Knife for Africa - Help a Noob Please!

C

CAR Bound

Joined
Dec 9, 2004
Messages
3
Hello all, I just 'found' this incredible website while I was searching for a knife to bring to Africa with me. I'm going to be working in agriculture in Central Africa for a couple of years. I've been using a CRKT Mt. Ranier for a year or so, but I'm pretty unhappy with the action of the liner lock mechanism, not to mention having the pivot develop some play that I can't get rid of by tightening the pivot bolt.

So, I'm looking for a decent, tough knife in the $60-80 range. I prefer somewhere around a three inch blade. The knife will be used for a lot of farm type activities (cutting rope, bamboo, tree branches) and perhaps for butchering small animals such as goats and rabbits. I'm looking for a folder with a pocket clip (tip up or down, doesn't matter). I like having a stud (not a hole) for one handed opening.

Can anyone make any suggestions for me? If the forum rules allow it, can you also tell me where I could purchase the knife you recommend?

Thanks for your help!
CAR Bound
 
this is not a joke.......buy 3 ka-bar folding hunters Bob Dozier design

lockback...3"...about $20 each at almost any knife dealer

its been 1 of 2 EDC knives of mine for the last 2 years (Endura is the other)

i've beaten the #@$^#@$# out of it....and it keeps going

buy a DMT duo-fold diamond sharpener (about$25) and your good to go.

total for 3 knives plus diamond sharpener = $85 :)

Bill
 
I'll stick with the Ka-Bar theme.

I've been using a Ka-Bar Mule around the farm for a few months, and it's the best bang for the buck folder I've ever owned.

David
 
Sorry to do this and there are many people on this forum better qualified than I to comment, but here is my .02.

First, if you are going to the bush in Africa to do all the things you mentioned, I think you must take a fixed blade knife. Not a big one, not a real expensive one, but you really need quality where you are going. (You also need to know how to sharpen the knife).

Second you must let go of a few more bucks. You and your tasks are worth it and a knife will be more central than you think in the success of your work.

I suggest Bob Dozier knives for under two hundred (yes you should spend this much) you can get a 3 and something inch fixed blade that will serve you well. Spend a little less?... maybe look at Buck. Stay with quality.

If you are able to, please send me an email.

Welcome to the forum.
 
The knife will be used for a lot of farm type activities (cutting rope, bamboo, tree branches) and perhaps for butchering small animals such as goats and rabbits.
Click to expand...

To me that screams fixed blade.

You can definately get a good knife for the price range...there is no need to spend $200...Swamp Rat knives comes to mind...

Warthog
 
Welcome to Bladeforums! :)

You don't say where you're writing from, which can make a difference in ordering -- some dealers won't deal with overseas buyers.

I was about to say you should check out the Bob Dozier Ka-Bar folding hunters, but bill g nailed those on the first response :D The Ka-Bar Mule has gotten good reviews, too.

You can get a DMT Double Sided Diafold Sharpener Fine and Coarse folding model and you'll be the most popular knife sharpener in town.

Is there a reason you specified a folder? Because a small fixed blade can be much more effective for most of the work you mentioned.
 
CAR Bound said:
Hello all, I just 'found' this incredible website while I was searching for a knife to bring to Africa with me. I'm going to be working in agriculture in Central Africa for a couple of years. I've been using a CRKT Mt. Ranier for a year or so, but I'm pretty unhappy with the action of the liner lock mechanism, not to mention having the pivot develop some play that I can't get rid of by tightening the pivot bolt.

So, I'm looking for a decent, tough knife in the $60-80 range. I prefer somewhere around a three inch blade. The knife will be used for a lot of farm type activities (cutting rope, bamboo, tree branches) and perhaps for butchering small animals such as goats and rabbits. I'm looking for a folder with a pocket clip (tip up or down, doesn't matter). I like having a stud (not a hole) for one handed opening.

Can anyone make any suggestions for me? If the forum rules allow it, can you also tell me where I could purchase the knife you recommend?

Thanks for your help!
CAR Bound
Click to expand...


Sounds like a real adventure, I envy you. I have to go along with the recomendation that you purchase a fixed blade. The Benchmade Nimravus. It can be had for well under $80 get a good sharpenening stone and learn how to use it. You might also invest in a Victorinox soldier or pioneer folder maybe one with a saw blade.another possibility is a Multitool. Then you get the smaller blade and a few other tools.

Drew
 
Having been to Kenya, I'd bring a khukuri.

