Horses and Courses

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okbohn

Joined
May 26, 2006
Messages
3,799
I have seen a bunch of threads lately...

Does X knife work for Y task? Specifically we have seen it here about the RC5 and elsewhere about other knives (first one I think of is the BRKT Bravo 1, but others).

I think it is important to help people realize knives are very versatile tools, but they excel at a particular task. And it is hard to beat a knife at its given task.

An upswept hunter is almost impossible to beat at cutting flesh.

A spear point is perfect for drilling.

A blade heavy knife chops like no tomorrow.


A "general use" knife is a bunch of compromises brought together to make a good knife. Like owning a single screwdriver. I choose a knife either by the task, or by the primary task and understand everything else is a compromise.

This is just how I think--what do you think?
 
My father and my grandfather before him, along with my grandfather on my mothers side, all made due with just a few general purpose knives.

A Buck 110, a 2 blade pocket knife with a regular blade and a spey blade, and a larger sheath knife, all Buck, were all my father had most of his life and they covered a very wide range of tasks. Working, hunting, gardening, food prep, they covered it all.

I've recently started getting rid of alot of knives that are filling similar roles. I inadvertently became a collector. I went through what I had and decided what worked best for me and started selling and trading all but my favorites.

Spyderco and RAT are all that survived.

With a decent folder and an RC-4, I think I'd be set for life. I'm sure I'll end up having a few of each but whatever.
 
I find myself using a few as well...my favorites. I come back to some of the general knives as what I want for everything. But if you compare something like a Buck 110 to a good upswept hunter for slicing meat, I'll choose the upswept every time.

Or a RC3 and a Chef's knife in for chopping onions...chef's knife.

Or a fillet knife and a RC 4 for camping, RC 4 every time.

Horses for courses....some horses run on more courses than others! :D
 
Yea, I kind of excluded specialized blades like a fillet knife or kitchen knives.

My dad didn't fish and my Mom did all the cooking so, ya know.
 
okbohn,
I want to build a log cabin, will the Izula work for that?
I also want to spread mayonnaise on a slice of bread, is the RC-5 up to the task?:D
 
I like knives since 10 years old, I have 37 now, when you live in a third world country and really few money can't know what a good knife is. I start collecting each blade I could find and buy with a limit budget all my youth, when and start to work and got some money my first "good" knife was an Aitor Jungle King II.
But there was not Internet in that time, not even a good magazine to see good knives in this country, when I start visist the only two gunshops in Costa Rica I find some nice knives but no idea was or them are good knives.
Took me long time, lot of money and all my patience to learn some about knives here, You are really lucky to live in a place where you can get all you want just limit buy your budget, I think the best knife for the job is the knife you have in your hand in that moment, I saw some threats about "what is your combo for survival", "EDC on emergency moments", "best selfdefense knife", come on, In a perfect world you don't become lost with your perfect tools, people just Don't Lost, I have plenty of knives now from several knives brands, some really good for me other just to remember my begining.

I am thinking to start buying Rat knives for all your comments and pics, and because I like good knives, I don't have all the money I wish to spend in knives, but I try to have a good knife with me all the time, you never know when you need if and for what task, but better the knife is easier the task.

I hope to become a RAT brother when the dealer answer to me........
 
I'm not a believer in the "one knife" theory.
I think that you should pick a good general purpose knife for most of your work. Your choice should be the knife that does the most of the chores that YOU do with a knife well.
Then there's just certain things that just about demand a specialized knife. For instance, I will dedicate a knife to fileting, skinning and chopping.

The question may come up of whether or not we need all these high-end knives most of us have. I mean, do I need a $300 Busse Boney Active Duty when a Ka-Bar Mule or Buck 110 will do the same jobs? No. Do I need a $200 kukri to do my chopping when a $9 hardware store hatchet or machete will do the same jobs? No.

I used to be of the "purely practical" mindset, but that all changed. I had an epiphany while waiting to have part of my foot cut off last year. Anything I have, including my life, can be taken from me at a moment's notice. Why not spend the time I have on what I really want, rather than conforming to what people think I need?

