a camping knife... compare and contrast

I

isayun

Joined
Jun 8, 2003
Messages
5
hello, forum dwellers. i know, there are several threads were this topic has already been discussed, but still...
i want to buy a knife for camping and hiking. i guess most of the time i'll use it to prepare food. the knife has to be fixed blade, preferably under $50. blade should be about 5.5", moderatly thin.
i've read a lot of recomendations, but still i'm unable to decide which knife fits me most. i'd like to know what you people think of the folloing knives:
[] bk&t crewman
[] buck special
[] cold steel SRK
please compare and contrast these knives (they are my primary choise)
also, please express your opinions on knives similar to ones mentioned above. i am especially interested in WHY you like your favorite knives.
thank you,
-----
isayun
 
If your major concern is food prep, you should rule out the Cold Steel SRK as the steel is too thick to perform common kitchen tasks. The Epoxy coating also adds to the thickness and although it can be done, it makes food prep tiresome. The Crewman knife, although thinner, still has a relatively large thickness from spine to edge. This is fine for chopping vegetables, but is slightly cumbersome for cutting meat. I think the best choice for food prep is the buck as it has the stainless steel blade. Polished stainless steels tend to clean up better, resisting both rust and bacteria deposits. Out in the woods, you won't always have the benefit of washing in hot water, while oils you might use for rust prevention may leave a bad taste on your food. Getting an upset stomach will certainly ruin your camping/hiking trip so you should not take any unnecessary risks with your food.
 
If you're looking for a good camp knife that can handle food prep duties as well as most other camp chores, I'd look for something with a blade thickness of 1/8" or so. The only reason being it is really difficult to cut food with anything much thicker than that. In fact, most kitchen knives are WAY thinner than 1/8".

If you want a knife that will chop wood, handle tough chores and prepare food in a pinch, I'd go with something around 3/16" thickness. My main camp knife is a Trace Rinaldi L.E.O. It is 3/16" thick with a sweet recurved blade - it works great for everything including food prep, but if food prep was a MAJOR part of my campsite duties, I'd probably choose something thinner. There are knives in the $50 price range that would do well for you. I'd suggest checking out Becker Knife & Tool.

You might be best served by a medium to large fixed blade and a folder. If you wanted to get off cheap (but good!) I'd go with a Becker Combat Utility 7 and a Spyderco Delica. You might also want to pick up some type of SAK with a can opener, screwdrivers, etc. or at least a P-38. With those knives, you would be well prepared for just about everything.


I just went for a short camping trip today and I used 3 knives: Busse Basic 9, Rinaldi L.E.O. and a Spyderco Military. They all worked flawlessly.

Best of luck with your search!
 
Frosts of Sweden's Swedish Army Knife.
Around $8 here:
www.eknifeworks.com
A SwAK, a saw and a hatchet should have you covered.
Or you could get a Buck 110 just like an entire generation did.
 
Hi Isayun,

Welcome to BladeForums!

I would suggest that you should handle the knives you are interested in if at all possible. Handling qualities are very different and are often the deciding factor.

Basically, I agree with AntDog. All three may be a bit too thick for food prep. I use a Spyderco Moran Drop Point (FB02) for hiking and camping food prep/ light utility, along with a SAK or a multitool with a saw.




- Frank
 
Originally posted by Ebbtide
Frosts of Sweden's Swedish Army Knife.
Around $8 here:
www.eknifeworks.com
A SwAK, a saw and a hatchet should have you covered.
Or you could get a Buck 110 just like an entire generation did.
Click to expand...

Hey Ebbtide,
I liked those so much I bought two boxes of them. We used them in my dad's food processing business for a while till we figured out that they were too short for repeated and heavy use. They are, however, my choice for food prep in the field as well.
 
SOG SEAL PUP great knife it has done for me what you want it to do for years. It's great nice coating on it and does not react to most foods.
 
I have a Gerber Yari. It's OK. Another option that is not on your list is the Cold Steel Master Hunter. Good slicer/small utility fixed blade. Based on what I have read, I am thinking about buying a Spyderco Fred Perrin Bowie for camping (at 3.75 oz. it's light enough to take anywhere). The reviews I have read here suggest it is great for food prep (5/32" VG10 blade, full flat grind, a relatively thin edge and nothing to keep the heel of the edge off the cutting surface). I've read it will also stand up to light chopping. It does not have a full tang, but Fred Perrin says the tang extends almost to the lanyard hole and Sal says Spyderco has not had any handles come off. Fred Perrin promised to magically appear and give anyone who could break one a two minute french kiss :barf:

The Spyderco Morans are good choices, too.
 
thanks a lot for your replies!! so i'll buy two knives (if budget allows), a spyderco delica and becker's bk-10/bk-7.
 
