Large knives: advantages & disadvantages...

[dwardo]

I completely disagree. The whole idea of 'bushcraft' is to use knoweledge, skill and practice to substitute tools.

Thats a bushcraft conversational cul-de-sac ! So why bother with a knife when you can use flint, or just plain old bash a stick to bits with a rock.

The whole idea of "bushcraft" is to get out and kill something. the rest is just window dressing.

Brilliant. Basic but yeah, might want to add and "eat it" then make stuff to keep the weather out with the rest, maybe make some nice stuff along the way to trade for leisure time.

 

[Samon]

The whole idea of "bushcraft" is to get out and kill something. the rest is just window dressing.

LOL! only in america, mate.

Playing rambo is not a British past time, keeping it simple and modest is. People go out to enjoy the fresh air and quiteness, not to act like a tough guy and kill things for the camera! Taking a case full of big knives along for the night is.. well, it's more of an american thing. Hence why a 'bushcraft' knife in Europe falls into a very indentifiable catagory, instead of a 12" bowie or some big black coated tacticool jobby (like I see in alot of .com threads!). That Meager 4" scandi do it all knife compensates for excess carry weigh and tools, and allows for the user to rely on things thay have learned instead of relying on a tool for every single job they won't likely encounter.

I get it's a cultural difference, but one culture seems to use modesty, skills and minimal tools and the other likes everything big, loud and bloody.. imo.

I'll get the soap!

 

[santaman2000]

LOL! only in america, mate.

Playing rambo is not a British past time.....

People go out to enjoy the fresh air and quiteness, not to act like a tough guy and kill things for the camerabig knives along for the night is.......

....a 'bushcraft' knife in Europe falls into a very indentifiable catagory, instead of a 12" bowie or some big black coated tacticool jobby.....That Meager 4" scandi do it all knife compensates for excess carry weigh and tools, and allows for the user to rely on things thay have learned instead of relying on a tool for every single job they won't likely encounter.......

I get it's a cultural difference, but one culture seems to use modesty, skills and minimal tools and the other likes everything big, loud and bloody.. imo.

I'll get the soap!

Fair enough it's somewhat of a cultural difference. But not neccessarily between there and here. I see loads on this very forum who also love to hunt. The camera is generally left for the true trophy class kills or for the kids' first kill (usually the first big game kill is around age 8 or 10)

A 4' kinfe is a steak knife at best. If you're not likely to encounter much more than can be done with it (and as I said, I often don't carry more than a simple pocketknife and/or Buck 110) then don't carry anything else. But if that's all you need, it's probably just a walk in the woods or a day on the farm minus firewood chores (for the farmstead supply as I can get wood for a small campfire witout any tools)

As for living big, loud and bloody; THANK YOU! Finally somebody actually gets it. If I don't need a bigger knife, I don't feel as if I've actually been anywhere wild.

 

[robevs73]

My mate Nick is quite new to Bushcraft and wild camping , being a mate of mine means he gets knives made at "mates rates" , he has a necker, 5" utility knife ( pathfinder clone) , Bushcraft knife and a cold steel Trailmaster bowie, when were in the woods he leaves the bushy and necker in camp and uses the Trailmaster as his do it all knife, he only uses the bushy for feather sticks and a bit of carving, this setup suits him, he's not interested in arguing the pros and cons of various knives like a lot of us (me included).
My point being some folks like big knives and some folks prattle on about only needing a small knife, use what you like and have fun trying stuff out. Be warned it can get expensive!
Personally I would not bother with an MOD knife, they are just a prybar with an edge. cold steel condor and esee do good affordable big knives.

 

[Samon]

A sak will do the majority of camp needs, but I do think 4" is plenty (har har) for nearly everything else that is done over here. In my opinion, that 4" bush blade is kind of bringing the 'big guns'. Because like I said, a little sak will do everything anyway. That's my modest nature though (HA!), and that's not to say I don't like to play with the big stuff, I just happen to see them as fun rather than practical. The ammount of fallen wood and sticks is enough to feed any 1 nighters camp fire, and there's no need to cut down trees to make shelters when most of the campers drive to their location anyway and could have brought a tent!

