Your knife and its priority

[Bushnoob]

Ok, first things first, I want to appologize for the poorly worded title, but the actual thread itself is much more important than the title, so let's begin

Now I have recently gone out again with my friend and we just wanted to test our knives during the great, but still cold spring weather that Canada has to offer.

He has an Ontario Rat-7 knife which is quite long and IMO kind of an overkill blade length. I have the Enzo trapper and a Rat-rc4. Now even though I find the Rat-7 to be a bit overkill I still find its batoning abilities to excel due to the length. My Rat-rc4 is about 116mm of batoning ability and the Enzo about 100mm.
I don't worry to much about blade length when all I have is my knife because I'm not going to chop dead standing trees that
are too thick and too much work just for a fire. But with a saw I don't think like that as much and sometimes bite off more than I can chew.

So my question for you guys is this:
*Knife at hand only* Do you prefer a larger length blade, smaller length blade, thicker, and what task do you require your knife for the most? Can you depend on it if it was your only tool at hand or do you have another tool that has a higher priority?

Some people will have different task based on their area but I want to know if you cut down and split logs for fires whenever you make them, and if you had only your knife would you rather it be longer?

 

[Shinken]

I think that here in uk, you do not need to depend on it fir your only tool. Your never more than 70 miles away from the coast and therefore always able just to walk out of a situation.

So i really wouldnt be carrying a mahusive knife, i much prefer a smaller more dextrous tool

 

[BOD]

...So my question for you guys is this:
*Knife at hand only* Do you prefer a larger length blade, smaller length blade, thicker, and what task do you require your knife for the most? Can you depend on it if it was your only tool at hand or do you have another tool that has a higher priority?

Some people will have different task based on their area but I want to know if you cut down and split logs for fires whenever you make them, and if you had only your knife would you rather it be longer?

My knives are long enough thank you. Je ne regrette rien.

 

[Manacles]

I think that here in uk, you do not need to depend on it fir your only tool. Your never more than 70 miles away from the coast and therefore always able just to walk out of a situation.

So i really wouldnt be carrying a mahusive knife, i much prefer a smaller more dextrous tool

Same as Shinken's wise words. Also in the UK knives can be controversial so small neat heavy and discretely carried knives are best to avoid any unwarranted attention.

 

[Xunil]

I must be missing something (it's been said before of me ) but you seem to have several threads all asking variations on the same theme.

I'll ask you something - why chase the ideal/ultimate single knife issue down so vigorously ?

The scenario should go a long way towards guiding kit selection.

A morning's fishing or a month in the Bush without resupply could be done with the same kit but you'd have over-egged the pudding just a little for the fishing trip...

Back in the fur trade you'd have been considered an amatuer intent on shortening your own life if you went out with only one knife, while a weekend in the woods is easy by comparison and few of us will ever emulate the level of self reliance on a very long-term trip that would compare to those times.

There is no ideal, but there are a few common setups that work well in any/most circumstances, listed from the perspective of long-term bush living down to an afternoon wandering with the pooch:

camp axe and small fixed blade or folder

Machete and small fixed blade or folder

Small fixed blade and folder

Folder

I've spent years as a bladesmith/knifemaker, I used to teach (and write about) survival back when you were still allowed to call it that, and this is one of the constantly asked but never fully answered questions that always loiters around.

Whatever works is good and whatever you have with you when you need it most is better.

Me ?

I have axes, machetes fixed blades and folders aplenty, but I'd fight anyone over my Case Peanut or Muskrat. They are socially acceptable, very portable, convenient, they can strike a spark with natural flint and they are so useful - I probably do most of my outdoors cutting with a small, simple slip joint folder.

EDIT:
I left saws out of the above broadbrush tool lists because they are so obviously useful to almost any outdoors trip.

 

[Dangerous Dan]

I would argue that what you have is fine, just learn to work with what you do have and don't worry too much about what you could have. My Enzo and small folder do everything I need.

 

[Toddy]

Dan has said something that's all too often overlooked.

Learn how to use what you have, effectively.

Folks intent on 'one knife to rule them all', never seem to get the best from any of them.

Lot of common sense posted on this thread

cheers,
M

 

[Siberianfury]

like xunil said, why the need to ask this question again?
enzo trappers are one of the best knives around, i prefer them to the RAT due to grind type and handle being superiour in my eyes. they bite wood deep and hold a good edge.
dont worry about the perfect knife, i have several favorites that i have circulated through as main users this year, in this order:

BG bushcrafter
PT puukko
enzo trapper
PT puukko
BG bushcrafter (again)


its perfectly normal to get bored of using one knife and move on to another for a while, there is no such thing as the perfect knife, however i would strongly advise making sure the handle is very comfortable, blisters are a bi&%£

 

[JonathanD]

Dan has said something that's all too often overlooked.

Learn how to use what you have, effectively.

Folks intent on 'one knife to rule them all', never seem to get the best from any of them.

Lot of common sense posted on this thread

cheers,
M

....its perfectly normal to get bored of using one knife and move on to another for a while, there is no such thing as the perfect knife, however i would strongly advise making sure the handle is very comfortable, blisters are a bi&%£

I really only use my one knife to do all, and because it gets used so often I can do everything with it very effectively. Even when I took it out into the jungle, which is obviously a completely different environment. I found I was using it far more than I thought I would. It could never replace the parang/machete, but for many jobs it performed way above expectations. That may be mostly down to my familiarity with the tool though. In other environments, it is very much the 'one knife to rule them all' for me. You can find your 'perfect' knife, but it may take a load of time and money to do so.

