Our ever shrinking hobby?

Just make more posts about bush craft and that you NEED big knives to survive. Post it everywhere online with some hyped up super steel :p
 
DavidABQ said:
Just in general I have found myself gravitating towards smaller knives. My sweet spot seems to be between 2.5”-2.75” blades any more. I have a couple of knives with 2.75” long blades and they do pretty much anything I need.
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I did that for a bit, and while i found it took care of a decent amount of needs i also found it to be an odd size, 3 inches isn't much bigger from 2.75 and the options for a 3 inch knife are plenty, plenty. My sweet spot is 3-3.5
I rarely go past 3.75.
People's comments about small knives, small handles have merit, I already have enough scars, and would still prefer to close my fingers around a handle with good enough purchase
 
I carry a hatchet most of the time when afield, occasionally a machete. Not in any national parks yet however, I would take my hatchet as it carries behind my belt without notice. I would carry a Bowie instead sometimes if I had one.

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I carry my skrama camping a bit. But I am not doing massive walks.

And then it is mostly hammering tent pegs or breaking down firewood.

Otherwise it is the victorinox soldier that does everything else.
 
So you’re saying the value of my original SOG Tigershark and Tech, my Blackjack Rio Grande Bowie, my original Gerber BMF and Bowie, my USA made Cold Steel Trailmaster and Recon Scout, and the 3 Benchmade Ruckus’ …. Rucki… Ruckies…. Whatever are going up in value?? AWESOME!
 
jnevill said:
So you’re saying the value of my original SOG Tigershark and Tech, my Blackjack Rio Grande Bowie, my original Gerber BMF and Bowie, my USA made Cold Steel Trailmaster and Recon Scout, and the 3 Benchmade Ruckus’ …. Rucki… Ruckies…. Whatever are going up in value?? AWESOME!
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Yes, but you would need to accept rocks as a form of payment…that may be the only means of exchange left.

N2s
 
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not2sharp said:
Yes, but you would need to accept rocks as a form of payment…that may be the only means of exchange left.

N2s
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Who are we trying to kid here, ME actually sell one of my babies? Pfft. My kids will end up with them all, and probably sell them and the Gerstners they’re in for pennies on the pound!
 
eveled said:
A lot of people have mentioned that times have changed.

Never forget we are only one cataclysmic event away from a total reset, back to the stone ages. Lol.
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I've heard that theory put out a lot when I was beguiled with the pepper crap. No, even in a huge cataclysmic event, we will not be reset mot the Stone Age. What is known is there in our minds. There will be people who survive that know the theory of how "it"works, and the knowhow to make it again. And raw materials will not have to be remade, it will be all around d us. All thE abandoned cars are good scrap steel, plastics, and building materials, will be all around us for repurposing. Whole buildings that survive the 'whatever' can be repurposed. I think the human race is a bit more resilient that the doomsday peppers would like to think. We won't have to work through the bronze age, Iron Age, and steel, because the stuff will. be already there in the wreckage of the'whatever' event.
 
jackknife said:
I've heard that theory put out a lot when I was beguiled with the pepper crap. No, even in a huge cataclysmic event, we will not be reset mot the Stone Age. What is known is there in our minds. There will be people who survive that know the theory of how "it"works, and the knowhow to make it again. And raw materials will not have to be remade, it will be all around d us. All thE abandoned cars are good scrap steel, plastics, and building materials, will be all around us for repurposing. Whole buildings that survive the 'whatever' can be repurposed. I think the human race is a bit more resilient that the doomsday peppers would like to think. We won't have to work through the bronze age, Iron Age, and steel, because the stuff will. be already there in the wreckage of the'whatever' event
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I envy your optimistic outlook. Very refreshing. I hope you are correct.
 
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jackknife said:
I've heard that theory put out a lot when I was beguiled with the pepper crap. No, even in a huge cataclysmic event, we will not be reset mot the Stone Age. What is known is there in our minds. There will be people who survive that know the theory of how "it"works, and the knowhow to make it again. And raw materials will not have to be remade, it will be all around d us. All thE abandoned cars are good scrap steel, plastics, and building materials, will be all around us for repurposing. Whole buildings that survive the 'whatever' can be repurposed. I think the human race is a bit more resilient that the doomsday peppers would like to think. We won't have to work through the bronze age, Iron Age, and steel, because the stuff will. be already there in the wreckage of the'whatever' event.
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Have you read Earth Abides?
 
