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A WONDERFUL review! Great job; I love that you really do your homework, and your sincerity; I never feel like I’m be hustled to buy a knife! Thank you so much!!
Most under rated bushcraft knives out there. Such a solid deal for a great package the 45 is my favourite outdoors knife. Still need to get my hands on a cub up here in canada 🇨🇦
I have both knives. If I could only have one, it would be the Ursus. I am thinking of making the Firecrafter a dedicated fire knife and including a fire kit on the sheath. That is my next project.
Definitely the Ursus 45 for me and I even have a video about it on my channel lol, that video also shows an awesome sheath mod for it that would work with other sheaths too. Thanks for showing! 👍
From a technical point of view, the two knives are very comparable. The Ursus45 definitely has better value for money. Reiff's knives are of absolute top quality, but still: the price is too high for what you get.
Great knives , thanks for the review. I really like the fire craft design but I think I agree with you , the U45 looks more versatile. My personal fav is my Esee RB 3 & Ontario RAT 3.
Ursus has every attention to detail and high quality throughout the package ie. knife, kydex, wooden case, and all. That said, lots of competitive options in it's genre and size, right down to Nitty Gritty specifics. Fire knife is somewhat unique in and of itself. However, it's smaller versions lend themselves more applicable to the overall design. I think you get fair-minded value plus high quality with the attention to details with relevance to all models of this brand's full line. Good company, good stuff, worknanship excellent. Food for thought: Their small hiker model and smaller fire knives make very suitable selections for river knives attached to PFDs (floatation vests).
I have the Ursus 45 and love it. It has always performed to perfection for me. I can't wait for the Ursus 'CUB'. It should be out soon. I have never used the FC5 so I can't comment on it. When I got my 45 I held both knives and really like the fit for the 45 a lot better.
I own both the Ursus 45 in 3v and the Cub in Magnacut and they're both phenomenal blades. I've looked at the FC5 before getting the 45 but that handle just screams uncomfortable to me. In use a 4.5" and a 5" are very negligible so to me the Ursus is the better of the two. I feel the design of the FC series lends itself better as a chopper so the FC7 may be a good big knife choice.
G'day Aaron, I like 'em both in their own ways, mind you, I'd rather not have the ferro rod notch and the bow drill divot on the FC5. Yes it's a "firecraft" design, but the notch you dont need and bow drill on a knife handle results in a sharp blade sticking out in some direction. Sure, its not the most unsafe practice one can do, though why do it when you don't have to, ..... just make a bearing block, you've gotta fashion a spindle, bow and hearth-board anyway and that tip angle would be ideal for both divots; or ............ save all that, ......... you've got the ferro rod ; ) Ultimately, the 45 is a great all rounder as is, though I'd love to see the FC5 blade shape on the 45 handle. For 6 in. and under, S35, or S30, is the sweet spot for performance to price IMO. Cheers Duke
I just HELD the Firecraft 5 at Blade Show and could tell that ridiculous choil was hot spot city. Hard pass for me. Loved the blade shape, but the handle was a deal breaker.
I carry their 5” exodus as a fixed blade edc. Absolute beast for a low profile knife. My favorite outdoor steel is 3V. But ive been experimenting with magnacut. Apparently it’s as corrosion resistant as Spyderco H1-H2. Magnacut has excellent edge retention and resharpening in the field, but it can be cost prohibitive to many ppl
The FC line is almost perfect. Two fatal flaws for me are how thin the handle is, and the finger groove makes it total garbage for working with mittens. In Canada when it's -40°C you know gloves suck.
Bark river is not better then white river. Bark river has had notorious quality control issues the past few+ years and they’re also known for sending out the wrong steel and for soft heat treats…all of which white river has never had a problem with ever
@@ShoahBiz I don't think it's reasonable to judge such a large production as Bark River for a few mistakes.. Heat treatment is provided by an external company with a very good reputation. With such a large quantity, there is always a chance of making a mistake. The same when you start working with new steel, so it is better to buy proven steels such as 3v. I don't really know what you mean by writing about "soft heat treats" how much HRC is soft heat treatment?
