Newbie with a "Chopper" Question

[Col Defender]

Ok - although I have owned some knives for decades I've only recently become a knife enthusiast - caught the disease on this forum among other places. I'm intrigued by, but don't really understand, the whole "chopper" thing. Actually I'm well equipped with tools for trees and firewood. My arsenal includes chainsaws, axes, a monster maul, and even a hydraulic splitter. (I heat with wood.) But I don't have a knife which qualifies as a "chopper". I guess that means a minimum blade length of 9"??

I'm sure I really do need one and just need to be enlightened by my new friends on this forum as to why I need one and how it will improve my life in the future so I will have good logic to support putting one on my Christmas List, or getting one after Christmas myself if the first option does not work.

I totally get that a guy can "never have too many knives" but just need to be rescued from my current state of "chopper ignorance".

Someone please help me!! And maybe some specific recommendations too please?

Thanks

Steve

 

[crom]

I think it's the inner caveman in us. I have a khukri and a Kershaw Outcast that I have used some and nothing beats whacking the crap out of some overgrown mulberry tree that's had it coming. Few are actually any good at cutting well, that's what folders are for haha! I recommend a khukri by a reputable company like Himalayan Imports, Khukri House, etc. Not much out chops a khukri, and they look like something from another (because they are) world.

 

[Moosez45]

Hey Col. Its a common thought that knives are not for chopping. I don't agree with that. I like big knives.

For me, I see it more as a one tool solution. Say for hiking/camping/scouting/woods fun, a large knife that has the weight, edge geometry, and style to be an effective choppper, should also cover your needs for most other stuff, or can be backed up with a smaller, more delicate knife.

My two prefered "choppers" are my Becker/Kabar BK9, and my ESEE Junglas. For me, the BK9 works better as a "knife", and its title of Combat Bowie Knife, is quite accurate, in that it is a knfie. The ESEE Junglas Machete, is a little longer, and heavier, but is a chopping fiend. It outchops the BK9, but its length and weight, make it a little difficult to do finer work. It can still be done, mind you, just takes more effort.

But the overall idea, is that that one knife is stout enough and long enough to chop, carve, pry, dig, and cut everything I need in one package, thus cutting down on the number of tools I need to carry. Plus, its just easier to keep up with.

Does a knife need to be a primary chopping tool? I think not. Axes and saws are better at large wood than a knife will ever be, but I need to build a shelter for the night, a large knife will fit the bill perfectly.

I would never take a knife and go after a tree/log/branch that is any larger than 4"-5" in diameter. Anything larger I'm just not going to need, but in a tough spot, I could take a large tree down, say, if I were needing a river crossing in cold weather. It wouldn't be my first choice, but it would work. I've had to do that once before, and all I had was a 6" belt knife. It worked, but I would have done more faster with a larger blade.

You can always make a large blade work down, but you can only make a small blade work up so far.

So, I guess to sum it up, large knives are easier to carry, more forgiving to use, can do more diverse work than an axe/saw, and is better suited as a "one blade solution" when heading out, off the pavement.

Moose

 

[GingivitisKahn]

Does everyone need a chopper knife? Probably not. I use them all the time because I'm out and about quite a bit hunting or scouting for the next season, etc. I'm in constant need of a tool that I can use for building deer blinds, clearing fallen limbs / trees, hacking a path through underbrush to get at game I've shot, and so forth.

An axe would be good for some of that stuff as would a saw, machete, big pair of loppers, etc. but I'm too weak and lazy to carry all that crap. Instead, I'm happy to carry my BK9 (or BK2 - a better chopper than it has any right to be). A good chopper knife can get the job done and is, in my opinion, a reasonable load to carry.


---
Beckerhead #42

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

A Condor Kumunga is an inexpensive choice to see if you like the general style of knife. There's lots of variation within the category, but that would be a good place to start. I love mine.

 

[ocnLogan]

Hey Col. Its a common thought that knives are not for chopping. I don't agree with that. I like big knives.

For me, I see it more as a one tool solution. Say for hiking/camping/scouting/woods fun, a large knife that has the weight, edge geometry, and style to be an effective choppper, should also cover your needs for most other stuff, or can be backed up with a smaller, more delicate knife.

My two prefered "choppers" are my Becker/Kabar BK9, and my ESEE Junglas. For me, the BK9 works better as a "knife", and its title of Combat Bowie Knife, is quite accurate, in that it is a knfie. The ESEE Junglas Machete, is a little longer, and heavier, but is a chopping fiend. It outchops the BK9, but its length and weight, make it a little difficult to do finer work. It can still be done, mind you, just takes more effort.

But the overall idea, is that that one knife is stout enough and long enough to chop, carve, pry, dig, and cut everything I need in one package, thus cutting down on the number of tools I need to carry. Plus, its just easier to keep up with.

Does a knife need to be a primary chopping tool? I think not. Axes and saws are better at large wood than a knife will ever be, but I need to build a shelter for the night, a large knife will fit the bill perfectly.

I would never take a knife and go after a tree/log/branch that is any larger than 4"-5" in diameter. Anything larger I'm just not going to need, but in a tough spot, I could take a large tree down, say, if I were needing a river crossing in cold weather. It wouldn't be my first choice, but it would work. I've had to do that once before, and all I had was a 6" belt knife. It worked, but I would have done more faster with a larger blade.

You can always make a large blade work down, but you can only make a small blade work up so far.

So, I guess to sum it up, large knives are easier to carry, more forgiving to use, can do more diverse work than an axe/saw, and is better suited as a "one blade solution" when heading out, off the pavement.

Moose

This. My thoughts exactly.

