what would you bet your life on?

i think at the moment out of what i have which isnt a whole lot i would pick this old Western 15 inch bowie i have. the finnish has been eaten off from cutting pizza with it and passing out and leaving the sauce on it. i know the newer Western stuff doesnt seem good but this is a knife that gets sharp, stays sharp and you can chop down a tree.

jake
 
What I don't understand is why people think they need to chop down a tree in their survival scenario. What else is that knife going to do better for you than a smaller one? Ever skinned a deer with a 15 inch bowie? Most of your shelter is going to be made with fallen branches, trees and easily accessible foliage. Going full-bore and chopping down trees your first day to try and make a shelter just isn't practical, you're going to be gathering felled materials. Unless you expect to spend weeks or months in the field and want to build a permanent structure, I can't see any need for this ability.

If you know you'll need to cut large limbs and small trees then a hatchet (at least) is in order, if you don't know what to expect, why bring a knife that could limit you? A really large knife is just not convenient for day to day tasks, you may be using your knife to cut food, whittle, cut rope, clean animals, pick splinters etc. Anything over 4" isn't necessary for nearly all of your tasks and a could be a hindrance in many.

If I needed to bring a chopper or bush knife, I would try to go with something light and fast like Scott suggests, but I'd still take a small knife over it unless there was a specific scenario or terrain that justified a large blade. Take your queues from people who spend their time out there.

There's a reason Les always have a leatherman, there's also a reason so many backpackers go to so much effort to reduce the weight of every item they carry. I've known many folks who only carry a slipjoint trapper hunting - it's enough knife to do most anything you need in the woods. It's also a lot quicker and easier to maintain a small edge. My first hunting and camping knife was a Swiss Army knife. There's a reason MacGuyver always carried one of them too :D
 
AcridSaint said:
What I don't understand is why people think they need to chop down a tree in their survival scenario. What else is that knife going to do better for you than a smaller one? Ever skinned a deer with a 15 inch bowie? Most of your shelter is going to be made with fallen branches, trees and easily accessible foliage. Going full-bore and chopping down trees your first day to try and make a shelter just isn't practical, you're going to be gathering felled materials. Unless you expect to spend weeks or months in the field and want to build a permanent structure, I can't see any need for this ability.

If you know you'll need to cut large limbs and small trees then a hatchet (at least) is in order, if you don't know what to expect, why bring a knife that could limit you? A really large knife is just not convenient for day to day tasks, you may be using your knife to cut food, whittle, cut rope, clean animals, pick splinters etc. Anything over 4" isn't necessary for nearly all of your tasks and a could be a hindrance in many.

If I needed to bring a chopper or bush knife, I would try to go with something light and fast like Scott suggests, but I'd still take a small knife over it unless there was a specific scenario or terrain that justified a large blade. Take your queues from people who spend their time out there.

There's a reason Les always have a leatherman, there's also a reason so many backpackers go to so much effort to reduce the weight of every item they carry. I've known many folks who only carry a slipjoint trapper hunting - it's enough knife to do most anything you need in the woods. It's also a lot quicker and easier to maintain a small edge. My first hunting and camping knife was a Swiss Army knife. There's a reason MacGuyver always carried one of them too :D
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Well said. .....
 
I've always found my Becker companion to be about the handiest blade to tote around in the woods. I always tote a Gerber Multi tool also so as to not be caught short.

I think that most people insist on humping their big choppers in the woods to justify buying them in the first place.(at least thats my excuse:))

If I had to grab one and go it would be my Companion. My Gerber tool is always on my belt so I would be well kitted for anything short of Zombie attack, Rhino charge, or some sections of NY city.

City
 
AcridSaint, I understand your points... but...
A) Big knives are COOL. :thumbup:
B) Chopping things up is FUN. :)
C) re:SAK's etc... People survived for centuries with little more than a piece of broken rock, so why carry a knife at all?!? ;)

That's why I said "can of worms" when this thread started... for goodness sakes, carry what you like. And if I want to lug around a dang sword, what's it to ya? :D
 
I don't really disagree that big knives are cool and chopping this is fun. I also don't suppose it matters to me if you carry a daisho with you camping, but if you're talking about what you should carry to survive, I think my points are valid and should be available for folks consider.
 
