Help a newbie with fixed blade....please?

Joined
Apr 11, 2004
Messages
540
I have spent many hours looking through the threads here. Great forum.

I have learned a massive amount amount already, but am looking for some opinions beyond what I could dig up with the search feature.

I currently own a few knives.

Small SAK from Wenger.
CRK&T Mirage folder (3" blade)
Kershaw Chive (carry all the time)
Leatherman Squirt (scissors - I used this for Lacrosse coaching)
I also have a throwing knife of unknown origin. It is rather cheesy... :rolleyes:

I am looking for a camp knife. Large fixed blade, but not so large that carrying would be cumbersome. I thought 7" would do fine, but I am not sold on that size. I would like the knife to be able to do some light chopping, hammering tent spikes maybe, various cutting/slicing tasks around the camp site including cooking and whittling and so on.

My budget is around $150, but less is better!

I have wanted no less than 20 knives in the last week so you can see I am having decision problems. Right now, my 2 favorites are:

BK&T - BK7 (Desert series)
Swamprat - Camp Tramp (also Desert series)

I think I like the lighter look over the black look, but whatever.

I have looked at some standard military blades (Ka-Bar, SOG Seal) and didn't care for them much. They seemed almost to...military???

Any help would be wonderful!
 
Get the BK-7...It's "alot" of knife for not-alot of money...A REAL bargain, and a real "working knife".
 
My vote goes for the SwampRat Camp Tramp. They are tough as nails, and the no BS lifetime warranty follows the knife not the purchaser. So even if you buy used, it's still covered. I have both the Tan and the Black, and from what I've noticed the Tan is a more durable finish. Looks cooler to me also.

Check out RatChat over at the SwampRat site and you can dig up a wealth of info. Real friendly folks also.

Rob
 
Thank you folks. I will continue looking. I have to say that I do thik the Rat is a bit nicer, but with value in mind, the BK7 seems to do better.

I like that warranty though...
 
I have never been tempted to sale my camp tramp. I have it nestled in a custom leather Mt. Mike sheath and it is a heavy duty user. The convex edge sharpens up with a little stroping. Near perfect.
 
I have a BK-7 that I have used,abused,bashed,and beaten and it never backs down and is ready for more. I can highly recommend the BK-7 as a tough as nails knife and a good cutter. I also like the rep and looks of the Swamprat knives and plan to get one of them soon. For your $150 you can get a BK-7 and a SR Howling rat and there would not be a camp chore or any chore that you couldn't handle. Good luck on your choices either or both would do fine.



Dean
 
The Becker C/U-7 is a good working knife but it's not a chopper, as the balance is fairly central. The Camp Tramp is one of the heaviest bladed knives in its size category and will work much better for the work you describe. I'm a fan of the Becker knives but the Rats are a step up. Unless you have big hands you'll likely find the Rat handles more comfortable, too. I haven't tried the Becker desert coating, but the Rat desert coating is one of the toughest coatings out there. It's actually tougher than their black coating, which is tough too. It's not just the colors that are different, it's a completely different texture.

Again, the Beckers are high quality knives, but the Camp Tramp will take care of the jobs you listed better.
 
Here's another thought: you could get a Cold Steel SRK or Trailmaster. Disregarding the varied opinions that forum members hold on the company and their president :p :) , CS makes some good fixed blades. The Trailmaster is a 9 1/2" blade and a wonderful chopper, the SRK is a 6" blade and feels really nice in the hand. It does decent with chopping. Check out this site, if you think of getting one of the CS blades: http://www.ltspecpro.com

Go to the "fixed blades" section, and they can be found somewhere in there. You can also get them as a second for $99 (Trailmaster) or $50 (SRK), if you are looking to save money.

Enjoy your search and tell us what you end up with.
 
My vote is for the Camp Tramp. I don't own one yet but I've handled my friends and it is quite a blade. I own a BK5 and I'm very happy with it as a camp knife but the CT is in another league when it comes to more heavy duty chores. Plus you can't beat SR's quarentee.
 
Very helpful folks. I will check out the cold steel knives right away (although I fear that I will want that too!).

It is interesting how may people have opinions about the different knives. It makes me feel better that I am undecided. Clearly, both knives are a good choice so at least I'm on the right track.

I have found a number of new pictures of both knives (although looks are not the most important thing to me, on the internet looks and reputation/recommendations are all I have) and I think the desert CT is too light in color. Some pics it is grey, some tan, some greenish...very hard to tell what the thing really looks like. The BK is better looking to me every time.

