Do any of you guys have a problem with your knife handles getting -really- cold? My Howling Rat has a ResC handle, and it feels pretty good, but the Mikro I have piggybacked to it gets cold. It's got micarta handles, so maybe that has something to do with it. Does wood seem to get as cold as micarta? It really makes me understand why people use Fallknivens (I assue their handles are similar to ResC and feel good no matter what weather.)
Cold weather and knife handles...
- Thread starter LeeCQC
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I wear gloves in the cold weather.
You wear gloves when you're making a fire? Striking a firesteel? Cleaning game? Wow. You've got to tell me what kind of gloves.
A very well known problem. Full, exposed tang knives tend to have the steel get extremely cold in cold temps, and holding onto subzero temperature metal isn't very much fun. I don't think the Micarta is the problem, it's the exposed metal tang of the knife, more likely. Of course, wearing gloves helps. But then, some tasks are rather difficult to do with gloves on. I try to keep the gloves on, however, as long as I can also do whatever I'm doing comfortably.
generally, if it is cold enough for my full tang blades to cause my hands to get cold, the exposure to the cold air is much more of an issue. i don't stress about it.
i leave my gloves on almost all the time in cold weather anyways, including for building a fire and striking a firesteel...i haven't skinned any game yet, so can't speak to that.
i leave my gloves on almost all the time in cold weather anyways, including for building a fire and striking a firesteel...i haven't skinned any game yet, so can't speak to that.
Wandering_About
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Gloves. Most game I clean in cold weather is small game that doesn't take too long so it's not a very big issue for me. If my hands do get cold doing that I take a break and put my hands in my pockets for a while.
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Wear your knife inside your jacket (around your neck or under your jacket at 4 o'clock on your belt) and you'll be fine. Body heat will keep it warm. Even if it gets cold, your body will eventually warm it up since it has more mass than the knife.
No worries here. Just use it.
No worries here. Just use it.
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I wear latex gloves for cleaning deer. Keep you knife next to your body like k_estela says. It is not the gutting that makes my hands cold (I gut them while they are still warm) but the hand washing after. Hence the latex gloves. For everything else, if it is cold enough to make my knife uncomfortably cold, I will be wearing gloves anyway.
I have exactly the same experience. My winter knives are an old SR Howler with ResC handle and a Falkniven F1 with the rubber handle. Exposed tangs are killer cold. My Busses, micarta-handled SRs, etc go into hibernation in the winter. Rubber handles are the only way to go in really cold conditions. Anything else is a workaround, for me anyway.
Regarding gloves, mittens, etc - I know about such apparel. I use them. I still feel the pain of contact with exposed metal through them. Regarding keeping knife under clothes. Not very convenient and not possible to keep metal warm if you actually have to use the thing out in the open and not under your clothes
. Of course, we should calibrate "cold". I'm talking sub-0F and especially sub -10F. If it is above 0 it is less of an issue. If it is above freezing, it is not an issue at all.
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Hidden tangs are useful here. If you don't have a hidden tang knife, simply take some gutted paracord (or other wrapping material) and use it to wrap the handle. This will provide some insulation effect against the cold tang. Of course if you are just egging for an excuse to buy a new knife, then by no means should you take the above 'work-around' too seriously
Also keeping the knife warm as k_estela indicated. Most coats (except bomber-style jackets) cover the belt portion of your body so a belted knife will stay warm when covered by your jacket (albeit it is less accessible). Smaller knives often can fit into the larger pockets of a coat. This might make access a little easier and usually the pocket environment is warm enough to keep the tang from getting too cold. For larger choppers attached or inside your pack, just use gloves. You don't need a fine control grip for these applications.
Also keeping the knife warm as k_estela indicated. Most coats (except bomber-style jackets) cover the belt portion of your body so a belted knife will stay warm when covered by your jacket (albeit it is less accessible). Smaller knives often can fit into the larger pockets of a coat. This might make access a little easier and usually the pocket environment is warm enough to keep the tang from getting too cold. For larger choppers attached or inside your pack, just use gloves. You don't need a fine control grip for these applications.
mtnfolk mike
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i'll second that one kev...:thumbup: great stuff man..
just about all of my knives ar full tang.... i hev never had a problem with the steel being too cold... but the again, i live in sunny CALIFORNIA... if it's really cold i tend to to wear gloves, just about the whole time i'm out... and yes i do take them off, for more delicate/messy work....
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I believe wooden handle slabs are an improvement over micarta in cold weather. Wood is also lighter, in most cases, but not as durable as canvas micarta. A full, exposed-tang can be very cold in cold weather, but the surface area of the slabs is much greater, so wood should help.
If that's not enough, the best bet is a full, concealed-tang scandi. Some of these knives are very robust, especially the Finnish models by Ahti or Kellam.
If that's not enough, the best bet is a full, concealed-tang scandi. Some of these knives are very robust, especially the Finnish models by Ahti or Kellam.
Hidden tangs are useful here. If you don't have a hidden tang knife, simply take some gutted paracord (or other wrapping material) and use it to wrap the handle. This will provide some insulation effect against the cold tang. Of course if you are just egging for an excuse to buy a new knife, then by no means should you take the above 'work-around' too seriously
...
I have thought to wrap handles with something (paracord, bike handlebar wrap for example) but I don't. My stubby fingers just can't get a good grip on a fattened handle. I've tried lots of experiments, but always come back to the rubber handles in winter.