Just what "chopping" is going on when somebody is chopping with their bowie/large bla

[crimsonfalcon07]

While it's certainly a good point that if you CAN bring other tools, such as a large axe and/or saw, that you should use them, that doesn't mean you always WANT to bring them. I don't do car camping or hunt out of a truck. As such, weight counts. If you're going to travel light, a good knife that can do a pretty good job at a WIDE variety of tasks, from chopping, to clearing, to butchering, to use as a tent stake, etc, is much better, ounce for ounce, than lugging along a saw, two axes, a large knife, and a small knife. We'd be talking at least 10 pounds, probably double that, for that much gear. Sure, each will be more efficient at a given task than a khukuri or other large chopper. But to make that point is to miss the reason why someone would be chopping with a khuk.

Khukuri and other good chopping knives are GREAT for those who need good utility performance for the lightest weight. If I'm going to be humping a ruck around for days, or worse, if I'm in an honest survival situation, an axe or saw is NOT what I want to be lugging around. Every ounce counts. If the Tibetans and Nepalese can use their Khuks for every task under the sun, I think that's a pretty resounding point in favor of carrying one. They're heavy enough to be good at chopping, but excel at other tasks that an axe or a saw would just not be able to do even close to as effectively as a Khuk can chop. And a good Khuk user with proper technique can get through a small tree without much more time or effort than someone with a light camping saw. Cut won't be quite as neat or refined, because you'll have more chips as opposed to sawdust, but it's a far more versatile tool.

 

[WILLIAM.M]

I do more chopping than 95% of the people on these forums-I'm not bragging--but few people chop more or more often.

-At least 3 weekends a month I take out several knives and test them against each other and usually bring along a friend or 2 as well to get there opinion.

I have 2 patients with over 2000 acres of Mesquite trees that I'm allowed to chop on whenever I desire(and both of the owners also love to chop thanks to me)

I also have a knife testing area in my house where I test knives when it is raining or when I'm otherwise not able to get out to the woods.

I make between 2000-3000 cuts/month and am more than qualified to give an expert opinion on this subject.

A good chopper MIGHT come close to an AXE -but rarely beat it in regards to how many chops it takes to get the same level of effect on the medium being cut.

It is to most of the people I have trained A LOT more fun and challenging to use a GOOD chopper.

Knives are not the BEST tool for chopping when compared to an AXE--but if you desire to have fun and develop FOCUS and SKILL they are EXCELLENT.

 

[Andrew S]

A lot of justification with few specific examples of where and why a jumbo knife is needed in this thread. The overwhelming majority of large chopping knife tasks seem to be "tool dictates job" oriented as opposed to "job dictates tool."

In my experience once you get past 4-5" in blade length you start sacrificing usability as a knife for something else. Sure, you might be able to chop down trees with a 1/4" thick 10" long knife but that isn't something I'd want to be using around the camp for knife duty. It might split firewood but I usually find it easier to just walk around a bit and pick up varying sizes of wood. Where I live the small stuff is abundant and the big stuff is what is harder to find. Finding dry wood isn't as big of a concern in the desert as where some people live but from everything I have seen and read dry wood will only take on moisture on the outer 1/8" to 1/4" layer. It softens up quite a bit making it pretty easy to shave off in enough sections for the wood to catch in a fire.

Every time I get the urge to buy a behemoth of a blade I remind myself of this and end up asking myself what is the point? I read threads like this in hope that someone can change my mind because like many people here I just like to buy sharp stuff. So far I haven't read anything that changes my opinion though. That is my $0.02 on large chopping blades.

 

[Arakiel]

I do more chopping than 95% of the people on these forums-I'm not bragging--but few people chop more or more often.

-At least 3 weekends a month I take out several knives and test them against each other and usually bring along a friend or 2 as well to get there opinion.

I have 2 patients with over 2000 acres of Mesquite trees that I'm allowed to chop on whenever I desire(and both of the owners also love to chop thanks to me)

I also have a knife testing area in my house where I test knives when it is raining or when I'm otherwise not able to get out to the woods.

I make between 2000-3000 cuts/month and am more than qualified to give an expert opinion on this subject.

A good chopper MIGHT come close to an AXE -but rarely beat it in regards to how many chops it takes to get the same level of effect on the medium being cut.

It is to most of the people I have trained A LOT more fun and challenging to use a GOOD chopper.

Hey Doc, does this chopping type of theraputic exercise that you are "expertly" administering mean you are, in fact, a "hack"? Grins....

 

[Joshua J.]

I get to clear a mile or two of horse trails for summer camp every year (with a few miles more that I never get around to). It is extremely hard work.
My two primary tools are a telescoping pole saw (6'-11' pole, 14" blade) and a chainsaw. The Pole saw does 99% of the work, the chainsaw just clears the occasional fallen tree.
For a while I tried to use machetes and large knives, they use at least twice as much energy. To take a sapling down with my saw it's just a tug on the pole, to use a knife you have to crouch and swing. Even at chest hight swinging the knife is more work. I will use a knife to make an entry so that I can cut the rest of the branches with the chainsaw (spruce), and if footing is precarious the knife is better than the chainsaw (it won't kill you for making a mistake). Other than that there isn't much to do with a big knife.
So, I guess I'm saying that chopping wood with a knife is generally a bad idea. It's hard to say that, because I love doing it so much.
I think that the knife comes in handy most when you don't have anything else available. If I'm going backpacking I'm not going to take a 6' pole saw or a 20lb chainsaw, but that 1-2lb tree thumper is at least a possibility. It's probably still a bad choice, but we just love our knives too much.

 

[DennisStrickland]

bill certainly has a huge amount of experience with choppers, & i totally agree that chopping is great fun plus one gets a workout. it certainly is necessary to focus while engaged with big knives or any other larger cutting tool. the activity is fun but you do'nt want to make a mistake.---dennis

 

[edb]

Related question: I used to have a BK9, but traded it a couple years ago. Now that I see that the
BK5 is back (maybe it didn't go away, but I thought it did), how would the BK5 compare to the BK9?

Maybe the BK5 is more of a cutting tool, and not as suited for chopping. But is it rugged enough for
some "light" (whatever that means; not as heavy hitting, or as often) chopping?

 

[GingivitisKahn]

Related question: I used to have a BK9, but traded it a couple years ago. Now that I see that the
BK5 is back (maybe it didn't go away, but I thought it did), how would the BK5 compare to the BK9?

Maybe the BK5 is more of a cutting tool, and not as suited for chopping. But is it rugged enough for
some "light" (whatever that means; not as heavy hitting, or as often) chopping?

BK5 is a really cool knife and great for slicing, cutting etc. I wouldn't expect it to be remotely in the same league as the BK9 with regard to chopping but it's a great knife.

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Beckerhead #42