FOX Knives FX-609 OD BUSHMAN

FOX Knives FX-609 OD BUSHMAN

First impressions!

The Bushman from FOX knives Italy, (see manufacturer's specs here at this link) brand new model, certainly caught my eye immediately and I had to have it to test it out! You will notice the grip is exactly the same as for their current models: FKMD Trapper, FKMD Combat Jungle and the now discontinued FKMD/Memotek collaboration Grand Trapper 2- all extensively reviewed and blogged about by me. This handle simply works and provides an excellent grip in wet or dry hands and is easily disassembled  from the comfort of your home to keep the tang clean. Since this knife is made from D2, I would not recommend  it for extensive submersion in salt water. That's pretty obvious.

The FOX FX609 OD Bushman is hot off the press this year. One of FOX's coolest knives made with D2!, in fact it is Bohler's K110. This is what many have been waiting for from FOX Knives. A model not in N690 but in D2, 

FOX D2 high carbon tool steel blade

Note, this IS A D2 blade and not the usual FKMD/FOX N690, so it must be looked after in regards to a good cleaning and oiling after use. Remember leather scabbards retain moisture and long term storage in a leather scabbard can ruin any carbon steel or low chromium content steel blade.

more suited to the tough rigours of bush crafting/survival/hard use, high Rockwell (HRC stated at 59-61!) to handle the dirt and hardwoods but also in larger format 

Large format outdoor multipurpose knife, 5mm thick sheet with a false scandi grind to a beveled cutting edge, the Bushman, is one serious piece of kit

then what is generally seen for the bushcraft type knives currently available. In terms of the latter we usually think (In correctly I believe) that a bush craft knife has to be on the small side of things. This is strictly a "western ideology" as many folk (outside of the "West") can testify via the definition of what the west understands by "bushcraft" is conducted on a daily basis for many people throughout the glove with very large cutting tools such as  machetes and parangs. Of course this is based upon the environment and what is at hand to cut.

Ok, enter the Fox Bushman. A recognisable knife format (drop point) with a well characterised tool steel as the alloy of choice (in this instance). 

The FOX Bushman does not possess an excessively large choil in order to make the most use of a 155mm long cutting edge (my exact measurements) the manufacturers measurements add on the extra 5mm to the hilt (standard way of measuring blade length)

I clearly remember when D2 was the steel of choice for hard use outdoor knives and then it got left behind when along came the "newer stainless steels" such as 440C etc. D2 still is a good steel for outdoor knives. A kind of cross over between semi stainless (if there is such a thing) and stainless but has the reputation for good edge retention from the tool steel industry. On the Bushman, we do not see a finger choil. Finger choils have no place on such a knife but only serving to decrease the cutting real estate available. A choil is only necessary on larger format knives (excluding knives designed for military end usage).

We have a 16cm blade, that's 6 1/2" and a grind that looks like Scandi but isn't (I'll come back to this rationale). 5mm thick is MORE than thick enough to handle the pace.

5mm thick spine, full tang (partially milled internally), to reduce unnecessary handle weight. so this knife is NOT handle heavy. This knife easily shaves fat wood for tinder.

Handle scales which are essentially the same as seen on their highly successful long term production classics such as: Combat Jungle MGT FX-133  and FX-132 Fox Trapper,  both extensively reviewed by me and loved by those who own them. That handle BTW just works perfectly in terms of Micarta grips. And grip it does, even with wet hands! The blade of the Fox FX-609 OD is naturally semi anti reflective from the natural heat treatment process for D2. 

Superb grip from a field proven design (green Micarta scales)

The FOX Bushman has a very good point too! Very important for skin/hide penetration

The FX609 OD features a good penetrative point for gutting and starting the cut. No nonsense grippy but shallow grooved finger gimping on the spine also serve as a striker area for a ferro rod.

The gimping and the acute angle of the spine of the FOX FX 609OD Bushman allow for easy fire steel striking. You can see here where I have been doing exactly that.

The scabbard/carry system is a leather scabbard with the capabilities to be mounted either horizontally or vertically. As this is a D2 blade the knife did not come inserted in the scabbard but in a small cardboard sleeve to prevent premature rusting of the K110/D2. This means that the knife is going to a tight fit in a "new" leather scabbard.

How about the scabbard? Stitching looks good and there is a welt in the construction. As mentioned above the fit is tight (as it's new). The carry can be left or right handed by simply switching over the mounting system and blade retention strap.

The FOX knives Bushman is a deep profiled drop point and with the pseudo Scandi grind, allows for a thinner profile to aid cutting and penetration.Having a deep profile (in my experience) also is great for when the hand needs to rest upon the spine in order to effect a push cut into say large fish, in this case the depth is almost 50mm deep/wide and can help penetrate 2cm and above spine/backbone.

The FOX Bushman has a kind of false scandi grind at first sight and this actually thins the profile a bit, leading to a standard bevel ground cutting edge. The pommel is pretty standard and appears to be what the social media are (incorrectly, I believe) a glass breaker. 

Ok so stick around and I'll be testing the FOX Bushman out V soon! It looks pretty darn good to me so far!

Ok here is my review after field testing the FOX FX-609 OD check it out!

BCT