camp knife advice needed - please !!!

U

uncleknife

Joined
May 25, 2000
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I need recomendations from the following list of fixed bladed camping knives.

I will not want to chop with it, just light to medium whitling/splitting sticks for tinder etc.

I prefer flat ground blades with little or no ricasso,
I prefer carbon steel, but premuim stainless steel ok.

Blackjack:
Small - 52-100 carbon steel ?" -convex ground blade

Spyderco:
Temperance - vg10 - 4 1/8" flat ground blade
Perrin - vg10 - 5" flat ground blade

Camillus:
Talon - 154cm - 3.5" flat ground blade ( can't afford talonite)

Fallkniven:
WM1 - vg10 - 2.8" flat ground blade
F1 - vg10 - 3.8" flat ground blade

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 
As much as I like the Blackjack Small, it's a bit too small for a general purpose camp knife. It's pretty tiny. You might want to look at the older available Marbles offerings for a 52100 knife in the same traditional style and convex grind, but larger size.

Yep. Thin convex grinds are my outdoor preference, when only small amounts of chopping are required. That puts Marbles right at the top of my list. I've got lots of knives at lots of different price ranges, and it's the Marbles knives that get used the most. Marbles has a good number of models that are small enough to be carried easily on your belt, but large and tough enough to do a large variety of chores.

It seems that Marbles manufactures the Blackjack Small, so you'd be getting the same level of quality.
 
I hope you don't mind if I suggest another for consideration as a camp knife: the Becker Combat/Utility 7 (C/U 7). I just bought one as a camp knife, and it's strong and very well-designed. $55 with sheath.

Of the knives on your list, I have handled the Spyderco Fred Perrin, and it seems like a great knife. The Becker is much larger, and has a thicker and probably stronger blade.

Regards,

Johnny
 
I have been looking at the Becker a lot, but I thing I would feel kind of self-concious walking around with a 7" blade around all the family oriented campers & don't want to generate any negitive responses.

Also, I already have a Cold Steel Bushman 7" if I need to use a bigger knife, but even with the custom kydex sheath from Eric of "on scene tactical" I don't wear it, just keep it in camp or my pack.

I want something sized between my pocket knife,(either Benchmade Griptilian or Spyderco Dyad) & the Bushman to wear & not get thought of as Rambo.
Thin & sharp.

Sorry to be so long winded.

Always open to suggestions,
 
I really like these from Mike Mann at http://www.idahoknifeworks.com.

f2a.jpg

The Cliff Knife (Designed by Cliff Jacobson) 4 1/4" blade, flat ground, sawmill bandsaw steel L-6. ($160)
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nessmuck.jpg

Nessmuk. 4 3/4" blade, flat ground, high carbon steel ($170)
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woodsman.jpg

The Woodsman. 4 1/2" blade, flat ground, high carbon spring steel ($190)
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Out of the three you listed, though, I would probably go with the Blackjack Small, but I agree with Buzzbait that it is a little small (probably why they call it the "small").
 
I attended a seminar by Cliff Jacobson at Canoeacopia & this is what is driving me to look for a small, thin & carbon steel blade as a camp knife. He is an excellent speaker & really knows his stuff where camping & canoeing are concerned.
 
Originally posted by uncleknife
I attended a seminar by Cliff Jacobson at Canoeacopia & this is what is driving me to look for a small, thin & carbon steel blade as a camp knife. He is an excellent speaker & really knows his stuff where camping & canoeing are concerned.
Click to expand...

I read an article by him about the Cliff Knife collaboration in Tactical Knives awhile back (and re-read it a couple of days ago). That article also had a lot to do with my opinions on camp knives and changed my idea of the "ideal camp knife." I've been wanting to pick one up ever since I read the article.
 
Originally posted by uncleknife
I attended a seminar by Cliff Jacobson at Canoeacopia & this is what is driving me to look for a small, thin & carbon steel blade as a camp knife. He is an excellent speaker & really knows his stuff where camping & canoeing are concerned.
Click to expand...

I've been a huge admirer of the Cliff Knife (above) from the pictures, though I haven't handled it yet.

In production knives, you absolutely must check out the A.G. Russell Deerhunter, it is amazing. See it at: http://www.agrussell.com/agrussell/agdh-8a.html

There's an 8A version and an ATS-34 version. The blades are extremely thin, so performance can be downright scary -- just don't pry with it, obviously. The 8A version takes an edge that's horrifying. The zytel swinger sheath works just great.

My purpose-designed camp knife in this field can be seen at: http://www.theedgeequipment.com/images/Rinaldi_TTKK.jpg and different pics and pricing at http://www.pe.net/~thrblade/Knives/ttkk.htm

That one is obviously a more-expensive talonite version, but Trace can do it out of any number of steels, including D-2 and A-2. It's 1/8" thick, but so wide that the edge can be made plenty thin. Useful drop-point shape, full flat grind for performance. Drop-blade configuration rather than a guard, so it provides finger protection but is also useful for food chopping where you rock the knife on the belly. Handle is both secure and comfortable in a number of hand positions.

