Let's get to the bottom of Neck Knives !

pitdog

pitdog

Joined
Apr 13, 2007
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There has been some talk of Neck Knives again recently and it got me thinking what is the main purpose for carrying one and what would be the perfect size for this use ?
For me a Neck Knife is a back up incase your other equipment was lost !
In this situation it would be needed to carry out any chores required to keep you alive untill you are rescued or found your way to safety !
This could include Making Firesticks, Making Traps,Preparing food and maybe even protection.

To me the ideal size should be a knife no longer than 6" overall, 1/8" stock thickness and skeletonised as a handle would make it too heavy for EDC !
I am still undecided on whether it should be High Carbon or Stainless !!!!

What is everyone elses thoughts, maybe we can come to some conclusion on the perfect Necker.:thumbup:
 
IMO neck knives are a perfect way to carry your main small work knife in a manner that is always accessible with one hand even when sitting. In the outdoors my neck knife is the one that gets used the most for all of the everday mundane chores. I do a lot of kyaking and canoeing and the neck knife is the best way I have found to have a knife easily accessible at all times. As far as the best, I think I have found it in my kalista, although I wish it was made of 1095 instead of ats34.

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Nothing to do with the thread but a cool pic of my son cutting bait the other night.

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I think light weight and stainlessness are of the utmost importance when carrying in the urban wilderness. For example a Spyderco Swick in H-1 would be my perfect neck knife. In the woods I tend to like carbon steels only because with proper treatment/care they are much better field blades. This:http://www.geocities.com/riverhermit1/TANGUAYCUSTOMKNIVES.html?1159864400653 is the neck knife I use in the woods. In the sheath it is about the weight of a Spyderco Delica 4. So, it's not all that light but it has a nice full 3.5" inch grip to it.

A blade shape that can be used efficiently in many tasks is needed also. For example a wharncliff neck knife would be more useful than a hawkbill. I think the perfect neck knife would have a softer than normal (about 57) S30V blade in a slim skeletonized wharncliff pattern.
 
If I were on the water, I would want a good stainless, but if I'm trekking my way in the bush, then either stainless or carbon is good for me. As far as what kind of knife works the best, it's just like any other knife. Everyone has their own likes and for me, because it is a perfect size, low profile blade, the Becker Necker is the perfect blade to be worn around the neck and it seems that mine is there, more than it isn't. :D

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I think that the neck knife came to be from the primitive ancestors and Indian people. They didn't have belts and wore their knives around their necks. The mountain men picked up on this for their patch knives. Ease of access, less hand/arm movement to get to the knife and remove it from the sheath, etc.
 
I have a becker set up just like my kalista and like it a whole lot, but for me and what I do the kalista edges it out by just a bit. But I have to agree the becker is just about as perfect as anyone could want. I butchered a deer with my becker necker including cutting the backstraps off and seperating the hams and shoulders, it performed as well as any knife I have ever used that size, love the steel it is made of.:thumbup: :thumbup: Chris
 
Murray Carter's necker provides the best of both worlds. Carbon cutting edge wrapped in stainless. I prefer this now over a folder. It's slim and light but still tough. Perfect for wood carving and food prep.
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I've been carrying a Livesay NRGS for years as my small fixed blade. I carry other small knives as well but the necker is just handy.

Here's a shot of it this week hangin with my BK-7.

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Short, sharp, pointy. Mac
 
my neck knife;
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noname stainless steak knife ground down with convex edge.

it is wicked sharp, holds a reasonable edge, and is very handy. it is pretty small, with just about 2 inches of cutting edge, it is very light (about 1 ounce) i made the sheath from deer skin (with a wood liner) with the handle up because i felt like going more traditional with this one.

i made the neck sheath because i wanted a knife that was always going to be there even if my pockets were emptied in a fall and i lost my SAK (the neck knife has a thinner smaller blade than the main blade, btw) or if i lost my larger knife.

i have found that this tiny little knife is very handy and is useful for just about anything that i could do with a larger knife, within reason.
 
The Last Confederate said:
Their just to handy, I prefer neckers to just about any other carry!

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:eek: those are some beauties there chris....:thumbup:

i too prefer neck knives... i have a few:o the becker necker is also a good choice....
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this is my favorite one so far... it is a crawford necker in s30v.... i love evrything about this knife.... i made a little survival rig for it too....:D
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That's it! I saw that Crawford knife a couple of month's ago and fell in love with it! Mr. Jones is beating the snot outa me right now. Where can I get one bro? Please...where?
 
Now here's the question mtn mike: How do I get myself one of those Crawford neckers???

Edit: oh I see.... thanks.....
 
What do you think of the knife that is just to the right of the Becker necker?
 
mmmotorcycle said:
What do you think of the knife that is just to the right of the Becker necker?
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that knife rocks.... :thumbup: i really like it...:D
it was made by darrell parent, son in law of the famous newt livesay..... it is an ideal size and is very comfortable in the hand... 1095 steel and black micarta scales.... his kydex sheaths aren't bad either.....:)

here is his site, it is under construction right now... www.mtsequoyahknives.com

mike
 
mtnfolk mike said:
that knife rocks.... :thumbup: i really like it...:D
it was made by darrell parent, son in law of the famous newt livesay..... it is an ideal size and is very comfortable in the hand... 1095 steel and black micarta scales.... his kydex sheaths aren't bad either.....:)

here is his site, it is under construction right now... www.mtsequoyahknives.com

mike
Click to expand...

Thanks, I will keep an eye out for his work. The site has been bookmarked:D .
 
tknife said:
Murray Carter's necker provides the best of both worlds. Carbon cutting edge wrapped in stainless. I prefer this now over a folder. It's slim and light but still tough. Perfect for wood carving and food prep.
carter001.jpg
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That is one sharp little knife. I like the looks of it a lot. :thumbup:
I own a few neckknives but cannot get used to the whole concept , I guess i'm still a belt sheath and pocket kinda guy. :D

I got a little CRKT Crawford fixed Falcon a while back that I customized and made a little pocketsheath for. Not a bad little knife considering how cheap it was , silly sharp after a reprofile.
 
I think the becker necker is the perfect neck knife. I carry it in the canoe while hiking or whatever I am doing outdoors. They are just too handy and easy to access not to carry. The kalista would definitely get the go if it was in like D2 1095 or even s30v. The BK-11 is easy to sharpen holds its edge decently well and weighs next to nothing.
 
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