In my hunt for the best bushcraft knife, I went to Blade Show and interviewed many knifemakers to get their opinion on what makes a best bushcraft knife. While I found one, I realized that many of the attributes I was looking for involved firemaking. Enter the White River Firecraft FC5, a knife made specifically for firemaking. The White River Firecraft FC5 next to the fire it helped create. Why a Knife for Making Fire?
In a survival situation, fire becomes a lifeline. It provides warmth, protection from wildlife, a means to purify water, cook food, and signal for help. Having a dedicated fixed blade knife for firemaking ensures you have a tool optimized for this critical task.
Fire not only provides warmth and safety but can also aid in obtaining other resources like food and water. Preppers should be prepared to use fire as a means of cooking, boiling water for purification, and signaling for rescue.
Owning a dedicated firemaking knife would hopefully encourage preppers to practice and develop their bushcraft skills. Proficiency in using the knife and firecraft techniques can be invaluable in a survival situation.
While preppers should have multiple fire starting methods in a bug out bag (firesteel, matches, lighters, etc.), a reliable bushcraft fire knife, like the White River Firecraft FC5, ensures they have a manual option when other methods fail.
Rather watch than read? See my YouTube video below. White River Firecraft FC5 Attributes
For the newbie to knives (I still consider myself a knife neophyte), you might be wondering what qualities make for a good firemaking knife. Its a question worth asking, because there are sooooo many knives on the market today that its hard to sort through them all. A quick survey of the options would lead one to think that theyre all pretty much the same, but when you dig into the details, you find important differences. Blade Thickness and Grind
Bushcraft knives are known for having thick blades and (often) a Scandi grind. These aspects are better for batoning wood, breaking animal carcasses apart, etc.
The FC5 has a relatively thin (0.158) blade. A thick is good for whacking at branches and sticks. A thin blade is great for slicing. The FC5 also has a flat grind, adding to the blades overall thin appearance.
I find myself preferring a thinner blade when working with fire for a few reasons: A thinner blade is better for slicing feather sticks, an important strategy to starting a fire under tough conditions. The thinner blade reduces weight and, when possible, I prefer lighter tools, the same as I prefer a lightweight bug out bag. If Im working with a campfire, odds are high Im cooking with fire. That means meal prep and the need for a kitchen knife. The thinner blade with flat grind is well-suited to sling meat, bread, and vegetables. Using one knife for both firemaking and meal prep makes the entire process easier, particularly when Im doing it in the field. White River Knife & Tool 5" Firecraft FC5 Fixed Blade Survival Knife Blade Length: 5 in.; Overall Length: 10 in.; Blade Thickness: 0.158 in.; Knife Weight: 8 ounces.Blade Steel: CPM S35VN; Hardness: 58-60 HRC $289.95 Buy on Amazon
That said, you can baton wood with the FC5s 5? blade, just know that if youre buying a knife for heavy batoning, you might want to consider a thicker, heavier blade. Where I am located and where I go, I can usually get by fine without having to baton wood either because I have a small axe or I can easily locate small and medium-sized sticks. The Steel Itself
Stainless steel doesnt have the same edge retention as carbon steel, and carbon steel is less expensive. However, I generally prefer stainless because I often take my knife into damp or wet environments where stainless steel performs best.
The Firecraft comes in S35VN stainless, which is a higher quality steel that attempts to blend the qualities of carbon steel with stainless steel. In other words, its a stainless steel with much better edge retention. Youll pay a higher premium for that quality, however. Choil, Jimping, and Handle
I love the handle on the Firecraft FC5. The green canvas style Micarta handle over orange G-10 liners nice!
Looks arent everything, though. Lets look at the functionality.
The deep finger choil on the FC5 allows you to work up close when whittling sticks or you need to be precise. It can also act as an indirect safety guard to help prevent your hand from slipping onto the blade if you had to thrust the knife at wild grizzly coming from your campfire salmon.
The same can be said for the knifes jimping. Setting your thumb on it when thrusting should give you a bit more resistance and it aids in the precise cutting that the choil is designed for. Its not overly aggressive jimping (Id actually prefer a bit more), but it does what its supposed to do.
The FC5s handle includes a bow drill divot. I suspect most people arent going to be making fires with a bow drill, but if youre in the business of making fire by all means possible, that will include using a bow drill. The FC5s bow drill divot is superior to other knives divots because its wider, deeper, and contains a stainless steel inlay. It is noticeably easier to use the FC5s divot because the spindle doesnt fly out as often as it does when using more shallow and narrow divots. Note the deep, wide, stainless steel inlay bow drill divot. Fine jimping can be seen at the top of the blade before the ferro rod carve out. Also note the deep finger choil and three holes for lashing the knife to something if necessary.
The knife also includes three holes bored through the full tang and handle. This adds to its secondary bushcraft attributes as it allows you to firmly lash the knife to a stick if necessary. Ferro Rod
The White River Firecraft FC5 (and their other Firecraft series of knives) comes with a ferro rod that fits into the sheath. The handle of the ferro rod matches the handle of the knife (did I mention its pretty?).
The notch out on the blades spine is designed for striking a ferro rod effectively and efficiently and boy can this knife throw sparks! If you follow any of my videos on social media youll see me using this knife often for starting fires. The spine of the blade is also a sharp 90-degree angle, making that equally suitable for striking a ferro rod. Sheath
The FC5 comes with a Kydex sheath, as most knives do, but what I particularly like about this sheath is that it includes a dangler and various attachment points. It also has a very slim profile.
