Blade Length vs function

L

Locust

Joined
Sep 30, 2008
Messages
539
I do not have much in the way of camping experience but I would like more and would like to know more about proper equipment. I do realize that the tools an individual uses are influenced by experience and personal preference but obviously design plays a factor. I’m wondering about what various blade lengths are usually meant to be used for. So far this is what I have been able to figure out from the information I have come across:

2”-4”- every day around the camp tasks (food prep, small to medium utility tasks, skinning, etc.)
5”-?
6”-8”- Jack of all. Can be used for a variety of tasks from utility to light chopping in a pinch.
9”-up- Chopping depending on blade thickness and shape.
16”-up- technically a machete. Used for brush or chopping depending on design of blade.

Please correct anything that is wrong or oversimplified, and add anything you think would be helpful.
 
In your post you have a ? by 5 inches. Why would that not fall under "jack of all?" A 6 inch doesnt chop much better by any means in my experience I find 5-6.5 inch knives good for light camp chores and can be usefully in food prep etc. I wouldnt want to use a 5-6.5 inch knife to chop with, I would us a baton.


I would also designate 8 and up as choppers, but it all depends on the size and shape of the knife. With all of the size limits over 7 inches if made right they can be proper choppers, just 9 and larger are to me much better at it.
 
A lot of it depends on the area you are in and what you plan on doing. For most general camping chores, a knife from a SAK up to a 4-5" blade belt knife will be plenty. If you will be processing lots of wood, then a saw, chopping knife or axe will be useful. After you go on a more trips, you will start to see the type of knife you need or use most. A lot of it is personal preference too.
 
I agree with your blade length accessment. I find 5" blades to be an odd size with the exception of my Buck 105 Pathfinder that I've had since 1974. I still use that knife all the time, but I think it's because the blade is so narrow. It just seems to work. My favorite blade length is 4 inches.
 
if you intend to camp in designated areas and hike long distances - you will rarely need a blade over 4" in my experience and in all honesty, a SAK could do it all. Obviously as you go further off trail then your requirements will increase. It also depends on the weight you can/want to carry.
 
I carry a solid 3.5" fixed blade and a 12" machete every time I go hiking or camping. Its the best of both worlds for me. A small blade for any fine tasks, as well as butchering chores. And a machete for firewood, shelter making, trail making etc...

This is how I view the categories as you were trying to lay them out.
2-3" pocket knife
3-5" small fixed blade
6-8" large fixed blade
9-11" choppers
11"+ machete
 
It really involves what your comfort level is and the activities you prioritize while out in the field. While you probably can't cross task at the extreme ends, knives in general are just so versatile that you can figure out a way to make do with just about any knife. However, there is a skill/knowledge and convenience factor tradeoff that everybody establishes for themselves. Some people like to go on the conservative side and prepare for perceived disasters, others want to carry with them only the items they need and will use. It is a personal decision.

The one thing I would suggest is that you don't limit your knowledge and training by narrowing yourself to only one category. Try different options and mix up the combos during your outings and see what you find works best for you. You will probably find that your tastes change during these exercises. My tastes certainly have. In my younger years where I backpacked almost exclusively a knife was an afterthought, although I had a small axe and often a folding saw. The knife was pretty much relegated to cutting food. Heck, I think there were times when along with my axe and saw I only brought a steak knife out from my kitchen drawer. It certainly is a different story for me now and I prefer to take a knife and forgo the ax. The kinds of things I tend to do while outdoors are also "knifey" things and I have rationalized why I need different knives with me for different kinds of tasks. Are they all needed? Probably not, but I probably wouldn't be doing the same things I do now without them.
 
Blades with a 4.5-5" length are about maximum size as a comfortable belt knife; anything with a larger blade is just too cumbersome and gets hung up on clothing, vehicles/buildings or vegetation. I have several in that length and they are what I prefer if I'm only taking one fixed blade. If I have a fixed blade smaller than 4", I like to have a larger chopper such as an axe, machete or larger (7+ inch) fixed blade.

There are a few pushing 6 inches in the family photo, but here are my "mid-sized" fixed blades:

Mid-Size.jpg


Although the Fehrman Last Chance chops quite well, these "mid-sized" blades are pretty good at doing small tasks and bigger tasks, just not the master of either.

ROCK6
 
this has been coming up a fair amount lately, lets not get on each others nerves!:D

The way I see it is this, I have had the lucky chance to try collecting fire wood, making kindling, setting up camp (collect bows and what not) and all the fun stuff. My axe was broke and thats all I had, I decided that I wouldn't be caught in the situation again, and the whole time I was wishing I had a knife with just a little more length to it. I had a folder for the small stuff, allways do and really just want a knife to do everything ok, that way on a day hike there is no need for an axe, a small knife and a folder, I can take a folding saw and folder and a 6".

My blade of choice?
RAT RC6.
I can get my shavings(this was a stock edge, Its now convexed)
P3110116.jpg


And I can get my firewood ready.
PB170051.jpg

PB170047.jpg
 
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Thanks for all the information guys. Things are starting to become a little more clear I think.

@barrabas74
I listed a ? by 5" only because it's the length I could recall seeing the least information about and didn't want to make too much of a guess.
 
