Can you help me choose a small multipurpose camp knife?

[HorseGuy]

I’m looking for suggestions for a small bushcraft style camp knife. It won’t be used for chopping or batoning, I just want a small slicer for general camp tasks which will include things like food prep, cord cutting and basic wood carving. It will also often be used and kept in a damp environment so something which will be rust resistant and generally maintenance free is essential – so no wood or leather.

There is a very specific criteria that any potential knive must fit:
- A small handle suitable for someone with small hands.
- Short blade length between about 3” to 3.5”.
- Good quality full tang stainless steel blade.
- A handle made from G10, Micarta or some kind polymer which will stay grippy when damp.
- Kydex or plastic sheath would be ideal.
- Multiple mounting options would also be nice but are not essential.

There is no budget limit for this knife but I would rather not spend an excessive amount if something cheaper can do the job just as well. On my radar at the moment is a 3.5” TBS Lynx Compact knife for £90 with a £10 Brisa universal belt clip but I would also like to know what other similar options are available which are worth consideration.

 

[JonathanD]

Mora Garberg?

 

[shaggystu]

Hultafors HVK £4.51 at the moment from the first link I found. Ticks all the boxes apart from full tang. Personally I'd rather have a dedicated knife for food prep, but I generally just use something from the kitchen at home.

 

[CLEM]

Mora Garberg?

View attachment 104340

I’ve still not had a play with the Garberg, there very well liked i know.

 

[Nice65]

3.5" flat ground, great steel. Micarta and G10 available too. May be over budget.

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Someone on another forum has one and had a kydex sheath made for his.

Kubey ticks some the boxes, perhaps not so much for carving.

Kubey Dust Devil Utility Knife Fixed Blade Knives Ultem 3.23'' Beadblast 14C28N KU357C

General Information:Brand: KubeyItem Name: Dust DevilModel No.: KU357CUPC: 793567106024Product Type: Fixed Blade KnifeFixed Way: Full TangDexterity: AmbidextrousBest Use: Outdoor, Every Day CarryDesigner: K.C. SpironCountry of Origin: ChinaWarranty: Lifetime Material:Blade Material: 14C28NHeat...

kubeyknife.com

Kubey JL Drop Point Fixie Every Day Carry Fixed Blade Knife Ultem 3.11'' Drop Point Beadblast 14C28N KU356C

General Information:Brand: KubeyItem Name: Drop Point FixieModel No.: KU356CUPC: 793567105591Product Type: Fixed Blade KnifeFixed Way: Full TangDexterity: AmbidextrousBest Use: Outdoor, Every Day CarryDesigner: Justin LundquistCountry of Origin: ChinaWarranty: Lifetime Material:Blade Material...

kubeyknife.com

Massive marketplace, the one you're looking at.

 

[HorseGuy]

The Garberg is actually already on my radar. I had considered ordering both a TBS Linx Compact and a Garberg together then sending one back once I've had a chance to feel them both in hand to see which one I like the most. But it is a bit bigger and heavier than what I'm ideally after though and I already own a Fallkniven F1 for that kind of knife.

 

[Damascus]

Hultafors HVK £4.51 at the moment from the first link I found. Ticks all the boxes apart from full tang. Personally I'd rather have a dedicated knife for food prep, but I generally just use something from the kitchen at home.

I second this, i have a 3inch Kuhn rikon, food prep knife with plastic sheath, strong sturdy and sharp, dedicated to food prep, I personally keep food prep n cooking totally seperate from other blades.

 

[HorseGuy]

I like the look of that LionSteel. The leather sheath would need swapping for a Kydex one but I expect that can be done.

 

[Nice65]

I like the look of that LionSteel. The leather sheath would need swapping for a Kydex one but I expect that can be done.

The B41 is a nice thing too.

If you were to want a kydex rig, I can probably find out who did Beachlovers one. It was an eBay guy, turned out well.

 

[Lore]

Manly Patriot

https://www.lamnia.com/en/p/39145/knives/manly-patriot-d2-knife
It can be purchased from other places including https://manly-bg.com/
Fantastic all-round knife

 

[trashcanman1984]

My two pennies worth... offerings from cold steel that fit the requirements

Coldsteel Pendleton mini hunter in VG1 and the Coldsteel Canadian in 4116....the Canadian gets lots of use



The mora and Enzo necker are very good options, but under 3 inch



If you can get hold of one...the Survive GSO 2.7 is a gem of a blade

 

[demented dale]

I’m looking for suggestions for a small bushcraft style camp knife. It won’t be used for chopping or batoning, I just want a small slicer for general camp tasks which will include things like food prep, cord cutting and basic wood carving. It will also often be used and kept in a damp environment so something which will be rust resistant and generally maintenance free is essential – so no wood or leather.