The dangler gets the knife out of the way when wearing it in the field and then needing to sit down. The handle of higher-sitting knives of this size will often poke into my side when I get into the truck or sit down in a chair. Not so with the dangler.
Because of the many different holes and slots in the sheath, it can also be strapped to different packs and pouches with ease, adding to its versatility. For the more traditional folks, White River also sells an optional leather sheath. Firecraft FC5 Specifications Blade Length: 5.0? Cutting Edge: 5.0? Handle Length: 5.0? Overall Length: 10.0? Blade Material: CPM-S35VN Stainless Steel Blade Thickness: 0.158? Blade Hardness: 59HRC Blade Style: Drop Point Blade Grind: Flat Blade Finish: Stonewash Handle Material: Green Micarta Handle Thickness: 0.77? Sheath Material: Kydex Weight: 8 oz. Weight with Sheath: 15.6 oz White River Knife & Tool 5" Firecraft FC5 Fixed Blade urvival Knife Blade Length: 5 in.; Overall Length: 10 in.; Blade Thickness: 0.158 in.; Knife Weight: 8 ounces.Blade Steel: CPM S35VN; Hardness: 58-60 HRC $289.95 Buy on Amazon Best Firemaking Knife?
Knifemaking technology is constantly advancing, but as it stands right now from my view the Firecraft FC5 is the best knife design for making fires.
Is there a better one? Challenge my claim in the comments.
BST Hyde Park festival has cancelled its final night after Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra pulled out of the headline slot.
Lynne, 77, was due to play alongside his band on Sunday but has been forced to withdraw from the event following a “systemic infection”.
The London show was supposed to be a “final goodbye” from ELO following their farewell US tour.
Organisers said on Saturday that Lynne was “heartbroken” at being unable to perform.
A statement read: “Jeff has been battling a systemic infection and is currently in the care of a team of doctors who have advised him that performing is simply not possible at this time nor will he be able to reschedule.
“The legacy of the band and his longtime fans are foremost in Jeff’s mind today – and while he is so sorry that he cannot perform, he knows that he must focus on his health and rehabilitation at this time.”
They later confirmed the whole of Sunday’s event would be cancelled.
“Ticket holders will be refunded and contacted directly by their ticket agent with further details,” another statement said.
Stevie Wonder played the festival on Saturday – now its final event of 2025.
US rock band The Doobie Brothers and blues rock singer Steve Winwood were among those who had been due to perform to before ELO’s headline performance.
The cancellation comes after the band, best known for their hit Mr Blue Sky, pulled out of a performance due to take place at Manchester’s Co-Op Live Arena on Thursday.
ELO was formed in Birmingham in 1970 by Lynne, multi-instrumentalist Roy Wood and drummer Bev Bevan.
They first split in 1986, before frontman Lynne resurrected the band in 2014.
Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.
Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet
Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.
Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet
Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.
Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.
2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.
Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet
Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.
Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Twins All-Star center fielder Byron Buxton admitted to feeling a little added pressure before Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was his bobblehead day, meaning the first 10,000 fans to walk through the gates at Target Field would receive a replica of Buxton doing his “Buck Truck” home run celebration.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous before the game started, just knowing it was bobblehead day,” Buxton said. “Obviously you want to come out and do something good.”
Buxton did more than something good. He became the first player to hit for the cycle at Target Field since the ballpark opened in 2010, helping ignite the Twins to a 12-4 win over the Pirates.
It was the 12th cycle in Twins history and the first since Jorge Polanco had one in 2019.
Buxton had three hits through three innings — a single in the first, a triple in the six-run second and a double in the third. After singling again in the fifth, he had one more opportunity in the bottom of the seventh.
Buxton, who will participate in next week’s Home Run Derby in Atlanta, crushed a 427-foot solo homer off Pirates reliever Andrew Heaney with two outs in the seventh to make it an 11-3 game and complete the cycle. That brought the Target Field crowd to its feet, with many fans celebrating with Buxton bobbleheads.
With his team holding a comfortable lead, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli almost took Buxton out of the game before his final at-bat, he admitted afterward. Thankfully for Baldelli — and Buxton — a few coaches reminded the skipper what was at stake.
“He was 4 for 4 at the time. But with everything going on during a game, sometimes I’ll be the one that might miss on a hitting streak or something that’s going on with a particular player,” Baldelli said. “But once they reminded me of that, he was going to stay in the game. He was going to get another at-bat, regardless of the score, and give him a chance to do something great.”
The homer was Buxton’s 21st of the season, tied for fifth most in the American League. With two runs driven in Saturday, Buxton now has 55 RBIs on the season — just one shy of his single-season high. He boasts an OPS of .921 and is 17 for 17 in stolen bases.
“It’s one of the greatest first halves I’ve ever witnessed,” Baldelli said.
Buxton was replaced in center field after the seventh inning, but not before getting a standing ovation curtain call from Twins fans. He also received a Gatorade bath courtesy of teammate Ty France, who was headed to the clubhouse before realizing that nobody had doused Buxton yet after the game.
“It’s special,” Buxton said. “To be able to come out on bobblehead day like this and have a day like this is something I won’t forget.”