Almost any knife, within reason, can be used as a bushcraft/survival knife—do you agree?

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not2sharp said:
When you are an urban dweller your experience with an axe is very limited. You just don’t get to randomly chop down trees in a city for firewood. It is one of the dynamics that have led many to “bushcrafting”. If we are frank about it, 80-90% of the population wouldn’t know where to start to take down a tree; do you start by wacking at the bottom of the trunk or by trimming off the major limbs?

N2s
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I like to start at the top and work down.
 
not2sharp said:
When you are an urban dweller your experience with an axe is very limited. You just don’t get to randomly chop down trees in a city for firewood. It is one of the dynamics that have led many to “bushcrafting”. If we are frank about it, 80-90% of the population wouldn’t know where to start to take down a tree; do you start by wacking at the bottom of the trunk or by trimming off the major limbs?

N2s
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LOL....Delimb working from the bottom up, then section the main stems down starting at the top....Sometimes its quicker and easier to get a rope in it and just pull it over though depending on the size of the tree....and if there is a place to drop it....
I know plenty of people who I wouldn't trust to mow their own lawn let alone cut down a tree.....I've had to bail out a couple neighbors who thought that cutting trees was as simple as going to Home Depot, buying a cheap saw and having a go at it....
 
Arathol said:
Explain? Safer how?
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If your skilled with a hatchet, usually no problem. Those who are not that skilled or who are cold, tired exhausted, fatigued, is when an accident can happen easier than using a Froe type blade. Now an axe is a different tool and much safer than a hatchet. But some times when weight is a consideration, a froe capable tool is lighter. And always bring a saw with spare blades. When winter camping a Froe blade is easier to start a fire than digging out an area for an axe with a shovel, we always took an axe though, but we made faster fires with Froeing than axe wielding. Hatchets are more risky when the user is unskilled with one or tried and fatigued or hypothermiated. But hatchets are pretty useful and more durable than a Froe Blade, I'll give it that.
 
Roguer said:
If your skilled with a hatchet, usually no problem. Those who are not that skilled or who are cold, tired exhausted, fatigued, is when an accident can happen easier than using a Froe type blade. Now an axe is a different tool and much safer than a hatchet. But some times when weight is a consideration, a froe capable tool is lighter. And always bring a saw with spare blades. When winter camping a Froe blade is easier to start a fire than digging out an area for an axe with a shovel, we always took an axe though, but we made faster fires with Froeing than axe wielding. Hatchets are more risky when the user is unskilled with one or tried and fatigued or hypothermiated. But hatchets are pretty useful and more durable than a Froe Blade, I'll give it that.
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I have a weird situation. And my skrama is permanently part of my wood batoning camping set up because of it.

So I mostly camp in a camp ground with fire pits. And I mostly buy the wood. Because there isn't any lying around and the don't like me kicking trees over.

The firewood doesn't come with kindling. It is just rock hard knotty Australian wood that can't be used for anything else.a hatchet.

So it is the easiest way to break up wood for fires for me.

And the skrama does really well.

My hatchet bounces off this stuff.

 
Reaper007013 said:
I don't think a slip joint knife would be robust enough to be used for a bushcraft knife.
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In my opinion, a slip joint knife can be used to cut whatever needs to be cut while out in the woods. I can make a fireboard, carve wood, make feathersticks, field dress and butcher an animal, and so on and so forth. The only thing it would not work well for is chopping and...sigh...batonning.
I would feel comfortable having a Case sodbuster to handle all my bushcraft needs but for the knife masochists out there I'm sure that probably wouldn't survive. I guess it depends on how you use it.
 
not2sharp said:
When you are an urban dweller your experience with an axe is very limited. You just don’t get to randomly chop down trees in a city for firewood. It is one of the dynamics that have led many to “bushcrafting”. If we are frank about it, 80-90% of the population wouldn’t know where to start to take down a tree; do you start by wacking at the bottom of the trunk or by trimming off the major limbs?

N2s
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Depends on what the rigging situation is.
Arathol said:
LOL....Delimb working from the bottom up, then section the main stems down starting at the top....Sometimes its quicker and easier to get a rope in it and just pull it over though depending on the size of the tree....and if there is a place to drop it....
I know plenty of people who I wouldn't trust to mow their own lawn let alone cut down a tree.....I've had to bail out a couple neighbors who thought that cutting trees was as simple as going to Home Depot, buying a cheap saw and having a go at it....
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You forgot about sometimes having to start in the middle to make room to lift overhang, or clear space for the boom.





