Ok, so I am about to finally make the plunge and join your ranks, the problem is that I am a bit unsure as to which blade I should pick up. so I need your help deciding between the camp tramp and the battle rat. My basic purpose for this knife is an all around camp/backpacking knife (emphasis on the camping, I know something that big may not be everyones idea a good backpacking knife but I am willing to sacrifice the weight). Seeing as I typically go with several of my friends and always seem to be nominated the fire guy (mostly because they cant really start a fire without a good amount of lighter fluid), I want something that lends itself more to the chopping/splitting end of things. I realize that the BR will do better in this category, however I dont know if I will notice the difference enough. our last camping trip I took a 12 in. khuk (not HI, it was a souvenir) that did exceptionally well and that made me lean towards the bigger blade, so what do you think? Oh yeah, I couldnt find the specs on these knives as far as thickness of the blades, are they the same? Thanks for your help, sorry that was so long.
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Is bigger better?
- Thread starter anewguy
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Eric Isaacson
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Anewguy,
Welcome to the Rat's Nest. I'm sure some of the other Rat's will join in with their recommendations but I just wanted to answer your second part. The BR and CT are both 1/4" at the spine, handles are the same, only real difference is the blade length. I hope that helps and good luck on your decision
Welcome to the Rat's Nest. I'm sure some of the other Rat's will join in with their recommendations but I just wanted to answer your second part. The BR and CT are both 1/4" at the spine, handles are the same, only real difference is the blade length. I hope that helps and good luck on your decision
t1mpani
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Welcome,
As always, there's a special place in my heart for the CT, but if you really want to chop firewood, the BR will have the leg up. How thick is the blade on that khuk you used? If it's a 1/4 inch (most souvenirs are) you'll probably notice that the BR doesn't feel much lighter, as the blade profiles of khukuries get so narrow near the grip. Now, if it's a REAL khuk, with a spine thickness of 3/8 or 1/2 inch (sorry, you've found a HI guy here
) the BR will be a bit of a performance drop on big heavy wood, I think, but should be much handier when dealing with kindling, and smaller/more flexible branches. These really are awesome knives, I know you'll be impressed. 
As always, there's a special place in my heart for the CT, but if you really want to chop firewood, the BR will have the leg up. How thick is the blade on that khuk you used? If it's a 1/4 inch (most souvenirs are) you'll probably notice that the BR doesn't feel much lighter, as the blade profiles of khukuries get so narrow near the grip. Now, if it's a REAL khuk, with a spine thickness of 3/8 or 1/2 inch (sorry, you've found a HI guy here
) the BR will be a bit of a performance drop on big heavy wood, I think, but should be much handier when dealing with kindling, and smaller/more flexible branches. These really are awesome knives, I know you'll be impressed. 
"...I want something that lends itself more to the chopping/splitting end of things."
The Battle Rat will greatly outperform the Camp Tramp for both of these uses. Its heavier weight and more forward balance will allow you to chop more powerfully. Its greater length will allow you to have more of the blade sticking out from the front and the back of several inch thick pieces of wood when you are splitting by beating the blade through with a club, which makes things much easier.
I frequently use my Battle Rat for chopping and splitting wood. Not only does it work well for these, it makes a great theft deterrent when you chop wood in front of your campsite with a 9 inch knife, then sit on the picnic table and strop the knife on your thigh.
--Mike
The Battle Rat will greatly outperform the Camp Tramp for both of these uses. Its heavier weight and more forward balance will allow you to chop more powerfully. Its greater length will allow you to have more of the blade sticking out from the front and the back of several inch thick pieces of wood when you are splitting by beating the blade through with a club, which makes things much easier.
I frequently use my Battle Rat for chopping and splitting wood. Not only does it work well for these, it makes a great theft deterrent when you chop wood in front of your campsite with a 9 inch knife, then sit on the picnic table and strop the knife on your thigh.
--Mike
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Originally posted by Evolute
I frequently use my Battle Rat for chopping and splitting wood. Not only does it work well for these, it makes a great theft deterrent when you chop wood in front of your campsite with a 9 inch knife, then sit on the picnic table and strop the knife on your thigh.