@@landofpc personally I won’t buy another knife that’s not at least 60-61rc and I prefer 61.5-63.5 for my few favorite steels. If I’m paying BR prices I’m going for 61.5+. Bark river is known for pretty occasionally having a heat affected zone near their edges, where they overheat the edge during grinding and it ruins the outer layer of edge steel. You have to sharpen it out to get to better steel underneath. Bark river also grinds most their convex too thick imo. Now I do have a bark river 1v machete at 60rc that I haven’t used much but do really enjoy it so far (purchased used but like new recently,) so I’m not gonna say it’s all bad or anything. It’s a badass machete for sure. Just don’t think it’s fair to say BR is obviously better than WR and point to one single BR knife that’s a bit cheaper than this one WR
BRK's QC has hit the gutters. My Bravo 1.25 had a recurve in the blade it was so bad. Half the knives I've bought from them have had issues. I won't be buying anymore. From now on it's either LTWK or WRK. It's a shame because BRK's designs are great.
It would be great to have a video on the Top Threes. Top 3 camp knives (kitchen prep, etc.), belt knives, etc. As we gear up for the camping, it would be nice to have a summary/ refresher video to see.
The firecrafter is more of a survival knife, S35vn is a little overkill. Hardcore survivalists want something you could sharpen on a rock out on the trail.
I put that notch in my VERY modified BK7 years ago..good for ferro rod and grabbing pot bail..and creating fine tender..glad I was ahead of the curve..;)
@@mgtowlevel5293 One of the drawing points on the F1 is that you can buy it without the factory sheath. I wish that someone would start making sheaths with the retention of the Spartan Harsey (recommended here) and that the knife mfgs. started selling knives without the usual crummy sheath. I have a package of over a dozen factory sheaths going to the boy scout camp that are basically useless - accumulated over the years.
@@mgtowlevel5293so you’re waiting for a guy you haven’t seen his work? And what if the knife you want kydex for isn’t one he has a template for? And what if everyone starts trying to use him for kydex and soon his backlog is way too long..so he raises prices
@@ShoahBiz I've seen his work he's on eBay. He has a picture of his finished product. Do you know how eBay works? I'm waiting for him to press it out in his kitchen and put it in the mail.
I tried different camp knives, my favourites where brk bravo 1.25 Lt and the more compact Lionsteel M4, they are both amazing.. until I tried the Ursus 45... If I have to pick only one knife to do everything, that's it! My favourite small fixed blade is also from white river, the m1 caper!
I can't help seeing JOKER knives that are basically the same style blades yet WAY less. I love a high quality expensive brand knife , it's just cool to own a special blade at least once in your life. That said , I can hardly buy enough groceries at the moment so my view on expensive knives has really changed. The current government in power is destroying the knife industry. I cant imagine the struggle small business owners must be dealing with right now. I am praying that we get Biden OUT OF THE WHITEHOUSE . This country will not survive another Democrat leader.
The issues with joker are their materials are not as high quality. Their fit and finish aren't quite up to the same level. I have the Nomad and can see imperfections in the liner of the handle and in the micarta itself such as air bubbles. The wood handles are notorious for working loose. And good luck getting ahold of them for any customer service stuff. Also the still is a good steel on average they use, but its not s35vn or 3v level steel.
@@21JG777 That's why they are $100 knives , I was not comparing them by materials . I've never heard people talking about quality control with Joker knives. For the price ya get a pretty good rig and 99% are usually shocked over their purchase. Everytime I share a lower cost alternative it's like people get offended over it? If ya got $300+ have fun go buy the knife and enjoy it, it's all good . I've bought plenty of spendy blades and have learned there ain't much difference imho. .. especially after two months when all the excitement wears off.