I like to use a baton and knife to split my kindling. Not only does it provide a longer target than the poll of an axe, if by chance the split doesn't pop, there's still a target for me to strike when the blade is buried. Plus, in the house next to the stove there isn't room for a chopping block and a full swing with a maul.


Nearly any knife will work for the crafts of bush. For a true appreciation of just how good even "low end steel" is, try using stone tools for a bit...
 
Well, if you're in a "survival" situation & you've only got 1 knife, it de facto becomes a "survival knife" regardless of whatever type of knife it is. 🤷‍♂️

If it's an SAK, you can't "baton" anything w/it (other than small twigs or branches) but you can cut off thin wood shavings that you can make a fire w/using the magnifying glass that is hopefully included w/the model that you're carrying, if you don't have a lighter &/or matches with you too.

I use the Explorer SAK (I've got 5 of them) which has a magnifying glass in it. ;)
 
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Well you can baton with a hatchet as well.

But the one tool option has a lot of are out there. A good fix blade 4-6 inches will cover a lot of jobs (I'm a 7 inch fan). I'm relying on others to offer good opinions on. As I am heavily Biased a bit for my preferences. Also a good folder like a buck 110 or gerber gator blade for fine stuff. And a multi-tool/swiss army knife are helpful as well to carry on your belt or pockets.

Yeah and a saw with spare blades...I usually always add that... Axe or hatchet to if your going to do the intentional camping. I admit I had to go to you tube for an hatchet proper use...
 
I am certainly no expert, I just enjoy my time in the woods. Bushcraft for me has always been about using my environment to suit my purposes and whatever sharp implement(s) I have with me are aids to ease my efforts.

I like to experiment a lot and I've learned a lot of lessons, good ones and hard ones as a result. You can watch all the videos, read all the books, etc., but you really don't know until you get out there and start doing stuff. Same thing applies to knives, different things work for different folks and sometimes a knife is just a knife - good thing we have the luxury of choices.
 
The most common cause of death in the woods/bush is from exposure to the elements. Remember the rule of threes.

If I’m backpacking and carrying shelter and a sleeping bag, a knife is really just a useful luxury (and backup weapon…).

On the other hand, if I’m hiking into the woods and don’t plan to spend the night (or if I plan to hike away from camp while backpacking) I’ll bring minimal gear along with a fixed blade large and durable enough to use for CHOPPING dry hardwood. Its primary use in an emergency/survival situation is to take the place of a hatchet/axe for shelter and fire making.

Easy equation:
Less gear >>> More knife
 
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I’ve actually started to resent the terms “bushcraft” or “survival” when referring to a knife. It’s just meaningless sales stuff.

Mora’s got it right.
They make a bunch of knives and one of them is literally called the “Robust”.
That means something. And guess what?! It’s robust. You can bushcraft with it, and you can use it in survival situations.

Bushcraft isn’t a quality of a knife.
Survival isn’t a quality of a knife.
Those are things some guy wants you to dream about doing when you click “add to cart”.
 
I have a Buck 119, 120, KOA bush camp knife, K-Bar's various Gerber and SOG machetes, etc, etc... I have aquired over a 24 year military career, but 99.999 percent of the time I have a small Buck pursuit pro or bugout in my pocket. I generally solve life's little challenges with what's in my pocket, not with the "ideal" solution I seem to find myself NOT carrying on my belt.
 
EngrSorenson said:
I’ve actually started to resent the terms “bushcraft” or “survival” when referring to a knife. It’s just meaningless sales stuff.

Mora’s got it right.
They make a bunch of knives and one of them is literally called the “Robust”.
That means something. And guess what?! It’s robust. You can bushcraft with it, and you can use it in survival situations.

Bushcraft isn’t a quality of a knife.
Survival isn’t a quality of a knife.
Those are things some guy wants you to dream about doing when you click “add to cart”.
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Just like buying a guitar doesn’t automatically turn me into Guns and Roses. Survival has more to do with the man, the tool just makes it easier.

I actually like my Moras for everyday boring stuff. Not just outdoorsy stuff lol.
 
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