jmeyers
did you burn that tree? How long did it take to cut it all up?

I prefer a chain saw.
Jim

I started chipping away a ring around it and kind of shaped it into a wedge until I could push it down. If I wanted to cut that into sections with the knife it would have taken many a hours and many a blisters. I'll see if I can find the pictures on my phone.

I couldnt agree more. I personally prefer to carry a larger fixed blade as well as a smaller fixed blade. My system allows for the weight and I find wood processing to be a joyous activity that is therapeutic when in the wilderness vs. just wood gathering. I also enjoy practicing various woods crafting skills that are made easier with a large or medium sized fixed blade, just as some individuals probably enjoy bird watching or fishing as camp activities. Gimme a large blade and some dead wood and I could easily kill just as many hours as a catch and release fisherman. Large blades are rarely useful as defensive blades (+6 inches) without the proper training, but are quite useful for batoning wood, a back up for felling dead wood if your saw fails, useful for digging cat holes (if your willing to abuse your blade - as I am), shelter making, etc. I find that it is an excellent all around tool, jack of all trades and master of none serving as a back up for a large part of my primary system if various parts of it begin to fail. YMMV - just because its not your choice, doesnt make it a poor choice.

I love knives...I guess I even sorta like knife forums although this isn't one...The knife is the most basic of tools, possibly 'the basic tool'...I wouldn't go into the woods without one, even if I thought I might not use it. Of all the stuff I have decided to leave at home, TV, computer, car, shower etc., I am not leaving a knife at home...and I don't mean a knife that you can only spread mayo with either. This year it's a Gerber Gator serrated...all the rest of my stuff is as slimmed down as I can get it. I am not sacrficing my life for 3oz. of piece of mind, in exchange for a "tool" that can't do anything more than extract a splinter. If I gotta fight off a bear at least I'm gonna die with my boots on!

I'm the same way I want somthing with a backbone. I use either my Kershaw Vapor which is flat and light, but easy on the hands. It holds a nice edge and is easy to sharpen. I did pick up a Buck Rush at a store closing sale for 30 bucks, I'm starting to like as my daily pocket knife. Neither of these are overly large but they are enough to do just about everything with

I look for something functional that holds a good edge. That being said, I don't want to pay a lot. My compromise is buying helle blade blanks and making my own handles. I make them to be used though.

Mind you I also will be carrying a leatherman with me this summer for the multifunctional aspect.

quote from Balzaccom "if you need a knife to split your firewood, maybe you are making the wrong kind of fire. Or camping in a group with twenty people, in which case your ex-wife's new boyfriend should carry the ax."

The boyfriend of the ex-wife carries the heavy, unnecessary gear... GENIUS!!!!

Better advice than I ever got from "Man vs Wild"

Apologies insofar as I haven't read this thread --- the recurring knife theme on various backpacking forums is pretty amazing for just one small gear item that I, at least, don't use very often. For those who regularly build campfires and base camp and the like, my comments below might not apply so well; for those seeking to limit total pack weight, however ...

IMO if you feel the need for some sort of backup survival knife, or if you just like to whittle, look at backpackinglight.com and consider one of the very light knives they sell. The particular situation I think this might be worth while would be for someone who uses a wood burning cook stove, perhaps the Bushbuddy or Tri Ti Caldera, something like that.

But in particular if you're male (even more so if a fairly young male), cut way back on the size and weight of default knife that you think you might want to carry (I don't exclude myself in this in my youth). Rather than a large "I'm a tough guy who can slay bears in single combat" kind of knife, think minimal utility tool that will do the job(s). If you want to demonstrate that you're tough, consider a scary tattoo instead, as it weighs nothing. Maybe try henna first, however.
And if you're thinking in terms of personal protection, a mini can of mace is better, to include the fact that when literally "push comes to shove" a lot of us city raised folk will hesitate to shove a length of sharp steel into flesh to sever veins and arteries of a fellow human being --- I think we might hesitate a bit less to use the lighter and handier mace spray.

Among a lot of thru-hikers I've known and walked with, I can't think of any that carried a knife of any size. After camping many nights with thru-hikers, I don't recall ever even seeing a knife come out, mine included. The most useful part of my very small Swiss Army type of knife is the scissors.

A related incident early on the Appalachian Trail last year:
Just out of Neel's Gap I found a big honking buck knife on the trail, and picked it up to return it to its owner. Why did I reckon I would encounter (inevitably a) him? My immediate thought was "Anyone carrying a knife this big is someone I'll catch up to". And so it was, a couple hours later I caught up to this fellow about half my age struggling up a hill and returned his knife.

I bought a good knife about two years ago. Its lasted me through two years of moderate abuse and will probably last me another 20. This is why I like Leatherman.

http://www.leatherman.com/product/c33/c33x

If you are carrying an L-tool that is all the knife you need.

