Why the big knife?

A big knife is like a multitool.
It does reasonable well for different tasks.
Other tools are better suited but you need to carry 3 or 4 to do the same things as one big blade.
 
Compensating for a shortage in another area? You know how men are.

I find big knives to be wasted pounds.

But if you like them, you like them. I can get by without many of the things I own.
 
If you think you want or need to chop and don't want to carry a saw or ax, then at least a medium size on up will probably do the job If I Have to cut wood, I do. If I don't then fine, I have done plenty of that when I had to as a kid so I use a small saw for that. If I can get by with a small knife, then the brick weight knives stay at home or ride in the truck or boat.
 
I've found over the years that the less gear I carry, the bigger the knife I want with me.
When I'm backpacking I have shelter (tent, sleeping bag) Fire (camp stove) and food. When I'm day hiking and I have to spend an unplaned night or nights in woods I have to fashion or improvise these things. When building shelter, cutting firewood, or making traps I like the versiatillity of a big knife(7-9 inch). A small fixed blade and a hatchet is also a great combo, just not my preference.
 
PorcupineMtns66,

Thanks for posting the link. I couldn't find it in my search!
Boy, looking back at that old review, you can definitely see what happens when two Joe's work on the same thread!:D
 
why do a i use a big knife?

because i live in a region with dense undergrowth, massive tall timbers, where hiking like i do requires trail clearing.

because a slippie or sak is useless here. see above.

because i like using big knives

because i can carry whatever i want. Sometimes i bring a full backpack full of 30 - 40 lbs of knives.

because i like chopping trees down

because i like chopping paths thru dense forest

because i like building shelters and fires. big shelters and big fires.

because any knife under 6" is too small in my hand for the usage i put my knives thru.

I EDC a Scrapyard Scrapper 6 or BK2 as a neck knife, a BK9 or SOD or Khukuri as a belt knife. My PSK/woods kit knife is a BK7 or J-siah heavy camp knife

because big knives are fast cutters thru 12" - 24" thick saplings. sure i could bring an ax, but a big knife is more fun and easier to pack

because i like cooking/prepping food with my big outdoors blades

because i chop thru 2' to 8' wide stumps looking for fatwood

because i harvest fatwood every chance i get, just to burn it

because i dont give a damn what people think about my gear.
 
I carry a large chopper over an axe (M-43 khukuri) It outchops most axes in a comparable weight range. Plus it works well for many more tasks including drawknife work in peeling bark. Works like a sickle when cutting plants for fibre and bedding. Can be used to dig but I use a digging stick or etool for that. It even makes a fine chefs knife, and contrary to popular belief is quite capable of very fine work. I have also used it to skin game, prepare hides, and most all the work in building two trappers cabins and numerous other expedient shelters.

While I could have done most all of it with a smaller knife. It was a lot less work with the kuk.
 
why do a i use a big knife?

because i live in a region with dense undergrowth, massive tall timbers, where hiking like i do requires trail clearing.

because a slippie or sak is useless here. see above.

because i like using big knives

because i can carry whatever i want. Sometimes i bring a full backpack full of 30 - 40 lbs of knives.

because i like chopping trees down

because i like chopping paths thru dense forest

because i like building shelters and fires. big shelters and big fires.

because any knife under 6" is too small in my hand for the usage i put my knives thru.

I EDC a Scrapyard Scrapper 6 or BK2 as a neck knife, a BK9 or SOD or Khukuri as a belt knife. My PSK/woods kit knife is a BK7 or J-siah heavy camp knife

because big knives are fast cutters thru 12" - 24" thick saplings. sure i could bring an ax, but a big knife is more fun and easier to pack

because i like cooking/prepping food with my big outdoors blades

because i chop thru 2' to 8' wide stumps looking for fatwood

because i harvest fatwood every chance i get, just to burn it

because i dont give a damn what people think about my gear.

Summary

Because, because, because, becaaaaaaaaaause Of all the wonderful things it does!!!

:D:D:D:D
 
Me and this guy named Skammer used to talk about this a lot. :o

I am a hatchet or hawk guy, so don't carry a big knife. Seen an old man from thailand that could do everything from clean a 4" fish to build a house with nothing but about a 12" barong shaped blade made from an old car spring. Chris
 
it's purely one of those Personal Preference type deals.

when it comes to a serious chopper, some people like a big knife, others prefer a hatchet. six of one, half a dozen of the other.

personally, i prefer a small-mid sized knife (4"-5") for knife duties, a hatchet for chopper duties and, if required, a big thumping great machete for bushwhacking.
 
I carry the bigger blades because I find em more useful to me. They fit the roles of cutter and chopper. I can easyily make a big blade perform small knife tasks but it's hard to strech a small blade into a large chopper. Some techniques like batoning do help out the small blade , but it will not replace a big blade for me. Oh and I simply like big blades more :D

This.

I love to baton, and chop. A big blade is much better at these tasks. I prefer using a big blade over an axe/hatchet.
 
2 pages and no mention of Zombies???

Not that I can talk - around here on trail walking you are considered strange to have anything larger than a SAK, and if you started chopping a tree someone would start looking for a ranger!!

In the bush here most campfire wood can be sourced without chopping as there are usually some dead treas or bushes around.
 
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