Looking for a few good and BIG camp knife

I have a Zowada camp knife that I purchased from Matt Lamey a while back. Carbon steel blade, pistachio grip. It's fantastic. Matt's knives also look very capable.

Pete
 
Hey Stu,
How about letting us know in another thread how your SS Trailmaster holds its edge and how hard it is to put a good edge on after you have really used it for a while?I have been interested in how the ss version compares but haven't seen anything on it so far.
Thanks in advance,
m
 
I can't believe that Busses haven't gotten as much mention either. I have an early INFI Steel Heart, and it is simply an incredible piece. The Battle Mistress is another great choice, with a reputation for extreme durablility in the field.

And those Mean Streets make such cute little companion pieces!
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Don LeHue

Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings...they did it by killing all those who opposed them.
 
Livesay RTAK
Livesay RCM
Busse Battle Mistress
Busse Steel Heart II
Brend Model 2

The list goes on and on, but these are the only BIG knives I own or have owned, and highly recommend.
 
Volvi,

Which Brend model 2 do you have? Is it the 7 1/2, 9, or 12" blade model.

I love the great fit and finish on the model 2.
 
So far we have come up with the following listing of good and really big (L-A-R-G-E) knives:

AL MAR QUEST
BECKER KNIFE AND TOOL
BIG COUNTRY KAMPER
WALTER BREND MODEL 2
BUSSE BATTLE MISTRESS
BUSSE STEELHEART
CAMERON 12" SCAGEL TYPE
COLD STEEL TRAILMASTER
EDMUND DAVIDSON
ENTRECK USA
GRECO KNIVES
GURKA HOUSE KHUKURI
HIMALAYAN IMPORTS KUKRI
LAMEY CUSTOM KNIVES
LIVESAY'S RTAK
MARBLES TRAILMASTER
TOM MAYO

Can we name some more?

 
You want BIG and RANDALL? Here is some eye candy - a Model 14 Heavy (3/8" thick), a Model 12 - 9", a Model 12 Confederate, A Model 12 Heavy (Smithsonian), a Model 12 Raymond Thorp and a large Sasquach. I wouldn't use the four knives on the right too hard, they all have ivory handles. Any Randall works great. I personally use a 18" Ontario machete with micarta finger grip handle. http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=314358&a=2421508&p=17677479&Sequence=0
 
All these camp knives are big, but would anyone actually carry one more than a few yards from a vehicle? My CR Project (7inches)is as big as I am prepared to carry any distance. My Blackjack Marauder I keep with the car. Kukri's are great if you can find one not too over built or curved. I have never had 14-18 inch knife that cost over $100 which could handle real punishment. Al Mar Pathfinder chipped out, Andy Woodsman broke. Cheap and chearfull machetes are fine/too springy to break but struggle to keep an edge. Is there anyone out there who can make a long bladed chopper that can cut, is tough and can be carried over distance? Tell me who. Just to get the blood up: could it be that custom makers and manufactureres are chicken because such knives are so difficult to make? They might break and what about my reputation!
 
Greenjacket,

Welcome to the forums.

You are absolutely correct. It is very hard to find a good large knife. The knives listed above are very good. But, they represent a compromise between the ability to incur shock and the ability to cut.

They will not cut as well as a 4" hunter, chop as well as a full size axe, nor cut soft vegetation with the efficiency of a machete. They will, however, replace a hatchet and perform all of these tasks when pressed. If we carry these knives we do so in place of a hatchet. The weights for either are about the same and the knives are far more versatile (also more expensive
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).

 
not2sharp
Thanks for the welcome.
European woods are hard and vegitation not much of a problem, not much different to America.
I do like the idea of a camp knife, ie: I fancy rotten a Battle Mistress 9 inch.
The knife choise to cut wood is heft or speed. Chopper/short billhook or machete. Unfortunately, the latter is just not tough enough as you point out. That's my challenge: light to carry, long for speed and tough enough for hard wood. I know the answer is an axe, but I just want to dare someone to try to make a 14 inch hard wood bush sword
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[This message has been edited by GREENJACKET (edited 03-13-2000).]
 
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