Neck knives and folders?

[Bmatt]

Hi all,

This is my first post here at BCUK. I've been camping all my life and have been interested in bushcraft for about a year or so, practicing in little bits here and there. After experimenting with different blades/tools, I have found that my carving/cutting needs are covered nicely with a 10" Fiskars sliding saw, an 8" Roselli leuku and a nothing-special carbon steel puukko. I also enjoy using different size axes from time to time.

It seems that lots of folks like using neck knives and folding knives when they are out and about in the bush. Having my small and large fixed-blade blades easily and quickly accessible on my belt at all times, I've never personally felt the need for a neck knife or folder while in bushcrafty-type situations, so I'd be interested to hear what you guys/gals use them for. Convenience? Back-up? Preference?

BTW, I do carry one or two back-up blades in my pack, should a belt knife be lost.

Thanks for your time.

Bmatt

 

[SimonM]

I carry a neck knife in favour of a belt knive purely as it is a more discreet option. Just having a knife on your belt can cause some folk to call the Police, and then you have to able to justify why you are carrying a tool around with you.

My larger knife is now carried in a pouch, in my main rucksac.

I'm sure, there are lots of reasons, but that is mine!

Simon

 

[Bmatt]

Good point about being discreet. As I'm living in Finland right now, where people are much more comfortable with knives, discretion isn't really all that important, so I guess I am lucky. Most of my activities are done either on private land or at primitive campsites etc. where blades are commonplace.

Thanks for the reply!

I carry a neck knife in favour of a belt knive purely as it is a more discreet option. Just having a knife on your belt can cause some folk to call the Police, and then you have to able to justify why you are carrying a tool around with you.

My larger knife is now carried in a pouch, in my main rucksac.

I'm sure, there are lots of reasons, but that is mine!

Simon

 

[alpha_centaur]

I carry a small opinel in my pocket when I'm out and about, its discreet and if I do use it in front of people it doesn't have quite the same reaction as when I pull out my fixed blade.

Besides that my opinel throws better sparks than my Helle knife does.

 

[John Fenna]

I use a variety of carries...my neck knife gets used mainly for food prep/minor chores around camp, my Samiknif for cutting bigger stuff, my belt knife for middling chores (often the last 2 are in my pack, with my axe and saw..) folders are for EDCs...
Around my way no one seems to worry if they see me out with a big knife as I am well known for keeping footpaths from getting overgrown, cutting poles from the hedges trimmings, gathering my firewood from fallen branches on the laneside, harvesting hedgerow foods etc...
It is great being seen as a harmless excentric!
Off for a walk today and I will have with me a Wenger Hardwoods 55, a Samiknif and an axe (perhaps)...

 

[spamel]

A small, razor Opi (9 in my case, with the clip ground off as i dislike the look of the clip point!) in stainless makes a good little knife for those jobs in the field that you don't want to use your main knife for. That is, cutting that lovely joint of meat you brought along, you don't want bits of pine sap and flaky bark in your dinner do you? They slice really good and weigh next to nothing, so it is well worth taking for food prep jobs alone. I prefer carbon steel Opis, but stainless wins over on the food prep stakes as it doesn't taint veg or fruit and is very easy to keep clean.

For any other task it is axe, main knife or saw depending on what I took with me.

 

[Dave Budd]

I carry a knife on my belt most of teh time when I'm out and about (legally of course) and people don't normally notice it. At least if they do, they don't seem to be offended by it and I've never had a visit from the police. Maybe if I carried a 12" thing in a black sheath or I wore a hoodie then they would spot it and report me

as for choice of knife when out and about, all personal prefernece. If I need to chop something I use an axe and if I need to cut soomething large 9trees etc) I use a saw. I have a 4" fixed blade on the belt and a small sak in a pocket normally. The fixed balde is what I tend to use all of the time. The sak is really only there if I need scissors, tweezers, bottle opener, etc so is really a tool kit not a knife. I don't wear my knife around the neck coz when I have tried it I find it gets right in the way and has frightened me when it has drifted infront of my vision as I have a pole go past me (building structures, etc) or leaning over a fire, etc. On the belt it is out of harms way and the sheath is a dangler so I can always tuck it away in a pocket for extra discretion

 

[Bmatt]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I should have mentioned that I also have a small food-prep knife in my "camp kitchen", so that area's taken care of.

