Petrified Fish PF868 Bunta Review
I like to gripe sometimes about how all the knives that used to be great budget options are now too expensive to really be considered budget knives. There are knives I paid $30 a few years ago that cost $50-plus now. It’s wild out there.
But knives like the Petrified Fish PF868 Bunta restore my faith that it’s still possible to get an affordable knife that isn’t junk. This is a great pocket flipper that cost just $32 when I bought it, and seldom goes for more than $35. I think it’s a stone-cold bargain at that price, and I’d be a fan of the Bunta regardless of what it cost.
Petrified Fish PF868 Bunta: First Impressions
First and foremost, the Bunta is very fidget-friendly. It’s the kind of knife that you can’t help but flip open and closed if you’re prone to fidgeting, and it has a flipper tab and thumb hole that give you a few deployment options. More on that later.
Mine was super sharp right out of the box, cutting through paper without a care in the world. It’s got a nice amount of weight to it, and the scales feel good in my palm. It’s a good-looking knife too, with a unique blade shape and an overall look that is very similar to the Petrified Fish PFP01 Beluga, but just a little bigger.
Measurements & Specs
The Petrified Fish PF868 Bunta has a 3.35-inch blade that is virtually all cutting edge. The handle is 4.57 inches long, for a total open length of 7.91 inches. The blade thickness is fairly slim—3.6mm at its thickest point—but also quite broad at 1.24 inches across.
The blade steel is D2, and the Bunta comes with either G10 or micarta scales. I got green G10 on mine, and it weighs just a hair over 5 ounces (I believe the micarta version is ever-so-slightly lighter).
Blade & Steel
Again, we’re looking at a blade made of D2 steel, which is pretty good stuff, and definitely better than what you would expect to find on a $32 knife. I would call D2 kind of an upper-mid-range steel, with good wear resistance and can be hardened to 60HRC with the right heat treatment.
Luckily, the edge retention is also very good. D2 isn’t the easiest to sharpen, but you can still put a good edge back on this knife when the time comes without breaking too much of a sweat. It has a full flat grind, which helps ease sharpening a bit while also making it a good-looking blade. The satin finish is nice as well.
I don’t quite know what to call this blade shape. It’s kind of like a modified drop point or spear point blade, but with a bit of an inward swoop to the spine. Honestly, I’m not sure there’s a name for this blade shape, but I like it
I also like that the cutting edge has some wicked belly to it, which makes it an incredibly powerful slicer. This thing cuts through rope like nobody’s business, and I also tested it on inner tubes, paracord and some other stuff. The Bunta made short work of them all, and still passes a paper test with ease.
Deployment & Locking
The blade on the Petrified Fish Bunta flips out smooth and sure, thanks in large part to a set of ceramic ball bearings. It’s just a great, buttery deployment. The thumb flipper has some thumb jimping on it for grip, and deploys the knife in the bat of an eye. It drops back into place nicely too. Let the fidgeting begin.
Using the cutout in the blade, you can open it up with a thumb-flick or a finger-flick as well, though it isn’t the most graceful knife in that regard. Still, it’s quite easy once you get the feel for it. I will say that both the thumb flipper and the blade cutout have edges which are, if perhaps not sharp-sharp, just a bit rough, and will start to wear down your thumb and/or fingernail as you fidget.
The PF869 has a stainless steel liner, and a liner lock that looks a little thin compared to how heavily built the rest of the knife is. Still, it’s solid. There’s no play in it in any direction as far as I can tell, and did my best to get it to fail (with a pair of cut gloves on, don’t try it at home) to no avail.
Scales & Pocket Clip
Again, the Bunta is available with either G10 or micarta scales in a handful of colors. I chose one with G10, which I really like for its durability and its resistance to shrinking or expanding with temperature extremes or exposure to water.
The G10 scales are nice and grippy too, and the overall size and shape of the handle is just right for my palm. It’s super comfortable, and the fit and finish are pretty impressive. The liners, back spacer and scales are all flush, with no perceptible seams or hot spots. For a knife at this price point, I would forgive it if any of things were off a little bit, but they’re not. The design and construction of the PF868 Bunta are just very well done.
