What a good knife to use for cooking and bushcraft

[Nice65]

Most used in the van for food prep is the big Mora M749, but I don’t really use it for bushcraft. I can’t seem to find them for sale now, but they’re excellent slicers. Any of the Moras will do fine because the blade stock tends to be thin, but otherwise most scandi ground blades don’t lend themselves to food cutting and a flat grind is a better bet.

Also, if you like to cut crusty bread, the Mora isn’t great, something serrated is much better.

 

[Nice65]

I’d add, a sheath or folding knife is essential for van life. Our stuff is stashed in dark cupboards or overhead in the general jumble amongst other items, it’s easy to cut yourself rummaging for the knives. An unsheathed knife is also about the last object you want flying about in the unfortunate event of a crash.

 

[MattyWW]

The opinel knives are incredible for food prep - mega slices and wickedly sharp. Lovely things and cheap to boot (£10-15). I use a real steel Luna which is almost as good but is a bit more expensive but you can’t beat an opinel for food prep. Love my mora as a do all knife. So for less than £30 you can get two knives that’ll take you from finely slicing garlic to battening decent sized logs and making feather sticks. I use a vintage axe which cost me a tenner at a craft fair.

 

[Murat_Cyp]

Mora companion stainless.

I have two on my kitchen block and they are very good. Can do anything you throw at them. They are also known to do well in bushcraft environment. Thare light weight and cheap. I do not know how delicate you are with your knives and if you have tendency of using hard surfaces in the kitchen as a chopping board alternative but if that is the case, put a secondary bevel on Moras you are going to use in kitchen and leave the other with zero scandi grind.

 

[Mesquite]

... put a secondary bevel on Moras you are going to use in kitchen and leave the other with zero scandi grind.

Don't you mean the other way around? The last I knew of it all moras came with a secondary bevel as standard

 

[Murat_Cyp]

No I meant what I said. Moras do not come standard with a secondary bevel. And yes, a secondary bevel would make the knife more suitable for hard use kitchen duty and zero scandi would be better for bushcraft tasks.

Yes, it is true that Moras are not coming with zero scandi but they are very close to zero scandi. I did not get into that particular worm hole as I did not see any benefit from OP's perspective. 99% of people when they see (including me) a Mora would tell you that they are zero scandi. Mora comes with a micro bevel (not with a secondary bevel as you thought) and micro bevel is not visible to naked eye since (if I am not mistaken) it was created as a result of the buffing process. So you will not able to tell if yo do not look with a magnifier or know that the edges are buffed. Also you will not notice that negligible difference in use.

 

[Laurentius]

You really can't go wrong with an Opinel, I use one for food preparation all the time. You are not going to be able to baton or build a bushcraft shelter with one, but why would you want to but they are good for whittling and wood carving.

 

[Bearmont]

I dunno.. a folder with wooden handles, that can get bothersome and nasty with plant juice and wetness in general. Even using my Opinels for dry stuff like light woodworking, they get very tight around the pivot and need some care. I wouldn't do food prep with a folder. But you certainly can.

 

[Robson Valley]

For decades, most of my kitchen prep has been done with a short little cleaver.
Just at mid day today, I realized that almost all the other prep is done with a pair of 4" German Profinox kitchen knives. One has a straight edge, the other is serrated. They're not magnificent steel but OTOH, they are easy to tune up with just a couple of swipes with a Chestnut TC tool.

As many have said, for outdoors, blades with much thicker steel allow you to work with harder material = wet & dry wood, rubber, leather, ropes and so on.
My 3" Kershaw is a very old, locking folder. Thick blade (?2.5mm). Stabbing food cans is no challenge. Anything more and a Fiskars hatchet would be best choice.

 

[Ystranc]

Opinel are also available with plastic handles with stainless blades. I do actually have one with a whistle built into it. The blade is pretty poor though, semi serrated and originally only ground from one side. I ended up leaving the serrated length of the blade but re grinding and polishing the rest of it. I’ve also had some of the collectors editions but sold them off on Etsy some time ago

 

[Jared]

Victorinox has folding paring knives too

Amazon.co.uk : victorinox folding pairing knife

 

[Laurentius]

I dunno.. a folder with wooden handles, that can get bothersome and nasty with plant juice and wetness in general. Even using my Opinels for dry stuff like light woodworking, they get very tight around the pivot and need some care. I wouldn't do food prep with a folder. But you certainly can.