My normal "street" EDC is an Opinel No. 8, and I wouldn't have it any other way, but whenever I have brought it camping/woods loafing, I've never ended up using it, always reaching for the small fixed blade instead (probably for the security of the "fixed-bladed-ness").

 

[dwardo]

Discretion is the reason i made a cross draw sheath as i can be easily hidden under a shirt or coat. When out bushying i am usually in private land but i dont like advertising the fact anyways. Its an axe for chopping and splitting although i can do without in the summer. A little laplander saw for clean cutting materials for projects, also safe and handy for cutting firewood when conditions are not best i.e. getting dark or cold. Finished off with a little opinel for finer carving.

Never liked anything hanging around my neck so not gone down the necker route, well nothing hanging round my neck besides the mortgage and overdrafts

 

[Mr Adoby]

I never carry a blade on my belt. Never felt the need.

On the move I usually keep my knifes either in my trouser pockets or attached to my rucksack or in a pocket on the rucksack. I've never felt an urgent need to quickly get to my knife. I have a Victorinox Spartan in a trouser pocket to cut strings and the like if need be. Perhaps a Mora Quicksnap in a leg pocket, or attached to a button, if I'm walking without my rucksack.

At camp I usually carry my Fällkniven WM1/3G around my neck. Just so I don't lose it. Very good for small tasks and food and the like. And if needed I keep my Fällkniven A1 by the fireplace to split firewood. But I rarely carry it around. Too clumsy. It usually stays by the fireplace. Or stays attached to the rucksack. Otherwise very good for bigger jobs when I didn't bother to bring an axe.

A.

 

[Bmatt]

I keep my knives on my belt because I find it extremely convenient, not because I need to get at them urgently. Wherever I go, on the trail or at camp, whether my pack is on or off, my knives are always in the same position. Easy access, always to (at) hand.

Somehow I would be more afraid of a knife falling out of my pocket or off a button, but if it works for you, right on, bro. Try securing the A1 directly at your side, as opposed to slightly toward the front. This will allow you to move freely and the knife won't interfere with your leg at all while you hike. This is what I do with leukus and it has always worked fine for me.

Thanks for the input.

I never carry a blade on my belt. Never felt the need.

On the move I usually keep my knifes either in my trouser pockets or attached to my rucksack or in a pocket on the rucksack. I've never felt an urgent need to quickly get to my knife. I have a Victorinox Spartan in a trouser pocket to cut strings and the like if need be. Perhaps a Mora Quicksnap in a leg pocket, or attached to a button, if I'm walking without my rucksack.

At camp I usually carry my Fällkniven WM1/3G around my neck. Just so I don't lose it. Very good for small tasks and food and the like. And if needed I keep my Fällkniven A1 by the fireplace to split firewood. But I rarely carry it around. Too clumsy. It usually stays by the fireplace. Or stays attached to the rucksack. Otherwise very good for bigger jobs when I didn't bother to bring an axe.

A.

 

[Tor helge]

I mostly carry an axe or a folding saw in my backpack, a VIC Forester folding knife in my jacket pocket, and a Brusletto Storhallingen in my belt.
The folder see very little use though. I could easily leave it at home, but it has been a habit for a long time to carry either a SAK or a multitool in my jacket pocket and old habits die hard.
I have never carried knife around my neck so I don`t know the advantages or disadvantages.
I`m quite happy carrying my knife in the belt. If I have the need to conseal it I put the sheath in my front pocket (I use a dangler sheath) and it is (nearly) out of sight. But this is not much of an issue. Yesterday I was at the gas station with my knife dangling in the belt and no one seemed to notice it.

Sometimes I also carry a crooked knife or a gouge, if I`m "planning" to make spoons, kuksas or other items.

Tor

 

[Bmatt]

I`m quite happy carrying my knife in the belt. If I have the need to conseal it I put the sheath in my front pocket (I use a dangler sheath) and it is (nearly) out of sight. But this is not much of an issue. Yesterday I was at the gas station with my knife dangling in the belt and no one seemed to notice it.

I have done this as well. It's a great advantage of the dangler sheath.

I love the fact that Scandinavia is not as "over-civilis(z)ed" as most of the rest of Europe and that it's not a crime against humanity to have a sheathed knife out in the open (oh the horror!).