Q. I’m going on a camping trip with my troop, but my hunting knife broke. I see a lot of different hunting knives advertised. How do I know which one to buy?
– Knifeless Neil, Summerville, S.C.
A. The best type of knife for camping trips — and most any other outdoor activity, for that matter — is a short, fixed-blade knife with a beefy handle.
Folding pocketknives can fold up on your hand while cutting. Not fixed blades. And remember: When it comes to blades, bigger isn’t always better. Avoid blades longer than four inches. A small, sharp blade can cut just as well as a long one, but it’s safer to handle and easier to maneuver in tight spots. With a good fixed blade you’ll be set for most anything the outdoors can throw at you — whittling, cutting, notching, butchering, filleting, even speading peanut butter.
Here are two of my favorite fixed-blade knives:
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sheath knives are the best, but my troop doesn’t allow them, so i go for the closest thing, a lock blade folding knife!
i would have to say that both styles of blade have their place in the woods. However as a hunting knife I would stick to the fixed blade, because as stated by someone else already. They have less places for sand and dirt to hide and are just plain easier to clean up after skinning and dressing you game. As well as why ruin a good folder batoning wood to cook some of that game while you’re out on that camp and hunt. I say get a fixed blade and carry a locking folder as a back up. Really who doesn’t carry a back up into the woods with them? Be prepared!
I use the Gerber LMF II fixed blade. It has a half fine half serrated edge,a glass breaker/skull crusher on the end and a pull thru sharpener built it to the sheath. here in the Idaho mountains you don’t rely on a folding knife when you go hunting! It is my hunting,jogging,survival,camping and scouting knife! Forever ready with Gerber!
In my experience, a bigger fixed blade, along the lines of cold steel trailmaster or Ontario rtak II, would almost always be better in a cold winter snowy environment, especially for firemaking and splitting wood, batoning, chopping, etc. Etc.
Granted, a smaller blade does have ts place, tinder and kindeling, but I prefer larger blades.
When I was in Scouts in the early 1960′s, we were allowed to have either type. Many boys had the scout version of a Swiss knife, with fork and spoon. But almost everyone had a fixed blade, some bought in Scout shops. I had both.
i want those knives soooo bad
ME TOO! These knives on BL are totally BEAST MODE! (=D) (;D)
not all of them… The CHINA made boyscout knifes are JUNK!!
you are right about how folding knifes closing on your hands….. my pointer finger would know… but if it happens again in the same spon i won’t feel it at all!!!
i have 2 knives. my everyday knife is the kershaw od-1 knife. great price (40-50 bucks) and i never leave home without it (except at school) very lightweight and no bulk.
my working, out doors, and camping knife is a cold steel finn wolf. another great price. blade is around 5 inches and the sheath is great. i got the od-1 at walmart and the finn wolf at a discount knife store.
The longest knife that should be is 5 inches short enough to do the main jobs, but long enough to baton wood. It cracks me up to see wilderness noobs go into the forest with a 12 inch knife.
My uncle used a KaBar in the Corps. OORAH Semper Fi!
I have a sog sheath knife and it works wonders on big tree limbs. I once went on a survival treck with my friend out in the Alaskan wildrness for 5 days and 5 nights and all I brought along was my sheath knife and that was all I needed. I beleave that a good sheath knife is the best tool that you could have in any situation. Also I belive that a boy scout that can be trusted with such a tool should be alowed to have one. The BSA rules do not state that you may not have sheath knives. Most troops frown uppon sheath knives so they do not allow them. It realy dipends on he troop your in. My current troop did not allow gem for a few years but now hat we have a new scout master we are allowed to use these tools.
Personally, I would buy a folding lock-back knife from wal-mart or a store like that. I have a friend that has one and it has a fire pattern on the blade and it looks amazing. Also the lock back knives look cool anyway and are generally bigger than normal pocket knives. I have never had a knife with a scout logo on it, and I’m ok. I survived on an outpost (basically a leader at a camporee takes about 3 scouts up on a mountain and camps near them in a tent and cooks dinner.. The scouts build a shelter.) where all I brought with me was my lock-back knife , a first-aid kit (came in handy dealing with bug bites) 2 ropes, and some water and I made my own shelter and slept in it for the night while everyone else brought tents. Now that is a true survival story where my knife came in handy (for big sticks.).
-Anonymous Outpost Survivor (I feel really good because that outpost story which I truly did made me feel like a true scout!).
oh and Killer Knome,
i have a 7 inch Kabar, and it serves wonders in my troop and my daily activities
Killer Knome
no, not at all
the blade should not be bigger than the palm of your hand
i would also like to pointout that the article was about HUNTING knives made for HUNTING.
You mean like a Buck 110 folding HUNTER? I think that is a HUNTING knife meant for HUNTING.