In total, the two knives I carry are both tiny and add up to a mere 4 or so ounces. I know a lot of people never use nor ever find a reason to use a knife while backpacking, but I carry two because I often have a need of both of them (but not together...).
Tools should be used for their intended purpose - chopping wood with a tiny little knife is not a good idea. And why would you. I have camped for a long time and have never, ever, ever , not once, ever HAD to chop wood. I have chopped wood with a hatchet, but I did not have to. Exactly which survival situation are we considering that would necessitate the use of a fixed blade over a folding knife? Knives are cool- and the one you have shown in your post is a real beauty - but chopping wood with a knife is about as useless as shaving your butt hair with one in my opinion.
I hear you. I am not a big chopper of wood but have used knives to split wood to get to the inside where its dry for a fire. This is mainly while car camping which I really don't do much of. I don't think one would ever want to chop wood with a small knife.
The question about a fixed blade over a folder is just a matter of preference to us all. I carry an SAK and that is a folding knife. Fixed blades would be better suited for day hiking without a full pack where you may get lost or need to spend an unexpected night or two in the forest. You can't baton wrist size pieces of wood for an emergency shelter or get to the dry wood if its damp with a folding knife.
The last sentence above is pure bunk.....first of all you CAN split wood with a large sak like a OHT, and baton carefully it will do the job. Second, I don't have to go all the way to Peru to learn how to start a fire from wet wood. The basics of starting a fire IIRC are just working up in wood sizes until you have the size fire you desire/need. If this involves having 'to get to the inside of wet wood', branches less than wrist size will suffice until it dries out your larger wood. If you can't 'split' a 2-3" diameter piece of branch/wood with a 4" blade then you need more patience. Seems to have worked ok for me for 35 years!
A fixed blade knife is nothing more than a big boy 'security blanket' in the dark woods. It can't multi task like a SAK can, and that is exactly why YOU carry a SAK camping/backpacking; because a SAK IS the original multitool <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> A larger fixed blade knife is just an accident waiting to happen in camp...just ask Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
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Registered: 05/26/08
Posts: 125
Loc: bc/yukon border area
this knife is nice but in my opinion it is not sturdy enough for a true survival knife.thse are my reasons,1-i dont feel the blade is sturdy or large enough to handle the shelter making or firewood duties that a survival knife would have to do. 2- the handle would become slippery when covered in blood if used for self defence.3-there is not enough finger protection to stop your hand from sliding on to blade during use. 4- some of the blade should be serrated for sawing action.thesurvival knife is your most imp emerg tool and no one should skimp in this area
There are plenty of 'survival type' websites out there for folks who want to go there. Most of us here have been backpacking for many years and have built up our skills along the way. Hence, when I head out on a backpacking trip I am not thinking 'Rambo' . rather, I am already prepared in my skills and have taken sufficient actions to safeguard my return when I am due back from my trip. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
If one is'nt proficient in rudimentry knife skills for use in the backcountry, no amount of fancy, or not, fixed blade is going to save them. Knowledge 'saves' your butt in the Bush, everything you carry is utilized by that knowledge to get you home. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
Take a minute to go out in your backyard, with your swiss army knife that most of you carry. Now find a couple dry branches/pieces of dry wood, about 1" to 2" in diameter/10"-12" in length. Find a flat spot on the ground to rest one end of a piece of the wood. Wearing gloves and using the longest blade on your sak press down into the upper end of the piece of wood. Ok, you have started the wood now see if by gently pressing down if the width of the blade alone can split the length of the wood. If not then you may need to use a stout piece of wood tapping on the exposed end of the knife blade in order to 'encourage it'. No need for caveman like pounding here; you're attempting to get the wood to split naturally with the grain. ALWAYS hold the knife handle gently, not tightly, to prevent any strain from being brought upon the knife's blade joint. It should be possible depending upon wood species you've chosen to split these wee branches/ pieces of wood with your sak.
All fires need a tinder base to start, then progressively larger wood to fuel the fire. Once you have sourced the smaller wood with your hands (think pencil sized); gradually get large pieces. There is no need to split larger 4-6" diameter wood as you can dry it next to your smaller fire before adding it. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
Don't buy into the hype that you must have a certain knife, size, steel or otherwise in order make a fire or do any other tasks in camp or on the trail. Scissors work great for 75% of the tasks you'll encounter, and an average knife in knowledgable hands out works a fancy knife in less skilled hands everytime. Let's see, cavemen were using what to split their wood and start their fires <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />...not even a sak! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
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While it may be true that, in the hands of a master, anything is a deadly weapon, I still suggest that you not attack the grizzly bear armed only with one sheet of single ply toilet paper, grasshopper.
Granted, as we all know how large a dump a bear can take after a berry feast <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> 2 plies fer sure! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
For practical purposes most backpackers do not need the overkill of a large knife, they may, or may not use was my point. Mostly it's a matter of finances placed on individual items that are used the most in daily backpacking that get the priority funding. Some folks like more expensive knives, others more expensive sleeping bags, both are enjoying what they brought.