It's a custom knife, so you can specify your blade material (I have one in ATS-34 and one in talonite), the blade size (I have one w/ 4" blade and one w/ 5" blade), the style of sheath (I have a swinger sheath and a multi-carry sheath), etc. I don't know if Trace can get thinner stock, you might ask him if you think 1/8" is too thick. That's one of the nice things about going custom: if the knife is "almost but not quite" what you want, you can ask for changes.


Joe
 
Of the ones you list in your initial post, you couldn't go wrong with any of the ones listed in VG-10. Heck, you can't really go wrong with any of them. But, of the steels listed, VG-10 is my favorite. The Fallkniven F1 has the full tang that gives you the option of doing some work with the butt of the knife if you need to. However, the Spyderco Perrin is about the perfect blade shape for the use you are talking, in my opinion. Consider that the F1 was developed as a survival knife for the Swedish military pilots (right?), and is one of the approved substitutes for pilot survival knife in the US Navy. Personally, though, I prefer the longer blade of the Spyderco Perrin, or even better the Fallkniven S1 (another approved substitute for the US Navy).

BTW, my primary camp knives are the Fallkniven A1 and the Camillus EDC in D2. Prior to that it was the Buck Vanguard Master Series, prior to that the Buck Vanguard R. But my wife took the Vanguard MS for her camp knife. I have never been let down by the Vanguard, even in the 420HC version (although I'm not specifically recommending that, by any means. Different strokes.
 
Originally posted by Joe Talmadge


My purpose-designed camp knife in this field can be seen at: http://www.theedgeequipment.com/images/Rinaldi_TTKK.jpg and different pics and pricing at http://www.pe.net/~thrblade/Knives/ttkk.htm
Click to expand...

Joe--that knife is one of the best designs I have ever seen and I have been saving up for it since I saw it a little ways back (I can't believe I forgot to mention it). The blade shape is damn near perfect and the ergonomics of the handle look terrific (I haven't had the pleasure of handling one yet). Definitely on my list of wants...

-Z
 
but I thing I would feel kind of self-concious walking around with a 7" blade around all the family oriented campers & don't want to generate any negitive responses.
Click to expand...


You think thats bad, last weekend i was hiking wearing my BK&T Patrol Machete on my belt as well as a custom fixed blade. My buddy had 2 6-7" fixed blades on his belt also, no one gave us any wierd looks or anyhting, but we didnt see to many people either, and the ones that did see us probably thought we were army anyways, we were both wearing Woodland camo BDU's. My point is just dont give in to the sheeple, carry what you NEED not what you think will be accepted, if i need to carry a 14" Machete then I will, but if i was wearing it down the street thats another story.
 
Thank you all for the great suggestions.
I was trying to be so careful, to include all the pertinent data, yet I forgot a very important factor to be considered.
All the knives in my list are under $100. , I would really like to stay under $150. ,as after that I know I would shy away from actually using it, being "too nice or too expensive" to scuff up.

I really would LOVE to buy the Cliff knife as well as the others, but finances as well as my reluctance to damage them would defeat the purpose of getting it.

I am very appreciative of you all taking the time to help me out,
I just want to say "Thanks" !!!
 
My vote is also for the Fallkniven F1. For me, it is just the right size, shape and price. The edge can be taken down a bit for better cutting performance.
 
Fallkniven looks to be a good choice for your range. I have not had the pleasure of using one, but I have not heard anything negative about them for where they are on the food chain :D

Another 'off the list' suggestion-John Greco knives. He has several models well within your specs; high carbon, price, and size. They appear to be very 'user' friendly and as far as I have read very well made. Kind of a "best bang for your buck". One caveat, older models were made from .25" stock, which may be too heavy for your needs. Newer models from what I can tell have been slimmed down to .210", which may suit you better.

I am awaiting not one, but (2) Greco's as we speak, but have not handled one yet personally. Greco's seem to average between $50 and $130 depending on model etc.

Two places that carry them are at:

www.cqcknives.com

and

www.bladeart.com

Don't forget to watch the knife sale forum here, you can get a really good deal on LNIB, NIB, and 'user's, I just did....

Good Luck,

Mongrel

Hopefully this didn't confuse you even more heheh...
 
I would look at Grohmann of nova Scotia. The #3 Boat knife is 4.25" long, 1/8 ", available in SS, or carbon, saber, or flat ground.. I,ve carried one almost continousl;y for three years in a swinger sheath, and it's never failed to do what i have ask of it.
 
You might want to take a look at www.swamprat.com High performance economical knives. They are using a variation of 52100 which has performed extremely well in all of their testing. Here is a picture of their knives. The top one has a 9" blade, the small ones have 4.5" blades.
 
Well good lord, finally some pics of the full lineup :D

I am incredibly excited about the Swamp Rat knives, and now, seeing actual pics of the knives, I'm surely hyped.

I was just about to post in the Swamp Rat forum asking when the pics would be up...Thanks much Eric, those are some great pics.
 
Out of the list you have, the F-1 would be my choice. You might also look at the ICU by Newt Livesay.
 
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