How many people still like big knives for survival?

Joined
Nov 21, 2000
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345
Hi People

Many people say that if you carry a big knife in the wild that you are some sort of Rambo

Some say that you can do what you need to with a four inch blade.

I feel this way:

In a survival situation I think I should have at least three knives.

A big knife like a kukri or chopping bowie

A fixed blade with about a four inch blade

A multi tool type knife


The reason I feel this way is because I cant easily build a lean to with a pocket knife and I cant skin a squirrel with a bowie.
And I dont feel that this is too much to carry, shoot most of the time I carry a pocket knife and I have a bush knife on my bug out bag and sometimes I have my multitool with me I hardly notice it.

Anyone feel like I do?

Knifesmith
 
My setup is a small fixed blade (4") and an axe.

I only see the need for big bladed knives, such as a kukri, when in places like tropical rain forests (There aren't many of those near me :) )

I don't deny that big bladed knives have there place, but it doesn't really work for me.

Orm.
 
Yes, despite all the rantings and ravings of many self-appointed "experts" :rolleyes:, a large blade does have it's place. Many of us wouldn't be without it, we just get tired of fighting online about it.

If folks don't want to carry a large blade, they don't have to... For me, the extra pound or two is no big deal. Of course, I don't drill holes in the handle of my toothbrush just to save weight either.... :D
 
I have a large assortment of stuff available. Whenever I decide to go camping I assess what the objectives are and what the rest of the group intends to take along and I pick my knives accordingly. Sometimes I end up with a medium SAK, at other times I may take a large camp knife and a substantial axe.

There is no one right solution. Just take whatever will make the trip the most fun for you.

n2s
 
Photographers carry a selection of lenses and films.

Mechanics don't fix everything with a single, or even two or three tools...

Shoot. It even takes a pen and highlighter (minimum) to study my way through a book...
 
I carry a variety of blades with me. While hiking in our local area, I have one small SAK on my keychain, a German issue utility knife in my pocket and a Leatherman on my belt.

When I head into the Wilderness, I add either my Becker CU/7 or my Khukuri. Both live in my BOB when home.
 
It's all about comfort and your objective. If your tasks are not critical out in the woods then some compromises in utility may well be worth the weight savings.

Consider:

Photojournalists do commonly carry one lens when they are on location and the situation calls for mobility. The 28-200mm and 35-350mm lenses were created expressly for this purpose. However, they both have their drawbacks. Lower image quality and decrease light sensitivity, but if you are busy changing lenses then you are not taking pictures.

Mechanics may require a variety of tools to do there work, but I doubt you will find too many with a complete tool kit on him 24/7. Most mechanics will definitely tote around a multi-tool and SAK 24/7 which is clearly a compromise.

I see the big bowie as a cross between an ax and a utility knife. But it is one tool that can be more convenient to carry than strapping multiple tools on your person. It will be a compromise for most tasks unless you are skinning a very large animal.
 
We all develop skills and wisdom over time. For this topic, these are best developed in the field. My history and experience dictate a large blade, but I travel with those who got to where I am by a different path. Some do differently than I, yet we all get the job done.

My point? It is not the tool that defines the man. It is the man that defines the tool. The photographer / mechanic metaphors- both good- really serve to illustrate. Both will choose tools they think their skills and experience tell them to choose for the job at hand ...and I doubt any two will choose exactly the same tools.
-carl
 
I view a mid sized (4-6 inch) fixed blade knife as very important if im going anywhere that could be uninhabited, I will take on in my luggage most places I could be travelling long distances. I think a very large knife i.e machete etc. is invaluable in very dense undergrowth like a jungle but in more temperate zones probably of little use to me, I would favour a small axe over a very large blade in temperate zones, after all the medium sized knife and axe are traditional outdoor tools in temperate zones, very large knives are traditional in jungle/ rainforest areas and thigns dont become traditional tools for no reason! plus if theres anything I couldnt skin with a 4-6 inch blade then I dont really think I would be able to kill it in a survival situation anyway!!! cant beat an axe for chopping wood however, no matter what the knife is when it comes to hacking through a serious chunk of wood an axe will win out every time, thats what theyre made for

edited to add: dont get me wrong, large knife or axe, one or the other is important personally for the type of thing they would be used for (assuming you have a smaller knife) an axe seems far more efficient to me
 
I always take a big knife [6+ inches] with me on virtually every trip, although I also have a smaller neck knife for kitchen and assorted duty and a swiss army multiblade for versatility. We've debated this point here for years. Sure, for chopping, a hatchet or axe is better [how about an ax vs saw debate?] [and where appropriate I take them] and it is amazing what you can do with a smaller knife. But after all these years, I'm used to having a bigger knife and, frankly, I find i can do most things with a bigger blade, and some things that a small knife won't do,including clearing brush, stripping branches, hunting and self defence.
For some reason, big blades are uncool in many quarters, among trekkers and tree huggers, for example. I've had some unpleasant experiences over the years. But the folks who actually go on the land for a livlihood, like the Inuit, First Nations and the like, still appreciate the qualities of bigger knives. So do many of the folks here.
Hell, you don't need an SUV or a 300 hp engine either. How often do you actually use those massive biceps you spent half your life developing? You could make do with less. If a big knife is overkill, that's still fine with me :)
 
If I had to have only ONE knife..., it would a 3 1/2 to 5 inches blade.

