Folding knife breakage?

M

MooreRushVai

Joined
Jan 8, 2015
Messages
9
Hello all.

I've got a condor 13" kukri as a chopper, a SOG 7" Seal Knife 2000 for medium jobs and a Gerber Gator 4" folding lockback knife for finer stuff.

The Gerber is a pretty stout knife but everyone on here recommends a fixed blade for "bushcraft" work.

Is this just bias or is it common for a lockback to break under normal or emergency use?

Both the condor or the SOG are stout enough for prying or batonning purposes, methinks.

Any opinions?

Thanks
B
 
I think it really depends on how a person defines bushcraft. I have a Gerber Gator myself, and it is a durable knife, but the fact remains that as a folding knife, it has the same weakness as any folder: moving parts. I would not pound on it, pry with it or subject it to anything placing undue stress on the blade that could cause those moving parts to fail. If it was all I had available, that's different, but using the right tool for the job is generally the best way to avoid breaking the other tool(s). It's not that breakage is common, but rather that it's easily avoided.
 
Sounds like a good basic setup to me. I'm not familiar with the Gerber you speak of but if you like it that's all that matters.

If you're asking if a folder is good to have in the bush the answer is yes. Your primary bush knife should probably be a fixed though for obvious reasons.

If someone told you your lockback would break, of course it can. Any folder can break. You have to use a knife as a knife, not a bludgeon with a screwdriver tip. Hopefully you are one of the blessed who know when you're about to abuse a knife.

Look, be happy with what you like. Hang around here a while and you'll learn all kinds of things. Meantime keep using what you have and enjoy.
 
Folding knives are about convenience, allowing you to have a knife on you at all times when a fixed blade knife is likely to be difficult to carry. I have little use for a folding knife at the hunting camp or in the boat. The exception being I do like to have a multi tool in addition to my fixed blade, usually a Victorinox or a Leatherman of some sort.

As much as I dislike Gerber now, there was a time when the Gator was a useful knife to me, however I would much prefer a Mora Companion or No 1.
 
By "finer stuff" you mean food prep and whittling a small feather stick, sure the Gerber would work finer.

For more strenuous bushcraft chores, let the SOG and Kukri handle it.

Or get you a nice 3"~4" fixed like the Becker BK14 or BK16.
 
Yup. I'm considering a Mora or something similar.

I also carry on my person, 24/7 a leatherman charge and, oftentimes a Swiss army knife. SO many tools between the two!
:-D
 
IMHO a folder doesnt so much break as much as the lock fails. For me a knife breaking means the blade snaps, pivot fails or the handle snaps. I have never had any of these happen. But i have had lock fail and the blade fold on my hand. Things like chopping, batoning and other hard used tasks? I wouldnt trust any folder accept a balisong (a good one) and even then only so far.
 
MooreRushVai said:
Yup. I'm considering a Mora or something similar.

I also carry on my person, 24/7 a leatherman charge and, oftentimes a Swiss army knife. SO many tools between the two!
:-D
Click to expand...

I love most all the Moras. You won't be disappointed, they are great knives.

I have the Bushcraft Black, No 1 carbon steel, No 2/0 carbon steel, and Companion carbon steel.
 
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