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Granted, as we all know how large a dump a bear can take after a berry feast <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> 2 plies fer sure! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
Well, more like three big blobs - in the case of a grizzly - (BTW this was very fresh - we saw this bear )
phat woah - thats grizz scat? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> Our steller jays can out do that, and our hummingbirds - big as buzzards I tell ya. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
was sittin in a berry patch with the wife one day in Yosemite and she says "what does bear scat look like?" I pointed to some right between her feet <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Shoulda seen her face. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Jim
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These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.
Those are 3 inch pine needles Jim - I know stellars jays - that pile is the size of several of them <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Registered: 04/23/08
Posts: 260
Loc: jersey city NJ
Nice blade. Lovely bit of manufacturing...Looks like a great tool...
But what do you mean by saying that you "like wilderness survival?"
I mean, as opposed to what exactly? Or, sorry, can you explain this term in slight detail?
And why is this knife "good for a summit attempt?"
..An old Kamp King was my standby for many years, until Homeland Security confiscated the thing. My favorite knife of all time was a "Girl Scout" brand of slightly higher quality than "Kamp King." My second-favorite was a mid-priced "Case" brand hunting knife that my room-mate from Harlem held at my throat for half an hour in a dark room back in 1973.. (We're friends now).
I think my current brand is CRAP "Opinel" or equivalent for past several years. It's pretty light.
They tried to sell this as something fancy in the first "Early Winters" catalog back around 1980.... Remember their Epoke skis and Goretex tents? These pre-dated other Goretex tents that I was aware of by several years. Though of course "Revair" was something earlier....and much worse.
But take it from me.....Opinel knives are a cheap piece of garbage.... Does the job though......... If I avoid cutting self, I consider use of any knife a great success.
But take it from me.....Opinel knives are a cheap piece of garbage.... Does the job though......... If I avoid cutting self, I consider use of any knife a great success.
What's your beef about the Opinel? My two go to knives for backpacking are a simple Swiss Army, and a little Opinel - I've had the Opinel for quite a while and like it a lot. - heck I even field dressed a moose with it!
Now sure, it's no bowie knife, and don't expect to pry open an alligators jaw with it. but it works.
Nope, musta' digested all those 1980's-'90's era backpackers by now <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> Trails sure are quieter <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
What a dang waste of good berries I tell ya! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Now be honest Phat, if youse was starvin' on one of those man vs ratings shows would'nt ya' just reach right down and get yer'self a handful of berries <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />..."you guys up there carry a big knife against those bears don't ya?".... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Sure pal, anything you see on tv is applicable out here in the real world <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
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What a dang waste of good berries I tell ya! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Now be honest Phat, if youse was starvin' on one of those man vs ratings shows would'nt ya' just reach right down and get yer'self a handful of berries <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
<Dramatically holding up a handfull of saskatoon berry riddled bear scat>
"Normally I hate to kill any of the beautiful feces of nature.. but in a survival situation..."
<Nom Nom Nom>
Of course my film crew would have actually hidden a dairy queen blueberry sundae inside a clever coating of faux-grizzly-poo that I can eat and grimace...
I have owned and used a couple of them (loved the tiny one!), abandonned some to greedy security checks in airports... The bigger one is really impressive. Everyone in France, more or less, owns an Opinel someday. Or a Swiss Army knife.
Registered: 04/23/08
Posts: 260
Loc: jersey city NJ
Nothing against Opinel, merely hyperbole to call them "cheap pieces of garbage" and meant in relation to super-duper knife pictured above. Sorry.
When selecting a camping knife, I go for the cheap pieces of garbage like Opinel, partly because I call on it to accomplish so little, also I fear and halfway expect that it may eventually be lost or confiscated by TSA agents.
Come to think of it, I may have inherited my Opinel 15 years ago from girl friend's ex-husband (he left in a rush), so maybe I DO have something against Opinel, slightly, but nothing rational.
I guess my objection to calling it a "cheap piece of garbage" is that yes it's cheap, but it's not a "piece of garbage" - it's light, has a good carbon steel blade that holds an edge, and does everything I need it to. I have even field dressed deer, and a moose with one.
No, I'm not going to be splitting firewood with one, building a log cabin with one, or strapping it to a pole to spear those evil invading commies/drug lords/terrists But I'll leave carrying something so big in the field to those with deep seated cases of rambo-wanna-be penis envy.. (note, if I think I *do* need to do any kind of heavy field work - the little knife still goes with me but then also usually a nice belt axe - which is a heck of a lot more useful in the field than any rambo knife <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
if he does'nt have his own website then he's a one man shop doing one at a time. pm bear the dog for more info. he's the op of the thread, and apparently knows the maker.
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PEPPER SPRAY AIN'T BRAINS IN A CAN!
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