Bear Edge 61135 Fixed Blade Knife, by Thomas Christianson

Bear Edge modestly identifies their Model 61135 as a “Cushioned Utility Grip” knife. Although I found it to be highly useful as a utility knife in work around the property, I feel that the 61135 is also almost ideally formed to serve as a hunting knife.

Many hunting knives are a bit too large. Many buyers imagine Jim Bowie at the Alamo. Then they buy a knife more appropriately sized to be a fighting knife than a hunting knife. The problem with such large blades is that they can be awkward for field-dressing game. There is a reason that surgery is done with a scalpel rather than a machete.

In contrast, the approximately 3.7 inch, full-tang, hollow-ground, modified-drop-point blade of the 61135 is an almost ideal size and shape for field dressing game. The 4.5 inch black Kryton handle provides excellent grip, and the jimping on the back of the blade provides an extra measure of control for the delicate cuts. The 0.125 inch thick blade is made of 440 stainless steel, is easily sharpened, and is corrosion resistant. The injection-molded polymer sheath does an excellent job of clipping the knife to a belt or another attachment point without attracting moisture.

With a price of $49.99 at the time of this writing at bearandsoncutlery.com, the 61135 represents an excellent value for an American-built knife.

Background

I have a special soft spot in my heart for knives that cost less than $50. There are many fine offerings in that price range that in practical use are just as effective as knives costing 10 times as much. So when I received a press release from Bear and Son about their new 61135, I was very interested. I was especially interested because American-built knives can be a bit harder to find in the sub-$50 price range.

I asked Bear and Son if they could provide me with a sample for testing and evaluation. About a week later, a package arrived via FedEx.

First Impressions

The 10.5 x 7.75 x 1.88 inch package box was made of an appropriate gauge of paper board, suitably imprinted with helpful information about the company and product, and without any extraneous frills and frou-frou that would unnecessarily increase the cost of the packaging without improving the product.

The box clearly states that the knife is “Built in the U.S.A.” That is not exactly the same as “Made in the U.S.A.” In this case, it means that the blade is made in the U.S.A. and that final assembly took place in the U.S.A., but that some of the other materials and components of the knife may be imported.

Along with the knife and sheath, there is a small card in the box directing the new owner to the Bear and Son website for warranty and product registration information. The warranty applies to the original purchaser for the purchaser’s lifetime, covers defects in materials and workmanship, does not cover misuse, abuse or corrosion, and requires a payment of $8 for return shipping and handling.

The box does have the typical “Handle with Care. Products are Sharp!” warning. Once again I am left wondering about the type of person who buys a knife expecting it to be dull.

The knife did in fact come out of the box shaving sharp, though just barely so. Fortunately, one of the great advantages of 440 stainless steel is ease of sharpening. A short session with an AccuSharp Diamond Pro 2 Step knife sharpening made it nicely shaving sharp rather than just barely shaving sharp.

Overall, the knife is 8.5 inches long, with excellent balance between the handle and blade. The black Kryton handle is a pleasant shape and texture for a secure grip. The full tang blade has an attractive stonewash finish.

My first impression was that the clip on the polymer sheath might cause the knife to ride uncomfortably high when clipped on a belt. Subsequent testing revealed that although the clip did indeed cause the knife to ride high, it was quite comfortable when carried in that way. So what I thought would be a liability turned out to be an asset.

I also found that although the clip on the sheath was easy to attach to a belt, it remained securely fastened once attached.

Testing

I attached the knife to the belt of my work pants, and wore it while doing chores around the property for about a month and a half.

During that time I used the knife for a variety of different tasks:

• Hacking small branches off of rounds that I was about to split for firewood.
• Cutting flaps off of a cardboard box so that I could use the flaps to help kindle a fire in the fire pit.
• Prying up the nozzle on a can of lighter fluid so that I could use the can to refill a permanent metal match.
• Cutting flaps off of a shallow box, so that I could use the box to carry lunch supplies to the firepit for a hot dog roast.
• Separating frozen hot dogs from each other, so that they could be impaled on a skewer for roasting.
• Cutting wild rose vines away from the base of several trees that I was felling. It is important to avoid tripping hazards when using a chainsaw in the vicinity of falling timber. I was felling the trees because they were too close to the concrete pad that is next to our pole barn. I was preparing to park our camper on the concrete pad.
• Cutting open the packaging on the various parts of a new gas grill that my wife, “Kari” had bought as a gift for my birthday, our anniversary, Father’s Day, and any other gift-giving occasion that may come up for the next 6 months or so. Assembling the grill was a 26-step process, with about 8 sub-steps for each step. It initially felt about as complicated as assembling a space shuttle, nuclear submarine, or cold fusion reactor. With patience and care, I was finally able to fasten the various parts in their proper places. The grill that was being replaced lasted 24 years. If I am able to coax a similar service life out of the new grill, it will likely be the last gas grill that I assemble during my lifetime. If I need another grill in 24 years, then I will ask my grandchildren to assemble it for me.

The knife did a great job at all of these tasks and more. I have designated it as a “keeper.” I will put it in a place of honor on a shelf over my gun cabinet, rather than putting it in the “knife box” to be given away to any friends and family members who need a good knife.

440 Stainless Steel

Although the 440 family of stainless steels are considered to be budget knife steels, they are among my favorites. I find during practical use that ease of sharpening is more important than edge retention. A knife that is easily sharpened tends to be sharpened often. A knife with great edge retention that is difficult to sharpen gets dull eventually, and then tends to stay dull.

The 440 stainless steel family is divided into a number of subtypes based on carbon content. I suspect that the 61135 is made of 440 HC specifically, although the description on the Bear and Son website just describes it as “440 stainless steel.” 440 HC has a higher level of carbon in the alloy than other varieties of 440, which makes 440 HC harder than the varieties of 440 which contain lower levels of carbon. 440 HC consists of 77.98-80.23% iron, 16-18% chromium, 0.95-1.2% carbon, 1% manganese, 1% silicon, 0.75% molybdenum, 0.04% phosphorus, and 0.03% sulfur.

About Bear and Son Cutlery

Bear and Son Cutlery is one of my favorite knife manufacturers. They tend to produce excellent products at reasonable prices. Most of their manufacturing takes place at their Jacksonville, Alabama factory. Their designs are innovative and effective, their quality control is good, and their customer service is excellent.

Conclusions

The Bear Edge 61135 fixed-blade knife is an outstanding tool for chores, cooking, cutting up boxes, clearing wild rose branches, and a host of similar tasks that I encountered while working around the property. It also seems to be the ideal size and shape for field dressing medium or larger sized game.

With a manufacturer-suggested retail price of $49.99 at the time of this writing, it represents a good value for the money, especially for an American-built knife.

If you need a rugged, versatile, corrosion-resistant knife, this one would be an excellent choice.

Disclaimer

Bear and Son Cutlery was kind enough to provide me with a sample of their Bear Edge 61135 Fixed Blade Knife for testing and evaluation. I tried not to let their kindness interfere with my objectivity, and I believe that I have succeeded. I did not receive any financial or other inducement to mention any vendor, product, or service in this article.