Just a Traditional in the woods.

Jenner 515

Jenner 515

Joined
Nov 27, 2002
Messages
2,145
I'm not sure if this goes here or Wilderness and Survival et al.

Been Dayhiking with just a traditional folder recently. Most days its either a GEC Missouri Lockback or Pioneer. For a minimal amount of food prep it's been plenty.

Planning a longer hike/camping/fishing trip this summer for 5 days in RMNP. Would you or could you -should I- attempt this with just one Traditional Folder?

If so, what would ya'all take? And Why?

Thanks for your time,
 
im sure it could be done. i'd probably use somthing along the lines of a trapper or moose. just speculating though as never have done this nor do i own those patterns :P. but seems like they would work.

Scott
 
I don't see a problem. I'd say the majority of hikers just use a sak. It really depends on your needs
 
If it were me I would pack a spare, just in case of loss or unexpected breakage. Something like an Opinel perhaps for its sheer lightness and strength.
 
For camping, a fixed blade is much easier to use and keep clean, plus you can play rough with much less concern than if it was a folder. For a folder, I would choose one you can open with one hand. If you insist on a slipjoint, choose the one with the longest blade you can find. JMHO...
 
Jenner 515 said:
I'm not sure if this goes here or Wilderness and Survival et al.

Been Dayhiking with just a traditional folder recently. Most days its either a GEC Missouri Lockback or Pioneer. For a minimal amount of food prep it's been plenty.

Planning a longer hike/camping/fishing trip this summer for 5 days in RMNP. Would you or could you -should I- attempt this with just one Traditional Folder?

If so, what would ya'all take? And Why?

Thanks for your time,
Click to expand...

Hey Jenner, a lot depends on the rest of the gear your carrying. Yes, under normal circumstances a traditional pocket knife should be plenty for a week camping and fishing. I did it in the past when I was a young guy with a Buck stockman in my pocket. Lots of backpackers go the whole distance on the Appellation and Pacific Crest trail with a SAK in their pocket. The truth is, in the continental United States in the 21st century, odds are you won't need more than that. If you can, find a copy of Chuck Yeager's book "Press On," about his long backpacking trips in the Sierra Nevada mountains on fishing trips for the California golden trout. He has spent two week with just a Victorinox executive for his knife. But they were backpacking, and so had their environment in their packs. Shelter, sleeping bags, rain gear.

But we're knife nuts, so we are the exception to normalcy. We have an obsession about sharp things, so we aloways pack more than what we need. If you have weather proof shelter along, you won't need more than the pocket knife. If you're doing a mountain man re-enactment you will need more. All depends on what kind and how much gear you'll have along.

Having said all that, when tyhe better half and I go to the woods, I still have my normal day to day pocket knife on me, but I will add a sheath knife. Nothing big, but a good quality sturdy 4 inch blade is nice. A puuko, or Buck woodsman are nice examples of a knife that will handle fish and camp cookery duties. I've long ago done away withlarge blades for wood processing if theres going to be campfires. A folding saw is way better, safer, uses less energy, and it's easy to split wood with a saw.

Carl.
 
I'm going to move this to "Outdoor Gear, Survival Equipment & More". There seems to be more knife content there then in the "Wilderness & Survival Skills".

My 2 cents ... take a sheath knife along.
 
This depends very much on your backpacking style and, with that, what sort of other gear you are carrying.

I've done an awful lot of backpacking (New England, CA) with just a Victorinox Classic. Yes, just the tiny key ring knife. The scissors are super handy for bandages (blisters) and the little blade is fine for cutting open food packages and parachute cord. These days, I carry a tiny Leatherman which adds small pliers to help with stove repair (not that my Svea ever needs it). I've done a lot of miles augmenting that with a tiny Camillus serpentine jack.

