Experience the perfect blend of history and innovation with the Bear Forest Knives Hudson Bay Chopper (BFK HB Chopper). Crafted with top-quality American materials, this all-purpose marvel pays homage to its storied heritage while forging a bold new legacy for future generations. Discover the remarkable fusion of old-world charm and cutting-edge innovation in the BFK HB Chopper.
Hudson Bay Trading Post
The Hudson Bay Trading Post has a long history of exciting and adventurous trading. This picturesque trading post kept busy with traders searching for animal furs—beaver, fox, otter, and more.
Established in 1670, the trading post quickly became a key point of communication and trade between the First Nations of Canada’s boreal region and Europeans. It evolved, with merchants doing more than just exchanging goods. They also shared knowledge and formed alliances that allowed this culture to flourish and expand its influence across the land.
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It was a rich place for traders from both sides to explore different avenues for potential trades, creating wealth for the entire region. The trading post played an essential role in sustaining the economy and preserving First Nations’ cultures and traditions from this period onwards.
Hudson Bay Knife
Created in the early 17th century by French fur traders, this knife was designed to help with the everyday tasks of trading beaver and otter pelts for goods. People quickly found that one larger knife was much more useful than two smaller ones. So, people across North America started to value the versatility of the single-blade knife and its practical design.
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From then on, the Hudson Bay style knife became a symbol of exploration and resilience. It’s gone along with countless adventures and journeys as a trusty companion. It was an essential tool for these traders and adventurers out in the wilderness for numerous years. This allowed them to get close to nature and live off of what it had to offer.
The rugged style of the Hudson Bay knife became quite popular amongst explorers who needed a tough-as-nails tool to endure any situation they encountered.
Today, the classic look and sturdy construction of the Hudson Bay-style knife remain part of outdoor gear kits worldwide. It’s a reminder of those intrepid voyagers who came before us, utilizing its utility to navigate through previously unexplored lands.
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BFK HB Chopper
Imagine the perfect blend of a cleaver, a hatchet, and a knife—that’s the BFK HB Chopper. Born from the needs of rugged frontiersmen and trappers, this versatile heavyweight champion will cut, chop, and butcher everything in its path. It is crafted from robust 52100 high-carbon steel with a thickness of a whopping .187 inches (3/16). This knife is a force to be reckoned with.
The high saber grind only adds to its effectiveness, delivering brutal chopping efficiency that leaves nothing sacred. A saber grind offers superior strength and durability. The flat-edge geometry allows for precision cutting with less effort. It provides an even distribution of force along the length of the blade.
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With its robust construction, the saber grind helps to protect against chipping. This makes it an ideal choice for applications requiring high tolerances and repeated use. Additionally, its design makes sharpening and restoring the blade’s original razor-sharp status easy.
Let’s not forget the Rock Tumbled Acid Wash that brings out the aesthetic allure of this classic frontiersman masterpiece.
Desert Ironwood
The handle is made from desert ironwood, which is an excellent choice for knife handles due to its unique characteristics. It’s extremely strong and dense, the densest of all North American hardwoods. This makes it one of the best choices for applications where strength and durability are paramount.
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Its tight grain structure allows for beautiful figure and color patterning when finished properly. Additionally, desert ironwood offers exceptional moisture resistance, which helps ensure a longer lifetime of use without warping or cracking.
Carrying the HB Chopper
Although not as traditional as a leather sheath from the early Hudson Bay Knives, BFK breaks tradition for reliability and transportability. This robust sheath is crafted with black Kydex (.080), making it durable and easy to maintain. It provides a secure fit and complete protection, allowing you to safely carry your knife on all your outdoor adventures.
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Its streamlined design makes it easy to attach to any belt or pack to access your blade quickly. Whether for camping, bushcrafting, or around the homestead, the BFK HB chopper sheath is the perfect choice for safeguarding your Knife.
Field Worthy
While putting the BFK HB Chopper through its paces on green branches about thumb to broomstick thick, one thing was apparent—it had some weight and power behind it. The handle allows the user to choke back without losing control over the beefy blade.
The BFK HB Chopper made a generous pile of kindling by splitting seasoned oak and hickory for a cook fire over coals. The thick .187 inches was perfect for wedging hardwood and popping it cleanly. This is what the Hudson Bay-style knife was envisioned to do in camp, among other things.
