size vs. weight for survival knife

[DaQo'tah Forge]

It was winter,,,about 40 years ago,,,

I got my truck stuck in a snow bank and walked to get dad and his truck to pull me out. By the time I was ready to hook up the toe-roap my hands were froze stiff. I had to use my fixed blade knife to hammer at the frozen ice under my car to open up a place to tie the roap to. It was dark, I could not see what I was actually doing, so i just swung the knife as hard as i could into the ice around the spring of my truck.

I didnt notice the weakly built guard on my knife start to bend and fold under my hand as I kept beating the ice with the blade.

I still carry the scars on my fingers when my hand slipped on to the blade
.

perhaps my great-great Scandinavia grandfather didnt understand the need to a finger guard on a field knife in the winter, but this Viking sure has learned that lesson....

 

[Thomas Linton]

It was winter,,,about 40 years ago,,,

I got my truck stuck in a snow bank and walked to get dad and his truck to pull me out. By the time I was ready to hook up the toe-roap my hands were froze stiff. I had to use my fixed blade knife to hammer at the frozen ice under my car to open up a place to tie the roap to. It was dark, I could not see what I was actually doing, so i just swung the knife as hard as i could into the ice around the spring of my truck.

If the knife was said to be built for "extreme abuse," would you be disappointed that it failed or would you advise yourself that you were using the "wrong tool for the job"?

 

[DaQo'tah Forge]

yes,,,,useing a knife outside it's designed parameters is always a risk,,,,but from this we learn lessons,,,,,like try never ask a knife to do what it cant do....and the right tool for the job is the safe tool when used correctly.

and,,,,always think to yourself when useing a knife about the risk in what you are doing,,,,

In the field knives I have learned to make, I copy the design of the Fowler' Pronhorn with it's big lower finger guard....My co-workers dont really like this part of my knife design,,,in deed many have asked me to forget the guard and just make a field knife that is gardless, but I just dont think such a knife is able to do what I intend for it to be able to do.......

 

[hollowdweller]

If I'm backpacking on fairly flat land I like to take a khukuri. As long as I can keep it under 2 lbs. The bad part is most khukuri sheaths take the weight up too high. But the khukuri is great to take out stuff in your way and chop firewood. Of course taking something that heavy I'm lightening up on other stuff.

If I'm backpacking in steep terrain I usually take a small axe like the GB mini or the Ragnar double bit. Both under a pound.

Anything weighing over a pound I have to really want to take to bring with me cause I really aim to keep my pack 35 lbs or less.

 

[DaQo'tah Forge]

khukuri are great knives,,,lots of fun,,,,someone needs to design a better sheath?

 

[Thomas Linton]

Modern alternatives to the traditional khukuri sheath are available. Many are open along the top half of the spine, with a snapstrap to hold the knife in place. I purchased a couple at a gun show. The seller said they were made by/for Ontario or Camillus.

 

[SDDLUP]

Doesn't anyone carry an axe anymore? I carry a Gerber Camp Axe and it doesn't weight much at all. I also carry a small bow saw and usually two small/medium folders.

Use the right tool for the job. It will make for a more enjoyable camping experience than trying to spilt wood with a knife. Weight? Don't think about it. Saving an extra eight ounces or so isn't going to get you up the trail any quicker.

 

[Thomas Linton]

Doesn't anyone carry an axe anymore? I carry a Gerber Camp Axe and it doesn't weight much at all. I also carry a small bow saw and usually two small/medium folders.

Use the right tool for the job. It will make for a more enjoyable camping experience than trying to spilt wood with a knife. Weight? Don't think about it. Saving an extra eight ounces or so isn't going to get you up the trail any quicker.

If I was sure I would have to do significant chopping (like trail maintenance), sure. I have a couple of axes under a pound that work well and a GB Small Forest Axe. But typically, I don't need any tool to gather firewood. The knife and batoning is a back-up if needs be.