Canoe trip cutlery

You are going canoeing in the north woods. It's early fall. You will be gone for two weeks minimum. You will be in Minnesota's Boundary Waters. You can expect at least several portages. You are alone.

What kind of sharp things will you take and why?

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Hoodoo

I get some pleasure from finding a relentlessly peaceful use for a combative looking knife.
JKM

[This message has been edited by Hoodoo (edited 02-18-2001).]
 
Brian Jones

Brian Jones

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I'd love a small talonite blade of some sort to keep with me, with a long lanyard attached to my belt. Easy to maintain around water. Good for cleaning the multitudes of fish I'd be catching.

Also, a big chopper as always, to fashion an emergency oar if I lost one...<g>

I'm gonna be getting a Spike Tomahawk from Andy Prisco...I'd bring that too in case I lost the canoe and had to chop out a new one...<g>

Peace,

Brian.
 
Fallkniven F1 in a concealex sheath from On/Scene Tactical on my belt, and a Livesay RTAK or an Ontario Spec Plus Survival bowie on my pack.
 
Large knife 8-10"
Safer/more control for splitting than axe or hatchet.
Lot of downed/dead timber for fire, anything to large to break can be thinned down with a big blade to where it can be broken. Shouldn't be much need for pounding things so a heavy hatchet/axe stays at home.

Medium size blade 3.5-5"
for all the medium sized chores.

SAK
For fish, food prep, and all the small stuff
smile.gif

 
This used to be my "thing",canoed in the Yukon,British Columbia,Ontario and other great wilderness areas.One of the things I like about a canoe over backpacking is you can carry more stuff.Always take an axe,some areas it is mandatory.You may have to clear sweepers,log jams and also clear logs, limbs ect. from the portage trails.Also like to take a saw usally a sven saw.
Personal cutlery we often split up.No need for everyone to have a fillet knife for example.Since this is me alone I would take a fillet knife,sak w/saw and a 6-7 inch fixed blade along with the axe and folding saw.Paddles,always had extras lashed in place btw.Broke more than a few in the days of wooden paddles.I heard that beavers like to chew on them also,don't know if its true though.

[This message has been edited by Lone Hunter (edited 02-18-2001).]
 
My Fallkniven F1, Spyderco Wegner, and an SAK for sure. Also, I don't know if you consider this cutlery but, I'd take along my CS Special Forces shovel. It makes a great emergency paddle, and is great for making fire pits, latrines, etc. It is also still sturdy enough for some light chopping duties.

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It's not the pace of life that concerns me, It's the sudden stop at the end.
 
I would have to agree with the Lone Hunter that a bow/buck saw would also be a great advantage at portage clearing.
 
I think Lone Hunter nailed it. I spent a summer canoeing in the Quetico and that's precisely what we took.
 
Well every once in a while I get it right.I am lucky to have a friend and great outdoorsman who lives in Seattle,so we can start our trips either at his end of the country or mine.I must admit with us both having families and his law career its been way to many years since my last "real" adventure.Weird but I got the time and a wife who gives her ok but I just don't feel right being away from my family,and using up my vacation time with out them.Maybe someday.
 
One from each of the following groups:
A big chopper:
Livesay RTAK
Busse #9 or Battle Mistress
Rinaldi Armageddon

A sheath knife:
Rinaldi TTKK (either Talonite or BG-42)
Busse Steelheart (preferably straight handle)
Livesay Air Assault

A multi-tool:
Swisstool
LM Wave
RuckSAK

A good folder:
Spyderco Military
Microtech LCC

I'd also have a 3/4 size axe with a nice thinned out edge and an E-tool.

Stay Safe,
Chad

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"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
George Orwell
"Those who hold the thin blue line keep order, and insure that anarchy and chaos will not prevail." Chad (1992)
"He who lives by the sword dies by the sword. He who dies by the sword did not train hard enough" -Chad (1999)
chad234@email.com
 
Gerber folding bow saw (all spare blades for green wood), Fiskars 14" camp axe, Fallkniven F1, SAK Huntsman and lastly Spyderco Endura for spare really. Oh and a Coleman KFS set
smile.gif


A long and arduous double portage can spoil the whole day. Keep it light. Bow saws are safer and more energy efficient at clearing and cutting obstructing wood, especially sitting in a 16" boat solo.
SD

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"I'm arm'd with more than complete steel - The justice of my quarrel." Christopher Marlowe
 
Hoodoo,
If you're talking BWCA.....Bring the best bowsaw you can get and I recomend the Estwing Campers axe (steel shaft) and a good mill file. The remains from that big wind storm from a couple of ywars ago hasn't been cleaned up yet and we might have some stiff burning prohibitions this year if we don't get the rain soon enough.

As to knives: Victorinox Rucksack and Rapala fillet should about do it. Some of those one hour portages now take three or four, if you're alone, above all else keep that weight down!!! Even in the best of times, some of the portages in the BWCA are killers, I mean that litteraly. And you arn't a kid any more either.
wink.gif

Dan
 
I aways pack a small assortment of goodies on a canoe trip:
1) 3/4 axe in canoe in my utility bag
2) Stockman folder in pocket
3) lockback folder in daypack waist strap
4) 7" fixed blade on belt (rides below waist strap)
5) Multitool, or SAK in backpack

Then I take a couple of buddies along with their stuff for redundancy.
smile.gif


Canoeing alone for two weeks can be risky unless you are very seasoned and surefooted. Don't forget to leave a detailed trip plan with friends and stick to it.
 
My favorites when canoeing (especially with numerous portages) are as follows:

Blackie Collins "Buddy System" on a break away chain- just incredibly handy, especially when sitting in a canoe (I actually hope to replace this one with a CUDA Arclite this year)

SAK- Adventurer, had it for ten years, pretty much speaks for it's self in terms of usefulness.

Bowsaw- lighter and packs better than an axe

BKT Campanion- just my plain ole one size fits all camp knife. If I were going after salmon I would go with a fillet knife of the folding variety, always worked out really well for me, except with the largest kings and halibut they can be a bit awkward. guess we all got our effective formulas, I'm always looking for a way to lighten my load, but I'm also skeptical to mess with a working combination.

[This message has been edited by Runs With Scissors (edited 02-23-2001).]
 
Hoodoo, I guess my standard pack stuff would work: TOPS Interceptor on the belt (attached to a lanyard in case of clummsiness). My Anaconda 9 attached to my pack equipment. My two SAK's (Forester, and Super Tinker) in my pockets. I would probably also have my Spydercard in my back pocket (never leave home without it; also makes a good fish cleaner!).

I liked the advice about the Rapala and the bow saw.

By the way, greetings from the rainy South!
 
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