An old debate revisited !!!!!

I think it was a 510 Mora, But I don't remember for sure, But that is not because I have to many knives.:D

One of My Mora's would work for me. Then there are the JK's ;)
 
Hi all,

Pit your ? how much blade is enough. Well this is my personal thought.
a blade length of 3" to 6" will do just fine. I think less than 3" and what is the point? 1.5" to 3" blade will cut and stuff, but I personlly do not use a knife with that short of a blade and any longer than 6" I figure you might as well carry and looooooooong knife like a 12" to 18" one.

I also want a full size handle. No 2 finger or 3 finger handles I want a full size handle period:thumbup:.

Blade thickness is going to depend on what you like. I am not going to get into that. That is your choice and all that stuff.

I think for what you said that you normally use your knife for ( making fuzzsticks, trap triggers ,cutting up some fat wood stumps etc. ) while out hiking for the day or just a couple of hours. A knife with a 3" to 6" blade would do just fine. Now comes the real hard part what blade length, thickness, grind and handle color :eek::eek: do you want LOL.

Well Pit dog I sure hope you find the knife that one perfect knife :DLOL


Bryan
 
This kind of reminds me of the debates on "my" other forums of gun calibers. And it comes to this for me. I would rather be overguned than underguned. That being said you can get by with a lot less than you realize. My opinion and $2 will buy ya a cup of coffee:D
 
I guess y'all have confirmed my thoughts that a knife has to have a blade of at least 4" just incase things do go belly up.....I think I was just trying to justify buying a small blade !!!!:o
 
Well Pit, you need a 3 inch Backup so all is not lost.:D. The outdoor Gods require it.:thumbup:
 
I prefer a 5 inch blade for small tasks, a 9 inch for general camp use.

a 5 inch blade has nice agility. Quick in hand, easy to maneuver for different tasks and gives me some reach and force when needed.

a 9 inch blade does the larger things like chopping and splitting wood. I do most of my camo and tent building, fire and stove related stuff with a 9 inch blade. It gives me force in a way that it's not a brute that wears one out fast but gives plenty power with the right geometry. It's also very manageable in weight and size, both use and carrying.

As far as smaller day hikes and camp utility tool, a multitool is plenty for me. Most use is with food. So that would probably be at around 3 inch blade.
 
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pitdog said:
I think I was just trying to justify buying a small blade !!!!:o
Click to expand...

Pitdog - face it, rationalizing your next purchase is mental masterbation. You are going to by the Imp - it will be your next gimp. The Gimp [Imp] needs to be had. It needs a master :D :D :D





[ooops....wrong forum]
 
One can 'baton' with a smaller sub 5" bladed knife, it's the technique and wood selected that gets the job done. Find yourself with a 3" bladed knife and have to cut wood, ok...Just find wood in the 6" and under diameter and baton on opposite sides of the log and sure enough your cuts will meet in the middle and split 'er!

My favorite belt knives are my 2 BRKTs, Mini Northstar is really an unsung hero in my book, a very versatile knife for it's size. Often underestimated, but it gets the job done many times to other's amazement. Next is a newer to me knife, the Colonial Patch, this is one sweet little knife that you have to use to appreciate IME. I rotate the 2 in my EDC and along with a OHT SAK, are my favorites so far. They all can handle most of the regular camp chores short of felling trees, and that's why you also carry a hatchet!
 
One knife? Minimum size? I guess this ought to do. . .:D
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The BRKT Mini Northstar was designed exactly with this in mind. A few minds came together over at BRKT and wondered "what is the smallest usable size knife one could efficently utilize in the outdoors?" or something to that effect. If you have'nt handled one, get one and you will find it on you more often than not. I prefer smaller knives for EDC because they work short of a nuke blast to do what needs done by a knife. Yes there is room in camp for the larger knives, but Pit was talking about hiking, not in camp.
 
always room for larger and extra large knives when i hike, i dont just relegate them to camp use!

hey PITDOG! want to try my J. LILE blade? its smaller, wicked sharp, and as long as you promise to not baton with it you can borrow it!

 
When it comes to a day hike or even a long training tab over the hills I don't find any significant difference in carrying a knife once it gets to a certain size and weight. I have on a number of occaisions felt that what dictated my choice was the sheath system as much as anything...I like something versatile....easily removed....and able to withstand exposure to the elements with no fuss....my most "used" knife is by far my modified RMD in a Rainwalker kydex with a spring clip attatchment and an attached fire steel.

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You can wear this inside the pants, outside, clipped onto a belt/bag or bum bag carry system...even clipped into an inside pocket of a jacket....and this size of knife is never noticeably more of a "pain" than my smaller knives. It can however do everything you would need a knife to do for long term survival except "chop" like a large knife....but it does have some chopping ability and can be cross grain batonned through limbs if need be. The RMD is a knife which measures up to my vastly more expensive customs in the same size or smaller which have very expensive steels and does as well or better.

If I could only have "one" knife it would not be this one as I would pick from the 7.5 to 8 inch blades I have....but this would always be my No2 backup.
 
I have a pretty large collection of custom and production knives... but I've never used anything but the F1 for survival and setting up camp. Carved probably two dozen bow drills, set up debris huts a wigwam, made traps, skinned a dear and gutted plenty fish with this one and the blade is like new. I also carry a DC3 stone.

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Hikes for me mean the city Park. Woods outings mean the Jeep or a four wheeler. I can't walk very well anymore. I need a walking stick to walk off road. I often strap a larger sheath. onto the walking stick. A good folder works as well for me as anything and I love the small saws for wood work.
 
I would like to think a rusty tuna can lid is enough but if I am going to choose a blade to carry it would be a stout 4 inch blade for short bush jaunts or 6-8 for deeper excursions with more exposure to risk.

Skam
 
My prefs are in the 3-4" range. Very easy to carry. More than enough blade to handle tasks suited for knives (IMO).

AJ
 
4-5 inch blade for hiking or short camping trips works well for me. I bring a chopper or axe for longer trips.
 
.....well, 30 years ago I hiked over 800 miles of the Appalachian trail with just a SAK and a folding Sven saw. That wasn't entirely a "bushcraft" endeavor.....but I never missed having a larger blade for the entire seven weeks. With all the various combinations available you can make due with just about any size blade. In the very end......carry what you want.

- regards
 
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