For me, I mostly use my larger blades to split wood for the campfire. I take a folding saw to cut the wood , then use a knife to split it if its needed. And if I had to head out for some reason with almost no preparation, I could grab that as my tool and feel confident that even though it might not be the most effective at anything, it should work for pretty much everything.

Good luck .

 

[TwinStick]

BK9------------------Condoor Boomslang-----------------Ontario SP8, SP10, 12" machete.

 

[Col Defender]

Wow - lots of good ideas here; thanks. No one mentioned a Rodent 9 from Swamprat. Is that just because few are already out or is it just not the right tool?

 

[ocnLogan]

The rodent 9 is pretty new, so not tons of people have them yet. However, it should be great for it considering its design. If I had the cash, I would pick one up for sure.

I would stick with something cheaper if you wanted to try out a chopper first. The Condor Kumunga is cheap and will give you a feel, and the BK9 is an excellent choice as well.

Like I said before, a large knife really is quite handy, especially around the campsite. I will typically cut stuff between 1in and 4 in with a chopper, anything larger gets the saw if its handy.

Choppers also make batoning (if you do that), pretty darn easy. My BK9 will easily split anything I would ever need for a campfire, and does it easier (I feel) than my BK2, just because I have more blade length to work with.

Choppers are also usually tempered like a knife, so they hold a pretty good edge (vs the softer machetes), and they also make great draw knives if you need one.

 

[GRIM 62]

I've got plenty of choppers,use them on my property more than anything else these days.Does anyone have any experience with the Condor Boomslang?That one really intrigues me(ME WANT)!

 

[Moosez45]

I've got plenty of choppers,use them on my property more than anything else these days.Does anyone have any experience with the Condor Boomslang?That one really intrigues me(ME WANT)!

Boomslang = Good
Kamunga = Not so good

The Boomslang has a good handle, and will work very well. The ones I have played with, I like. Tradewaters Boomslang has been reconvexed and is rockin'.

My Kamunga is falling short for me. Holds an edge, and is plenty "big knife", but the handle is uncomfortable to me, and it hurts my hand when I chop or baton. It does get some love though, and is holding up pretty well. It just started its second year as my stove knife, and so far, so good.

This was taken about halfway through its first season as my wood stove knife,

Moose

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Personally I find the handle very comfortable and don't experience much shock while chopping or batoning. The whole Rodan series seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it kind of thing, I think. But my Rodan continues to be my #1 favorite woods knife, and the Kumunga gets a lot of use too. I also have an 18" Imacasa cuma with the same handle that I use to clear vegetation from the electric fence line.

 

[theAntihero]

I use firewood for heat as well but i live up north and my land is ridiculously overgrown. The 4 blades that ive been using recently are the Condor Golok, the Cold Steel Kukri Machete, a Hibben IV and a Walther MachTac-1. All are cheap and all work very well, im pretty impressed with the Golok in the tiny bit of time ive had it.

 

[brewcitymike]

I love choppers. They can do the chores of axes/machetes yet with enough skill can still handle the finer work of a smaller blade. Plus you gotta have at least one chopper for when the zombies take over. You don't wanna get too close to kill 'em so the extra foot and half will be good for cuttin of zombie domes at a distnace
These are my newest and favorite two. Both are custom. The top is made to my design by Ben of BRT bladeworks and the bottom is the Mcnees Chopper by Johnathan Mcnees and they both only ran me $285 which is a great price for a custom that size, especially for the quality these guys produce. I have researched basically every chopper maker I could find online Here's the pics of all the choppers I posted as examples for another member. They should at least make you go from 6-12o'clock No man could view these sexy beasts and not decide to buy a chopper
My two-

So drool away my friend, I'm gonna go take a cold shower,lol
And if you want to know about a specific knife just describe it and the space the pic is and I'll let you know who makes it.

 

[Karda]

This is probably Himalayan Imports' medium/large size chopper. They come smaller and larger.


SUPER CAK BY BHAKTA KAMI

Overall lenght --18''
Wieght --44 oz
Spine thickness --1/2''
Satisal wood handle
White metal bolster, buttcap and tip

 

[econnofoot]

KABAR Heavy Bowie is a pretty good 9" er and can be had for about 50 bucks these days, not US made, not used the others in the series.

 

[ocnLogan]

You also might take a look at the KaBar ZK War Sword, or once again the Becker BK9.

Here is a comparison review I did on them .
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-vs-KaBar-ZK-War-Sword-(PHOTO-HEAVY-and-EPIC)

 

[aephilli]

I like Linder machetes, they are heavier than a regular machete (maybe twice as thick), lighter than most choppers. I have an 18", really want to get the 14" and 10" models.

 

[unit]

Some see necessity in knives for chopping, others see recreation in it. Who cares as long as everyone is legal and happy?

I think (as with most things) the more you learn, the more you understand about what the other guy is doing and why it is not as silly as you might have thought.

If you study knives through history, you will learn that chopping is not a new concept. If you ever attend a competition (such as one sanctioned by Bladesports) you will see that chopping is still alive and well. If you think about any sport that you do not enjoy...they are all quite silly and pointless...but participants seem to get a lot of enjoyment from them!

 

[WILLIAM.M]

I chop at least 3000 times a Month with KNIVES(not a misprint-Three Thousand)--so I know Chopping

I go out 3 weekends a month and knife test and train to be a better chopper.

I have tested well over 200 Choppers(Custom and production)

Until you get enough skill at chopping-a production model chopper is all you need.

But I'm warning you--if and when you try a Custom chopper that fits you well--your wallet is forever in danger.

Do not listen to those that tell you there is little difference between a production and custom model--there is a GREAT deal of difference once you find one that fits your hand and strength.

Once you find one---You will be on the quest for a better and it will be a never ending quest.(But I enjoy it-as I feel you will as well).

They can be a lot of fun but remember to think safety first and you will have a great time.