Knife/Tool setup for bushcraft

B

BlackWolfBushcraft

Joined
Jan 4, 2016
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Right now (on my belt) I'm carrying a Tops B.O.B. that I really like, a Condor Thai Enep Knife, a Leatherman Wave, Opinel 6 (for smaller food prep tasks), and a fire kit. In my main pack i've got a Bahco Laplander, Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe, and a couple of other random tools.
Just wondering what ya'll think of my setup, and what you carry and why. I like the idea of a big chopper knife on my belt, a medium (4-5 inch) fixed blade, and a smaller food prep/skinning knife. Is that too many knives?
Thanks
 
BlackWolfBushcraft said:
Right now (on my belt) I'm carrying a Tops B.O.B. that I really like, a Condor Thai Enep Knife, a Leatherman Wave, Opinel 6 (for smaller food prep tasks), and a fire kit. In my main pack i've got a Bahco Laplander, Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe, and a couple of other random tools.
Just wondering what ya'll think of my setup, and what you carry and why. I like the idea of a big chopper knife on my belt, a medium (4-5 inch) fixed blade, and a smaller food prep/skinning knife. Is that too many knives?
Thanks
Click to expand...

Sounds like you're covering all your needs. I like it. Better to be over prepared than not.
 
A large chopping knife, saw and axe are a bit redundant in my opinion. Otherwise, I suppose it's close to what I would take camping. Medium fixed blade, medium folder, multi tool and maybe something to process wood (I would probably choose the saw as it is the lightest)
 
I run a BK9, BK16, and a silky Gomboy saw....BUT keep in mind, I have a lot of ground wood around my AO... never needed to fell anything. Use Silky Gomboy to section to length, BK9 to split...and 16 for everything else.

as a quasi backup and for very specialized tasks I keep a SAK Trekker in my pack.... but it seldom sees light of day...
 
I don't like carrying any more than I have to because I've usually got a kid or two in tow. I'd have to ditch half of what you carry. I bring either an axe or a BK9, a Mora or a medium sized folder and a leatherman wingman. I keep a fire kit with me, but generally just use a lighter and found tinder to start a fire. Less weight from tools = more water and food.
 
I'm thinking about just dropping the large chopper knife and just carrying a saw, medium knife, multitool, axe, and skinner. Thanks for the input.
 
I think you have all angles covered, except for the larger bowsaw or bucksaw.

I typically like to carry just a small axe and a knife, because I don't like to carry a lot of weight, and I am still practicing and learning the capabilities of those tools. If I were doing an outing where I had to process a lot of wood, I suppose I'd have my boy's axe and a buck saw.
 
I live in mid, north-west coast. Won't be processing too much wood, so probably wont need a bucksaw. How does something like the bk9 compare with something like the GB Small Forest Axe when chopping? I've never really considered a chopper knife until now.
 
Check this out:
[video=youtube;GLqiAefRw30]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLqiAefRw30[/video]

I've got the Fiskars hatchet :thumbup:
 
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I have been leaning more traditional lately. Also smaller and lighter. Here is my latest 3 tool option. The jury is still out, but. I am liking it so far.

Hess Muley, Opinel #12 Folding Saw, GB Outdoor Axe.

Up here in the winter, add a decent size axe for a sustained outing. Bushman, or Council Double bit, and maybe my KA-BAR.

But the top three cover all my bases well for most tasks.

In a pinch, I can make do with just the KA-BAR
 
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Nice! thank you! I've got a Cold steel frontier hawk which chops pretty well considering it's weight. Love my gransfors!!! And my thai enep chopper chops the worst out of the three. I think I will be moving to my tomahawk for scouting and my gransfors for heavy bushcrafting. How about an opinel #6 if i have a leatherman wave. Also I carry a lightweight mora as a backup. I think I will be downsizing in weight in the near future. Thanks a ton!!!
 
What is bushcraft?

If it is the hobby of going into the woods and screwing around with what you find there, it sounds like you have quite a kit to play with.

If it is the practice of using a few simple tools to get a lot done, you have too many knives. No one living off the land and walking everywhere would carry all that stuff, and I kind of think that's more the spirit of bushcraft - emulating a trapper from the early 1800s.


Everyone here owns a ton of knives. If I were you, I'd pick one or two at a time and see just how much you can get with your selection.


If there is no weight limit to what a bushcrafter takes into the woods, chainsaws are amazing!
 
I have this husqvarna hatchet for chopping wood, a DPX HEFT 4 for random tasks like making tent stakes, making kindling or feathersticks and other slightly large tasks, I have a mota bushcraft black that I mainly use for food prep and cleaning fish. I bring a small folder such as my kershaw blur in s30v for the edc tasks I'll need to take care of, cutting ropes or cordage mostly. I bring my SAK Fieldmaster 2 as a secondary and for the bottle opener and can opener. Saw surprisingly comes in handy. A fire lit composed of lighters, matches, flint and steel, tinder bundle and a small container of extra lighter fluid, in ziplocs and in a watertight container. I also have simple first aid kit, reusable water bottle (steel so you can reuse and boil water). I also have 550 paracord with me, used a good amount so I'd say it's at about 125 feet. Completely overkill but that's my style.