There is a very specific criteria that any potential knive must fit:
- A small handle suitable for someone with small hands.
- Short blade length between about 3” to 3.5”.
- Good quality full tang stainless steel blade.
- A handle made from G10, Micarta or some kind polymer which will stay grippy when damp.
- Kydex or plastic sheath would be ideal.
- Multiple mounting options would also be nice but are not essential.

There is no budget limit for this knife but I would rather not spend an excessive amount if something cheaper can do the job just as well. On my radar at the moment is a 3.5” TBS Lynx Compact knife for £90 with a £10 Brisa universal belt clip but I would also like to know what other similar options are available which are worth consideration.
View attachment 104338

Mora companion. It does everything. It is the only knife I ever use. cheap and cheerful and absolutely fit for purpose. x

 

[MrEd]

Haven’t read through the posts but I use a brisa necker with a flat grind for exactly the kind of tasks you describe
Don’t get a scandi grind if you are going to be doing food prep, it’s just to heavy to actually chop, you want a flat grind for that.

A necker ticks your boxes for all the environmental type reasons aswell. You can opt for a kydex sheath rather than leather, and it has G10 or micarta scales.

Various price points depending on steel and scale materials, just an example below

Brisa Necker 70 Flat Grind Fixed Blade

Brisa are a Finnish company who know a thing or two about decent blades! All their knives come from a background where your knife is your best buddy and a tool that is going to keep you alive in the wilds.

heinnie.com

 

[Laurentius]

Maybe it is just me but whenever I hear the word "micarta" I cock my crossbow.

 

[Dr_Rez]

Mora companion. It does everything. It is the only knife I ever use. cheap and cheerful and absolutely fit for purpose. x

After decades of trying just about every Bushcraft type knife one could try ranging from a dollar store special to bark river/lt Wright/customs....I pretty much ended up right where I started.

A thin Mora Companion, 511, or Pro C/S. They do everything a knife should do well and nothing it doesn't.

 

[HorseGuy]

Mora companion. It does everything. It is the only knife I ever use. cheap and cheerful and absolutely fit for purpose. x

Coming from someone like yourself who walks the walk and lives the life 24/7 this comment holds a lot of weight for me. I already own several Mora Companion's and have them dotted around various different locations from my house, to the tack room and there's even one which permanently lives outside in the far reaches of a field under one of the horse shelters.

Along with my SAK which also gets a lot of use, the Mora Companion is really the only knife which I already use for virtually all cutting jobs. It's used for food prep, normal rope cutting, electric fence rope cutting (which have strands of steel and copper wire in them), opening and breaking down cardboard boxes. Everything! They sometimes even get abused in all sorts of ways I would never dare to abuse an expensive knife. Once I used one for digging a hole in the ground and then as a pry bar to dig out rocks because it was the only tool on me at the time and they have never let me down or felt wrong to use.

You comment has got me thinking "Do I really want a different knife or am I just lusting for a piece of expensive fancy looking bushcraft jewelry?" It's hard to admit the truth to myself but in all honesty it's probably the latter.

 

[HorseGuy]

Haven’t read through the posts but I use a brisa necker with a flat grind for exactly the kind of tasks you describe
Don’t get a scandi grind if you are going to be doing food prep, it’s just to heavy to actually chop, you want a flat grind for that.

A necker ticks your boxes for all the environmental type reasons aswell. You can opt for a kydex sheath rather than leather, and it has G10 or micarta scales.

Various price points depending on steel and scale materials, just an example below

Brisa Necker 70 Flat Grind Fixed Blade

Brisa are a Finnish company who know a thing or two about decent blades! All their knives come from a background where your knife is your best buddy and a tool that is going to keep you alive in the wilds.

heinnie.com

That is a very pretty knife. How comfortable is the handle though? It looks a bit square shouldered

 

[HorseGuy]

If you can get hold of one...the Survive GSO 2.7 is a gem of a blade

View attachment 104346

That Survive GSO 2.7 looks perfect. It's exactly what I pictured in my head that I am looking for.

Where can they be bought from though?

 

[JonathanD]

You might have a problem there. They’ve not been made for some time, and when they were, there were problems in getting them. You do see them pop up occasionally on the FB groups and I think even here. But don’t hold your breath.

 

[Nice65]

You comment has got me thinking "Do I really want a different knife or am I just lusting for a piece of expensive fancy looking bushcraft jewelry?" It's hard to admit the truth to myself but in all honesty it's most probably is the latter.

The seed has been sown

There's something nice about pulling out a quality blade when the ingredients for the evening meal come out at camp.