Why?

[wentworth]

Hi all,
I've been perusing some other forums, including outdoor survival forum (wonder if they have an indoor survival one?) and have noticed a tendency towards really big knives.
They're generally said to be used for 'camp chores', but I'm having difficulty imagining how camping could require a 9 inch blade. Hmmm. I've personally done very well with my Opinels, which draw nothing near that size.
Am I missing something? Maybe all my camp trips have been far less adventurous than some of these fellows experience.

And on a different note, I'm trying to order a Fallkniven F1 for a reasonable price, and have found the only place willing to ship to Australia (for what I'm willing to pay) is Bayou Lafourche Knife Works. Has anyone dealt with this company? I'm having nervous twitches with all this talk of credit card internet fraud stuff...

Appologies for the unconnected and long winded questions1

 

[weekend_warrior]

Have you tried this mob?

The Finer Edge
4 Quinn Court
Rowville 3178
AUSTRALIA
Phone: +61 3 9752 9736
Fax: +61 3 9752 9912
E-mail: info@thefineredge.net

They're the main Fallkniven guys in Oz..

(no connection to me, etc..etc...)

 

[Not Bob]

Hi all,
I've been perusing some other forums, including outdoor survival forum (wonder if they have an indoor survival one?) and have noticed a tendency towards really big knives.
They're generally said to be used for 'camp chores', but I'm having difficulty imagining how camping could require a 9 inch blade. Hmmm. I've personally done very well with my Opinels, which draw nothing near that size.
Am I missing something? Maybe all my camp trips have been far less adventurous than some of these fellows experience.

Without denying that there may be times a 9 inch blade would be useful (though no situations come to mind) may I suggest that the difference between you and some of those who recommend giganti-knives is that you aren't searching for an excuse to carry a big knife.

There's similar 'reasoning' behind the necessity to buy lots of firearms expressed by some survivalist writers. I could make a suggestion as to the motivation to get more and bigger but this is a family forum...

 

[Buckshot]

Isn't the camp chores bit the stuff we'd use an axe for?
If you've got an axe (or perhaps even a saw) then you don't really need a large knife do you?
Or perhaps you've been out where there isn't a need for a big knife.

Cheers

Mark

 

[leon-1]

Large knives have a place, generally places like the jungle require them (machete or parang), but you can normally get by anywhere else with an axe and or a saw and a 3 or 4 inch blade.

I have bigger blades myself, but they virtually never get used for bushcraft as the enviroment here does not lend itself to thier use and thier size makes them unweildy for most work.

 

[Tigger]

Wentworth,my dear chap,

I have been a collector and user of many kinds of sharp objects over the years,and a good solid 7to 9 inch blade certainly has its place,where bush craft is concerned.Having said that the times I did have such heavy duty equipment,I was in Peruvian jungle assisting in the excavation of a 4000 year old temple that had been swallowed by the afore mentioned jungle,many,many miles from any type of civilisation,and although I may giggle with child like glee,when tending my collection,I must agree that a good solid 3 to 4inch blade and an axe are all any sensible bushcraft enthusiast realy needs for even the most difficult tasks while camping,to my mind anything larger these people carry means they have somthing to prove and should best be avoided.
I hope you didn`t mind my sticking my oar in.
Tigger

 

[shinobi]

Hiya,

As someone that grew up through the 80's, it was very easy to be seduced by the huge "Rambo" knives that every survivalist used. Things then returned to some normality and 3-4" blades became the norm accompanied by an axe for heavier tasks.
On my trip to Sweden, I was introduced to a man that lived the bushcraft life all of his life.

Whilst he was very happy to use an axe (and extremely proficient with it too,) for most tasks around the camp he would reach for his Sami knife, commonly known as a leuku.
He would happily use this for the most delicate of tasks as well as chopping tasks. it perfectly covered the middle ground without being a compromise. I seem to remember that Gary has even whittled a spoon using a Sami knife. Try doing that with an axe.
There is a big difference between the skillfull use of a large blade and the aforementioned Rambo knives. Mainly in the attitude of the user!!!

Axes are very useful, but are awkward to use as a blade for smaller tasks. Also, having the cutting edge forward of the mass as well as the momentum caused by the heavier weight means that there is an increased risk of accidents (I know from experience!!)
Smaller knifes have a variety of uses around the campfire, so are a definite piece of anyones kit.
What you use for the larger tasks is down to personal preference. Horses for courses.

Martin

 

[bambodoggy]

My usual knife for bushcraft is an Allan Blade PackPal...it's very small for a fixed blade and works perfectly for me.... for larger tasks I use my axe...

However, I am also a very big fan of the MoD knife and it's a biggun!lol I can do fine tasks with it if needs be and also heavier chopping tasks... While in Sweden I felled the same size trees with it that others used a GB SFA for and it was fine.
I like that it's big and solid and that no matter what I use it for I cannot seem to break it.
Although the MoD is massive I don't think it is a very aggressive looking knife as it's fairly well rounded.

I'm not a fan of other "big knives" and certainly not the large "Bowie" type blades I think you're asking about.

Works for me anyway

Bam.