--Mike
I once heard of a little guy that used to sit a pair of rubber thongs, about a foot and a half long, at the front of his tent at night, he reckoned any bad guys seeing those would take off quick smart.
t1mpani-
You are right! My souvenir was about .25in thick and as a result of its performance I bought a blem 15 HI BAS which is about 3/8 thick. Part of my not wanting to go dive right in and buy the BR is the difference that I felt between these two blades. Being that I did not use the HI yet, I prefer the weight of the smaller blade and how quick (Im not sure if that is the right verb, but I think you know what I am talking about) it feels in hand compared to the BAS, not to mention the fact that it lagged significantly behind the previously mentioned blade when I was breaking up some cardboard boxes from our recent move. All this to say that I was tempted to go with the CT just to avoid this problem. Am I correct in thinking that the further forward the balance is the slower the knife will feel? Thanks for the help, sorry if these are dumb questions.
You are right! My souvenir was about .25in thick and as a result of its performance I bought a blem 15 HI BAS which is about 3/8 thick. Part of my not wanting to go dive right in and buy the BR is the difference that I felt between these two blades. Being that I did not use the HI yet, I prefer the weight of the smaller blade and how quick (Im not sure if that is the right verb, but I think you know what I am talking about) it feels in hand compared to the BAS, not to mention the fact that it lagged significantly behind the previously mentioned blade when I was breaking up some cardboard boxes from our recent move. All this to say that I was tempted to go with the CT just to avoid this problem. Am I correct in thinking that the further forward the balance is the slower the knife will feel? Thanks for the help, sorry if these are dumb questions.
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Since you obviously intend to do a lot of chopping, take the Battle Rat.
If you're willing to shell out more money, I'd take the CT and back it up with a nice Gränsfors axe.
If you're willing to shell out more money, I'd take the CT and back it up with a nice Gränsfors axe.
t1mpani
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The only dumb questions are unasked ones--especially when dealing with sharp things! Yep, the farther the center of mass moves from where you're holding it, the slower the blade will be. On the flip side, central/quick balance will make you work very hard to get any chopping done. The thing to get used to doing when doing lots of chopping is to let the tool's momentum carry it through the material, and not try to muscle your way through it--as this will wear you out quickly, without much performance gain. This goes for knives/khuks/axes. Once it's swinging, the only effort you put into it should be guiding the blade to the target. From what all you've said, I very much have to agree with Quiet Storm that the Battle Rat is your best choice. And I'm willing to bet it'll run circles around that souvenir khuk, just for being better made.
And a quick paragraph for the worrywart in me. As for the Gränsfors, I'll be the first to commend their craftsmanship and performance, but unless you're used to axes I would advise against them for camping. That goes for all axes, but especially these, unless it's one of the small hatchets that one hand can control. It takes most people a lot longer to get consistent (and therefor safe) swinging an axe than it does with a knife, since there really is no 'balance' and the weight is all at one end. An full sized axe can generate enough momentum to exceed your ability to stop its swing, and the two axe injuries I've seen have been horrendous. Sorry if I'm coming across as condescending, that isn't my intent. I'm just saying let the knives do the camping and save the axes for wood splitting at home--where you're on even ground, wearing steel-toed boots, and are ambulance accessible!
Sorry for the VERY long post.
Warren
And a quick paragraph for the worrywart in me. As for the Gränsfors, I'll be the first to commend their craftsmanship and performance, but unless you're used to axes I would advise against them for camping. That goes for all axes, but especially these, unless it's one of the small hatchets that one hand can control. It takes most people a lot longer to get consistent (and therefor safe) swinging an axe than it does with a knife, since there really is no 'balance' and the weight is all at one end. An full sized axe can generate enough momentum to exceed your ability to stop its swing, and the two axe injuries I've seen have been horrendous. Sorry if I'm coming across as condescending, that isn't my intent. I'm just saying let the knives do the camping and save the axes for wood splitting at home--where you're on even ground, wearing steel-toed boots, and are ambulance accessible!
Sorry for the VERY long post.
Warren
Eric Isaacson
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Originally posted by t1mpani
And a quick paragraph for the worrywart in me. As for the Gränsfors, I'll be the first to commend their craftsmanship and performance, but unless you're used to axes I would advise against them for camping. That goes for all axes, but especially these, unless it's one of the small hatchets that one hand can control. It takes most people a lot longer to get consistent (and therefor safe) swinging an axe than it does with a knife, since there really is no 'balance' and the weight is all at one end. An full sized axe can generate enough momentum to exceed your ability to stop its swing, and the two axe injuries I've seen have been horrendous. Sorry if I'm coming across as condescending, that isn't my intent. I'm just saying let the knives do the camping and save the axes for wood splitting at home--where you're on even ground, wearing steel-toed boots, and are ambulance accessible!
I agree with this statement wholeheartedly and would also like to add that in my experience carrying an axe around in the woods is more troublesome (and heavy) than it is worth. You're better off with a small hand saw.
