Knife Handles

[Barney]

Every particular use requires a different knife handle. For example, bushcrafting handle needs to be bulky to fill the hand entirely. Thin handles even after short use can create hot spots and blisters.

 

[Gondor]

I agree with that. People usually talk about one knife for all tasks but that requires so many compromises that whoever tells me that has a knife that can handle everything I know he knows nothing about knives.

 

[Barney]

Exactly! What I did is try to find the knife that will be the best possible compromise for hunting/wood preparation/bushcrafting/food preparation which I keep in my survival kit. But regularly, I use a different knife for each of those tasks.

 

[Bojib]

Probably depends a lot on the person as well. I have big hands, so I need something I can actually hold on to. So I usually look for knives with good bulky handles. Smaller knives are just tough for me to grip.

 

[oldsarge]

Think most folks try to find something to fit most circumstances. It would be great to have the right tool for the job every time, but depending on your situation, you may be limited. I have yet to find the ideal knife but many have come close. I guess it comes down to what you want to carry. Car camping allows you to have pretty much all the tools you want. Light weight backpacking limits you to how much you want to carry. What I ask myself is, "If I could have one knife, which knife would I want with me in a pinch"? Then make it work.

 

[Barney]

Think most folks try to find something to fit most circumstances. It would be great to have the right tool for the job every time, but depending on your situation, you may be limited. I have yet to find the ideal knife but many have come close. I guess it comes down to what you want to carry. Car camping allows you to have pretty much all the tools you want. Light weight backpacking limits you to how much you want to carry. What I ask myself is, "If I could have one knife, which knife would I want with me in a pinch"? Then make it work.

That is true. For me, finding a compromise between the following two uses is the hardest job: Survival and Utility. Most of the time you will need a blade that will be used for smaller tasks, which means light and short. Survival is exactly the opposite, heavy and long. Bushcraft falls somewhere in between.

 

[Gondor]

I see most of the people picking blades that could fall into the bushcrafting category, which are medium length comfortable knives. Now, will they be closer to lighter performance of EDC/Utility or to heavier of Survival? Also what about hunting purposes?

 

[Barney]

Hunters like to chose up on the blade while skinning game. Shallower handle near the blade, deep finger choil and safe finger guard are needed in this case.

 

[oldsarge]

We debated knife size issue while teaching survival in Panama. Panamanians use machetes exclusively for any work in the jungle. I don't remember seeing any of them carrying a smaller knife. I got on the Rambo style survival knife kick for a while and decided it wasn't for me. Until of course I learned optional techniques on how to make that particular knife work for me. Now I would possibly consider carrying one again. Jim Lyle and Chris Reeves make high quality hollow handle knifes that hold up well. But when it all comes down to it, I would have my Swiss Champ, a larger field knife (6" blade) and a small machete. If I could only have one, I think I'd be going back to my Jim Lyle.

 

[ghostdog]

We debated knife size issue while teaching survival in Panama. Panamanians use machetes exclusively for any work in the jungle. I don't remember seeing any of them carrying a smaller knife...

I was surf fishing down in the Sea of Cortez years ago and a Mexican fellow filleted them for me with his machete just to show off his skills with the tool. He was slick with that big knife.

For me, I never carry a big knife when afoot. There is a machete in my vehicle along with a folding saw, shovel and small axe, the normal backcountry tool list for travel. The Mora knives have good comfortable handles and a few choices in handles that should make about anyone happy. The blades are thin and anywhere from 3" to 4" which I find perfect for an all-arounder.

 

[oldsarge]

The Mora knives have good comfortable handles and a few choices in handles that should make about anyone happy. The blades are thin and anywhere from 3" to 4" which I find perfect for an all-arounder.

I've been meaning to get a couple of those. I keep seeing them in the Cheaper Than Dirt & Sportsman Guide catalogs. They are very good priced too!

