I'm still here! Been working full-time throughout the Pandemic, but mostly been busy over on my YOUTUBE channel and FACEBOOK pages. Thought perhaps I should circle back here and at least add something now and again and keep the blog alive. Of course, this page being dedicated to blades, bushcraft, and woods-running, I am always interested in budget knives.
I suspect that a lot of folks who aren't interested in high-end knives or simply don't care tend toward these values-priced offerings. Or, they may simply need *something* to accomplish a task and choose the first thing they see at their favorite discount store. Either way, I find it enjoyable and interesting to push these knives and see how they perform against the higher priced cousins.
A few days ago I was perusing the knife counter at BIG 5 [my favorite discount store] and spied this ELK RIDGE ER-510, which they bill as a "Combat Tactical" knife.
I cannot make my mind up - is the pattern a Bolo or a Kukri? My vote goes to a Bolo. . . although I have seen it referred to as a Kukri, so we'll go with that, lol!
The ER-510 was tagged as regularly priced $32.99, but I picked it up with a BIG 5 coupon for just $9.99 + tax. . .a HUGE savings. And frankly, a much more realistic price for the money. Of course, I won't buy a knife I won't use, so I decided to get outside and put it through some carving tasks. But first, let's look at the knife's nomenclature in this video I shot.
So, I wandered off the home range and slipped into my favorite woods hidey-hole to test out this Bolo. . .er. . .Kukri. Using the ER-510, I harvested some Arroyo Willow to use for a Try Stick. It chopped with an astoundingly clean cut for a factory edge and completely surprised me. I can say with confidence, the ER-510 is an incredible chopping too. In this next video, I display some carving it performed.
I am quite sure this is the largest knife I have ever used to do fine carving tasks, and it was an interesting process. I had considered Alan Kay's use of a Kukri in the first season of the History channel series, "A L O N E", and how he had expertly used that big CONDOR Kukri to do all of his camp tasks. After an hour I found it had made my hands very tired and achy, but it was great fun to work with.
The ER-510 blade has many surfaces to use: A fine point for drilling and detail work, a broad belly for troughing, a narrow waist for spoke-shave type cuts or choking up to perform push cuts. As well the blade can be turned sideways to hammer something, such as a tent stake into the ground. As seen in the video, I managed to carve a nice Try Stick. I had a feeling Mors Kochanski might be looking down, grinning and shaking his head with amusement.
In conclusion, here are some thoughts and opinions I reached about the ER-510:
The ER-510 large Kukri knife would not be my personal first choice for a general-use bushcraft knife. It is however, an excellent chopping tool for felling saplings or harvesting other material for camp projects. I do think it would be an acceptable substitute to an axe in environments other than hardwoods, and could be carried on a pack.
The Patron Saint of bushcrafters, Nessmuk, had suggested over a century ago that the proper woods trio was an axe, a sheath knife, and a pocket folder. I believe the Kukri could fill in the axe portion of that trio, and back up a good MORA Companion and perhaps a good pocket folder for the even smaller tasks.
So in the stepped woods tool arrangement, ER-510 Kukri would do the heavy lifting. I will also say I do think it good to practice and develop skills with all sizes and patterns of knives should need arise, such as losing your primary bushcraft knife and having no option but to use the kukri for smaller jobs.
BTW - if you are interested in reading Nessmuk's woods tips and advice, you can find it for free on the Project Gutenberg at Woodcraft & Camping by Nessmuk.
Anyhow, that's enough for today. Thanks for stopping by stay happy & healthy, and get outdoors!
GOBLIN RANGER
[Bushcraft Woods Devil]