@@airiksknifereviews9548 It all depends on how much you use your knife. I have my Firecrafter on my hip every day cutting feed bags, chopping kindling etc... hard use. For a tool I use everyday like that I want quality, both so that it holds up and I just as a personal preference. I like a nice knife. So with that I have no issue spending 300, one time, on a lifetime tool. However if I need a blade to take camping 2 or 3 times a year, a blade that 90% of the time is just sitting in my backpack... I would want to go for something under 100 for sure. I am what most people would call "poor" 🤣 so I totally understand what you are saying here. I just had to save up for this knife and I have no regrets. Hopefully I can give it to my kid someday nice and battleworn...
@airiksknifereviews9548 haha no one is offended here brother. I'm just simply saying it's not comparable. And even on some of Aaron's other videos on wood handled jokers, you can even find him complaining of the wood handle models. All of my wood handled models have become loose, all be it slightly. But I can definitely notice it. 😊
For those who can't afford the firecraft knife take a look at the Sanabria knife by Cudeman. It has a bit of the same curves but thicker handle and has a mini edition to match the regular size. 😉
@@richardhenry196914c won’t hold an edge as long and it is not much cheaper. Look at steel yourself and you’ll see the difference in material cost for one knife is pretty minimal. What adds to the cost is harder to grind/eats up belts faster and takes longer to grind. How tough do you need a 4.5 in blade? 5/32nds of s35vn is going to be insanely hard to break with your hands and wood I doubt you’d do it realistically. The best way to add strength is to add width to the steel. 2x thicker steel means it’s 4-6x stronger. Sure use 14c on a really thin blade with very acute edge geometry but for a knife this size you won’t see any advantages for 14c asides from being easier to sharpen
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Sell the fc5 to me lol
Firecraft 5 I have in cpm 3v and I love it. Would have to say the s35vn is also a great steel . Great video Aaron.
I have the Ursus cub in MagnaCut and the FC 3.5 in S35VN Both knives are outstanding tools.
A WONDERFUL review! Great job; I love that you really do your homework, and your sincerity; I never feel like I’m be hustled to buy a knife! Thank you so much!!
That means a lot and that is what I strive for in every video to educate and entertain
Most under rated bushcraft knives out there. Such a solid deal for a great package the 45 is my favourite outdoors knife. Still need to get my hands on a cub up here in canada 🇨🇦
Yep. Definitely want the FC5 even more, now!!! Great review. Thanks!!
Thanks for watching!
Been wanting that fire craft 5 for awhile now. Hopefully it'll live up to it's hype. Badass looking blade
I have both knives. If I could only have one, it would be the Ursus. I am thinking of making the Firecrafter a dedicated fire knife and including a fire kit on the sheath. That is my next project.
Ursus in 3V is the one I have and it is phenomenal!! It’s my second favorite belt knife right after my Reiff 4 in Magnacut.
There is a leather sheath option for them as well, which are excellent.
Definitely the Ursus 45 for me and I even have a video about it on my channel lol, that video also shows an awesome sheath mod for it that would work with other sheaths too. Thanks for showing! 👍
How does the Ursus 45 compare to the Reiff 5?
classified I guess
Totally different blades, POU, etc.
From a technical point of view, the two knives are very comparable. The Ursus45 definitely has better value for money. Reiff's knives are of absolute top quality, but still: the price is too high for what you get.
Very alike. Half in smaller and slightly thinner stock on Ursus. Value goes to white river. Strength and size go to reiff.
Great knives , thanks for the review. I really like the fire craft design but I think I agree with you , the U45 looks more versatile. My personal fav is my Esee RB 3 & Ontario RAT 3.