 

[ghostdog]

I've been meaning to get a couple of those. I keep seeing them in the Cheaper Than Dirt & Sportsman Guide catalogs. They are very good priced too!

I have used them over the years and find one of the newer models, the Mora Companion MG to be the most comfortable for me. I like the military green color too.

You can get them in carbon or Swedish Sandvik 12C27. 12 bucks for the carbon and 13 bucks for the 12c27. They both cut like crazy and are easy to sharpen. There are super steels that have more wear resistance but I have found with my own blades in various steels that the edge usually fails from micro chipping or rolling, not wear. The 12c27 is a very clean steel with a very fine carbide pattern. It is easy to strop it back to fresh carbides and take out the micro rolls with just a few licks on 1000 grit to 2000 grit paper. The carbon is more likely to micro chip but it too comes back to a sharp edge with little fuss. Overall both hold an edge well and it is easy to get them scary sharp. They are nice and relatively light weight too.

There are some other interesting models in the Companion series too.

Ragnar's Ragweed Forge is where I've done business for years. He is a real good guy and gets the knives to you fast.

 

[oldsarge]

Thanks for the link, I may be doing some shopping real soon!

 

[Cappy]

I love reading yalls posts about knives and geer and stuff but seldom feel quaLIFIED TO POST. I guess I never got into techy geer and you dedicated camper types have left me behind. This is a big reason I keep coming baCK TO PESTER YALL. One of these days I'm gonna have to gather all the knives I have in one pile and take pictures and inventory. Family and friends figure ole Cap py is an outdoorsman so he could use a knife. Christmas, birthdays etc. They come trickling in and put somewhere. I bet I have half a dozen knifes and 2 multi tools in ma ole jeep. I really just have 3 go to blades. 1 is a 3 bladed buck pocket knife, I keep it rZOR sharp and am never with out it. I don't exactly take it camping it just goes every where I go with no conchous thought. The other knife I bring always is a old chicago cutlery fillet knife. I bought it for my father for Christmas like 35 years ago. His filet knife had been stole with his tackle box. He used it till he passed then I took it back. It is my constant camping companion cooking knife and I use it camping as well as cooking with the guys. My last blade don't always come cause its my brush knife. It's a cane knife with a fat blade. I guess its my hatchet/machette. I use it as such and have on ocassion cooked on the blade. Just got a new one of those as the ole one slap wore out.

Being a creature of habbit with the litterally buckets full of knives I have around here When I pack to go: hunting, fishing, camping, etc it always only no more than the three above mentioned ole relics

 

[oldsarge]

Hey Cappy, what ever works for you is the way to go. Sounds like you got all the bases covered! The problem with knives is that every time I see one I like, I have to have it. So I end up with stuff I'll most likely not use. I'm not as bad as I used to be. I had quite a collection while in the military, but after being burglarized and loosing most of them, I never tried to replace them all.

 

[Judy Ann]

Ghostdog, What does your girlfriend carry?

 

[ghostdog]

Ghostdog, What does your girlfriend carry?

Her's is for food prep only and it is an Opinel Paring knife. They are very light and very sharp. I made her a leather sheath for it. Her knife is one of these;

and her backpacking sheath is similar to the one I made for myself and the food prep Opinel I carry;

I bought them ---> Here

The second one I use in the kitchen every day. It is my favorite paring knife. There are other colors of handles. The green like I got is Stabilized Hornbeam and it is so hard that it still looks brand new after several hard years of use. The steel is 12c27, my favorite kitchen steel. You don't have to worry after it on a trip. It is tough and stainless but keeps a very respectable edge.

 

[wvbreamfisherman]

I Love, love, love Mora knives! Also the opinel carbon steel folders http://www.amazon.com/Opinel-Carbon-Steel-Folding-knife/dp/B000UGYWQM are very hard to beat. I have a bunch of them stuff in my cooking gear, toolbox, tackle box, etc.

They are excellent value for the price and take an hold a razor edge very well.