Any advice on best knife for bushcraft/ camp task?

[VEV]

Hi, i am new to this forum have just introduced myself on other thread. I am curious to know what length blade people suggest for all round bushcraft/ camp out. I am just getting into wilderness camping and bushcraft but have always used a six inch blade on or around the farm and when camping in general. I can feather with it and baton well but tend to use a smaller 3 inch blade for skinning etc. What do others use for their all round blade or is there such a thing!? Cheers

[FishyFolk]

I use two.

I have a 9 inch leuku that I use for chopping mostly. And a smaller 3,7 inch blade for everything else.
For knife abuse I got a Mora 711 in my pack as a back up blade. They cost about 4£ her ein Norway, has a scary sharp edge and are indestructible. You can't get anything better for money, and you'd be daft not to get a Mora for your knife collection.

[JonnyP]

No rules mate. Use what you are happy with.. So long it does the job eh..

[VEV]

Yes your right whatever suits you and does the job. I know those Mora are top value for the blade and very sharp. I think im going to get one as a back up as its light and good value. I have an esee 6 which I love. Such a good balance and blade and weight. i am a woman with small hands but it fits me perfectly but NOT cheap!! Cheers

[Bernie]

Or... do the bushcrafty thing and make your own. :)

[VEV]

Mmm thats quite a challenge but maybe one day :confused:

[luresalive]

Got to agree with Jonny, use what you're comfortable with and what suits you regardless of what everybody else says you should use. A £5 knife does exactly the same thing as a £300 knife, it cuts!

[freedom lover]

Hi Vee,

My other half gave me a smith and western knife, which is a folding pocket knife, does me fine for now, he uses the Mora which he has adapted to suit him, so guess it's what your comfortable with.

[jus_young]

Mora Clipper and one of Dave Budds forged wonders.

[Silverback]

No rules mate. Use what you are happy with.. So long it does the job eh..

best advice I have ever heard......

[BJ]

No rules mate. Use what you are happy with.. So long it does the job eh..

+ 1 , sound advice.:o

[OakAshandThorn]

No rules mate. Use what you are happy with.. So long it does the job eh..
+2 T^

I use a Mora Companion (Heavy Duty MG) and a Victorinox Huntsman.

[nilo52]

HELLO SHARON !
Wecome to this wonderfull FORUM. I am new as well but I have learned so many things already.
I would love to see more women joining here. You will have a great time for sure !

[freedom lover]

Hello Nilo52,

Thank you for the welcome message. I do feel a little out of my depth here, speaking as a woman and a novice. But hanging in there reading and learning. :ashamed:

[HillBill]

I prefer to carry a 3 or 4" bushy type knife and an opinel No8, as well as a small axe. I find this fills all roles with effective tools. I tend to split with an axe though, unless for what ever reason i need to split out small kindling and then i will lightly batten small pieces from bigger stuff. Not a fan of battening in general.

If i had to choose just one blade for all and i was without axe, then it would probably be one with a blade 4 to 5" long, though i would want a convex edge, as i'd be happier to batten wood with this as it has a stronger edge, can still carve well enough if your used to it, will cut better than a scandi for game/food work, is easy to sharpen on a steel, stone, rock, easy to strop on a belt without you worrying about removing the flat angle of a scandi and adding micro bevels (not that thats a bad thing, i prefer scandi's like that, but many like a flat scandi).

Just my own thoughts and opinions :)

As said, you should get whatever knife you are happy using, as long as they steel is ok and its properly heat treated, then you can learn to use any knife well. Though the grind type is fairly important depending what you want to do with it. Someone who carves a lot would want a scandi over a full flat for example. Someone who does more food/game prep, and only basic practical carving may be happier with the full flat. So many variables that no one can really say what will work best for you. You need to look at exactly what your going to do with it, decide on a grind based on that, then a length of blade that you feel you need, then look around whats available in that format. :)

[nilo52]

Hello Nilo52,

Thank you for the welcome message. I do feel a little out of my depth here, speaking as a woman and a novice. But hanging in there reading and learning. :ashamed:
I sent you a message but I don't know if I sent it right so I'll repeat it.
YOU ARE WHERE WE ALL WERE ONCE ! I wasn't born knowing how to do ANYTHING other than how to nurse and poop. Your desire to learn is all you need to become a first class
bushcrafter ! You have taken your first step by joining here, I have learned a lot of cool things already and so will you.
Being out in nature is one of God's gifts to us all.

[beermaker]

I use a range of blades for different jobs - axe or parang for chopping, splitting and hewing, five inch full tang for splitting, carving, skinning, small chopping and fishing the teabag out of my cuppa and a small 3" modified mora for whittling, feathersticking, food and game prep, skinning, picking out splinters, cleaning my nails and general stuff. All that said, I'm confident that the little mora or the five inch would do most jobs adequately, and the mora was incredibly good value for money at only £15. The main thing with blades is to firstly sharpen them properly, and then keep them sharp! Don't get sloppy - 10 minutes regularly with a fine oil or water stone and then a leather strop will save half an hour putting an edge back on again when it's got blunt.

