Blade size for chopping???

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LikeHike

Joined
Feb 23, 2006
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This is probably an old question but I could not find a good thread in a search.

What is the minimal size blade that is reasonable for chopping? Will a 5" work? 6"? Is the starting point 7"?

I am thinking of a Ranger, Ontario, Scrapyard, Swamprat, Busse, type knife.
 
i'd say 8" and up to get chopping ability, to balance out the weight. A 7" blade is a bit small for "real" chopping, and to big for finer tasks, so a 8" and up, then a nice little guy to go with it.
 
Dont forget Kukris, can be had for half of 200 dollars and work well too.
 
I think my best chopper by FAR is about a 4" blade.




It weighs about a pound and a half, and the handle is 19" long.
 
misanthropist said:
I think my best chopper by FAR is about a 4" blade.
It weighs about a pound and a half, and the handle is 19" long.
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I knew someone was going to say that :)

If you want to use a knife, don't pussy-foot around. 8" blade is the bare minimum. You want the leverage, speed and reach of the blade to do the work. On the other hand you can do a lot of the same cutting with a stout 4" blade and a baton, so you could call that a chopper too.

In a way, a good hatchet and a good chopper are pretty much the same piece of steel, just shaped differently. I like both.
 
I think I read in a thread recently someone saying 9" upwards is needed for enough levereage etc. and my experience with my own, and borrowed, knives agrees. Much less than that and you have to work harder with your muscles. My largest knife is 14" (Al Mar Pathfinder) and would make a serious chopper if it fit my (smallish) hand! It takes so much effort to keep a good grip that it loses a lot of effectiveness.

That's a really important consideration in my view. It's not just the length of the blade, but how well it fits *you*. My cheap 7" bowie I got when I was eleven can almost equal the big one because it fits my hand.

I've got a Fusion Battle Mistress on the way though, should be here this week I hope. Can't wait to try that out; hope it fits! If not, I'll try to get a Fehrman Final Justice. Eric isn't answering my emails at the moment or I'd have got the FJ first.

I certainly no longer see much point in 'mid-size' knives, like 6-7", as they are not that good at either chopping or general camp work. I'm definately a 'Big+Small' person. I still like and get pleasure from using mid-size knives; I just don't think they are all that practical unless you can have only one knife.

Rick.
 
So from the sound of it 7-8" is the starting point.

But if I do not want to carry an axe or even a 7" blade would a 5-6" blade be next to useless for chopping or just not as efficient???
 
LikeHike said:
So from the sound of it 7-8" is the starting point.

But if I do not want to carry an axe or even a 7" blade would a 5-6" blade be next to useless for chopping or just not as efficient???
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I used to chop with a 6" bowie-style knife when it was the biggest I had. It was hard work on branches much over 2" thick. 3" was really hard, with blisters! The knife was light though, and balanced at the guard. Fast in the hand but not a chopper.

If you are going for a short knife for chopping, try to get a heavier one with a weight-forward balance that will give you some advantage. A recurved blade would be good as well.

Rick.
 
I agree, 7" is a tad on the short side for chopping. 8" is a good starting point.

I love big knives and have several (TOPS Armageddon, Becker Brute, Becker Patrol Machete, Ranger RD9, Fox Golok Hitam Machete, Blackjack Anaconda II ...). There is nothing like swing around a big knife, although maybe I am just compensating for something! :D

However, when I go out hiking / camping I end up taking a ~5" blade and my S. A. Wetterlings Large Hunters Axe. You cannot beat an axe for chopping.
 
A blade under 7" will work just fine if you really don't like your self, or have anger issues. Other than that get a bigger blade. I think 9" is about the smallest I'd recommend. Of coarse if you have Popeye forearms and aren't to concerned with time or shoulder health than a RAT3 is all you need.
 
LikeHike said:
But if I do not want to carry an axe or even a 7" blade would a 5-6" blade be next to useless for chopping or just not as efficient???
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You can "chop" with a small knife just fine. Just use a (wooden!) baton. Yes, a 5-6" is blade is next-to-useless for swinging like you would a hatchet or bowie. Different techniques with different tools.

