Questions for people who do the big knife thing.

B

benchmadebob

Joined
May 12, 2008
Messages
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I always wanted to try the big knife thing. But i dont seem to get the advantages over a axe/hatchet and a knife. I want to try it so im saving for a fbm. So for the people who do the big knife thing what are the advantages?
 
YOu look really SCARY whilst trapsing through the park:D
I dont know, I love big knives and own a bunch..I dont see a real advantage OVER anything else...its just an alternative or preference.
 
As much as I love knives like my Chopweiler and Tracker I don't think there is really any advantage over a small knife and hatchet and I'm betting that will be the overall verdict on this topic !!!!
 
i usually do the big knife thing so i will give it a shot.

the big knife method imo tries to reduce the different number of tools one would use for instance it can chop but not as well as a hatchet. it can whittle and do fine knife tasks but again not as well as a small knife. it can split with the use of a baton. it can do light hammering too.

imo it is geared more towards a survivalist instead of a bushcrafter if you know what i mean.

even though i carry a big knife i still find many uses for a sak too so i wouldn't leave it at home. even Ron Hood who i think pioneered the big knife trend still says the sak is the best all around survival knife one could have.
 
i see the biggest advantage when limbing a small tree-the long blade means that you can just swing and pop branches off of the trunk. with an axe you have to watch where you swing.

otherwise i can't really think of anything.
 
The big knife is better on small diameter wood and soft vegetation than a hatchet.

The long blade makes a bad swing a poor hit, instead of a miss (or hit on something you really don't want lopped off).

It's easier to kill a hog with a big knife than a hatchet.

'Bout all I can think of.
 
What is a "big" knife to you, BMB? It's a word with no set meaning. What, for example is "big" to someone who thinks a SAK is the "best all around survival knife"?

Why is a SAK the "best all around survival knife" in Mr. Hood's opinion, crossada? Corkscrew?
 
to ME a big fixed blade is anything over 10" blade length, The advantages for ME (your milage might vary) are:

- fast easy clearing of trail limbs, thickets
- fast chopping of small logs ( V notching)
- limbing of logs
- peeling bark
- chopping/portioning and tenderizing of steak/ribs etc
- fine controlled cuts (one hand on each end of knife) for making cedar shingles
- massive amounts of shavings in a short time. (ie: from a 8" log instead of a small stick)
- its just fun to swing a big fixed blade.
 
Thomas Linton said:
What is a "big" knife to you, BMB? It's a word with no set meaning. What, for example is "big" to someone who thinks a SAK is the "best all around survival knife"?

Why is a SAK the "best all around survival knife" in Mr. Hood's opinion, crossada? Corkscrew?
Click to expand...

Like 10 inch blade like battle mistress crowwel barker rtak2
 
if you have never done the big knife thing before, id reccomend trying out a cheap one before buying a really pricy one. a big knife will do anything that an axe can do. (hides under desk). it just does everthing different. the hatchet is better at some things, and the big knife is better at some things. they are just different.
 
Also, with a big knife, you have more blade to use, allowing you to dedicate certain parts to different tasks without worrying about dulling it. For example, dedicate one part for flintrods, another for hacking branches, and another for work that requires sharpness, such as whittling. As mentioned above, a big blade is also more oriented towards a multi-purpose function. And, if attacked, every inch you can put between yourself and the attacker is better, in my opinion, heh.
 
Hmmm. Good question. I like the range of things I personally feel I can do with a big knife over a hatchet. I own a small Wetterlings axe, but I only use it for car camping. I guess it is just personal preference on my part.
 
Thomas Linton said:
Why is a SAK the "best all around survival knife" in Mr. Hood's opinion
Click to expand...


Is this true for every environment? In the Panamanian triple canopy would you rather have a SAK, a hatchet, or a machete?

Crossing Tundra or terrain buried in snow would you rather have a Leuku, a SAK, or a Buck 110?

I'd argue that any one of the above is better than nothing, but I don't know that the SAK stands out as the best all-rounder for those environments.
 
Bushman5 said:
to ME a big fixed blade is anything over 10" blade length, The advantages for ME (your milage might vary) are:

- fast easy clearing of trail limbs, thickets
- fast chopping of small logs ( V notching)
- limbing of logs
- peeling bark
- chopping/portioning and tenderizing of steak/ribs etc
- fine controlled cuts (one hand on each end of knife) for making cedar shingles
- massive amounts of shavings in a short time. (ie: from a 8" log instead of a small stick)
- its just fun to swing a big fixed blade.
Click to expand...

Yes. More efficient at a number of chores. :thumbup:
 
Let me throw in my two cents....

Regardless of what people convince you of regarding the advantages (or lack thereof) of a big knife, you just plain need an FBM. Everyone does. Some just might not realize it. Yet. ;)

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
I think if you look at history and cultures today that are in "out of the way" places you will find that most carry a large blade. I am thinking specifically folks in the jungle and early America (fur trade etc.). These people live(d) close to the land and use their large blades. Anything that can be done with a small blade can be done with a large one, the reverse is not as true. Now if I were a metrosexual doing a walk thru on a groomed trail in my tennis shoes, I suppose something the size of some nail clippers would suffice. :-)
one mans opinion
josh
 
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