[nilo52]

You know, I've heard nothing but great things about Mora knives. I would like to get one. Comming up with a convincing argument for my wife on why I need yet another knife is the problem. ;)

[VEV]

Thanks beermaker that useful advice about sharpening as a novice theres alot to learn about knives , grinds and sharpening but some of it is just common sense really and learning is life long. Cheers

[VEV]

Hi Nilo52, thanks for your comment and I agree about Mora knives I am about to get a clipper. I have just seen that you are from California. It is my 'bucket list' dream to get out to California and other states and explore the great and beautiful swathes of wilderness as to sum it up the older I get the more I realise that 'the wilderness holds answers to more questions than we have yet learned to ask'. In the uk there is plenty to explore too but the vastness of the wilds of the states is calling!:)

[VEV]

Thats very interesting info thanks. I am a novice really as have always had a knife or two, mainly for game prep and general purpose but never really looked into the greater details about knives, grinds sharpening etc. I am completely hooked now on learning as I realise that knowledge can only give me a greater foundation in knife choice and usability. Learning how to sharpen knives properly is tricky, I use a lansky kit which helps with the degrees of angle on the blade but I really would love to aim to not have to rely on that and use a freehand approach to sharpening my knives. Violet

[OakAshandThorn]

Hi Nilo52, thanks for your comment and I agree about Mora knives I am about to get a clipper. I have just seen that you are from California. It is my 'bucket list' dream to get out to California and other states and explore the great and beautiful swathes of wilderness as to sum it up the older I get the more I realise that 'the wilderness holds answers to more questions than we have yet learned to ask'. In the uk there is plenty to explore too but the vastness of the wilds of the states is calling!:)
You must see the Grand Canyon ;).

[VEV]

Oh in my dreams ! One day though .....

[nilo52]

Hi Nilo52, thanks for your comment and I agree about Mora knives I am about to get a clipper. I have just seen that you are from California. It is my 'bucket list' dream to get out to California and other states and explore the great and beautiful swathes of wilderness as to sum it up the older I get the more I realise that 'the wilderness holds answers to more questions than we have yet learned to ask'. In the uk there is plenty to explore too but the vastness of the wilds of the states is calling!:)
When you come to California make sure to see the the GIANT trees at Sequoia National Park, they are the largest single living things on the Earth ! I live about 50 miles from them and go every year to see them. It is a humbling experience for me. If you camp there look out for Grizzly Bears ! (They won't bother you unless you leave food out, and then they just eat your food) The caving @ Crystal Cave is Great too ! Fishing same as well, well you get the picture :camping:
Nilo52

[OakAshandThorn]

Oh in my dreams ! One day though .....
I visited the South Rim a couple years ago. Lovely place, and fantastic weather - dry heat is such a blessing compared to the horrible humid heat we get in the East. The campsites were OK, but a bit crowded (as usual). There were quite a lot of tourists, and some of them had tears in their eyes from the sheer grandeur the landscape Inspired.
I stayed there for two days - everyone gathered early in the morning to watch the sunrise (it was breath-taking).

[nilo52]

OakAshandThorn,

We are SO lucky to live here. As I learn more about bushcrafting in the UK I am appalled at all their restrictions. God !
a boy can't even keep a knife in his pocket ! Sad. Still the Loard wants us to have all of America to play in and for that blessing I am truly grateful. Being able to look up into the night sky and see the stars is the best !

[allthatjazz]

For bushcraft I use a Mora 510 and for camp tasks a Victorinox Huntsman. You could also consider an Opinel.

[OakAshandThorn]

OakAshandThorn,

We are SO lucky to live here. As I learn more about bushcrafting in the UK I am appalled at all their restrictions. God !
a boy can't even keep a knife in his pocket ! Sad. Still the Loard wants us to have all of America to play in and for that blessing I am truly grateful. Being able to look up into the night sky and see the stars is the best !
Well, there can be crazy laws in the states, too. Open fires, for example, are banned in many areas now due to careless campers over the years. Knife laws vary state to state. And of course you may have the misfortune of running into people who think that you're (somehow) 'destroying the environment' in bushcraft activities. Then again, those people are everywhere. I had the annoyance of running into such an idiot once.

