You can only have ONE with you

Intriguing answers so far. For those going the axe route, it seems that food prep, skinning preparing kindling would be a major chore. For those choosing a multitool, processing quantities of firewood and constructing a shelter intended for long term habitation, would appear to be a very challenging endeavor.

From my perspective tools on these two ends of the spectrum excell at some things and [almost] fail at others [YMMV:) ]. That is why I think midsized fixed blades offer the greatest utility. Out of my current toy collection;) I would probably choose a Busse SFNO. It is big enough to chop. Tough enough to pound and pry. But still handy enough, even if not ideal, to do bushcraft and food prep.

As far as the RATs, I have a RAT3 which I really like. It makes a great second knife (which, of course, I've disallowed in this scenario). I imagine that a RAT5 or a RAT7 would make great choices for this scenario. They are a little thinner than my choice (.187 to .220), so they might perform the cutting chores better, but I'd want to be a little more careful with the pounding and prying, and probably construct secondary tools with them instead.
 
Native Americans survived with only stone tools, so I will be just fine with my carbon steel full tang Scandi ( 4" blade, 8.5" overall lenght).
 
I'll stick with the Victorinox OH Bundeswehr, based on the vic OH trekker. I'll have to do things differently from someone with a larger blade or axe, but they will get done.
 
I would have to say this one, its big enough to chop and still small enough to do camp chores. A big knife can do the work of a small knife but a small knife can not do the work of a big knife:)

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tknife said:
No self respecting member here would ever be stuck with only one knife! :D
If I was in a heavily forested area, I'd probably choose my GB hunters axe. It's easy to choke up and use for all kinds of tasks. Anywhere else, I'd choose the knife in my sig. :thumbup:

As a side though, I bet you could get by even in that situation without needing to chop even one single time.
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I too am of this mindset and would choose the same axe. I would choose my Avatar knife made by roberts or my SFNO after the axe.
 
XMP said:
For those choosing a multitool, processing quantities of firewood and constructing a shelter intended for long term habitation, would appear to be a very challenging endeavor.
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I don't agree.
I've never been in any forest where there wasn't plenty of firewood and logs already on the ground.
And the multi-tool's woodsaw is surprisingly effective at bringing down larger trees than you might think...trees easily large enough for a long term shelter.

IMO, the only real need for a chopper might be the dreaded "need to get to the dry inner wood of a log when all other wood is soaked from rain" senario.




That is why I think midsized fixed blades offer the greatest utility.
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Again, I don't agree.
IMO, the mid-size knife is the worse compromise....
Too small for serious chopping, and too large for fine cutting tasks.
 
Usually you don't get to choose. It turns out to be the one you're carrying at the time. And that would usually be my Leatherman wave.

But given a choice, I would go with my Mission MPK because for a prolongued survival situation, versatility and strength would be the most important qualities. The mid sized Ti blade is hell for strong and will withstand heavy batonning. Yet it is also capable of preparing all size game and fish. And, although not ideal, it can make other tools which is a necessity in this type of situation. Although everything wears out in time, a quality fixed blade should last the longest.

I would be uncomfortable with a multitool, SAK or even a sturdy folding knife like Spyderco Manix as my only tool metal tool for months or years. Only a good fixed blade will do.
 
Allen, What do you consider a medium sized knife? I'm thinking 6-8". Things like a Ranger RD7 and Busse Steel Heart or SFNO fall in that range. They'll chop decently, certainly not at the level of an axe or a Battle Mistress, but they'll get the job done.

As far as your first claim, I guess I'll have to try the SAK saw on some bigger trees. Can't say I've ever tried.
 
WVHILLS said:
I would have to say this one, its big enough to chop and still small enough to do camp chores. A big knife can do the work of a small knife but a small knife can not do the work of a big knife:)

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WVHILLS,
That is a very sweet looking Busse. :thumbup:
 
Allen, What do you consider a medium sized knife? I'm thinking 6-8".
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Blade-length around 7-12".
Blades longer than 12" I consider to be large knives.

IMO, the main reason large blades have a hard time doing fine work is mostly due to the thickness of the blade and the width of the blade (especially knives that are rather wide towards the tip).
I would hate to use a large knife to trim some skin from a blister between my toes, or carve a spoon from wood, or skin and process small game.


Another good thing about a mulit-tool is that you can keep your plain-edge blade very sharp for fine work and use your woodsaw or serrated blade for the majority of cutting.
With only a single blade knife, once you start batoning, prying , and chopping, it's going to dull real quick, and then you'll have to find some good sharpening rocks before you can do any fine cutting.

And one more advantage the muti-tool has over a single-blade knife...if you break the blade of a mulit-tool, you still have other useful tools as well as the broken blades.
But if you break the blade on a single-blade knife, all you have is two smaller blades...one without a point and one without a handle.
 
If its one blade and i would be there for a few years its an AXE all the way baby. No matter how good of a knife you got at some point it would break. It would take alot more to break a good axe. Im thinking of Crusoe loved that book and still do. When it comes down to it an Axe would do it all. I seen an asian guy filet fish with an axe yea he does it for a living so he is good with it. He done it with 3-4 stroks. Now that i learned how to sharpen my small Hatched in a pinch i could do anything with it. I guess any one of us would do just fine with what ever we got as long as we know how to use it. But for the next 3-4 years on an island i would take an axe.

Sasha
 
No matter how good of a knife you got at some point it would break.
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Why do you think that every knife is destined to break?
I've been using knives for over thirty years and I haven't broken one (except on purpose) since I was a kid.
 
Mora, or something along the same lines.

Hate to try gutting a deer, cleaning a bluegill, or preparing vegetables with an axe or machete. I have never broke a knife I didn't want to break, I also use my knives to slice and cut not pry, lever or beat with rocks. Chris
 
I would take my Rat-3 in D2 (wearing it on my hip right now).

Though I would like to have a larger blade, the Rat 3 has been too good to me.
 
Again im thinking of Crusoe ( he was my hero as a kid ) If you try and build a shelter cut wood for fire ( you would run out of the easy picking after a month or two) we are talking about alot of wood choping and cuting. At some point you would hit a nice big rock or try to pry some wood apart. I guess im thinking same way you would say why take a smaller knife as it would break if you push it too hard but a bigger knife can handle it. Im just thinking even bigger lol. Its amazing how well a sharp axe cuts meat and makes Fuzz sticks.

Sasha
 
sasha said:
Again im thinking of Crusoe ( he was my hero as a kid ) If you try and build a shelter cut wood for fire ( you would run out of the easy picking after a month or two) we are talking about alot of wood choping and cuting. At some point you would hit a nice big rock or try to pry some wood apart. I guess im thinking same way you would say why take a smaller knife as it would break if you push it too hard but a bigger knife can handle it. Im just thinking even bigger lol. Its amazing how well a sharp axe cuts meat and makes Fuzz sticks.

Sasha
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Easy pickins run out? Are your legs broke?

Sure an axe cuts meat so does a Buick, we are not talking about cutting meat we are talking about preparing meat to be cut. Chris

Well maybe not a Buick. ;)
 
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