Need some new knives so I can go camping!

D

Dekz

Joined
Oct 26, 2007
Messages
1,392
Well, I stick to the city most of the time, so my collection has a bunch of city knives.

We have a camping trip planned for next month aka. an excuse to buy some new knives ;)

I'm looking for:
A fixed blade, let's say around 4-6 inch blade length.
A folder, 3-4 inch blade length with a deep belly

Most of my folders are quite thin, while this is convenient for daily carry and such, I want something beefy/chunky when I'm out in the woods. Something really comfortable so it doesn't hurt my hand if I do a lot of heavy duty cutting.

Here's the tough part. I like modern knives. No wood handles, no slip-joints. But also keep in mind that when I say modern, I DON'T mean tactical.

The other challenge...I'm cheap. Let's set a budget of around $50 per knife (or $100 for both if you want to split the budget differently)

To give you an idea of the kind of stuff I'm looking for:

I really like the Benchmade Griptilian Fixed. I really like the look and the blade shape. Ideally the blade could be a LITTLE longer and I'd prefer to spend a bit less:
10r0ec7.jpg


The Boker Trance has the ideal blade shape, but again the blade could be a bit longer. I'm also worried the handle might be a bit thin/uncomfortable, but the price is certainly right:
11l4x36.jpg


Finding a fixed blade is the priority, as I currently don't have any. If I can't find a folder I like I'll just take my Byrd Crow.
 
Mora 2000 or a Clipper and a Spyderco Tenacious. After those 2 you could probably add a Fiscars hatchet and still be around one hundo!
 
Spyderco ought to have you covered for folders. Or boker.

I'd reccomend a Benchmade Rant too. Great knife for the money.

Or if you want something real heavy duty.....look into Ranger Knives. The RD-4 specifically.
 
You are kidding, right? There is no more camping. Camping was a phenomena done when you could find a place where you were at least 25 miles from the closest human and public lands where camping was legal abounded and you walked in. Most of those places had disappeared for many reasons by the 1970s. Today there are no places in the mainland US where you are more than 5 miles from the closes human and even those are very rare. These days "camping" is usually done from a sleeper cab in a pickup truck parked 15 feet away from the next guy on his families 'camping' trip with both using propane stoves for cooking, or only pre cut wood purchased from an on site vendor. Sure, there are still 300 acre privately owned parks where you can pay $50 for the privilege of walking 300 yards and pitching a tent, but trust me, a) you ain't the only one using it this weekend, and b) the cheapest knife you can find will work just fine as both Kmart and Walmart are less than an hour away if you need another one. Now if you come back saying you own 14,000 acres in Oregon and you mean to this on your own land and have never actually been in there before, then you might need a real knife and a good GPS, but if not, please...
 
Kershaw has some folders that fit your price range and requirements. For fixed blades, I'd go with RC, but that blows your price range out of the water.

Does 300 acres in Kentucky count?
 
I have the fixed Griptilian. It actually has a very very useful blade shape, stout tip, and surprisingly comfortable handle, even with the protruding tang design.

I don't know if you're tailgate camping or backpacking, but it's also a very light knife, one of the reasons I'm sold on it for camping and hiking in general.

My only gripe is the sheath is a little cheap, but by the same turn seems very durable.
 
Gee superc, don't you want the poor guy to get a couple of new knives?
Rationalising a purchase is half the fun.

Besides, so what if he wants to set up his tent in a glorified parking lot with other families cooking on stoves out of their pickitup trucks.

There are worse things you can do.

Like rain on someone else's parade for no good reason.

On to knives and camping :D
I've been camping in that parking lot for 30 years and haven't had to do any "heavy duty cutting"
Spend $10-$20 bucks on a bow saw for your firewood.
Then get the knife you like :D
Heck, get 2!
If it were me, for the fixed blade I'd get something from Ragnar like the Mora 2000. Fairly modern, cost effective and a good knife as well.
I don't know much about modern folders so I'll just throw in the Buck 110 because it's been there & done that for a good 40 years.
Get those three and you may have money to spare.

Have a good trip, take lots of pics and post'em up :D

Edited to add: Great minds eh Fudo ;)
 
SPXTrader said:
Does 300 acres in Kentucky count?
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Only if it is your own and not being shared with 90 other campers. Even then, not if the Walmart is 14 minutes from your vehicle and you brought the vehicle with you.

