![\"\"](\"http:\/\/larsonweb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/DanielBooneFront.jpg\" "\\"Daniel")
<\/a>However, as I’ve grown up, I’ve come to realize that a knife isn’t really used for doing combat with\u00a0carnivorous forest predators. \u00a0However, in spite of the fact that I’ve never killed a bear with a knife, a knife is pretty handy in the backcountry. \u00a0\u00a0This post examines my real-world use of knives and how I select which one(s) to bring with me when I leave home and head into the wilderness.<\/p>\n Knife Uses: \u00a0Here are some of the things I use knives for on a regular basis when I’m in the backcountry and the types of knives that work best for these tasks:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Cleaning fish.<\/strong> \u00a0 A smaller knife with a relatively thin blade seems to work best for gutting and cleaning fish, although pretty much any knife will work. \u00a0A fixed blade knife is easier to clean when you’re done than a folder.<\/p>\n Starting small fires<\/strong>. \u00a0Making feather sticks and shaving off very small pieces of wood or other plant material to make tinder and fine kindling is best done with a knife that has a medium to medium-large blade. \u00a0Fixed blade knives are ideal, but any sturdy folding blade knife will also work.<\/p>\n Building larger fires.<\/strong>\u00a0 Splitting wood by batoning it is a task that is best done with a medium to large knife with a thicker blade.<\/p>\n Shelter building.<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0If you’re building a shelter out of natural materials, a medium-large to large knife is the most efficient tool. \u00a0A knife with a thicker, longer blade will be more efficient at lopping off boughs of trees, notching logs, and other big chopping tasks associated with building natural shelters in wooded areas. A medium or large knife is also more efficient for non-chopping tasks such as cutting and collecting reeds, cat-tails, long grasses\u00a0etc. as part of the shelter building process.<\/p>\n Trail clearing<\/strong>. \u00a0Chopping through heavy brush to force a path through an overgrown trail or through a trail blocked by branches etc. \u00a0 This is a task uniquely suited for a large\u00a0machete-like knife. \u00a0I think I’ve only resorted to chopping my way through brush on a couple of occasions. \u00a0Mostly, it’s easier (and safer) to just find an alternative route.<\/p>\n Fine Carving tasks. \u00a0<\/strong>A small to medium size knife is best for fine carving tasks such as preparing fireboard and spindle for fire-making, carving deadfall triggers, carving spoons or other implements, carving fishhooks, and recreational whittling (turning large sticks into smaller sticks.)<\/p>\n Miscellaneous\u00a0 small cutting tasks.<\/strong>\u00a0 Cutting cord, cutting cloth, cutting food packaging, cutting duct tape, trimming first aid dressings. \u00a0These tasks are best accomplished with a small knife.<\/p>\n I think that the above list covers pretty much everything I’ve ever done with a knife in the backcountry. \u00a0 The cutting tasks are pretty varied, and no single type of knife will be the best at any one task.<\/p>\n So, I choose my knife based on what I think I will be doing on a trip.<\/p>\n Standard Lightweight backpacking:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 If I am going on a standard, lightweight backpacking trip, I am typically carrying a shelter and a small backpacking stove that burns \u00a0both alcohol and wood (Trail Designs Ti-Tri.<\/a>) \u00a0For trips like these, the only cutting tasks I do much of are cleaning fish, and miscellaneous small cutting tasks, along with making the occasional feather stick for starting a small fire. \u00a0 Weight is the enemy, as I am often covering lots of ground and I try to keep my carried weight as low as possible. \u00a0On these trips, I typically carry only a lightweight knife.<\/p>\n My current favorite is the small Chris Reeve Sebenza<\/a> folding knife. It has a 3 inch blade, a titanium handle, and the folding mechanism is very strong and secure. \u00a0It weighs only 2.7 ounces. \u00a0The Sebenza is a very high quality folding knife that is stout and solid enough that it feels like a fixed blade knife. \u00a0It’s good at making feather sticks, small cutting tasks, and cleaning fish. \u00a0I can open and close the blade one handed. \u00a0When I’m backpacking, this is usually the knife I take.<\/p>\n Wilderness Survival:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0I’m not a wilderness survival expert, but I have taken a lot of survival and bushcraft classes, and I’ve spent a fair amount of time in the backcountry building shelters and doing other traditional bushcraft tasks. \u00a0Just about every year, I take boy scouts out into the forest and teach shelter building techniques. \u00a0Occasionally, I will test my own skills by leaving my backpacking equipment behind and going camping with minimal gear. \u00a0For activities like these, having a knife with some heft to it makes life a lot easier.