Bushcraft knife shopping in 2026 comes down to one real choice: fixed blade or folder, and which specific model earns a spot in your kit roll rather than sitting in a drawer.
- Buckland Knives' Old School Forest Knife is the best folding knife for bushcraft if you need legal pocket carry - Buy.
- Morakniv Companion 860 (£11.50) is a fixed blade that beats most folders on batoning and food prep - Buy.
- Morakniv Kansbol (£44, 109mm blade) is the premium fixed-blade pick for overnight bushcraft - Buy.
- Skip gut-hook skinners like the Maxim 4.5in for general camp tasks - the hook snags on wood and cordage.
- UK law lets you carry a non-locking folder under 3 inches without a specific reason - a locking folder needs one.
Why this matters
Bushcraft cutting tasks - batoning kindling, feathering tinder, cutting cordage - put more sideways stress on a blade than most folders are built to take. That's the practical reason most experienced bushcrafters reach for a fixed blade first and a folder second, if they carry one at all.
The legal angle matters just as much in the UK. In England and Wales, a folding knife with a blade under 3 inches that doesn't lock can be carried in public without needing a specific reason - a locking folder or anything longer needs genuine justification. That single rule is why folders like the Old School Forest Knife from Buckland Knives still get asked for by name in 2026, even by people who'll reach for a fixed blade the moment they're on private land or a permitted site.
Carry method matters as much as the knife itself. A sheath knife riding on a proper belt kit, like the setups covered in MilitaryMart's guide to webbing pouches for bushcraft belt kits, keeps a fixed blade as fast to draw as any folder.
How we ranked
Every knife below gets judged against the same short list: blade type (fixed vs folding), steel and finish, price against what MilitaryMart actually lists in 2026, and how it handles the three jobs a bushcraft blade does most - batoning, feathering, and food prep. Folders get one extra check: does the lock, or the lack of one, match what you're legally carrying it for.
None of this is abstract. Blade length, thickness and weight quoted below come straight off the product listings, not estimates. Where a full spec sheet isn't published, that gets flagged rather than guessed at.
The ranked list
1. Buckland Knives Old School Forest Knife - the only true folder here
This is the one folding knife on the list, and it earns its place because folding still has a job: legal, no-questions pocket carry for a day walk or a static-display visit where a fixed blade on your belt draws attention it doesn't need. It won't replace a fixed blade for batoning through damp birch, and nobody buying it is trying to make it do that.
Verdict: Buy - for legal pocket carry and as a backup blade, not as your only bushcraft knife.
2. Morakniv Companion 860 - the benchmark every folder gets measured against
At \u00a311.50, the Morakniv Companion 860 is the knife most UK bushcraft forums default to, and it's a fixed blade, not a folder. Swedish cold-rolled stainless steel and a stick-tang build under the high-friction grip mean it takes full-force batoning without the pivot wear a folder eventually shows.
It comes in half a dozen colourways through MilitaryMart, including desert, standard black, and a black-lacquered Black Blade version, so colour isn't a reason to skip it or pay more.
Verdict: Buy - the fixed-blade standard this whole category gets measured against in 2026.
3. Morakniv Kansbol with Multimount - the tool-belt pick for serious use
The Kansbol steps up from the Companion at \u00a344, with a 109mm stainless steel blade, 226mm total length, 2.5mm blade thickness and 177g weight. The Multimount fitting takes a firestarter or clips straight onto MOLLE webbing, which matters if you're building a belt kit rather than carrying a blade loose in a pocket.
That thicker 2.5mm spine handles harder batoning than the thinner Companion blade without flexing, and the extra weight stops mattering once it's on a belt.
Verdict: Buy - for anyone doing overnight bushcraft rather than a day walk.
4. Morakniv Black Blade Companion - the low-maintenance option for UK weather
Same Companion shape, but the \u00a321 Black Blade version carries a black matt lacquer over the stainless steel. That coating cuts glare and slows the surface corrosion a bright blade picks up fast in a UK autumn wild camp.
The primary edge wears back to bare steel with use, which is normal and doesn't affect the cut.
Verdict: Buy - worth the extra \u00a39.50 over the standard Companion if you're camping through wet months.
5. Hi-Viz Companion range - the one you won't lose in leaf litter
Green, pink and blue Hi-Viz Companion knives run \u00a311 each, same blade and grip as the standard Companion with a handle colour built to stand out against ground cover. That's the whole pitch: same knife, easier to find if you put it down mid-task.
