A quality knife or multi-tool is one of the handiest things you can carry in your pack. It’ll help you spread peanut butter, carve a tent stake, fillet a rainbow trout, maybe even save your life. But you have to pick the right tool for the job.
Outdoor survival expert Peter Kummerfeldt will show you how.
THE LOWDOWN
There are several types of knives. Kummerfeldt’s favorite, fixed blades, are no-nonsense knives with a beefy handle and stationary blade.
“You need a knife to accomplish the everyday tasks you come across in the outdoors, from whittling on things and cutting materials to spreading peanut butter on your sandwiches,” he says. “And a short, no more than four-inch-long, fixed-blade knife will accomplish all of that.” Avoid large sheath knives; they are heavy and awkward to carry.
Then there are all-purpose folding pocketknives. Most come with tools such as a can opener, screwdriver, tweezers and, of course, knife blades — all in one compact package. Though they can be extremely handy, Kummerfeldt says a downside is the knife blade doesn’t lock into place, so it may fold up on your hand while you’re using it.
Lockbacks are simple folding knives with a single blade that can be locked. So you get the benefits of a sturdy fixed blade-style knife but in a convenient pocket-size package that can be folded open with just one hand.
You’ll also find specialty knives such as river rescue knives with serrated blades for slicing rope, whittling knives designed for carving wood, and multi-tools, which are compact, handheld tool boxes. Most are built around a pair of folding pliers.
BLADES
Most blades are made from strong and durable stainless steel. Blades are available in straight edge, serrated (jagged like a saw) or both. Bigger is not always better. A small, sharp four-inch-or-smaller blade can cut just as well as bigger knives but is much safer to handle and easier to maneuver in tight spots.
PRICE & QUALITY
You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a quality tool.
“My $15 knife does everything I want it to do,” Kummerfeldt says.
As prices go up, you’ll see small improvements in the quality and size of the blade.
CARE & MAINTENANCE
“The only good knife is a sharp knife,” Kummerfeldt says. “A blunt knife requires you to put so much force on it that it could slip, and you could drive the blade into your leg.”
As needed, run the edge of your blade across a sharpening stone a few times. Wipe the tool clean after every use and lubricate any hinges with a light oil like WD-40.
CARRY IT
Kummerfeldt says the smartest, safest place to stash your knife is in an easy-access spot in your backpack. You’re asking for trouble by wearing a fixed-blade knife on your belt. If you fall, the knife could rotate inward and you could land right on the blade.
Not sure which gear to buy? Need tips for maintaining your equipment?
I have a yellow & green knife which says “Venturing BSA” on the blade anybody know what brand it is?
I got a mora scout knife
its fixed bladed with a 3 and 7/8 inch blade
it also has a nice brass studed leather sheath
$30 new on e bay!
I found it on Amazon for $16.00. sounds like you got ripped off. moras are a good brand though.
My knife is a bear grylls sheath knife and it works just fine!
I have a benchmade 530 $89 at rei
i like a verity of knives from my benchmade to my cammileus i love them all
swiss army. period.
I agree not only are they usefull they are easy to use. End of story period.
you cant use a swiss army to baton, or skin a deer, how bout break plexi glass! No matter how functional swisses are remember they cannot do everything. If you are headed into the wilderness, ( i dont mean to some public campground!) a heavy duty folder or or fixed blade is the way to go.
agreed. i have a variaty of small knives and multitools and i find that i prefer small multitools with pliers, file, screwdrivers, a knife or two, etc. as opposed to large knives or multitools.
i prefer Gerber pocket kines because it come with life time warranty and the trust able
Try a Leatherman.They are Great!
I have a rusty pocet knife and it’s rusty. My dad says it’s to expensive to buy rust remoiver.What should I do. :]
I say that you should ask someone who is willing to remove the rust for free.
Soak it in “Coke” for a few days; rub it down well with a plastic scrubber and then wash it thoroughly in warm soapy water. Dry it off and rub it down with knife oil (only) and wipe it down again. Might not get all of the rust but should remove most of it. May repeat it again for even better results.
apply WD-40 and let it sit for a minute or two. then rub it with a cloth. remove thick rust with WD-40 soaked steel-wool.
Metal Glo also works great. it polishes too!
Swiss Army knives, buy it for life.
I just got a new SOG Tactical Tomahawk. its pretty darn good.
Check out the buck bravo,buck csar-t,cold steel
I just got a sog autoclip mini(2.68 in blade) very light and comfortable to carry(1.7 oz) it has a coil sprig tensioned pocket clip that works well on any surface thickness. The adjustable thumstud can fit my hand nicely, my only complaint is its so light, i forget it is in my pocket, i have lost a knife because of that, but thats what the pocket clip is for. — nice to carry, easy one hand open, and reasonably priced
Cold steel rajah 3 is a amazing knife, its 45$ on the Internet and has a kukri blade style for most exelent chopping.
Kershaws are great knives
I greatly dislike kershaw I have owned 3 all have broken within months,best one is the tremor.
Kershaw has an ecelant warranty and will gladly replace all of your broken knives. Give them another chance!
Cold Steel Recon1 is the best. It is expensive, but it is worth it.
Cold Steel Recon 1 is the best. I own it. It is $60, but it is worth it!
The Kershaw skyline is an awesome knife!
Kershaw volt 2 is the only way to go. 30$ at bass pro! I have it my self, I love the Assisted Opening!!!
The gerber para frame is a sharp small good knife all round
Benchmade and Spyderco make great folding knives, and if you look online you can find them for good prices.
is frost cutlery a good brand?
definitely . frost knives are great, inexpensive knives!!!!
They’re cheap. thats about their only perk.
If your looking for a great knife thats light,tough,and some what inexspenive. Should check out the A.G Russel Feather lite one hand knife. It’s around 35 dollars but it gets great reviews. And is really easy to open with one hand. Also if you buy it from his website you get a garuntee that you choose how long it last and what covers it.
Whats your guys take on the SOG SEAL Pup? Looks like a solid knife to me but I would like some feed back. Please respond!
Gerber daggers are the best! they are so much better then ka-bars! My dagger could tear your ka-bars apart!
I’d go with swiss Army with 2 blades and a mini saw/ file combo (Fireman). It has 2 blades in case one breaks missusing it in a survival circumstance, the file can be used as a sparker and the saw to cut tough things like animal bones.
good suggestion
get a scharade or an eye brand. both german made with carbon steel
Go swiss Army with 2 blades and a mini saw/ file combo. 2 blades in case one breaks missusing it in a survival circumstance, the file can be used as a sparker and the saw to cut tough things like animal bones.
I have a kabar. I use it for skinning and gutting coons and rabbits.
A ka bar will work for skinnig, but that is not what it was designed for so it will not do it as well as a Buck knife
ka-bars are way awseomer than that buck whatever
BUCK ROCKS!!!!
chad is right in this case… a buck is superior to ka-bar when it comes to skinning. Buck is a renowned company that his been in business a lot longer then Ka-bar. if I was to take a ka-bar and a buck and compare how well they did skinning a deer, the Buck would be sharper,and could do the job quicker then any ka-bar. Buck has and will always remains the number one hunting knife company, and one of the top 5 knife companies.
You have no idea what you are talking about dude.
Just shot two ducks today. Used my Buck 110 to dress them(which by the way ninja works way better then a Ka-bar) Time to make them into duck jerky!
Look ninjaman123 ka-bars are good fighting knives. but for hunting/skinning a Buck knife is the BEST choice.PERIOD. And please stop insulting Gerber they are a great company.
ka-bars can do everything and gerber cannot
I had a Ka-Bar for a while when I was a Para rescue man. But I switched it out for a Gerber dagger. I still use that dagger today…almost seven years after I was discharged. I’m afraid you’re wrong, Gerbers can do just as many things as Ka-bars. Take it from a Veteran.
A ka-bar is a killing knife designed for the military it is a knife ment for stabbing ever noticed the uncomenly sharp point on it plus it’s a fixed blade knife so if you triped and fell on it you would probably die. The point is it is a dangerous knife to carry and I don’t suggest it ninga.
If you want a good knife. Get the Bear Grylls folding sheath knife. Its sharp and it cuts wood like heck. Iive in Alaska, I should know.
that knife is terrible it broke and the blade snapped when i was whittling
The blade om that knife is a 1/4 inch thick! what where you whittling… re-bar??
Duck season starts in TWO days!!!!! I’m so pumped!!!=)=)
the answer is a ka-bar you can use them for everything i always carry one when hunting or fishing
KA-BAR is not the best knife company in the world ninjaman! It is a great company but it is not the best! And I already have the answer… The Buck 110 Hunter! it can beat a Ka-bar a hundred times over when it comes to skinning!
A Buck knife is the ONLY answer when it comes to hunting! USMC Ka-bars are not designed to be skinning knives. They are designed to kill people (Which they do well)