So, that Hellrazor I was lusting after but had no real use for? Got it. Battle Mistress? Got it. I've been spending a lot more time dayhiking and camping (er, nighthiking, since I work the vampire shift), rather than putting it off to wait on the Big Trip later on.

So, as long as my obligations are met, why not enjoy myself with the excess?
 
BillyKen said:
I like knives since 10 years old, I have 37 now, when you live in a third world country and really few money can't know what a good knife is. I start collecting each blade I could find and buy with a limit budget all my youth, when and start to work and got some money my first "good" knife was an Aitor Jungle King II.
But there was not Internet in that time, not even a good magazine to see good knives in this country, when I start visist the only two gunshops in Costa Rica I find some nice knives but no idea was or them are good knives.
Took me long time, lot of money and all my patience to learn some about knives here, You are really lucky to live in a place where you can get all you want just limit buy your budget, I think the best knife for the job is the knife you have in your hand in that moment, I saw some threats about "what is your combo for survival", "EDC on emergency moments", "best selfdefense knife", come on, In a perfect world you don't become lost with your perfect tools, people just Don't Lost, I have plenty of knives now from several knives brands, some really good for me other just to remember my begining.

I am thinking to start buying Rat knives for all your comments and pics, and because I like good knives, I don't have all the money I wish to spend in knives, but I try to have a good knife with me all the time, you never know when you need if and for what task, but better the knife is easier the task.

I hope to become a RAT brother when the dealer answer to me........
Click to expand...

Yea, we here in the states are spoiled. Like you said, only our budget limits us in what we can get.

I think you'll be very pleased if you choose to purchace a RAT cutlery blade, but thats not required to join this little brotherhood. All you have to do is come here and share your experiences and opinions.

Welcome to the RAT pack.:thumbup:
 
okbohn said:
I have seen a bunch of threads lately...

Does X knife work for Y task? Specifically we have seen it here about the RC5 and elsewhere about other knives (first one I think of is the BRKT Bravo 1, but others).

I think it is important to help people realize knives are very versatile tools, but they excel at a particular task. And it is hard to beat a knife at its given task.

An upswept hunter is almost impossible to beat at cutting flesh.

A spear point is perfect for drilling.

A blade heavy knife chops like no tomorrow.


A "general use" knife is a bunch of compromises brought together to make a good knife. Like owning a single screwdriver. I choose a knife either by the task, or by the primary task and understand everything else is a compromise.

This is just how I think--what do you think?
Click to expand...

I think...YES!
 
shotgunner11 said:
My father and my grandfather before him, along with my grandfather on my mothers side, all made due with just a few general purpose knives.

A Buck 110, a 2 blade pocket knife with a regular blade and a spey blade, and a larger sheath knife, all Buck, were all my father had most of his life and they covered a very wide range of tasks. Working, hunting, gardening, food prep, they covered it all.

I've recently started getting rid of alot of knives that are filling similar roles. I inadvertently became a collector. I went through what I had and decided what worked best for me and started selling and trading all but my favorites.

Spyderco and RAT are all that survived.

With a decent folder and an RC-4, I think I'd be set for life. I'm sure I'll end up having a few of each but whatever.
Click to expand...

I've been doing the same. I have reduced my knives from about 40 to 15. Only my essential users are still around. I got tired of just looking at some of them and not ever putting them to their intended uses. I'm sure that the collection will thin out some more as time goes on, or at least it will change. And of course all my RATS are still with me and I am anxious to get more. :thumbup:
 
Thanks, Shotgunner11.

I hope get the knives I request to Knife Supply, and then can speak with some experience about RAT, but really I dont belive too many people with a lot of experience is wrong, all of you know what are you talking, just want mines to be happy like all you guys.
 
I started edc'n my RC3MIL again,but just heading outdoors fishing or piddling I take my RC4 Great all round blade,one of my top Favorites :thumbup:
IMG_1609.jpg

The green band of paracord is used as a choker to keep tension on the firesteel no matter the useage & never worry about losing...w/ White Photon LED Freedom micro... coupled with LM wave on RH side.
 
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