Nic Ramirez
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I'd go for the CT. I am one of those that thinks that the ideal camp knife has about a 7" blade. Sure the BR can out chop, but for all other uses around the camp I'd be more inclined to reach for the tramp.
Also it has to do with portability not just weight. Imagine scaling around on boulders trying to find that perfect fishing hole. Or weaving through brush in a scramble for a shortcut.
Of course this is just my personal opinion unless you're just going to roll up to the campsite in a rig. Then bring a chainsaw and maul for Pete's sake.
Also it has to do with portability not just weight. Imagine scaling around on boulders trying to find that perfect fishing hole. Or weaving through brush in a scramble for a shortcut.
Of course this is just my personal opinion unless you're just going to roll up to the campsite in a rig. Then bring a chainsaw and maul for Pete's sake.
Nic Ramirez said: "Also it has to do with portability not just weight. Imagine scaling around on boulders trying to find that perfect fishing hole. Or weaving through brush in a scramble for a shortcut."
I can more than imagine it. I do bouldering and trailless scrambling with my battle rat on me, at least several times per week. I haven't found the portability and weight of the battle rat to be big problems; I can deal with them easily.
--Mike
I can more than imagine it. I do bouldering and trailless scrambling with my battle rat on me, at least several times per week. I haven't found the portability and weight of the battle rat to be big problems; I can deal with them easily.
--Mike
Nic Ramirez
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I've also seen someone chop down a tree with a shovel. Doesn't mean it's the most efficient way to fly.
Eric Isaacson
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Too many ideas....not enough time
It was a good idea though
Nic,
Your retort was unnecessary and off-topic. I'm merely clarifying that, based on personal experience, the size and the weight of the battle rat do not pose problems for me for the types if use you describe--and I'm a weakling.
Keep in mind that the battle rat is six ounces lighter, and an inch shorter, than a battle mistress. In fact, it is three ounces lighter than a steel heart.
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"I am wondering how you wear it, just on your belt vertically? Or do you have some technique to keep it from flopping around? Thanks guys for the input"
What I am doing will influence what I carry with me. For instance, if I'm photographing little birds in distant trees, then I'll be wearing my Kinesis pack specially made for carrying and protecting my gigantic 600 mm f/4 lens. If I'm shooting broad vistas, I might take a teeny fanny pack with one or two little wide-angle lenses. If I'm backpacking in deep, I might be wearing my humongous Dana Design Astralplane pack. If I'm just reconnoitering a bit on heavily trafficked trails, I might have no pack at all.
What I'm doing, and what I am consequently wearing and carrying, will influence how I wear my knife. For example, I can't wear it on my belt when I'm wearing a thick and stiff packbelt over my regular belt.
So, in summary, I wear it a lot of different ways, depending on what I'm doing. Sometimes it'll be on my belt, sometimes on my packbelt, sometimes in my pack, I haven't had much of a problem with it flopping around, but if you do, you can tie a cord through the eyelets at the bottom of the sheath, and tie the cord around your leg.
--Mike
Your retort was unnecessary and off-topic. I'm merely clarifying that, based on personal experience, the size and the weight of the battle rat do not pose problems for me for the types if use you describe--and I'm a weakling.
Keep in mind that the battle rat is six ounces lighter, and an inch shorter, than a battle mistress. In fact, it is three ounces lighter than a steel heart.
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"I am wondering how you wear it, just on your belt vertically? Or do you have some technique to keep it from flopping around? Thanks guys for the input"
What I am doing will influence what I carry with me. For instance, if I'm photographing little birds in distant trees, then I'll be wearing my Kinesis pack specially made for carrying and protecting my gigantic 600 mm f/4 lens. If I'm shooting broad vistas, I might take a teeny fanny pack with one or two little wide-angle lenses. If I'm backpacking in deep, I might be wearing my humongous Dana Design Astralplane pack. If I'm just reconnoitering a bit on heavily trafficked trails, I might have no pack at all.
What I'm doing, and what I am consequently wearing and carrying, will influence how I wear my knife. For example, I can't wear it on my belt when I'm wearing a thick and stiff packbelt over my regular belt.
So, in summary, I wear it a lot of different ways, depending on what I'm doing. Sometimes it'll be on my belt, sometimes on my packbelt, sometimes in my pack, I haven't had much of a problem with it flopping around, but if you do, you can tie a cord through the eyelets at the bottom of the sheath, and tie the cord around your leg.
--Mike