I'm one of those guys who hates mid-sized knives. A 4" blade at least 1/8" thick is plenty to cut up or split firewood and shelter materials with a baton, and handy enough for pretty much everything else. My Master Hunter is on the stout side of that, my Clipper is on the very slim side; with a little common sense, either will get you through a camping trip just fine.

foxyrick said:
I still like and get pleasure from using mid-size knives; I just don't think they are all that practical unless you can have only one knife.
Rick.
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Given only one knife, my Ka-Bar would stay home and either a bigger or smaller knife would come with me. No question.
 
GibsonFan said:
You can "chop" with a small knife just fine. Just use a (wooden!) baton. Yes, a 5-6" is blade is next-to-useless for swinging like you would a hatchet or bowie. Different techniques with different tools.

I'm one of those guys who hates mid-sized knives. A 4" blade at least 1/8" thick is plenty to cut up or split firewood and shelter materials with a baton, and handy enough for pretty much everything else. My Master Hunter is on the stout side of that, my Clipper is on the very slim side; with a little common sense, either will get you through a camping trip just fine.
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haha well said, I wish I could find a Carbon V master hunter though :mad:
 
Fonly said:
haha well said, I wish I could find a Carbon V master hunter though :mad:
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I'm keepin' mine :D

I really lucked out last year; I picked up a CarbonV TrailMaster and Master Hunter, and a Becker Necker for cheap just before they fell off the market.
 
GibsonFan said:
I'm keepin' mine :D

I really lucked out last year; I picked up a CarbonV TrailMaster and Master Hunter, and a Becker Necker for cheap just before they fell off the market.
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EEHH :grumpy:

I'm hoping I can find one, I found one on the net on a site here in canada, Not goin to say the site, becasue well, I want it :D but I'll have to take it up quickly.
 
Look at the Himalayan imports site and get yourself a 12" Ang khola khukuri. I have one and I cant imagine how I got along without one. Works great for chopping and is still extremely practical to carry. Comes with a smaller knife for finer stuff too.
 
Chopper knife,
9-11 inch blade,
5 inch handle,
1/4 inch thick.

The weight needs to be forward.

Anything smaller is a "hacker".
Sure, it can work, but it's not ideal.
 
In a heavy blade (Bowie, etc.) 9 inches.

In a light blade (machete, etc.) 12 inches.

A 12 (to 14) inch machete is the least expensive and the handiest chopping knife you can own for "jungly" vegetation. If hardwood trees are going to be chopped, though, a hatchet or tomahawk will probably be better. Hatchets don't chop vines and bushes worth a crap, though.
 
You definitely need an 8+ inch blade.
Check out a Busse Fusion Battle Mistress!
10 Inch blade
Unconditional lifetime warranty
HUGE resale value if you choose not to keep it.

Check the Busse Compant Store. It runs about $422 with MAG handles. :thumbup: www.bussecompanystore.com
You'll have it in a few days.
Absolutely cannot go wrong with a Busse.
I own the LE version. (Satin Blade, a bit thicker, Tigerhide Handles)
There is NOTHING that will stand in the way of this knives.
2.jpg

7.jpg

After TONS of chopping that day (not only the tree pictured) it STILL shaved in the end!!
10.jpg


More models will show up at the company store in the near future. (Different blade and handle colors, and handle materials. And the LE model too.) keep an eye on the Busse forum to find out when. :thumbup:
And when this knife sells out. It will be GONE forever. And only available on the second market.

Hope this helps your decision!
Rock on.
 
I've chopped with smaller knives (Benchmade 156CSK, Blackjack Grunt) and they are okay, but like other folks have said, they don't work nearly as well as the larger blades. If I'm just out for a day hike I'll just take the Benchmade with the rest of my kit, but if I'm going out for longer than that I'll take a two-knife set, one chopper and a fixed blade in the 3-4" range.

BTW, if your budget is limited, you might be able to find a chopper at a local gun and knife show that will work well. I was planning to pick up a Bark River Golok, but wound up finding a couple of choppers made from ?L6? stone saw blades that were made in Thailand. They aren't too pretty, but they chop like nobody's business and I only paid $22 for the pair.
 
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