Ursus has every attention to detail and high quality throughout the package ie. knife, kydex, wooden case, and all. That said, lots of competitive options in it's genre and size, right down to Nitty Gritty specifics. Fire knife is somewhat unique in and of itself. However, it's smaller versions lend themselves more applicable to the overall design. I think you get fair-minded value plus high quality with the attention to details with relevance to all models of this brand's full line. Good company, good stuff, worknanship excellent. Food for thought: Their small hiker model and smaller fire knives make very suitable selections for river knives attached to PFDs (floatation vests).
Great knives. I love a drop point saber grind 👍
Absolutely love my FC5. Great video.
Got my FC5 earlier this year. I use it with the M1 Backpacker as a pocket fixed blade
I have the Ursus 45 and love it. It has always performed to perfection for me. I can't wait for the Ursus 'CUB'. It should be out soon. I have never used the FC5 so I can't comment on it. When I got my 45 I held both knives and really like the fit for the 45 a lot better.
If you missed the cub they just restocked it, as well as releasing an Ursus 45 in matnacut
Both great knives. I like the Ursus more because of its handle. WhiteRiver's sheaths are excellent.
I have the Ursus in 3V and I LOVE it. Really looking forward to seeing your take on the Ursus Cub, haven't seen a lot of info on that knife.
Video in a week or two.
I got the FC4 because I wanted more control that the shorter blade gave me. Love it.
Totally makes sense
I own both the Ursus 45 in 3v and the Cub in Magnacut and they're both phenomenal blades. I've looked at the FC5 before getting the 45 but that handle just screams uncomfortable to me. In use a 4.5" and a 5" are very negligible so to me the Ursus is the better of the two. I feel the design of the FC series lends itself better as a chopper so the FC7 may be a good big knife choice.
I have the f5, knucklehead, and the m1. Nice tools
BTW, the limited edition Ka Bar Becker BK76 Magnacut drop point is a beautiful knife! I would live to see you review it.
CruWear, 3V, and 1095 are my choices accordingly.
Thank you for the great comparison as always 🔪
Good choice!
G'day Aaron, I like 'em both in their own ways, mind you, I'd rather not have the ferro rod notch and the bow drill divot on the FC5. Yes it's a "firecraft" design, but the notch you dont need and bow drill on a knife handle results in a sharp blade sticking out in some direction. Sure, its not the most unsafe practice one can do, though why do it when you don't have to, ..... just make a bearing block, you've gotta fashion a spindle, bow and hearth-board anyway and that tip angle would be ideal for both divots;
or ............ save all that, ......... you've got the ferro rod ; )
Ultimately, the 45 is a great all rounder as is, though I'd love to see the FC5 blade shape on the 45 handle.
For 6 in. and under, S35, or S30, is the sweet spot for performance to price IMO.
Cheers Duke
love your bushcraft knives
I looked at an FC5 for a bit, but went with the ESEE CM6, and never looked back.
Nice!
Just got the Ursus Cub in MAGNACUT!!!✊️🔥✌️💚
Nice!!
White River S35 and it is awesome
I just HELD the Firecraft 5 at Blade Show and could tell that ridiculous choil was hot spot city. Hard pass for me. Loved the blade shape, but the handle was a deal breaker.
Same for me! Ursus for the win!
Danke fürs Zeigen Grüße aus Deutschland
Thanks for watching!!
I carry their 5” exodus as a fixed blade edc. Absolute beast for a low profile knife.
My favorite outdoor steel is 3V. But ive been experimenting with magnacut. Apparently it’s as corrosion resistant as Spyderco H1-H2.
Magnacut has excellent edge retention and resharpening in the field, but it can be cost prohibitive to many ppl
The FC line is almost perfect. Two fatal flaws for me are how thin the handle is, and the finger groove makes it total garbage for working with mittens. In Canada when it's -40°C you know gloves suck.
Can you please provide a link for you hat?
The Ursus is similar to the T5
The T5 is a blend of the two
Lt wright genesis coming soon?
these knives are definitely not underrated ! in the same store DLT you can find bark river bravo 1.25 Lt for 199, so much cheaper and better knive.