Now, I always carry a locking folder in my shorts/pants pocket. Mostly I use it for food prep like spreading peanut butter, cutting bagels or cheese and the like. But also, I'm just happier having a knife with me. My choice is the Opinel #9. A #8 would do or so would a larger #10. But the #9 fits my hand well and doesn't frustrate me when digging peanut butter out of the jar like smaller knives do. The Opinel is very much up to the task of making feather sticks and even splitting thumb sized branches should the chance to make a fire present itself. Here's a shot from last weekend, ski touring with the family up on NH. The Opinel #9 handled the cutting and splitting for the small wood for that fire just fine.


Campfire by Pinnah, on Flickr

If you're going to be relying on making fires and relying on cleaning fish... well... then you open another can of worms, so to speak. If you're going to be on the water or dealing with ropes, you may want to consider a non-traditional rescue knife.

IMO, a small micro tool or folding scissors should be in every 1st aid/repair kit. That along with nail clippers (to deal with toe nails).

Beyond , what you carry should fit your style of hiking and should make you happy. So, if you want to eat freeze dried food and lug around a big ol' fixed blade to slash open the package because you like the big knife, do that. Seriously. The only wrong move here is getting hurt or hurting somebody.

If this thread gets moved to the Wilderness and Survival forum, a) you'll get good advice there but b) note that the view points there tend towards the bushcraft/survival crowd. Nothing wrong with that and lots of good stuff to learn from them. But you may want to balance the input by hitting hiking forums, especially those that deal with Colorado. Find out what people are carrying on the trail there.

I think you're right about SAKs. Their locking Trekkers make a lot of sense (but I'm sticking with my Opinel).


edc-pairing by Pinnah, on Flickr
 
sitflyer said:
If it were me I would pack a spare, just in case of loss or unexpected breakage. Something like an Opinel perhaps for its sheer lightness and strength.
Click to expand...

This! Maybe a small fixed blade like a Becker BK11. I have lost countless things in the outdoors.
 
I'm definitely gonna agree with pinnah on this one. I did 9 days on the Appalachian trail with just my opinel number 8 garden knife (slightly thicker stock than the standard opinels and a touch more rugged but still a wicked awesome slicer) and a leatherman squirt ps4 (like the micra but a little heavier and with both scissors and pliers, although the scissors aren't as nice). Definitely covered all my needs.

As carl pointed out though we are knife-nuts here so whenever I'm going on treks where weight isn't as much of an issue (as it was on the AT) I usually have an SAK in my pocket (I love the hiker for outdoors excursions), a mora clipped to my belt, and an opinel in the pack.

Pinnah's also right in that it definitely depends on your style as a backpacker, and also on how much weight you're hauling. If you're taking a solid tent, all your food, and don't really plan on doing a lot of woodwork then an opinel 8/9 or similar sized folder (maybe a sodbuster? I've never had one) and a small multi-tool is really all you need. 5 days is a pretty substantial trip, anything over 3 days and I start to be a lot more conscious about weight and try to go as light as possible.

Opinels (especially that garden knife), SAKs, and micro-multi-tools are all great tools for backpacking. Moras are very lightweight fixed blades that are very capable cutters, especially if you go with carbon steel. Enjoy your trip!
 
ThriftyJoe said:
I tend to go for shorter trips though. Long distance hikers show their gear lists here: http://www.trailjournals.com/journals/continental_divide_trail It looks like they spend most of their gear money on things made of expensive cloth. Clothing, shelters, sleeping bags. When they show a knife at all it's usually something like a SAK Classic or Gerber LST.
Click to expand...


Cheesiest and I are on the same wavelength. While I carry a Micra in my LFP for EDC, I keep a Squirt PS4 in my 1st aid kit because it has pliers.

Thrifty Joe, you're spot on about "things made out of expensive cloth". I carry a spool of heavy duty thread, a heavy sewing needle and a heavy curved upholstery needle (see the Singer display in most grocery stores) in my repair kit. Can't tell you the number of blown out packs, sleeping bags and zippers I've dealt with on the trail. Hence the need for small pliers to help drive the needle through multiple layers of Cordura and webbing.

I dig traditional boy scout knives just fine, but I don't carry anything with leather straps and don't need an awl. The PS4 is a better repair tool than a scout knife or SAK at this point. (Cheesiest, agreed about the lousy but functional scissors on it.)
 