<\/p>\n I’ve got several larger knives, but my current favorite is probably the Mountain Caribou<\/a> knife made by Cariboo Blades. \u00a0It has a blade that is a hair over 6 inches in length, about a quarter inch thick. \u00a0It’s a beautiful, hand made tool, but it is made for hard duty. \u00a0It handles heavy chopping tasks almost as well as my bigger knives (Thor and Trailmaster) but its shorter blade length makes it better than these long bladed knives for carving and finer tasks. \u00a0Any of my larger knives performs admirably in a heavy, wilderness survival role, but the balance, beauty, and function of the Cariboo make it my sentimental favorite.<\/p>\n Car Camping: <\/strong>\u00a0When I’m car camping, I don’t have to worry as much about weight saving as I do when I’m under my own power. \u00a0I usually bring an assortment of cutting tools. \u00a0Typically, I pack a medium size knife (my Ray Coon Damascus) in my kitchen kit for food prep tasks and general camp chores, whittling, etc.<\/p>\n For bigger cutting tasks while car camping, I generally don’t use a knife. \u00a0I use an axe and a saw. \u00a0An axe and saw are much more efficient than a knife for large cutting tasks such as cutting firewood, or clearing deadfall from a jeep trail. \u00a0My axe and saw of choice are the Gransfors Bruks<\/a> “Small Forest Axe”, and the Ray Mears “Woodlore” folding saw<\/a>. \u00a0 These tools strike a nice balance between usability and weight and bulk. \u00a0They are compact and light enough to stow away easily and could easily be carried with you while hiking if necessary. \u00a0They are big enough that they get the job done. \u00a0The saw breaks down to a small compact bundle and fits in a high quality well-made case that also carries the axe. \u00a0I have used these tools to cut my way through downed trees that had fallen across the jeep trail I was driving. \u00a0I’ve also used them for various other wood cutting tasks such as cutting firewood and cutting down logs to make stools, etc. \u00a0 They are beautifully fashioned, high quality tools that are made to last a lifetime.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Multi-tools: \u00a0<\/strong>Most trips, in addition to a knife, I will bring along a small multi-tool. \u00a0If I’m going really light (like when I’m climbing or doing a long ultra-light backpacking trip) I will just take a small multi-tool instead of a knife. \u00a0There are times when a pliers, scissors, or screwdriver can be very useful. \u00a0I generally don’t take a full size multi-tool, but favor a smaller size tool such as the Leatherman Squirt PS4 which has both a pliers and a scissors. \u00a0Sometimes, I take my old Victorinox Champion Swiss Army Knife. \u00a0I’ve had it since I was 12 years old and it has served me well for many years. \u00a0The handle scales came off of it after years of use, and I replaced them with mammoth ivory handles.<\/p>\n Various Knives I own and use:<\/strong><\/p>\n Baladeo “22G<\/a>“<\/strong> \u00a0(0.8 ounces) \u00a0 At less than one ounce, this is a seriously lightweight folding knife. \u00a0It has a decent locking mechanism, but it isn’t really made for heavy duty activities. \u00a0It’s great for cleaning fish and general cutting chores. \u00a0 I carry this in my backcountry fishing kit as a fish cleaning knife and as an emergency\/back-up blade.<\/p>\n Chris Reeve Sebenza<\/strong><\/a> (small) \u00a02.7 ounces \u00a0This small, lightweight and tough knife is the benchmark for high-quality folders. \u00a0It’s manufactured with close tolerances and quality materials. \u00a0A perfect all-around small folder. \u00a0My Sebenza has an Insingo blade profile<\/a> that is slightly different than the traditional spear-point design. \u00a0 The Sebenza comes with an integral clip on it that clips it to your pocket. \u00a0I didn’t really want or need this clip, so I removed it. \u00a0I filled the space where the clip was with a small titanium insert from Edge Specialties<\/a>. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Coon 3.5 inch fixed blade \u00a0(5.6 ounces) and\u00a0Coon 5 inch fixed blade (9 ounces)<\/strong> \u00a0Raymond Coon<\/a> makes beautiful, hand forged\u00a0Damascus\u00a0blades. \u00a0They are beautiful, but also very functional. \u00a0The small, 3.5 inch fixed blade knife resides permanently in my fishing vest and is used primarily for gutting fish. \u00a0The larger 5 inch blade knife is my all-around camp\/kitchen knife when I’m car camping. \u00a0Either would make a good all-around carving\/bushcraft knife.<\/p>\n J. Neilsen 5 inch fixed blade \u00a0“Scandi-Bushcraft)<\/a> \u00a0<\/strong>13.2 ounces (includes 1.6 ounce firesteel) \u00a0This is a pretty good all-around bushcraft knife. \u00a0It’s blade is thick enough for heavy duty tasks like batoning wood, and it’s short enough to be useful for fine carving tasks. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Mora “Bushcraft Force”\u00a0<\/a><\/strong> 4 inch fixed blade \u00a05.2 ounces. \u00a0Mora knives are one of the true bargains in knives. \u00a0Usually, you get what you pay for. \u00a0With Mora knives, you get more than you pay for. \u00a0They are no-frills, plain jane knives, with solid construction and good steel that maintains an edge. \u00a0The Mora is a great first knife for the aspiring bushcrafter.