The Quest for the Best Knife.

[Craig M]

I love playing with knives! :D

I have a pretty good number and cycle through them a lot. I usually take a few with me when I camp, each with an intended task, but really just for fun.

Here are the bulk of my fixed blade knives, minus a few scattered around in dedicated kits. Nothing too high end, the most expensive few were in the $100 - $125 range but some, like the Mora classic #1 and 2, were under $20. This is a VERY MODEST collection. I prefer to pick up knives like these one here and there, more as an inexpensive collecting hobby. I play with all of these, and am not gentle with them. Regardless of price these are all hard workers and very capable.

*To give you an idea of scale, the one in the upper left is 10" overall, 5" blade and 5" handle..


Left Side (Top to Bottom):
Ontario Knife Company, Blackbird SK5, USA
Enzo, Trapper, Finland
Morakniv, Basic 511, Sweden (great $10 knife!)
Morakniv, Classic #1, Sweden
Morakniv, Classic 2/0. Sweden
Morakniv, Eldris, Sweden

Right Side:
Condor, Primitive Bush Knife, El Salvador
Terävä, Jääkäripuukko 140, Finland
H. Roselli, Hunting Knife, Finland
Woodbear Knives, Blackbear, USA
Blind Horse Knives, Woodsman Pro, USA (*most often on belt while camping)
Condor, Mini Bushlore, El Salvador

I like axes too.. Here are few of them, the others I have are around the house type users:



Top to bottom:
Council Tool Dayton Head, 32" (if I remember correctly), USA
Husqvarna Multipurpose Axe, 26", Sweden
Gransfors Bruk Small Forest Axe (with Ray Mears Bushcraft branded handle), 19", Sweden
H. Roselli Axe, 18", Finland

 

[Overland USA]

I'm curious what knife or knives everyone favors when out on the trail.

I usually have one or two old kitchen knives for cooking, my Kershaw Cryo II in my pocket, the old Victorinox I bought as a kid lives in the glove box all the time and I typically keep my Leatherman Juice S2 in a small pouch (along with some other bits and bobs that can quickly go in my pocket). Finally, I have a Mora fixed blade I keep in my SHTF bag, but it is also good for cooking, gutting fish, or whatever else needs doing.

I'm curious what everyone carries around camp, in their camp kitchens, or just has kicking around the cab of the rig. How do you like it, why do you use it, would you get the same knife again?

No question about it; my Kbar - nothing better.

 

[Overland USA]

I love playing with knives! :D

I have a pretty good number and cycle through them a lot. I usually take a few with me when I camp, each with an intended task, but really just for fun.

Here are the bulk of my fixed blade knives, minus a few scattered around in dedicated kits. Nothing too high end, the most expensive few were in the $100 - $125 range but some, like the Mora classic #1 and 2, were under $20. This is a VERY MODEST collection. I prefer to pick up knives like these one here and there, more as an inexpensive collecting hobby. I play with all of these, and am not gentle with them. Regardless of price these are all hard workers and very capable.

*To give you an idea of scale, the one in the upper left is 10" overall, 5" blade and 5" handle..

View attachment 24731
Left Side (Top to Bottom):
Ontario Knife Company, Blackbird SK5, USA
Enzo, Trapper, Finland
Morakniv, Basic 511, Sweden (great $10 knife!)
Morakniv, Classic #1, Sweden
Morakniv, Classic 2/0. Sweden
Morakniv, Eldris, Sweden

Right Side:
Condor, Primitive Bush Knife, El Salvador
Terävä, Jääkäripuukko 140, Finland
H. Roselli, Hunting Knife, Finland
Woodbear Knives, Blackbear, USA
Blind Horse Knives, Woodsman Pro, USA (*most often on belt while camping)
Condor, Mini Bushlore, El Salvador

I like axes too.. Here are few of them, the others I have are around the house type users:

View attachment 24733

Top to bottom:
Council Tool Dayton Head, 32" (if I remember correctly), USA
Husqvarna Multipurpose Axe, 26", Sweden
Gransfors Bruk Small Forest Axe (with Ray Mears Bushcraft branded handle), 19", Sweden
H. Roselli Axe, 18", Finland

That's quite a collection.

 

[trfkcop]

CRKT for folders, and ESEE for fixed blade. Warranty on both cannot be beat, though I have only used warranty for CRKT once.

 

[Overland USA]

CRKT for folders, and ESEE for fixed blade. Warranty on both cannot be beat, though I have only used warranty for CRKT once.

You have good taste in knives. I have several CRKT and like them. Have you had any Benchmade? or Gerber?

 

[trfkcop]

I have had Gerber, and own Benchmade. Gerber are harder to sharpen than CRKT to me. Benchmade are terrible to sharpen, but hold an edge for a while.

 

[Six Actual]

That is certainly a tough and mostly subjective question. I️ think I️ have more knives than I️ can count, but I️ have found that the knives I️ carry most often while camping are these:

Benchmade Griptilian
Spiderco Para Military 2
Case pocket knife
Leatherman Charge TTi

One of those is on or near me at all times. Most of our time in the woods doesn’t require much more that those can handle. Also keep our Wetterlings Wildlife hatchet around too. But just because I️ like options, I️ also have the ESEE 5 strapped to a small go bag should conditions switch from glamping to son of a...


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[Overland USA]

That is certainly a tough and mostly subjective question. I️ think I️ have more knives than I️ can count, but I️ have found that the knives I️ carry most often while camping are these:

Benchmade Griptilian
Spiderco Para Military 2
Case pocket knife
Leatherman Charge TTi

One of those is on or near me at all times. Most of our time in the woods doesn’t require much more that those can handle. Also keep our Wetterlings Wildlife hatchet around too. But just because I️ like options, I️ also have the ESEE 5 strapped to a small go bag should conditions switch from glamping to son of a...


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Brian those are great quality knives. I applaud your taste in knives!

 

[Overland USA]

Brian those are great quality knives. I applaud your taste in knives!

These are mine!

 

[Quicksilver]

This is my primary when in the field, and is my pride and joy. I love this knife. It was made for me by Redroot Custom Blades. One of the owners, and the guy who actually makes the knives, used to be my boss. They call it the Fall Creek Bushcraft 2.0, and as far as I know, is still one of a kind. I made the sheath myself, as an experiment to see if it was something I would enjoy doing (I did, and plan to get into it more).

 

[Quicksilver]

This is a Gerber Profile, which went to Iraq with me. Held up to a lot of use, and is a great little knife for the price. The sheath is rubbish, though. Gerber was kind enough to replace it for me when I got back, but I will be making a leather one for it soon-ish.

 

[AZ WANDERING BEAR]

With an extensive collection of bushcraft and survival knives to choose from here are my usual overlanding choices for edged tools: Mora Craftline HQ in stainless in the chuck box (stainless won't rust like the normal carbon steel Mora blades, thus an excellent food prep choice). I normally have a Victorinox Trekker on my belt, a useful collection of tools with a a very good blade. The wife normally has a Mora Bushcraft Black as her knife, the sheath of course sporting a diamond sharpener and ferro rod. A Council Tools Boy's axe rides on the roof rack alongside the shovel with a Silky BigBoy 2000 folding saw in the camp box. The tool kit has a Mora Craftline Basic 511, the best $10 utility knife on the market. If we are doing extensive camping with fire prep, a hand-forged custom Kephart design from Deer Creek Forge will find its way into camp. None of these are expensive blades, of which I have quite a few. But they are wonderfully functional, kept sharp, and have never left us feeling "under knifed" in any situation.