Thirty something years ago I was blessed with two weeks from Hell on a deer hunting 'weekend hunting/camping' trip. We drove all the way up to the North end of NY, then turned right and up into the mountains till a road ended and we switched to a logging trail. Some snow had been forecast when we left NYC at 4AM, but being 20 something and appropriately stupid males we paid no attention and didn't realize 5 inches in NYC might mean a little more where we were going. Getting out of the car when the trail got too rough we hiked up the logging trail till it was getting dark and we had switched to game trails when the logging trail stopped, always moving up. Being experienced ex-scouts we pitched tent by flashlight as the snow began. We took a deer on Saturday, but messed up and decided to wait and check it on Sunday. Sunday the snow was still falling and now too deep to leave. We waited it out. By Tuesday we realized we may be in trouble. By the next Tuesday a lot of the deer was gone. We also took some small game (out of season, but good to eat) and sorely tested our ability to recognize and cook with snow covered local edible plants. Our woodskills, luck, ability to get along and equipment got genuine acid tests. I had Dad's old KaBar and an Edge folder (Buck clone) and a Boy Scout hatchet. My friend's gear was similar. I think it was the second Wednesday when we started to walk out. Maybe Thursday afternoon and we were at the car and confronting at least 3 or 4 miles of snow covered logging road and a single camping shovel. Sunday we got to a road where other cars were. I was last in that area a decade ago. Shotgun only hunting now and townhouse developments everywhere you looked with bumper to bumper traffic in towns on streets that simply weren't there back then. There is no more camping like that.
 
Get thee to a Wally World that still carries knives in the Sporting Goods section - for $59 + s/t, you can still get a pair of US-made classics - the Buck 119 'Special' fixed blade with it's Bowie-like 6" blade with a phenolic handle and a real classic folder - the Buck 110 Folding Hunter with a great 3.75" blade - and wood scales (You'll love them...). Add a few bucks for those same Bucks from Academy or Dick's - but still a bargain. You will thank me later.

One caveat: Like other decent knives, these guys aint for prying... they do be da bomb for cutting - and the Buck 420HC's heat treating, by Paul Bos, is great. They will remain sharp, yet allow resharpening. True bargains.

Stainz
 
The Buck 110 is a nice, sturdy folder. However, I remember back in the 1970s these guys with a Buck 110 in a big leather pouch hanging from their betl. The same guys often had a big wad of keys also hanging from their belt. I just never cared for that look.

Again, not to take away from the Buck 110. I'm sure it's a fine knife. One of these days I'll like get one just to own a classic.
 
superc said:
Only if it is your own and not being shared with 90 other campers. Even then, not if the Walmart is 14 minutes from your vehicle and you brought the vehicle with you.
Click to expand...

Nope...all ours, and the closest store of any type is 30 minutes away. We pull the pop-up to a spot we have cleared (about 3 acres) up against the base of the mountains and usually stay there. No utilities, cell signal, TV reception or wireless connection. At night, we can get some AM radio from Lexington and Louisville. We have a few trails cut out for the 4wheelers that run up into the mountains, and we'll often load up a cooler, tent and sleeping bags and head to the top of one of the mountains for a night. Beautiful views when the trees are bare...NOTHING in sight, as far as you can see.
 
Walmart----outfitters to the bubbas! Get the Buck 110 and Buck 119. Good, proven knives for a decent price.
 
Could the people suggesting Spyderco and Kershaw suggest any specific knives?

I can't believe how many people suggested the Buck 110. I certainly wouldn't consider that a "modern" knife, and it has wooden handles which I specifically mentioned :confused: I mean no disrespect, I'm sure it's a great knife but it's just not my style.

superc said:
You are kidding, right? There is no more camping. Camping was a phenomena done when you could find a place where you were at least 25 miles from the closest human and public lands where camping was legal abounded and you walked in. Most of those places had disappeared for many reasons by the 1970s. Today there are no places in the mainland US where you are more than 5 miles from the closes human and even those are very rare. These days "camping" is usually done from a sleeper cab in a pickup truck parked 15 feet away from the next guy on his families 'camping' trip with both using propane stoves for cooking, or only pre cut wood purchased from an on site vendor. Sure, there are still 300 acre privately owned parks where you can pay $50 for the privilege of walking 300 yards and pitching a tent, but trust me, a) you ain't the only one using it this weekend, and b) the cheapest knife you can find will work just fine as both Kmart and Walmart are less than an hour away if you need another one. Now if you come back saying you own 14,000 acres in Oregon and you mean to this on your own land and have never actually been in there before, then you might need a real knife and a good GPS, but if not, please...
Click to expand...

What a load of condescending drivel. :jerkit:

I live in BC, Canada where "real" camping is still alive and well. I don't know what brought on this tirade or what your agenda is, but take it somewhere else :rolleyes:
 
Dekz said:
What a load of condescending drivel. :jerkit:
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Well said.

As for Kershaw folders, take a look at the Cyclone, Blur or Bump (speed or spec). They're AO, so if you're looking for non AO, consider the JYD II...
 
SPXTrader said:
Well said.

As for Kershaw folders, take a look at the Cyclone, Blur or Bump (speed or spec). They're AO, so if you're looking for non AO, consider the JYD II...
Click to expand...

Thanks for this :thumbup: I really like the looks of the Cyclone. Not so much the Blur or Bump, I find recurve blades to be annoying sometimes.

So far the Cyclone is my top choice. (Apparently I love Kershaws, lol)
 
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