What combination of edged tools do you use?

[larry the spark]

Just a bit of craic!

Thought it might be fun to see what combo's people bring into the field (say for a long weekend under canvas assuming you've got only what you're wearing and whats on your back) with them. Do you prefer to travel light with minimal tools for the job? Or are you keen to use everthing you got and take a small arsenal? My guess is, like myself, most fall somewhere between these choices (my signature aint strictly applied!)

Anyway feel free to suggest other options and I'll add em in.

Cheers!

 

[Stuart]

I use a knife and saw but you dont have that option in the poll

I will get around to buying an axe at some point though

 

[larry the spark]

Hmmm, bit of an oversight there maybe include that in the second option? Could a mod make a change to the poll as I can't seem to change the choices? I'd also added in one at the bottom which was 'All of the above plus more than one of any of the options!!' which didn't come out. If that could be added it would be appreciated.

Ta!

 

[Adi007]

I've tweaked the poll for you ... haven't moved the options about as that will mess the results though!

Great poll!

 

[Keith_Beef]

Small knife, axe and saw for me.

But the saw is an Opinel folding saw, the "small knife" is either a nº12 Opinel folder, a puukko, or a similar fixed-blade. Axe is a small hatchet.

I've been looking at the Nessmuk pattern lately, wondering how that would do. It looks a good shape for skinning, but how about splitting and carving wood?

Keith.

 

[larry the spark]

Thanks for that Adi :biggthump

 

[Tony]

Oi. I was doing that :rolmao:

 

[Adi007]

Oi. I was doing that :rolmao:

Hey, he said mod, not admin! :rolmao:

 

[Ed]

A puukko, a hatchet and a folding saw for me..... though when I've re-handled my billhook I see a change comming on ;-)


Ed

 

[the naughty boy]

i use em all sparkster, everything i can cram in my pack.

you never know when you will need a

small forrest axe
an issue kukri
three opinels
a swiss champ and rucksack
a machete
a frosts stainless steel
and a wire saw.

i get a good workout with all the extra weight

ps going up the hill again soon? im off to castlewellan with kids this weekend.sneak in the back way and set up camp far away from anyone.tarps and bivvy bags :-D

 

[larry the spark]

Haha, thought you might take the lot NB!

Nope, think the Cavehill expedition was a once off cos of the snow! To many numpty heads up there with pitbulls and crossbreeds looking for badgers to fight! Just back from a week in the Trossachs in scotland and a great 3 days hiking into a forest to find a quiet spot by a loch.

Just a spot of fishing this weekend and looking for wild greens

 

[JakeR]

Naughty boy....i like your style! I enjoy taking as much as possible (with my limited kit)! A billhook, and two knives (when my highland arrives) and an axe. I didnt see that option

 

[Wayne]

i take SFA, Leatherman Juice, 2 knives + ulitmate survival hand chainsaw.
Sometime exchamge the SFA for a GB mini.

can't use any of it but its nice to look at.

 

[larry the spark]

S'pose as people are mentioning what they use I will too as I started the poll! Trusty GBSFA, 7" Custom Leuku, Laplander folding saw, Custom 3 1/4" puukko.

Although its hard leaving behind my swiss knives, multitool and other fixed blade knives though I've found they don't get used. I like lending them to people I can trust when getting away then they all get used, just not by me..... izzat cheating!?

 

[Kath]

Spyderco folder
Bison Bushcraft
I only carry a wire saw when I'm out on my own (slow, very handy!), but then I know that if I'm with 007 that I can borrow all his kit if I need it.

 

[ditchfield]

I usually carry a fixed blade (Olive green Frosts Mora clipper) , Folding saw (Bahco Laplander), Locking Folder (EKA Masur) and an SAK (Victorinox Pioneer Farmer or Victorinox Trekker Lockback). Sorry to mess up the poll.....ish.

 

[narsil]

My number one essential kife would be something like the woodlore (i made my own) http://www.britishblades.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=709
Since it can do pretty much anything at a push and is a pretty handy size to carry around.

I'm not a big fan of folders so i'd tend to use a small skandi instead for fine work or as a backup.

In more remote areas a heavier chopping tool is very handy especially if I anticipate any shealter building or cutting a lot of firewood. This would prolly be a medium sized axe or a kukri, depending on the climate, terrain and vegetation.

It all pretty much depends though since choosing one knife can make another one redundant. If I knew that i needed a kukri might not bother with a woody type and take a skandi instead to save weight, but if an axe was required then the skandi might be too light for the 'medium' jobs.

I tend to catagorise cutting tools as being

-small, for fine cutting, skinning and carving
-medium, general purpose like a woodlore or hunter
-large dedicated chopping blades kukri, golok, parang etc
-axe, for felling timber and splitting fire wood and very heavy jobs
-saw, most efficient way to cut up firewood.

I don'y usually bother with my leatherman in the woods, unless I'm around vehicles or machinery of some sort. I see it as more of an urban tool.

 

[ChrisKavanaugh]

The tool assemblies listed are based on a woodland environment rich in raw materials to modify and utilise for our immediate needs. For snow I find a large shovel and saw critical for building igloos and other snow shelters. My inuit ulu doesn't see much butchering of seals, but it is just a plain joy to use. Some of the military entrenching tools are robust enough to take an edge for chopping. Many desert pavements and subsoils seperate the book writers from the real desert rats. You just don't dig into some areas without TNT. A small shovel is a great tool for attending a fire's coals. Just a few thoughts on matching tools with the terain.

 

[sargey]

Many desert pavements and subsoils seperate the book writers from the real desert rats. You just don't dig into some areas without TNT.

i'll second that!

cheers, and.

 

[jason01]

Small knife, axe and saw for me.

But the saw is an Opinel folding saw, the "small knife" is either a nº12 Opinel folder, a puukko, or a similar fixed-blade. Axe is a small hatchet.

I've been looking at the Nessmuk pattern lately, wondering how that would do. It looks a good shape for skinning, but how about splitting and carving wood?

Keith.

Hi Keith

I like the look of the Nessmuk style knife, looks kinda primative to me, hopefully I'll be trying to forge one soon! I'm thinking it might be tricky to forge that hump, really need an antler crown for the handle too but I dont have a source yet!

From what I can gather the blades are usually fairly thin so I think a Nessmuk would be good for carving.

Jason