[nilo52]

Well, there can be crazy laws in the states, too. Open fires, for example, are banned in many areas now due to careless campers over the years. Knife laws vary state to state. And of course you may have the misfortune of running into people who think that you're (somehow) 'destroying the environment' in bushcraft activities. Then again, those people are everywhere. I had the annoyance of running into such an idiot once.
Where I live YOU can carry a 4 inch blade that's spring assisted. You can carry a sheathed knife that's fixed any length. Fires are allowed anywhere as long as you use/make a fire ring and use common sense. Californians LOVE CAMPING ! I've never had anyone bug me :) I have actually hugged a tree !! It was the General Sherman in the Sequoia Grove, IT was surprisingly Soft and smelled GREAT !! I couldn't help myself. I LOVE that tree !

[nilo52]

OOPS GETTING :off-topic:

I GOT MY 1st MORA yesterday ! A " Heavy Duty MG " (what does "MG" stand for anyone ?)
At first I thought the factory edge was not crazy SHARP........Did I mention I stabbed my thumb ?.
Anyway, today after work I tired the paper cutting routine and it sliced all the kinds of paper I could find so I guess it's fine. FishyFolk told me he uses a paddle strop and white sharpening paste. Gotta try this ASAP. I can make the paddle strop I think, but I'll have to try and find the sharpening paste. Anyone got a faviorte kind ?

[Silverback]

MG = Military Green

[FishyFolk]

OOPS GETTING :off-topic:

I GOT MY 1st MORA yesterday ! A " Heavy Duty MG " (what does "MG" stand for anyone ?)
At first I thought the factory edge was not crazy SHARP........Did I mention I stabbed my thumb ?.
Anyway, today after work I tired the paper cutting routine and it sliced all the kinds of paper I could find so I guess it's fine. FishyFolk told me he uses a paddle strop and white sharpening paste. Gotta try this ASAP. I can make the paddle strop I think, but I'll have to try and find the sharpening paste. Anyone got a faviorte kind ?

The kind I use is simple grinding paste. You should find sticks of that in any hardware shop.

[OakAshandThorn]

Where I live YOU can carry a 4 inch blade that's spring assisted. You can carry a sheathed knife that's fixed any length. Fires are allowed anywhere as long as you use/make a fire ring and use common sense. Californians LOVE CAMPING ! I've never had anyone bug me :) I have actually hugged a tree !! It was the General Sherman in the Sequoia Grove, IT was surprisingly Soft and smelled GREAT !! I couldn't help myself. I LOVE that tree !
Envious...
Fire rings are a nice idea, but the ground can still get scorched and roots can smoulder.
People in Connecticut may freak out if you draw a Swiss Army knife - Stars forbid, you might be a psychotic serial killer out to slash everyone's throats!
The people who "camp" around here are absolutely careless fools. I've never seen such a beautiful wilderness polluted as much as the park across the street. Plastic bottles, small plastic bags filled with **** from dogs, etc. litter the landscape. They have never really enforced the park rules, and time and again I've made the statement that park rangers are necessary only to fall on deaf ears. The result is that people continue to litter and disrespect the environment - they don't pick up after their dogs, either. I once stumbled upon a horrendous mess of numerous 3 litre soda bottles, plastic knives, forks, plates, and other trash in a grove of Canada Hemlocks and Black Oaks. Apparently, a bunch of foolish teens partied without bothering to pick up after themselves.
Absolute madness...

Never got into the northern parts when I took a trip to California, so I definitely missed out ;). But it was SOOOOOO wonderful in the steamy southern region not to have insects buzzing around my head all day. :D

[OakAshandThorn]

Nilo52, I also have the Companion heavy duty. I find it a very capable knife - it's my main bushcrafting blade. ;)
Here's my full review: http://www.amazon.com/review/R35RHL8FIG6R8R/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt#R35RHL8FIG6R8R

[nilo52]

Nilo52, I also have the Companion heavy duty. I find it a very capable knife - it's my main bushcrafting blade. ;)
Here's my full review: http://www.amazon.com/review/R35RHL8FIG6R8R/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt#R35RHL8FIG6R8R

What a GREAT REVIEW !

Like you my MORA is going to be my main bushcraft knife. I like the sheath that come with it, perfectly suites me. It won't collect water and I love the belt clip. Now to strop it ! :happy-clapping:

[nilo52]

Envious...
Fire rings are a nice idea, but the ground can still get scorched and roots can smoulder.
People in Connecticut may freak out if you draw a Swiss Army knife - Stars forbid, you might be a psychotic serial killer out to slash everyone's throats!
The people who "camp" around here are absolutely careless fools. I've never seen such a beautiful wilderness polluted as much as the park across the street. Plastic bottles, small plastic bags filled with **** from dogs, etc. litter the landscape. They have never really enforced the park rules, and time and again I've made the statement that park rangers are necessary only to fall on deaf ears. The result is that people continue to litter and disrespect the environment - they don't pick up after their dogs, either. I once stumbled upon a horrendous mess of numerous 3 litre soda bottles, plastic knives, forks, plates, and other trash in a grove of Canada Hemlocks and Black Oaks. Apparently, a bunch of foolish teens partied without bothering to pick up after themselves.
Absolute madness...

