Camp knife or cutting comp. knife

Mr. Barker/RogerP,

Didn't one of the cutting comp contestants have a coated blade - Teflon maybe? I know many knifesmiths do not like a coated blade. However, it would seem useful for an outdoor knife to protect most of the blade, except the edge. More than a Teflon, a coating like Boron Carbide or Diamond Like Coating that Simonich knives offers would seem to be good. I know now I am asking for something far away from what ABS makers are used to.
 
Dan Farr's knife was blued:

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I have seen Dickie Robinson use a coated blade, but I'm not sure if he did so the last time 'round. Somebosy somewhere has a pic of all the competiton blades - I'll try to dig it up.

Roger
 
Roger, natural handle materials are my favorite, in a perfect world every knife I own or make would have a natural handle. In that perfect world natural handle materials wouldn't shrink or swell. I have handles in ivory, stag, sheep horn, desert ironwood, maple, gidgee, stabilized woods, and stabilized bone, all of them shrink in the winter.

As much as I enjoy the look, feel, and uniqueness of natural handles, I hate feeling sharp pin, guard, or ferrule edges. There's nothing worse than watching a knife slowly peel apart at the mortis, and I have plenty that shrink every winter.

The only handles I have that do not shrink are micarta and g10. While synthetics are not unique, and there certainly is no novelty in black linen micarta, the fact that they stay rock solid more than makes up for any aesthetic short comings.

For me in a knife that I am going to use everyday, micarta is a great choice. On the other hand I can live with some shrinking on a great piece of ironwood :).

Matt
 
LongRifle said:
.....As much as I enjoy the look, feel, and uniqueness of natural handles, I hate feeling sharp pin, guard, or ferrule edges....Matt
Click to expand...

Me too Matt. :)

That's why I generally specify a single piece of wood and domed / peened pins. Full tang knives are generally out for me. Another touch that I like is an unobtrusive micarta spacer between the handle material and guard, to eliminate any sharp edges from the guard due to shrinkage, as in this Andrew Jordan hunter:

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Roger
 
I forge my camp knives from 3/8 bar stock and try to get them as close to 2" wide as I can. I agree that a camp knife should be able to be used for camp chores. Last year I used the winning knife at Uncle Al's shop visit to cut everything up and cooked a big gumbo for all who attended.
Reggie
 
I don't there is a right answer to the question. I would feel real bad banging up my custom knife doing camp chores.

For camp use I favor a less expensive butcher knife. K-mart sells a big stainless steel one with full tang, nice big wood handle with three pins that is branded by our favorite TV lady Martha S. (who just got out of jail) for about $6.00 and a small paring knife for veggies, taters, sausage cutting, etc. I like the victorinox paring knife or the spyderco kitchen knife. Those serrations are wickedly effective.

For work around the camp I would favor a good axe and a small bow saw. I have seen guys wail around with their big bowies clearing brush, etc. taking much-to-much time and effort, IMHO, to do what a little bow saw or axe would do in a couple of minutes. I'm thinking here of a camp here where you have easier access, hopefully by ATV or car/truck.

When I was packing way back into the hills I'd take a big hunter folder with a partially serrated clip blade and a saw blade. If you get lucky and have to field dress, quarter and debone a big animal to pack the meat out it would be work. It is tough to drag an whole elk or big mulie out of the woods.
 
I try to get my camp knives 2" wide and 5/16" at the riccosso. I like a senthetic material on the handle on the ones I haul to the woods. I do love wood but it can get wet and shrink too easily but if someone dosen't mind taking the effort to keep the wood oiled ect. it works fine.People keep their guns oiled why not their knives.
Reggie
 
I agree Roger I love wood it is natural and beautiful. It makes a good handle if taken care of properly. Stabilized wood is nice too and getting easier to get in small blocks.
Reggie
 
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