Advice for Newbie Sought

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Mark_G

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Dec 28, 2004
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My son needs a folding knife for deep wilderness canoe camping this summer. He has a Gerber (not sure which model), which is fine but he says the blade is too small (believe it's about a 3" blade, lock open, non serrated).

In addition to general camping, I'm sure it will get most of its workout doing cook prep.

We're researching high quality folding knives -- doesn't have to be Gerber or any "national" brand for that matter (quality much more important than name) -- and would appreciate any suggestions. Would be nice if the knife was fairly lightweight, perhaps easy to spot color (black is easy to misplace in the campsite), rustproof great steel, ergonomic for smaller hands and would have available a great (secure, well-made) belt holster. He can't bring a straight sheath knife, must be a folding knife.

Oh, places to purchase online would be appreciated too!

Thanks in advance for ideas.
Happy holidays, all.

Mark
 
First of all, I would strongly suggest you limit your folding knfe candidates to lockbacks. That locking mechanism seems to offer more protection from accidental blade closure then liner locks. I personally tend to believe that young campers should only be issued fixed blade knives for this reason. It is by the grace of God and the sturdy lockback mechanism that I suffered no lost finger tips. :eek: The stupid things I did with a knife as young man stand as a testament of good design in that knife design.

The Gerber Gator is one I have used and feel comfortable in recommending within the guidelines of your request. This particular model has a 154CM blade so it will hold a good edge for a long time. The drop point blade is wide enough it will spread peanut butter or jelly like few pocket folders will. It is a thin blade so, it cuts very well. The rubber texture handle makes for a very secure grip whether your hands are clean, wet, or greasy. The finger cut out further supports a secure grip. For a 4 inch blade, it cuts like a much bigger knife, better then a large Buck or Case folder for example - IMHO.

The non-154CM model is available at Wal-mart for $30. The Gerber store has a good deal going right now at $40 (on a retail price of $70).
 
Any idea on about what you want to spend? Just to narrow it down. (Really, the question is what is the limit of what you will spend)

Anyway, that no sheath knife rule is asinine. If you are going to use a knife for food prep a fixed blade is best as it can be cleaned the easiest and most thourough (don't want to get sick out in the wilderness). Plus a sheath knife is safer in that you don't have to worry about it closing on your hands. Boy Scouts has that rule, I can see why it is in place (as most of the guys would carry overly large fixed blades of a poor quality), but if the person carrying it gets a well made knife and knows how to use it properly I can't see the problem in letting them have a fixed blade.
 
Take a look at the Cold Steel Voyagers. The large models have 4" blades and the extra-large have 5".

They are lockbacks, which also have the advantage of being easier to clean out than most other locks, which have too many small parts to trap dirt.

You would need to buy a sheath separately, and the handles only come in your choice of black. But they do have a lanyard hole, and a red paracord lanyard will increase visibility and security at the same time.

Their AUS-8A is a good steel.
 
Good suggestions, all. Thank you.

I suppose we'd spend up to $75, perhaps a bit more, for a knife & belt sheath that he'd keep and use for a long time.

I never thought about the hygiene considerations of a folding knife. Nay other suggestions? Perhaps I could appeal to the director to see if he'd bend on a fixed blade -- if so, what to consider there?

Thanks again, Mark
 
Another thing to look at would be Benchmade Griptilians. They can be had for a bit less then $100, are made of 440c steel (pretty rust resistant), have about a 3 1/2" blade, have the AXIS lock (which is a great lock and easy to keep clean/functioning), can be had with BT2 coating (very rust resistant), are comfortable to use, and are all around good knives. USA made too. If you really want to splurge (a bit over $100) the Doug Ritter version of the grip is designed to be a great outdoors knife. S30V blade steel, a Sebenza style blade, ect. All are nice, though are a bit more the $75 and are "only" about 1/2 longer. I would go look at them though if there is a store nearby that sells them.
 
I personally tend to believe that young campers should only be issued fixed blade knives...
Click to expand...
The BoyScouts (and probably other youth organizations) do not allow sheath knives. Probably multiple reasons for this. They don't want their members to look "armed." And they want to stear their members towards knives suitable for young boys and suitable for their activities - Old Timers, Barlows, Swiss Army Knives, etc.