It has an ambidextrous deep carry pocket clip, which holds the knife way down deep inside your pocket. The pocket clip is held between the scale and the liner, allowing the clip screws to be recessed into the scale, which is a great design.
Final Thoughts on the Petrified Fish PF868 Bunta
There have been plenty of times when I’ve seen a budget knife for sale online somewhere and just said, “sure, why not.” In the under-$40 category, you don’t stand to lose all that much. Of course, there have been plenty of times when I’ve been disappointed, but this isn’t one of them.
The Petrified Fish PF868 Bunta is a great little flipper. Actually it’s not really all that little, but it’s not quite a heavy-duty pocket knife either. It’s somewhere in-between, and I find its size and weight to be ideal for EDC. The deep carry pocket clip helps too.
I can also see this being a great hunting knife, and its edge is perfect for food prep, breaking down game, and other hunting-adjacent chores. It’s not really made to be a survival or bushcraft knife, but it has the durability and cutting power to hold up well in some fairly extreme situations.
The only thing I wouldn’t recommend is using the blade to pry with. D2 is tough, but the Bunta’s blade is a little on the thin side, so that might not be a great idea. Other than that, I think this is a great knife, and I can still hardly believe I only paid $32 for it.
Check Out These Other Petrified Fish Models:
- 【Outdoor Folding Knife Materials】The blade is made of D2 tool steel with high wear resistance. After heat treatment, its hardness can reach 60HRC. It is a kind of steel suitable for practical use, which can meet any needs of people when camping or working. The handle is G10 material with strong anti-deformation ability. It does not absorb water and will not be affected by moisture, so you never have to worry about the influence of water on the handle.
- 【EDC Tool Knife】Total Length Size is 8.07”, Blade Length is 3.54”, Blade thickness is 0.13”.
- 【Ergonomic Pocket Knife】We not only designed the curve of the handle ergonomically, but also rounded chamfer the edges of the handle, which greatly improves the comfort of holding and maintains the initial comfortable experience even after prolonged use of the knife.
- 【Smooth Running Pocket Knife】The internal structure of the knife has been carefully designed. The high-strength liner with ball bearings gives you a smooth running experience. The high-strength liner prevents the knife from deforming and allows you to use the knife in any way you want in your job.
- 【Pocket Knife with Clip】 It is include with the clip, which is made of stainless steel and easy to carry.
- 【Outdoor Folding Knife Materials】The blade is made of D2 tool steel with high wear resistance. After heat treatment, its hardness can reach 60HRC. It is a kind of steel suitable for practical use, which can meet any needs of people when camping or working. The handle is G10 material with strong anti-deformation ability. It does not absorb water and will not be affected by moisture, so you never have to worry about the influence of water on the handle.
- 【EDC Tool Knife】Total Length Size is 7.91”, Blade Length is 3.35”, Blade thickness is 0.14”.
- 【Ergonomic Pocket Knife】We not only designed the curve of the handle ergonomically, but also rounded chamfer the edges of the handle, which greatly improves the comfort of holding and maintains the initial comfortable experience even after prolonged use of the knife.
- 【Smooth Running Pocket Knife】The internal structure of the knife has been carefully designed. The high-strength liner with ceramic ball bearings gives you a smooth running experience. The high-strength liner prevents the knife from deforming and allows you to use the knife in any way you want in your job. It is flipper for opening.
- 【Pocket Knife with Clip & Lanyard Hole】 It is include with the clip, which is made of stainless steel and easy to carry. It is for right or left-handed carry. Designed with a lanyard hole, it will provide multiple carrying options.
- 【Outdoor Folding Knife Materials】The blade is made of D2 tool steel with high wear resistance. After heat treatment, its hardness can reach 60HRC. It is a kind of steel suitable for practical use, which can meet any needs of people when camping or working. The handle is G10 material with strong anti-deformation ability. It does not absorb water and will not be affected by moisture, so you never have to worry about the influence of water on the handle.
