recommend me a starter all in one knife

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Some of you will get annoyed straight away. You like your blades, they all do something different...but you are also connoisseurs!
I want a knife which will be under £80 I can use to whittle some wood at the campsite, I can gut my food with, do bits and bobs with and most importantly that will not suffer too much in my inexperienced hands.

I do not know the difference between the different grinds. So the simpler the bevel the easier to sharpen. In your recommendation can you include the grind and why you like that particular one.

Whilst I am reasonable diy savvy, I am no greta genius. I have never done wood carving and cannot imagine I am the next Raphael.

So a reasonable first knife to take out when I go canoe camping with my kids to keep myself tooled up for repairs... and busy by the camp fire.

Thanks all
PS: You may have guessed, but I am a beginner here. I am not sure I can fathom yet what bushcraft means but I have been using the great outdoor since I was a child, mostly for sporting activities.
 
Would that do?

https://www.heinnie.com/helle-alden
Alden.jpg


Moderator Note: The original link posted by this member went to a Viglink site, not the Helle Alden that was being discussed. Link changed to go to a reliable source
 
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Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
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Billy-o

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Apr 19, 2018
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Buy a Roselli Carpenter :) If you want something nice-ish and very capable. The UHC one if you really want to live it up. The sheath is a bit meh though, (most commercial sheaths are) and you may want to replace that later. Watch a few sharpening vids on YouTube before sharpening it if you are new to this part.It's not that tricky, just worth doing a spot of homework.

Buy a good folder for your front pocket. At the moment I'd look at the Boker Slack and anything made by Manly, the Bulgarian company. However, you might like to buy a good stockman pattern knife as a decent allrounder, too. Sadly, German Eye, who made the best 4 1/4" user have closed recently.

In the future you might look at a Fallkniven F1 or H1 as something of useable size but with a little more heft for askier tasks than the Carpenter can readily handle ... battoning etc. Add a Victorinox Swiss Army knife - The Huntsman or Climber ... one with scissors and an awl anyway ... very, very useful.

But, for God's sake, having bought these fine things, stop there. :)

Other bits and pieces will include a good x10 loupe (Bausch and Lomb do a good one) and a pair of Sliver Gripper tweezers .. nothing better for repairing oneself and others .. splinters etc. Put them on your keyring. Buy a Bahco folding saw. Then drop a fortune on excellent compact binoculars and a GoreTex jacket, Muck Boots and decent wooly hat. Done ... well, more or less :lol:
 
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Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
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A loupe is nice to have.
Start fires. Check out how the tiny critters look like....
Lots of fun can be had with a loupe!

You only need one knife, a Mora. Generations of Scandihooligans have only used one at a time.
Use, abuse, break or lose. Buy a new one and repeat....
:)

Unfortunately most of us do not function that way! We tend to spend big money only because the handle looks nice.
 

Kepis

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 17, 2005
6,689
2,104
Sussex
Echo the above advice, i have a few bespoke, expensive hand made knives, the one i use daily a Mora Classic, this combined with either a Swiss Army Knife or an Opinel and you are away.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
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I would also recommend the Morakniv Classic.
I do not know why, but I do not get as much blisters as with the new style plastic handles, Morakniv 2000 excluded.

If you want a nicer looking knife and scabbard, Morakniv make one but I forgot the name. Looks exactly like the classic Classic, but has a clear varnished handle and a leather scabbard ( I think)
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
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Come on, guys........
:)
Just a little bit support......I am at the present supporting the British economy, buying a ton of really cool accessories for our Defenders from UK
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
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Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
Anybody else getting blisters from the 'standard' plastic Morakniv handles?
I get then on the palm, on those pads close to where the fingers start.

Maybe my hands are to soft?
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
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McBride, BC
Off the track, you need to spend 50% of your time learning to do free-hand sharpening.
Learn so well that you can repeat it over and over.
Every knife can be a dull, dangerous knife. I don't care what it is made of or what you paid.
 
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Billy-o

Native
Apr 19, 2018
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Mora's are much loved, but they really are dreadful knives. It's why they get used and abused. People discover that they really don't like them ... its like personal :lol: They are uncomfortable for extended use and forever fall out of their rubbishy sheaths (the little carvers - 106 and 120 are nice though).

They are good for practising sharpening on however. Robson Valley is right there. It doesn't take long to learn (if you can sharpen a chisel without a guide, you can sharpen a knife) but being able to sharpen freestyle is a handy thing to be able to do, as it allows for nuance and flexibility. Not unlike having a good frisbee forehand.
 
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tombear

On a new journey
Jul 9, 2004
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Ok its nearer the top end of your price range but how about a Grohmann D.H Russel ?

https://www.colonialknives.co.uk/knife_shop/prod_4889200-Original-DH-Russell-Design-Knife-exVAT.html

Flat grind in stainless is my go to knife. There's various options but i've found the hollow grind isn't so good for wood work.and the carbon steel is a bit harder to look after. What I especially like about it is the handle, the most comfortable one i've come across.

ATB

Tom

PS just noticed you can get it in kit form for about 20 quid less, complete no brainer to assemble.

https://www.colonialknives.co.uk/knife_shop/prod_4926694-UR1S-Original-Design-Kit-exVAT.html
 
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SGL70

Full Member
Dec 1, 2014
613
124
Luleå, Sweden
Get a knife that isn't expensive - Mora, Hultafors et al offers great value. Works well in most situations. Put the excess funds into getting good shoes/boots (I am prone to hiking, mind you)

Grind, tang type etc are almost like religions, but basically unimportant. (The secret to great performers lies in the hardening imo, but that's beside the point)

Eventually you'll find what works for you.

Best of luck

Greger
 
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