Agree. A Swiss Army "Classic" (the itty bitty one) is usually all I carry and find the scissors and tweezers get used the most. A Leatherman Squirt P1 if I want to haul a multi tool.
For trail work, the P-1 screwdriver/pliers gets used to tune and repair chainsaws mostly. The blade almost never comes out. I can't think of a time in recent history where I couldn't make plenty of fire (i do cookfires) using dead-fall or needed to split out heartwood. I suppose if I were going to live in the woods, a hatchet or ax makes more sense then a honkin' big knife.

For sail boating/kayaking, the story is different. A small, fixed blade, blunt nosed, divers knife, with wrist lanyard, works best for rigging or snag emergencies. Stays on my PFD with whistle.

You are absolutely 100% correct. A knife is handy on land; on the water it is essential, even on a power boat - best way to deal with snagged lines (as in around the prop) in an emergency.

Right...and single hand operation is also essential, when on water. Many times, especially on sail or powerboats, you're busy holding on with one hand, while working with the other. I've grown to prefer fixed blades, but as long as a knife can be deployed with one hand (the test), its good. I started single-handing sailing dinghies a couple years ago and found working with tools while under sail is a skill unto itself. A wrist lanyard keeps your knife off the bottom of the lake.
When backpacking, most cutting chores were done before you left home. Today, very little needs cutting, especially food.
Pouches tear open these days. Food is usually bite sized and a tiny blade takes care of any slicing/dicing.

The SpyderCo Byrd with a 2 inch blade is what I take with me most of the time. Though my bigger sheath knife saved my behind once.

I was car camping and had bought some firewood from Safeway that turned out to be completely soaked through. The knife made it possible to chop some kindling off one of the logs and dry the wood out enough to start a fire. No other kindling was available and the kindling I had brought with me had been exhausted on the wet wood.

"I suspect that these deadly looking blades appeal to the survivalist dreamer...the one who watches Man Vs. Wild and believes those idiotic capers are necessary. He'll spend two days trying to catch 200 calories worth of food. And he'll use his knife to cut up the vegetation to make a rope from lianas. It will take him most of the day. He wouldn't need the damn rope if he just hiked down the other side of the hill. Which would take about 45 mintes.

But then he couldn't justify that really cool looking black steel knife that he has carried for seven years, and never used except to spread peanut butter.

It's all just a bit too "Tom Sawyer" for me--I don't need to pretend there are pirates in the forest to have a good time. Some people do."


That is great! Those shows can be a bit too much.
I typically carry a Gerber Gator, which usually only gets used to cut cheese and summer sausage, but I have been looking at a knife that could double as a spearhead for month long backpacking. I like the idea of being able to create a tool that just may be useful or even neccessary. Who knows? But I would like to have it.
I would use bear spray as my family's first defence. I wouldn't be running around the sides of mountains brandishing it at every rustle.

Well thanks to one of Shugs videos on hammock forums .net I saw this knife and had to have it.

In my defence I had long lost my only good fixdblade knife and have been searching sometime for a replacement!

It's light enough!
It's strong enough!
With the added belt clip. It's very versatile in packing in an open carry manor! I actually prefer carrying it as a neck knife. But the fact that it quickly & securely can be connected to a pack, belt, or boot is a real nice feature!

Very well shaped very Sharp blade!

Bottom line is yes I would remand this blade to anyone.
And if I end up loosing this one. I'm just going to order another!

I was until recently carrying a Becker BK-7. Yes, I know it is a large knife and probably much more than needed, but it so similar to the USMC Ka-Bar that I carried in the service that I am emotionally drawn to it.

However, I recently purchased a Mora Robust that is quite nice, although I haven't taken it afield yet. Once I get it field tested and approved, it will take over the primary knife duties.

Ellis

They're never too big, until you need a big one, and you're carrying your 1 inch ultra light folder.
I have a Cold Steel Leather Neck, which is basically their take on the K-Bar w/some improvements. You can use it with a sturdy piece of hardwood to split firewood. Also, in thick brush, where vision and navigation is measured in feet. If neither one of these meet your needs, no need to carry the extra weight.

My go to knive is, well a Leatherman multi-tool. These have saved my butt many times, in the military and as a civilian. Downside - Heavy as the Leather Neck, but sit's on my belt so it's really not that noticiable.

SOG Navy SEAL PUP: This is a minature version of the actual Navy SEAL survival knife. Weighs in at ounces, will handle about any cutting/emergency most people will need in a lifetime. Pro - Very Light very versatile, with beveled and serrated blade, do anything knife. Con - blade is very hard stainless alloy. It will sharpen to laser type cutting precision, which also means if it gets dull they are a real pain to re-sharpen. Better to never let it get dull in the first place.

J.