by-the-by. Apart from the TKs, Fällkniven make the H1 (hunting knife). Might be worth a go.
Me, I love my F1. But I mainly use it for bushcraft.
I will get the Sako .308 rifle when I get the riffle license 2 years ahead. We need 10 year shot gun experience before having a rifle in this silly peace loving country. Anyway I wanted to make the title simple. And Fallkniven website puts the F1 at the top of their hunting knife corner. If correctly speaking it will be a game dressing knife. Thanks.
I've heard it quoted that this a basic design of what a knife needs to be, not what a knife could be. Take from that what you will. Great review though, and a good insight into comfort and control of the knife. Thanks 😊
@kinskibrain If I need a pointy tip and don't need a much belly, I will get the Aurora for sure. Thanks.
@virtuovice i watched that comparison video on 4 types of grinding. that's why i was researching mora but a lot of their knives are not full-tang. I want to maintain full tang within my blades. i will research around more.... thanks!
@driftworld86 If you like a relatively affordable full tang blade in stainless steel, I only come up with the Enzo Trapper in AUS8 and Fallkniven F1 in VG10. But their edge angle is rather deep for wood carving but just good for wood batoning or game dressing. Thanks.
It's not designed to be a hunting knife. It is a swedish survival knife designed for our pilots. Its like reviewing a Ferrari when you search for a family sedan.
Interesting, i totally understand what ypur saying. Fallknivens are not full convex blades, but have a flat grind with a convex edge. I believe the convex starts at the lamination line no? thank you for showing the attention to detail on the tk2, helps explain the higher price tag as well. F1 comes in vg10 also, which would be easier to sharpen, but the geometery would be the same.
@frankdrebin I understand all Fallknivens are made in Japan. But I don't see any less expensive ones here. So I got all my Fallknivens from the US. I don't know about the Cold Steels. Thanks.
@simfmasik I have ever owned Master Hunter. And I didn't like its VG-1 due to rust, and didn't like its gummy Kraton handle in little ergonomics. Although I have ever heard its handle was good over a glove. I basically like 4 inch blade both for speedy processing and for sure cutting. The Pendleton has a 3.5 inch blade which will be good for sure cutting but will not be good for speedy processing. I like 3.5 inch blades in folders which have a pivot portion between a hand and a blade. Thanks.
I do not agree... Oriental have small hands. Matter of fitting ones hand... F1 is a great knife and VG10 is easy to sharpen and holds an edge well...Enough said..........
"It cant go scary sharp" that's bullshit my f1 came shaving sharp, and it kept that edge through the skinning of two south African bushbuck
I have ESEE4. Its bevel is flat and its V edge angle is 40 degrees from the factory. I had IDUN. Its bevel was natural shallow convex and it had a micro V edge whose angle seemed less than 40 degrees. The natural shallow convex bevel has large wood separating potential while the flat bevel has nothing. And the edge angle of IDUN seems even smaller. If you haven't tried it yet, Rampless Gunny will outperform your IDUN. Its bevel geometry is superb. It is now available in many steels. Thanks.
I am happy that you did it as I had done it. I think you share the same perspective to the F1 with me that its strange bevel geometry never gives it the sharpest edge. But now it is even nicer than the current Bark River 3V Gunny's geometry which has a clear bevel transition line in the middle of the bevel and of which edge angle is even larger than F1 in conjunction with its micro bevel. Thank you!
Hmmm, I was really looking to purchase an F1, now I'm back to more researching. Very nice review. Thanks for your time.
I have never held the PHK. It looks like a long and stout hunting knife to me. Its long belly will be for efficient skinning. Its saber grind will be for rib cutting or such tough jobs. The HK9 looks like a very nice knife to me. But its price is far over my range. Thanks.
All these dolts criticizing the gentleman's English skills need to do a bit of traveling. Let's hear them ask for directions in downtown Hong Kong. Now that would be funny. Thanks for the review.
@virtuovice Thank you for the nice answer. But I have been using my F1 for skinning and dressing deer ever since I saw your video about the F1 being your favorite knife and I still love it :) works great for me still. Best regards, Alex
Oh I see. I have never used it on large game only rabbits and fish. I mainly use mine for wood working and I think it is good for that purpose. Seems to keep an edge for a long time.
I must say you are informative and forthright. Good stuff.