On the heavy chopping side of things, the BFK HB Chopper tackled a hard chunk of split white oak and made a large V-notch out of the center. Large chips flew with the power of the 9-inch-long blade and the saber grind. Those chips were not wasted when it came to cooking. The sweet spot was closer to the tip, as most of the weight and forward momentum were there.
Making simple camp crafts was a necessary task for the Frontierspeople of yesteryear. Simple yet effective tent stakes, pot hooks, and cooking implements were most likely made with a knife.
The BFK HB Chopper made a handful of helpful cooking tools that the early settlers may have made. The large blade was able to complete the job without being cumbersome. It takes a little practice. The broad, heavy blade of the BFK HB Chopper was able to hammer stakes in the ground with authority.
Butcher Mode
Butchering meat has been an integral part of the tried and true functionality of the Hudson Bay patterned knife. The blade’s upsweep is beneficial when standing and slicing on a cutting board.
During the testing period, I witnessed firsthand how skillfully the BFK HB Chopper was able to cut pork, chicken, and deer loin into perfect portions suitable for various dishes, including several pounds cubed up specifically for canning. This versatile tool transforms raw food into masterful dishes.
I don’t know if the Hudson Bay pattern was made with the subtle hump on the spine for tenderizing meat. However, it seemed intentional. Of course, the flat, broadside, and spine could also be used for mild tenderizing and smashing garlic. The hump seemed better suited for the task, in my opinion.
The long blade made for smooth cuts without needing to repeatedly slice like a saw. Which is nice, because that usually results in uneven, jagged, chainsaw-cut-looking meat. The same was true when slicing vegetables like garlic, onions, and peppers. Using the rock chopping technique, the knife resulted in evenly cut pieces, suitable for home or camp cooking.
The rock-chopping knife technique with a long blade is essential for outdoor cooking enthusiasts. It allows for an efficient way of preparing food. The method requires patience and practice.
To rock chop, hold the blade of your knife in a natural position and use gentle up-and-down slicing motions to cut through ingredients. Hold the food firmly against the cutting board with one hand (in a safe claw position) while you use the other to steady your knife safely.
The Hudson Bay Chopper Making Short Work of Elk Ribs
It’s tricky to chop elk bones with a knife since they are very dense and hard. With the right tools, it can be easier to get through them. The best approach is to use a sharp, heavy-duty cleaver or bone saw. These will make light work of even the thickest elk bones.
Additionally, it’s essential to make sure that you have a secure grip on the bone before you begin chopping. Otherwise, you could end up with an uneven or unintentional result. In this case, the BFK HB Chopper was on hand and perfectly up to the task. It chopped well, offering more control than a hatchet or tomahawk.
The threshold of the heat treatment, knife toughness, and edge-holding abilities were all pushed when chopping hard bone. They needed to be sectioned small enough to fit in a crockpot to slow cook before grilling. The BFK HB Chopper performed like a champ, showing zero edge chipping or rolling.
After the pork shoulder was used, the bone was picked clean and frozen. As an additional test, the BFK HB Chopper did what it does best—chop. Again, the edge was unharmed, and the knife earned a place among the kitchen and the woodpile.
Bear Forest Knives is known for its superior edge toughness and heat treatment—this test proves it!
BFK Hudson Bay Chopper: The Trusty Companion
Get ready to embrace the powerful artistry and essence of the Hudson Bay Knife. You won’t be disappointed whether you’re preparing a meal in your kitchen, spending time in the great outdoors, or working on your homestead.
The BFK Hudson Bay Chopper is the trusty companion you’ve been searching for to complete your wilderness experience!
BFK Hudson Bay Chopper Specs
| Overall Length | 14 inches |
| Blade Length | 9 inches |
| Thickness | .187 inch (3/16 inch) |
| Steel | 52100 High Carbon |
| Spine | 90-Degree Spine |
| Grind | High Saber |
| Finish | Rock Tumbled Acid Wash |
| Handle Scales | Desert Ironwood |
| Sheath | Kydex black (.080) |
| Made In | U.S.A. |
| MSRP | $329.99 |
