Camp knife suggestions

[jtcarm]

I need a decent fixed-blade camp-knife for, well, camping and general woods loafing. It would need to be capable of skinning big game and strong/heavy enough to baton wood.

Prefer a blade no more than 6", but a balance that is on the blade-heavy side.

Suggestions?

 

[lihpster]

ESEE 5 or 6.


Edit: or a Kabar.

 

[opaul]

Boker, EESE, Benchmade and Helle come to mind. What is your budget?

 

[rockquarry]

How do you "baton" wood? I'm unfamiliar with the term.

 

[lihpster]

How do you "baton" wood? I'm unfamiliar with the term.

Put the knife on the wood you want to split and use another piece of wood to drive the knife through the wood.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Get a Morakniv.
Excellent knives, Hard to beat for the money.

 

[Flattop5]

Becker. Or Esee.

KA-BAR Becker BK2 Companion, polyester sheath | Advantageously shopping at Knivesandtools.com

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[A10]

How much you want to spend? My preference is either Bark River or Dan Tope. Pete Winkler makes some fine knives too. I carry two, a Bark River Fox River and a Tope Recon.

 

[Rpg]

I'd get an Old Hickory butcher knife and keep it with the camping stuff.

Nothing fancy: probably find one for $20.00.

 

[lihpster]

I'd get an Old Hickory butcher knife and keep it with the camping stuff.

Nothing fancy: probably find one for $20.00.

Many a mountain man headed for the Rockies seeking fortune with something similar in their belts.

 

[Onomea]

I think you want two knives. One for skinning and another for everyday camp chores, like batonning wood. Maybe a Falkniven A1 for everyday chores, and a dedicated Buck 110 for skinning.

 

[shutupdata113]

Esee 6 for the win

 

[s&wchad]

I think you want two knives. One for skinning and another for everyday camp chores, like batonning wood. Maybe a Falkniven A1 for everyday chores, and a dedicated Buck 110 for skinning.

Either 2 knives, or a knife and a hatchet. I've dressed a lot of deer and a 3" blade is more than enough. A larger knife is fine for cutting up meat, but it's awkward for field dressing and skinning.

I've seen reviews of survival types batoning wood with a huge Rambo style knife. I'd have little use for something like that in the field. If I caught someone batonong wood with one of my good hunting knives, we'd have some serious words and I'd never let them touch my gear again. Use the right tool for the job.

 

[dmar]

If you want a really nice knife that is very capable, get the Fallkniven. The Esee knives a very good knives, as well, and have a great warranty. The Esee 5 is an a real beast of a survival knife. It's blade is a quarter in thick. The Esee 4 is still a hearty knife, but not as stout, it's a very good all around knife.

As for camping using your knife to chop/split/batton wood, I say much of that is just knife forum talk. If your planning a camping trip, pack a hatchet/ax, don't use your knife.

Can you get away with using your nice camping knife to split some wood in a pinch? Sure. Should you? No. That's survival situation stuff, where you suddenly find yourself in the elements, unplanned and unprepared.

My opinion here, but just like with guns, those of us who like knives take things to the extreme when conjuring up scenarios of what may happen/how they could be used. Sure, you could be in a situation where you'll need your knife to batton some wood, and should have a knife that can handle that task. But, I wouldn't subject my nice knife to that abuse when I have a perfectly good hatchet handy. That said, the knives I mentioned above can handle it.

I've got several nice camping/survival knives, including the ones listed above, and if I had to choose one, it would be the Fallkniven (A1 or A2, pick your size). You could skin with these knives as well, but again, I'd probably have a smaller skinning knife handy if I was planning that task.

 

[dmar]

Either 2 knives, or a knife and a hatchet. I've dressed a lot of deer and a 3" blade is more than enough. A larger knife is fine for cutting up meat, but it's awkward for field dressing and skinning.

I've seen reviews of survival types batoning wood with a huge Rambo style knife. I'd have little use for something like that in the field. If I caught someone batonong wood with one of my good hunting knives, we'd have some serious words and I'd never let them touch my gear again. Use the right tool for the job.

Funny Chad, we were on the same wavelength, at the same time... You said it more concisely...! .

 

[The Norseman]

Sharper Edge

I suggest this Buck Knife, I have with me, easy carry, useful size
and stays sharp. Circa 1980 Buck 102 U.S.A Knife 7-3/4"L, 4" Blade,
came with a Buck Black Leather Belt Loop Carrying Case.

The Best to you and your Endeavors.

 

[jtcarm]

I suggest this Buck Knife, I have with me, easy carry, useful size

and stays sharp. Circa 1980 Buck 102 U.S.A Knife 7-3/4"L, 4" Blade,

came with a Buck Black Leather Belt Loop Carrying Case.



The Best to you and your Endeavors.

With a Mountain Gun no less.

Talk about same wavelength!

 

[Onomea]

Don't have any myself, but I've seen Scandinavian hunting knives with large comfortable looking handles and short blades. For skinning, I assume.

These two would be a good combination. The first is my no-name knife reportedly purchased at Abercrombie & Fitch in the 1950s and a veteran of a number of Canadian hunting trips:



The second is my father's WWII Cattaraugus 225 Q. (These are still available on eBay, etc., and are excellent knives.)



I agree, though, that for splitting and chopping wood, a hatchet makes more sense.

(The pocket watch, a 21 jewel Sangamo Special by Illinois, is included gratis here 'cause I like American railroad pocket watches.)

 

[Flattop5]

Don't have any myself, but I've seen Scandinavian hunting knives with large comfortable looking handles and short blades. For skinning, I assume.

These two would be a good combination. The first is my no-name knife reportedly purchased at Abercrombie & Fitch in the 1950s and a veteran of a number of Canadian hunting trips:



The second is my father's WWII Cattaraugus 225 Q. (These are still available on eBay, etc., and are excellent knives.)



I agree, though, that for splitting and chopping wood, a hatchet makes more sense.

(The pocket watch, a 21 jewel Sangamo Special by Illinois, is included gratis here 'cause I like American railroad pocket watches.)

I had a great Illinois Bunn Special, but stupidly lost it to a pawn shop when I could not re-start the loan. By the time I could, the watch was already sold. Luckily I still have a similar Hamilton.

------

 

[Ray1970]

I think you want two knives. One for skinning and another for everyday camp chores, like batonning wood. Maybe a Falkniven A1 for everyday chores, and a dedicated Buck 110 for skinning.

Yeah. I'm not keen on using my field dressing knife for other camp duties.

My combo is an ESEE 5 (or 6) for general duties and an Izula for delicate tasks.