Thanks again. Please keep the opinions coming if anybody else has them.

Edit: Checked out the cold steel. The SRK is nice. Reminds me of the Fallkniven A1 a bit (that was my choice 3 days ago). The Trailmaster is beautiful too, but the uncoated is expensive. I would prefer that satin finish on any of the knives I have looked at, but it seems more expensive each time. Still, add them to my dillema...lol.
 
The BK-7 will do what you need, but you may find that the BK-9 will work better, as it's a better chopper.
 
The coating is tan. What you are seeing differences in is the talent of various photographers' lighting skills and the quality of their cameras. This picture shows the coating as it actually looks.
Tan Rat Family
 
I'll wade in with my favorite camp knife: SOG Tigershark. It makes short work of camp chores..... and backyard chores too.

Cheers,

Carl
 
t1mpani said:
The coating is tan. What you are seeing differences in is the talent of various photographers' lighting skills and the quality of their cameras. This picture shows the coating as it actually looks.
Tan Rat Family

That is a fantastic picture. Thank you. That is a Battle Rat correct (big one).
Bandicoot and the Hawk...

Do I have that right?

Edit: Hawk... :rolleyes: I meant hatchet...
 
New Pig Hunter said:
I'll wade in with my favorite camp knife: SOG Tigershark. It makes short work of camp chores..... and backyard chores too.

Cheers,

Carl

Looked at that one. Liked it, but was intimidated by it's size. Not that I ruled it out.

Please call me crazy if you think this is a strange thought, but being new to all of this has made some impressions on me. I have found that some knives look the part of a tool and some look the part of a killing machine. For example the Swamp rat knives strike me as less intimidating because of their tool-like look IMO. The CT and the BR almost mimick a machete look. Then some other knives that would compete like the Cold Steel, and SOG and the BK have a more militant look to them. They just seem more combatant to me based on looks alone.

I'm crazy. Anbody else have thoughts like this or am I alone?
 
Hey man,I'm relatively new to this forum too,but not necessarily to knives. Have you ever heard of Kellam knives? I got a Kellam Wolverine for Christmas that I had been begging for,about the size you're looking for I think,and one of the best sheaths out there you can get. The Puukko style blade is one (if not the) best utilitarian knives I have. Doesn't get any sharper than this also,and a new tempering process they call STP,scientifically Precision Tempered,meaning ultra razor sharp,and tough as nails.Also,on a great plus side,only 87 bucks,thought I'd put my suggestion in.
 
Feuer said:
Hey man,I'm relatively new to this forum too,but not necessarily to knives. Have you ever heard of Kellam knives? I got a Kellam Wolverine for Christmas that I had been begging for,about the size you're looking for I think,and one of the best sheaths out there you can get. The Puukko style blade is one (if not the) best utilitarian knives I have. Doesn't get any sharper than this also,and a new tempering process they call STP,scientifically Precision Tempered,meaning ultra razor sharp,and tough as nails.Also,on a great plus side,only 87 bucks,thought I'd put my suggestion in.

Thanks for the suggestion! The only problem I see with the Wolverine is that it is only half the size of the other knives I was looking at. I am looking for a knife that can chop a bit too and that one strikes me as a knife that will not do so well as a light chopper. Looks to be a great slicer though.

No doubt that the Kellam lines are very nice though.
 
I think both would serve you well. Personally, I can't wait til the release of the Becker extremes. Micarta scales, S30V...... yum!
 
kbog said:
That is a fantastic picture. Thank you. That is a Battle Rat correct (big one).
Bandicoot and the Hawk...

Do I have that right?

Edit: Hawk... :rolleyes: I meant hatchet...


Actually, that's a Camp Tramp...it just looks so big because it's next to the Howling Rat.

I am actually of mixed feelings on the Extreme Beckers. I like the micarta handle idea. The BK-10 in S30V will be an excellent knife, but I'm not certain about the BK-7 and BK-9 in that steel. S30V is not a remarkably tough steel, and I don't think users will find it that satisfactory on large, rough-use knives. I know Mick Strider uses it, but he also makes thicker blades and thicker edges. I wish that Camillus would look at S3V for their big knives, as it isn't THAT much more expensive/hard to work with than S30V and is much stronger and tougher. I'd be all over an S3V BK-7!
 
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