Verdict: Consider - buy for visibility, not for any performance difference over the standard Companion.
6. Maxim 4.5 inch Skinner with Gut Hook - skip it for general bushcraft
At \u00a38.33 it's the cheapest fixed blade here, but the gut hook on the spine is built for field-dressing game, not feathering tinder or cutting cordage. That hook catches on wood fibre and rope in exactly the tasks a bushcraft knife does daily.
Verdict: Skip - fine for a hunting kit, the wrong tool for a bushcraft roll.
“A fixed blade has one less part that can break under load than a folder does.”
Comparison table
| Knife | Type | Price | Best for | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old School Forest Knife (Buckland Knives) | Folding | Check current listing | Legal pocket carry | Buy |
| Morakniv Companion 860 | Fixed | \u00a311.50 | All-round bushcraft | Buy |
| Morakniv Kansbol with Multimount | Fixed | \u00a344 | Overnight/serious use | Buy |
| Morakniv Black Blade Companion | Fixed | \u00a321 | Wet climate durability | Buy |
| Hi-Viz Companion (green/pink/blue) | Fixed | \u00a311 | Visibility | Consider |
| Maxim 4.5in Skinner with Gut Hook | Fixed | \u00a38.33 | Game dressing | Skip |
Where to buy
- Check the grade, not just the price. MilitaryMart lists surplus and new stock side by side across the catalogue - a bushcraft knife should be new stock with the steel and origin stated clearly, not a mystery-grade blade.
- Buy the sheath or Multimount fitting with the knife, not after. The Kansbol's Multimount and any dedicated sheath are sized to that specific model; a generic aftermarket sheath rarely seats the blade the same way.
- Match the knife to how you'll actually carry it. A locking folder under a jacket needs a genuine reason to carry under UK law; a small non-locking folder like the Old School Forest Knife, or a fixed blade worn openly on a belt kit, doesn't raise the same question.
FAQ
What's the best folding knife for bushcraft in 2026?
The Buckland Knives Old School Forest Knife is the strongest folding pick for 2026 because it suits legal pocket carry rather than heavy camp work. Most bushcraft tasks still favour a fixed blade like the Morakniv Companion 860 over any folder.
Is a fixed blade better than a folding knife for bushcraft?
Yes, a fixed blade handles batoning and hard cutting better because there's no pivot to loosen or fail under load. That's why the Morakniv Companion and Kansbol rank above the single folder on this list.
Is it legal to carry a folding knife in the UK?
A non-locking folding knife with a blade under 3 inches can be carried in public in England and Wales without a specific reason. A locking folder, or any blade over that length, needs genuine justification such as work or bushcraft use.
How much does a good bushcraft knife cost in 2026?
Prices on MilitaryMart's range run from around £8 for a basic skinner up to £44 for the Morakniv Kansbol with Multimount. The Morakniv Companion 860 at £11.50 covers most bushcraft tasks without stretching the budget.
What blade steel is best for bushcraft knives?
Stainless steel, like the Swedish cold-rolled steel in the Morakniv Companion and Kansbol ranges, resists corrosion in wet UK conditions and holds an edge well with basic maintenance. It's the standard choice across MilitaryMart's bushcraft knife range in 2026.
Is the Morakniv Companion good for bushcraft?
Yes, the Morakniv Companion 860 is one of the most recommended fixed blades for bushcraft in the UK, priced at £11.50. Its stick-tang construction and stainless blade handle batoning, feathering and food prep without issue.
What blade length is best for bushcraft tasks?
Around 100-110mm, like the Kansbol's 109mm blade, covers most bushcraft jobs from feathering tinder to food prep. Longer blades add weight without adding much practical cutting capability for camp tasks.
Do I need a locking blade for bushcraft?
If you're using a folder at all, a locking mechanism matters for safety under load, but most serious bushcraft work bypasses the question entirely with a fixed blade. A fixed blade like the Companion 860 has no lock to fail in the first place.
One last thing
The Kansbol's 2.5mm blade is thinner than most dedicated bushcraft fixed blades, which typically run 3-4mm - Morakniv compensates with the Multimount fitting rather than raw spine thickness. If price is the deciding factor, the standard Companion at \u00a311.50 does most of what the \u00a344 Kansbol does for a quarter of the cost; the real difference is the Multimount fitting and a few extra millimetres of blade, not a step change in bushcraft capability. Buy the Companion first in 2026 and only step up to the Kansbol once you know you need the mount.
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