Survival knife size question

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vpsaline

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Mar 5, 2008
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What can a small/medium Tops BOB style knife do that a large Ontario RBS-9 type knife can't do? I bought a RBS-9 and I'm surprised how useful such a large knife feels. It feels like it could fill more roles then a BOB...
 
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no tool is perfect for every task. I like to have a larger blade, and a smaller one with me.
 
Smaller knives are more comfortable for detailed utilities such as carving or crafting from wood.
 
A survival knife should be large enough to do camp chores like cutting/splitting wood and long enough to reach the bottom of the peanut butter jar.
 
Shotgun said:
Yep. Smaller knives also usually come with a thinner edge which helps a lot.
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Larger knives can have a thinner edge too, just check any Randall... Among convexed edges there are a few out there. They are rarer, but thick edges are not a fatality.

Gaston
 
Some say that its easier to make a large knife do small knife work, than the other way around. Now, I'm not sure I completely agree with that, but I can say that my own BK9 is surprisingly useful in smallish-middle sized knife tasks, and feels amazingly balanced for such a large knife. So if I had to only have one tool for some reason, I'd likely err on the side of "larger" rather than "smaller. That said, I usually carry a BK9, and a Mora :), and feel that I could probably make do with something smaller than the Mora if needed.

What I think it comes down to though, is the individual users experience/comfort level with the size/type of tool. If you're used to it, and comfortable with it, you'll be able to use it in a wide variety of circumstances.
 
I have always heard that the most efficient do it all duo at a value price is a Good quality Latin American Machete and a Mora knife
 
I always figured of my edc pocket knife was too small, it was time to just break out the full size chopper. I love the small machete and SAK combo for whatever. A couple inches of blade for most stuff, and 9 or 10 for heavier duty.
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Gaston444 said:
Larger knives can have a thinner edge too, just check any Randall... Among convexed edges there are a few out there. They are rarer, but thick edges are not a fatality.

Gaston
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Idk, a bigger blade has to worry about toughness so it won't break a smaller knife can be harder with a more acute edge, meaning sharper.

Big, thick knives are still a comprise so they can take more abuse and hold an edge without shattering.

In practice, your smallest knife should be the sharpest edge on you for fine delicate work.

Carrying two knives is not necessary, but makes some tasks more comfortable and efficient.

To each there own.
 
Mannlicher said:
no tool is perfect for every task. I like to have a larger blade, and a smaller one with me.
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What about if you could only carry a single knife, would you carry the small one or the bigger one? After handling the RBS9 I would opt for the bigger blade without hesitation. That's the point I'm trying to make. You can do more with the bigger knife!

ocnLogan said:
Some say that its easier to make a large knife do small knife work, than the other way around. ...So if I had to only have one tool for some reason, I'd likely err on the side of "larger" rather than "smaller.
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That's exactly what I'm thinking too.
 
ocnLogan said:
Some say that its easier to make a large knife do small knife work, than the other way around. Now, I'm not sure I completely agree with that, but I can say that my own BK9 is surprisingly useful in smallish-middle sized knife tasks, and feels amazingly balanced for such a large knife. So if I had to only have one tool for some reason, I'd likely err on the side of "larger" rather than "smaller. That said, I usually carry a BK9, and a Mora :), and feel that I could probably make do with something smaller than the Mora if needed.

What I think it comes down to though, is the individual users experience/comfort level with the size/type of tool. If you're used to it, and comfortable with it, you'll be able to use it in a wide variety of circumstances.
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I just did this just because I could. Big blades can do some mighty fine work if you have the skill and know how to sharpen.

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You don't need a small blade to do small things. They do help to fit into tight spots. Like the finishing touches on a fishing spear are always done with my pocket folder or whatever puukko I brought out with me that day.
 
vpsaline said:
You can do more with the bigger knife.
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Debatable depending on what you need a knife for. I read something a while back that made perfect sense and summed up survival needs perfectly. "Always carry the tools you need to brew a tea. " Warmth, hydration, comfort, and stopping to have a think are all checked off with that simple idea. I use something similar with survival knives. I want a knife that can cook me a meal. Meaning I want it to start a fire, prep my food, and allow me to whittle something while I wait for it to cook. The key I've found is to find a knife that can do it while being easy to carry. Every knife has a workaround for this or that so the one sticking point has been carry ability. It makes little sense to leave the perfect knife at home. ;)
 
Boris74 said:
I just did this just because I could. Big blades can do some mighty fine work if you have the skill and know how to sharpen.

191806.jpg


You don't need a small blade to do small things. They do help to fit into tight spots. Like the finishing touches on a fishing spear are always done with my pocket folder or whatever puukko I brought out with me that day.
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Nice job on that "featherstick" :).

I was actually mostly thinking of hunting type uses. I can't imagine skinning an animal with the BK9 would be much fun (especially since I have 0 experience hunting), but it would probably work in a pinch.

The only thing that really hurts the BK9 IMO is its wide chord (vertical height if viewed from a side profile and edge parallel to the floor). That size puts a physical limitation on the width of notches/drilling holes and whatnot. Other than that though, I've never had any problems with the cutting geometry or "sharpness" only physical constraints.

Luckily, I don't HAVE to carry only one blade, so I can leave my SAK farmer in the pouch on the BK9, and a mora on my belt :).

Cheers :D.
 
I'm not on here very much anymore but this thread caught my attention.
That BK9 is a huge blade, I agree with the previous posts that suggest one smaller knife for fine work and a larger one for tougher tasks.
If I was headed into a situation where I could only carry one knife it would probably be along the likes of a CS SRK, not necessarily that knife
but one about that size.
I carry a Izula 2 and a glock 81 for maintaining a large property...both are damn near indestructible.
It also helps to have a 15 foot mower behind a john deere! :)
 
There are very few large knives that perform detailed tasks as well as the RD 7 or RD 9 Bush Series. They are ground super thin and cut like crazy. Most knives in that size range seem to be over built to stand up to punishment at the expense of cutting ability. If you feel you need a larger blade, the RDB Series is a good one knife solution.

Edit to add:

If you pick up a Mora to pair up with your RDB you will have all your bases covered.
They are inexpensive and weigh next to nothing.

 
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vpsaline said:
What can a small/medium Tops BOB style knife do that a large Ontario RBS-9 type knife can't do?
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A smaller knife is more likely to be with you when you need it.
"The most useful survival tools are the ones you have with you when you need them."
 
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