How much knife do we really need ?

Yep I like something around for 4" for most knife work. Sometimes I wiant a little more say 5", but not more than 6" in a narrow thin stock and flat grind. Then give me a saw, and a machete all for the weight of one monster knife.

If I'm going to be in a survival, or even just a camping situation I don't want to carry more than I have to. Its being too tired to think straight or do things carefully that causes fatal mistakes. Not what new super 10" knife with the half inch thick blade you have or don't.
 
I use to carry three blades while in the field. Now I'm down to carrying two: a very small fixed blade and a medium-large fixed blade. The small blade handles most detail work while the larger knife is for everything else.

Over time I've lightened my overall load and am always reconsidering the gear I've chosen. I'm pretty settled on my larger blade decision (NMSFNO), but have been looking for a replacement for my small knife (Swamp Warden). The SW is simply a little too small for my hands.

This process has resulted in me having a very large collection of Bussekin knives that are about to go on the EE.
 
Need, as in bare necessity..typically a 3-5 inch blade describes that for me, and handles most things well that I run into in the woods, as thankfully, deadfall is plentiful in my area, and rarely have run into a situation, where I really thought I "needed" a chopper...but then again I typically don't build shelters, and just use a tent.
If I am dealing with firewood though at the house, I prefer to baton using about a 9 inch blade vs using an axe, as to me, is much more controlled, and a little safer if you are working in close proximity to others.
All that being said, if weight/traveling distance is not an issue, I really prefer to have both a small & large fixed blade with me when I head out.

What I feel I "need" as in bare necessity in the field, either this or this:
2012-05-02194801.jpg


What I feel I need, when processing largish pieces of wood, efficiently:
2012-08-28195138.jpg
 
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As anyone who know's me can attest to, I;ve done it all
I love me some moras, and have done survival style trips with just a mora
for most needs I find a mora and a hatchet does well

although lately I;ve been using a folder and paring it with a hawk or larger knife with equal success.

I could eek by probably with a sak sized knife, but if I had a heavy tool as well, I'd be in buisness.
 
Barrabas said:
Need, as in bare necessity..typically a 3-5 inch blade describes that for me, and handles most things well that I run into in the woods, as thankfully, deadfall is plentiful in my area, and rarely have run into a situation, where I really thought I "needed" a chopper...but then again I typically don't build shelters, and just use a tent.
If I am dealing with firewood though at the house, I prefer to baton using about a 9 inch blade vs using an axe, as to me, is much more controlled, and a little safer if you are working in close proximity to others.
All that being said, if weight/traveling distance is not an issue, I really prefer to have both a small & large fixed blade with me when I head out.


What I feel I need, when processing largish pieces of wood, efficiently:
2012-08-28195138.jpg
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Now you've gone and made me drool all over the keyboard !!!
 
You crack me up Pit:-) ...glad to return the favor after all the traps & blades you've tortured us with through the years! Be well, and keep making us think!!!
 
Thanks lmalterna!! My first attempt at a Sheath from scratch, so thankful for the Lord's help on it :-).
 
Need?

The answer can vary depending on circumstances, but in general: not much.

In 40 years of three season canoe camping all over North America I've needed no knife whatsoever on probably 95% of those days. When I do need a knife, those needs are adequately met by a knife in about the 3"-3.5" blade range, which has been a folder over the past 25 years. I usually take two about that size, one secured on my PFD and the other in my pocket or on my pack. The second knife is primarily a backup in case I lose one, which just happened to me on a week-long solo wilderness trip last month (and the reason I'm currently reading knife forums and shopping).

Keep in mind that I'm talking in the context of one who has always been using a good tent and/or tarp, a lightweight stove, other decent equipment, and appropriate clothing with changes. I've never been in a survival situation, so building something out of wood has never been a "necessity" (the topic).

Nor do I usually make fires when alone in my three season camping. However, I do carry a quality, lightweight folding saw for those minority occasions I might want to process larger pieces of wood than my folding knife can handle. I have thought of taking my machete, but always end up rejecting it for the saw on the grounds of both pack carry weight and cutting efficiency for camping needs.

The machete is most useful for helping to clear my arboraceous property at home, and for protecting me from zombies when sleeping alone in my van in Walmart parking lots on the way to the wilderness.
 
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Great post Kilt. Would you ever go on a trip without a knife at all?

I just came back from a short trip where I didn't need a knife at all. But I took a 3.5" Gossman UNK and a SAK Farmer because, well, you never know when a knife could come in handy. And how easy is it to carry one, or two, with you wherever you wander?
 
Rotte said:
Great post Kilt. Would you ever go on a trip without a knife at all?
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No, I wouldn't. I have always taken a knife even on simple day trips in my canoe or on short hikes near home.

I was just honestly trying to reconstruct how often I actually need and use a knife on my kind of trips. My gear is organized, I don't fish or hunt, I'm not much interested in bushcraft as a hobby, and usually stay in a campsite only one night on canoe trips. The less work I have to do in camp, including cooking and making fires, the better -- especially in my old age. In camp, I just mainly want to eat, relax, read, take some photos, sleep, get up in the morning, and then paddle on. I need to save my energy for six to ten hours of paddling and maybe some portaging each day.

