Has anyone used this knife? It seems very sturdy and it has a very low price. Any advice?

I have no direct experience with it but I thought I would give a link to the cold steel site describing it.
http://www.coldsteel.com/pocketbushman.html

It looks interesting.

I have one. It's huge and feels very sturdy for a folding knife, though I still wouldn't treat it like a fixed blade. The locking release mechanism is tricky to get the hang of and requires two hands.

Overall I like better than the tradition Buck knife lockback, but it's size takes some getting used to. I got it in trade though at the time I had been planning on buying one. It is definitely higher quality than the price indicates.

-Blast

I bought one a few months ago. It looks rugged and simple though not refined (maybe elegantly simple). I gave it to my dad before being able to use it but I will be buying another one.

It has a thumb stud but I have difficulty opening the blade with one hand due to the blade-to-handle friction. It would probably loosen up with use but as new it is a bit stiff.

The lock seems to be very positive and strong with no play in the blade.

Fit and finish are quite good for it's intended function.

With the folded sheet metal handle gripping it for extended hard use would be hard on the hand. Wrapping it with a cloth pad would help.

The videos on the CS web site show it withstanding some rather severe punishment.

I believe it is a good low cost option and plan to purchase several to hand out to my family for their BOBs.

Sorry I do not have any extended experience using it.

nutnfancy did a review of it on youtube. he was unimpressed.

Thank you for the input. I believe it will fit my need for a large folder that can take a beating so I guess I'll buy one. Knife Center is selling them at 24 U$S. I'll let you know how it works

I looked into this knife a while ago and backed away.

There were reports on the Web of the spring breaking or falling out, rendering the knife useless. The spring is essential for the function of the lock. I do not know if this has been resolved.

Also, I'm not a fan of the blade steel (Krupp 4116). Great steel for kitchen cutlery, but IMO not for an all-around bush knife. The stainless in a plain-jane Mora is better.

But on the other hand, for $24 you can't go too far wrong. I'm looking forward to your review.

Impressive... I had no idea such a robust folder existed
I am very tempted... must be strong... resist ...

I notice the handle is very thin. I have been looking for a folder with similar characteristic, but small enough to be unobtrusive. Flat and thin when packed, but smaller overall than this beefy bastard is what I'm looking for. Perfect for me would be the length and shape of the Doug Ritter MK5 and the handle and locking mechanism of this knife. Anybody who knows if such a thing exist?

The thing that holds me back from ordering the Pocket Bushman is the size: If I carry this thing I may as well carry a fixed blade knife. That, and the blade shape and lenght seems slightly off what I consider best for me and my humble needs. But it would be perfect for stashing in a kit, particular at that price point.



The first video on the Cold Steel web site (link above) deals with this issue in detail. It appears the slot where the spring resides had a bulge on one side. The spring could take a hike into that bulge, get twisted or jammed and break. A redesign with an all straight slot is what CS did to solve this - no place for the spring to wander, only compress in a straight matter.

I don't know if that fixed the problem or not, look for the reviews.

It is a sturdy knife but... I gave mine away after closing the knife when wet. If your hand slips you have a very good chance of slicing your hand pretty badly. I did not cut myself but could see it happening. Not an easy lock to release

Nutnfancy, as mentioned above, did a review of the knife and then a follow-up after the knife failed.

It then failed a second time. Worth seeing the reviews by him before buying. Just go to youtube, find nutnfancy's channel and search for "Pocket Bushman".

I may be the only one but it looks kind of ridiculous.

If you want a fixed blade knife then get one... if you want a pocket knife get one. I have no problem carrying a fixed, and pocket.

I am planning to buy one of these aswell, and put it through its paces. That Ram Lock looks impressive, and they are inexpensive. When you get yours, tell us how it turns out, i'll do the same. Found them on ebay for cheap, free shipping aswell. Now if I only had money...

I saw the third YouTube review. This time the lock survived, but the blade broke under fairly harsh use/abuse. He didn't set out to deliberately break it, just push it to its real limits. But I can't guarantee that my fixed-blade Moras and Bucks would necessarily survive that amount of sideways torquing. Still, a useful test to see. I think his main grouch was about the marketing hype.

I'm still ambivalent about this blade. Steel that's perhaps not ideal for hardcore abuse? A handle that more-or-less requires hand protection (gloves)? And why would I choose this over a Fiskars 18" hatchet? Dunno. I'd love to play with one though.

I've tested the Pocket Bushman and find it adequate, except for one thing. I am unable to open it one-handed. As I need a large folder with a blade of more than 4.5 inches, that I can open with one hand, I would welcome any suggestions. I can't pay more than $150. Thanks in advance.

what do you need such a large blade for, the next best thing I can think of is a 3.8" blade, serrated or not on the S&W HomeLand Security knives. The blades are very thick and can withstand alot of abuse, although they are stainless steel, they are great sturdy knives in my opinion. Here