why such chunky bushcraft knives?

[robin wood]

I am quite new to this whole bushcraft scene though have been into woodcraft for many years. What surprises me is why folk like these big hefty 4 and 5mm thick bushcraft knives?

I could understand it if you only had one tool and it needed to do the job of axe and knife but if you have an axe or billhook it seems to me that the perfect partner knife would be much smaller and thinner. To me a clipper is a big knife and a frosts 106 narrow blade sloyd is the perfect thing for woodcarving. So if you have a RM "bushcraft" style knife what do you use it for, do you use it as a one tool only type thing when you don't want to carry an axe? Have you compared it to the smaller narrower blades favoured by Mors Kochanski and most of Scandinavia for that matter. To me thicker blade = increased resistance when cutting and most of the activities that would damage a clipper but not a bushy I would consider knife abuse.....discuss

 

[spamel]

The only reason I can see for the thicker blades is that it allows a longer grind when ground in the scandi style. Otherwise, the grind would either only go up a few millimetres or would be very fine and chip and roll when used. The mora is about as thin as you can get without making the grind to fine, although saying that I am using a thick blade at the moment and it seems to be doing well. It is the first thick bladed knife I have used apart from my BFK which didn't last long, and I am pleasantly surprised at how well it cuts seasoned and green wood. Hawthorn, once seasoned, is like iron but it seems to be doing OK!

 

[RobertRogers]

One good use for a chunky blade is for batoning wood when making poles. I do that a fair amount when constructing things like shelters when there is no axe available.

 

[gregorach]

do you use it as a one tool only type thing when you don't want to carry an axe?

That's it exactly - I want a knife that can be used to build a camp and sort out the firewood in the absence of an axe. An axe is nice to have, but it's a luxury - and one I frequently can't be bothered lugging around with me. I also want to know that no matter what use or abuse it's subjected to (within reason), it's not going to break on me.

My knife spends far more time pretending to be an axe or a chisel than it does doing fine carving. I usually have a folder or two for fine work if need be.

 

[EdS]

to be honest I can not see the point for thick blades that is why I got a Svord farmers knife - bit long for my liking though.

for UK camping in deciduous wood there is no real need even for an axe for an over night stop - plenty of branches that can be stompped on, really use axe for gathering wood for the open fire at home.

There used to be a job called a sticker that collected fallen branches for fire wood as serf were forbidden to fell wood for fires.

 

[JonathanD]

I like thicker blades as they are easier to hold when doing fine work.

 

[Tiley]

My preferred knife has a blade made from 3mm steel. It seems to be a good compromise between the 'chunky 4mm+' numbers and the '2mm and less fine carvers'. It is great for batoning wood, carves pretty well (at least in my clumsy mitts!) and doesn't disgrace itself when asked to do kitchen chores.

Folk like the heftier blades because they do do the heavier tasks with greater ease. I used to carry a 4mm bladed knife and had a small 2mm one in the pack for the more delicate work. Ultimately, it's going to be down to the user's personal preference - it's a limp comment, I know, but I think it's probably true...

 

[widu13]

I've got the MOD survival knife and a Mora (and a folding saw, commando saw- you get the idea!) Chopping is much easier with a big knife without the need for battoning. The big knife is lighter and less cumbersome than an axe, but not as dedicated at chopping. For my needs its a balance. I CAN chop, skin, gut, slice, dice and feather with the big knife but the Mora is definately better at the smaller stuff. If it were a choice of big knife, axe or small knife and one choice only, I would go big knife. To each their own.

 

[Ogri the trog]

I have one of Steve Wade-Cox's woodlore clones, amongst others,
I made the handle to fit my hands, which, being on the big side, makes it the only knife that really fits my grip. Hence its the knife that I prefer to work with - the other blades (a Lapp Pukko and a Nordic kit from Brisa) feel equally as capable but not so firn in the hand.
That said, when money allows, I'll be making a few more with smaller, slimmer blades and larger handles to see if I can reduce the size of knife I feel that I "need".
I'm off to do a rummage for a Frosts 106 narrow, blade only!

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[EdS]

thick knife for wood splitting - but a billhook is only 2mm thick.

 

[Hedgehog]

3mm thick Leuku 7" blade, if I were to carry only one knife for all jobs that would be it. It chops very well & can be battoned through some pretty substantial logs for splitting & is light & quick enough in the hand for more delicate tasks.

I like to take a puukko too for fine tasks.

I have a couple of 4mm 'woody' style knives & I havn't used them since I got these I find them too cumbersom by comparisom.

