Scandinavia
In the spirit of "survival as camping" let me first offer a link to an
old camping and woodcraft book, available free as an eBook. (Gutenberg.org, in
found in this search.)
The following quote is drawn from the above book:
by: George Washington Sears (Nessmuk)
The hatchet and knives shown in the engraving will be found to fill the bill satisfactorily so far as cutlery may be required. Each is good and useful of its kind, the hatchet especially, being the best model I have ever found for a "double-barreled" pocket-axe. And just here let me digress for a little chat on the indispensable hatchet; for it is the most difficult piece of camp kit to obtain in perfection of which I have any knowledge. Before I was a dozen years old I came to realize that a light hatchet was a sine qua non in woodcraft, and I also found it a most difficult thing to get. I tried shingling hatchets, lathing hatchets, and the small hatchets to be found in country hardware stores, but none of them were satisfactory. I had quite a number made by blacksmiths who professed skill in making edge tools, and these were the worst of all, being like nothing on the earth or under it—murderous-looking, clumsy, and all too heavy, with no balance or proportion. I had hunted twelve years before I caught up with the pocket-axe I was looking for. It was made in Rochester, by a surgical instrument maker named Bushnell. It cost time and money to get it. I worked one rainy Saturday fashioning the pattern in wood. Spoiled a day going to Rochester, waited a day for the blade, paid $3.00 for it, and lost a day coming home. Boat fare $1.00, and expenses $2.00, besides three days lost time, with another rainy Sunday for making leather sheath and hickory handle.
A word as to knife, or knives. These are of prime necessity, and should be of the best, both as to shape and temper. The "bowies" and "hunting knives" usually kept on sale, are thick, clumsy affairs, with a sort of ridge along the middle of the blade, murderous-looking, but of little use; rather fitted to adorn a dime novel or the belt of "Billy the Kid," than the outfit of the hunter. The one shown in the cut is thin in the blade, and handy for skinning, cutting meat, or eating with. The strong double-bladed pocket knife is the best model I have yet found, and, in connection with the sheath knife, is all sufficient for camp use. It is not necessary to take table cutlery into the woods. A good fork may be improvised from a beech or birch stick; and the half of a fresh-water mussel shell, with a split stick by way of handle, makes an excellent spoon.
There are some folks up in northern Scandinavia that seem to do a good job of outdoor survival, and they've been at it for generations.
With that in mind, permit me to offer a selection of Scandinavian knives covering the spectrum you mentioned.
(Keep in mind that there are some manufacturers that cover all your bases in a single manufacturing facility, e.g. Buck Knives, but I'm not doing the Buck fanboi thing tonight.)
I'm going to wander over to
Ragnar's Forge as the primary source for this exercise. (I can't guarantee that these will all be in stock on any given day, but there are also other sources.)
We're going to see if we can find
- a larger fixed blade knife
- a smaller fixed blade knife
- a decent folding knife
- and possibly a fourth item.
Larger fixed blades
(The first three are
Leuku knives, a larger Scandinavian knife having a blade anywhere from 6 to 8 inches, somewhat heavier and suited to chopping, skinning, and general camp chores.)
| (I have this set in stainless) | |
(The one below is a Mora knife, and is the Mora "answer to the Leuku" knife.)
Smaller fixed blades
(First, a bushcraft/survival knife)
(Another survival knife design -- actually a very good general use knife, it loves the kitchen. I have several of these.)
(And then a somewhat Americanized hunting knife. I have an older version of this one.)
(And then a couple more hunting knives)
Folders -- Interestingly, I actually have all of these folders:
(First, a full-sized locking folder with traditional Scandi grind, about the size of a Buck 110)
(Then a flat ground more updated drop point folder)
(And two slightly smaller folders; the first is a lightweight general use knife, the second is heavier and suited to field dressing.)
** don't let the photo size fool you; these two knives are the same size.
Now, in the "possibly a forth item" section, we can go with a multitool (I carry a Leatherman Wave) or, depending on the actual circumstances, add a hatchet to the mix.
Here, for example, is the Rosseli hatchet.
Tired now. That's all for tonight.
