dangit, I like my big knife!

[Bowie Mike]

I almost feel like I'm committing an act of heresy by stating this, but I like my big knife more so than any hatchet/hawk.QUOTE]

I prefer a big knife as well. I'm no expert, but I think many mountain men carried both a hawk and a large knife - and they lived it (instead of just writing about it like most of us). So I would say that either one could work great, just your personal preference.

Plus, if you carry both you can have twice as much fun. Some times I do carry both (BK9 or Trailmaster and a CS Trailhawk). The Trailhawk only costs about $25 so you can beat on just about anything, or dig with it and not feel bad about wrecking a blade. For me it's just fun to use both.

 

[GibsonFan]

90% of what I do I like my 14" tramontina. I am not real big on the mega dollar, big, heavy knives, just can't understand what they do that much better that warrants the huge price. Chris

You raise a good point, and I 99% agree, but it depends on what you consider "mega-dollar". I paid $125 for my satin TrailMaster and it was worth every penny, even though the handled sucked. The design, steel and heat-treat make it worth it to me; I'm the tinkering type so replacing the handle is no biggie. $1000 for a custom bowie to beat the crap out of in the woods? Ummm... no. I can't deny that your Tramontina will do about anything my Trailmaster can do at a much lower cost, though.

I have found my satin trailmaster chops almost as well as my fiskars hatchet so I usually just carry the trailmaster.

Exactly. A big bowie also has, in most cases, an extra sharp edge, and is way easier to use for more delicate cutting tasks as others mentioned.

If you have a lot of brush to clear a khukuri or even a machete is better than an axe or hatchet.

Also true, although perhaps not entirely relevant. The original post said something about "if I had to spend all day cutting wood, I'd bring a chainsaw"... fitting the tool to the work. But if I had to clear brush and choose between a hatchet and a bowie, I again choose the bowie.

I prefer a big knife as well. I'm no expert, but I think many mountain men carried both a hawk and a large knife - and they lived it (instead of just writing about it like most of us). So I would say that either one could work great, just your personal preference.

Plus, if you carry both you can have twice as much fun. Some times I do carry both (BK9 or Trailmaster and a CS Trailhawk). The Trailhawk only costs about $25 so you can beat on just about anything, or dig with it and not feel bad about wrecking a blade. For me it's just fun to use both.

Nothing for me to argue with there! I would MUCH sooner dig a hole with my Rifleman's hawk, than with any knife. Simply because the steel isn't tempered as hard, so it's less liable to chip and it's easier to sharpen back up after smashing it on rocks. Plus the Rifleman's has that nice heavy hammer poll on the back, better than whacking away at a tent peg with the butt of a knife. Definitely one of the best $30 I ever spent. Although I would point out that as far as I know, mountain men and pioneers and so forth also carried a much smaller knife, as do I. Which brings me to sort of a thread-drift... I would gladly leave my TM at home (and I have, just for fun) when I had my 'hawk AND a small (5" or less) fixed blade.

Given the choice, of course I prefer to have all three! (You'll know my tracks in the woods, by how deep they are from carrying all that steel! )

 

[darthstrevel]

I'd like to agree with Persky and Karl, regarding "Where You Are".

I'd also like to agree with Hollowdweller and Aproy regarding "Appropriateness and Usage".

It's all about where you are and what you will be doing that should dictate tool selection. I'll throw a third item into the mix, a Saw.
There are times when a Saw makes more sense than the hatchet or the Big Knife. (say it ain't so?)

In the end, it's what gets the job done for YOU. :thumbup:

RGR skunk...plus us california transplants always have to consider the sheeple reactions...nobody usually bats and eye when you carry a hatchet or hawk as they are usually percieved as a 'tool' not a weapon. A large knife draws strange looks here in CA! both have thier uses...guess it depends where and what I am doing...I don't bring either on my canoe fishing...just a 4" knife!

 

[sicily02]

For clearing a trail I like using my project II plain edge over my axe any day of the week. My brother in law here in south east NE. has some ceader trees
by one of his sheds that is between one part of his property and another part well I took my 7.5 inch blade and my lee reeves nessmuck double bit axe
and cleared a trail through the tree so much easyer with the knife by doing
snap cuts then with the axe. the branches being cut, cut much better with the knife than the axe when the branchs are longer. if i struck the base of the branch then the axe did better but that is not what needed done to clear the trail. all the axe did was move the branch and not cut it off were the cut was being made. the axe having a cutting surface of around 3 inchs vs. the 7.5 inch balde did not cut as well, it only moved the branch out the way.
So one up the large knife.
Any one else have this happen when clearing a trail?

 

[billy_cee]

In the woods I travel and the tasks I do, a knife is not going to "cut it". Much as I would like to drop the weight of my small axe, I would waste more energy trying to make do with the wrong blade and run a higher risk of injury.

Also either blade can act as a backup to the other if need be.

 

[FSCJedi]

I still have... ...a K-5 Tactical floating around the house for some reason, although I'm not entirely sure what I'll ever do with 'em.

1.) Which K5 do you have?

2.) Watcha want for it?





No, seriously.

 

[FSCJedi]

if i struck the base of the branch then the axe did better but that is not what needed done to clear the trail. all the axe did was move the branch and not cut it off were the cut was being made. the axe having a cutting surface of around 3 inchs vs. the 7.5 inch balde did not cut as well, it only moved the branch out the way.
So one up the large knife.
Any one else have this happen when clearing a trail?

Wouldn't removing the limb from the tree work better for a more permanent clearing of the trail than just trimming the limb so it grows back in a year? That's what I've done with all the trails I've blazed and maintained and I don't really have a problem with having to re-clear it in a year or two unless it's due to weeds.

 

[sicily02]

FSCJedi Depending on the trail that I am clearing depends on the lenth of the branches and how wide i need to clear the trail. The trail I cleared at
my brother in law's place was done nearly 20 years ago. I just did it again
about 5 weeks ago. All it needed was a few branches cut back a foot or even two if I had done clear to the trunk the space between the trees
would have been about 7 feet or so. The line of cedar trees serves as a
wind break for the farm. That is why I did the branches that had either
grown back from being green branches or just to take out a few more
branches that I thought would make going through that area better.
Hope this helps answer your question.

 

[Fonly]

I think a big knife has its place, as does an axe. I would reather carry an axe up here in northern alberta amist the woods, but I could see a big knife being nice if going on a hike, where weight was an issue and it could be stuffed in the pack.

 

[Shotgun]

For my area either could be used and are. I prefer an axe and a small knife just because I like having redundancy. 2 blades are better than one and all that. Of course on a day hike I would go with a large knife for going deep into the woods and a small knife for just hanging out at some of the popular trails. Mostly for weight issues but also I don't like having gear hanging off all parts of my body on day hikes. Of course the best idea is to bring a sucker...I mean buddy...with you to carry the axe while I go light.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

1.) Which K5 do you have?

2.) Watcha want for it?





No, seriously.

It's a Tactical model with hammer poll- sort of. For the way I used it I realized that I was more likely to hurt my own darn self with the extra sharpened edge than I was to find a use for it, so I dulled it down quite a bit. It's probably restorable, but I'm happier without it.


how 'bout a big knife?

If you'd seriously like to consider it, drop me an email at mkjray@mtaonline.net
so we keep ourselves outta trouble here.