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Best Camp Knife ?
- Thread starter pitdog
- Start date
I would say a CampTramp is exactly the type of knife I had in mind, the clue is in the name of the knife I guess !!!
You can borrow my Camp Tramp for a while if you want to see what they are like. Shoot me a PM if you are interested.
When I think CAMP KNIFE... food prep comes to my mind... Some rough butchering, some slicing, and of course... peeling potatoes! So far I don't think there is a single knife usefull for all this chores. If you plan on chopping with it... it gets even more difficult. Go try peal anything with a 7" blade. If you go with thick blades... you end up splitting stuff instead of cutting it. I once tried to cut an apple in half with a 1/4" thick chopper and it was funny watching how the apple split open with the blade stil midway on it... just like if I was cutting it with an axe.
My choice would be a ful flat 4-5" tall blade (but not 1/4" think... maybe 3mm at most) paired with a little knife for peeling potatoes. My preffered blade so far for food prep is a nº10 Opinel in carbon steel but if I had to buy again... I would probably get a smaller one (say nº8 at most) and a big bad ass nº12. I know they are folders but I think you get the idea. I think that if you translate this sizes and geometries to fixed blades... you will still find yourself with a blade that allows you to carve some tent pegs as well.
Mikel
My choice would be a ful flat 4-5" tall blade (but not 1/4" think... maybe 3mm at most) paired with a little knife for peeling potatoes. My preffered blade so far for food prep is a nº10 Opinel in carbon steel but if I had to buy again... I would probably get a smaller one (say nº8 at most) and a big bad ass nº12. I know they are folders but I think you get the idea. I think that if you translate this sizes and geometries to fixed blades... you will still find yourself with a blade that allows you to carve some tent pegs as well.
Mikel
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2006
- Messages
- 4,409
Mainly though they should be made of good materials and be suited for the task at hand.
Here are some Old Hickory knives I modded to use for camp or kitchen.
All of them are made of 1095 carbon steel. All I've done is reshape the blades and or handles, and put new wood on them. Oh, and sharpen them.
The finish on the handles is just super glue and briwax.
None of them cost more than $20.00, the materials I used (other than the rosewood for the santoku) was scrap I had laying around, the tubes and pins are also scrap. If you have a drill, a bench grinder, and some sandpaper, you can do these kinds of things.
Andy
Here are some Old Hickory knives I modded to use for camp or kitchen.
All of them are made of 1095 carbon steel. All I've done is reshape the blades and or handles, and put new wood on them. Oh, and sharpen them.
The finish on the handles is just super glue and briwax.None of them cost more than $20.00, the materials I used (other than the rosewood for the santoku) was scrap I had laying around, the tubes and pins are also scrap. If you have a drill, a bench grinder, and some sandpaper, you can do these kinds of things.
Andy
- Joined
- May 16, 2006
- Messages
- 2,724
Right now my favorite camp knife is a Busse SJTAC. 6.5 inches from tip to scales, 3/16s thick. Nicely balanced in the hand, fast to manipulate, reasonably lightweight yet heavy duty. Can be used as a light duty chopper or for food prep and the generous choil allows choking up on the blade for more delicate work. And its purdy.
- Joined
- May 16, 2006
- Messages
- 2,724
Never saw that one before. Must say it looks pretty darn nice. :thumbup:
mymindisamob
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2005
- Messages
- 15,219
Just had to add a pic for my post.
The SF Natural Outlaw
The SF Natural Outlaw
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2007
- Messages
- 990
one of my favorites....My LT Wright made ADCAP Bowie....
i had this idea in my head for along time...had drawn out for years..finally found this fella at a show and we worked out a set up for getting it built...
1/4 inch d2 with partial convex grind Rc 58/59 cryo quenched...
after the knife was made and i went ot use it...i found some design flaws...but not so big that i wont still carry it... It eats wood like a axe and slices smooth...i love this knife... i got about 6 others coming in 1095 with different handle designs and blade shapes.... next to a BRKT rogue for idea on size
i had this idea in my head for along time...had drawn out for years..finally found this fella at a show and we worked out a set up for getting it built...
1/4 inch d2 with partial convex grind Rc 58/59 cryo quenched...
after the knife was made and i went ot use it...i found some design flaws...but not so big that i wont still carry it... It eats wood like a axe and slices smooth...i love this knife... i got about 6 others coming in 1095 with different handle designs and blade shapes.... next to a BRKT rogue for idea on size
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2006
- Messages
- 8,250
For me, chopping isn't a requirement for a camp knife so mine will tend to be a little on the shorter side. They do have to be able to split so I've opted for SRKW's. The Howling Rat LM for most things and the M6 when I'm feeling frisky. I don't car camp either so weight's usually an issue.