For me its

3" blade = pocket knife, kept on me at all times. Do minor tasks with it.
4" fixed blade = camp knife/belt knife. Do all camp chores/normal cutting, use this the most to save my EDC folder.
4"-5" blades = skinning knives for cleaning any deer/animals killed. Probably are used the most harsh cutting meat/bone (I actually do chop sometimes and yes the heavier 5" blade does help here)

Anything larger is a machete/cane knife/hatchet/axe/saw ;).



I've never had the need for a blade smaller then 3" nor a blade larger then 5"... Even then 5" is kinda pushing it, I think a 4" probably does the same thing in almost all cases (except chopping through bone).


I know this is a knife enthusiast forum, but I'm not big into chopping with knives if it can be helped, I'd rather use a tool that's not too expensive and is created for that job. While I've an extensive knife collection, the large ones stay for show, mostly.
 
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i usuall yonly carry one length of knife in my usual line-up, and it is most often between 4-5.5 inches, but occasional ill carry a 2.75 inch pukko instead. i dont try to have one blade do everthing, that is unrealistic to me.
 
I think his point was that a 2.75" puuko stinks at batonning large wood, but a 6" blade is garbage compared to doing fine tasks with the 2.75".

I found something similiar w/ my 3" Brusletto. I loved the knife, it was like an extension of my hand. If I wanted to make little pieces of wood out of big pieces with it though, it didn't work that well. Compare that to a 9" blade, which makes processing a 5-6" tree almost laughably easy. Both excel at what they do, but neither does both tasks well.
 
Keep in mind we have people from every environment from arctic to tropical and from local trails to wilderness on these forums and that will change the emphasis a lot.
 
My most widely used knives are 3-6".from my F1 to my grohmann #4 survival. I've felled small trees with my f1. My bravo-1,S1,NWA forum knife and Aurora are the most often at my side.
 
For general purpose belt carry in the field I like a knife in the 3.5” to 5” range, usually I carry a 4”-4.5” blade.

Locust said:
2”-4”- every day around the camp tasks (food prep, small to medium utility tasks, skinning, etc.)
Click to expand...

As one who is generally in charge of cooking duty, I find a 2”-4” blade too small for real food prep.

That size blade works only as a paring knife for me, I like a 5”-7” blade for chopping vegetables and slicing meat.

If it’s a hunting camp or anywhere I will be doing butchering work, I will employ an even bigger slicer (7”-9”).



For fire duty (batoning and light chopping) I like a heavy knife in the 7”-9” range.

For serious fire wood gathering more specialized tools should be employed, saws and axes work best, but a Machete, Kukri or Golok type of tool can be quite effective in skilled hands.






"If you're not living on the edge, …you're taking up too much space."

Big Mike
 
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ICEAGE said:
Anything larger is a machete/cane knife/hatchet/axe/saw ;).
Click to expand...


Thats the exact reason why some of us in some situations carry one larger blade as it can do it all rather than carry several tools, it may not be the ideal tool but it gets it done.

Whats your reasoning for not chopping with a larger blade? I find for 99% of bush chopping use they work rather well.

Skam
 
Locust said:
I’m wondering about what various blade lengths are usually meant to be used for. So far this is what I have been able to figure out from the information I have come across:

2”-4”- every day around the camp tasks (food prep, small to medium utility tasks, skinning, etc.)
5”-?
6”-8”- Jack of all. Can be used for a variety of tasks from utility to light chopping in a pinch.
9”-up- Chopping depending on blade thickness and shape.
16”-up- technically a machete. Used for brush or chopping depending on design of blade.

Please correct anything that is wrong or oversimplified, and add anything you think would be helpful.
Click to expand...

Generalizations are just that, they won't hold in specific cases.
Here's how I'd break down categories:
<3": Too small for me to bother with for any camp/backpacking chore
3-4": Small blade, good for EDC or small chores (think SAK, Buck 110, etc)
4-5": Best general purpose size. Find what fits your hand best. Blade profile, more than length, will determine use. Most Bushcraft/skinning knives fall in this range, though some dip to 3".
5-9": Medium sized blade. Most useful for the "only one knife" scenario. Jack of all trades, master of none.
9-14": Moving into the chopper zone. IMO great size for a fighting knife, crappy size for a camping/bushcrafting blade.
14+": Chopper. Depending on blade type, may be able to be choked up on for fine work.

I've fairly recently come to the opinion that you can learn to use just about any blade for just about any purpose that you want, so long as you learn how the blade wants to be used, not try to use it your way, if you get my drift.

One opinion that hasn't changed through the years, and has always strengthened with experience, is that you need two blades to "do it all": a big chopper (Hatchet, machete, kukri) and a smaller knife. Just about every society through history agrees with this. Witness the Nepali kukri/karda combo, the Norse hatchet(axe)/knife combo, the Saami Leuku/puukko combo, etc.

You'll probably end up like the rest of us: buy a few hundred knives/axes/machetes/etc, realize just about any of them will do, and cycle through them based on the whimsy of the moment. Then move on to less important questions like "Backpack or shoulder bag?" "Canvas or Cordura?" "Sleeping bag or quilt or poncho liner or wool blanket?" "Which compass?" "Is three emergency blankets enough or neurotic?", etc :D
 
My favourite is 6 inch blade - like Buck 119 or M95 Peltonen - they're good all-rounders ;)
Not too big,not too small for outdoors use.
IMHO
 
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