Smaller Camp / Food Knife ?

DaveH

DaveH

Joined
Dec 2, 1999
Messages
12,249
OK, I've been thinking of picking something up in the following range. I don't have much experience with knives in this list so I would appreciate members opinions especially in regards to comparing and contrasting these models:

Cold Steel Master Hunter 2nd - Handled these a few times they seem comfortable and confident, attractive pricing for seconds.

Kabar Wart-Hog - I like the blade shape, seems like it would be pretty nice. I've handled a few, just slightly awkward as compared to the CS, but my impression is it's maybe a bit sturdier, and the wider blade might be nice.

Becker Campanion - I like the shape of these the most, never handled one. How does it compare weight wise / hand feel? The handle looks comfortable but hard.

Marbles - I like different models here, starting to get more money than I want to spend.

CR Ubejane - Like this one to, probably definitely outside what I'm looking to spend.

Comments, other models I should look at?

Thanks,
DaveH
 
I'm sure someone will add this one , so I'll be the first. Spyderco Moran. Also, check out the A.G. Russell Deer Hunter.

Jack

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Two degrees in be-bop, a Ph.D in swing, he's a master of rhythm, he's a rock and roll king.

[This message has been edited by donovan (edited 02-21-2000).]
 
Does it have to be a folder? The Puuko's so many people speak highly of seem to be well designed for your purposes.

smile.gif

Brandon

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"You should never never doubt what nobody is sure about..."
 
You might check in the outdoor forum on this site and ask Ron Hood because IIRC he had a pretty extensive review of the warthog on his site at one time, it may still be there as far as I know. If it is the review I am thinking of it came out very well for the ugly little knife it is. It sounded like an inexpensive bulletproof blade. Ron's site is listed somewhere around here as Hood's Woods I think.

As an aside, you should check into the Canadian belt knives by Grohmann. They are great multi-use designs, and high bang for the buck ratio knives. Ask around about them as you can find them in the sub $50 range if you look.

Good luck,

-Sam.

 
The Becker Campanion is a massive, heavy knife that I am sure would stand up to just about anything except sheer idiocy. You could use it to pry a tire bead over the rim, and it will take and hold a shaving edge. However, it is very heavy, which is why mine lives in the Jimmy. Cold Steel Master Hunter is an excellent all-round choice, a great knife for cleaning game. The wide blade does have disadvantages for some work, though. A more slender blade, such as a puukko, might be a better all-round utilitarian choice. Frost of Sweden sells a great laminated steel blade (about 4"); Ericksson's knives, also from Mora, Sweden, are similar but not laminated. The Marble's Fieldcraft is terrific steel (52100), very useful shape with the upswept blade (maybe not the best for opening game, though), comes with an excellent sheath. Hope this helps.
 
I'd have to agree, one of the Frost or Eriksson's might be a better all around utility knife. A lot cheaper too, the Erikssons start at $8! They're ugly, but if you want to CUT something they're hard to beat.
Just a tad more upscale in the utilty field are the Norwegian knives. They are similar to Puukkos, but have more shape to the handles. The better ones from Helle have laminated, or laminated stainless blades. Even here, $40 or $50 will get you a superior knife.
The Finnish Puukkos just about split the difference between the Swedes and the Norwegians.
Most any of them would be better for actual use than a high tech tactical war blade. (IMHO) They are light enough that you will actually carry the thing, and have it with you when you need it. The blade shapes and sizes (usually 3-5") have been refined over the centuries to make the work easy. I sometimes carry something flashy (especially when doing the historcal reenacting thing), but I always carry a working blade in case I have to open a box or an animal, fix a meal or cut a rope!
Just another $.02.
-Jim
http://www.ragweedforge.com


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"A knifeless man is a lifeless man." -old Nordic proverb.
 
Originally posted by donovan:
I'm sure someone will add this one , so I'll be the first. Spyderco Moran. Also, check out the A.G. Russell Deer Hunter.

Jack
Click to expand...

I'll second this. Either one fits your bill. The Russell is slightly thinner in the blade department, so it is more flexible, and makes a good food prep slice and dicer. You can't go wrong with a Spydie Moran.

Other replies directed you to Scandanavian knives, a good money safing choice here would be one of the Martitini Puukko style knives with a finger guard, like the All-Purpose Puukko you can find at Chai Cutlery. A Frosts of Sweden 760MG, at the same site, is another inexpensive way to go. I have a Fallkniven F1. It will do the trick as well, but it is a tad on the thick side in blade thickness for general food prep, but otherwise an excellent all-around choice. Good luck.



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Dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.
 
Thanks for the suggestions, the F1 seems like a possibility for me too, mostly because I like it stylistically.