Well, I was going to suggest the Mora 2000 for its superb versatility, but the choices you have made are both excellent as well. The Becker will be a tough workhorse, and the Delica will soon become one of your best friends as it has for so many others who have one.
 
hey isayun
guess who this is...anyway...i like how the search is going....
i've searched myself around and realized that if we r going to buy a good heavy duty knife it's NEVER good for food preparation...
so i've decided to go for bk-10 or Gerber Harsey Hunter
http://store.knifecenter.com/pgi-Product%20Spec?GB5981,
and get a SAK Frost they have some small cheap knives that are very thin and could be used for food prep (btw does anyone know how thin they are - they do not specify thickness? thx) ...or i might even take one of my small kitchen knives u know those very very thin ones like 1/64" or smthing....they are the best for cutting food...
that's it for now...i'm not ordering bk10 yet cos i'm thinking about Harsey Hunter..i really like the shape..here is my other thread
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=2166571
c ya...
 
Give that Cold Steel Master Hunter a look too. I think it's a great knife for the price.

I've been trying to come up with a knife to meet similar requirements. I like the Buck Strider Solution, but so far I've been using an Entrek Companion.

I've got a Busse Anorexic Badger on order, which I HOPE will finally do it for me.

I used to have a Rinaldi TTKK in D2 -- GREAT knife by the way, but I was always nervous about the steel rusting and the blade had a little too much emphasis on the food-prep side. Now I bring a Chicago Cutlery 8" Chefs knife and a combo-edge Camillus 154CM Talon for the majority of the food prep, and have my sheath / belt knife for "other".

Mike
 
personally, i'm really liking this one:

http://www.1sks.com/store/becker-knife-and-tool-combat-utility-knife.html

Altho i'd have to agree a stainless blade would be ideal with food.
But $48!! Becker's just made my want list :) Thanks for the suggestions.

Edit:
The Harsey Hunter, from what i've read on BF, is made with an unknown metal. Apparently nobody can find the specs. Given the considerations with general camp use, that may be one thing you'd really want to know about your blade.
 
I have a BK7.

I've taken it camping a couple times, but it's never been out of the sheath.

:(

It's just too darned big!

It looks cool, but I don't know what I'll ever use it for. I stuck mine in the "emergency tools" bag in the Rover. Next to the folding shovel and tow strap.

Mike
 
Originally posted by Michael_Aos
Now I bring a Chicago Cutlery 8" Chefs knife and a combo-edge Camillus 154CM Talon for the majority of the food prep, and have my sheath / belt knife for "other".
Click to expand...

Forschner kitchen knives are great for camping, too. They are great kitchen kives period, but for the money they are awesome. I'm buying an 8" chef's knife for car camping--around $20. We've already got a Forschner paring knife we take camping every time . . .

Let us know what you think of that Badger if you get it Mike. I've had my eye on one, but just can't bring myself to part with the price. I'd like to try INFI, but it's $pendy . . .
 
Thanks for quick responces guys...
well you convinced me that Harsey has an unknown steel so i'm staying away from it....will end up buying bk10 after all..hehe...
i've looked at the different knives u listed here but none of them really suited me (some were too expensive)...i like Cold Steel but i think the handle is not so comfy...besides it's also 3/16" thick as bk10 so it's no better for food prep then bk10...
so decided to go for a second kitchen knife..:)
thx again
 
I can't beleive no one has mentioned the Spyderco Moran! It will run a little over $50 but perfect for the tasks listed. You also have your choice of drop point or upswept point.

phantom4
 
The SRK has the best steel, the Becker has the best handle, and the Buck has the best history. I would personally choose the SRK of the ones you mentioned because it's sharp and strong, and will stay that way the longest. If you can, get the Kydex sheath with it. You'll have a knife that will last you a lifetime and serve you well.
 
I'd say the grind on the SRK is just too thick for some jobs...
 
Originally posted by OTMOPO3OK
Thanks for quick responces guys...
well you convinced me that Harsey has an unknown steel so i'm staying away from it....will end up buying bk10 after all..hehe...
i've looked at the different knives u listed here but none of them really suited me (some were too expensive)...i like Cold Steel but i think the handle is not so comfy...besides it's also 3/16" thick as bk10 so it's no better for food prep then bk10...
so decided to go for a second kitchen knife..:)
thx again
Click to expand...

I TOLD YOU, VENYA!!! :) :)
 
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