carrying a fixed blade while hiking and camping.

RescueRiley

RescueRiley

Joined
Mar 22, 2006
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!st post back in a while.. Just some collecting some viewpoints. I'm taking the family camping for the 4th.. with the little ones it;ll be at a campground. I;ve noticed in the past that generally no one at these locations carries a visible fixed blade... A few months back I took my friend and her husband out for a hike and some campfire time. He's a woodsman of sorts. and had tactical type one hand folder.. but called my mora companion a Bowie knife. I personally find a mora to be about as humble a fixed blade as there can be...and once he saw me process wet wood to make a fire with it, he came around real quick. But it seems that in allot of ways we are not living in a fixed blade world anymore. just wanted gather your thoughts. Thanks
 
The woods is the one place I've never had anyone look odd about a fixed blade knife.
Even those without a knife---which is most folks, it seems---understood the utility of having one when they saw it.
I just wear it out in the open like there's nothing to hide...because there isn't. :)

I think the outdoors is the place we have the best chance of spreading the hobby in a positive way. I have to say I like the influence those celebrity survival personalities are having with their admittedly gimmicky knives. At least it builds awareness, and gets people out there doing stuff. :thumbup:
 
I'd love to hear opinions I was wondering the exact same thing, I want to carry a fixed blade Skyline on my next camping trip but am hesitant.

RescueRiley said:
!st post back in a while.. Just some collecting some viewpoints. I'm taking the family camping for the 4th.. with the little ones it;ll be at a campground. I;ve noticed in the past that generally no one at these locations carries a visible fixed blade... A few months back I took my friend and her husband out for a hike and some campfire time. He's a woodsman of sorts. and had tactical type one hand folder.. but called my mora companion a Bowie knife. I personally find a mora to be about as humble a fixed blade as there can be...and once he saw me process wet wood to make a fire with it, he came around real quick. But it seems that in allot of ways we are not living in a fixed blade world anymore. just wanted gather your thoughts. Thanks
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cchu518 said:
I'd love to hear opinions I was wondering the exact same thing, I want to carry a fixed blade Skyline on my next camping trip but am hesitant.
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Don't hesitate.
Just bring it and use it.
If you cannot use a knife in the woods, where can you use it, right?
 
Always have a fixed blade with me camping/hiking/backpacking.. . I'm a pure city guy, but when I get a chance to get away, I'm all in. Never had an issue and it is always worn horizontal on my belt. Not hiding it, nor trying to flaunt it.
 
I wear a large kukri on my belt while hiking.

Some give looks, but you can tell theyrr more urban.
 
stabman said:
Don't hesitate.
Just bring it and use it.
If you cannot use a knife in the woods, where can you use it, right?
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Exactly what I think. When we camp, there are more knives and axes than people there.
 
BradT85 said:
Exactly what I think. When we camp, there are more knives and axes than people there.
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It was that way at one of the Peche Island gatherings.
So there we were, sawing and chopping, and making stuff while tending the fire, and as people walked by there were no odd looks at all.
No worried glances or hurried steps.
They just saw a bunch of people in the outdoors doing outdoors activities, and gave friendly waves.

It was one of those moments which restores one's faith in the ability of people to see things as they are. :thumbup:
 
Welcome back... haven't seen your name lately. Good to see you posting again. Honestly, I live in my own world. I carry a small FB (Izula) as part of my work kit and I always take a FB with me to a state park, national park, trail, camping, hiking, picnic... whatever. Don't really care what other people think. I mostly carry a mini-Fox River so it rides on my belt at 10:00 under my T-shirt and folks never see it unless I'm using it.
 
I carry an axe on my pack and a small fixed (under 4.5 inches) on my belt when I am camping when hiking its just the knife but I never have anyone look at me odd. Then again I don't camp in campgrounds and the trails I hike are well used but there is rarely more than 3-5 people on them at any given time.
 
A fixed blade it the way to go while in the woods. I tend to leave my folders in the glove box when im out there but I completely agree with you that people can act jittery when they see a fixed, I try to make an example of myself by not flashing it around unnecessarily but make sure to use it when it genuinely is needed. My hopes is that they'll eventually come around
 
stabman said:
Don't hesitate.
Just bring it and use it.
If you cannot use a knife in the woods, where can you use it, right?
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Makes sense to me.
I would worry about the local laws, not the gawkers.

Depending on where you are camping, I could see a large knife being out of place.
If you are in the deep woods, who cares.

If it's a busy, DNR-monitored parkland, you probably don't need to be chopping on anything indigenous because you could go to jail. Carrying around a large knife could definitely be out of place in certain, rather domesticated areas.
 
If I am out Fishing or Walking or Camping I always have my RAT-1 with me plus a few small hidden items just in case
and though I have never had to use my hide-a-ways they are there just in case things go wrong and I need help.!
One never knows now-a - days and it is better to be safe than sorry because I go off of the beaten path most of the
time even when I am fishing.* I like a peace/full and quiet place where you are not elbow to elbow with others.!
 
Most folks in front-country camping areas see my Mora, and cannot distinguish it from a standard kitchen/paring knife. It must look like a Walmart special to them. I've never had anyone compare it to a bowie! I carry one in the silverware drawer of my camper (the Companion you traded me, oh so long ago!), and during all the meals we've prepared in plain sight of non-knife people, the only comment I've had is how sharp it is (by someone who was using it, and obviously not used to how a properly-sharpened knife should act). What's more, I've carried my Mora into grocery stores, gas stations, and National Park visitor centers, and never gotten a remark, or even an inquisitive look. I have my shirt untucked, and the lower 1/2 of the sheath visible, so maybe folks just had no idea what it was. Mostly, I forgot I even had it on my belt. No harm, no foul in my book. But, in the backcountry, I could care less what a person's reaction is.
'
 
I think it probably depends on what part of the country you're in. On the ID/WY border, where I live, I generally have a small fixed blade on my hip most of the time, regardless of what I'm doing, and I never give it a second thought. Reading this thread just reminded me that there actually places where you will be stared at, and/or where you might be breaking the law. How sad.
 
Rat Finkenstein said:
I always have a fixed blade on me. Anything less would be uncivilized.
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RR, wear it and use and don't worry about what others think. I know you will use your knife like a woodsman would.

Bryan
 
As the quote in my sig indicates, I carry a lot of steel with me in to the woods. I like using, experimenting, and honing my skills with different tools and mediums. I'm usually in my woods or in a designated wilderness, where I rarely if ever encounter anyone who wasn't invited. I typically have my SAK Farmer, Opinel, at least one 4 inch'ish fixed blade, and a 12" machete. When my son and I do hike on busy trails, I carry my SAK and fixed blade attached to the strap of my pack. No one has ever looked at me twice. Not carrying a fixed blade knife in to the woods would be like me going to the store without my wallet.
 
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