DaveH
 
Another 'camp knife' worth considering are the discontinued Cold Steel Red River/Hudson Bay knives, which are 'butcher style' hunting knives. They're made from 1/8in Carbon V steel, have riveted hickory handles that need to be rounded, and a funky but functional sheath. The American and Elk Hunter patterns are 6in while the Scalper and the butcher are 7in. The Scalper seems to be hard to find new as it was evidently the most popular, followed by the Elk Hunter at what seems to be a distant second while the other two didn't seem to be well received. I have to pick up a couple of the Hudson Bay butcher knives for some friends who saw one that I have, I get mine locally, although Ragnar's Forge (?) also carries them. I've paid $7 to $12 each for Hudson Bay butcher knives and the Elk Hunters. The knives complement something like a 4in Mora knife well, and both lines are very good values in fixed blades.
 
Despite all the lively discussion about large camp knives in this group, your smaller utility/kitchen knife is the one you'll use 95% of the time. For me personally, when I divide up my camp knife money, it's the small utility/kitchen knife that gets the biggest part of the budget. The other part of my advice is, emphasize performance and carryability for this knife. I like 1/8" spine or smaller with a thin sharp edge, and a sheath I can move from belt to pack without taking my belt off.

The knife I designed for exactly this purpose is the TTKK, viewable at www.pe.net/~thrblade/ There have been a bunch of reviews on this knife, go ahead and do a search. At $150, it's more money than the production knives but still a killer value. It's got a drop-blade format like a chef's knife, for chopping ability while still offering finger protection. Great blade shape, edge geometry, and handle ergonomics. It's a custom, so you can choose your steel, and make minor changes in blade shape (for example, choose a pointer blade and less belly for better kitchen performance).

I also love the A.G. Russell Deerhunter. Whisper-thin edge for incredible performance, great sheath. I consider this a strong contender.

Buck's Vanguard and Mentor are worth a look as well.

I like the Spyderco Moran, but don't feel the trailing point blade shape works great in the camp kitchen.

If you want a narrower blade -- which you will if your camp kitchen chores are more paring-type usage than chef's knife or chef's utility usage -- then there are plenty of great choices. Any puukko, from a $12 Frosts of Sweden to an expensive custom, will work out really well.

Jeff Clark pointed out the Buck Pathfinder, which I also think looks nice for this.

Joe
 
 
V44, I have an early TKK, before Joe and Trace tweaked the design, and it's an outstanding knife. I had a review in Bladeforums' site for a while, it's probably still there if you run a search on it. This has grown to be, by far, my most-used and favorite fixed blade, in spite of owning some other very nice blades.

For a production blade, especially at a great value, I think the Fallkniven F1 and most any of the Grohmann styles all seem to perform far beyond their respective price point. You couldn't go wrong with those.

While I'm a big fan of the Campanion, I would tend to think that it is a better "general" camp knife rather than a "kitchen" knife, as the blade thickness required to make it the outstanding general use knife that it is can make it a bit more cumbersome in the kitchen department. Don't get me wrong, I'm getting one of these knives, I've wanted one for a long time, but for most camp duties and kitchen chores, I'll still reach for my TKK.

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Don LeHue

Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings...they did it by killing all those who opposed them.
 
The CS is a good choice, but the handle is a little thick for me and they rust! At least the Carbon V does.
Take a good look at a SOG Northwest Ranger! It has a really nice soldered SS guard, 5" blade length, nice thin kraton handle, and very functional Nylon sheath. I got mine at the WOW sale for 38.50!
 
Donovan beat me to it........Spyderco Moran. Excellent knife, good design, great steel. And something that is commonly overlooked, an excellent sheath. I don't see how I functioned without mine.

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"Those who trade essential liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Benjamin Franklin
 
I think that an SAK for the little stuff, a Kershaw blade trader for food prep and a hachet is the way to go unless you're having to carry everything in yourself. I usually drive to campsites as I don't walk very well

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The thorn stands to defend the Rose, yet it is peaceful and does not seek conflict
 
Originally posted by Joe Talmadge:
The knife I designed for exactly this purpose is the TTKK, viewable at www.pe.net/~thrblade/ There have been a bunch of reviews on this knife, go ahead and do a search. At $150, it's more money than the production knives but still a killer value. It's got a drop-blade format like a chef's knife, for chopping ability while still offering finger protection. Great blade shape, edge geometry, and handle ergonomics. It's a custom, so you can choose your steel, and make minor changes in blade shape (for example, choose a pointer blade and less belly for better kitchen performance).

Joe
Click to expand...

What about the knife next to the TTKK, Joe? The Chimera. It sure looks like an ideal camp knife to me.



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Hoodoo

The low, hoarse purr of the whirling stone—the light-press’d blade,
Diffusing, dropping, sideways-darting, in tiny showers of gold,
Sparkles from the wheel.

Walt Whitman
 
Sure, the Chimera could make a fine camp knife too, i think. For the Chimera, Bob (bald1) took the TTKK blade, and put a different handle on it. His handle is straighter and has 2 finger grooves, and although I haven't held it, I'd expect his handle to be a bit more secure but a bit less comfortable for extended use. My handle is a little closer to a Loveless handle, curvey and comfortable for extended use through many different grips.

It's the same blade, so essentially you're just picking from the handle you like better.

Joe
 
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