Very interesting. From your video 'my best hunting knife' to 'not a great knife for hunting'... the F1 has been on quite a roller coaster with you ;)
I suspect 3V Gunny has a fatter geometry or a deeper microbevel from the facts that 3V Bravo1 has a fatter geometry than A2 and 3V Fox River has a deeper microbevel which A2 doesn't have. 3V is a high wear resistant steel. But it is a bit chippy and BR needs larger angle on 3V. Chip restoration is a nightmare because we necessarily need to put a new deeper microbevel onto the deeper factory bevel. I don't recommend you 3V for the reason. I think Rampless Gunny is much more versatile than Bravo1.
that f1 handle looks very much like the knives i see at wal mart which has a lot of lower end knives and yes the ergonomics are very mediocre ,,, i have been questioning the general use of fallknivens for yrs ,,, i did not own one personaly ,, but i do not like a brittle edge ,, and the ones ive known got chipping a bit ,,,, not what i want in a high end knife ,, so , i never wanted to buy one,,,,,,, you have a great review here ,, i always like honesty ,
A2 takes spotty rusts, not very easily though. Now Bark River has Rampless Gunny in S35VN which I will need to purchase for myself. The fishing knife will be better in a stainless steel. Thanks.
please don't ever delete this video. I watch it all the time, I find it very therapeutic.
Good informative videos. I'm not hunting, but am looking for a camping knife. Is the F1 good enough to help with preparing food (meat, vegetables cutting), while still being good to chop some wood and make e.g. a walking stick in the woods? Can you recommend a good knife for such use? How small is it smart to go?
@buggsubique, interesting, even the videos here show that it can handle a stag and still remain sharp, I frequently take apart big mule deer and elk with no problem using the F1, its initial sharpness out of the box, will lose its edge and or can small chip easy, but after your first good sharpening, it remains tough and holds a great working edge, many times longer that a lot of steels i have tried.
@TheBladebuster I canceled camping because of rain and had a chance to show this issue. Anyway I keep it for general purpose not for hunting. Thank you!
Continued
Chopping small trees and saplings for shelter, batoning and firesteel use is absolutely no problem even in deep subzero temperatures.
Shows a good comparison of ergonomics differences. But while watching this video I could not help but notice that the F1 appears to have more wear on it as compared to all the other knives, for instance its finish was almost gone. If you look at the first knife he compared it to didn't appear to be used. I wonder of all the knives on that table which one had been used the most? IMHO
I own a F1 and a Trapper D2, I use the Trapper in summer and the F1 in winter (it has a thinner handle because in Sweden it is likely you'll wear gloves in winter) thanks for the review!! the Trapper is a good bushcraft-tool, I'd choose the F1 for harder use
@Urudrim It's made of plastic called thermorum. I guess it is easy to sand it. But I won't do it because its edge cannot satisfy my standard for sharpness needed in deer dressing. Recently I have assigned it small but tough jobs in mountains. And it serves me very well. It's stainless and I can treat it roughly. It's a flyer's survival knife literally ( I guess F is flyer ). Thanks.
I love this video. I watch it to chill out before I go to bed sometimes haha
@7x57mmMauser Thank you for your kind comment!
Now S30V Trapper is available at Brisa online. I think it is too pricey though.
I can understand you very well, your English is better than my Japanese, thanks for the video.
Thank you great advise .
@HatchetJacks50 Yes. The edge sharpness is quite similar between the two, not as sharp as Bark Rivers. The handle ergonomics is much better on CABS. F1 handle does not fit my hand and is not comfortable. Thanks.
Thanks for the reply and your reviews are excellent. A shotgun with proper barrel loaded with sabot slugs is an excellent option. Happy hunting.
G'day wako.
Next time you get out to hunt during winter, I would love to see how the edge on the Enzo Nordic stands up to working frozen wood when compared to the F1 (including shelter building and batoning firewood).
It might not be possible, but I would love to hear of your experience with the resilience of each knife when used for more than a couple of cuts in wood, i.e a serious comparison over a couple of days of continuous use without maintanence.
Kind regards
Mick
The edge angle of Enzo Trapper is fairly deep. I put a micro convex bevel on it and made the angle larger just before the critical line to go dull. I am saying on O1 and AUS8. Then the edge got not to take micro rolls during deer dressing. The S30V Trapper is pretty pricey. Even if it didn't need a secondary bevel, its primary edge angle is too deep to bite wood well. I don't think its large angled edge deserves S30V like the F1 doesn't deserve 3G. AUS8 or O1 is enough for the Trapper IMO.
