FAQs

Ben started making knives because he loves them. For him it was a passion and a bushcraft necessity. As a child with a love for the outdoors, he would buy cheaper knives but they were never good enough, so he decided to make the ultimate knife for the task.

Ben has been making knives for as long as he can remember, but making knives to sell for over 26 years.

Ben makes them in batches, but if he was to make one knife from start to finish it would take 1-2 days.

Steve Backshall, Lofty Wiseman, Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, Adam Hart-Davis, Dave Canterbury, Ed Stafford, Laura Bingham, Aldo Cane, Megan Hine, Leo Houlding, Waldo Etherington, Ollie Ollerton, James Aldred, Robin Smith, Mel Parry and many others.

Our knives have travelled to every continent and almost every country. Some examples include the bush of New South Wales, the Namibian desert, Vietnamese islands, the forests of British Columbia, voyages across the seas with travelling merchant seamen, the wilds of Alaska, the Arctic Circle, the jungles of Brunei and Borneo, the Amazon rainforest, Costa Rica, the Tasmanian bush, the temperate rainforests and mountains of New Zealand, and game reserves in Kenya and South Africa. We are always grateful to learn where our knives have travelled and what they have achieved.

Yes absolutely. All our models can be customised with different materials, finishes, colours or engraving. Call or email us and we’ll work with you to create what you’re looking for. Also keep an eye on our store as we are often making unique custom knives available to purchase.

Often we can yes, it depends on the tool so call or email for more information.

The Pixie, The Thorn or Thorn XL, or a Craftsman. Essentially a narrower, more agile blade, or a larger companion like the Orford Parang.

For Ben, it’s got to be the Woodlander. It’s been the most influential and it’s our most popular model. To Ben it’s an extension of his arm.

The Nomad, because as a UK legal carry we can always have it with us.

All our handle materials are selected to be of the highest quality. Ben’s favourite is Masur Birch, for its beautiful grain pattern and its traditional link to classic Scandinavian bushcraft knives. For a synthetic material Ben loves Hunter Orange G10, because it’s almost impossible to lose in the wilds. Lois’ favourite is Yew, it feels timeless, ancient and connected to the past.

Yes you can see and handle the knives at The Bushcraft Show, Wilderness Gathering and Blade Show. We also do open days at the workshop, and you can visit by appointment. Follow our social media to stay up to date.

In the UK you are legally allowed to carry a non-locking blade under 3” (like our Nomad). In the UK you can often carry a larger knife with good reason (i.e. on a course, in a private woodland, etc.). Other countries' laws vary.

It depends on your environment and goals. O1 is strong and durable, AEB-L is highly weatherproof and rust resistant, as is Damasteel which has a more aggressive cutting edge.

Scandi is traditional, excellent for carving, fire prep and woodcraft. It’s also very easy to sharpen in the field. Sabre has a stronger, more durable edge. It’s well suited to slicing, chopping, food prep, and general tasks.

Yes, just choose ‘Orientation’ when checking out.

Yes, you can have custom engraving on the tang of the knife or certain areas of the blade. You can have your name, significant dates, favourite quote, or a logo. Contact us when you check out. 

Check out our YouTube video on exactly that here.

A whole playlist of videos on sharpening are free to watch on our YouTube channel.

Wipe excess water and treat your knife with camellia oil when storing in its sheath. For maximum rust prevention choose AEB-L stainless steel and a Kydex sheath which are both weatherproof.

Do not open cans, cut metal or glass, or use the cutting edge on a firesteel. In general do not excessively heat your blade as that will affect its chemistry, and likewise do not use a mechanical grinder for sharpening. Remember that if you hand somebody your knife and sheath together (and they are not familiar with knives) they may well cut your sheath. And a piece of our personal advice, don’t lend your knife to anyone you want to keep as your friend!

When storing, keep it dry, at a constant humidity and even temperature wherever possible. Store the knife removed from the sheath. Always make sure you oil the handle and the blade to prevent stain, even with stainless steel.

For in stock items we will usually dispatch in 24-48 hours. Choose standard or premium delivery.

For custom orders we will email you personally to agree a date. We endeavour to get them to you as soon as possible, but at times there is a wait of 12-16 weeks, unless you have a specific deadline.

If it’s in perfect condition, yes. The only exception is if you’ve had certain customised elements like engraving or unusual colour choices, returns would then be done on an individual basis.

We offer services with DHL and Royal Mail. Choose standard or premium at checkout.

We can and have delivered to most countries. If you’ve had problems with deliveries in the past, we’ll speak to our courier.

Contact us via Whatsapp, email, or phone.

Yes we have Instagram, a popular YouTube channel, an owner's Facebook page (which includes raffles and special owner’s info), and now a TikTok.