New survival Dagger.

udtjim

udtjim

Joined
Sep 4, 2007
Messages
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http://www.gwknives.com/ok7155.html. I have been looking at Daggers but good ones are expensive so I ordered this one. It an Old hickory from Ontario Knives. six inch Blade High Carbon steel Hickory handle, Under ten bucks. Two edges for the price of one. I got it today and had to sharpen it a bit but this is a wonderfull blade for the bucks. No Sheath but I make my own anyway. Might want to add one of these to your pack.
 
What are the benefits of the OH "dagger" compared to any number of moras in your oppinion (Comparable price and selected function)? Why did you choose the double edge? In many peoples oppinion (including my own) they are a completely useless addition for bushcraft/woodcraft/survival and should be avoided, merely getting in the way and adding unescessary danger.

Cheers,
~ Wabajack
 
Thats a sticker knife, for sticking hanging hogs and beef.

In the wild I would think that knife would be the last type that you would want.

It can not easily be batonned. it would be too big for what I would use for game dressing. Its not much more than a heavy kitchen knife, but with a double edge that would make it illegal in several states.
 
I have heard that some frontiersmen used double edged knives with different profiles on the two edges. . . One for finer cutting and one more suited to chopping. Kind of like a double bit axe.

I too have some doubts as to how well that particular knife will work, as it doesn't seem to be designed or well suited for the use you're going to be putting it to, but if it works for you then congrats on your new blade.
 
From Ragweed Forge:

The Old Hickory Sticker gets it's name from its use at hog butchering time. Similar knives were popular with Native Americans and others who kept one edge razor sharp for fine work and the other edge stronger for coarse work. The blade is a bit over 6" long, 1 1/16" wide and .081" thick. The handle is about 4 1/2". This style of handle can be fun to customize. $9.
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http://www.ragweedforge.com/oh73.jpg

It's an older style knife used for more specialized work today. People used spearpoints in colonial times more than we do. When a style is common, its strengths and weaknesses are better understood.
 
I knew a lot of Buckskinner types who love those blades. Yes they do have limitations but as a knife they do a decent job. They are not choppers in any respect. The folk who carry them have axes and saws for the bigger stuff :) These are cheap and sharp and with a little practice can be very useful around camp. The design was even carried by troops in the World Wars.
 
In many peoples oppinion (including my own) they are a completely useless addition for bushcraft/woodcraft/survival and should be avoided, merely getting in the way and adding unescessary danger.
Click to expand...

In the wild I would think that knife would be the last type that you would want.
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Damn, you guys are pessimistic. There is no radically different shape to the edge(s) or handle. If you split this knife in half lengthwise, you'd have two slender straight backed blades, and I don't think a straight backed knife with modest belly would be "useless". I don't see the blade length itself as a problem. Usually when I notice a blade seems unweildy for smaller tasks, it's just as much because of the heft/weight out there; but this is a thin butcher blade. Folks complain about daggers having short/narrow grinds, meaning the blade thickens more quickly from the edge. Can anyone say Mora? I mean, really. Given a decent sharpening & reprofiling job, the edges on these will probably be thinner than most knives discussed on Bladeforums, meaning they will actually cut stuff every bit as well or better. Sure you can baton these. It will just chew up the baton; not prevent you from doing it entirely. The main disadvantage I see with this sort of double edge is that you can't put your thumb on the spine to apply more pressure when carving wood or something. But by the same token, the edge on these comes all the way to the handle, meaning you'll still have more leverage than a single edged knife with a useless choil.

Man used double edged blades to survive for thousands of years, and even to within just a couple hundred years ago on this continent. Spearpoint flint blades are FAR more common than drop points or any other shape.
 
the possum said:
Damn, you guys are pessimistic. There is no radically different shape to the edge(s) or handle. If you split this knife in half lengthwise, you'd have two slender straight backed blades, and I don't think a straight backed knife with modest belly would be "useless". I don't see the blade length itself as a problem. Usually when I notice a blade seems unweildy for smaller tasks, it's just as much because of the heft/weight out there; but this is a thin butcher blade. Folks complain about daggers having short/narrow grinds, meaning the blade thickens more quickly from the edge. Can anyone say Mora? I mean, really. Given a decent sharpening & reprofiling job, the edges on these will probably be thinner than most knives discussed on Bladeforums, meaning they will actually cut stuff every bit as well or better. Sure you can baton these. It will just chew up the baton; not prevent you from doing it entirely. The main disadvantage I see with this sort of double edge is that you can't put your thumb on the spine to apply more pressure when carving wood or something. But by the same token, the edge on these comes all the way to the handle, meaning you'll still have more leverage than a single edged knife with a useless choil.

Man used double edged blades to survive for thousands of years, and even to within just a couple hundred years ago on this continent. Spearpoint flint blades are FAR more common than drop points or any other shape.
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No, were just realistic. There's no advantage to a double edge when it comes to Bushcraft/woodcraft and it would merely be an inconvenience. This is why you don’t see daggers being produced as dedicated woods knives or suggested by experienced outdoorsman (BC/WC). The cons (many) out way the pros (*crickets*) in this instance.

Cheers,
~ Wabajack
 
A dagger is impractical as a survival knife. First you cannot baton with it. The double edge diminishes the blade thickness and makes it weaker. "Commando" knives look cool but in the field they are worthless.
 
zman308 said:
A dagger is impractical as a survival knife. First you cannot baton with it. The double edge diminishes the blade thickness and makes it weaker. "Commando" knives look cool but in the field they are worthless.
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I am not saying a dagger is the best tool for the woods. But I am saying blanket statements like this one are hogwash.
 
This knife is an addition to my gear and not a replacement. As someone mention if you have a lot of cutting to do it nice to have two edges available. This knife is not for chopping as I have plenty of chopping knives like the D2 Outcast and Ontario survival Spec Plus knife. Other than making walking sticks as a hobby, my outdoor activities are Mainly Hunting and fishing And yes even sticking hogs sometimes. I do all of my own meat cutting and the double edge works well for me in that arena. The double edge can be dangerous and for those who are not used to them should maybe avoid them. However this one provides a lot of cutting for ten bucks. AS does the Mora, another knife very common at my house. Other than not having a hand guard, this knife is a more than a decent defense knife as well.

Maybe my terming it a survival dagger was not a correct term for it amd I can see the point most of you are making. Your opinions are pretty correct.
 
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