@fastcamo I was only able to do half a small animal before the blade dulled beyond use, and that was after a professional hone. Twice that happened - the second time I just wanted to see if such an expensive knife really was that crap. And it was. The F1 is a real let down from my brief experience. I've now just bought a cheap Buck 479 and it pisses all over the F1 for dressing and general outdoor use, not to mention holding an edge which the VG10 center layer of the F1 is supposed to do...
@stefanwolf88 Your opinion is very supporting to me. I have experienced many chips and rolls on it too. But I have been suspicious that my using was wrong because the VG-10 was pretty famous as a good steel. Then you say the same opinion as mine. I have ever eaten meat of wild bore. It's very expensive here and very tasty. So If I were a bore hunter, I would take all the meat from the bones. Unfortunately we have no bore on this island. Anyway VG-10 cannot make a good edge for us!!
I think that's his point though; he mentions people sometimes use them as hunting knives, and this is why he doesn't think it works well in that role.
The S35VN Rampless Gunny is on the way to me. I will check its durability in the field as soon as possible for viewers who are thinking about Gunny. A2 is a strange steel. It makes a small angled keen and tough edge which other steels cannot make. It's easy to sharpen and holds its edge decently. In short its a very good steel for outdoor knives. Thanks.
I like your videos but here in Canada a 30 06 rifle or perhaps my favorite Sako .308 rifle is used for hunting Rifles are for hunting and knives are used afterwards. I would have no issues with using a Fallkniven F1 knife to skin a moose. Your criticisms are fine and well taken and your videos are good videos though. Knives are not used FOR hunting but used for processing game AFTER the hunt.
i compleatly agree with you. alot of my friends love the f1, but i kept telling them that i needed a knife for skining deer and elk and when i used the f1 when the handles got wet the knife was very slippery and makes it dangerous. im glad ive found another person who understands what i have been saying. the f1 is a good survival knife, but not a good hunting knife. thanks
@virtuovice ありがとうございます。私は大学生なのでお金てきに余裕がありません。子のさいきん stone sharpeningで腕が少し伸びました。できれば V-edgeにkeep したくてMaster Hunterのこと聞いて見ました。
I am not serious camper so all i need is a dependable knife that is rust resistive and can perform variety of tasks within 3.5"~4.5". How do you feel about hollow grind vs. flat/saber grind? are they as dependable and retain the sharp edge as flat grind?
I love your channel probably the best knife channel on UA-cam
Very honest review, the F1 is a famous knife and I love it but it does have its flaws like the handle.
If you need the skin, TK2 will penetrate it and not be very good for that purpose. Otherwise it is a very good deer dressing knife. Thanks.
Wood scales are light and don't make good balance on the Trapper. Its handle must be Micarta IMO. Trapper current edge angle is on deep side and good for survival purpose like batoning IMO. So, if it were S30V, I would expect a smaller angled edge for hunting personally. But i think Micarta handle S30V Trapper will make a petty good survival knife. For the Trapper I would prefer a black handle, but their handle variation is poor and it doesn't seem available for now. Take care.
I think the main problem here is that the F1 was designed as a pilot survival knife so they gave it a convex blade profile so the edge would be very hard to damage. The diagonal line between the handle and blade seems like a glaring oversight though, wonder why they did that? They probably had a reason for it... anyone got any ideas?
@gremlock Honestly speaking the F1 is the most often carried and the most hard used knife in my collection. Its blade is stainless and its handle is plastic. So I don't need to take care of it much. And it has a pretty good performance and durability for the price. I think it's the best value knife in that price range as you think. Thanks.
The F1 is high on my wish list, but after watching your video I'm reluctant to even buy one. I guess I'll just buy more Bark River Knives.
you can find the knife on both survival and hunting section. but, it clearly says that its a pilot survival knife, not a hunting knife. and if you read the info on the knife it says nothing of hunting/ skinning or anything like that. i do think they should take it away from the hunting knife section, but people should realy start to read the info details of the products.
i don't know if the F1 has ever been marketed for an hunting knife and i understand your disappointment if you thought so. This knife is made to be good for many things rather then superb at one thing. Its a survival knife for the swedish military(airforce) and aswell Mora 2000.
Cheers from Sweden !
@Marco95772 Knife EDC is totally forbidden by law in Japan. Thanks.
I think the front end of its handle is typically designed not to need to touch the metal portion in extreme coldness in the arctic area. I think its fat geometry is typically made to do a hard stuff like prying. What I wanted to say in this video is Fallkniven F1 is not typically designed for game dressing although Fallkniven website takes it as the top of its hunting knife corner. I got it as a hunting knife but it was not a great hunting knife in my experience. Thanks.
