Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Materials, Finish, Blade Sharpness
Cons: Sheath/Scabbard
Great Bowie knife that is not too handle heavy
AUS8 is a very good choice for a Bowie if you desire a stainless with good (Not great) edge retention. Due to this steel being very tough (For a stainless) and most of all. Way more rust resistant than Carbon steel knives. These are priced very well and are very light in hand compared to some of the bowies I had in past which were too heavy in the handle and blade. Which resulted in bad balance and more hand fatigue. This will chop well. And perform most outdoors tasks within reason very well. However, it is important to point out that this knife was patterned after the VZ44 Marine combat knife of WW2. And intended primarily for combat. However, I find this knife to be great for food prep and cleaning out fish/game. And able to handle most moderate outdoors tasks with ease. If you plan on grossly abusing this knife beyond rational minded means. Pick up a carbon steel Ontario SP10. And know the pros and cons between the 2. Or better yet buy a hand axe or thick bladed Ontario 12-18 inch machete for those purposes. My favorite feature of this knife is the Kraton handle which is grippy even when wet or hands are coated in slime and blood from cleaning out fish/game, In a real outdoors/survival scenario. A slippery handle could cause bad bodily harm/death. And the main reason along with humidity/corrosion issues. with good balance and under 1 lb. (12 ounces) I picked this knife. It will still chop fine due to the blades weight being proportional throughout the knife and cause less hand fatigue under long use compared to a 2 to 3 lb bowie. With bad balance. The tip of this knife is pointy and sharp. Capable of being used as a last resort knife against a wild animal. However, if you baton improperly or beat on the tip. It may break off due to its taper and fine point. So don't abuse the tip grossly. And you will be ok. The sheath is secure Ex. Withdraw slowly pressing spine against the sheath on withdrawal. Or you could possibly dull the blade. I would suggest another sheath, custom or even a cheap aftermarket sheath available from many online retailers. Secure Ex has reinforced fiberglass and has been known to dull knives if withdrawn haphazardly or the sheath tolerances are too tight. Even with the sheath issues. This is easily a 5 star product and worth getting another sheath for.
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