Leave the Folder Home?

XMP

XMP

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Feb 9, 2007
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Anybody do this?

I normally carry a medium sized fixed blade, a folder and either a leatherman or a SAK, but I've been contemplating two fixed blades, one large (~7") and one small (~4"). I'll admit this is mostly an excuse to buy more knives:D , but I'm sure somebody has tried this and thought I'd solicit opinions:thumbdn: :thumbup: What is a better combo for wilderness carry and why?
 
depends where you are going and what you are doing...living in minnesota and being out in the bush...I'd say a trio consisting of your multitool a med fixed blade approx 4 inches or less, and a chopper would be great...For that particular environment a hatchet would probably be more appropriate than a knife. but if you go with a knife a machete/kurkuri is the way to go..most 7 inch knives don't have the beef for real chopping IMHO but in the ebd go woth what you feel comfortable with.
 
I'm pretty sure that there are quite a few very experienced people that carry a larger blade, a medium fixed blade and a multi tool of some kind. It splits the edged tools into specialized usage and helps to cover more bases.

I kind of grew away from the larger (7+") blades. Mostly because I've been trying to build up my axe/hatchet useage skills, as well as developing skills where a chopping blade isn't needed and even when I did take my Becker BK-7 along, it didn't get used much, because I also carried a Mora and a Vic SAK of some kind and they seemed to get most of the duty.
 
XMP said:
Anybody do this?

I normally carry a medium sized fixed blade, a folder and either a leatherman or a SAK, but I've been contemplating two fixed blades, one large (~7") and one small (~4"). I'll admit this is mostly an excuse to buy more knives:D , but I'm sure somebody has tried this and thought I'd solicit opinions:thumbdn: :thumbup: What is a better combo for wilderness carry and why?
Click to expand...

I think its an excellent idea. Plus, there has been a rash, of late of piggyback carry options. (See BRKT.) I carry a BRKT Rivers Edge, and I've got a TUSK on the way to piggback with it. But I aint leaving my Douk Douk either.

More knives is good.
 
I feel that whatever you're comfortable with is the way to go. Used correctly a folder can accomplish most of what we need done in the woods.

As for me, I never head out without my Vic Farmer, fixed blade (Mora, or my Fallkniven F1) and a axe, or hatchet. If on a day hike, I might replace the axe for my Opinel folding saw.
 
95% of the time I just carry a lock blade SAK. The rest of the time I may carry a Swisstool or a fixed blade or an axe or a saw or a combination. It works for me esp in the summer when open fires don't make sense.
 
I've went the other direction, leaving the fixed blades home. If I'm going to some state or national park with well established trails, I just carry a sak hiker with a saw blade, and one of my traditional pocket knives, and in the day pack a good Opinel or Gerber/Fiskars folding saw. If I go off trail or woods walking in unfamiliar terrain, I carry one of my 12 inch Ontario machetes in my pack, or my 10 inch bush knife I made out of a 12 inch Martindale machete that looks like a small golok. Sometimes I'll carry my Martindale golok.

I've tried to refine my techniques to use either my pocket knife for small stuff, or my chopper for all else. I just dont have much use theses days for fixed blades under 10 inches unless its my old laminated mora. So far I have'nt run into anything a sak and a Ontario can't handle.
 
"XMP": "I'll admit this is mostly an excuse to buy more knives"

I'd say if it allows you to buy more blades, that's a worthwile thing in itself :)
 
I say if you're going to try that to go with a bigger...big knife. Something more along the lines of a 8-10incher. The 7 inch knife really shines when it's a stand alone IMO. This is why you'll hear a lot of SAR guys use them. It doesn't do anything well but does do EVERYTHING, albeit poorly in most cases. It IS a weight cutter though. So if you're going to carry a 4 incher for fine tasks, there's no reason not to go big for a chopper really.
 
I usually carry a folder, SAK farmer, a fixed blade as back-up, and a tomahawk. That covers all my bases; chopping, cutting, food prep, defense, whatever. I don't think you should leave the folder at home but if you're more comfortable with a fixed blade than do it to it; or you can just carry both. The folder is more easily accesible, IMO, especially with a pack on. You can keep a good fixed blade in or on your pack for back-up should your folder fail under any circumstances.
 