 

[lannyman8]

again as above, use what you have, i have been on a massive blade making surge of late, and TBH im still a fave or my beaten up old one, its made from old circular saw blade with a piece of cherry plum that had wood worm for a handle.....the blade it thin (ish) about 2.5 mm, and i love it, it battons well and im scared to use it, the handle gets used as a hammer some times...

at the end of the day i could use my axe for all that i do, it would be a pain at times due to the handle length, but very doable for sure.....

anyway, there is no perfect knife for ALL jobs, you cant saw with a knife (not really) and cant cut down large trees with it, well you could but it would take an age...

be happy with that you have, and learn more about it, try new things, once you learn to do all things with the one you have, thats what you will use....



what every you do enjoy your blades and time in the woods....

regards...

chris.

 

[HHazeldean]

I have a fairly medium length blade (4 inches) and a handle of the same size. I find that it performs well for pretty much everything.

 

[JonathanD]

anyway, there is no perfect knife for ALL jobs, you cant saw with a knife (not really) and cant cut down large trees with it, well you could but it would take an age...

You can however find your perfect all round knife for performing ALL jobs a knife was designed for. Obviously you can't include the tasks like chopping trees and sawing as knives were not designed to do that. I find it really odd that people would try and design an all round knife that tries to incorporate jobs that a knife isn't designed for, by doing that, the knife would then move away and become less efficient at the jobs it should do.

A good example of this would be the Victorinox phillips head screwdriver found on SAKs and the Swisstool. It is a brilliant design that fits the tiniest of screws to the biggest, and I've used it on everything from tiny glasses screws and watch movements to cars and even helicopter at one point. I wouldn't try to use it for any other job as it wasn't designed to do that. It is the perfect all round phillips head screwdriver. So such tools can exist, but people need to stop obsessing about making them do unrelated tasks.

 

[Toddy]

But that just means there is no one knife that will do it all.

You have proscribed, limited, defined, the actions that you believe it is appropriate to be used for, and in doing so, there is no one knife to do it all.
It's the definition of *all* that's the confusion, not the intent of the tool's ability or practicality or the owner's ability.
However, the ability to understand and decide the limitations of the tool, that's only gained from experience.

cheers,
Toddy......who freely admits she has favourites, but if there were only one, then it'd do.

 

[Xunil]

A large part of this problem as I see it is that people mistake the fact that Mors may well be able to drop a tree with a Mora, but it isn't a recommendation to do so.

Just because you can do something doesn't necessarily mean that you should.

Knives are for slicing.

Anything else is usually faster, safer and infinitely more efficient with a more appropriate tool.

A one size fits all approach will ultimately fail due to the inherent limitations of the tool and individual using it.

You are chasing a myth, which will become very obvious the first time you approach or stray over the boundary line that marks your current favourite knife's natural limitations.

Once again I'll get my coat...

 

[JonathanD]

But that just means there is no one knife that will do it all.

You have proscribed, limited, defined, the actions that you believe it is appropriate to be used for, and in doing so, there is no one knife to do it all.
It's the definition of *all* that's the confusion, not the intent of the tool's ability or practicality or the owner's ability.
However, the ability to understand and decide the limitations of the tool, that's only gained from experience.

cheers,
Toddy......who freely admits she has favourites, but if there were only one, then it'd do.

There is no knife that will do 'what' all?

Any knife can do everything a knife was designed to do. Some knives ability to cover that range are better than others. And some may be prescribed as perfect for any given user.

You can't expect a car to do 'all' things. That's why we have buses and trucks, but they aren't cars. Certain cars can do all things a car was designed to do and going further, some cars are very good at covering those options and therefore could be classed as THE perfect all round car.

Cars, like small knives are useless for chopping down trees. But I don't expect them to do that, so why should they.

 

[Toddy]

Then you agree with me

That said though, if a small knife is all you have, and you 'must' cut down the tree, experience shows that you can
Doesn't say it'll be quick, or the best way to do it; since experience also shows that it isn't, but the tree will come down.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Xunil]

Or your knife will end up in bits...

 

[Toddy]

Not if one uses it properly....and that the knife itself is up to spec

Still far from ideal though, and all to easy to do oneself an injury

cheers,
Toddy

 

[JonathanD]

Then you agree with me

That said though, if a small knife is all you have, and you 'must' cut down the tree, experience shows that you can
Doesn't say it'll be quick, or the best way to do it; since experience also shows that it isn't, but the tree will come down.

cheers,
Toddy

Yeah. Re-read your post and it read differently the second time... that'll teach me to try and multitask.

If it came to it, I could cut down a tree with my knife, as well as many other tasks it certainly wasn't designed for. Although it certainly isn't the perfect tool for those jobs, it is MY perfect all round knife for day to day wilderness tasks within the environments I frequent the most. It does come down to experience and familiarity with the tool, and a design that gels with the user as much as is possible from the start.

I also think keeping to a set design will improve the users skills massively over time. It's like the archer or snooker player that finds his perfect bow/cue and keeps to it. They become much more proficient in it's use over time, to the point where they can achieve phenomenal and exceptional results. More So than those people that chop and change their choices.

 

[Samon]

I think most people get by with what they have mate, but you'll most likely get a simular response from us British guys as we can't/don't usually carry large fixed blade knives and prefer to use smaller less 'intimidating' knives due to our tight laws and restrictions.

If you want a more diverse answer on big hefty knives then ask around on specific knife forums and I'm sure there's a few people over the pond who love big knives.