Define "Camp Knife"

Well I went camping last year and left the new axe I had bought especially for the trip hanging in my shed back home....oops.....so for that trip my Scrapyard Dumpster mutt was my camp knife !
While I found an axe is great at splitting large rounds of wood I find it easier to batton with a knife to get the wood into kindling( to each their own I guess )so for me my camp knife will batton wood, maybe carve a few spare tent stakes, maybe turned around to hammer tent stakes in using the spine,maybe cut up food and finally since I camp in bear and cougar country there is a slim chance it may also be needed for defense !
This will be my camp knife this year......
P6150017.jpg

Since I will be car camping so weight is not an issue, I will most likely take this one along as well for food prep and maybe a little wood whittling to relax....
P6130013.jpg


Thanks for this thread, I can't wait to get camping again now !!!!!!
 
To me a camp knife wouldn't be used for food prep. It would be a largish blade, kind of a beater, that would be used for making and sustaining the camp site - digging latrines, firewood, perhaps making camp furniture, etc. A Tram Bolo would be the quintessential camp knife, or in my case, my Machax.

Doc
 
DOC-CANADA said:
To me a camp knife wouldn't be used for food prep. It would be a largish blade, kind of a beater, that would be used for making and sustaining the camp site - digging latrines, firewood, perhaps making camp furniture, etc. A Tram Bolo would be the quintessential camp knife, or in my case, my Machax.

Doc
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Making Camp Furniture ! Damn your old school Doc, I love it !!!!!:D:thumbup:
 
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pitdog said:
Making Camp Furiture ! Damn your old school Doc, I love it !!!!!:D:thumbup:
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No, Camp Furiture is what I wear on my face. :D

My camp furniture would normally be limited to lashing a table top between a couple of trees to make it easier on the back.

Doc
 
DOC-CANADA said:
To me a camp knife wouldn't be used for food prep. It would be a largish blade, kind of a beater, that would be used for making and sustaining the camp site - digging latrines, firewood, perhaps making camp furniture, etc. A Tram Bolo would be the quintessential camp knife, or in my case, my Machax.

Doc
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Yes, this sums up mine idea of a camp knife. I usually bring my Martindale Golok and sometimes my Estwing hatchet.

I also think AllenC, had a great point. I do think it is a slightly outdated term.

To update it, "car camp knife." would be more accurate. A true camp knife probably would be a long term camping/hunting trip with horses.

Most people do 2 kinds of camping, car camping and Back packing.

When I go back packing, I don't bring a camp knife.
 
DOC-CANADA said:
No, Camp Furiture is what I wear on my face. :D

My camp furniture would normally be limited to lashing a table top between a couple of trees to make it easier on the back.

Doc
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I usually just put stuff like that when I post at night after partaking in one too many wheat and hop beverages !!!!:D
 
we got a few humback for camp knives, and farmer and I seem to have some similar thoughts.

I baton and chop all the time with 3/32 and 1/8 blades :D
 
Good thread Mac. To me alot of the terms referred to knife styles have become generic words like tactical knife, camp knife, survival knife, etc. To me there are 2 types of camp knives. "Camp knife" would be a large heavy blade, 7 to 10 inch for the bull work setting up and maintaining your campsite. It would be used for cutting shelter poles, limbing, splitting kindling and batoning. Next would be the food prep or "Kitchen camp knife" This would be the smaller thinner blade, 4 to 6 inch blade. Food prep and cooking.
Wood carving or "bushcraft" would be for small 4" and under blades or folders.
Scott
 
I think it makes sense to acknowledge (as one datum for your inquiry, Pict) the existence and current production of a knife called a "Camp Knife" by major manufacturer Ka-Bar--their Model 1244 "Camp Knife". 8-inch blade, 2 inches wide, 1095 steel (how thick--anyone know?), recurved edge. It's definitely intended to chop. At the same time, it's not absolutely massive. As I think about it, I've never heard anyone who used the term "camp knife" of a machete, so there may be kind of a sense that if the blade gets up over the 10 or 12 inch range, you may be leaving the domain of the classic "camp knife". Also, Tim Lively, in his knifemaking videos, makes what he calls a "camp knife". His has maybe a 10-inch blade, give or take, a half guard, seems about 2 inches or more wide, and is made out of truck spring steel. Definitely a chopper.
 
I do not know how to define a 'camp knife' except as one that is rarely used outside of a camping/backpacking experience. Of course, the exception to this are my fillet knives and skinners. So...what I would call my 'camp knives' include:

1. Vic SwissChamp

http://www.swissarmy.com/multitools/Pages/toolmatch.aspx

2. Mora 860? Clipper with carbon steel blade (I think that's the right model)

3. CRKT Kasper

4. Some form of machete.

All of these fit my very broad definition of 'camp knife' as I do not use them in my regular course of life. They stay pretty much packed away, itching to see the trail...
 
I also think the notion of the large camp knife is mostly just a "security blanket" for those who are afraid.
 
allenC said:
I also think the notion of the large camp knife is mostly just a "security blanket" for those who are afraid.
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Yea at night those big ole' logs are scary.....so morning time I hack'em up with my Chopweiler or Dogfather or maybe use the FBM:D
 
If I had an AXE--one of these along would cover just about everything I would need a knife to do...

http://www.putfile.com/pic/8302020

If I did not have room for the AXE(backpacking trip) and had to bring only one knife to cover all bases(from food prep to shelter building,etc) it would be of the top 2 in either photo
(although I'm POSITIVE I speak for everyone here--that we would NEVER choose to bring ONE knife to cover ALL bases.

http://www.putfile.com/pic/7606164
--------
http://www.putfile.com/pic/8039501

This is for a Camp set up in TEXAS --If I was in the Jungle or some other area--My choices would have to be determined on TERRAIN...
 
ah, i'll be honest here, i normally have between 8 - 20 knives with me when camping anyways....ranging from small slicers for detail work, to tree fallers.

maybe the term should be camp KNIVES ;):thumbup:
 
Ebbtide said:
A camp knife is a really butch kitchen knife.
:D
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I like that one a lot :D

Regarding use, my camp knife is for kitchen work, cutting vegies, cleaning and skinning; whittling tent pegs or anything that needs whittled; cutting rope; digging splinters out of my hand, etc.

Regarding size, a 4-5" blade, and a 4-5" handle with a good grip and preferably non-slip texture. Straight, drop point or clip point. Some kind of small guard or finger groove to keep my hand off the blade.

My two go-to knives now are the Mora Clipper and slightly larger Coldsteel Master Hunter; just because I happen to own them, I know others have their similar favorites. I also like a homemade butcher knife I found at a yard sale, made from an industrial hacksaw blade with wooden handles, which I modified to my hand requirements.

In addition of course, a multi-blade folder and machete.
 
For me a very good camp knive is the Mora 2000-can hanlde some batoning,works greath on wood and it slises like hell!Perfect for food preparation.

Right now i'm watching the European football cup - semi final - Turkey - Germany - 2:2 ,86 minute - great game :)
 
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