Most of the time, my BK7 comes for Shits and giggles, I use an axe and smaller (sog h revolver, buck vanguard) fixed blade and a Vic OH fireman for mostly everything. The larger bk7 though comes in handy for medium batoning, and some light chopping and prying. Great thing to have when you dont want to lug an axe.
 
Many production folders are out there that have plenty of strength and sharp blades of good steel. (I would still hesitate to baton a folder, but that's just me... folks have proven it can be safely done.)

The main reason my folders stay at home when I go camping or just goofing around, is that they always seem to fill up with dust, dirt, steak juices, and so forth. I hate cleaning the darn things and I REALLY hate the sound of sand grinding around inside the joint. Some might say I'm not taking care of them if they get "that" dirty but I disagree. I USE my knives and if that means they come in contact with grime, I'm OK with that. Disregarding strength, and the fact that a folding 9 1/1" bowie would just be dumb, fixed blades are my choice outdoors because they're so easy to wipe down, no moving parts to let go or bind up, and if you really want to get picky, they deploy faster.

I do keep a paper-thin, razor sharp Buck Nobleman in my main 1st aid kit; it's never used for rough work. It's always nice to have a lightweight backup tucked away. And I'm not "against" folders, I EDC a Buck or Leatherman folder in everyday life.
 
I think GibsonFan nailed it.....keep it simple (no moving parts to fail). I carried folders for most of my life, but now my EDC is a small fixed blade. After carring a stout fixed blade for some time I find myself being almost gentle with any folders. On my trips I always carry some sort of mult-tool, a small fixed blade (ususally my EDC knife) and either a 8+ chopper or small axe. For me there's no going back to folders, my 3" fixed blade tucked up tight on my side makes me feel well prepared for anything (even if I need a prybar).
 
wjzgma,

I hate to say....as I personally put a lot of value in the knife I carry everyday. I carry a customized Busse knife (I did most of the work). It's had a tough life, but today it's as good as the day I modified the blade. It holds an edge like nothing I've ever used, and I'm not afraid to pry with it either. I can tell you, it's one of a kind...I'll try to post a pic soon.
 
My trio: LM Wave, Rd-4/Mora, a soon to happen 8 inch custom chopper. In theory you could manage with just a Mora.
 
As has been noted above, it really depends on what you're doing.

Walking around town or going to the office? A single folder does it for me.

Working around the house? A folder plus a leatherman.

Short day hikes into regional parks/open space? Becker Necker on a lanyard plus the leatherman.

Day hikes into BLM lands/national parks/national monuments that will take me away from the crowds? 5.5" fixed blade plus leatherman plus neck knife.

4 wheeling miles back down something that can only laughingly be called a road? leatherman, neck knife, 5.5" fixed blade, shovel, and machete or a big knife in the truck (depending on ecosystem)....

You pick your tools for the chores at hand. That's the way I look at it.
 
I have started EDCing a fixed blade, either a becker necker or a schrade 152ot, and right now don't know if I will ever go back to a folder. Chris
 
Thanks for the responses so far.

Just to clarify: I'm specifically thinking of wilderness travel, both day-hiking and backpacking. (For me this is relatively evenly split between Minnesota/Wisconsin forests and the Rockies of MT/CO/WY). In that circumstance, I usually have a medium-large fixed blade strapped to my pack and the leatherman/SAK as well. Then in my pocket I have a medium sized folder (usually a Strider SnG). The folder has always been my security blanket, in case I get seperated from my pack or need a knife handy when I've temporarily set the pack down (rest breaks, call of nature, etc.). But some of you make a good case for a small fixed blade, which could be belt-mounted and just as convenient as a folder clipped in the pocket. The main advantage I see would be a more indestructable last resort/security blanket, if I were somehow seperated from my pack. Still, the SnG seems pretty indestructable.

Really, this all occurred to me as I was trying to justify buying a Swamp Rat Howling Rat, so I thought I'd see how others handled the 'three tool combo'.
 
XMP,

OK......buy the howler, I think after some use it will replace your 5.5" blade. Before I started carring a small fixed blade I carried a folder and a 6" on my belt, now it's just a small fixed blade, 4" or less (the chopper in my pack and do the rest).
PS: I really like my howler.
 
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