knife for hiking/backpacking/survival

[Zartoon]

So I'm a child of the 80s, and as such, have always been fascinated with the hollow handle Rambo knives. I recently stumbled upon the hollow handle knife thread and really liked the new offerings in this area. There seems to be a good selection of both low priced, but good quality hollow handle knives on the market, as well as some really nice custom hollow handle knives.

As such, I started experimenting with some of the low priced offerings, to see if i could come up with something that i liked, and maybe it would pave the way for me to become brave enough to get a custom hollow handle knife in the future.

So after some experimentation, this is what I've settled on. Let me know your thoughts. I dont have a picture, but will try to take one and post it in the next day or two.

1. Knife: Schrade SCHF2 hollow handle knife. handle is wrapped in fire-para-chord in red.
2. I took out the screwdriver in the handle, and inserted the following: Fire starting flint, safety pins, compass, water tablets, surgical sterile blade, needle and thread.
3. Spec-Ops sheath
4. In the spec-Ops sheath, I have a Leatherman Signal. It provides me a smaller knife for more precise work, a pair of pliers, backup fire starter, sharpener, saw, and a few other doo-dats.

To me, this seems to be a good setup if you arent planning on carrying a backpack and are just going hiking or hunting.

Any thoughts on the flaw in my thinking, or suggestions for improvement would be greatly appreciated.

-Z

 

[Brommeland]

Any hollow handled knife (other than one of Chris Reeves' one piece masterpieces) will have a joint between the blade and the handle. This will make it fragile. If you absolutely, positively must carry a bunch of crap with your knife, my recommendation would be to attach a small nylon pouch to the sheath instead of going the hollow handle route.

After testing many, many general purpose bushcraft/"survival" type knives, I've decided upon the Fallkniven F1 as my # 1 choice. It is more than adequate if you develop the necessary skills, and small/light enough to have with me most all of the time.

I hope that this helps.

 

[Zartoon]

So the SCHF2 is a one piece HH knife. I've also read alot about the modern high quality HH knives being just as strong as full tang knives.
The question is, is this just internet propaganda?

 

[mec003]

It might not be as indestructible as a solid full tank fixed blade, but it's probably more than adequaten for 99% of tasks. If you like, use it. For me personally, it's more knife than I want on a hike. I can't pack snacks or water in a hallow handle knife, so I'm gonna have a small pack anyways.

 

[Zartoon]

They also offer the schf2sm which is the smaller version. As for water and snacks, for a day hike, I carry a canteen on the belt and some hard candy in the pockets. That's how I do away with the pack.
Not saying it's the best way, but I have traditionally avoided taking a backpack on day hikes.
Backpacking and hunting are different though.

 

[BladeScout]

Any hollow handled knife (other than one of Chris Reeves' one piece masterpieces) will have a joint between the blade and the handle. This will make it fragile. If you absolutely, positively must carry a bunch of crap with your knife, my recommendation would be to attach a small nylon pouch to the sheath instead of going the hollow handle route.

After testing many, many general purpose bushcraft/"survival" type knives, I've decided upon the Fallkniven F1 as my # 1 choice. It is more than adequate if you develop the necessary skills, and small/light enough to have with me most all of the time.

I hope that this helps.

Not so - for example the ROBSON RPW is a one piece construction knife

https://www.google.dk/search?q=holl...a7dBUM:;ZT6NPBBL6EMRCM:&imgrc=bvnWSZNUa7dBUM:

Though you are right in that there are some two piece construction hollow handle knives out there, which are of weak/cheap construction and will undoubtedly easily fail.

Other two piece construction hollow handle knives are of high quality - check out Sam Wilson's knives, Martin knives et al.

 

[BladeScout]

Any thoughts on the flaw in my thinking, or suggestions for improvementwould be greatly appreciated.

-Z

For great info on quality hollow handle knives, check out this thread. 1. Be prepared to spend some time there. 2. Hold on to your wallet.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1132950-THE-Hollow-Handle-Knife-Thread

 

[BladeScout]

Some examples from the above mentioned HH thread:

Some times great things come in small packages like this gorgeous Martin Caiman

Anyway, until the last month, my favorite Martin was absolutely the Apparo 9.5 ".. But.... Then...... A couple of weeks ago, I saw a FANTASTIC model, of course always a Martin.. And my certainties on my favorite Apparo collapsed!!
This is that knife...... The Martin Caiman TAD Gear Limited Edition!!!
I love it..... I really love it!! Maybe in part because I also love the TAD Gear. In my opinion it's really been a successful duo!
The rear cap I think is copper? And it is already included the compass inside the cap..

and further

Robson RPW

I have one. Very nicely finished. I'm still not sold on the o-ring, at least with a lanyard attached. Very, very solid. Good geometry for casual use, but not great.

Newt Martin does make a great knife, he is very ill right now. I hope and pray he heals up soon.

and the last one he made for my daughter as a Commissioning present.

RANDALL

Here you go.

 

[Aias]

Boker makes a licensed version of Martin's apparo (Boker plus apparo); there are reviews available (I think Mistwalker did one on BF years ago). I read good things, but consistency in quality control may be an issue.

 

[Zartoon]

I dig all these HH knives!!
The question I was posing was, if you are going on a hike/hunt/etc where you have no backpack, what do you carry as your knife/survival system.

 

[gadgetgeek]

To each their own. My two knife system would be an ESEE-3 and a Vic farmer, as between those two I feel I'd have a lot of situations covered very well. But the combo of a fixed blade and a folder/multi-tool is a system that many have used for a very long time. It all comes down to personal choice after that.

