Joker Arrui 12 - a sturdy and affordable outdoor knife

The outdoor knife Joker Arrui 12 is an affordable and traditional bushcraft knife. Robust and cleanly made knives do not have to be expensive.

from Martin Gebhardt | Gear | reading time 2 Min
Updated on 20 September 2023 15.916 views 100% found this guide helpful
Joker Arrui 12 - a sturdy and affordable outdoor knife

Martin Gebhardt

From Martin Gebhardt. Check out my “About me” page.


👉 The key facts from this guide

  • Joker Arrui 12: A robust and affordable outdoor knife, made in Spain. It is a full-tang knife, which means that the steel of the knife extends from the tip to the end of the handle.
  • Blade: The blade is 12 cm long, 2.7 cm high, and 3 mm wide. It is made of stainless steel 420 with a hardness of 52 to 54 HRC. The blade was delivered very sharp, but the spine of the blade is not sharp-edged and therefore cannot be used with a fire steel.
  • Handle: The handle is made of olive wood and is of high quality. It is 10.6 cm long and therefore more suitable for smaller to medium-sized hands.
  • Knife sheath: The knife comes with a sturdy genuine leather sheath with a belt loop. The sheath is made of brown leather and the knife fits perfectly inside.
  • Conclusion: The Joker Arrui 12 is a robust, traditional, and cleanly processed knife, available for about €40. It is ideal for bushcraft beginners or for those looking for an affordable yet reliable outdoor knife.

If you are looking for an affordable and traditional Bushcraft knife, you should check out the Joker Arrui.

I will now show you all the data about the knife as well as the advantages and disadvantages.

General information about the Joker Arrui

The Bushcraft knife Joker Arrui is made in Spain (Albacete) by hand. My knife, which you can see in the photos here, came directly from Spain. It was at my apartment door within a few days.

The great thing is that it is a Full tang outdoor knife. Full tang knives are more stable because the steel of the knife extends from the tip to the end of the handle.

The blade of the Joker Arrui knife

The blade of the Joker Arrui 12 is 12 cm long
The blade of the Joker Arrui 12 is 12 cm long

Here are the data because I think you are most interested in them:

  • Blade length: 12 cm
  • Blade height: 2.7 cm
  • Blade width at the spine: 3 mm
  • Total length: 22.6 cm
  • Stainless steel 420 with a hardness of 52 to 54 HRC (What does HRC mean?)
  • Blade shape at the tip: Drop Point
  • With finger grip (jimping) on the back of the blade

Weight:

  • Knife weight: 140 grams
  • Sheath weight: 60 grams
  • Total weight: 200 grams

Some comments on that:

As you may know, it is not allowed in Germany to carry a fixed blade knife with a blade length longer than 12 centimeters.

The Joker Arrui operates on the edge and fully exploits the legal provisions. For more information on knife laws in Germany, it is best to read my Knife Law Guide.

The steel is not very hard, which may also explain the affordable price. Very hard steel moves at 62 HRC. The Joker Arrui 12 has 52 to 54 HRC - so it is not particularly hard compared to other knives. However, a steel that is not very hard is also easier to sharpen.

The knife is 3 mm thick, and I am convinced that it is just right for Batoning (splitting branches) and also for carving.

The blade of the Joker Arrui is 3 mm thick on the back
The blade of the Joker Arrui is 3 mm thick on the back

The blade was delivered very sharp. The back of the blade is not sharp-edged and therefore cannot be used with a fire steel.

The handle of the Joker Arrui 12

The handle with its olive wood is high-quality processed, and all elements are coordinated with each other. You won't get caught anywhere and nothing protrudes, as you might know from inexpensive models.

For large hands, the handle is not suitable because it is not long enough. Overall, it is 10.6 cm long, and you should quickly check if that is long enough for you. I don't have huge or small hands, so the knife fits perfectly in my hand.

The handle is made of olive wood and cleanly processed
The handle is made of olive wood and cleanly processed

The Knife Sheath

The Bushcraft knife Joker Arrui comes with a sturdy genuine leather sheath with a belt loop. The sheath is made of brown leather and the knife fits perfectly inside.

However, as with many leather knife sheaths, you need to be aware that the leather stretches over time and is flexible. A leather knife sheath cannot be compared to a plastic knife sheath, which is 100% tailored to the knife.

However, the leather sheath brilliantly complements the traditional style of the Joker Arrui's, as a wooden handle made of olive wood and a plastic sheath do not harmonize at all.

The leather sheath has a belt loop
The leather sheath has a belt loop

Advantages and Disadvantages

First, the disadvantages:

  • The Joker Arrui is too light to hack with. But I don't think it's designed for that either.
  • The back of the blade is not sharp-edged and therefore cannot be used with a fire steel.
  • A leather sheath does not secure a knife as well as a suitable plastic knife sheath with a locking function.

But now the advantages:

  • The Joker Arrui 12 is incredibly cheap, and you can get it with shipping costs for about 40 euros.
  • If you like traditional bushcraft knives, you will love the olive wood handle and the beautifully crafted leather sheath.
  • With a blade length of 12 cm, you push the legal limit to the fullest and get a long blade.

Price and other models

Here you can see the Arrui model with the 12 cm long blade.

Joker Bushcraft-Messer Arrui 12
4,5 (219)

Daten aktualisiert vor 19 Stunden

Joker Bushcraft-Messer Arrui 12" CO63, jagdmesser mit Griff aus Olivenholznholz, 12 cm Klinge aus Edelstahl, Gürtelmesser mit braune Lederscheide, Werkzeug zum Angeln, Jagen, Camping und Wandern

  • Hergestellt in Spanien (Albacete) von der Firma Joker in Handarbeit, mit 10 Jahren Garantie
  • Klingenlänge: 12 cm mit Satinierte Klinge
  • Griff Olivenholz. Eingearbeitete Scheide Braunes Leder
  • Maximale Klingenbreite: 2,7 cm mit einer Dicke von 3 mm
  • Stahl rostfreier Stahl 420 mit einer Härte von 52 - 54 HRC

32,58 €

View Product

The Joker Arrui is also available in other versions that are almost similar.

Once with a 10 cm blade. However, this model is wider at the back of the blade with 3.7 mm. Otherwise, it has exactly the same data as the Arrui 12 with a stainless steel 420 with a hardness of 52 to 54 HRC.

Joker Bushcraft-Messer Arrui 10
4,5 (177)

Daten aktualisiert vor 19 Stunden

Joker Bushcraft-Messer Arrui 10" CO60, Überlebensmesser mit 10 cm Klinge, Olivenholznholzgriff, Gürtelmesser mit brauner Lederscheide, Werkzeug zum Angeln, Jagen, Camping und Wandern

  • Hergestellt in Spanien (Albacete) von der Firma Joker in Handarbeit, mit 10 Jahren Garantie
  • Klingenlänge: 10 cm mit Satinierte Klinge
  • Griff Olivenholz. Eingearbeitete Scheide Braunes Leder
  • Maximale Klingenbreite: 2,7 cm mit einer Dicke von 3.7 mm
  • Stahl rostfreier Stahl 420 mit einer Härte von 52 - 54 HRC

34,77 €

View Product

And then there is the Arrui with a 9 cm long blade. The blade is more robustly constructed and has a great shape. It is 3.5 mm wide at the back of the blade.

Joker Bushcraft-Messer Arrui 9
4,6 (69)

Daten aktualisiert vor 19 Stunden

Joker Bushcraft-Messer Arrui 9" CO64, 9 cm Klinge, Überlebensmesser mit Olivenholznholzgriff, Gürtelmesser mit brauner Lederscheide, Werkzeug zum Angeln, Jagen, Camping und Wandern

  • Hergestellt in Spanien (Albacete) von der Firma Joker in Handarbeit, mit 10 Jahren Garantie
  • Klingenlänge: 9 cm mit Satinierte Klinge
  • Griff Olivenholz. Eingearbeitete Scheide Braunes Leder
  • Maximale Klingenbreite: 2,7 cm mit einer Dicke von 3.5 mm
  • Stahl 420 mit einer Härte von 52 - 54 HRC

34,77 €

View Product

Conclusion on the Arrui 12

The company Joker from Spain shows with the Arrui that a robust, traditional and cleanly processed knife "Made in Spain" does not have to be expensive.

For me, it is quite clear a bushcraft knife and not a survival knife. You use it to process wood or use it for cooking. However, it is equally suitable for anglers, hunters, campers, or hikers.

If your wallet is currently slim or if you are a bushcraft beginner (read my complete equipment recommendation for beginners), then I highly recommend the knife.

The price-performance ratio is exceptional.

And do you know what else is wonderful? The manufacturer Joker offers a 10-year warranty on the knife.

My tip, if you are currently looking for a bushcraft knife. Read my guide "The best bushcraft knife". You will definitely find what you're looking for.

Take care, Martin
Martin Gebhardt

Martin Gebhardt

Hey, I'm Martin. On my blog, you will learn the basics and numerous details about living in the wild. I think survival, bushcraft and the good life in nature are the keys to happiness. Find me here on Instagram or on YouTube. You can find more about my mission on the About Me page.

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