Perfect outdoorsman knife

J

Jimmy the Jet

Joined
Feb 22, 2001
Messages
108
What is the "perfect" knife for camp use? Criteria? 5-7 inch blade, no cheesy gimmicks (such as saw backs, blood grooves, built in park rangers, etc.) I already like Grohmann's survival model, CS SRK, etc., and thanks to other forumites, Dozier's Bowie.
How about some suggestions and reviews?
Customs or production.

Much appreciated

JET
 
Well, for me the perfect camping and hunting knife has been the Mad Dog 3/16 Arizona Hunter:

azhunter.jpg


It is 6", which is long enough for big cuts, but not too big. I have what I think is above average wrist strength, and I think any blade length over 6" is almost impossible to use except in chopping, for which I would prefer a 9" blade or longer. The AZ Hunter has lots of belly, and is just generally ergonomically perfect in my opinion.

If I were not going to buy a hand made knife, I would go for a Falkniven, or a Busse Basic 5, or a Cold Steel Carbon V Master Hunter.

[This message has been edited by Steve Harvey (edited 05-17-2001).]
 
I'd go for this one:
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Greco 5 inch fighter (just the cutting edge is slightly over 5 inch). Razorsharp, 1/4 thick A-2 stock. Some kind of funny looking frost finish to inhibit rust(this actually works and is not toxic). Good in the hand, for fine cutting you can use the guard as subhilt.. excellent grip. I made the current sheath, a black 3 mm thick natural leather sheath. Has served me excellently in my survival trips. Easy to sharpen, just straighten the edge on the back of a pocketknife. I really like it..but since I'm european, if you have something cool to trade, shoot me a mail. Always an answer. Asking can't hurt ya
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Or the Coldsteel SRK for a general kick around knife.

P.S. sorry for the big pic.

Greetz, bart.

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"If the world wouldn't SUCK, we'd all fall off !"

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Fun question, Jet. Some time ago, the Custom Knife Directory hosted an online discussion forum which included an interesting thread on this very subject. Two of Bladeforum's elder statesmen, Will York and Jerry Hossom, contributed extensively to that thread. The following, courtesy of Jerry Hossom, was eventually borne out of that discussion:

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Some of the potential tasks taken into consideration and considered appropriate for a proper "camp" knife included basic food preparation, the butchering and processing of large game animals and even providing wood for the fire.

For more details on this particular blade, here's a link to Jerry's thread in BFC's Custom Forum:

http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/002416.html

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Semper Fi

-Bill
 
This topic usually opens a whole can of worms! With so many types of opinions, you'll have your work cut out for you. But in the range you mention, you won't go wrong with the SRK or the Grohman. They are excellent knives at good prices. Love the look of that Hossom, but I bet it isn't cheap!
 
This one's kinda nice.
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Hoodoo

I get some pleasure from finding a relentlessly peaceful use for a combative looking knife.
JKM
 
The Fallkniven A1 is a pretty good choice for a very stout "outdoorsmans' knife", and buying one won't completly destroy your bank account.
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Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
glockman99@hotmail.com
ICQ# 53675663
 
You can't go wrong with:
1. The BK&T Magnum Camp(0170-6C)
2. The Fallkniven A1(VG-10)
3. The CS SRK (smaller then above ones)(Carbon V)
4. Knives of Alaska Bush Camp Knife (AUS8)
5. Or even the old standby the KA-BAR.

I have all of the above and the one that feels the best in my hands is the BK&T Magnum Camp or the Fallkniven A1.

As far a the most "cut for the buck" I would go with the Magnum Camp.
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Ron,
Bremerton, Washington
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Hey, Bronc--I don't see any badges of honor on that thing, yet. Are you still babying it--or maybe it's just that my "elder" eyes can't make out the scrapes and scratches?

Seriously, every time I see that thing my mouth waters a little more--what a gorgeous piece of art. I know I'd have a hard time "cuttin' loose" if it were mine. You and Jerry did one helluva job putting it together. Congrats again!!!