My knife is just not "needed" very often in this type outdoor activity, even in wilderness, where I'm actually more organized than at home. However, when you need a knife, you probably really need it, so I would never be without one on a day trip, or two on an overnight trip.

Other outdoor folks who fish, hunt, practice bushcraft, or who go into really remote wilderness with no cleared portage/hiking trails may need different tools than I do.

Of course, now that I've just bought three new knives, I'll probably take them out and play with them on my trip into the Adirondacks next week. Just the fact that I have these new babies may over time develop new psychological knife "needs" in me. Pardon me while I leave to practice flipping my axis locks.
 
While I wouldn't leave home to go to the store without a knife in my pocket, I think how much knife you need really comes down to where you are, and what you will be doing. Most places in the lower continental U.S., particularly east of the big muddy, it's hard to find places that are really truly remote. How many places are there where you really can't walk out in a day? And if you are that far back, chances are your backpacking. How many back packers carry a SAK classic as per Colin Fletcher and his many 'Complete Walker' books? Of course, Colin Fletcher was not a knife nut, so he didn't care much about knives, just needed something to cut with.

Knife knuts being obsessed by the knife are going to be more into the belief that it is an indispensable item, especially if it's a big chopper. But the truth is, a knife is not needed near as much as we those who are obsessed would believe. I seriously doubt that there are many, if any here, that face life as ruged as that of the old mountain men who lived in the Rocky Mountains in the depth of winter. They got by with a skinning knife that was basicly a large butcher knife, and a 'hawk. Pretty much the same as a mora and a hatchet. Those old boys were far away from civilization in the 1820's and 30's, and put modern campers to shame. Looking at the several pounds of heavy duty cutlery that some here think is needed is almost funny. The hardware has become the talisman of the modern outdoorsman.

A few months ago we took a hike on the C&O canal trail. It was summer, sunny day, on a path that has civilization within a few miles at most in most spots, houses in line of sight in other spots. We met a guy who was obviously a "survivalist" as he was a walking cutlery shop. Multible large sheath knives on belt and pack steps, bulging Maxpediton pack, waddling along at least 40 pounds over weight. He had to be carrying 20 pounds of steel on him. He looked totally ridiculous.

If I were in the wilds of Alaska, or the Big Horns, I may carry some hatchet or saw, but big knives, Naa, I doubt it. If I were in the Florida everglades I'd have a machete around. Match the tools to the area, and it will be fine. But you don't need two bowie knives, three spyderco's and a SAK to go hiking in the state park.

Moderation in all things.
 
Kilt said:
...Pardon me while I leave to practice flipping my axis locks.
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Priceless. :encouragement:

But I think you have highlighted the fact that much of our "need" is largely psychological. Hunting and fishing aside. I remember watching the Movie "Into the Void" where the two climbers are stuck and roped together, and the one climber remembers he has a SAK in his pocket--his only knife--and uses it to cut the climbing rope :chargrined: I was thinking. "that's your only knife?" Well of course, who really needs more than a SAK, even to cut your partner's climbing rope?
 
jackknife said:
If I were in the wilds of Alaska, or the Big Horns, I may carry some hatchet or saw, but big knives, Naa, I doubt it.
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So what knife would you carry? In addition to your axe. I think a big knife is more versatile than a hatchet. A forrest axe is a different thing altogether--very useful tool, if a bit heavy for camping--but small hatchets seem limited.

When I was fishing in the Big Horn mountains, I carried a SAK and a 3.5" Koyote LBK. This was two years ago; I can't remember using either. I was glad to have them along though.
 
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sicily02 said:
Well pitdog, since you ask:D. enough to get the cutting chore done. 2 sizes of knives seems to work the best for me anyways, One small knife with a 5" or less blade length

IMG_0509.jpg


Since you asked ;),

Bryan
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Bryan, I really like this one.Is it one of yours that has somehow slipped past my eyes before now?
 
Colin Fletcher carried a fixed blade western knife, he understood that he did not need it, but found that it made him feel secure while out backpacking.

I only mention because I am a fan of his writings and have all of his books on my shelf.

Personally I liked "The Man who Walked Through Time" the best.
 
Need ? I don't feel under knifed with my SAK Farmer or TOPS key B. Want / like BK 11 is great my BK 16 is about as big as I want most of the time. Large kinves are cool but 99% of the time I don't use them for much other then play.
 
Since no one has asked. I'm curious what took you aloft ? I assume your landing was somewhere other then an airport.
 
You really don't "need" anything more then a few inches long, but it's nice to have a really big knife. You never know, you might have to go mono-e-mono with a bear or use your knife to cut wood.
 
Man is a tool user and that seperates us from most animals. Cutting/scrapeing/piercing tools were developed by early man right after bashing tools. What a man needs, knife wise, depends greatly on the man, his activities and his environment. I could survive without a knife at all in most of my outdoor activities. But I would rather have one with me.

For me, there have been times when a cutting tool has come in quite handy. I almost always carry a small stockman pocketknife. When hunting or fishing I usually carry a small fixed blade. I've needed a knife several times that I can remember and not had one. In those instances, all while hunting, I improvised a cutting tool out of a piece of glass or a chert flake and completed the task almost as fast as if I had a blade to use.

What we really need and what we want are often two different things. There is some truth to the saying, "...to a kid with a hammer, everything looks like a nail!" :D
 
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