How Big Is A Survival Knife ?

pitdog said:
And then just when all was well I got a ChopWeiler....
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And this feels perfect, I keep holding it and thinking if the SHTF now and I had to grab one knife this would be it.....knife perfection.....damn, not so long back I thought 4" was just right !!! Man am I confused !!!!!
The only thing that I have been constant with is that Mora's suck !
Where will it end ?
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In my more practical moments (I do have them), I would say that the BRKT Northstar or Aurora would be the best bet. Or maybe even the Skookum Bush Tool that I've been waiting to receive for about 6 months.

But, alas, I too have now been bitten by the Chopweiler. Mine has a sage/desert olive finish with tan canvas micarta scales. This color choice is intended to allow the knife to blend into the desert terrain that I inhabit.

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This knife feels better in the hand than any other large blade I have handled in a long time.

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When used to chop wood, the palm swell toward the back of the handle can be grasped securely, providing almost an extra inch of effective chopping leverage.

I like the Choppy so much I was unable to stop myself from also ordering a Rat Mastiff, which is almost identical to the Chopweiler except that the blade is 2 1/4" longer.

So, do you feel enabled yet? :D
 
The Chopweiler bug can be very Contagious ,by just looking at it or ,if you handle one you are doomed ...if not sooner it will get you later,haunting your dreams until you pick up one...
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Tony, I must demand that you stop showing that sweet setup!

(Just a bunch of cotton pickin, lily livered, knife enablers around here!) :p
 
Chopweiler fits perfectly in a large Spec-Ops. :thumbup:

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misanthropist said:
I just have to know...what is the task that you assigned to a mora where it failed so badly? I mean I assume you must have owned a few...what were you doing to them when they failed you so terribly?

I am really stuck on this as I have owned so many simple, wood-handled moras and they have performed really well, in most cases out-performing much more expensive knives!

So what was it that you were doing with them when they failed on you?
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I got back from a 10 day trip to Hawaii. I took a Mora, a couple of spydercos, and a SAK Vic Farmer. I did this on purpose, because I didn't know if the knives would be missing from checked luggage either way - they weren't - TSA was good! I tried using the mora for all kinds of mundane tasks, cutting bagels, cheese, real hard use kind of stuff. The scandi grind sucked. It was waaaay too thick. I inevitably would put the mora down and get my Vic farmer. The flat grind worked much better. I can't think of a task where a mora would beat the SAK.

I also have a Swamp Rat Bandicoot with a high flat grind and a thinned out edge that does much better on wood than any of my moras.

So there you go. For a cheap knife, like Elen said, they're ok. But there are much better choices out there for not much more money.
 
You know, I think if people spent more time on developing skills rather than playing 'my knife is better than your knife' they would be much further ahead, survival-wise.

Doc
 
I would have no problem in the wild with a Vic Farmer or Trekker. If I had plenty of carry space I would add My light weight hatchet or Hawk. I have plenty of Big knives but they are reserved to carry in the truck.
 
My favorite survival knife has a 7" blade... big enough to chop/baton, no so big that it can't be used for finer work if you choke up on the knife and use the choil. Pair that 7" knife with a Victorinox OHT and you are good to go.

My favorite knives in that category that I own:
1. Busse ASH1 LE
2. Swamp Rat Camp Tramp (my current user)
3. Swamp Rat Ratweiler
4. Swamp Rat Chopweiler

I also like the Strider SnG for a TOUGH folder and my Scrap Yard DF LE for my chopper.

If I'm prepared for wilderness time I'll have the 7" knife + OHT in a Spec Ops sheath. For EDC it is my Strider SnG in my pocket and a Leatherman Squirt S4 + tiny Suunto compass + Fenix LOD on my keyring.
 
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Ya... Well my Douk Douk can kick ALL your SwampRat/Busse/Scrap Yard/Bark River/Mora 's a$$!!!

How do ya like that!!!???!!!???

Sorry... I just had to throw that in! I ordered 2 Douk Douk's last week (same time I ordered the Mora's.. Different companies though) and they should be in ANY time now. For those not familiar with the humble Douk Douk.. Check out these links:

CoveCutlery.com

Hope Don doesn't get mad about this one...
Donrearic.com

A nice little Wikipedia entry about the Douk Douk

Probably have to add one to my Survival kit..... Come on Mr. Postman!
 
Ya... There are just SOOOOOOO many great knives out there, and Pitdog showed that in his initial photos... Just great knives.

Great thread Pitdog! Thanks!
 
Rescue Mike said:
Ya... Well my Douk Douk can kick ALL your SwampRat/Busse/Scrap Yard/Bark River/Mora 's a$$!!!

How do ya like that!!!???!!!???

Sorry... I just had to throw that in! I ordered 2 Douk Douk's last week (same time I ordered the Mora's.. Different companies though) and they should be in ANY time now. For those not familiar with the humble Douk Douk.. Check out these links:

CoveCutlery.com

Hope Don doesn't get mad about this one...
Donrearic.com

A nice little Wikipedia entry about the Douk Douk

Probably have to add one to my Survival kit..... Come on Mr. Postman!
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Douk Douks are great...my girlfriend has one and it is awesome for light duty tasks and kitchen work.

I agree that moras are a little on the thick and steep side for cutting kitchen stuff. A 1/16 flat ground knife will definitely outperform practically anything for slicing duties!
 
After a little thought, the knife I would probably count on is my Vic Explore as its my 24/7/365 knife. That is for the last 35 years.
 
misanthropist said:
I agree that moras are a little on the thick and steep side for cutting kitchen stuff.
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Now that is a first! I thought all moras were between .1 and .13" thick - seems thin enough for kitchen duty to me....(I can see how the scandi grind may not be as good as a flat though for slicing veggies)
 
Well, I guess it's not bad...but exactly as you say, the scandi grind is not great for this...too steep. If the blade were thinner or the grind were shallower, or both, as per a swiss army knife, you'd definitely have a better slicer. Naturally that would come at a cost, of course.
 
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