 

[Stew]

What surprises me is why folk like these big hefty 4 and 5mm thick bushcraft knives?

Most probably because of Ray Mears. He's probably been influential in a lot of people's venture into bushcraft so it's only natural for his choice of knife to filter through.

 

[SOAR]

I kind of agree with you Robin, I have thick and thin knives and really I use thin bladed knives more often than thick, I also agree with the reasons why people use thick knives for heavy work, but I use my axe for anything that my thin bladed knives cant cope with as I feel confident in my axe skill. I also agree that RM has been a big influence in folks choosing thick bladed knives, and he states his reasons for his design in creating a thick blade, i.e for battoning and the like. I think alot of it is up to peoples preference as to what size knife they choose, me personaly I like thin blades as I think they are good for carving.
Horses for courses I think.

Simon.

 

[Bernie Garland]

as a maker and user a 3mm or 4mm knife with a deep scandi grind gives you strength and also the thinness you require for all your tasks,when choosing a knife of any maker make sure you pick one with deep grinds so you have all the needs you require from the knife,don't forget with a deep scandi grind the first 10mm is as thick as your mora.

bernie

 

[Snufkin]

I think it partly stems from the survival mentality of being able to go into the wilderness with just a knife... If such was the case then I would want a knife to baton wood and be indestructable. In reality I use my axe or folding saw for heavy work and, at the moment, carry a 3mm thick nessmuk for camp work and general duty and spoon knife in my bag.

 

[Doc]

A thick blade may be slightly better for batoning but I doubt it is worth the extra weight.

IIRC my Wilkinson Sword Woodlore is 3.6mm, and I reckon its too thick- heavy to carry, undesirable ballast on your belt when canoeing, and less effective for things like cutting spuds up.

A thinner blade batons only slightly less well, and weighs much less. I think about 2.8 to 3mm is optimum. Like so many things it comes down to personal preference.

Having said that, we should not underestimate how important batoning is. How else can you get dry wood in a downpour without an axe?

 

[British Red]

Generally for a knife, I agree 3mm is ample for almost all tasks including batoning if the grind type and angle is suitable. I certainly think grind is a factor - a 3mm deep hollow grind would be fairly fragile whereas a convex far more robust. The PFK is 3mm and I find as a general purpose belt knife it suits me very well

Red

 

[rancid badger]

I've got the MOD survival knife and a Mora (and a folding saw, commando saw- you get the idea!) Chopping is much easier with a big knife without the need for battoning. The big knife is lighter and less cumbersome than an axe, but not as dedicated at chopping. For my needs its a balance. I CAN chop, skin, gut, slice, dice and feather with the big knife but the Mora is definately better at the smaller stuff. If it were a choice of big knife, axe or small knife and one choice only, I would go big knife. To each their own.

It depends on what type of axe your talking about.
I have owned an MOD knife since being issued with it and not returning it to stores, in the year 1880something or other. It was very useful on exercises for forcing doors and digging holes in internal walls among other things! I used it for knocking in trip flare nails and it made a reasonable "chopper" as well.

I actually agree with you on the point that if you had to make a choice of one tool only, it would probably be the MOD knife, although It may be a toss-up with the hatchet. My own MOD knife was significantly modified from standard issue-not tarted up-just made more user friendly.
I no longer use it, I find it cumbersome and tiring to use.Not only that but I actually believe the long cutting edge to be unacceptably dangerous for normal use.

I have a small selection of tools in my normal "working kit" which includes; a home made utility knife,Mocotaugan (again home made), Gransfors wildlife hatchet and a laplander.

Just as matter of interest I checked the weights of my MOD and my Hatchet and they are exactly the same!

but your right either way: to each their own.

I reckon about 2.5-3mm for a utility knife.
I don't like the RM knife, it doesn't seem to "fit" my hands. The mora is good but a bit flexible for me.

this is the mongrel home made I use for most things:

the blade is the right size for me, although the handle could do with a bit more meat on it.
Anyway-2.5- 3mm is enough for me.
Regards
R.B.

 

[brancho]

I like my clipper and my brussletto but have baught a smaller blade (63 mm long) from Poul Strande that i look forward to trying when I handle it.
I even find the Mora craftsment 740 blade which is not thick a bit chunky.

 

[oetzi]

I think it partly stems from the survival mentality of being able to go into the wilderness with just a knife...

This might be one of the reasons why people like to carry a "crossbar with an edge" into the woods.