whistlepunk
Trail Wise!
I was an award winning honor student once. I have no idea what happened...
Posts: 1,446
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Knives
Jul 16, 2018 8:54:46 GMT -8
Post by whistlepunk on Jul 16, 2018 8:54:46 GMT -8
I was recently with a guy who stopped carrying any knife. He carries a small disposable box cutter instead. You don't need to chop anything. The box cutter cuts anything that needs cutting, and is sharper with replaceable blades. So that got me thinking... The only thing I need a longer blade for is cleaning fish.
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swiftdream
Trail Wise!
the Great Southwest Unbound
Posts: 543
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Post by swiftdream on Jul 16, 2018 9:31:57 GMT -8
Spyderco knives are very popular for good reason. The convex ground blade geometry makes for a super cutter. I am intrigued with the LL Bean No 8 Opinel that Bluefish carries. I’ve had that knife bookmarked for a year with its 100 year + wood. My backpacking knife is an Opinel No 8 in bubinga wood, a very hard, tough African rose wood that is somewhat moisture resistant. The best food processor in the world is still a simple knife and the Opinel is one of the scliciest of the most slicey blades you will find with a hundred year old + design and natural wood handles with naturally anti-microbial properties. Mine weighs 1.8 oz with a 3.25” stainless blade. The folding design tucks away in my cook pot with other utensils and foodstuffs. It carves wood like a maniac, good if any need for quick firecraft in inclement weather should ever be necessary or the odd repair. 99% for gourmet food prep though.
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RumiDude
Trail Wise!
Marmota olympus
Posts: 2,361
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Knives
Jul 16, 2018 10:42:01 GMT -8
Post by RumiDude on Jul 16, 2018 10:42:01 GMT -8
Any idea which model it is? It is a 960, which may be discontinued now. Rumi
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Knives
Jul 16, 2018 11:52:31 GMT -8
Post by trinity on Jul 16, 2018 11:52:31 GMT -8
It is a 960, which may be discontinued now. The Mini Griptilian has similar specs, just a tad smaller. Same with the Spyderco Delica, with a blade length just under 3 inches.
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reuben
Trail Wise!
Gonna need more Camels at the next refugio...
Posts: 11,147
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Knives
Jul 16, 2018 12:59:49 GMT -8
Post by reuben on Jul 16, 2018 12:59:49 GMT -8
I found the 960BK and SBK on Benchmade's site. They both have 3.4" blades, which is probably about what I have now.
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RumiDude
Trail Wise!
Marmota olympus
Posts: 2,361
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Knives
Jul 16, 2018 13:04:42 GMT -8
Post by RumiDude on Jul 16, 2018 13:04:42 GMT -8
he Mini Griptilian has similar specs The relatively new Benchmade 565 Mini-Freek in CPM-S30V steel can be had at some places for $9 to $110. It is 2.5 ounces with a drop point blade. Rumi
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2018 17:04:34 GMT -8
I carry a Benchmade mini reflex II
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tigger
Trail Wise!
Posts: 2,547
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Knives
Jul 16, 2018 17:54:11 GMT -8
Post by tigger on Jul 16, 2018 17:54:11 GMT -8
Spyderco - I don't need much. Kindling on occasion, making a spoon when I forgot to bring one, and cutting paracord.
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driftwoody
Trail Wise!
Take the path closer to the edge, especially if less traveled
Posts: 14,974
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Post by driftwoody on Jul 16, 2018 18:00:06 GMT -8
I'm no expert on this subject. Several years ago I bought a Benchmade Mini Gryptillian, but I rarely carry it.
Instead, I have Leatherman Squirt multitool (small enough for a keychain accessory). It includes scissors, a file, and a bottle opener. It unfolds into pliers and straight & phillips screwdrivers. I've used all those features backpacking except the bottle opener and the phillips.
Oh, it also has a pathetic little blade which I've used in the backcountry (came in very handy dispatching a charging feral hog).
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Post by hikingtiger on Jul 18, 2018 7:07:19 GMT -8
EDC: For the M-F job, I carry a Spyderco Clipit Delica that belonged to my father. Occasionally I think I should carry something else and keep it as home so I won't lose it, but he'd probably laugh at that thought being that tools are meant to be used and do no good at home on a shelf. There's a CRKT Minimalist Bowie that lives in my daypack (goes into the office with me). Around the house, I carry a Kershaw Funxion Outdoor. Decent size for most yard tasks and the saw blade makes quick work of the occasional woody weed that needs cutting. Backpacking, I tend to carry the Kershaw and my Mora Classic 1. Scary sharp, makes quick work of branches for fuzz sticks, food processing, whatever.