Le coup du Savoyard

 

[SaraR]

I have bought a small campervan and I’m looking for a knife that I can use for cooking and when. I get out doing some bushcraft activities trying to find a one does all to save on weight and space within the van. I know that I will end up with a knife collection but what would you recommend to get me started please
I will also be looking for a small shovel and axe and a small survival kit

Thank you in advancej

Sorry having massive issues with this (as usual!): I suggest just bring one of your usual kitchen knives, perhaps one on the smaller side, and a bread knife if you think you'll need it. An EDC folding knife is handy for picnics away from the van. By all means, get a fixed blade bushcraft knife (eg a Mora knife) for doing bushcraft, but keep it out of view in other situations.

 

[Athos]

Kitchen Devils Control Small Cook's Knife

Buy the Kitchen Devils Control Small Cook's Knife at Robert Dyas online. Free Click & Collect on this product.

www.robertdyas.co.uk

I’ve had one of these for 15 years. If you can only have one knife as a cook, then go for one of these. Absolute bargain, I have Global knives, but this is the most frequently used knife in my kitchen.

So £12 on a Kitchen Devil, then you can spend a ridiculous amount of dosh on a nice bushcraft knife (yes a Mora will do the job, but you won’t love it like you’ll love a nice Bark River or whatever tickles your fancy).

As for the axe, second vote for a Fiskars. You’ll find them in most garden centers for £30-40 for a chopping axe. Think splitters start at around £50. Sometimes you might get a deal where it comes with a free sharpening tool as well!

 

[ANDYLASER]

I use one of these for food prep when camping. Cant go wrong for the money.

 

[Erbswurst]

Get a Fiskars X7 hatchet and use that for wood splitting for fire preparation.
I would try the flexible mask for it that they offer seperately.

And get an Opinel No9 Carbone for food preparation and anything else apart from wood splitting and you are very well equipped.

Don't throw the knife into the water like a spoon. There are other options to clean it without creating problems with a swollen wood handle and cutting yourself if you grab into the kitchen sink.

A usual full steel flower shovel is what boy scout groops in Germany carry for the entire group. No option to free the car though. The Cold Steel Spetsnaz Shovel is worth to consider if you can't find a historic entrenching tool cheaper.
The Swiss were good and should be still offered at Ebay. But other armies used similar models. East European cold war shovels are cheap and sometimes delivered with loose handle but you can fix that. The Cold Steel shovel is simply a reproduction of the Russian version. Owners recommend it. I never used it.

 

[chimpy leon]

The Mora Kansbol idea suggested at the start would make solid choice. Flat grind at the front of the blade for slicing food and a scandi at the back for wood.

It’s a knife that is a bit like a mullet hairdo - looks awkward and off-putting at first, but when the stars align and the right situation presents itself - completely badass!

 

[Minotaur]

Check Lidl at the moment they have a 2 pack of Mora style kitchen knifes. Which I have in my kitchen, love that style of knife and can do everything I need to with one. Except skin veg or cut chesse for which I use one of those U-shaped veg peelers.
I use a Mora as my camping cook knife - it the orange clipper with a stainless steel blade I think.

 

[Batman76]

I went for the mora companion for my kitchen knife as I found 2 brand new ones whilst clearing out my workshop so food prep sorted out and got offered a gerber strongarm so I bought that and I must say it feels a great knife thank you for all of your help just need to pick an axe up now

Thank you neil

 

[Terry.m.]

I have bought a small campervan and I’m looking for a knife that I can use for cooking and when. I get out doing some bushcraft activities trying to find a one does all to save on weight and space within the van. I know that I will end up with a knife collection but what would you recommend to get me started please
I will also be looking for a small shovel and axe and a small survival kit

Thank you in advance

Imho , get two ,for food prep, opinal number 8 stainless steel, and a Mora or equivalent. For the money can’t be beaten really.
Once your into it you will know what the next knives to go for but a word of caution, it’s soooooo addictive.


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