- 【EDC Tool Knife】Total Length Size is 8.62”, Blade Length is 3.7”, Blade thickness is 0.138”.
- 【Ergonomic Pocket Knife】We not only designed the curve of the handle ergonomically, but also rounded chamfer the edges of the handle, which greatly improves the comfort of holding and maintains the initial comfortable experience even after prolonged use of the knife.
- 【Smooth Running Pocket Knife】The internal structure of the knife has been carefully designed. The high-strength liner with ceramic ball bearings gives you a smooth running experience. The high-strength liner prevents the knife from deforming and allows you to use the knife in any way you want in your job. It is flipper for opening.
- 【Pocket Knife with Clip & Lanyard Hole】 It is include with the clip, which is made of stainless steel and easy to carry. Designed with a lanyard hole, it will provide multiple carrying options.
- 【Outdoor Folding Knife Materials】The blade is made of D2 tool steel with high wear resistance. After heat treatment, its hardness can reach 60HRC. It is a kind of steel suitable for practical use, which can meet any needs of people when camping or working. The handle is G10 material with strong anti-deformation ability. It does not absorb water and will not be affected by moisture, so you never have to worry about the influence of water on the handle.
- 【EDC Tool Knife】Total Length Size is 8.27”, Blade Length is 3.54”, Blade thickness is 0.14”.
- 【Ergonomic Pocket Knife】We not only designed the curve of the handle ergonomically, but also rounded chamfer the edges of the handle, which greatly improves the comfort of holding and maintains the initial comfortable experience even after prolonged use of the knife.
- 【Smooth Running Pocket Knife】The internal structure of the knife has been carefully designed. The high-strength liner with ceramic ball bearings gives you a smooth running experience. The high-strength liner prevents the knife from deforming and allows you to use the knife in any way you want in your job. It is flipper for opening.
- 【Pocket Knife with Clip & Lanyard Hole】 It is include with the clip, which is made of stainless steel and easy to carry. Designed with a lanyard hole, it will provide multiple carrying options.
- 【Outdoor Folding Knife Materials】The blade material is K110 steel, which is more wear-resistant than D2 steel. It has extremely high toughness and abrasion resistance. In addition, our company imports K110 steel from Austria. The handle made of Micarta, it is light, durability, anti-skid and soft.
- 【EDC Tool Knife】Total Length Size is 7.24”, Blade Length is 3.15”, Blade thickness is 0.13”.
- 【Ergonomic Pocket Knife】We not only designed the curve of the handle ergonomically, but also rounded chamfer the edges of the handle, which greatly improves the comfort of holding and maintains the initial comfortable experience even after prolonged use of the knife.
- 【Smooth Running Pocket Knife】The internal structure of the knife has been carefully designed. The high-strength liner with ceramic ball bearings gives you a smooth running experience. The high-strength liner prevents the knife from deforming and allows you to use the knife in any way you want in your job.
- 【Pocket Knife with Clip & Lanyard Hole】 It is include with the clip, which is made of stainless steel and easy to carry. Designed with a lanyard hole, it will provide multiple carrying options.
- 【Outdoor Folding Knife Materials】The blade material is K110 steel, which is more wear-resistant than D2 steel. It has extremely high toughness and abrasion resistance. In addition, our company imports K110 steel from Austria. The handle made of Micarta, it is light, durability, anti-skid and soft.
- 【EDC Tool Knife】Total Length Size is 8.15”, Blade Length is 3.58”, Blade thickness is 0.15”.
- 【Ergonomic Pocket Knife】We not only designed the curve of the handle ergonomically, but also rounded chamfer the edges of the handle, which greatly improves the comfort of holding and maintains the initial comfortable experience even after prolonged use of the knife.
- 【Smooth Running Pocket Knife】The internal structure of the knife has been carefully designed. The high-strength liner with ceramic ball bearings gives you a smooth running experience. The high-strength liner prevents the knife from deforming and allows you to use the knife in any way you want in your job.