Some general recommendations I'd like to make. First, don't give a young boy an expensive knife to take on a group trip. I lost all kinds of stuff when I was a kid - lost, forgotten, or 'borrowed.'
Second, he probably won't need a knife larger than 3". Your son will need a knife suitable for cutting tent lines, slicing food (maybe), picking spinters, whittling, things like that.
Third, unless he's going to clean game, the hygene issue probably isn't an issue. The group's kitchen box will probably have straight knives for preparing food.
Forth, canoeing also involves "portaging," carrying everything he brings, including the canoe, often for long distances. A lightweight knife is an easy way to trim weight.

I have backpacked extensively, and canoe some. I've spend twelve years professionally surveying through forests, deserts, and mountains. I was on the staff at Philmont Scout Ranch for ten years. And I've completed a 21-day desert survival course to earn the W.E.A. Leadership Certification. With that in mind, here are some knives I would recommend:
- Opinel. Wood, locking, very inexpensive, available in different sizes. It's the only knife I've carried in a long time.
- BuckLite. Lockback. Lightweight. Inexpensive. Good-sized blade. This is what I carried on the desert survival course.
- Swiss Army Knife. Look for one without too many 'toys' and buy one with a locking blade.
Other knives that would be good: AG Russell FeatherLite, Gerber Gatormate, Gerber EZ-Out, Spyderco Delica, Ka-Bar Dozier. You get the idea...

I'm no knife expert, but very experienced in the outdoors. Take my advice, average it appropriately with everything else you've read, then go shopping!

As far as buying, here are some excellent online stores that I've ordered from and probably will again:
AG Russell's ( www.agrussell.com )
Knife Outlet ( www.knifeoutlet.com )
Smoky Mountain Knife Works ( www.eknifeworks.com )
KnifeWorks ( www.knifeworks.com )

Happy Shopping,
Bob
 
Spyderco Endura.

If he can bring a fixed blade, I'd suggest BM's Rant bowie, a Becker Campanion or - a little pricier: a Swamp Rat Howling Rat (tough as nails, excellent steel, great ergonomics) or a Fällkniven F1 (simple design, but very functional).
 
Quiet Storm hit the nail on the head, for me. I recently bought a Spyderco Endura with VG-10 blade steel and a plain edge for my EDC. I'm very pleased with it. The VG-10 is pretty rust resistent and holds an edge pretty well. It's very lightweight. The point is very acute, which makes it much easier to dig out splinters with. It's a lockback, and locks up tightly. It's easy to open with one hand. The pocket clip makes it really easy to get out of your pocket. It's within your price range.

I think it's only available in black.

Todd
 
I like the Benchmade Axis locks quite a lot. I also agree that there is a risk of losing this knife (kids... ;) ) so I would try to keep expenses down. A full size griptilian would be a good choice. 3.5" blade and it comes in many colors including a nice bright yellow. Very tough and the 440C blade is decent all around.

I would couple this knife (since you saved some money on the internet) with a Swiss Army or small multitool. I have a Leatherman Squirt on my keychain and it has been great for around $23. You can get pliers or scissors and the little tweezers are great for splinters...
 
I would take a look at a SAK (Swiss Army Knife) , like the Victorinox Rucksack . It has a locking blade . The only drawback is food getting in there .

Here is a pic .

0-8863.jpg
 
The Benchmade 551 Griptilian would be MY choice, as it can be had with a handle in colors other than just black (yellow, blue, etc...), so it WOULD be "easier" to find if/when dropped or lost.
 
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the yellow spyderco pacific salt, or the salt 1 if you want a shorter blade. H1 steel which is pretty much rust proof, long blade, bright color, and a light ergonomic handle. It won't hold an edge quite as long as the vg-10 delica, but the trade off in corrosion resistance is definitely worth it in your son's case. Newgraham has both of these for just about the best prices around. If your looking to spend a little less check out the Ka-bar Dozier folding hunter, also at Newgraham. I like the thumbhole version for ease of opening. Good luck and happy camping.

-Will
 
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