I personally like a blade that's 5-6" long, as it is large enough to cut branches and bone if needed, but if you can use it right, it's small and nimble enough to do most chores. If you need it to do only small tasks, a smaller blade is better, but if I were to have my life depend on only one blade, I'd make it 5-6" long, and fairly small near the tip.
 
the 15 inch bowie that i posted about earlier sure its pretty big...... and i could do alot of the same things with a smaller knife.... and there may even be some things i can do with a smaller knife that i cant with the bowie. its all true but...

I trust the bowie! its proven its self. doesnt that count?

great posts guys!

jake
 
Fikes/Fogg Cloud Cutter..... Lamey Jungle Honey followed by Patton's Jungle Honey :)

Cut trees with one swing, decapitate bears, pointy enough to do small things, made by t makers I know I can depend on the steel.

Seriously, it's like a ccw weapon. It's what's on you at the time you need it. I carry one of my 5" lemon cutters for field use, I know at least 1 customer that uses his in the field. 5" blade, enough belly to slice, enough point to do detail work, enough spine to baton and it's lighweight for that size knife.
 
My ultimate survival knife would be a 3 inch fixed blade in cpm3v because that's what I carry everyday. If I know I am heading into the woods it's called camping and I bring along a big knife.
To me a survival knife has to be on you at all times or it doesn't do much good. What good is the ultimate 10 inch survival knife if it's in the drawer at home or in the truck when you are stuck in the woods?

For me, I think the most likely survival type scenario would be when I am out mountain biking. I often ride in the evening after work and have just enough light to make it back to town if nothing goes wrong. Sometimes things break and I have a nice pleasant hike back in the dark :D A big knife would not be practical to carry mountain biking or in just about any other scenario that is likely to turn into a survival situation. I love my big knives but they are not survival knives, they're camping knives. My little edc is my survival knife.


As for an ideal camping knife If I could only have one I'd go with something in the four to five inch range. Why would you only take one knife camping? I like a to carry my edc plus a big knife in the eight to eighteen inch range depending on how far I plan on hiking. The longer the hike the smaller the knife.
 
Only one? Full tang FIXED blade of four to six inches. I would not want the potential for failure at the pivot, and for sure would not want anything that requires two hands to open....Or for that matter, even takes the fine motor skills of one hand. I dont care if it takes an ultra fine edge as long as it is tough and will hold a reasonable edge through heavy use for a moderate period of time, so probably something like S30V for steel.
 
I have carried a case trapper since I was 10 yrs. old -I am 63 now. I have hunted, fished, trapped and just lived in the woods for weeks at a time. The trapper is really all I ever NEEDED. Of course there were a lot of times that That I also carried a hunting knife, but I never REALLY needed it.
Once I shot an Elk with my last shell,it didn't kill him, so the fight begin,after about 20 min I finally got on his back. I had a buck hunting knife at tiis time, and glad of it.
I made a stab for his throat , but hit the neck bone, and went behind it.(oh s#@%&)
I said. Yup, He threw Me about 20 ft. It took A while to get back on him, but this time I hit the right spot.Got-em-Silt Colo. 1981
This is one of the main reaons I make hunting knives. Each knife I design, I try to think of what all I can do with it.I was really disapointed with that buck knife.
Been in a few more scrapes when I was in the Army, but had ranger knife then.
Sorry to ramble, But I believe, as of now All I need is a good case trapper.( wish I could get ats-34 blades put in it).
Jerry
 
i agree that a full tang would be better. that and i would prefer some kind of synthetic handle material.

jake
 
delbert ealy said:
Oh yeah, I'm a knifemaker and you want me to decide on one????????
Yeah right.
I edc a leatherman wave, have for awhile, now that they have decided to come out with the special edition with some of my O-1/L-6 damascus. Other than that I'd like the camp axe I'm working on(oh yeah I also carry a vic, but that one may have a mod blade soon too, unofficial)
damascus_wave_fanned2.jpg

Del
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I've read every post here and I have to agree with Delbert. Wow thats a damn smart looking knife for the job. :thumbup: Too bad there is no room for a chopper in there someplace and I dont see a gun barrel either.
 
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