 

[leon-1]

However, I am also a very big fan of the MoD knife and it's a biggun!lol I can do fine tasks with it if needs be and also heavier chopping tasks... While in Sweden I felled the same size trees with it that others used a GB SFA for and it was fine.Bam.

Bam, I still have an MOD and the original Wilkinson Sword version, they are large and capable knives and used in the correct enviroment they are a superb tool and yes you can accomplish a lot with them , but I just find that I do not use them as much now because the axe I have is very sharp and has very good edge retention (better than the MOD and equally as good if not better than the WS).

Due to the long lever on the handle of an axe it takes a lot less effort for me to cut through things with it as the axe does the work (now where's that a quote from ).

Likewise because of the edge retention I find it lower maintanence than the MOD

Having said that I am still a fan of them because they have a place and when used in that place they are the best tool for the job which is why the design is still going (ask anyone that has used them in the military as I and probably yourself have).

 

[bambodoggy]

Leon.... couldn't agree more Mate

(as I said, I use the packpal and axe combo most often)

 

[Povarian]

Am I missing something?

Excess testosterone?

 

[Viking]

I use a big sami knife mostly because I can do so much more with it then with an axe and a sami knife does not weigh much and it´s always easy to reach. But I see my big knife more as a tool that can be used for so much more then cutting and chopping. I also carry a small knife but that is more for fine work or prepairing food.
There are a lot of big knives out there and I think they are often wrong contructued with too thick blades and they often weigh too much.

 

[Paganwolf]

some say its not how big it is its what you do with it that counts, i find having a big one and being able to use it well is much more the case, lol

 

[Messengek]

And on a different note, I'm trying to order a Fallkniven F1 for a reasonable price, and have found the only place willing to ship to Australia (for what I'm willing to pay) is Bayou Lafourche Knife Works. Has anyone dealt with this company? I'm having nervous twitches with all this talk of credit card internet fraud stuff...

 

[Messengek]

And on a different note, I'm trying to order a Fallkniven F1 for a reasonable price, and have found the only place willing to ship to Australia (for what I'm willing to pay) is Bayou Lafourche Knife Works. Has anyone dealt with this company? I'm having nervous twitches with all this talk of credit card internet fraud stuff...

Living in the Netherlands myself, I have ordered knives from Bayou Lafourche Knife Works a couple of times. No problem at all. I even ordered the Fallkniven F1 there, a great knife. Until now no problems with my creditcard either.
And I dont know about Australia, but the prices you have to pay here in the Netherlands are ridiculous, so I'm almost forced to order in the USA.

 

[Stuart]

I used to ask myself the same question and I used to belive that only certain styles of knife are sutable for bushcraft.

but having been fortunate enough to have seen what the Penan in the jungles of borneo can do in the way of detailed work with their parangs (17in blades) and the sami in finland with a leuku (10in blade)

I no longer question peoples choice of knife before I see what they can do with it, I still recommend certain features in a knife if somone asks my opinion, but if somone can do all there camp work to perfection with a 9in knife then sit down and carve beautiful spoons with it (as Chris claycomb often does much to my amazment) who are we to argue with there choice?

I have a San bushmans knife here in front of me, it has a small trangular handle with a partial tang and a double edged dagger blade which is barely a millimeter thick.

i would have said its the worst bushcraft knife imaginable, but i wouldnt want to compare my abilitys with the things the bushmen achive with such a tool

 

[ChrisKavanaugh]

Bayou Laforche will take care of you. One of your celebrity countrymen lives nearby. Because of his more or less one movie claim to fame, the poor man can't go anywhere without strangers raising dinner knives, SAKS etc and quoting "now thats a knife."

 

[martin]

I was converted to the Sami knife while in Sweden just recently. When I saw what could be done with it in skilled hands I was amazed.
Guess what I bought myself from Attleborough's yeah you got it right a 9 inch Sami Knife
I set myself a task, make a fire using only the knife, a firesteel and 6 inch diameter 11 inch long birch log. First I peeled the bark off the log and stuck it in my pocket for later on. Next I split the in half using the knife and a batton, then split it in to smaller bits. The small bits I made into feather sticks, the Sami Knife makes the best feather sticks I've ever seen. Next it was just a case of making a ball of the bark and arranging the feathersticks over the top.
Using the back of the knife and the fire steel I through a load of sparks on to the bark and it caught first time
I am very impressed with the knife, it goes from splitting logs to shaving really fine feathersticks, a top piece of kit. I would recomend them to anyone.

 

[shinobi]

The small bits I made into feather sticks, the Sami Knife makes the best feather sticks I've ever seen. .

Yeah, it does doesn't it mate. I have real trouble making feathersticks with my usual knife, but as soon as I use the sami knife, I get the nicest curls possible.
Oh yeah, the sparks are a lot better as well.
Welcome to the club mate!!

Martin

 

[Paganwolf]

I i would have said its the worst bushcraft knife imaginable, but i wouldnt want to compare my abilitys with the things the bushmen achive with such a tool

A craftsman uses a too but also uses skill, forsite and initiative this is something that the bushmen excell in as rescourses and calories are precious to them and waste is not in their vocabulary, so that being said is their such a thing as a "good or bad bushcraft knife?" just because its not in the shape we percieve to be a good bushcraft knife doesnt mean its not a sharp and handy blade, true words spoken Stuart.