Knives for cold weather

einsteinjon

einsteinjon

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So when I am able to afford it, sometime in the distant future, what are the best knives for cold weather use? Maybe around the 0 degree F mark give or take. I will eventually be looking for a bigger fixed blade maybe 7"-10" long, a moderate fixed blade maybe 3.5"-5 or 6" long, and a folder preferably 3"-4" long. Is there a particular steel that fares well in cold weather? Just looking to perform camp type tasks, moderately heavy use but not abuse.

I'll probably be looking to spend no more than $150 on the large fixed, $100-$115 on the medium fixed, and $75-100 on the folder, although these may be flexible.

Again, I doubt I'll be buying any of this for quite awhile, but I'll certainly enjoy looking for now!!! :D
 
For cold where you don't really want to remove the gloves a fixed blade is nice.

Big 7-10 inch...I like the knife mykulmorris here on the forums made for me. Made from a Nicholson file

morris2.jpg


Medium3 1/2 to 5 inch I would probably go cheap and use a Mora or maybe Ka Bar Fin Fixed Blade in D-2 for a lot more money

5554_large.jpg


For a cold weather folder that is easy to use with heavy gloves it is time to pack my Cold Steel Twistmaster. Even with mitts on it is easy to open and lock and unlock and close. You can still find these for about 40 bucks online.

glovestwistmaster.jpg
 
I think a non metal handle is more important than anything. I just got a Spyderco Moran which would be good in the cold due to the all plastic handle and the kraton would help for grip in cold hands.
 
I think Tactical knives did an article about this very topic a while ago...I would have to look through my back issues. I remember reading that a knife with a flipper or wave feature worked quite well for folders, the spyder hole on their larger knives ( endura, military, chinook) would surely accomidate a gloved hand . I would also suggest a lanyard of some sort to secure the knife to your hands especially when wearing gloves.
 
A.P.F. said:
A Spyderco Military comes to mind.
Click to expand...

What isn't a Military good for? :D

I have several recommendations of what to stay clear of and look for in a cold weather knife. In the realm of folders, I find that the SpyderHole is a fantastic opening mechanism. The hole in the blade allows the fabric of your gloves, or your cold, bare fingers, to catch without the problem of smaller and less dexteric thumb studs. Also, FRN handles make me nervous should they be dropped on blacktop, cement, or another hard surface in the cold. Depending on its formulation and how cold the temperature is (0 or negative degrees in the Fahrenheit range) could make the handles fracture.

In the realm of knives, I'd steer clear of metal-handled fixed blades. The RAT Izula is an excellent knife, for instance, but in the winter months I'd find it necessary to cord-wrap the handle. The cold weather makes the metal handles of other knives such as the Spyderco Swick and Becker Necker incredibly cold and frosty, even through thick, arctic-rated gloves. Full tang knives with slab handles are also somewhat cold in the tang area, especially when you go inside and take off your gloves and need to use the knife (my RAT3 was VERY cold the other day :D).
 
My first thought was a Scandi knife like a pukko or leuku. They've got that big-pommeled handle that's easy to grip with mittens/gloves, and a pouch sheath that's easy to get it into and out of.

Thousands of years of use in the near-arctic have produced this style.
 
ZT 0500 MUDD

3175730270_73d7a476e0_o.jpg


It is by far the easiest folder I have to operate with gloves. The thumb "studs" are huge, and the lock is easy to articulate. I'm betting it would work fine with big mountaineering mittens, even. (It's no problem with my ice-climbing gloves). I've used it down to -20F or so with no problems.
 
It's hard to recommend a mid-sized fixed blade without mentioning the mora. The handle is very comfortable and secure even with huge gloves on. It's also dirt cheap.
 
This may sound old-fashioned, but here goes:

I don't typically carry fixed blades, but when I do it's a Becker BK7. My folders are generally the Buck 110 & clones of it. My cold weather knife is another 110 clone, an original Kershaw Black Horse: big fat rubberized grip, solid & easy lock, thick blade, easy to sharpen, (AUS6: not the best, but adequate for my needs), and the new ones are a little better (440A steel - still not the best, but adequate.) For me, reaching & deploying a one-hander is not so easy with gloves & heavy clothes on. I'm just used to the two-handed types. A friend of mine has the same kind of knife, with a one-armed-bandit on it, to make it a "one-hander".