Sharpening a laminated vg10 blade by hand after several years use is very hard. I am thinking of sending my A1 to be sharpend due to the difficulty im having in putting a fine edge to it.
Different hands, different handles different for everyone its a question of preference.
I don't remember if it was even being advertised as a hunting knife by the manufacturer. It was never intended to be a hunting knife, either. Nice observation skills, though.
@virtuovice Grenadil wood was ans is mine favourite heavy duty wood for knife handles but i am disapointed of VG10 - for my type of hunting - big wild hog/bore is not so impressive in edge holding when i make it fine thin convex - burls and small chips, when I make it convex on a big angle - sut not so well - for meet cutting ang dressing - good, but for teaking all the meat 100/180kg of the bones - not so good as scandinavian handforged carbon steel blades!
I got that knife and i think its great.But haven't tried it for skinning. Maybe in the future.
I like you'r videos please keep going :)!
-Two!
I have to disagree, The F1 is a superb hunting blade, the edge lasts through a complete field cleaning of big game, and that little hump on the handle to blade will hardly get touched in that hold, "pinch grip" for skinning or extracting meat is the better grip.
Thin your edge spine out more if you want it sharper. ... I personally think the Bark river fox river is the best "hunting" blade yet, the F1 is not far behind though.
Is the TK2 a good survival/camping knife? I'm considering buying a new knife for camping duty. I'm considering kabar short, fallkniven f1, or cold steel master hunter. Which do you recommen I would prefer less expensive option but I don't want to sacrifice quality... I live in Canada. Thank you Wako San
Thanks for another great video! I always look forward to your videos. I always learn from you.
f1 isnt a hunting knife, maybe thats why its not a great hunting knife :-)
I think so. Hunting has to be an accompanied option for this knife.
I agree wth H H! f1 is not a hunting knife not designed for it. But makes a hellova knife nevertheless, and can outperform many other in that genre.
virtuovice
Survival knife vs hunting knife, big difference. ^^ Carving, chopping, batoning, hammering with a hunting knife? Dont think so. ^^ As you most likely are aware, a knife is a tool, and a tool is for a purpose. A hunting knife is meant for skinning/cleaning an animal, not to carv wood, split firewood etc. It CAN do it, but not as good as other knifes. The same thing goes for the F1. It CAN skin/clean game, but that is not it's purpose and it can't do it aswell as a true hunting knife.
Fällkniven categorize it on their website as a hunting and survival knife.
This isnt a knife for the average person the target usergroup are professionals. They are counting on you to know how to put an edge on it that works for your intended purpose. Out of the box its got a grind like an axe and Fällkniven are also counting on you to know what that means in terms of usefullness and limitations. It doesnt make sense to pay this kind of money for a knife without those bits of knowledge. Basically the knife has the potential to fill all those roles very well, just not out of the box.
If you want a great swedish made (unlike fällkniven that are swedish by design only) hunting knife the Eka Swingblade is what almost everyone i know know here in sweden uses. Another popular choice is the Mora Laplander.
if you whant some more info on the Fallkniven knives, go to there webbsite... fallkniven. com
there it says clearly that the F1 is a pilot survival knife.... not a hunting knife like the TK1, TK2 and TK3. if anyones says otherwise just tell them to look at their site. the edge on the F1 is a Convex grind, its meant for heavy duty tasks, just like the A1 and S1. so dont complain when you use the wrong knife to do work that its not meant for.
Good points my friend but still I think it´s a okey knife... that tk2 looks really good
Asian people dont mess around when evaluating their stuff.... Nice video
@johniac7078 What you are saying is quite correct. I have nothing to do recently and noticed this issue. It's not a big issue for sure. I hope people will not take it very seriously. It's just my maniacal observation. Thanks.
I am using my F1 for hunting and bushcraft for about 4 years now. I disagree with Virtuovice's conclusion " not good hunting knife" as many points just regard personal taste. And taste surely cannot be discussed.
The F1 performs well on cleaning, skinning and butchering game. Guess I can say that after processing around 20 deer with it and having rich choice of comparisons to other knives in similar numbers.
However it's design is intended for survival/bushcraft. Chopping small trees an
Very good informative details.
@MarcoMontana22 I don't know the word "fanboy". But custom handled F1 is a good knife in my experience. Thanks.