I'll stick this on my pack in future, and keep a tiddler in my pocket for the cutti'!

 

[santaman2000]

Samon. Regarding Robev73's comment about the MOD knife; Does it make a good chopper? I don't have one (and can't justify the cost of a new toy ATM but I know you hve one) It certainly looks as if it should. But the advantage I see for it (over say a large bowie or kukhuri) is that rather round point should also be a fair makeshift trowel for light digging.

 

[santaman2000]

A sak will do the majority of camp needs, but I do think 4" is plenty (har har) for nearly everything else that is done over here. In my opinion, that 4" bush blade is kind of bringing the 'big guns'. Because like I said, a little sak will do everything anyway......

I think when all is said and done, we're actually on the same page. I agree; most of the time my pocket knife (small knife) will do the biggest majority of tasks. It's just that I see the 4" as a "medium" rather than large knife and as such it's a compromise. It'll work as both a large and a small knife (up to a certain point as it'll never sub for a good machete) But it's the one I'd rather leave home (they seem too much like a concealed weapon rather than a proper tool)

 

[Samon]

The MOD knife has a bad rep, and it must be due to people not sharpening it properly! 10 minutes of semi skilled sharpening and it's shaving sharp and mirror finnished. Chopping ability is alright, I'd say it's slighty above average for it's length, but it is heavy! heavy enough to pound, smash and batton anything. And that rounded tip will not snap off! it can be used to stab oil drums, ammo tins and dig holes. It comprimises it's potential cutting ability with it's short blade, but remains the toughest knife I've ever had because of that!

I obviously like it, but I can sharpen it and don't expect knvies to chop brilliantly anyway - so for me it's great for what it is! A beast, that can shave curls outa sticks and demolish anything you throw it at!

I'd send mine to you if the postage wouldn't cost so much! (the damned return customs charges and taxes are also a total joke!)

 

[MikeLA]

always used to carry Secateurs in my belt kit for doing that much quieter , easier and you can cut a very thick branch easily if you know how to

A knife would leave to much trace so its secateurs and penknife and use natural cover and disturb it as little as poss
Little of track of the subject But

 

[HillBill]

You may have confused tools with kit dude Nessmuk carried 5 blades.. Ray carries 2 knives an axe and a saw. (well, i've seen him with folders and fixed blades, laplanders and an SFA )

Love to see you split wood with a SAK Do a video for us

I completely disagree. The whole idea of 'bushcraft' is to use knoweledge, skill and practice to substitute tools.

 

[Harvestman]

It isn't just a cultural thing about big tools. It is about the kind of land you have in which to practice your bushcraft (of whatever variety). In the UK we don't have the sort of wilderness that exists in the US, so there is far less call for the sort of 'chop down a tree, butcher a moose, fend off a bear' kind of tool that seems to be preferred there. In the UK you are more like to cut down a mushroom, butcher a rabbit and fend off a badger.

Our Scandinavian friends, however, have a lot more countryside to play with, and have a tradition of larger knives too (Leuku etc).

 

[Samon]

You may have confused tools with kit dude Nessmuk carried 5 blades.. Ray carries 2 knives an axe and a saw. (well, i've seen him with folders and fixed blades, laplanders and an SFA )

Love to see you split wood with a SAK Do a video for us

Nessmuk was an adventureer in the Wilds of North america, Ray Mears is a tv celebrity who promotes those tools. We are just hobbiest campers at best, we don't need half the crap they lump around, but we do it for fun.

You can split wood with a sak, not that you will ever need to though

Check out this vid of mr mears splitting wood with a saw, the same can be done with a sak saw.. or you can just pick up the sticks at your feet like a good boy and not make a mess of our limited woodlands!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSOXU0rrqOM

 

[vizsla]

Interesting thread as has been said it depends on your personal needs, iv handled a few large blades and find them useless including the mod knife most tasks with a knie require either the first inch of the blade or the last apart from slicing cuts and even the you would struggle to use the full length of a large knife, knives like them that are 6mm thick were designed to be used and abused for smashing things prising things open but least of all cutting hence why they were all blunt, part of my living comes from working green wood and the most used tools are a small knife and a small hatchet,axes are carried by most but I'd hazard a guess that most only use them to a fraction of there potential with practice a small hatchet can achieve most things a knife can in half the time , the only time large blades come into there own is clearing, but in the case a 7" blade would be poor against a machete, my everyday work bag contains a small Norland hatchet and a small sloyd knife plus a crook knife and with these anything can be done properly.
cheers