Here's a link to the Kershaw:
http://www.kershawknives.com/productdetails.php?id=135&brand=kershaw

and to the one-armed-bandit:
http://www.countryknives.com/store/product.asp?sku=STD2&dept_id=714

thx - cpr

ps - just read firebert's post again. Now I gotta go check out the ZT's. They might change my mind on this issue...:D
 
In very cold weather I like a fixed blade with a grippy non metal handle.
Fallkniven F1 comes to mind; so do various others.

If I have to use a folder, I like Spyderco's with G10 scales.
 
Kershaw Outcast (D2-rework the edge and it is great), Puuko (Forged carbon, carbon, stainless, damascus-splurge on this one as it will get a lot of use- also I recommend a flared pommel to help you pull it from your sheath easier with gloves on-see Wood Jewel Knives), and a folder like the Benchmade Rukus (CPM S30V- big handle, blade can be flicked open if need be, ambidextrous lock). If not that then go with a large spyderhole style folder with rounded scales (?D'Allara? I have never held one). Should be well within your budget.

Steel type should not be a concern with good manufacturers- worry more about not torquing a blade and you should be fine.
 
Hi,

Check and see what the Scandinavians use. Like Puukkos and Mora style knives. These were designed from hundreds of years of use in the arctic and cold northern climes. Pretty hard to go wrong with one of those.

dalee
 
I find the military second to none in the cold... large spydie hole, a nice bit of handle above the clip to grab, and a large handle all work exceedingly well with gloves... I did a little YouTube vid that I wear gloves to demo this... search "ARCHMAN military" on YouTube to check it out!
 
Absintheur said:
For cold where you don't really want to remove the gloves a fixed blade is nice.

Big 7-10 inch...I like the knife mykulmorris here on the forums made for me. Made from a Nicholson file

morris2.jpg


Medium3 1/2 to 5 inch I would probably go cheap and use a Mora or maybe Ka Bar Fin Fixed Blade in D-2 for a lot more money

5554_large.jpg


For a cold weather folder that is easy to use with heavy gloves it is time to pack my Cold Steel Twistmaster. Even with mitts on it is easy to open and lock and unlock and close. You can still find these for about 40 bucks online.

glovestwistmaster.jpg
Click to expand...


I'll 2nd the mykulmorris knives. Alot of good inexpensive from Spyderco, Buck and Kershaw.
 
Absintheur said:
For cold where you don't really want to remove the gloves a fixed blade is nice.

Big 7-10 inch...I like the knife mykulmorris here on the forums made for me. Made from a Nicholson file

morris2.jpg


Medium3 1/2 to 5 inch I would probably go cheap and use a Mora or maybe Ka Bar Fin Fixed Blade in D-2 for a lot more money

5554_large.jpg


For a cold weather folder that is easy to use with heavy gloves it is time to pack my Cold Steel Twistmaster. Even with mitts on it is easy to open and lock and unlock and close. You can still find these for about 40 bucks online.

glovestwistmaster.jpg
Click to expand...

If you don't mind my asking, where did you get those phenomenal mittens?
 
firebert said:
ZT 0500 MUDD

3175730270_73d7a476e0_o.jpg


It is by far the easiest folder I have to operate with gloves. The thumb "studs" are huge, and the lock is easy to articulate. I'm betting it would work fine with big mountaineering mittens, even. (It's no problem with my ice-climbing gloves). I've used it down to -20F or so with no problems.
Click to expand...

This intrigues me...I did a quick google of it and saw 154CM. How does this hold up to your uses? Does the handle feel like it gets brittle at all?

I hadn't really thought much about using a folder with gloves. It usually ends up staying warm enough in my pocket and I use it for little things when I get indoors, but I'm sure it's not exactly 98.6 degrees F in my pocket when it's 0 F outside. This ZT interests me cuz it'd be possible to use outdoors then.

As far as the Spydercos go, I'm a fan. I have a couple as it is, 2 Endura 4s and a Native. Never really thought about being able to use the hole when I have gloves on though! One of them has a white handle, so that'd be out of the question for use around snow, but that gives me an excuse to get another one if I go that route.
 
For cold weather I would recommend laminated steel. Carbon powdered steel like the Cold Steel Recon are prone to breakage. I saw a video of that somewhere here.

I would also say that a fixed blade is better in case the folder knife joint seizes up because of ice.

Fallkniven springs to mind...
 
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