--Will
 
I think Tom makes a good point, as do Hoodoo and Steve, with their examples of optimal field knife size. Jimmy, I think your points on the earlier “Survival Knife” thread, about typical uses for a knife in the field, are good ones, too, and go to illustrate the point further. The point being that, with the exception of chopping and digging chores, a 4+” blade knife with a comfortable handle is just about perfect.

A “camp knife”, or an “outdoorsman’s knife” as you say, can mean different things, depending on circumstances. If I can get a vehicle or a horse to the “camp”, then I’d prefer to have a 4” blade knife for general hunting/utility chores, a hatchet for chopping wood/pointing stakes, etc., and a machete to clear brush. On the other hand, If I’m going to backpack or hike several miles into an area where I need to be prepared for anything, then I’d want to carry a blade that could stand up to very rough treatment and be big enough to chop and dig with, while still being manageable enough in size to do the finer work you mentioned in your earlier post on the “survival” thread. In that case, I think a Busse Steel Heart would be a hard choice to beat.

I think the crowning achievement in Bronco’s big blade above, executed by Jerry Hossom, is the combination of strength and size enough to perform as a big knife, but with the light weight and balance required to do finer work without being awkward or tiring in the hand. As a master of applied sword science, Jerry does amazing things in combining strength, light weight, and balance to large blades made of premium materials.

If I might be allowed to submit my favorite “camp knife combination”, here’s a Rick Dunkerley forged CPM10V hunter with 4” blade, followed by an 18” blade CPM3V machete by Mr. Hossom:

View


View


Rick built the 10V blade for himself, and used it himself for one Montana elk season, before I talked him out of it. He said it went through field dressing 3 elk, including caping two of them, and field dressing two mule deer, without sharpening, and that it was still cutting fine when he cleaned it up and sharpened it to send it to me. On wild Texas hogs, it has proven out as one of the most aggressive and long-lasting edges I’ve ever found.

Jerry’s machete was a prototype/experimental design sent to me for testing. So far, he’s been unable to prevail upon me to return it—and, BTW, I have no plans EVER to do so.
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-w
 
My perfect outdoorsman's knife is optimized to do the things I do the most in the outdoors. I want it to have very good edge geometry for cutting performance, so I like a full flat grind. Because food prep is probably the most cutting that I do, again a full flat grind is indicated. Also, guards get in the way of some kind of food prep, but guardless isn't acceptable either, so I like a dropped-blade type setup. The handle should be comfortable but very secure. Drop-point blade for point control and all-around usage. Sheath options, especially for dangler-style carry (my fave choice in the outback).


ttkk.jpg


Typically, for chopping and other "big jobs", I'll bring a machete, matchet, folding saw, whatever. So I get the above knife with a 1/8" blade. But Trace is a custom maker, so you can get whatever you want. You want D-2? He'll make you D-2, or BG-42, or talonite, or a few other steels (not up on his current menu). You want a thicker blade? He'll make a thicker blade. You want a longer blade? No problem, I have one in 4" and one in 5".

The point is, if you think the concept is good (drop point, flat ground blade, ergonomic & secure handle, drop-blade for finger protection without a guard, multi-carry sheath), the maker of the TTKK can work with you on optimizing steel, length, and thickness, so if you want a higher-performance cutting tool, or a more robust beater, all those are possible.

(I hope the link worked!)

Joe
 
Will,
No battle scars yet, but she just arrived last weekend.
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Outstanding point concerning weight and balance, by the way. It's difficult to tell from the picture, but believe it or not, the blade on Jerry's camp knife pictured above, is actually longer than a Battle Mistress blade, yet it weighs less (and balances right at the front edge of the micarta handle
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Thanks so much for posting your pictures, Will. I was just this week discussing a Millenium Machete with Jerry, and I've always wanted to see a pic of your Dunkerly forged hunter. Both are exquisite.