Bark river is not better then white river. Bark river has had notorious quality control issues the past few+ years and they’re also known for sending out the wrong steel and for soft heat treats…all of which white river has never had a problem with ever
@@ShoahBiz I don't think it's reasonable to judge such a large production as Bark River for a few mistakes.. Heat treatment is provided by an external company with a very good reputation. With such a large quantity, there is always a chance of making a mistake. The same when you start working with new steel, so it is better to buy proven steels such as 3v. I don't really know what you mean by writing about "soft heat treats" how much HRC is soft heat treatment?
@@landofpc personally I won’t buy another knife that’s not at least 60-61rc and I prefer 61.5-63.5 for my few favorite steels. If I’m paying BR prices I’m going for 61.5+. Bark river is known for pretty occasionally having a heat affected zone near their edges, where they overheat the edge during grinding and it ruins the outer layer of edge steel. You have to sharpen it out to get to better steel underneath. Bark river also grinds most their convex too thick imo. Now I do have a bark river 1v machete at 60rc that I haven’t used much but do really enjoy it so far (purchased used but like new recently,) so I’m not gonna say it’s all bad or anything. It’s a badass machete for sure. Just don’t think it’s fair to say BR is obviously better than WR and point to one single BR knife that’s a bit cheaper than this one WR
BRK's QC has hit the gutters. My Bravo 1.25 had a recurve in the blade it was so bad. Half the knives I've bought from them have had issues. I won't be buying anymore. From now on it's either LTWK or WRK. It's a shame because BRK's designs are great.
Ah, more knives I cant afford :) So I guess I will stick with my old Green River knives ;)
Still back on the Mora Clipper
It would be great to have a video on the Top Threes. Top 3 camp knives (kitchen prep, etc.), belt knives, etc. As we gear up for the camping, it would be nice to have a summary/ refresher video to see.
I had the fire craft 5 and it was my favorite knife for a long time. I gifted it to a friend and now I want the Firecraft 7
Get the leather sheath if you get a FC7, it is absolutely beautiful.
@@Doobie603 thank you, I think I will
Of those 2, Ursus all the way. Not a fan of really broad blades. In general though, it's hard for me to not just go with magnacut for most situations.
That Ursus looks nice!
I have both and love both in S35vn which I prefer over the 3v. Both great overall camp knives. Blondes or Brunetts, Chevy or Ford..............
The firecrafter is more of a survival knife, S35vn is a little overkill. Hardcore survivalists want something you could sharpen on a rock out on the trail.
How does ursus 45 compare to lionsteel t6
Didn’t you run a Ursus 3V thru the paces? And highly recommended it? I may be dreaming again!
No, I previously reviewed the S35VN version.
I put that notch in my VERY modified BK7 years ago..good for ferro rod and grabbing pot bail..and creating fine tender..glad I was ahead of the curve..;)
Very cool!
The leather dangler sheath for the Firecrafter is the nicest leather sheath I have ever seen.
Are they going to release either one of these in Magnacut?
Not sure 🤔
Just dropped a batch of Ursus 45 in magnacut today. Limited quantity
They would really be underrated if they weren't so unaffordable
The kydex would be $30-$40. Sheesh
Who is making this type of kydex for $40 bucks? Please send me their links.
@@gideonstactical I'm literally waiting on my guy to make one on eBay for me for my fallkniven F1. Taco style $30
@@mgtowlevel5293 One of the drawing points on the F1 is that you can buy it without the factory sheath. I wish that someone would start making sheaths with the retention of the Spartan Harsey (recommended here) and that the knife mfgs. started selling knives without the usual crummy sheath. I have a package of over a dozen factory sheaths going to the boy scout camp that are basically useless - accumulated over the years.
@@mgtowlevel5293so you’re waiting for a guy you haven’t seen his work? And what if the knife you want kydex for isn’t one he has a template for? And what if everyone starts trying to use him for kydex and soon his backlog is way too long..so he raises prices
@@ShoahBiz I've seen his work he's on eBay. He has a picture of his finished product. Do you know how eBay works? I'm waiting for him to press it out in his kitchen and put it in the mail.