When I go outdoors I always have my larger knives with me and my camp/ wood processing tools in my pickup. But It definitely depends where you’re at. Out here in Southwest Kansas it’s usually dry, hot, and windy and red flag days means no open burning or camp fires. Inclosed fires only. But if we get some good rains and the humidity stays high enough then we can have a campfire in some areas. Some state parks don’t allow a campfire but you can use the elevated cooking grates at the campground or an enclosed charcoal grill.

Two weeks ago I went camping with my kids and grandkids at a state park lake area and we did use the campground elevated grate grill but no open campfires were allowed. I was disappointed because I was prepared with my Buck 124 and a froe to reduce some wood for a fire. I also keep hatchets, axe and saw in my pickup in a camping gear box. I like going out near the lakes or river beds where there’s usually firewood near and a sandy clear area for a fire.

There are some places where campfires are allowed if properly setup with a fire perimeter of rocks or metal rings, grass and brush cleared nearby and a bucket of water close by.

Out in this part of the country fires can be disastrous and some people these days don’t know how to tend or setup a campfire safely. It’s a different world than when I was younger.
 
I've always heard the recommendation that you don't need anything over 4", but having put on a machete in VN when we thought we were going to be overrun one night and I only had 100 rounds with me, changed me forever. Before the service I'd experienced what the mining blacksmith could do for a machete on one of those foot operated sharpening wheels. The edge he'd put on a machete would effortlessly cut a sapling down in one stroke and was very impressive. To this day I like large knives for that chance you may need one - either to wack a large branch in your way or to build something. A smaller knife is carried for those needs that are best done with something more nimble. A hatchet or small axe is also a valuable tool to have.

Today we have to visit the doctor and so my 4" Military goes with me.
The larger knives, Khukuri and axes will go to the grandchildren to use and enjoy when I'm gone.
Others can use whatever they want to.
 
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I wouldn't worry about big knives going away. Ultimately, in this world, big choppers, machetes and so on will always be needed because a 3" folder sucks at being a machete or a chef's knife or a chopper. The unmutable laws of physics guarantee it.
 
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Reason for me lately, is that I carry what I need. What I need is a small folder capable of hard tasks, the small insingo inkosi fits the bill. Of course, I have my large inkosi insingo for the weekend or after work.
 
Is this actually true?

Who’s grandad carried something like an xm18 or large sebenza everyday like so many do now? Mine was a builder and very handy and I don’t think he even carried a pocket knife… now we have regular folks with soft hands carrying giant ‘tactilcal’ for ‘i might need a knife’ edc

A family friend when i was a kid was a big hunter, go visit his house rifles all over the place, I never once saw a 3/8” thick busse chopper lying around…

I used to live on a really bushy block - I had a couple tops power eagles and a tonne of other choppers, my grandfather would've had one slim cheap machete

Everyone around here always has and still does have an axe in the yard or the car

I hike a lot and i just carry a little winkler sd2 or a small sebenza - but weve recently had an exhibition of photography from when some of the remote trails in areas with nasty weather around here were first cut - and the clothes they were wearing back then damn sure id be carrying an axe if i was wearing that stuff on those mountains! But nowadays if i had to choose between a nice big knife or some sealskinz waterproof gloves and a 3 layer goretex jacket I’m taking the gloves and jacket!

Also
I love winklers, been all I’ve carried for many years
Had a field knife then many belts knives, great, then got a blue ridge hunter, then finally some sd1/2s and you know what, the sd1/2 i think are more comfortable to use, take up way less room in my small backpack (man the belt knife sheath is huge!) and actually does all i need to do more comfortably than the bigger knives!

And i used to get into the idea of a survival knife but heres the thing

I used to live somewhere hot, you can literally pick up sticks from a 3m radius around you and start a fire, which don’t need because you could survive a month there in your underpants as long as you have water - so I carried a knife because i like to but my survival gear was 4l water and snake bandage

Now i live somewhere where the mountains are cold steep and wet - if i get stuck out here it’s 99% gonna be because I’ve slipped on a nasty exposed scree field and broken my leg, and then a knife ain’t gonna help one bit, need clothes…

So i wonder

1. Were people carrying big knives in the woods because that was what was actually best to carry or because that was the fashion at the time? Do you need to cut that tree over the trail or was that just an excuse to use your big knife when you can just climb over it

2. In terms of pocket knives, are people carrying smaller knives? I don’t think so, i think it’s the exact opposite, completely overkill

Anyway
This was a rant!
 
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