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Semper Fi

-Bill
 
Got a perfect outdoors folder. It is the Dozier DK-TF7 aka Buckhunter. This is a heavy duty folder. The handle slabs are titanium with a dark gray finish that are .195 thick. These are the thickest titanium handles I have seen on a knife. The blade is D-2 in a clip point style much like a Buck 110 only wider and thicker. Lockup is by the tab-lock which is a t shaped leaf of titanium that springs over to engage the blades tang along its whole length, thus doing away with a stop pin. The liner is nested in the titanium handle so it is well supported. This results in a blade that is totally LOCKED-UP, no blade movement at all. Whole knife is held together with 2 screws, one at the pivot and another on the other end. This leaves the knife open and allows any debris to be gotten rid of quickly. The pivot pin is huge at 5/16 of an inch in diameter. The pivot has a cap screw on one end and on the clip end it has a smaller hex screw that acts as a lock to keep the pivot from rotating. BTW the blade is .187 inck thick but has a high hollow grind that results in a blade that is ready to CUT, comes sharp enough to scare the hair right off of you. Heard it referred to as sharp, razor sharp, and then Dozier sharp!

At any rate this knife would make an excellent outdoors knife as a folder. Of course I dont mean that it would be the primary knife as nothing beats a fixed blade for stability, but it would fill the need for a backup just fine.

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Art Sigmon
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"
Php. 4:13

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword"
Heb. 4:12
 
I really like the Mad Dog Pygmy ATAK I have, blade is 4.9" and very very stout, as well as sharp and durable as hell. I bit more compact package than the AZ Hunter, same mission. I would also like to try the standard ATAK or ATAK2 sometime soon.

Were I to not grab my Mad Dogs and still want a handmade, I would not hesitate to grab a Randall 1, 3, 5, 14 or 15. I would also recommend the AirCrew special Combat Companion. It do have a lite Sawback that is functional for making a rope notch in a stick, or slicing thru canvas in a hurry. (think of it as a serrated back edge rather than a saw)

I also like my standard Kbar, the SRK, the Entrek offerings or perhaps some of Kevin Hoffman's outdoor designs. Becker Magnum in the Camillus generation is not as heavy as BJK version, and I miss the weight.

Look into Dave Beck, now back in biz as a knifemaker for serious outdoor backwoods designs. He is now differentially treating knives.

If you want to go smaller (slightly) try a Randall Fireman. It is my favorite indestructible sharp prybar, and can do all fro dig and lite chopping to dress your squirrell.

Parker

 
WOW!!!

Beautiful knives! I have just realized how weak my collection is. I hope this drool doesn't short out my keyboard.
Yes, I knew this topic would open a can of worms, but i like worms. Especially canned.

I haven't seen any posts on Mineral Mountain knives. How do they fare with the competition mentioned thus far? They look like great value, and the maker mentioned he has known Bob Dozier for years, so they must be sharp. (BTW, I admit to a Dozier bias, shamelessly!)
How about the Puffin? I don't know much about it, but have seen the ad in TK. Anyone got one?
I am always searching for info on knives of some kind, as magazines and this forum are the only source up here. So, although this thread is broad, that was my intention.

Thanks for all the replies and great pictures. Keep 'em coming.

JET
 
Bronco,

I have my 47th birthday coming-up in a couple of months, and that EXCELLENT knife that you have pictured here would SURE make a GREAT birthday present to me...
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That knife is AWESOME!!!.
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Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
glockman99@hotmail.com
ICQ# 53675663
 
Thanks, Dann. And a pre-emptive Happy Birthday to you, sir. Although, wouldn't you know it, I suddenly seem to have completely forgotten the way to the post office.
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Seriously though, Jerry just recently mentioned that he has a few more of these currently in production, so....(Mrs. Fassnacht, are you listening?)
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Semper Fi

-Bill
 
Tom Mayo....

Damn!!!

Thats a Fine looking knife...

The cut shoulders on that make that knife look Sweet!!

Nice work..

Whats the slabs on that ???

ttyle

Eric...

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On/Scene Tactical
Leading The Way In Quality Synthetic Sheathing
 
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