CondorTool & Knife Moonshiner Bushcraft Knife - 1075 High-Carbon Steel Blade - Full-Tang Construction - Walnut Handle - Handcrafted Leather Sheath - Ideal for Bushcraft, Camping & Survival

I was unsure about the quality of the steel, 50-55 on the Rockwell seems like too large of a gap, I didn’t want a knife too soft, and I’m used to there being only a 1-2 point difference (I prefer a blade hardened to 57-61 range, depending on steel/knife type). I read some people saying this knife feels like a hybrid between a large knife and a machete, but I’m grateful that there isn’t any flex to it compared to a machete. Perhaps I got one that registered higher on the scale.There was a burr left on the edge, but after stropping it off, the knife slices through paper effortlessly for a thick knife. The handle scales were fairly dry, and there was a clear coating all over the blade that was annoying to remove, but it definitely protects it from rust, but I prefer food safe patinas. I was surprised with the quality of the sheath. It does require a break in period, the fit is tight initially due to the handle scales.I used it for food prep and it worked well. Definitely not a nimble knife, but out in the bush you can prep a stew with it, after fighting off a Grizzly and building your shelter. For under $100 it’s a fun blade but you will need to maintain it. Mine may not longer be shiny, but red rust can’t touch it now.

When I opened the box, all I could say was "Wow! What a great knife!" I have maybe 20 knives that are considered to be "survival" type blades. (Of course, that's always a matter of opinion.) This Condor immediately was placed into the No. 1 spot, sharing that honor with my Ontario RD-6. My BK2 might come in at No. 3 or 4. No secret, I like BIG knives. Sure, there is a place in the great outdoors for medium sized and the smaller knives, and I have plenty of those. But it's the big blades that warm my heart. This Moonshiner is just super nice. I also have the Hudson Bay model and I like that one a lot and would place it in the No. 2 spot. But the Moonshiner is better, mainly because of having a better handle. The HB handle is pretty good, but a bit small and narrow. The Moonshiner handle is bigger, with a nice palm swell--just more comfortable, at least for me. It also has a lanyard hole (which the HB lacks) and that is rather important when using a knife as a chopper. There is an edge ground into the top of the blade, from the tip backwards for 4 1/2 inches. It's nicely done, but isn't sharpened. It certainly could be sharpened, which would make this thing one big combat knife. Not sharpened is best, I think, to avoid nasty accidents. The overall quality and construction of the Moonshiner that I received is flawless. I should mention that the description of this Moonshiner is not entirely accurate--it has Condor's "natural finish" and not their "classic" finish. The natural finish is simply a polished steel, while the classic is a really nice forge-hammered surface, giving the blade an authentic antique appearance. The HB has the classic style. Condor's 1075 carbon steel is, I think, among the best steels available in affordable knives. My Ontario RD-6 is 5160 spring steel, which I especially like, but 1075 is excellent, and 1095 is great, too. There are lots of knives with more exotic metallurgical properties, and they are no doubt very good, but with those you have to substitute the word "affordable" and use "expensive" instead. Condor's leather sheaths are second to none and, while they might be tight at the outset, they will stretch enough to make a nice fit. If you also like big knives, you will love the Moonshiner. I would give it plenty more stars than five if I could.

Awesome knife for the money

I've been excited to write a review on the Moonshiner, but I wanted to make sure it got put to the test before I started rambling about it. Finally, this thing has been used for everything from kitchen prep to firewood, chopping, and carving. Overall, I'm very happy with the purchase. It's not the absolute perfect knife, but it's also less than $100.First, it works wonders in the kitchen for such a large tool. Whether I'm at the fire or cooking in the home, it has butchered chickens, processed all my meat, and handled my veggies very well for such a heavy beast. That's the easy stuff, though.I usually don't baton, but I decided to test this hard. So, I batoned it through various hardwoods to make firewood and a bush baton. It worked like a champ. I don't want to constantly abuse it like that, but it's good to know that it can take it. The blade actually bent a considerable amount around a knot, and when it broke through the wood, it popped itself back to true before I could even see it happen.What really surprises me is how it handled chopping. Obviously, a 9-inch heavy blade will make short work of 1-inch and 2-inch limbs, but I've chopped through 6-inch and 8-inch diameter logs at this point. The handle locked me in, and despite getting blood blisters from swinging an unshaped log around during the baton testing, I didn't feel any hot spots while chopping.It's large and not optimal for very fine carving, but it handles notching, stick sharpening, debarking, and stuff like that perfectly fine. I wouldn't whittle with it, but that's what smaller knives are for.So, let's talk about everyone's complaints.The handle: I love it. Yes, it is large. I have large hands, and there is still a ton of room. However, that works for its purpose. I move my hand down to the bottom while chopping, and it gets locked in by the Condor head "horn" of sorts at the "pommel". I thought I'd put a lanyard with a nice brass eagle head on it, but it's honestly perfect on its own, and I just shortened the lanyard to a small fob for decoration. The middle position with the palm swell is great for general cuts and most cooking tasks, and the top is comfortable for finer carving tasks.No choil: I understand this one. The ricasso doesn't make much sense, but it's not a fine carving knife, and you probably shouldn't be doing any long-term fine carving with it for comfort to matter. You can still use the ricasso to get right up on the cutting edge for fine details and control. While the ricasso is pointless, a choil would be, too. I would have preferred if that last inch was just sharpened.The swedge: I both love and hate the swedge. I love that it gives me a very fine point that has been great for slipping between bones during meat processing, getting under skin, and similar tasks. I don't like that it chews up batons quickly, and it makes it a little harder to control when pulled as a makeshift draw knife. Overall, it's not a problem, though.Finally, the sheath is a pleasure to hold. It was overly stiff, but it broke in with about 20 minutes of messing with the knife.If you want a chopper with a three-position handle, great blade steel, an interesting look, and a traditional vibe with modern capabilities, the Moonshiner is great. Paired with a Mora or similar sized blade, you have most of your cutting needs covered for outdoorsy situations, and you don't have to spend more than $70 to get it. Awesome piece of kit with a few minor drawbacks.