Oaken Lore Bushcraft Classic

When Andrew James contacted me back in the summer, I’d heard of his company Oaken Lore Knives but had never seen one in the flesh; so when Andrew said that he would like to send me one to review, I was rather curious. When he said that he would make me one to my own specification, I jumped at the chance!

Andrew, who’s a keen deer-stalker from near Manchester, first started making knives around seven years ago, due to being less than happy with what was available to buy off the shelf, so set about making his own. He knew, from years of experience, what made for a decent design but as he had been un-impressed by knives that had blades that weren’t quite the right shape, or made from steel that either didn’t hold an edge or were hard to re-sharpen, he looked at various types of steel. He eventually settled on 01 Grade Tool Steel, as it seemed to be just what he was after and really held an edge when used hard and was easy enough to get back into tip top condition again. In fact, Andrew says that generally he can restore one of his blades with a quick strop.

Bespoke beauty

Andrew can obviously make any type of blade shape and asked me what sort of knife I’d like. I decided on a classic Bushcraft style, with a five-inch blade, so not too small and not too large. Steel was clearly going to be 01 Tool Steel and I chose the ubiquitous, easy to sharpen ‘Scandi grind’. The knife is of the full tang variety, where the steel that forms the blade extends all the way up into the handle for the full width. This type of construction is incredibly strong but does add weight when compared to a half tang; however, for a tool that may have to put up with some serious abuse, it’s really the only option. You might think that the knife would be handle heavy but the Oaken Lore Bushcraft Knife balances perfectly, at the point where the forefinger of the gripping hand holds it. Overall weight is 269g or 9.4-ounces, so just about right. The blade is made from a piece of 4mm thick steel, so isn’t going to bend any time soon! The spine of the blade is plain but I could have specified jimping if I’d fancied it. Some of my knives have it, some don’t, and I think I prefer those without it.

Get a grip

The handle scales are made from walnut and they are nicely contoured on all sides; a red fibre liner between the walnut and the blade steel really adds a touch of class too. A lanyard hole, lined with brass, is positioned at the rear. Attractive mosaic pins hold the whole knife together and once again add to the overall look of quality.

The stylish, moulded leather sheath is more of Andrew’s work, exhibiting fine saddle stitching and he incorporated a fire steel holder within the build. He even makes the fire steel handles from the same wood as the grip scales; a shock cord loop holds it in place until it’s needed.

This knife is obviously of very high-quality but there’s no point looking good if it can’t actually do what it’s meant to! No problem with this classy knife though, as it cut up all sorts of wood, from fresh cut branches to seasoned timber. I must admit that I probably worked it a little hard, as I got a bit carried away! It made short work of everything I decided to cut with it, even some thick leather drive belt that I’d had in the garage for years- I have no idea where it came from and I was never going to use it! It also sliced all manner of meat and veg in the kitchen and didn’t seem to be any the worse for all my abuse in the garage and garden. The fire steel produced a shower of red-hot sparks but I will probably use a piece of hacksaw blade in future, so as not to damage the spine.

Conclusion

The Oaken Lore Bushcraft Knife is a real beauty but well up to any task asked of it. Andrew can make pretty much anything a customer desires but a knife such as this starts at a very reasonable £160, more obviously with the fire steel and any other more fancy features, such as jimping. An example like the one on test is around £200-220. I think that Oaken Lore Knives deserve a wider audience but I’m sure this article will have whetted a few people’s appetites!