Bearcat1982
Member
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2023
- Messages
- 194
I prefer a quick wood wedge over a steel wedge splitting wood. Heard to many tales of steel chipping off and hitting people and things.
Camping/woods knife
- Thread starter Axis II
- Start date
Mikhail Weiss
Member
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2009
- Messages
- 507
Demko Freereign hasn't been mentioned yet.
I like the Condor bisonte, but there are many heavy-use field knives out there to chose from. All are compromises, so figure out your priority of missions and pick the one that works best at what you will be doing the most.
Old Dog
Member
Well, you're not alone. For those of us that have spent time outdoors for many years, the idea of being without a camp axe or at least a hatchet is a bit incomprehensible. But now that everything seems to be about SHTF, survivalism, and whatever, it's a thing. Perhaps we're just old and haven't caught up to the fact that all we need is a good knife.
Jonah77
Member
- Joined
- May 13, 2023
- Messages
- 147
Only a few…thousand years of past practice back this up.
I remember (still have the magazines to prove it lol) when it went from practical usefulness to “let’s hammer this knife into a car door and see if I can still shave with it.” And the arms race started.
I couldn’t afford a Busse so I started buying John Greco’s 1/4” thick knives. Some really cool *looking* knives…until you needed to actually cut something. When you that thick you’re pretty much limited to either chopping or batoning (or fighting).
All those years in the woods and never once felt the need baton anything with a knife. Didn’t know what I was missing until I stumbled upon Blade Forums and Tactical Knives.
Ahhh…the good old days!
Lol
People have been batoning with knives to make bigger pieces of wood into smaller pieces of wood since long before Bear Grylls was born.
So . . . how do you define "quick"? I don't contest whether someone choose to baton with a knife, but I know if I were carving a wedge, it wouldn't be something I'd call quick, especially compared to just using an ESEE 6 and a stout piece something to beat it through what I wanted to split. The idea of using wedges for splitting is great, but it seems too labor intensive if you already have a knife that you know you can baton through rounds without hurting it. On the other hand, if all you're carrying is an SAK, then wedges rule!
In the video I posted, the guy made a wood wedge. He then proceeded to getting his knife stuck on purpose. He took the wedge and beat it into the log, opening it up to free his knife.
There's always a better tool for the job, that much we can all agree with. Batoning wood with your knife would be more of a survival issue.
Hopefully you'll have a bugout bag, with more than just a knife or two inside.
There's always a better tool for the job, that much we can all agree with. Batoning wood with your knife would be more of a survival issue.
Hopefully you'll have a bugout bag, with more than just a knife or two inside.
Couple of minutes...under 5. It's just quck and rough.
The problem with battoning is if you chip the edge (seen it in the field) or break the knife (saw that too). If I can use this tool to make another tool that will take the abuse and not care about it then I don't put my tool-making tool at risk since I need it for making more tools.
I was minimalist/woodcraft/bushcraft camping/backpacking from the late 1960s on in the GSMNP and surrounding national and state forests on nearly a weekly basis and never saw anyone baton. We made plenty of quick fires in the SE Appalachians for decades without it.
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? It doesn't have to be pretty, just wedge shaped. I freaked a bunch of Becker guys out showing a little kid how easy it was to use a BK16 to carve a quick angled wedge end on a piece of limb I'd used my Victorinox Master Craftsman saw blade to cut, make a notch in the wood being spit with the same blade, and then driving the wedge in to split the wood. The wedge is useless after a couple of uses, but if all you need is to get to the dry inside for a fire it's expedient.
Ah! I was thinking of doing it all with a knife and having to beaver chew my way through the branch to get the end suitable for hammering. I wasn't thinking of using a saw or a knife with a saw built into it. My brain was going down the path of "all I have is a knife" and I wasn't thinking multi-tool or SAK.
Since I always have a Vic Master Craftsman in my pocket it is worn like an article of clothing or watch instead of "carried".
You can cut the branch and hack out a wedge, but you have to take more care in getting the flat face to pound.
You can cut the branch and hack out a wedge, but you have to take more care in getting the flat face to pound.
Which . . . takes time!
Props to you for always having your SAK handy. I keep my Ranger clipped on a lanyard around my neck even when I am at home, even when I'm asleep in my recliner. The exception is when I'm at the gym, when a Huntsman is in the pocket of my sweatpants.
I think that too few people appreciate how effective, useful, and versatile the little saw on an SAK really is. As you mentioned previously, they're great for cutting notches in addition to more obvious saw-type action. Plus, the back side is great for scraping a ferro rod.
There's
I carried a Vic Alox Farmer X until I started buying the discontinued Vic Master Craftsmen to carry. The file with cutting edge and the saw are so useful on the MC.
Only thing better is the Opinel #12 saw, but it is pocketable only in the sense you can put it in your hip or jacket pocket instead of it rides in the front pocket so well you have it always with you. It is light and small enough to carry in any size pack (well, it would have to be a large waist pack, but yeah).
I carried a Vic Alox Farmer X until I started buying the discontinued Vic Master Craftsmen to carry. The file with cutting edge and the saw are so useful on the MC.
theotherwaldo
Member
I have blades that might get batoned in an emergency.
They are known as machetes, bolos, kukras and similar devices.
Don't break your knife out of stupidity.
It's what keeps you alive.
They are known as machetes, bolos, kukras and similar devices.
Don't break your knife out of stupidity.
It's what keeps you alive.
Armored farmer
Member
I'm seeing some high end quality knives...so I'll go low...
I keep a Mora stuffed in the Molle webbing of my backpacks
.
If I'm camping I intend to have one of my 'hawks along for chopping/ splitting/ pounding .
My buddy makes my favorite knives. He doesn't sell them, he gives them as prizes at our BP club.
I have been fortunate to win a few.
I keep a Mora stuffed in the Molle webbing of my backpacks
.
If I'm camping I intend to have one of my 'hawks along for chopping/ splitting/ pounding .
My buddy makes my favorite knives. He doesn't sell them, he gives them as prizes at our BP club.
I have been fortunate to win a few.
Attachments
The saws on some Leatherman tools are pretty good too, but the saws on all Victorinox knives that have them are sharp and efficient cutters. Their design and QA/QC are world class.
The Vic files are also always well made, which is hit and miss on any other brand of multi-tool including Leatherman.
My only criticism of the SOG saw is the teeth aren't offset as well as the Opis and Vics. The SOG cuts, but the Opi and Vic saws cut better and they clear themselves.
MutinousDoug
Member
That Kephart looks useful!
triplewhiteman
Member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2023
- Messages
- 2
Gerber Prodigy is a great all-around camping/outdoors knife with an awesome sheath! Available at Walmart, sometimes on sale for $40-$50.
