In this first article, I'd like to take you on a brief tour of the Wildsteer Kodiak.
General presentation of the knife:
Overall length: 25 cm
Blade height: 4 cm
Blade thickness: 4 mm
Blade length: 13 cm
Handle length: 12 cm (2 cm accessories at end of handle)
Handle material: Micarta
Weight: 275 g
Blade type: Smooth bowie blade
Steel type: Sandvik 12C28N / 59-60 HRC stainless steel.
Sheath: Nylon / horizontal and vertical carry / soft compatible / pocket hookable / elastic on retaining tab (prevents cutting when taking the knife in and out of the sheath).
Special features:
The Wildsteer Kodiak is a formidable bushcraft knife! It has been used by many survival and bushcraft experts. It was designed by two survival enthusiasts. Based on the principles of simplicity, robustness and comfort, it features a highly versatile blade in brushed, corrosion-resistant 14C28N stainless steel. It features a half-guard for optimum user protection. It is equipped with a wide point and a stick zone, as well as a nail puller or hook that can be used to remove a hot bowl from the fire. Near the handle, you'll also find an area specially designed for scraping fire stones.
This knife features a multi-function handle with several useful features at its base. You'll find a hexagonal hole for attaching a lanyard and using a drill bit for crumpling, a bottle opener and a sardine remover, as well as an anvil with a hammer zone and a nutcracker zone. The handle also features a specially designed cavity for lighting fire with a bow. The handle is made of black micarta, a lightweight, robust and durable material. The knife comes with a protective nylon sheath, making it easy to carry both horizontally and vertically. There's also a pocket on the front of the sheath for accessories (firesteel, whetstone, etc.). It features an elastic band on the closing tongue, so as not to cut it when the blade is inserted and removed from the sheath.
Context of use:
I've been using this knife for several years, mainly as a hunting knife and when I'm out in the woods. In fact, I use it for all the tasks that require a knife, such as gutting and butchering big game, preparing meals and everything else you'd expect from a bushcraft knife. I occasionally use the notch on the back of the blade to take my popote from the fire by the handle, when it's hot!
I love this knife because of its size, weight and blade shape. Its blade enables me to gut and butcher game, although for small catches such as local fish and small game, I use a smaller knife that I carry in the small pocket on the sheath with a whetstone. When butchering, the height of the blade is sufficient to grasp it and use it as a butcher's knife. Its stainless steel is perfect for butcher's work and only requires cleaning.
Its size is perfect for carrying this knife horizontally, which facilitates various shooting positions when hunting, the sitting position (driving and resting) and prevents it from making noise or getting caught in branches when moving through vegetation. It accompanies me on my travels, particularly in Africa, where I've pushed it to the limit and never let it fail me!
Positives:
Overall, I really like this knife:
- its solidity and simplicity
- Its range of uses (hunting, bushcraft etc...)
- Its edge retention, even when working on game
- blade thickness, not too thick for precision cutting
- Micarta handle (sturdy, easy to clean, good grip)
- The height of the blade for butchering
- Its size, which makes it easy to carry horizontally and discreetly
Negative points:
- The firesteel area is too small, to be used with small firesteels only.
- The handle accessories, which for me are useless, as I don't use them, but don't hinder the use of the knife (Wildsteer has released a version of the Kodiak without these).
Summary and evaluation:
For me, this is my holy grail!
This knife is perfect, and I own two of them (in case of loss) because it will be very difficult to break the blade!
I give it a mark of 5 out of 5.
-XIII-