Recommend a fixed blade utility knife.

If weight is a consideration, I recomend the Cold Steel SRK (6") or Master Hunter 4"). Excellent knives for the (low) price and light weight for their size compared to many others. Becker Necker (3.25") might be a good choice if you want something really small and light.

Will
 
cold steel mini bushman. It's just as strong and tough as any of the others mentioned, and costs less than 20 bucks (16, i think).

I have the full-size bushman that's around a foot long, and it's a little large (I only take it when I'll be in the woods for more than a few days). The mini-bushman is 9" long, and you can give it all the abuse you want without damaging it. Great knife, regardless of price. I'd have paid 5 times the price, now that I know how great it is.

Peace.
 
Dang, you guys are really *helping*! I will definitely be buying several!

I'm looking at the Beckers right now...
I'm somewhat leaning towards the Crewman (5.5" blade) vs. the 7" model...
Are there advantages to having the larger 7" knives (regardless of brand)?

thanks,
Gabe
 
if you want an all-round camp/utility knife the 7" would be better: more blade for chopping, batoning wood, etc.
5" blade is still somewhat suitable for these, but much less so. in fact for camp chopping/batoning wood id even go with the 9" BK-9 for the added blade heft, not to mention its made from significantly thicker blade stock.
it all depends on what you need it for. decide upon what tasks you wish the knife to perform and then decide which blade length is right for you.

for myself, i usually do a mixture of chopping, brush clearing, sharpening stakes, batoning wood, hacking down small trees, etc so the 9" blade of the BK-9 or the brute suit my needs far better than a short blade. for someone who just wants to whittle tent pegs and slice salami for sandwiches, heh, well.. go with a much smaller blade. all of the beckers are pretty much the same quality, and the exact same grip, but they are offered in different blade lengths for different uses.

perhaps we would be able to help you out much better if you make a short list of what tasks you would like the knife to perform around the camp site? it is all relative: my idea 'general camping use' might differ drastically from someone elses, and im sure that most of the people posting recommendations here also have different uses as well as ideas on what constitutes 'camp chores' or 'hard use' :)

cheers,
-gabriel
 
You've got a good list of knives to choose from, so far... and, there's more, lots more! :D
As to blade length, I prefer a large blade over a smaller blade. My own preference is for something at least 6" long, ala the Cold Steel SRK. A knife is a primary tool, used to make other tools, and having "more blade" is just a better bet. In the event that you have to use the knife as a tool to secure your survival, due to natural disaster, injury, weather, etc., a larger knife is definitely better than a smaller one... I know this from experience... :eek: :(
So, for a 4"-5" knife, the CS Master Hunter and Mini Bushman are good contenders; for a 6" knife, look at the CS SRK - you can get it for around $40 from http://www.cheaperthandirt.com For a larger knife, the Beckers have a good reputation, the Swamp Rats have a great reputation (and price value), and there are lots of others! Oh yeah, the CS Bushman is a great knife for the price, too. Happy hunting!
 
I would take a close look at the Bark Rivers....Mike Stewart's A2 steel blades expertly convex ground are supurb cutters.. the 3" Woodland Special or the 4" Highland Special would make a terrific camp/utility knife; the elegant but "hell-for-stout" 3 3/8" compact Mountaineer is a bushcrafters dream....but just a tad over your $80 budget. Bark River offers an almost endless array of handle choices from utilitarian G10 to handsome wood burl.
My personal experience has lead me to favor fixed blade knives with blades in the 3"-4" range...if I want to do serious chopping I use a small hatch or backpacking saw.
Check their forum here: http://www.knifeforums.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=BarkRiverKnifeandTool

A good place to buy:http://www.dlttradingcompany.com/
and:http://www.agrussell.com/knives/by_...rk_river_mountaineer_with_amboyna_handle.html
Others have given you excellent suggestions also.
-Regards
 
BECKER.BK 7 or BK 9.I think these were recommended earlier.My advice/suggestion also.
 
Wow, I didn't expect my question to generate so many responses! :)
Lots of great choices. (I may have to start collecting) :cool: (I just received a Spyderco Jester and Mini-Grip 556 yesterday. --Jester, to replace the one I lost camping in South Dakota last month, and the Griptilian is the first nicer locking blade I've bought. (mostly have had the smaller SAKs until now)
Thanks also for the alternate webstores with competitive pricing!

I just ordered the Becker BK-7 to try out. I've heard that some think the grip is lacking in 'grip' (for lack of a better word). I'll probably try the cut inner tube on handle trick if I find that to be the case.

I read a positive review here of the SOG revolver hunter that made me want to buy one on the spot. :D -Maybe I'll get one for my bug out bag in the car.

Those Swamprats look like tough knives. Not sure I'd want to have to maintain the asymmetrical grind though... ( I think I meant convex grind. credit to Rat Finkenstein for pointing it out to me) :footinmou

Blackhearted, my uses will likely only be light to medium use at most. I may find it (BK-7) too large for the majority of my camp tasks. (In which case, I'll just have to buy something else!) More knives can't be bad :D

Gramps, I thank you for pointing me to the Bark River knives. Those look to be very nice, and your related experience with the smaller fixed blades parallels my own thoughts that for my uses, the shorter blades would be more dextrous and likely see more use than the larger blades. Very possible I'll end up with one or more that size at some point. And I like the looks of the BR...

I'll have to report back what I think of the BK-7 after some trials.
Sincerely,
Gabe
 
Those Swamprats look like tough knives. Not sure I'd want to have to maintain the asymmetrical grind though...
Click to expand...

I dont know of any with asymmetrical grinds- they do have convex edges, however- not the same thing. :)
 
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