Light My Fire Swedish FireKnife

A good quality knife is a vital bit of kit and when it comes with an additional function it becomes even more useful. The Swedish FireKnife is a great quality general-purpose knife, but it also has an all-weather-proof FireSteel built into the handle.

Sharp features

The Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel 3.5” drop-point blade has a sturdy half-tang construction and is made of 80% recycled steel. At 2mm thick, the spine of the blade has been precision ground to ensure optimum and focused sparks are produced from the FireSteel, and there is even a section ground specifically to suit left-handed users. The satin finish blade has a plain edge and a Scandi grind, plus comes ready sharpened. Although not razor-sharp, it is certainly sharp enough for most general duties. 

The handle is a sustainably produced bioplastic combined with coconut shell fibres, which gives a really nice texture and improved grip. The moulded plastic handle has a generous palm swell, and the front guard section deepens just enough to give a safe and firm hold without being obstructive. The fire starter forms the pommel of the handle and, although removable, it remains firmly in place when you are using the knife.

Striking performance

At the rear of the handle, and released with a firm 90º twist clockwise, is a Swedish FireSteel that’s good for up to 3,000 strikes at around 3,000ºC, which means it will start a fire in a variety of conditions. Very useful for lighting a stove or fire when you forget the matches. There is a cut-out through the sides of the handle, through which you can see the fire starter, which might be somewhere dirt can gather, but it does not seem to have a function.

The knife is supplied with a tight-fitting, open-access, friction grip sheath with a belt clip and drain hole, which makes cleaning and drying out the sheath much easier. 

Weighing just 4oz, this is an extremely light knife that’s still tough and durable. It’s relatively inexpensive and can still take a lot of use and abuse and makes a great general-purpose camp knife. It works well for jointing meat, cutting rope (or other materials), and making fine kindling.

Conclusion

This is a very simple, functional, and practical tool. Plus, it is not expensive, so you can give it a lot of heavy use and not be too worried. The edge retention is very good and sharpening the simple Scandi grind is really easy. With the moulded plastic handle being so tightly bonded to the blade, there are no gaps or joints where water or dirt can get in. Also, cleaning both the knife and the sheath by pouring boiling water over them does no harm whatsoever. Overall, this is a great choice for a general-purpose knife on a budget.