If that's the best way for you to carry your firelighting and other such gear, then by all means, its worth it. I don't need to carry my bag-o-crap all the places I do, but it makes it easier for me to stay organized and know exactly what I have on me.

 

[BladeScout]

I dig all these HH knives!!
The question I was posing was, if you are going on a hike/hunt/etc where you have no backpack, what do you carry as your knife/survival system.

Yes, there are some nice HH knives out there. Check out the thread.
Well, you asked for suggestions in regards to improvements - an improvement could be to upgrade your knife to for example a custom, as you mentioned.

 

[pinnah]

Google for "the 10 essentials". You'll find many variants of this list but they have more in common than not.

I don't go in the woods without my version of the 10 essentials and that kit wouldn't fit into the handle of a hollow handled broadsword, much less a knife.

Bottom line, IMO, if you're serious about staying safe in he backcountry, I would recommend not constraining yourself to what will fit in a knife handle (or Altoids tin, for that matter).

I can post my kit if you want me to.

 

[Alberta Ed]

The hollow-handled concept is interesting, but I'd rather distribute survival gear around my person and pack in case I lost the knife. And yes, I'd have a backup blade, too. My friend Tommy Tompkins, who roamed thousands of miles in Canada's wilderness on his filming expeditions, advocated carrying multiples of matches and other critical gear

 

[jonnyt16]

Any hollow handled knife (other than one of Chris Reeves' one piece masterpieces) will have a joint between the blade and the handle. This will make it fragile. If you absolutely, positively must carry a bunch of crap with your knife, my recommendation would be to attach a small nylon pouch to the sheath instead of going the hollow handle route.

That's what I do if I go out with only a knife. You can fit more in that pouch than in a hollow handle. There are many custom sheath makers out there that can build you pretty much anything you want. I highly recommend Doug Wilson at YellowHawk Custom Kydex. He made the sheath for my Falkniven A1. In the pouch I keep a multitool, some Tinder-Quik, and water purification tabs. And as you can see I have a firesteel, compass, and a light on the outside.

 

[Sam Wilson]

Hollow handle knives certainly aren't for everyone, and there are many different knives for different situations. That's what is so great about having so many options, both custom and production. I like and use many different types of knives, and would never tell someone to limit themselves to only one type. Use what works for you.

Any hollow handled knife (other than one of Chris Reeves' one piece masterpieces) will have a joint between the blade and the handle. This will make it fragile. If you absolutely, positively must carry a bunch of crap with your knife, my recommendation would be to attach a small nylon pouch to the sheath instead of going the hollow handle route.

No disrespect intended, but this is not accurate. There is absolutely nothing fragile about a quality made hollow handle knife. Well made, they will stand up to just about everything a full tang knife will encounter in realistic use. They can also take plenty of abuse and keep going. And I love Reeve's knives.

The hollow-handled concept is interesting, but I'd rather distribute survival gear around my person and pack in case I lost the knife. And yes, I'd have a backup blade, too. My friend Tommy Tompkins, who roamed thousands of miles in Canada's wilderness on his filming expeditions, advocated carrying multiples of matches and other critical gear

That is the very purpose of a hollow handle knife, to have essentially a backup kit in the handle/sheath. It isn't intended to be the primary survival or emergency gear, but rather a redundancy.

That's what I do if I go out with only a knife. You can fit more in that pouch than in a hollow handle. There are many custom sheath makers out there that can build you pretty much anything you want. I highly recommend Doug Wilson at YellowHawk Custom Kydex. He made the sheath for my Falkniven A1. In the pouch I keep a multitool, some Tinder-Quik, and water purification tabs. And as you can see I have a firesteel, compass, and a light on the outside.

The flip side of that coin is that you can fit more in the hollow handle and a pouch on the sheath combined than you could ever fit in the pouch alone. And it would be totally crushproof and waterproof, inside the handle at least. Again, different strokes for different folks. By all means, I believe people should buy and use what they like and are comfortable with.

Sam :thumbup:

 

[BladeScout]

Well said, Sam and I concur.

 

[jeepin]

Hollow handle knives certainly aren't for everyone, and there are many different knives for different situations. That's what is so great about having so many options, both custom and production. I like and use many different types of knives, and would never tell someone to limit themselves to only one type. Use what works for you.




No disrespect intended, but this is not accurate. There is absolutely nothing fragile about a quality made hollow handle knife. Well made, they will stand up to just about everything a full tang knife will encounter in realistic use. They can also take plenty of abuse and keep going. And I love Reeve's knives.




That is the very purpose of a hollow handle knife, to have essentially a backup kit in the handle/sheath. It isn't intended to be the primary survival or emergency gear, but rather a redundancy.




The flip side of that coin is that you can fit more in the hollow handle and a pouch on the sheath combined than you could ever fit in the pouch alone. And it would be totally crushproof and waterproof, inside the handle at least. Again, different strokes for different folks. By all means, I believe people should buy and use what they like and are comfortable with.

Sam :thumbup:

You made some great points Sam :thumbup:

 

[leghog]

...."the 10 essentials".....

Bottom line, IMO, if you're serious about staying safe in he backcountry, I would recommend not constraining yourself to what will fit in a knife handle (or Altoids tin, for that matter).

+ 1 Gazillion.

 

[Sam Wilson]

Well said, Sam and I concur.

You made some great points Sam :thumbup:

Thank you, guys.

+ 1 Gazillion.

I agree. Fortunately, the only people I usually see talk about venturing into the woods with just what's in a hollow handle knife are the people that don't like/carry/own hollow handle knives. All of the people I've spoken with that actually use them agree that the kit in the handle/sheath is just backup/redundancy gear. Thank goodness.

Sam :thumbup: