All About Pocket Knives

I have been interested in and collected knives for over 45 years now but still think of my scouting days and buying a knife was a treasure to keep by your side for all times, now I’m interested in carrying a survival type knife like the scouting knife I had.
I have many Swiss Army knives and several others that could be used as a survival knife. Going backpacking with my son and spending three days in the woods together will be an exciting time for me.
I’m just curious what others would carry and why.

Camillus

SAK, A fixed blade with at least a 4-5in blade and a folding saw of good quality.. And throw a small pocket knife in your pocket!!!
The SAK has many uses..
The FB for larger work, food prep, fire wood processing..
Saw for wood processing..
Small pocketknife cause that how I roll!!! John

I'm afraid my idea of a survival situation is having to go without an internet connection for an entire day...

This sounds like a question for TripleF - yo Scott?

Opinel makes two sizes of folding saws, both are great. Compact work horses. Any sheath knife, with a sharpening stone. And a SAK with a can opener.

Camillus wrote:I’m just curious what others would carry and why.

Fair question. It would depend on where I was going and how long I planned to be there. Also, what time of year I was going, and how I would be getting there would all be determining factors. Remember, things can happen on the way there too.

I'm pretty sure you're asking for a "generalized" answer but for me it's not that easy. I need specifics. I will tell you this though, redundancy is one of my favorite things. Depending on what it is, I have a primary, a back-up, and a back-up for that too.

I would rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it. I like to think I can get out of trouble quicker than I got into it.

__________
Mike

Great reply’s

I think I will take a SAK and my Cold Steel SRK along with a Sog camping shovel.

jmh58 wrote:SAK, A fixed blade with at least a 4-5in blade and a folding saw of good quality.. And throw a small pocket knife in your pocket!!!
The SAK has many uses..
The FB for larger work, food prep, fire wood processing..
Saw for wood processing..
Small pocketknife cause that how I roll!!! John

And I would tend to agree with you. Fixed blade Buck 121, SAK Champion, folding saw with a 10" (approx.) blade that has a black teflon coating to resist buildup and binding to cut dead and green wood.

jmh58 wrote:SAK, A fixed blade with at least a 4-5in blade and a folding saw of good quality.. And throw a small pocket knife in your pocket!!!
The SAK has many uses..
The FB for larger work, food prep, fire wood processing..
Saw for wood processing..
Small pocketknife cause that how I roll!!! John

John and I aren't far apart on this one. Instead of a SAK I'd go with my good old Imperial Boy Scout knife. It has a spear blade, a bottle opener/screwdriver, a can opener, and a punch. Along with that I'd have my Bark River Bravo 1 fixed blade, a folding saw, and my Canal Street congress (because that's how I roll.)

Small stout fixed blade and an orange alox Vic Farmer can get it all done for me!

Camillus-made Remington R4 survival knife would be a good choice. And if I had one I'd take this G.W. Stone "Magnum" fixed blade survival knife. It has a heavy 6 inch blade with a sharpened spine edge designed for chopping like a hatchet if necessary. The blade is wide enough to be used for digging. Linen Micarta handles, brass butt-plate drilled for lanyard. There's one up for sale now on eBay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/G-W-Stone-Cust ... SwnTpbFF19 Sadly, out of my price range.


Ken

jmh58 wrote:SAK, A fixed blade with at least a 4-5in blade and a folding saw of good quality.. And throw a small pocket knife in your pocket!!!
The SAK has many uses..
The FB for larger work, food prep, fire wood processing..
Saw for wood processing..
Small pocketknife cause that how I roll!!! John

Ditto.

I no longer backpack but do a little "car" camping. I like to have an axe, shovel and bucket with me, along with some variation of the tools previously mentioned.

Throw a little something out there.. I have a friend who is an Ultra lite backpacker.. Been doing it for many yrs all over the country and abroad.. The only sharpness he has carried is a single edge razor blade.. Yep.. Says that's all he has ever needed.. That don't work for all of us Knifeys!!! John

SAK of any model as long as it has an awl and blade. I also like models with the sawblade feature.
Fixed blade of carbon, 3-4” for batoning, food prep, etc: on my side for ease of access.
If a person ended up in a true survival situation they would want more than just a folder. IMO

jmh58 wrote:Throw a little something out there.. I have a friend who is an Ultra lite backpacker.. Been doing it for many yrs all over the country and abroad.. The only sharpness he has carried is a single edge razor blade.. Yep.. Says that's all he has ever needed.. That don't work for all of us Knifeys!!! John

As a veteran back-packer (now "retired") I can see how that could work - assuming you never got into a real survival-mode situation. I'm all for saving weight but I'll carry a real knife thank you very much!

Unfortunately "s**t happens". During one of my excursions years ago one of our party slipped, fell, and broke his leg. Fortunately it was a simple fracture and there was no bleeding. There were 6 people in our group, and we were only a few miles from a U.S. Forest Service Ranger station. Two hikers went to find help while the others stayed with the injured guy, gave first-aid and made camp. It was hours later and well after dark when two Rangers on horseback with a two-way radio and an extra horse arrived. They were basically trained paramedics and via the radio were able to contact a hospital emergency room, report the injured person's situation and vital signs. They took him by horseback to a vehicle, then on to a hospital.

You never know in what circumstance you'll find yourself when backpacking "off the grid". To be unprepared is simply unwise, and could be fatal.

Ken

This is the Kabar Mark 1 "navy" knife - it's smaller than the traditional Kabar military knife - always seemed just about right for a survival knife to me...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/KA-BAR-Leather ... 8360!US!-1

German army pocket knife and small axe with long handle. Something like this:

Are you carrying a tent or return to a base camp? I have never back packed but lots of camper and tent camping. I recently bought a SOG folding shovel. now day's I would carry dental floss, good for lashing a broken tent pole etc., para-cord, water purification stuff and yes a few "Tampons" in plastic. after reading that a lady promotes them as an emergency water filter to drink directly from a stream or cup.

Lansky1 wrote:s-l500.jpg

This is the Kabar Mark 1 "navy" knife - it's smaller than the traditional Kabar military knife - always seemed just about right for a survival knife to me...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/KA-BAR-Leather ... 8360!US!-1

Plus it's much better slicer. The mk1 has always been a favorite of mine. Just about the perfect knife.

Another one to consider, Ontario knives. This one is the Spec Plus Fighter and has a 7 1/4" edge. Ontario makes a lot of the military knives and bayonets. You can pick these up for around $50 and is an excellent knife value for heavy duty use. I don't know that I would carry a knife this large, but to keep in a vehicle.

OLDE CUTLER wrote:Another one to consider, Ontario knives. This one is the Spec Plus Fighter and has a 7 1/4" edge. Ontario makes a lot of the military knives and bayonets. You can pick these up for around $50 and is an excellent knife value for heavy duty use. I don't know that I would carry a knife this large, but to keep in a vehicle.
IMG_2220.JPG

Brings up a question I have been wondering about. Since Ontario was owned by Queen, has that facility closed out also?

Ray

Paladin wrote:

OLDE CUTLER wrote:Another one to consider, Ontario knives. This one is the Spec Plus Fighter and has a 7 1/4" edge. Ontario makes a lot of the military knives and bayonets. You can pick these up for around $50 and is an excellent knife value for heavy duty use. I don't know that I would carry a knife this large, but to keep in a vehicle.
IMG_2220.JPG

Brings up a question I have been wondering about. Since Ontario was owned by Queen, has that facility closed out also?

Ray

I have not heard or read anything one way or the other. Maybe their military contracts will keep them going.

Paladin wrote:

OLDE CUTLER wrote:Another one to consider, Ontario knives. This one is the Spec Plus Fighter and has a 7 1/4" edge. Ontario makes a lot of the military knives and bayonets. You can pick these up for around $50 and is an excellent knife value for heavy duty use. I don't know that I would carry a knife this large, but to keep in a vehicle.
IMG_2220.JPG

Brings up a question I have been wondering about. Since Ontario was owned by Queen, has that facility closed out also?

Ray

Queen didn't own Ontario. They were more like sister companies owned by (I believe) Servtronics, until Daniels bought Queen.

I love the long handle axe but not practical to carry backpacking,
I’ll stick with a folding saw.

Camillus

Camillus wrote:I love the long handle axe but not practical to carry backpacking,
I’ll stick with a folding saw.

Camillus

Carried in hand, used as a walking stick. This axe weighs about 1.5kg, less than a pair of hiking shoes.