Of course I bring some easy food. Fruit, protein bars. Whatever. Also I tend to bring one of those water filter straws and water purification tabs. When I go camping, I really like to live off the land. When I'm hungry, I fish, if I drink all my water I get more at a running water source and purify it. I do bring a tent and sleeping bag which is kind of cheating..but that's me haha
 
BlackWolfBushcraft said:
I live in mid, north-west coast. Won't be processing too much wood, so probably wont need a bucksaw. How does something like the bk9 compare with something like the GB Small Forest Axe when chopping? I've never really considered a chopper knife until now.
Click to expand...

Bk9 vs Gransfors

The Gransfors is more effective and efficient but has a higher leaning curve and potential for personal injury.


Climate, weather, distance, are important factors when deciding what tools to carry.

Also

Your shelter,clothing, sleep system , food supply and overall objective will ultimately determine what tools to bring


For example,

If it's a wet forest area that's cold with a 10 mile hike,

Perhaps I want a well rounded assortment of tools for the trip.

A 26" boys axe for making quick work out of processing wet wood With folding saw for versatility and 4inch fixed blade for carving and a small folder for utility. Also with a tarp tent and sleeping bag with a moderate supply of food.

Or maybe I just pack Leatherman and some really high tech sleeping bags, pads and a tent with a great clothing system.
No fire. No tools, just efficient travel.

Or

Perhaps I bring minimal sleeping gear and a tarp to save weight for a big 4lb, 36" felling axe and a folding knife and lots of extra calories to power the work load and be very dependent on making a fire for comfort and enjoyment.


My point is its great to have options,

Your preferences, knowledge and experience will ultimately decide what you carry.
Keep in mind, Very experienced and knowledgeable dudes carry less.

Knowledge weighs nothing.
 
In the woods, and in life. I like versatility. I like my tools to be multi functional and I like them to overlap somewhat.

I also like simple and time tested items. I tend to look backwards for tools and not forwards. If it worked in the 1890s and it is still around. I figure it has merit. Like a good cast iron pan.

I hear a lot of 3 is 2 is 1 is none stuff. I suppose it's true. But I don't get too hung up on that methodology. The overlap helps off set it somewhat. As was already pointed out. What you have will never outweigh what you know.

Pick some tools and go use them. What you like and where you live may be totally different from what I come up with.

I always get a chuckle out of folks from the desert southwest. Most of the time, out there, you can start a fire with a fresnel lens. Everything is dry and the sun is almost always out. Where I live, we're lucky to see the sun a few times a week, and the tinder is always damp. But water is everywhere. Trade offs.

If you're newer at this, more stuff is probably wise. Better to come home with a sore back and tired feet, than not at all. I have been going into the woods with edged tools for 50 years(crap how did that happen?) I am still adjusting, if that tells you anything. There really isn't right or wrong, just different.

Two of the tools you mention would work well in harmony. I think the BK-9 and the small Opinel #6 folder would cross nicely. I have been using an Opinel #7 that I recently acquired. I didn't mention it, because I don't have enough woods time with it yet. But since you did. I think it would work well and it weighs next to nothing.

Some universal rules,
Sharp is better than dull.
Cutting yourself hurts,
Do stupid things long enough and you will get bit.
It can end a trip, or your life. Be safe.
You could ask 100 people this question and you would get 150 different answers.

Getting out there and doing it is more important than what you take.
You will evolve, no matter what you start with.

Ironically, I am almost back to exactly what I started with as a kid. Small knife, hatchet sized axe, and a small saw. I started with an Army mess kit knife, a roofers hatchet, and a small hand saw. Looking back it amazes me how much that mess kit knife resembles a Kephart. Maybe the Army knew that. I still have the hatchet. It is eerily similar to the Outdoor axe in size.

I had a ton of fun back then. Cutting trees, building things. My dad, taught me the ways of the canvas pup tent. And the benefits of just using one shelter half. Of course, I got dripped on all night once. Because I had to touch it, just to see.

Fun, that is what it should be about. Many folks are way too uptight about this stuff. Proper this and exact that. Just go out and have fun. Don't get caught up in all the BS.

If you haven't done so yet. I highly recommend you purchase and read Mors Kochanski's book "Bushcraft". In fact I recommend you buy two. One to keep safe at home, one to take with you to read while you are in the woods. It will not only help you with tool selection. But also with technique, training and saftey tips. The weight of the book is more than offset by the knowledge inside.

I have walked your path too. In my teens and early twenties, 70 pounds seemd reasonable for a three day trip. I still don't drill holes in my toothbrush. But I do carry a lot less.

Good luck with your endeavors. Post up some works in progress in the outdoor section when you feel comfortable.

LV,
 
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I showed up to a meat cooking once with no knife. Everyone laughed. I broke a rock and made my cooking utensils from a bush and cut my meat off with the rock knife and cooked it. You have a great set of tools! As you go into the wild, try to make their counterpart out of flint. If over time you learn to do this you will be able to do everything in the wild even you don't have anything at all. In all fairness I have used a lot of knives overtime and I like to look in junk shops for old turn of the century used knives and redo them now! We have a great hobby don't we!
Keep on cutting!!!
 
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