Big Knife + Hatchet?

F

flip888

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Jun 8, 2006
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190
I always carry a Fiskars 14" hatchet and a 7" Ka-Bar USMC with me when Im hiking or out camping or fishing. I also keep a SAK or multi tool in my pack for back up. I use to have a few bigger chopping blades but never carried them with me in the woods. I know they dont chop as good as the hatchet and theyre more clumsy than a smaller knife, but for some reason I want to buy a BK-9 or a Battle Rat or something.

I was looking for excuses to buy one and was just wondering what uses a big chopping blade would have for a person who has a small and medium sized knife and a hatchet. I honestly cant think of anything other than clearing brush or fighting, and I never do much of either.


Eric
 
buy it and try it.... it sounds like you've got a combo you like...that's great...I have 2 or 3 I switch around with in hopes that one will stick....pair a bk-9 up with a smaller knife and you got the makings ofa good lineup or try one of the cheaper bowies first to see if you like it I have a kabar heavy bowie I like and I've heard good things about the ontario bowies...use the extra money to get yourself a folding saw and your good to go...although as pure matter of personal choice, if I were toting a large "chopper" I'd picke a blade much smaller than a usmc as my second knife. just adds a little more versatility to the mix.
 
Most people will either choose the chopper or the hatchet but not both. I can say that, at least in my experience, both the BK-9 and the Battle Rat, or even a Ranger RD9(what I use) will hold most of their value as long as you don't destroy them. So you can most likely buy one, try it, and sell it for not too much of a lose. Again, YMMV.

I personally prefer the hatchet and a medium (5"ish) fixed blade. There a lot of people on here that prefer the chopper. I'm sure Skammer will pop in with some really compelling reasons to try the chopper over the hatchet. If I remember right, he always advocates the chopper over the hatchet. (I apologize if I'm mistaken about that).
 
Choose what you want to carry for no other reason then you like edged tools!
Unless hiking the appalachian trail or you're pushing 80 a few extra ounces of steel won't break your back.
 
Ive used the CS khukri machete which chopped pretty good, but Ive never tried a real khukri. The only real thing I would use it for is cutting up fallen trees for firewood. I think Ill try the Heavy Bowie. Ice had good luck with Ka-Bar so far.
 
looks like you have a great combo with the fiskars and the ka-bar. are you located in an area with alot of brush? or are you more in a woodland area?

my suggestion would be a bahco laplander folding saw.. can get them up here in canada for $27.00

it would make a great addition to that combo you got of saw, hatchet, knife.

cheers :)
 
Thats a good idea. I like the idea of a saw, but have never really used one in the woods. I live in northern Washington, like an hour away from Canada.
 
Noshtero said:
I'm sure Skammer will pop in with some really compelling reasons to try the chopper over the hatchet. If I remember right, he always advocates the chopper over the hatchet. .
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Not always. If I plan on chopping large diameter wood a hatchet is of more use. This rarely happens hiking in the backcountry.

First off a large knife is safer than a hatchet no question. A larger knife also has much more utility than a hatchet and can do everything a hatchet can just a bit slower on bigger wood not to mention weight savings depending on products.

If we are talking car camping here, hell bring everything you own but if you are weight conscious and traveling backcountry a large knife and small knife like a SAK gives more utility overall.

Is a hatchet wrong? No of course not. I just find them less usefull. Either way you have a bladed tool you can count on which is the bigger picture.

I do not carry anything but a SAK when walking known areas. My knife and gear choices index when my exposure to risk increases.

Skam
 
Skammer I agree with the arguement on a big blade vs. hatchet. More use out of a big blade SAK combo. What SAK do you carry?
 
bearthedog said:
Skammer I agree with the arguement on a big blade vs. hatchet. More use out of a big blade SAK combo. What SAK do you carry?
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I carry a SAK Fireman because it has locking tools, 2 large blades in case one breaks and saw.
I wish I could have a SAK with just 2 large locking blades a saw and an awl. Perfect and would weigh half.

Skam
 
Skammer I would like to see that to Two locking blades a saw and the awl but with the addtion of a the sissors.
 
If I expect to do any chopping I would ditch the big knife in favor of the hatchet. I would add to that, a four inch scandi and my Farmer.
 
has to do with where you are and what you need to do. when i go hunting i carry a folding knife in pa. you are not far from a road. when i hunt africa i have a machete in my pack. in alaska i carry an axe. different environs different tools.

alex
 
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The knife on the top has been with me in the far east jungles, but I also used it in Alaska as a snow knife to build an Igloo.
The third knife down I have used as the only tool to cut a tree and turn it in to a Bow. It has also cut miles of jungle trails in far away places.
The funny looking almost a khukri knife, I made when I was 12 years old and it has a lot of field time. I tend to favor a big knife as an all purpose tool. The Ka-bar heavy bowie is a bit short for my likes, so is the Becker.
 
I like to carry my ColdSteel Kukri Machete:thumbup: I've cut, chopped, hacked, sliced & diced alot of timber/brush. Along w/ the machete I've got my ontario RAT-7 w/Gerber multi-tool & small sharpening stone attached in the sheath. in my fanny pack I have my RAT-3 & small stockman (along w/the usual daypack stuff) In my pants pocket I have my Vic. SAK Soldier & my Buck/Strider 889. I just got a Mora Clipper (carbon steel) & Ontario TAK, so this might be my day hike pair:)
 
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