I'd also throw in one of my folders, but not for any of the tasks you mentioned.
 
I'll agree that you should get a decent fixed blade to take as well. You don't have to spend a ton of money, but be sure its good quality. You will not be able to buy a good knife as easily once you are there!
 
Don't bother taking anything expencive with you, it may well walk away. And for any rough work there is something over there that is carried by everyone in the fields, a panga, the African version of a machete.

Take a sak or two for your own personel use, plus a compact lockblade and you'll be fine. Any fixed blade use you do there is plenty of native blades around. Use what everyone else is using.
 
I have had good luck purchasing on-line at NewGraham.com. Good prices and service. Odd this place is really a pharmacy but are top notch with knives. You will need a good flashlight, check out SureFire.

Anyway, good luck in Africa.
 
I think jackknife makes a lot of sense in regards to using native blades. That said I think I would still bring a multi-tool, it shouldn't be legal to travel without one. Mine is a gerber multi-lock but SOG and Leatherman seem to be more popular amonst forumites. I would also bring a folder, Spyderco native comes to mind and based on your described act9ivities I would probably bring a fixed blade like the cold steel srk, master hunter or becker companion.

The Native probably cost 40-60 bucks, the fixed blades range between 40-100 and the multi-tool is proably 60-80. The folding sharpner is also a must.

I have gotten great prices and customer service at all of the following,

www.1sks.com
www.knifecenter.com
www.knivesplus.com

there are lots of other dealers online these are just the three I have used most frequnetly and I have no complains about any of them.

Good luck, it sounds like an awesome experiencewit
 
bell said:
You will need a good flashlight, check out SureFire.
Click to expand...
A reliable flashlight is a great idea, but Surefires burn through both bulbs and batteries at an unacceptable rate, especially if you are far from resupply.

Check out this recent thread, Best LED Flashlight That Uses AA bateries? since LED lights will not require replacing bulbs and AA batteries are cheaper and more easily available. You won't get the same raw power but who says you need to light up the whole neighborhood, anyway? :D
 
Multi-tool (I have a SOG) and a small fixed blade like Otareio TAK-1 or something simple like that would be plenty. :D
 
I would get a leatherman wave two blades that lock and a working saw then I would get a 10$ mora that will handle heavy cutting and save the leatherman for fine work that is the combo that has worked well for me on our cattle farm.
 
Suprised no one's mentioned Beckers.. BK/2, BK/7, BK/9, BK/10


BK/2
bk2-t.jpg


BK/7
bk4-t.jpg


BK/9
bk9-t.jpg


BK/10
bk10-t.jpg



These are all really good knives for the dough, but if you must have a folder, get a Greco Falcon or a Greco Whisper, as they are about the toughest production/custom knives in the world for the price.

http://www.grecoknives.com/GRECO275.htm
 
IMHO, A fixed blade would definitely serve you better than a folder in the situations you describe. In your price range I would suggest the very versatile Benchmade Outbounder. 3 3/4" 440C blade 58-60 RC. Also has stabilized rosewood scales so you don't have to worry about weather or water damage on the handles. 69.99 at Knifeworks.com .
 
I've never been to Central Africa, but I've been to South Africa, the Horn of Africa, and West Africa on several trips. Central Africa is the most heavily forested and rainly part of the continent and since you will be working with agriculture, I would recommend that you pick up a couple of inexpensive 12-18" bladed machetes from Ontario. They make good machetes at a reasonable price. You will find that everybody and their kid has a machete where you are going because they are the basic tool for farming. They may also come in handy if you run up on some bad snake or other varmint when you are in the field.

A good 3-4" folder is great. I would recommend a Paramilitary, Endura, or Griptillian, or the new Spyderco Stretch. These are just knives that I like alot, many others would do just as well. Finally, get a nice inexpensive SAK and a very solid multi-tool like a Leatherman. Things often need repair in Africa and a good mutli-tool and SAK will be indispensable in either the countryside or in the big city.

Good luck on your trip! I am working in administration lately and I probably won't get back to Africa until 2006 at the earliest. I wish I were going much sooner!
 
Esav Benjamin is right on target. I know from first hand experience that Surefires in Africa are not a good idea because they aren't designed for sustained use. You'd do much better to get a regular small or medium sized maglite plus several packs of batteries. Electricity in Africa can be very erratic. In the countryside, it may simply be non-existent. Once again, good luck on your trip.
 
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