Hultafors Craftsmen Knives

I’ve been trying out a couple of knives from Hultafors new range, and have found both the Craftmen’s Knife HVK and the Heavy Duty Knife GK to be very useful tools.

The Craftmen’s Knife HVK

The HVK is a tough yet basic knife with a popular ‘bushcraft’ Scandinavian look to it.  Made from 2.5mm thick carbon steel, hardened to 58-60 HRC the blade is approx 93mm long and 18mm wide with a Scandi Grind with a secondary micro-bevel.  The blade features a drop point and the edge continues up to the handle with no choil or ricasso, while the tang is partial and concealed in the moulded 11.5cm PP plastic handle.  The handle itself is lightly textured for grip and incorporates a generous guard.

The bright orange colour helps ensure you will be able to find the knife if you drop it on the forest floor.

In testing I found the Craftmen’s Knife was excellent over a range of tasks from battening through seasoned oak to delicate slicing of hide and meat, and the blade took and held a razor edge as well as being easy to re-sharpen once dulled.  The knife took some seriously rough treatment without complaint or showing any weakness.  The sheath is also moulded from PP plastic and the knife push fits into it with a secure grip.

The throat of the sheath has a loop for fitting a lanyard or “Baldric” for a neck or cross body carry and the tip of the sheath has a drain hole. The belt attachment is of a very interesting design with a clip arrangement that folds and locks around your belt and I have tried it successfully on belts up to 3.5mm thick and 4cm wide.  If your belt is thicker you can trim off the locking lug to allow for more room.  A cut-out in the back of the clip allows you to fit the sheath to a button (a favoured Scandinavian way of carrying a knife), giving even more versatility!

Although the knife and sheath have proved very tough, practical and dishwasher proof, I did find the moulded-in guard very large which, although being a great safety feature, did get in the way for some fine work.  The hinge on the belt clip looks quite fragile compared to the rest of the knife and sheath – but I have yet failed to make it break under normal, or even exaggerated flexing.

Overall, the Hultafors Craftmen’s Knife HVK is a basic but very effective cutting tool that I have found excellent for a wide range of tasks and at well under a tenner, I don’t think you can really go wrong here!

A stainless steel version the Craftmen’s Knife RFR is also available using Japanese stainless steel hardened to 57-59 HRC.

Heavy Duty Knife GK

If the HVK knife seems a little small for your needs, then Hultafors’ Heavy Duty Knife GK may suit your needs.

Using the same materials as the HVK, the GK is much chunkier with a 95mm long, 23mm wide, 3mm thick carbon steel blade with again a Scandi ground edge and a secondary micro-bevel.  The handle is green PP plastic and measures approx 12.5cm long of a similar style to the HVK while the sheath is the same as with the HVK, just scaled up.

The Heavy Duty Knife GK has proved to be extremely strong and ideal for heavier duty tasks – and also for those with larger hands.

The Price Is Right

The most amazing thing about these knives is the price, with the Heavy Duty Knife GK costing just £12 and the Craftmen’s Knife HVK a mere £8.50 (the stainless steel RFR version is around £10. Now that’s a bargain, and a perfect Christmas present for a hunter or outdoorsman!