how big for a heavy knife??

RescueRiley

RescueRiley

Joined
Mar 22, 2006
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I know most people prefer a length of 9 + inches for a "chopper" and allot of people claiim they don't understand a niche for the midrange 6-8 inch knives..I don't know if its my location per say but I find I don't do that much chopping per say... I do a fair amount of splitting and some limbing (which requires a heavy use knife) and any tree up to wrist thick can be brought down with any belt knife, or a saw form a sak..if pressed in to service for chopping a blade in the 7 inch blade will work, if pressed in to service for smaller work it can be made to work as well. It has more than enough size to be used effectively with a baton to split relatively large wood, and if used with a baton to truncate at angles it can be used to section larget logs in a safer more energy efficient way than chopping.

So why the extra inches?? while giving you an advantage in regards to chopping it would seem to detract from the blades ability to be pressed into service for detailed work if need be... Or does it? I don't own any blades in that class so I genuinely don't know.. but when for example I compare a bk7 to a bk9 or an rc 6 to an rtak.. I'm always like wow that's allota extra blade

not trying to start a flame war just drawing on expreiences of others..so let's keep it civil, just looking for thoughts
 
I used to prefer a 9" blade for a chopper. But have found that (for my use anyway) a 7" blade is plenty and can still be used carefully for finer tasks. I don't do a whole lot of chopping anymore though, but when I do, I don't miss a longer blade. I also like the 7" for slightly more compactness as well.
 
It also depends on how wide the blade is. My perfect all-purpose camp knife would have a 7 inch blade but also be about two inches wide. Stout enough for any task! :)
 
I think the Busse NMFNO is probably the best mid-sized blade I have. It's right on the 8'' blade length so it's no small fry.

I do notice how much lighter it is than my choppers and it is easier to do fiddly tasks with. It's always going to be a compromise though, doesn't chop as well as my big blades and doesn't do the small stuff as well as my Koster Bushcraft.

If I go smaller than that then it's the Busse ASH-1. It's a lot of blade but I find that reassuring as I tend to beat/abuse my knives and don't accept failure from them.
 
Hey RescueRiley - I think it is 'is the glass half empty or half full' kind of thing. Myself, I value mid-sized blades in the 6" to 7" category. I think that they really are the kind of knives that can do it all including the detailed work while still getting away with the heavy stuff. There is very little that you can't do with a 6" blade that a 9" blade can do, other than the big one will chop quicker. Similarly, the 4" blades and less are better cutters and have finer control with their tips but you can still manage pretty good with a 6" blade. Personally, I see the compromise as a good one. You've eliminated weight, made belt carry much easier and comfortable and retained full functionality.

Other folks like to view it as the glass half empty. They aren't the best at small things and they aren't the best at big things. If you have the luxury of bringing a chopper plus small knife then I agree that the combo is going to give you better tools for all kinds of tasks. However, sometimes I don't have the luxury of multiple tools. Sometimes I just want one really good, kickass tool. Thats where the mid-size blade comes in.

Then again, I have forgone all self-illusions that I buy knives just to find the perfect combo and when I do find it I will quit my little habit. No sir, I am very likely to continue this odyssey of a buying through my life and as such, I don't sweat having different options of blade combo's or all rounders at my disposal :D
 
For a mid size knife I like the Becker Bk-2 Campanion, although the Rat 5 is so similar in specs that there's probably not a great deal of difference. It's a five inch blade that, because it's .25 inches thick, has enough weight to use for chopping when necessary, yet is small enough to be controllable for smaller tasks. If I could carry two blades, then the other one would be a thinner blade around three inches for the detail work. If I need to attack any wood thicker than the BK-2 can easily handle, then I go to a collapsable saw.
 
I think I need to add a few more knives to my collection before I can give a well-reasoned response to this question. As it stands, my opinions are based on what I own and / or have used, and there's a curious gap in my collection between 5" and 9", save for a Ka-Bar or two. My BK-9 was my first 'big knife', purchased with chopping in mind, and it performed so well that I assumed that its characteristics and dimensions were generally ideal for heavier chopping tasks. When I'm not planning on doing much chopping, I make do with a 5" blade, which seems to be a perfect size for an all-'rounder.

So, long story short, in the interests of experimentation, I need to get a few more 6-8" blades!

