Stout backpacking knife

Guess they're that good. I liked that field knife for my hunting blade. The heat treat looks bad ass.
 
AntDog said:
These threads always seem to devolve into the "efficient campers" vs "the guys who like using big choppers".
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They do and for a reason, it’s really two different approaches and “philosophies” about backpacking :). Both fine! :thumbup: I think I can position myself somewhere in between. Not a “leave no traces Taliban” but not an “end of the world Prepper” either :p. I try to have a practical approach and adapt to different scenarios and conditions. Besides personal preferences, there could be other factors to consider to decide for one or another backpacking knife.

I take my case: today I am a week-end hiker, roaming the European alpine and sub-alpine regions, mostly on marked trails (class I to III) and rarely on a multiple days hikes. More or less all the areas I hike in are subject to rather restrictive regulations when it comes to open fires, shelters building, harvesting of wood, fishing and hunting, mushrooms and berries picking, etc. Several mountain huts are present along the trails and it's a kind of “inhabited” backcountry (shepherds, woodsmen, hikers/campers, farmers, etc.), not really an “into the wild” scenario. So I have to consider these pre-conditions also.

When in the need for a fixed blade, I carry the Fallkniven F1. After decades of hiking in these regions, I came to realize that a full tang fixed blade between 10 and 16 cm and 3- 4 mm thick, preferably in stainless steel, allows me to carry out easily most of my hiking/camping tasks. At that time, after I tried other two or three I liked “on papers”, the F1 turned out to be my preferred and most versatile knife (for me) in all my camp activities, from fire to food preparation. Sturdy enough for all wood working but not a girder; thin enough to be a fine slicer for food prep but not delicate or fragile by any means. Most of the times, anyway, I just carry any one of my folders and a multi-tool and they serve my modest hiking/camping needs very well :).

If I plan, for different reasons, to have a camp fire running long, I also carry a small axe or a folding saw, so that I can harvest wood in quantity and quality with little effort. Still the saw, from an efficiency point of view (yield/effort and yield/hour) it’s unbeatable. Axe it’s more fun! :D For my use a big chopper could somehow be a substitute for the axe (but never for the saw). Sure it’s fun but, for my type of hiking/camping and related tasks, I came to conclude it’s not the most practical tool for me.

Whatever you decide, have fun and stay safe in the woods!
 
Herlock said:
They do and for a reason, it’s really two different approaches and “philosophies” about backpacking :). Both fine! :thumbup: I think I can position myself somewhere in between. Not a “leave no traces Taliban” but not an “end of the world Prepper” either :p. I try to have a practical approach and adapt to different scenarios and conditions. Besides personal preferences, there could be other factors to consider to decide for one or another backpacking knife.

I take my case: today I am a week-end hiker, roaming the European alpine and sub-alpine regions, mostly on marked trails (class I to III) and rarely on a multiple days hikes. More or less all the areas I hike in are subject to rather restrictive regulations when it comes to open fires, shelters building, harvesting of wood, fishing and hunting, mushrooms and berries picking, etc. Several mountain huts are present along the trails and it's a kind of “inhabited” backcountry (shepherds, woodsmen, hikers/campers, farmers, etc.), not really an “into the wild” scenario. So I have to consider these pre-conditions also.

When in the need for a fixed blade, I carry the Fallkniven F1. After decades of hiking in these regions, I came to realize that a full tang fixed blade between 10 and 16 cm and 3- 4 mm thick, preferably in stainless steel, allows me to carry out easily most of my hiking/camping tasks. At that time, after I tried other two or three I liked “on papers”, the F1 turned out to be my preferred and most versatile knife (for me) in all my camp activities, from fire to food preparation. Sturdy enough for all wood working but not a girder; thin enough to be a fine slicer for food prep but not delicate or fragile by any means. Most of the times, anyway, I just carry any one of my folders and a multi-tool and they serve my modest hiking/camping needs very well :).

If I plan, for different reasons, to have a camp fire running long, I also carry a small axe or a folding saw, so that I can harvest wood in quantity and quality with little effort. Still the saw, from an efficiency point of view (yield/effort and yield/hour) it’s unbeatable. Axe it’s more fun! :D For my use a big chopper could somehow be a substitute for the axe (but never for the saw). Sure it’s fun but, for my type of hiking/camping and related tasks, I came to conclude it’s not the most practical tool for me.

Whatever you decide, have fun and stay safe in the woods!
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Very well written post. Cheers!

It all boils down to diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks. Whatever approach anyone chooses, one thing is certain: it's the right approach for them.

That said, I betcha I could chop through the same diameter log faster than you could saw through it... Unless you have a chainsaw. ;)
 
https://weekendwoodsman.wordpress.com/2013/12/12/field-testing-the-skrama-bush-knife/

couto-2.jpg
 
oldmanron said:
I personally think that a Camillus Bushcrafter and the small Fiskars hatchet would be your best bet. Fair prices and great reviews and warranties. Add a Silky saw with the money you'll save. I own them all, and couldn't be more impressed.
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$55 - Real Steel Bushcraft II in D2 steel 4.125"L x 0.125" thk blade, G10 handles, Kydex sheath
$33 - Silky Gomboy 240mm medium teeth
$29 - Cold Steel Magnum Kukri Machete

$117 shipped from amazon

The Gomboy will excells at cutting all your firewood to pieces, and drop saplings for shelters
The Real Steal Bushcraft is a great size for food prep, feather sticks, tender scraping, cleaning fish, small game prep, etc. The Camillus Bushcraft is excellent, too.
If you need to clear your way through brush or limb a fallen tree or sapling, the Kukri Machete is perfect, and have you seen the Youtube videos of this thing chopping?

For the price of a big stout chopper you can buy three tools that will probably do your tasks better.
 
some of the barkies are real big and relatively light, due to metal used, skeletonization of the handle, or both. FWIW
Neal
 
Tragg said:
$55 - Real Steel Bushcraft II in D2 steel 4.125"L x 0.125" thk blade, G10 handles, Kydex sheath
$33 - Silky Gomboy 240mm medium teeth
$29 - Cold Steel Magnum Kukri Machete

$117 shipped from amazon

The Gomboy will excells at cutting all your firewood to pieces, and drop saplings for shelters
The Real Steal Bushcraft is a great size for food prep, feather sticks, tender scraping, cleaning fish, small game prep, etc. The Camillus Bushcraft is excellent, too.
If you need to clear your way through brush or limb a fallen tree or sapling, the Kukri Machete is perfect, and have you seen the Youtube videos of this thing chopping?

For the price of a big stout chopper you can buy three tools that will probably do your tasks better.
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Im not being mean but I don't think the knives you mention are not in the same league .

Although all three are better then a rock or pointy stick ;)
 
This is why China's people are soon going to live better then us cause were sending them all our money .
Rant over sorry
 
Busse, scrapyard, swamp rat, survive, Carothers, all made in USA. Not cheap. But I like supporting our fellow countrymen! I don't mind buying a couple China made crap here and there to beat on.
 
South Africa Japan does it matter ?
Sure it's great for them and their people bad for us ..

It's not like I don't own any so don't go there but I try not to anymore..... that said ... hear me out before the flames come out of your eyes :)

But GOOD product is good product if the very best saw in the world
(By the way I didn't say anything about the saw) was Japanese made I would.buy it .

I'm a half Asian raised with southern father and family.
So I can appreciate being American and having Asian relatives .

But let's make America better . Demand American made .
If you can't afford it..... well get a better job? WORK MORE (what's this mean?) ;)
 
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