Paring knives as lightweight belt knives ?

[AdamFuzzyballs]

The Dexters are a hidden treasure. The steel is decent, cheap, and customizable. I snapped the tip on this one, I don’t quite remember what I was doing. But anyway, 30 seconds on a grinder and I have a very useful sheepsfoot now. I actually prefer it this way.
The River Trader is the small Roachbelly, which I have commandeered an old sheath to carry it “Indian style”. I have a ton of knives, but this one keeps finding it’s way into my heart. The handle is comfortable as can be due to the roundness, and the node is thin enough to slice and flex just a little, but tough enough for my needs. Under 50$ for a handforged carbon knife, I love it!

 

[deltablade]

I believe the "paring knife" has a long history of being carred in a sheath made of a cereal or tissue box and tape or glue.

I like the "old timey" 3.5 inch carbon steel Old Hickory and Russell Green River/Dexter Russell paring knives with rivited wood scales. They make a great low cost "Bird and Trout" knife (and patch knife) in my opinion.
They are good for much more than just mere KP duty, at any rate.

Back in the 1960's and very early 1970's when I was BSA, some in the troop carried just such a knife and sheath on the camping trips.
(Not I. I had a Ontario 499 "Jet Pilot Survival Knife")

I think I need to get another one ... The Old Hickory probably, for the signature "forging marks" on the blade, and some glue and wax to make a proper waxed paper/cardboard sheath from a tissue box.
I doubt I'll be going to my camper anytime soon to get my paring knife or anything else.

Here is my rehandled Russell paring knife,

 

[deltablade]

I re-handled and repurposed an Old Hickory 4" paring knife, using a scrap of walnut burlwood for the handle. It's a pretty handy size.... I haven't carried it yet, but it's ready whenever I am... I mostly use it around the garage, utility stuff....

here is mine rehandled in osage...fits my hand much better

 

[deltablade]

View attachment 1605874
I've often thought that my Dexter Russell paring knife would make for a handy small belt knife. It currently lives on my knife magnet in the kitchen...

It sure does

 

[screened porch]

Funny I didn't post this one earlier. Maybe it was lost at the time.
I found it in the kitchen garden of the house I grew up in, when I was young enough I thought I'd better hide it from my parents. 3& 3/8 inch blade. No name on it.

 

[black mamba]

Update on my Daado . . . yes, it gets used a LOT.

 

[7stitches]

Most paring knives are a bit thin for a belt blade. The Russell Green River Ripper blade .079 would be my choice.

 

[Jack Black]

@ReaperAL gifted me this Ncholas Nichols custom. I find it so useful in the kitchen, I got a sheath for it

 

[JM2]

View attachment 1610687View attachment 1610688The Dexters are a hidden treasure. The steel is decent, cheap, and customizable. I snapped the tip on this one, I don’t quite remember what I was doing. But anyway, 30 seconds on a grinder and I have a very useful sheepsfoot now. I actually prefer it this way.
The River Trader is the small Roachbelly, which I have commandeered an old sheath to carry it “Indian style”. I have a ton of knives, but this one keeps finding it’s way into my heart. The handle is comfortable as can be due to the roundness, and the node is thin enough to slice and flex just a little, but tough enough for my needs. Under 50$ for a handforged carbon knife, I love it!

Howdy. Cool looking sheath, and neat modified Dexter. Would you explain indian carry? I've not heard that before.

 

[AdamFuzzyballs]

Howdy. Cool looking sheath, and neat modified Dexter. Would you explain indian carry? I've not heard that before.

A term from a book I read back in college, some Native Americans wore their tools tucked into a sash over long distances. Basically just tucking it into my waistband instead of using a belt loop

 

[Hickory n steel]

A term from a book I read back in college, some Native Americans wore their tools tucked into a sash over long distances. Basically just tucking it into my waistband instead of using a belt loop

Neck carry also seems to have been quite popular as well.

 

[JM2]

A term from a book I read back in college, some Native Americans wore their tools tucked into a sash over long distances. Basically just tucking it into my waistband instead of using a belt loop

Thanks, I'd not heard that. I am part Chippewa. It must be natural for us, as I do that with my current machete and hatchet, and I used to do it with the bowie I had.

 

[JM2]

Yall caused me to dig out a paring knife I had stashed. Hmm... guess I'll have to get some pictures and figure out a sheath.

 

[elasmonut]

Most everyone has a pairing knife, because they work!, a simple carry system makes it just as useful in the field!

 

[Hickory n steel]

I ended up finding that the paring knives I had were mostly all too thin in the blade and ultimately just felt like I was carrying a paring knife.
The GEC H20 is great though, close to a pairing knife but a little thicker in the blade.
My grandmother saw mine one time and said " it looks like a Paring knife ".
I think my perception might change though if the blade length was much shorter, then for it's length the blade wouldn't seem as thin and you'd have a longer handle to blade ratio which is great in utilitarian uses.

I'm not done exploring this topic I don't think, but I don't know when I'll be ready to really revisit it.
I do have an old Chicago Cutlery paring knife I picked up a couple years ago at goodwill for 50 cents , it's overall dimensions and blade thickness are more appropriate.

 

[afishhunter]

Most paring knives are a bit thin for a belt blade. The Russell Green River Ripper blade .079 would be my choice.

for knife tasks (whittling, peeling and field dressing, deboning, etc.) a little blade flex is desireable. Also, a thin blade slices better than a thick blade.
G.W. Sears (Nessmuk) promoted a blade with a little flex over the (even in his day) gaining in popularity stiff, no flex "Bowie" style "hunting knives".
I don't know what Mr. Kephart's view on the matter was.

 

[Old Biker]

Before Ontario knives was sold, and closed down. They made the Old Hickory bird and trout knife. Which was essentially a pairing knife with a sheath.

Shown here next to my Shun classic 3 1/2" pairing knife.

And the Shun in the OKC sheath.

O.B.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Before Ontario knives was sold, and closed down. They made the Old Hickory bird and trout knife. Which was essentially a pairing knife with a sheath.

Shown here next to my Shun classic 3 1/2" pairing knife.

And the Shun in the OKC sheath.

O.B.

I don't have that one because the blade shape looked odd to me, but I do have the OH outdoors mini Fillet which is a lot like a Paring knife.
It's a great knife but I haven't carried it much.

 

[JM2]

I like a thinner blade for most things. My only beef with a paring knife, is that I like a little bit wider blade. For a secondary blade to accompany a hunting knife, a paring knife would be quite useful.

 

[7stitches]

for knife tasks (whittling, peeling and field dressing, deboning, etc.) a little blade flex is desireable. Also, a thin blade slices better than a thick blade.
G.W. Sears (Nessmuk) promoted a blade with a little flex over the (even in his day) gaining in popularity stiff, no flex "Bowie" style "hunting knives".
I don't know what Mr. Kephart's view on the matter was.

I don't think that .079" is that thick of a blade. I would have no use for a sharpened palette knife.