What do you look for in a Camp knife ?

For me a good camp knife is one that can perform just about any task I need to throw at it aside from heavy chopping and delicate kitchen type work (filleting a fish). I prefer wider blades in the neighborhood of 5" to 8" (not to say I don't love blades larger than that). That way it is not too heavy to haul around all day and not too large to get in the way. I almost always have an axe or hatchet with me so heavier chopping is not a necessity with a camp knife, but if need be it could do the job. That being said... I almost always have more than one knife on me camping, there is going to be a smaller fixed blade or two and probably a folder on me somewhere so the smaller tasks are always covered.

Here are a few of my knives that I consider camp knives.
DSC04651.jpg
 
C Bryant said:
For me a good camp knife is one that can perform just about any task I need to throw at it aside from heavy chopping and delicate kitchen type work (filleting a fish). I prefer wider blades in the neighborhood of 5" to 8" (not to say I don't love blades larger than that). That way it is not too heavy to haul around all day and not too large to get in the way. I almost always have an axe or hatchet with me so heavier chopping is not a necessity with a camp knife, but if need be it could do the job. That being said... I almost always have more than one knife on me camping, there is going to be a smaller fixed blade or two and probably a folder on me somewhere so the smaller tasks are always covered.

Here are a few of my knives that I consider camp knives.
DSC04651.jpg
Click to expand...

Hey Chris is the 3rd one down an ML knife ?
 
C Bryant said:
For me a good camp knife is one that can perform just about any task I need to throw at it aside from heavy chopping and delicate kitchen type work (filleting a fish). I prefer wider blades in the neighborhood of 5" to 8" (not to say I don't love blades larger than that). That way it is not too heavy to haul around all day and not too large to get in the way. I almost always have an axe or hatchet with me so heavier chopping is not a necessity with a camp knife, but if need be it could do the job. That being said... I almost always have more than one knife on me camping, there is going to be a smaller fixed blade or two and probably a folder on me somewhere so the smaller tasks are always covered.

Here are a few of my knives that I consider camp knives.
DSC04651.jpg
Click to expand...

Just to follow suit from Pit, who made #2? That's a very handsome devil.
 
This was my camp knife that I used the last time I went, strangely enough it is called a Dave Farmer Camp Knife, it performed perfectly for what I used it for but a larger knife would be handy if I needed to chop wood etc !

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Shotgun said:
A camp knife to me is about 4-5 inch blade and 1/8 to 3-16 inch in thickness. I don't consider a camp knife a chopper but something that can split kindling and do food prep and various whittlin' chores.
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I agree with Shotgun here, although I know that it differs from the standard opinion on this board. I want my "camp knife" to be the one I use around camp all day, for almost every cutting chore- a compromise food prep, skinning, butchering, fuzz-stick-making, rope-cutting, whittling knife, that could also split some lighter wood to get to the dry core after a canoe wreck. I much prefer a pocket or light axe for this, though, but sometimes don't carry one on short trips. For me, a 4-1/2"-5" blade of 3/16" or 5/32" stock does all these things acceptably well. I have larger knives, and enjoy tinkering with them, but a moderate-sized fixed blade is with me almost every day that I am not at work.

Y'all take care!
Regan
 
I'm gravitating back towards a 4-5.5" knife for general camp chores. This one served me nicely last time I was outdoors.

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Of course I like a chopper to be a chopper. I am finding 7" and longer to be a bit big and uncomfortable for belt carry though.
 
I've used my leuku for food prep. today - it did great.After all the chopping and battoning it's been through it still cuts tomatoes like a deamon - the Lauri blade blanks have excellent edge retention.They're also very easy to sharpen ;)
 
The answer here I guess depends on whether you would prefer a smaller knife and carry a hatchet or a knife big enough to do both....the problem then though is you usually want a small knife as well as a large knife....personally I like a RMD as an easy do it all carry knife if I had a hatchet....if not then something like a SFNO LE or a NMSFNO....
 
PeterPHWS said:
The answer here I guess depends on whether you would prefer a smaller knife and carry a hatchet or a knife big enough to do both....the problem then though is you usually want a small knife as well as a large knife....personally I like a RMD as an easy do it all carry knife if I had a hatchet....if not then something like a SFNO LE or a NMSFNO....
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I think we need a busse decoder to interpret this post :D
 
I use my camp knives 99 percent for food prep. Give me a good slicer and I am a happy camper. I use hatchets and saws for wood work,
 
udtjim said:
I use my camp knives 99 percent for food prep. Give me a good slicer and I am a happy camper. I use hatchets and saws for wood work,
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I am along these lines. I really like the Bark River Gunny or the Dozier Wilderness knife. I use my 12" Ontario machete to baton with.

Doc
 
It is all about the names....

If you told Bill Moran to make you a camp knife, I guarantee you, it would be big. In fact, if you ordered a bowie at the same time, the bowie might be smaller.

My first thought when I think of a camp knife is like an Original Busse Battle Mistress, or maybe a Steel Heart, or my Bill Siegle Cutlass.

Because, why would I call my EDC knife a camp knife? I carry it every day, all the time.... Why would I call my stash knife, a camp knife, it is stashed away in my bag, as a back-up. Why would I call my neck knife, a camp knife, I wear it around my neck....?

So, when I am going camping, or going to camp, I will probably take something a bit bigger, to limb trees, skin poles, scare the natives.... That's a camp knife.

Like my brother might take his Martindale Golock, or his RTAK II.

My other brother, if he heads out with us, might bring his Bill Siege AK Bowie.

Something like that,
Marion
 
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MARION---I LOVE THAT SIEGLE....

HERE ARE A FEW OF MINE THAT I HAVE TESTED AS CAMP KNIVES

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WHAT I TAKE DEPENDS ON IF I'M BACKPACKING OR CAR CAMPING---IF CAR CAMPING I BRING A WHOLE LOT(JUST TO TEST)---

IF BACKPACKING---JUST ONE OR 2....
 
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