B.O.B. knives

F

frank k

Joined
May 8, 2001
Messages
2,548
I am putting together a bug out bag, and have selected these knives for it:
1. Spyderco Moran Drop Point - A versatile, light weight(3 oz.) knife. I removed the Tek-Lok attachment and carry it as a neck knife.
2. Victorinox Swisstool - Allthough no light weight at 10 oz., the Swisstool is a very sturdy, well made, well designed multitool with all of the features I consider important (such as an Awl, file/metal saw, wood saw, and all locking tools).
3. Cold Steel LTC Kukri - I don't have much experience with the LTC yet, but I hope it will fill the roles of both a machete and a hatchet, with a little less weight than either (22oz. with sheath). If I had to hike a long distance or travel quickly, I would likely ditch the LTC to save weight.
4. Leatherman Micra - I included a Micra in my fishing kit, mainly for it's scissor function (weight is 1.75 oz.).
I would like your feed back on these knives. I would also like to know what knives you have chosen for your B.O.B. TIA.
 
Sounds like your selection should do just fine. I would suggest carrying at least one of the pocket knives on you, if you don't carry a pocket knife already. If you DO carry pocket knives, you might consider whether or not you have un-needed redundnacy. Then again, I carry probably more steel than is srictly "needed" myself.

My BOB is more of a "get back home bag", since I only carry it when I'm travelling away from my home, like into town (45 miles away) for grocery shopping. As such, I don't have a need for a big chopper. I have a Glock Field Knife (M78, without sawback), a Swedish Army Knife from Frost's as a neck knife, and a folding saw. The other knives I carry on me regularly. These include a BM 720, a Gerber multi-tool, and a Rucksack model SAK. I also sometimes include my regular-carry neck knife (a 5 inch Errickson Mora) which I place in the left thigh pocket of my BDU's. I normally wear it everyday around home, but generally don't wear it in big towns. No need to get hassled. I also sometimes carry a second neck knife in my bag, a Mora 2000. I mialy carry the extra neck knives in case I'm travelling with someone who *doesn't* carry a knife, or as back-ups/barter. Like I said, I am guilty of the "too much steel" syndrome myself, although I have cut down recently.
 
Right now I'm thinking my Johanning Tac 11 will be my primary knife in my BOB. I am still debating between my Gransfors Wildlife hatchet and my Cold Steel Vietnam Hawk for chopping power and between a cheap ass machete I have at the house or buying a Livesay RCM to give some clearing power to the bunch. I don't really worry about small knives/folder/multi-tools as I ALWAYS have at least 2 folders(usually BM730CFHS and Strider AR) and my Leatherman Supertool on me, and more often than not one or two other small fixed blades.
 
In the bag...
Tramontina machete
Camp axe
Buck 119

On me...
Benchmade 710 or some sort of Spyderco

I think your choices will serve you just fine.
 
Great list. I agree though, try to eliminate redundancy. A multi tool would be great for this. Personally, I'm in love with my Leatherman Wave. With external blades, it's fast open (I can do it in less than a second from pocket to pary) plus the internal tools are great. You said you take your micra mainly for the scissors, all Leatherman have high quality scissors, plus the multipliers have more tools than the micra, and they're all relatively light.

~D
 
frank k, Your selection of "tools" looks fine to me as they will
cover a wide list of functions. There is one on your list I would
replace simply because it will not function as advertized when you
need it most.

The Victorinox Swiss tool.

I own one of these and have been disappointed more times than I can
count by a design that is .....almost....right but just falls short enough
to fail on the function I need from it at the time.

Let me explain. I use my multi tool during most of my day saving many
steps to the tool box or the truck to get a precise tool most would use.
The Swisstool pliers are almost right ,but won't grip 90% of what I asked it
to do. The tools are all to rounded & polished at the working edge to be
of any real use at all. The knife blades are the only thing that ever worked
right. And it way to darned heavy to carry everyday for no more good than
it is.

Yes, I know it sounds like I'm on a flame campaign against the Swisstool
but I'm not. I bought one of the first I could find as my good one and only
multi tool so I wouldn't have to buy another. Because it's a Vctorinox
and they make good stuff. It just didn't work out that way. If this is in your
BOB and your life or your families lives depend on what you have in it
had better be up to the job. The Swisstool is not.

My choice (after MUCH expense) is the original Leatherman Supertool.
There are others such as the Sog, or Gerber, plus the rest of the Leatherman
line. You do as you need just ditch the Swisstool before you really need a multi
tool. Good luck mate.
 
Micra is not my favourite tool a Victorinox "utility" this model is small and has more useful tools that is a knife that I have in my fishing kit and it is the best as fare as the compact multi tools go:eek:
 
I need to trim this down a bit, but my BOBs contain:

Leatherman Wave
Spyderco Rescue
Kershaw Camp Ax
Cold Steel SRK
HI Ang Khola khukuri

I think I could easily lose the small ax, as it's redundant with the khukuri.
 
Right now I'm running skinny. Need to add a small fixed blade but should have my RAT from Jeff Randall in not too long. Right now, my regular traveling companion is my Al Mar SERE 2000. For a big knife, I've been using the BK&T Brute but am now experimenting with a custom Bowie by Bill Siegle.(Awesome work. If you like well ground blades for work, he's the go to guy.) My favorite SAK (Locking hunter) was lost recently and I'm shopping around for a replacement. Sold my old multitool so I've gotta shop for one of those pretty soon as well. Right now I do carry a Gerber Multi-Lite.
Well, all this has done is let me know how many new knives I need to buy to get back up to speed. (Well, that's my excuse any how.)
Doc
 
Guys,
The BK&T C/U7 sheath may not be big enough to be its own BOB, but it will hold alot of goodies in the pouch. Heck, not shown in this pic, but it will hold the standard size Altoids tin;) That Ethan Becker comes up with some neat, practical ideas........
 
Hello all, and thanks for your posts (please keep them coming).
V Shrake - I do usualy carry a knife (most often a Wave and/or a M16 these days), but I don't want to depend on these. Like you, I thought I might give them to someone who needed a knife in a crisis.

D8345 and Tightwad - As I mentioned above I carry a Wave, but I prefer the Swisstool for my B.O.B, despite it's heavier weight and lack of scissors. The Wave is not perfect either, it lacks an awl, rulers and the little scraper that the ST has. The ST is also sturdier and all tools lock. If Victorinox added one hand opening blades, scissors and trim a little weight/bulk the ST would be about perfect for me. By the way I did check out several multitools (LM Side clip, Supertool and Gerber multijaw) before selecting the Wave and Swisstool.

Will Fennell - That BK&T C/U7 is allready on my "must have list", and I willget one as soon as I have the extra cash. Thanks again.
 
Frank, I mean no dis-respect but have you actually used the Swisstool for awhile??
If you have and it meets your needs great. Your experiance with it was better than mine.
If not ......please......do so before you need it to be sure it does work for you.
 
Tightwad, I did not take anything you posted as disrespect, in fact I thank you for sharing your honest opinions. I have used both the Swisstool and the Wave on a alternating basis, but probably not as extensively as you have. Based on my limited experience, I find the Swisstool a bit more useful and it seems a little sturdier. The Wave is easier to carry (less weight and bulk) and the one hand opening blades are a plus when I am not carring a "tactical" folder. I also like the Waves screw drivers, diamond file and can opener. On the Swisstool I find the metal saw works much better and the fact that all tools lock and can be opened with out unfolding the handles. Wave has scissors that the standard Swisstool lacks (the x version has scissors in place of the serrated blade), but I don't use the scissors much since I often use a knife blade out of habit, before I think to unfold the scissors. The Swisstool has an awl and a little chisel/scraper that I found to be quite usefull. The Wave is the only Leatherman tool that lacks a ruler, and this bugs me since I consider this a small but important feature.
Both the Wave and Swisstool are very good and I had a hard time deciding, but for BOB duty, I thought the Swisstool had a very slight edge. This is not set in stone, and I will continue to use both tools to see if my opinion changes. Thanks again for your posts!
 
With all the fantastic toys and tools available, choices can be tough. One huge determining factor for me was weight - when I got everything I wanted into the BOB, it was too heavy to tote. I've rounded out my tool selection to:

1. Ontario Spec Plus Bowie SP5, a good chopper/utility blade for <$45;
2. Benchmade 550;
3. Victorinox Pioneer (basically a soldier model with a saw and not
imported into the US, available direct from www.swiss-knife.com );
4. 99 cent no name retractable blade mini utility knife that stores
an extra blade in the handle, and;
5. Coghlans polymer trowel.

Mike
 
SgtMike88, You are right about the weight factor, those oz. add up fast! I need to order one of those trowels (a local hardwear store used to have a bin of these, but only has metal ones now). That SAK looks great! I checked out the site, it said shipping is free, but I imagine it must cost something to cross the pond, is this so? Thanks!
 
Frank,

To be honest, I wanted the knife NOW, so I paid for priority shipping. Another well known forumite ordered his via pack mule and tortise the day after I ordered mine and he still awaits his delivery. Free evidently = SLOOooooooow.

Mike
 
Frank, I noticed that a way to measure was an important feature for you so
let me share info on a neat little tool I've carried for years.

A Zippo pocket tape measure.

The little Zippo tape is THE most useful tool I carry besides my pocket knife daily.
The tape is just a bit smaller that a standard Zippo lighter and measures 6 feet in
metric or english markings. I've not seen one in stores lately so I buy mine from
folk's on E-bay for about $6 +/- plus shipping. I carry one and keep a backup too.
Trouble is I'm always giving the backup away!! Made more fella's happy that way
than I can count. I buy whatever Zippo tape I can get the cheapest as most of the
Tapes on e-bay have advertizing on them.

I carry one and my wife tucked one in her purse. Give it a look. Good Luck!
 
tightwad I have to admit that a six inch machinest's steel ruler is the third most useful thing I carry every day. After a knife and flashlight.

Ben
 
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