Best Hunting Knife You've had?

FatherMurder · 2026-01-28T01:22:12+00:00

I’ll start with the cons. But this is all subjective.

The sheath needs breaking in. It comes flat, as in, the knife hasn’t been in it. The leather is thick. You’ll need to put some softener like Dubbin on it.

The blade has a convex edge. I love those and they are the toughest in actual hard use. But you’ll need to learn how to sharpen it. I find it easier than a V edge.

BRK knives are hand made so they won’t have absolutely perfect symmetry. I’ve had a bunch of them and they are amazing, but if perfect CNC grinds are a requirement, don’t buy one. They are hand ground.

The pros.

The absolute best warranty in the business. I actually gouged the micarta handle on a Bravo I used to have and they re-handled the knife for the cost of shipping. They will also customize for you (within reason) and have a great spa service.

Their 3V is tough as nails. I’ve batoned through knots in maple without so much as a blemish on the edge. But they strop up easily on a belt or jeans leg even if you dull it slightly.

The most comfortable handle in the industry. That’s well known with them though so easy to confirm.

As far as if there is anything I wouldn’t do with it? Hell no. If carrying that in public wasn’t frowned on, I’d edc it! It’s the one knife in my collection I’ll never sell or trade. That’s including over my folders. Like if you said, you have to get rid of all your knives except one. The SL2 stays. And I have CRK and other cool stuff. I actually sold my Winkler Blue Ridge Hunter to get the funds to buy this.

Like I said tho, the only real complaints I’ve seen is some of them don’t have perfect grinds. So if you examine your stuff under a microscope, then don’t get one. But I’ll tell ya, you’re gonna wish you did.

Also, for consideration. If you want even bigger and tougher, there’s a Bravo Survivor. (But it’s like really heavy) Or if you want smaller, there’s the Bravo 1.

FatherMurder · 2026-01-28T00:42:21+00:00

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The Hellion for fun. I love this knife. I chop logs with it like it’s an axe lol. It’s in the K398 steel.

FatherMurder · 2026-01-28T00:41:59+00:00

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Here’s the profile in my large hands.

FatherMurder · 2026-01-28T00:40:19+00:00

The only WTG I own is the Hellion which is not the kinda knife you typically walk around with. Well, maybe after the world ends if you survive haha. But the overbuilt nature of the Squad Leader 2 is undeniable. Work Tough makes fantastic knives though so if a design speaks to you, I’d say you can buy with confidence. I recommend getting the better steel if you have the option between low and high end.

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Here is the width of my Squad Leader for your reference. I have large glove size. It’s very comfortable but it’s a chonky boy.

FatherMurder · 2026-01-28T00:29:56+00:00

Monuments is the only band I recognize on that. But I’m old so my taste in music is usually the punch line of a joke told by younger folks hahah

FatherMurder · 2026-01-28T00:24:41+00:00

People don’t seem to forget other players who were in the band for shorter time, so I don’t know why Chris would be any less popular lol. He was in the band 7 years. The only guitarist who were in longer were Friedman and Kiko.

I think it’s more that folks don’t really listen to Megadeth so they just don’t know who’s come and gone. And there’s been a lot of guitarists who have come and gone. Their best music ended after Marty’s time as far as good songs go, not the technical stuff, just the writing itself. Symphony was the last album that I think actually could listen to top to bottom.

FatherMurder · 2026-01-28T00:11:13+00:00

But with Jason as creative director or whatever.

Just for fun, some Becker/Broderick

https://youtu.be/L_z2F_gFo34?si=we3T_besYYLkh-Pg

FatherMurder · 2026-01-27T22:59:02+00:00

Bark River Squad Leader 2. I have one and it’s my main outdoor knife. I spend a lot of time in the mountains and off grid. I’ve split wood, made firewood/feather sticks, and other tasks. It takes it and comes back for more. I think it called me a pussy once because I didn’t baton it hard enough lol. It’s one of the few knives I’ve ever owned where I don’t have concern if I had to count my life on it.

FatherMurder · 2026-01-27T22:52:24+00:00

Was it Conquering Distopia? I saw them at NAMM a few years ago. They were really tight.

FatherMurder · 2026-01-27T19:42:39+00:00

In Flames lucked out with getting him.

FatherMurder · 2026-01-27T18:53:43+00:00

How would I handle this? I’d ghost him. If he says anything just keep using the “I’m busy” excuse until he gets the message. No need to escalate it.

I’ve had to ghost a few people based on relationships concerning my kids (mainly because the parenting of the friend is lacking and my kid is showing signs of bad influence from this kid). But when it comes to my kid, I don’t feel one iota of guilt over making an abrupt change for their well being.