I usually have way more knives on me than needed when hiking, but that's just for fun. I would say anyone going on even a long day hike should as a minimum carry a SAK or multi-tool, plus a 4" fixed blade or hatchet\axe. Only exception would be if you are expecting good weather, no fire making needed, and you aren't hiking solo.
 
Unless you are going to need to do a lot of carving or butchering, I find little reason any more to lug a big knife with me. Been doing a lot of camping and backpacking lately with an Izula II or even a Swisstool. If I need to make lots of wood for a campfire, it's worth having a saw or axe. Knives just aren't very good for that kind of work.

I will add that I almost NEVER camp or backpack without pliers of some sort. Pliers are an incredibly useful tool.
 
pinnah said:
I dig traditional boy scout knives just fine, but I don't carry anything with leather straps and don't need an awl. The PS4 is a better repair tool than a scout knife or SAK at this point. (Cheesiest, agreed about the lousy but functional scissors on it.)
Click to expand...

The nostalgic eagle scout in my really wishes the SAKs/scout knives were the best outdoor tools, but I have to be honest with myself and admit that pliers and scissors are really more useful.
 
Jenner 515 said:
I'm not sure if this goes here or Wilderness and Survival et al.

Been Dayhiking with just a traditional folder recently. Most days its either a GEC Missouri Lockback or Pioneer. For a minimal amount of food prep it's been plenty.

Planning a longer hike/camping/fishing trip this summer for 5 days in RMNP. Would you or could you -should I- attempt this with just one Traditional Folder?

If so, what would ya'all take? And Why?

Thanks for your time,
Click to expand...

I believe one of the best traditional folders is the SAK Farmer from what I have read, seen and experienced. That combined with a fixed blade should be able to cover all chores.
 
4 1/4" Stockman
A Queen Cattle King in D2
A lot of blade with different types of blade
Does almost anything I need to do (not batoning)

When backpacking a SAK Huntsman and a Mora SS Scout knife in a leather sheath 3 1/3" blade
That does everything and is really light
 
For many years when hiking/backpacking/climbing, i would carry just a SAK after noticing that was all most folks carried. I was a young guy wanting to fit in to that community so I stopped carrying a fixed blade because no one i backpacked/climbed with did. I caved in to reverse peer pressure. I suspect because most backpackers depend on the camping gear they carry with them, a slippie or SAK is all they think they need - until something BAD happens. I gravitated back to my roots a few years ago and now always carry a fixed blade.

I remember when the Leatherman came out. I waited a while before buying and eventually bought a Wave. Nowadays, it's *always* in my pack regardless of where i'm going/what i'm doing and replaces my EDC SAK Huntsman on hiking/backpacking trips. As i mentioned, i am again carrying a fixed blade in addition to my Leatherman because i can never be sure when an easy outing will turn into a nasty situation...

My advice, take a small fixed blade. An Izula will *never* fold up and cut you.
 
First Things.

Thanks for all the reponses, and the relocating to proper forum.

Since I posted, we did a 7 mile snowshoe hike all I took was a Liner Lock GEC Pioneer - I don't own an Opinel, but its a comparable size. There was some food prep, and a bit of fire prep (carving fuzz sticks, no batoning or limbing) for tea. The knife was fine - but I got to thinking;

not so easy to open, use, or close in gloves.
Had I a need to process more fire materials...it'd gotten more inconvenient.
If it were time to clean fish etc. Food prep would have become more - fishy?

When I've carried a fixed blade in the past it's run the gamut from a White River Knucklehead neck knife, to a Spyderco Temperance 2, to a Bark River Cumberland Trail or Bark River Canadian Camp Knife. I'm thinking that for five days worth - One of those will be coming along.

And the Leatherman Micra will be getting put back in the bag.

Like its been mentioned - going with one is great.

But I am here on Bladeforums, and I am a Knife and Gear nut - best to stay true to myself and be a little more comfortable and prepared.

Thanks again for everyone's $.02
 
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