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Knives
Jul 18, 2018 9:25:32 GMT -8
Post by hikingtiger on Jul 18, 2018 9:25:32 GMT -8
I also EDC a Leatherman Micra multitool. Love the scissors on it, though I've been thinking about trading it out for a Style PS as the pliers would be more useful than an extra (tiny) knife blade.
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Knives
Jul 21, 2018 8:47:15 GMT -8
Post by outbac1 on Jul 21, 2018 8:47:15 GMT -8
I carry an original Leatherman PST. I have had it 25 years or so. I seldom use the knife blade but use the pliers, file and screwdrivers a lot. For a blade I carried a Gerber EZ Out, (First production run) for about 22 years. I thought that was long enough and so retired it before I lost it for good. I replaced it with a Gerber Contrast folder (but mine has G 10 Scales on both sides. A bit heavier, but I like it. It gets used a lot. I like the partly serrated blade. Great for small roots when digging plants up for my wife.
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Knives
Aug 5, 2018 13:35:52 GMT -8
Post by gcvrsa on Aug 5, 2018 13:35:52 GMT -8
First, let me say, I *definitely* own too many knives.
That being said, if anyone ever asks what the "best survival knife" is, I will pretty much always tell them, "the Victorinox Rambler". Yes, the tiny little 52 mm Swiss Army Knife with a penknife, nail file, scissors, bottle opener, tweezers, and toothpick, plus flathead and Phillips screwdrivers. This is the one knife I rely on for more tasks than any other knife, because the majority of cutting tasks are always mundane bits of cordage, tape, nail trimming, and package opening.
But, when I go into the backcountry, I always bring a pair of fixed-blade knives. One with a 4-5" blade for utility work (large enough to baton wood, if need be), and one with a 2-3" blade for fine work. At the moment, the pair I use are 420HC vintage Gerber Pro-Guide II Drop Point Hunter (4.25" blade, I've used it to split an entire NNE winter's worth of kindling in a cabin with only woodstove heat) and Caper. I also have a 440C Benchmade 190 Drop Point Hunter and 192 Bird & Trout knife.
Do I *need* to bring these? No, not really. The Rambler is, in most cases, all I really need when backpacking. I just like knives.
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Knives
Aug 5, 2018 13:40:09 GMT -8
Post by gcvrsa on Aug 5, 2018 13:40:09 GMT -8
As for EDC, I carry the aforementioned Victorinox Rambler, a 420HC Buck Diamondback 3.25" fixed blade (used only for cutting food, especially crusty fresh baguettes from the bakery), and a vintage 154CM 3.875" blade Gerber AirFrame for larger utility purposes. Oh, and I guess I should probably count the Snow Peak titanium butter knife that's part of the flatware set I carry (Snow Peak SCT-001 set plus SCT-004 spork). All of these live in my handbag.
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Post by gcvrsa on Aug 5, 2018 13:52:38 GMT -8
I have to say that the concept of an EDC escapes me. I'm not an EMT or anything of the sort, and have never needed a knife to bust a windshield, make a spear to kill my dinner, skin an elk, or clean out a corncob pipe. Maybe EDCs came about due to marketing, inferiority complexes, or just general materialism and keeping up with the Joneses. Some people actually need one for their job, and may feel naked without one, but for the vast majority of the population I just can't see the need. Having said all that, I have some sort of Benchmade I take backpacking. I'm sure that it's more than I need, but it's what I have. Well, I don't know about you, but when I was a child, you got your first pocket knife at a very young age, usually about 8 years old, as a Girl Scout or Boy Scout. I don't have an inferiority complex, I was just brought up to "be prepared", since that's the Girl Scout motto as well as the Boy Scout motto (and Girl Guides, too, for our UK friends). It honestly makes me sad that I had to start carrying a tiny penknife because back in the 1990s, I started to notice that co-workers would become visibly disturbed if I took out a normal-sized pocket knife to open a package. The other reason was because carrying a pocket knife of any kind has now become so rare that once people learn you have one, you become the person they ask to borrow the knife from, and anything bigger than a tiny penknife terrifies them. Best to let them think that's the only knife you have and keep the others hidden until actually needed. And of course, since 9/11, travel with any kind of tool has become much more of a hassle. It used to be you could just check your knife at the gate, and it would be put in the pilot's lockbox until you deplaned. I have always figured that if there's any possibility of me surviving an unintentional landing, I want at least one good tool on me that isn't in my checked baggage. Carrying a pocket knife for utility purposes used to be just part of being a responsible adult in every day life.
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