Never got into the northern parts when I took a trip to California, so I definitely missed out ;). But it was SOOOOOO wonderful in the steamy southern region not to have insects buzzing around my head all day. :D

Barbarian Basterds !!
Sorry to hear about your park. If you see EM doing this, call the cops ! Or maybe Badger ninjas ?

[nilo52]

MG = Military Green'm

Thanks Sapper,
( after I cut my thumb I thought it stood for " MY GOD !)

[OakAshandThorn]

What a GREAT REVIEW !

Like you my MORA is going to be my main bushcraft knife. I like the sheath that come with it, perfectly suites me. It won't collect water and I love the belt clip. Now to strop it ! :happy-clapping:
Thanks - glad it was helpful for you :D.
An old leather belt makes an excellent strop ;).

[VEV]

I got myself a mora clipper carbon steel last week. It is really sharp and I have already been feathering and slicing and generally having fun with it. HOwever, I am a leftie and didnt think about sheath which is only for right handed wearers which is annoying. I am trying to figure out a way of doing some sort modification to the sheath to convert it but am pretty stumped atm. I don't fancy splashing out £20 on a left handed leather sheath.

[nilo52]

I got myself a mora clipper carbon steel last week. It is really sharp and I have already been feathering and slicing and generally having fun with it. HOwever, I am a leftie and didnt think about sheath which is only for right handed wearers which is annoying. I am trying to figure out a way of doing some sort modification to the sheath to convert it but am pretty stumped atm. I don't fancy splashing out £20 on a left handed leather sheath.

VEV,


I'M a lefty too ! for MOST things, but I'm actually AMBIAKWARD , I have better fine motor skills with my right , but my left is the strongest , (Da Vinci was left handed) and we both know how difficult living in a right handed world is. You could MAKE a sheath...... OR you could do what I do and just carry it on your left side. I have gotten used to using right handed stuff this way. This might not work for you. It's a shame we can't buy a left handed version from MORA !

[VEV]

Hi Nilo,
update on the mora right handed sheath annoyance. Well I tried the carrying sheath on left side but back to front and it bugged me big time, so I came up with an idea to turn right sheath into left sheath. Got some inner tube ( thin tyre ) and cut some 1cm bands. i pulled these bands (3 of them) up over the sheath and took them to the top of the sheath and left a small 4mm gap between them. Then got paracord and with the help of thin end of a teaspoon lifted the bands on the sheath and pushed the paracord through them. I then looped the paracord back through the bands for a second time and then having checked how bit the loop had to be for belt fit I cut the paracord and melted the two ends of together to form a loop. Finally I twisted the loop so that the joined melted bit of paracord was at back ( under the ruber strips). I then walked around for a bit with the sheath on my belt on my left side and when I was happy with the modification I then heated up an old 3 inch kitchen knife and cut ( melt?cut) the mora plastic belt clip off ( theres a very fine moulded line you can follow to cut so that the shape of the edge of the sheath matches on both sides). So there you go I have a left handed sheath! It rides about 3 cm higher than the old belt clip but it works for me. Anyway, thought I would share this with you and the forum in case it helps. Cheers.. :)

[nilo52]

hi nilo,
update on the mora right handed sheath annoyance. Well i tried the carrying sheath on left side but back to front and it bugged me big time, so i came up with an idea to turn right sheath into left sheath. Got some inner tube ( thin tyre ) and cut some 1cm bands. I pulled these bands (3 of them) up over the sheath and took them to the top of the sheath and left a small 4mm gap between them. Then got paracord and with the help of thin end of a teaspoon lifted the bands on the sheath and pushed the paracord through them. I then looped the paracord back through the bands for a second time and then having checked how bit the loop had to be for belt fit i cut the paracord and melted the two ends of together to form a loop. Finally i twisted the loop so that the joined melted bit of paracord was at back ( under the ruber strips). I then walked around for a bit with the sheath on my belt on my left side and when i was happy with the modification i then heated up an old 3 inch kitchen knife and cut ( melt?cut) the mora plastic belt clip off ( theres a very fine moulded line you can follow to cut so that the shape of the edge of the sheath matches on both sides). So there you go i have a left handed sheath! It rides about 3 cm higher than the old belt clip but it works for me. Anyway, thought i would share this with you and the forum in case it helps. Cheers.. :)



i'm talking to a GENIUS !!!!!

[nilo52]

I made a double sided paddle strop. It's got one side for the White compound and I have jewlers rouge on the other side. LOVE IT ! Now to strop every knife in the joint......

[Under My Basha]

Anyone use a Syderco knife? Got a delica but not sure if it could stand up to much bushcraft ?