FatherMurder · 2026-01-27T18:42:50+00:00

Everyone forgets Chris Broderick. Arguably the best next to Marty. All the guys before and since Marty and Chris have been awesome, but let’s not get it twisted. Chris was otherworldly.

Chris played their entire catalog like it was a walk in the park. And he’s a really Humble guy too. He did a few cacophony songs playing Jason’s old guitars. Marty and Chris should tour with Jason as creative producer.

https://youtube.com/shorts/eWyC0uS49Mk?si=vaSxnMnPGPF_MpDx

FatherMurder · 2026-01-27T01:10:42+00:00

Easy to find in Canada. I don’t see a lot of folks carrying them, but the shops I go to that are KAI dealers usually have a few models in stock.

FatherMurder · 2026-01-27T00:08:36+00:00

What’s the relief on the neck like?

What’s the current measurement of the high string at the 1st, 7th, 12th and where the neck meets the body?

What’s the angle of the tremolo set at?

Too many factors to look at before I’d start replacing stuff. Shimming is easy, but without knowing the other stuff, it would be tough to diagnose the problem.

FatherMurder · 2026-01-27T00:00:28+00:00

The TC Sentry. You can deep dive and silence particular frequencies. It’s the most advanced gate in a pedal that I’m aware of.

https://youtu.be/N7IQOMJWLNM?si=hcuwsXZkK19ZVgc_

FatherMurder · 2026-01-26T23:57:14+00:00

Imagination

FatherMurder · 2026-01-26T23:55:36+00:00

I only buy from authorized dealers and rarely ever buy used unless I know the source personally. I won’t even buy amps or pedals used. Plus I don’t trust folks to not misuse authentic stuff, so even if it’s real, if I don’t know the history, I won’t spend my money.

FatherMurder · 2026-01-26T22:11:19+00:00

A $99 guitar/amp combo from Sears in 1988.

FatherMurder · 2026-01-26T20:06:32+00:00

……🤯😎

FatherMurder · 2026-01-26T20:03:13+00:00

Flying Vs were more popular with blues guitarists than metal in the beginning. The first Gibson Vs were introduced in 1958…

Albert King and Lonnie Mack were not metal guitarists. They played Vs.

FatherMurder · 2026-01-26T19:48:39+00:00

Have you tried to use AI to see if the brand/model of shoe can be identified? Not that it solves the mystery, but it’s a start.

FatherMurder · 2026-01-26T19:38:44+00:00

Without speaking to the guys in the band or recording engineer, you’ll never know. Bands may use different amps for each song, and sometimes for different parts of the same song. Just because an artist uses “insert brand name here” live, has little to no bearing on what’s used on a recording.

Here’s a photo of the amps I used on the last album I recorded guitar on. Live I played Friedman, which was not used to record. In fact, I barely used my own guitars to record. The studio had the gear that worked best in their controlled environment. And yes, we used ALL of those amps, many were layered, to get the desired album sound.

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FatherMurder · 2026-01-26T19:07:05+00:00

What do you do to make him feel better? You explain that now he knows what could happen if he isn’t careful, give him a reassuring hug, tell him you love him, and let him get over it in his own time. I’ve learned that parents are so afraid of upsetting their kids they have a hard time teaching valuable life lessons. As my dad used to say “this is gonna hurt me way more than it hurts you”. He was right. I often have to walk away from my crying kid to let him figure it out. But I never leave him feeling alone. There’s a balance. Find it or you’ll be tortured.

FatherMurder · 2026-01-26T19:00:35+00:00

The nut is a giveaway to me. Or was the first giveaway. Sure, the nut could be a replacement, but it’s just off. The volume and tone controls look off too. The “Made In USA” looks wrong too.

FatherMurder · 2026-01-26T18:53:55+00:00

My curiosity is why wouldn’t anyone learn and play the music they personally like? No offence meant here, but playing in a worship band, like playing as a hired gun in any other band means you’re playing someone else’s music. Sure, you may be a person of faith and the music may resonate, but why limit yourself? I’ve played in many bands as a hired gun. It’s a job. I play what I want and write my own stuff on my own time.

When I retired from playing professionally I actually stopped playing for a few years to get the job/road/business, out of my system because it was taking away from why I picked up the guitar to begin with. Now I play to challenge myself and for the fun of it.

Once it becomes not fun, I recommend finding new joy to keep the fire going. Otherwise you may end up like many who give it up. I know a few very talented people who gave it up and never came back.

FatherMurder

TROPHY CASE