 

[trikebubble]

From a great customer service perspective, I have two stories.
1. I broke the tip on my Kershaw Leek, totally my stupid fault. Mailed it off to Kershaw for their claimed $10 blade replacement. Got a call from them when they received it saying they'd replaced the blade and were mailing it back. When I inquired about the cost, they replied with a "don;t worry about it - have a nice day"
2. My CRKT folding knife blade started sticking, wouldn't flip out quickly. I called CRKT and they asked that I mail it to them to take a look at. Got a call from CRKT once they had it saying they could repair it if I wanted, or simply mail me out a new replacement knife, no charge.

- that's how you do business.

 

[000]

In my experience, I’ve found that the best knife has gotten far away from the name brand and more to do with the steel used. Most of the well known knife big name companies that used only put out quality products now sell both Chinese junk and high quality knives with their name on each. It pays to do your homework on quality knife steel before shopping and decide on the steel you want first and then find a knife you want with that steel.


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[adventure_is_necessary]

Aside from my EDC assisted open, I usually take one of my KaBars with me. I guess one is a Becker, but they're owned by KaBar if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Chadlyb]

Old school !!!......leather bound handle Schrade...true stag handle Buck...and yes the ever classic Leatherman...

 

[drrobinson]

As many have said, the right knife is the one you happen to have when you need it. I like to try an anticipate those moments and have the right tool for the job too. So, I've accumulated many different knives for different purposes over the years and keep them where they will be needed.

Some examples:
When working around the house or on my rig I almost always have a Benchmade Mini Griptilian (sheepsfoot blade) in my pocket.

There is a Gerber CenterDrive multitool in the center console of my rig all the time. I have lots of LM and Victorinox multitools, but the CenterDrive has the best screwdriver setup by far, so it's in the truck.

I've got Morakniv Bushcraft in the BOB. Light weight, bombproof. These is also a Victorinox Spirit X in there too.

For any waterports (Sailing, kayaking, river running) a Spyderco SALT (serrated blade) in my gear bag.

Around camp I have a JK Knives Deluxe Neck Knife around my neck all the time. If you haven't adopted a neck knife for around camp yet, I suggest you give it a try. A tiny 2" blade is really handy.

At work I've usually got a Victorinox Pioneer X in my pocket unless I'm flying.

In the kitchen we have Victorinox knives in the block. After many different brands, I settled on these because they sharpen easily and are a great value.

You get the idea. Like many others I appreciate the right tool for the job and recently have really started to appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into really well made knives.

 

[Cort]

I have had Gerber, and own Benchmade. Gerber are harder to sharpen than CRKT to me. Benchmade are terrible to sharpen, but hold an edge for a while.

This has nothing to do with the brand and everything to do with the steel that was used. Benchmade offers knives in both Stainless and High Carbon. Stainless is more difficult to sharpen but won't rust as fast, hi carbon steel is easy to sharpen but rusts faster than stainless. It's all about the compromise that fits your needs. Benchmade is one of the best manufactured knives out there.

 

[Willys Yella Jeep]

Since carrying just one of anything in my rig and edc bag, I have a couple. Morakniv, Benchmade, and CRKT are my go too knives. But I prefer my fixed blade Benchmade above all.

 

[ThundahBeagle]

Way to resurrect!

I have a Byrd (Spyderco's budged brand) CaraCara 2 Rescue in the center consoles of my 14 GMC Sierra and my 99 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Fir about 35 years, I have carried a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife in my pocket.

There is either a Spyderco Native 5, or a Spyderco Atlantic Salt clipped in my right pocket, depending on whether I'm inland or at the coast.

I used to carry a Leatherman Rebar in a belt sheath until I moved to more office work where that's frowned upon, so I keep it in my bag.

One of my nicest slicing knives is my Buck 192 Vanguard circa 1992. Sometimes I tKe that camping just as the slicer, but often it's a cheap chef knife.

Having said all that, I have probably a dozen each different vintage Leathermans, Spydercos and Victorinox Swiss Army Knives in a cabinet. That includes my new and old (circa 1978) Buck 110's, Western, Case and some other odds and ends