 

[HillBill]

My tool kit consists of a husky hatchet and an opinel No8. I have a silky big boy folding saw if i need to cross cut bigger wood. I also have a heavier tool kit of large axe and 3' crosscut saw if i need to harvest some decent timber

Nessmuk was an adventureer in the Wilds of North america, Ray Mears is a tv celebrity who promotes those tools. We are just hobbiest campers at best, we don't need half the crap they lump around, but we do it for fun.

You can split wood with a sak, not that you will ever need to though

Check out this vid of mr mears splitting wood with a saw, the same can be done with a sak saw.. or you can just pick up the sticks at your feet like a good boy and not make a mess of our limited woodlands!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSOXU0rrqOM

 

[mholland]

I have the J Adams MOD Survival knife you linked, and its a fantastic knife for chopping etc, but too big and bulky for alot of the stuff your 4 inch will be good at. I'd recommend it as a secondary camp knife, but not a primary knife if that makes sense?

 

[Jared]

Love to see you split wood with a SAK Do a video for us

If SAK has a saw, then splitting is done via the saw half way and smash method.

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?161579-Victorinox-Farmer-splitting-log-and-fire


Edit: Doh completely missed page 2 when I replied.

 

[Will_]

Thanks for all the replies - I really appreciate all the advice.
I think I'm going to go for the MOD knife as I don't have any knife like it. All the other boxes seem ticked - I've got a nice axe, bow saw, folding saw and lots of small knives. I'd like to try a billhook too - I'm going to ask a few friends and see if anyone's got one for me to borrow...

A few comments mentioned the MOD blade being poor for cutting & a few comments said the blade is very sharp. I saw this video which I watched about 10 times, laughing harder each time!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJtiqYwigtY

 

[Samon]

Thanks for all the replies - I really appreciate all the advice.
I think I'm going to go for the MOD knife as I don't have any knife like it. All the other boxes seem ticked - I've got a nice axe, bow saw, folding saw and lots of small knives. I'd like to try a billhook too - I'm going to ask a few friends and see if anyone's got one for me to borrow...

A few comments mentioned the MOD blade being poor for cutting & a few comments said the blade is very sharp. I saw this video which I watched about 10 times, laughing harder each time!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJtiqYwigtY

The truth is it needs to be sharpened as it's edge is blunt and not even properly done out the box. 10 minutes with a small file and some stones and it will be sharp! it's good steel, tough and soft enough to keep it alive for ever - also makes it a doddle to sharpen! I'm currently modding mine some more, I'm some bits to be delivere then I'll show you the finished thing!

This is a photoshoped picture I done as a 'potential' modifcation I was planning, but I decided not to, as the tip change kind of defies the unbreakable design.

 

[santaman2000]

Interesting thread as has been said it depends on your personal needs, iv handled a few large blades and find them useless including the mod knife most tasks with a knie require either the first inch of the blade or the last apart from slicing cuts and even the you would struggle to use the full length of a large knife, knives like them that are 6mm thick were designed to be used and abused for smashing things prising things open but least of all cutting hence why they were all blunt, part of my living comes from working green wood and the most used tools are a small knife and a small hatchet.......

Back when my living came from working green wood, the most used tools were the chainsaw and tractor.

 

[santaman2000]

Interesting thread as has been said it depends on your personal needs, iv handled a few large blades and find them useless including the mod knife most tasks with a knie require either the first inch of the blade or the last apart from slicing cuts and even the you would struggle to use the full length of a large knife.....

You've never fished for large saltwater fish have you? Kinda hard to fillet a King Mackerel or a Cobia with anything less than 9 inches. Or a 100+ pound Tuna. Or a Sailfish. Etc. Impossible with anything less than 6 inches (unless you want to really botch it) Also hard to properly butcher a large elk or moose with just the first inch of a blade. In the case of the mammals a 5 or 6 inch skinner will do nicely though.