Recommend a backpacking fixed blade

R

running bird

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Sep 29, 2015
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I'm gunna go backpacking in 2 weeks and I'm starting to decide what knives I want to bring. I want to grab a new fixed blade but I don't feel like dropping over $100 on a knife right now ( short on knife money).

I don't want to spend more than $25. I'm not sure between stainless (I'm a big fan of 12c27) or carbon steel, I'm going to be backpacking for a week but I tend to keep my knives dry so I don't think a carbon steel knife would rust on me without some oil on hand ( I would probably oil it and apply mutton grease before I leave). I would like a short blade, no longer than 4".

I'm aware that a mora would be a great choice and am thinking of getting one, but I would like to know if anyone has another comparable knife they would recommend.
 
I think you're right about the Mora, but for a bit more you could go with a near indestructible Cold Steel Bushman.

Zieg

EDIT: You can find them on eBay for under $20, before shipping.
 
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Mora was my first thought, too, but for something different in the same ball park, try a Marttiini, Condor Timberjack is what I think they call it. Similar in size to a Companion, but different enough that you might prefer it.
 
I'm probably going to get hate but personally I always carry a Gerber Moment. Full tang, very nice rubber textured scales and is pretty thick. Falls at about 20 bucks. You can buy them at walmart too.

Good luck!
 
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You could check out schrade

If your willing to spend 50 you can get a bk 5 just about for that right now
 
The schrade is 8cr13mov so your not going to get nicer 1095 crovan as you would with the Kabar Becker models
 
In my honest opinion it is best to go to some stores and look at knives. Write down names of one's you like and then research them. You are going backpacking in 2 weeks and need the blade at that time. Ordering online might delay the trip.
 
Ragnar Lothbrok said:
The Mora is not a full tang and I'm personally not a big fan of the overall design.
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OK.

Why is its partial tang an issue, and what about its design are you not a fan of. Its one of the most universally liked outdoors knives here.

What has everyone, including me, gotten wrong?
 
The Zieg said:
I think you're right about the Mora, but for a bit more you could go with a near indestructible Cold Steel Bushman.

Zieg

EDIT: You can find them on eBay for under $20, before shipping.
Click to expand...

For a beater of a knife that is the best one for the money the company makes. Go with the Bushman.^^^
 
marcinek said:
OK.

Why is its partial tang an issue, and what about its design are you not a fan of. Its one of the most universally liked outdoors knives here.

What has everyone, including me, gotten wrong?
Click to expand...

Nobody gotten anything wrong. Its my opinion. On these forums, Mora seems to be lkke a knife someone buys, because everyone else has it. I want a knife that's dependable, and in my opinion it has to be a full tang. I can put paracord or anything on it if the handle gets worn, something i cant say about a rattail
 
For backpacking, I rely on a tarp/tent for shelter, good clothing and sleep system for warmth and a stove for cooking. In pretty much every place I've backpacked in the lower 48 either ban harvesting of wood for shelter and fires or actively discourage it as a part of a leave no trace ethic of leaving the place visually undisturbed for the next visitors.

For short lightweight trips, I limit my food to stuff that is pre-cut or is packaged to be boiled. I find a small Leatherman PS4 Squirt to be ideal. Scissors are useful for first aid and gear repair. The pliers are useful for repairs, primarily fixing jammed zippers and pushing a heavy needle through webbing. The knife blade is sufficient for opening packaging and cutting cordage (nothing heavier than paracord).

On trips where weight is less of an issue, I may take food that needs to be cut or spread and on such trips, I find that a lightweight folding knife is ideal. I like the Opinel 9 or 10 Inox, but there are tons of decent ones out there. The Buck Bucklite Max Medium, Buck Spitfire/Slimline are light, inexpensive options.

Outdoor Carry by Pinnah, on Flickr

I started carrying a small folding wood stove for emergency use on winter XC trips and it's found a permenant place in my emergency bag. This gives me a very easy way to maintain a small "scout" fire with minimum needs for wood processing and with minimal impact as it takes very little wood to keep running and leaves very little ash. On trips where I know it will be snowy or very wet, I may swap my Opinel for a Mora Companion. The Companion is more than enough to keep the Emberlit stove running and for me, anything beyond this is just fantasy fullfillment or carrying a knife just because you like it. Both are fine enough reasons if it makes you happy.

Note, I find fixed blades to be a PITA on backpacking trips and much prefer a folding knife that can be easily pocket carried.
 
Rhinoknives1 said:
For a beater of a knife that is the best one for the money the company makes. Go with the Bushman.^^^
Click to expand...

I'm not seeing it. If I'm going to carry a fixed blade on a backpacking trip, I'm carrying it over a folder primarily as a fire making tool.

The Mora Companion as the best handle shape for wood working that I've ever used. The Bushman has a circular handle which offers less control.

The Mora Companion is Scandi ground (which can be easily convexed if you prefer and I do, vastly) which makes curled shavings well and batons well, provided you know enough to not smash it through hard knots. The Bushman is hollow ground to an advertised thin edge, which is fine for processing meat (it's a hunting knife, at heart) and less well at making shavings and horrible at battoning.

The Mora Companion is hardened to the 57Rc to 60Rc range depending on whether you get 12C27 or 1095. The Bushman is hardened to a soft 54Rc, which makes sense for choppers and machetes, but not for a general purpose knife, IMO.

You can get a LM Squirt and a Companion for the price of a Bushman.

Lastly, I've never felt compelled to make a spear when backpacking.
 
Ragnar Lothbrok said:
Nobody gotten anything wrong. Its my opinion. On these forums, Mora seems to be lkke a knife someone buys, because everyone else has it. I want a knife that's dependable, and in my opinion it has to be a full tang. I can put paracord or anything on it if the handle gets worn, something i cant say about a rattail
Click to expand...

Pretty much all production "full tang" knives are skeletonized in order to give the knife proper balance in the hand. Skeletonized "full tang" knives and stick/rat tang knives both can have stress risers which can be potential breakage points.

IMO, the trick for durability in a fixed blade in the 5" blade length or less range is user skill, not tang design. You need to be able to read the wood and know when to back off. You can break about anything you want by smashing stuff through hard knots.

For fire making and general use, I worry much more about blade grind, steel quality and handle shape. IMO, the Mora Companion is very hard to beat on these qualities.

None of this matters if a person simply enjoys another knife more. CArry what makes you happy
 
Ragnar Lothbrok said:
Nobody gotten anything wrong. Its my opinion. On these forums, Mora seems to be lkke a knife someone buys, because everyone else has it. I want a knife that's dependable, and in my opinion it has to be a full tang. I can put paracord or anything on it if the handle gets worn, something i cant say about a rattail
Click to expand...

No...everyone bought one and to try one so they could come to a conclusion about it based on actual use. Not based on some vague idea about rat tail tangs (which a Mora doesn't have, by the way) not being dependable that they picked up from random YouTube people.

Saying that people bought them because "everyone else does" is insulting.

I'm done.

Running bird, a Mora is a great choice if you want a fixed blade and if you like a scandi grind. I don't like scandi grinds and I still recommend them.
 
Thanks for the help everyone,

I think I'm going to get a mora companion in 12c27, I have plenty of blades in that steel and I would feel more comfortable with a steel I'm used to
 
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