I tried different camp knives, my favourites where brk bravo 1.25 Lt and the more compact Lionsteel M4, they are both amazing.. until I tried the Ursus 45... If I have to pick only one knife to do everything, that's it!
My favourite small fixed blade is also from white river, the m1 caper!
I can't help seeing JOKER knives that are basically the same style blades yet WAY less.
I love a high quality expensive brand knife , it's just cool to own a special blade at least once in your life. That said , I can hardly buy enough groceries at the moment so my view on expensive knives has really changed.
The current government in power is destroying the knife industry. I cant imagine the struggle small business owners must be dealing with right now.
I am praying that we get Biden OUT OF THE WHITEHOUSE . This country will not survive another Democrat leader.
Joker runs their 14c way too soft for my liking..if they’d up the rc I’d be all over em
The issues with joker are their materials are not as high quality. Their fit and finish aren't quite up to the same level. I have the Nomad and can see imperfections in the liner of the handle and in the micarta itself such as air bubbles. The wood handles are notorious for working loose. And good luck getting ahold of them for any customer service stuff. Also the still is a good steel on average they use, but its not s35vn or 3v level steel.
@@21JG777 That's why they are $100 knives , I was not comparing them by materials .
I've never heard people talking about quality control with Joker knives. For the price ya get a pretty good rig and 99% are usually shocked over their purchase.
Everytime I share a lower cost alternative it's like people get offended over it?
If ya got $300+ have fun go buy the knife and enjoy it, it's all good .
I've bought plenty of spendy blades and have learned there ain't much difference imho. .. especially after two months when all the excitement wears off.
@@airiksknifereviews9548 It all depends on how much you use your knife. I have my Firecrafter on my hip every day cutting feed bags, chopping kindling etc... hard use. For a tool I use everyday like that I want quality, both so that it holds up and I just as a personal preference. I like a nice knife. So with that I have no issue spending 300, one time, on a lifetime tool. However if I need a blade to take camping 2 or 3 times a year, a blade that 90% of the time is just sitting in my backpack... I would want to go for something under 100 for sure. I am what most people would call "poor" 🤣 so I totally understand what you are saying here. I just had to save up for this knife and I have no regrets. Hopefully I can give it to my kid someday nice and battleworn...
@airiksknifereviews9548 haha no one is offended here brother. I'm just simply saying it's not comparable. And even on some of Aaron's other videos on wood handled jokers, you can even find him complaining of the wood handle models. All of my wood handled models have become loose, all be it slightly. But I can definitely notice it. 😊
For those who can't afford the firecraft knife take a look at the Sanabria knife by Cudeman.
It has a bit of the same curves but thicker handle and has a mini edition to match the regular size. 😉
nice video….wwhat about a comparison between these two and the Joker Nomad?
The nomad is great. It is a different type of knife.
I just can't justify $200+ for a knife.
Especially a knife made in s35vn. Not a fan it's not tough.
ok...
I have to disagree about the toughness factor.
@@gideonstactical you can disagree but 14c28n is better all the way around especially for a fixed blade and much cheaper.
@@richardhenry196914c won’t hold an edge as long and it is not much cheaper. Look at steel yourself and you’ll see the difference in material cost for one knife is pretty minimal. What adds to the cost is harder to grind/eats up belts faster and takes longer to grind. How tough do you need a 4.5 in blade? 5/32nds of s35vn is going to be insanely hard to break with your hands and wood I doubt you’d do it realistically. The best way to add strength is to add width to the steel. 2x thicker steel means it’s 4-6x stronger. Sure use 14c on a really thin blade with very acute edge geometry but for a knife this size you won’t see any advantages for 14c asides from being easier to sharpen
@@richardhenry1969 I do disagree.