- 【Pocket Knife with Clip & Lanyard Hole】 It is include with the clip, which is made of stainless steel and easy to carry. Designed with a lanyard hole, it will provide multiple carrying options.
- 【Outdoor Folding Knife Materials】The blade is made of D2 tool steel with high wear resistance. After heat treatment, its hardness can reach 60HRC. It is a kind of steel suitable for practical use, which can meet any needs of people when camping or working. The handle is Carbon Fiber with G10 material with strong anti-deformation ability. It does not absorb water and will not be affected by moisture, so you never have to worry about the influence of water on the handle.
- 【EDC Tool Knife】Total Length Size is 7.91”, Blade Length is 3.35”, Blade thickness is 0.14”.
- 【Ergonomic Pocket Knife】We not only designed the curve of the handle ergonomically, but also rounded chamfer the edges of the handle, which greatly improves the comfort of holding and maintains the initial comfortable experience even after prolonged use of the knife.
- 【Smooth Running Pocket Knife】The internal structure of the knife has been carefully designed. The high-strength liner with ball bearings gives you a smooth running experience. The high-strength liner prevents the knife from deforming and allows you to use the knife in any way you want in your job.
- 【Pocket Knife with Clip & Lanyard Hole】 It is include with the clip, which is made of stainless steel and easy to carry. Designed with a lanyard hole, it will provide multiple carrying options.
- 【Outdoor Folding Knife Materials】The blade material is 12C27N steel. The handle is made of Sandalwood.
- 【EDC Tool Knife】Total Length Size is 7.67”, Blade Length is 3.34”, Blade thickness is 0.09”.
- 【Ergonomic Pocket Knife】We not only designed the curve of the handle ergonomically, but also rounded chamfer the edges of the handle, which greatly improves the comfort of holding and maintains the initial comfortable experience even after prolonged use of the knife.
- 【Smooth Running Pocket Knife】The internal structure of the knife has been carefully designed. The high-strength liner with ball bearings gives you a smooth running experience. The high-strength liner prevents the knife from deforming and allows you to use the knife in any way you want in your job.
- 【Pocket Knife with leather cordage】 It is include the leather cordage to easy to carry.
- 【Outdoor Folding Knife Materials】The blade material is K110 steel, which is more wear-resistant than D2 steel. It has extremely high toughness and abrasion resistance. In addition, our company imports K110 steel from Austria. The handle is G10 material with strong anti-deformation ability. It does not absorb water and will not be affected by moisture, so you never have to worry about the influence of water on the handle.
- 【EDC Tool Knife】Total Length Size is 8.27”, Blade Length is 3.62”, Blade thickness is 0.154”.
- 【Ergonomic Pocket Knife】We not only designed the curve of the handle ergonomically, but also rounded chamfer the edges of the handle, which greatly improves the comfort of holding and maintains the initial comfortable experience even after prolonged use of the knife.
- 【Smooth Running Pocket Knife】The internal structure of the knife has been carefully designed. The high-strength liner with ceramic ball bearings gives you a smooth running experience. The high-strength liner prevents the knife from deforming and allows you to use the knife in any way you want in your job. The package is also include the washers.
- 【Pocket Knife with Clip】 It is include with the clip, which is made of stainless steel and easy to carry. It is for right or left-handed carry.
- Blade Materials: The blade is made of 14C28N Steel.
- Handle Materials: Carbon Fiber.
- Size: Total Length Size is 6.8″, Blade Length is 2.99″, Blade thickness is 0.11”.
- Pocket Knife with Clip: It is include with the clip, which is made of stainless steel and easy to carry. It is for right or left-handed carry.
Blair Witkowski is an avid watch nut, loves pocket knives and flashlights, and when he is not trying to be a good dad to his nine kids, you will find him running or posting pics on Instagram. Besides writing articles for Tech Writer EDC he is also the founder of Lowcountry Style & Living. In addition to writing, he is focused on improving his client’s websites for his other passion, Search Engine Optimization. His wife Jennifer and he live in coastal South Carolina.
