Help finding the right knife
- Thread starter ClankBang
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There are a lot of great knives- but not one that will do all well. Agree on the Mora vote, and yes, Benchmades are good knives. Personally, I carry a folder (flavor of the week) and a Busse SAR 6 when in the woods. It is large, but has incredible steel and can split kindling nicely. However, if I had a vote for the best all around camping knife I would vote for a Fallkniven F1 or S1. And your ESEE knives are great as well. For an all around knife I'd stick with a smaller blade than the BK7 or similar. If I could only carry one it certainly wouldn't be my SAR 6!
I like Busse in larger knees, but not in their smaller knives. I have several custom fixed blades and several production blades. I do love my ESSE's and yes they are worth it. They really aren't that expensive. Don't start taking shortcuts on such a invaluable tool. You could also wait for their stainless models.
I have the esse5 in venom green. I highly recommend it! Another fine choice is Tops.
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Just found out that esee/ Randal adventure training is about 45 min from here..
Think I'm sold.
Think I'm sold.
I think very highly of the TOPS that I have. And a hell of a deal, too, at Knifeworks.com.
--john
Tops makes some cool knives. I just shy away because of their gimmicky crap. Hawke's Hellion. Give me a break! There's prob a Bear Grylls knife in there somewhere...
For a folding knife I carry a smaller Opinel. I also keep one in the kitchen kit, my emergency kit, my day pack, the glove box of the cars etc. They are cheap so you can afford redundancy. But cheap does not mean they are poor quality. I have one I've been carrying in my hiking pack back for years. Think of them as a folding French made Mora.
I don't usually carry a sheath knife. Most stuff I can do with a folder, the stuff I can't is usually more suited to a hatchet. It is interesting to watch videos of guys batoning through a stick with their sheath knife. A hatchet would usually do the job with half the time and effort. For me a decent folding knife and a hatchet are much more versatile than a sheath knife with little, if any, difference in weight.
I don't usually carry a sheath knife. Most stuff I can do with a folder, the stuff I can't is usually more suited to a hatchet. It is interesting to watch videos of guys batoning through a stick with their sheath knife. A hatchet would usually do the job with half the time and effort. For me a decent folding knife and a hatchet are much more versatile than a sheath knife with little, if any, difference in weight.
Yes they have some strange stuff, but its hard to find a nicer knife than the Tops Tom Brown.
I've got a scrapyard 511 and 1311 that I love, use them around camp and they have held up great.
just started looking at the TOPS stuff. They have a lot of interesting designs. I like some of their small boot/neck knives. Probably going to pick one up soon.
just started looking at the TOPS stuff. They have a lot of interesting designs. I like some of their small boot/neck knives. Probably going to pick one up soon.
I don't mean to actually suggest this knife as the equal to other knives here but I bought one of these Opinel knives, two actually, and they were the best $10 and $20 bucks I ever spent. If you've never heard of Opinel they're a french company that's been making affordable knives since 1890. These are carbon steel blades with a simple round wood handle. The knife weighs almost nothing and you can forget it's in your pocket, but they hold a really sharp edge. Like you can shave with it. It's got a super simple locking mechanism and a great feeling handle made of Beech, Bubinga, Olive or other woods. I have this #12 monster almost foot long folder and a #9 8" inch folder I carry in my pocket, with a freaking sharp blade! It slices through anything after a quick sharpening on an Arkansas stone. 60lb Power Pro braided fishing line literally cuts like butter with just a touch. For $10 you don't even care if you lose it, but I've grown very fond of this little knife and each little bit of tarnish "character" on the blade - I can tell you where each little spot came from and where I was that day. Light as a feather and feels great in the hand. I love it.
They also make a pretty darn good filet knife.
#12 - 11" long.
#9 - 8 inch pocket.
They also make a pretty darn good filet knife.
#12 - 11" long.
#9 - 8 inch pocket.
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Why not? The knife offers quality and functionality at a good value. True you can't re-enact the scene from Crocodile Dundee "That's not a knife...." but when your out in the woods by yourself no one will know.
Why not? The knife offers quality and functionality at a good value. True you can't re-enact the scene from Crocodile Dundee "That's not a knife...." but when your out in the woods by yourself no one will know.
All true.
I forgot to bring my little Opinel fishing the other day and I was lost without it. I can't tell you how many times I reached into my pocket and came up empty. I had my Buck fishing knife (221BLX) on my tackle bag, but it's just not the super handy surgically sharp No9 Opinel that slices through braided line and everything else like nothing. The Buck is great though, but it's best for cutting bait - clams, squid, bunker (Menhadden) and cleaning the catch.
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X4 on the Opinel. Great pocket knives. I carry a #9 everyday but the next one I buy will be a #8. Very classy look, simple mechanism, and very sharp.
They make great gifts too.
They make great gifts too.
I've got the ESSE 3. Very
and cool sheathCorrection--I have the RAT RC-4 which is now the ESSE-4
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Here's my camping knife. Well THIS one isn't mine, but mine is exactly like this ONE. A2 tool steel, convex ground, classic look and affordable (compared to a Randall)
![BCB5S[large].jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gpknives.com%2Fimages%2Fblackjack%2FBCB5S%5Blarge%5D.jpg&hash=129d8f6ea1741530596c70b26c990d20)
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I'm happy with my Benchmade and Buck units. Lesser knives have been just that in my experience. But I see no reason to spend hundreds on a single knife.
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I like a fixed blade for camping, the woods or around the property, but for daily carry and camping a folder is a must. The Buck Vanguard is a great fixed blade knife and Ive had it for 15 years with no problems. The Emerson CQC Snubby is a wonderful daily carry that works great outdoors and the blade length is legal. Also, both knives are Made in USA.
Good luck.
Good luck.