Little Creek Review by John Doyle

The Bark River Little Creek is one of the finest small fixed blade knives I've ever had in my hands. It has become one of my favorite knives to pocket carry everday. It's small size, keen edge, and stout construction make it a perfect choice for all the daily tasks you might ask of any pocket knife and then some.





The little creak is what many call a "three-finger" knife. Meaning you will not get a full grip on the small handle. But that is not the idea behind the design of this knife. The knife measures 5 1/2" overall with a 2 3/8" cutting edge. The knife is a full tang construction with handle scales glued and pinned on. This particular one has buckeye burl scales with yellow liners. The drop point blade is ground from thick stock for this small knife. It measures .150" thick. The steel is A-2 tool steel. A good tough carbon steel with great edge holding properties. The knife ships with a nice small bushcraft type sheath from Sharpshooter Sheath Systems. The sheath has a belt loop on back and sits really flat so the knife can carry discreetly on the belt under just a T-shirt or slipped all the way down in a pocket.





Sometimes I carry the knife in the supplied sheath in my pocket when I'm wearing light weight clothing. But for most days, I made a pocket sheath designed for the back pocket. It carries the Little Creek, my small Streamlight flashlight, and a small firesteel. Three things I carry all the time.



Some quick in hand shots. Even though the knife is small, it is very handy and comfortable to choke up on for detail work.



The Little Creek has endless daily uses including but not limited to opening packages and boxes, slicing a sandwich in half, cutting and peeling an apple and so on. I can't list all the uses because I probably can't even think of all of them. I fish all the time. The little creek is very handy for clipping tag ends of your line when tying lures or flies on. That's how mine sees the most use.



Instead of focusing the review on all the little day to day chores, I decided to pick a task specific to a possible scenario.

Lets suppose that you wander out into the woods not really paying attention to where you are or where you're going. As the day lengthens, you suddenly realize you're lost. A very real possibility for many. The only knife you have in your pocket is the Little Creek. This is where this knife differs from some traditional pocket knives. The little creek, again small, has the strength and thickness to really handle some serious cutting. It cuts much bigger than it's size would indicate.

The first thing I would do is find a place to hole up for the night and build a good fire to get me through the first night. Knowing me, I almost always have some dry tinder in my pocket. This usually consists of a few inches of jute twine and a small chunk of fatwood. I know better than to be caught out without fire and tinder and if you spend time in the woods and want to continue doing so, this is a lesson you should learn if you haven't already. The Little Creek has full capability to fix a fire. Fluff the jute twine and use the knife to shave the fatwood into some small thin curls. The knife's spine is sufficiently sharp to get some good sparks off the firesteel. Fire with the Little Creek is no problem.



Now that you have a place for the night and fire, it's time to think ahead. I know that in the morning, I'll be pretty hungry. And here in the Northern Rockies, like many places on earth, fish is a readily available and relatively easy way to get a tasty meal. You'll need a pole, some type of line and some hooks. If you don't have line, this gets tougher but try your shoe laces or threads from your clothing.

The pole is easy. I used the Little Creek to cut a six foot section of green willow. The knife can be easily powered through thick branches 3/4 to 1" in diameter.



Here's a close-up of the tip detail on your pole. I carved a notch to accomodate my fishing line. I use a snell knot to tie the line to the end of the pole. But a series of wild granny knots will do in a pinch.



While sitting by your fire the night before, if you have extra time, its good to keep your mind and hands busy. Give yourself a task to pass the time. Here, I used the Little Creek to peel and carve a nice handle grip pattern on my new pole.



I almost always have a small spool of fly-fishing tippet material with me so I have line. Now I need to make some hooks. I used the Little Creek to cut some smaller top sections of the willow branches like this.



Next, I trimmed a section out of the limb right where it forks so I have this.



Then with a little time and some careful whittling, you can transform your branch into these hooks. Sharpen the point and carve a notch similar to the one on the end of the pole only smaller. This will be the point of attachment for the line here also. The Little Creek is a pleasure to use for these small carving tasks. It's easy to choke up on for good control, has a great point and a nice thin edge. I carved three different size traditional hooks on the left and two smaller "gorge" type hooks on the right. These hooks are stronger than you might think. With a little care, you can land a decent sized fish. You're not going to land a Tarpon on them but, GOOD NEWS, if you're catching Tarpon, you're probably not lost anymore.



Here's the completed set-up on the water.



With a stealthy approach, a little frustration, and a LOT of patience, this set-up will work and you won't starve.



The Little Creek is truly a fantastic little every day pocket knife that may surprise you with what you can do with it. It's a nice peace of mind in a compact package. Get one.

You can click here to view our selection of Bark River Knives Little Creek knives.

Meet The Author:

"My name is John Doyle. I live in Western Montana with my wife Emily. I work part-time as a carpenter. Knives, guns, and outdoor gear are a passion of mine, especially knives. The other “part” of my part-time employment is spent fixing and restoring knives. This often includes making new handles and adding custom embellishments. I also offer sharpening services and even make a knife or two of my own from time to time. I have been fixing and rehandling knives since I was about 15 years old. I also enjoy using and testing knives and other outdoor gear so that I can write reviews to help others make informed decisions about the products they buy.

I was brought up in a very outdoor-oriented family. I remember going hunting and fishing with my Dad and Grandpa since I was about 4 and I’m sure they took me out before that. I enjoy hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, and backpacking and I am an avid fly-fisherman. I make every effort to spend all my spare time outdoors at all times of the year. I probably spend at least a part of some 200 days a year engaged in outdoor activities. I also really enjoy practicing skills and techniques in the “wilderness and survival” aspect of the outdoors. I am very comfortable in the woods and would rather be out there than just about anywhere. Hunting and fishing is not only a hobby for me, but also a way of life. My family depends on fish and game that I take during these pursuits. I hope to continue down this path for a long time and share the knowledge, skills, and stories that I gain along the way."

(John owns & operates Bitterroot Custom Knifeworks and you can click HERE to visit his website. John does great work & I highly recommend him.

Dale)