<\/p>\n K-Bar Becker “BK-7”<\/strong> \u00a07 inch fixed blade \u00a022.1 ounces \u00a0(includes firesteel, sharpening stone, small “Remora” knife, and braided paracord bracelet that adds 3.8 ounces ) \u00a0The Becker BK-7\u00a0<\/a>is a reasonably priced solid knife that is a good all around survival knife. \u00a0It’s sturdy and substantial enough for shelter building and other hard duty tasks. \u00a0The blade is strong, the steel is high quality. \u00a0It’s not as beautiful as a custom knife, but it’s simple effective design is a great example of form dictated by function. \u00a0This knife lives in the glove compartment of my truck, and it has cut rope, battery cables, watermelon, and dozens of other things. \u00a0If you need a quality, hard-working knife at a good price, this would be an awesome choice. \u00a0The factory sheath isn’t fancy, but it does have pockets for some survival accessories and a small Becker Remora<\/a> knife.<\/p>\n Cariboo \u00a0“Mountain Knife”<\/a> 6 inch fixed blade \u00a0 \u00a029.5 ounces \u00a0 \u00a0(Includes 4.5 ounce firesteel, and diamond stone and tinder tabs weighing 1.8 ounces) \u00a0 This beautiful knife is hand made from reclaimed materials. \u00a0It’s probably my favorite knife in my collection. \u00a0The balance and feel is terrific. \u00a0It’s size and shape make it well suited for a very broad range of tasks. \u00a0It’s the perfect all-around knife. \u00a0The sheath has a holder for a large firesteel and a pouch for a sharpening stone and tinder tabs.<\/p>\n Cold Steel Carbon V “Trailmaster”<\/a> \u00a09 inch fixed blade \u00a0 34.2 ounces \u00a0(Includes firesteel, braided paracord bracelet, and CRKT “Minimalist” small knife that adds 3.2 ounces ) \u00a0I bought this knife back in the early 1990’s when the Trailmaster was made in the USA from Carbon V steel. \u00a0I don’t have any experience with Cold Steel’s current crop of Chinese made knives, but this vintage Trailmaster has been a great knife. \u00a0I have used and abused it for many years, and it’s none the worse for wear. \u00a0The Carbon V steel sharpens easily, keeps an edge, and is very tough. \u00a0I recently replaced the factory sheath with a custom sheath by Chuddy Bear Leather<\/a>. \u00a0The sheath has a place for a very small CRKT Minimalist<\/a> knife and a firesteel.<\/p>\n Fallkniven “Thor”<\/a> 10 inch fixed blade \u00a037.4 ounces (includes firesteel, diamond stone, fishing line and hooks, LED light, 20 feet of paracord, and tinder tabs that adds 4.2 ounces) \u00a0This is a terrific large knife. \u00a0It is made with a laminated steel blade that sandwiches a carbon steel layer between two stainless layers. \u00a0This knife came from the factory with as sharp of an edge as I’ve ever experienced in a factory made knife. \u00a0It was shaving sharp when new, and it has not taken much effort at all to keep it that way. \u00a0Its size and heft make it a great chopper, and I’ve used it for shelter building and other heavy duty tasks with great success. \u00a0The stacked leather handle was a little bit slippery when new, but with use, it has become a bit less slick. \u00a0The balance on this knife is very good, and I’d have to say that this is my favorite of my big, long-bladed knives. \u00a0The sheath that came with this knife was adequate and well constructed, but I wanted something a bit more versatile. \u00a0I commissioned Martin Swinkels<\/a>\u00a0to make me a combination leather\/kydex sheath for the Thor. \u00a0The sheath has a holder for a firesteel, and a pouch in which I can keep some survival essentials like tinder tabs, sharpening stone and fishing line. \u00a0\u00a0With 20 feet of paracord wrapped around the sheath, I’ve got a lot of the survival basics covered in one package.<\/p>\n As you can see from the pictures, I have a lot of knives. \u00a0Too many really, for how often I use them. \u00a0If I had to choose just two, I’d take the Sebenza for light duty, and the Fallkniven Thor\u00a0for heavy duty tasks. \u00a0A good small folder coupled with a big fixed blade knife will do pretty much anything you want a knife to do.<\/p>\n If I had to choose just one knife to do everything, it would probably be the\u00a0Caribou Mountain Knife. \u00a0It’s heavy enough for chopping, is stout enough for hard work, and nimble enough for fine work.<\/p>\n Happily, I don’t have to make these choices, and can select the perfect knife for the anticipated situation (which hopefully never includes fighting a bear.)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A knife has got to be one of the first tools that early man created. \u00a0 When you’re in the wilderness, you often have the need to cut things, and having a knife along can be pretty handy. \u00a0Because knives are so useful, it’s no surprise that primitive people worked on making knives from flint, 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