Bushcraft balde thickness?

roninelh

roninelh

Joined
Dec 14, 2010
Messages
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What do you prefer? I know it Depends on grind, but what blade thickness do you like on your bushcraft knives? I have little use for larger than 3/32 but like a little thicker. I don't get the Becker 1/4 in thick knives. I'm not trying to stir the pot, just wondering what you bushcrafters like and why?
 
While I do like my BK2, you have a great point in thickness. This knife batons like nobody's business, but I am never going to carve a netting needle with that beast either. I personally prefer a scandi grind for bushcraft chores, and find more and more that 1/8th is about all I need. If it is full convex, 5/32s would be my choice. However, I will plead the irritating answer and say, "the thickness of whatever knife I have on me in the bush will suit me perfectly".
 
discdoggin said:
While I do like my BK2, you have a great point in thickness. This knife batons like nobody's business, but I am never going to carve a netting needle with that beast either. I personally prefer a scandi grind for bushcraft chores, and find more and more that 1/8th is about all I need. If it is full convex, 5/32s would be my choice. However, I will plead the irritating answer and say, "the thickness of whatever knife I have on me in the bush will suit me perfectly".
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I agree that a bk2 out batons most knives, but overall for the bush given a choice I still don't get why one would need a 1/4 in of steel. Just to re state, this is not a Becker bashing thread, they are fine knives.

Ps... I like 5/32 quite a bit, it's a good middle ground.
 
I think 2-3mm (0.079-0.118") thick is plenty good enough for all around bushcraft tasks. Batoning is but one of them.
 
I think for a lot of people, the 1/4" and thicker knives are thick as an insurance policy. I have accidentally broken Mora-sized knives while working wood, whether through poor technique, material flaws, or a combination of both.

I can't imagine anything I'd need to do in the woods that would break a BK2, a SYKCO, or a Himalayan Imports CAK. Thus, I feel a lot more secure that whatever happens, I'll have a sharp piece of steel attached to a nice handle. I always have a smaller, really light knife on me for delicate tasks, as well.
 
i like my fat boys... durability is everything in a true survival knife. If you're just going camping, and have backup blades in the event of a broken blade or serious deformation, then 1/4 is probably unnecessary and somewhat less functional.

If, on the other hand, your knife is one of your few tools in a life and death situation, i'd gladly give up some of the small task utility to know that it can perform any of the tasks i set it to, and still be functional afterward

My BK7 has a pet Boker Rambler that lives in it's sheath with it though, so I have the best of both worlds
 
With a scandi ground blade you can get the same strength with a thinner blade, as the grind is typically pretty shallow. A 1/8" full flat ground blade will be substantially less strong, as compared to a 1/8" scandi blade with the bevel only covering the lower 1/4 or 1/3 of the blade. If splitting wood is the order of the day, a thick blade does better, not just because it is stronger, but because it better acts as a wedge to split the wood. If carving is in order, a thinner blade will be easier to handle. My go to blades are between 1/8" and 3/16" in thickness.
 
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