All the best,

- Mike
 
to me, with a 6-8 inch blade, the chopping ability that you gain with the extra few inches does not compensate fo the loss of controll. i would rather have either full chopping or fulll controll rather than 1/2 chopping and 1/2 controll. that is just me though.
 
I can never see a time when I'd need a larger blade than the 7 1/2" one that is my Swamprat Chopweiler !
 
If I want A knife as a chopper then I take my kukri which can also drawknife etc.

If I am wanting to travel really light then I just take along a blade in the 5 inch range, or at most the 6-7 inch range. However I don't usualy chop with these blades as it is much more energy efficient as well as safer to use a baton with them.

Occasionaly if I anticipate having to split firewood then I will take along a hatchet though the kukri is what I carry 98% of the time.
 
For me, the 6-7 inch blades dont do it. I loose to much fine control, and dont gain any real chopping ability. I much prefer a 8-10" blade with some wieght to it. I dont find any blade I carry cumbersome or "to heavy", but I wear 20+ pounds of tools on my waist for 8-10 hours a day, 5-6 days a week. I just dont notice a heavy knife. I know its there, but it doesnt bother me..but thats me. I can imagine, it could get annoying to some.
As for USING a big knife, I actually prefer 8 or 9 inches. 8 inches with some heft to it is a great compromise, 9 inches is even better. for detailed work, I just slip the lanyard over my wrist (ala- Ron Hood) and grasp the back of the tip, or I hold the handle in my right hand, and hold the tip in my left, this gives me a bit more leverage, for detailed carving. I would never worry about only having a "big" blade. As far a 1 blade to do it all, I have just about given up on that quest...One chopper, a 4 incher, and a SAK seems to cover it all, and I carry a gerber folding saw as well..the more the merrier in my book.
I have kinda come full circle lately..I used to only like the biguns..then I discovered bushcrafty blades..and now..I am finding myself leaning towards the big knife does more camp again...dont get me wrong, I am not gonna sell my whole collection of 4 inchers...( I bet some of you are cursing under your breath right now:D) but I am looking into some choppers again. I have to say, the CS Trailmaster is a pretty darn good bowie..strong, takes a wicked edge, has some heft to it, and I like the handle. Thats my take on it anyway...sorry for the long post guys. Gene
EDIT: +1 for Kukris as well as bowies..I have been taking these out from time to time..way more power than a bowie, but I find them hard to use for finer work...not that its impossible, just ackward for me.
 
Not to sidetrack this thread, but Pit how do you like your Chopweiler? I've been thinking about trying to pick one up.
 
vret said:
Not to sidetrack this thread, but Pit how do you like your Chopweiler? I've been thinking about trying to pick one up.
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It's one knife that I have had zero regrets in buying, love it, only downside is that I don't think I'll ever want to replace it with anything else !
It chops like a much larger knife and keeps a razors edge forever !!!!
 
Thanks much for the info. Looks like I'll have to step up my efforts to pick one up. :D
 
A well made, full convex, 7” blade is all I really need for most chopping /splitting jobs that I will use a knife for.

Other jobs may require specialized tools, but I would not consider them knives.




"If you're not living on the edge, …you're taking up too much space."

Big Mike
 
Big Mike said:
A well made, full convex, 7” blade is all I really need for most chopping /splitting jobs that I will use a knife for.

Big Mike
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+1
My 7-8 inch blades are go-to woods blades for me.
I often carry a folding saw for bigger cutting jobs. ( In the winter in colder climes I would carry an axe)
 
I hardly do any chopping since I carry a folding saw, as I feel I can get through wood quicker and cleaner. However, I do see an advantage to a 9" -11" blade over a 5-8" The HI Khuk is the strongest chopper I have, with my David Farmer Golok following close behind!


gunknifenut said:
As far a 1 blade to do it all, I have just about given up on that quest...One chopper, a 4 incher, and a SAK seems to cover it all, and I carry a gerber folding saw as well..the more the merrier in my book.
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Amen:thumbup:


gunknifenut said:
...dont get me wrong, I am not gonna sell my whole collection of 4 inchers...(.
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If you do, I want the skookum!! and some others....
 
Hey RR, come meet up with us for the camping trip to the Aderondacks and you can play with the 10 Busse knives I am bringing. From small like the active duty, to large like NMFBM.
 
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