But in my walking (very light, minimal, "BOB") backpack, they're these:

Busse INFI Battle Mistress Knife (9" blade)
Massey 52100 hunter knife (4" blade)
BenchMade M2 knife AFCK
Victorinox Rucksack

I agree.., a full sized axe would add things (like make a house (g)) that a 9" blade won't..., but a larger axe also large and heavy. And as I look my smaller axes and hatchets.., they get smaller and lighter, but they also get less and less of making a log house. Besides..., I LIKE knives! <s>
 
I carried a Colin Cox hollow handle (custom) while in Afghanistan. I did not even consider leaving home without it.

Doug
 
I still like big knives for survival; in specific a Cold Steel Gurkha Kukri or a RTAK. However I also always carry a small fixed blade drop point hunter, and a SAK.
 
Whenever I've been in the woods, I've needed several things... A multi-tool, a small blade, a medium blade, a large blade, a saw and/or small axe. A SAK takes care of the multi-tool, and two small blades. A good sturdy folder such as a Benchmade Stryker or a CRKT takes care of the medium blade requirement. The last but not least is the large blade. By large blade, I'm thinking 9 inches or under. That's as long as I need since I usually take a wire saw and/or an axe with me. Would I take a larger blade? Sure, that way I can leave the Axe home, or at camp.

Most knife fighting tactics work only with knife blades between 5 and 9 inches. Any longer than that, the knife becomes unwieldy and difficult to control. It becomes a short sword which is excellent for sword fighting, but not so useful in a "knock down and stab each other in the gut" fight. So, is a large knife Rambo-ish? I don't think so. The thing about Original Rambo movie and the knife was the emphasis that a large knife becomes an excellent compromise tool in which one can get along in the woods.

Is it "Survival"? Hardly.... It's a matter of convenience. One blade to do the job of three tools. Chop, Saw and Cut. Also, a longer edge means that you have more edge area to dull before you have to sharpen.

The debate is endless. But, I think blade length and the tools that one carries into the field is as individual as the shoes or boots we choose to wear into the same woods.
 
When hunting I carry either a 5" or a 6" sheath knife and a pocket knife (2.5" blade). The main focus is on my gun not the knife. I'm quite happy with that combo, its easy to carry and gets the job done.
When hiking I carry a 5" sheath knife because Texas law prohibits carrying of knives exceeding 5.5" in blade length. Here I would prefer a larger knife (8-11" Bowie) but don't because of law.
For "survival" circumstances I prefer a bigger and thicker bladed sheath knife than I would normally use. Sure its a bit clumsy for skinning strawberries, but it's not suddenly going to snap in two on me and leave me with nothing. Secondly if you're having to fight off a man-eating possum, a 10" blade is much more effective than a 2 3/4" pocket knife.
 
Absolute wilderness like nowhere else in the world is my backyard.

In the bush I always carry a SAK, WM-1 neck knife, small hunter(Dozier or Marbles), Medium fixed blade (one of my Bill Buxton customs) and my CS Recon Scout. If weight and space allow, a GB Forrst Axe comes too. When I get the Mini Hatchet, it may replace either the Forrest axe or the Recon Scout.
I usually throw in a Spydie folder or two as well.

The point is, I love blades, and love using them. I don't question which would be better, my Recon Scout or the axe, I take both if possible. (it usually is) Heck, throw in a saw and an RTAK to boot. If I get lost out here, I need all the help I can get. The Axe may chop big wood better than a knife, but the knife cuts through 2-3 inch sticks/limbs better than the axe, especially if they are green.
The hunters only get used if there is game, and the SAK is usually for emerg only, but the rest get used all the time, every trip.
All the knives I carry weigh about 5 or 6 pounds, which is fine with me.
 
I always have a big blade with me(10"+) when im in the field. There are things you can do with a big FB that you just cant do with smaller knives(chop, split firewood, dig, etc). and if i do get stuck out there i would feel alot better with a 11" blade bowie than a smaller 4-5" FB or folder.
 
Lets say that I always have a big blade (10" to 14") near by. One stays in my truck and another lashed to my four-wheeler. If I am just out for a short walk I usually have a five inch fixed blade along with a three inch folder. I think each size has it's use and I want all three available. Long hiking trips are a thing of the past for these poor bones but at 5 to 10 miles the weight isn't a factor.
 
I very seldom carry anything more than a pocket knife. Not that I wouldn't want a bigger knife, but I usually try to stay more "compact" than that. I am usually carrying other stuff and go as light as possible to make room for whatever task-related equipment I am carrying.

Realistically, 90% of my knife use is fine work, like trimming moleskin or shaving fire tinder. Cutting branches etc. for shelter is a pain with a small knife, but I have always been able to make do with my pocket knife.

For me, a knife ceases being useful for fine work at about 5" and doesn't begin being useful for chopping until about 7" with some heft. I am really intrigued by the idea of either a folding saw or a small hatchet.

So, it is a toss-up between a big knife, saw, and small hatchet for a second tool along with a small knife. It is also mostly academic for me, since I am rarely willing to dump 2-3# of other gear.

Scott
 
For me environment dictates blade size.

For example, here in the Rockies at 9200ft, there is an abudance of fallen timber. In some cases there are more fallen trees than growing ones. These pines are refered to as "lodge pole pines" because they grow straight and long. In this environment I can build fire and shelter without chopping at all.

IMHO, in the humid appalachians or smokies chopping is necesary for aquiring wood that is available and dry.

Big blades are fun, but not always necesary

Bill
 
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