One of the most talked about and debated pieces of gear for camping or bushcraft is the knife. From the knife style to the edge grind the knife has probably caused more "debates" than even the tent hammock discussions (tent! or tarp)). I decided this would be the best first post for this blog. So lets begin..
Bushcraft knifes, or camp knives if you prefer, come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, steels, colors, styles, edge grinds and prices. From factory mass produced knives to full blown you design it custom knives. From traditional to tactical, and even some real odd shapes like the tracker. But they all have the same purpose, to do what ever chores we need them to do in camp. If you ask what a bushcraft knife is, you'll get more answers then you can imagine. One persons idea may not be yours, or even 20 others peoples idea. I'm also not going into all the various grinds here, as that's not the goal of this post.
Selecting a knife is a personal choice based on preference.
First and foremost, as with any gear I discuss here, I will state the fact, you do not need the most expensive knife out there to go out and enjoy camping or practicing bushcaft. Buy what you like, fits your budget, and you will actually use.
A few of my collection:
(L2R- Camillus Titanium Camp Knife, Mora Companion, Mora Garberg Carbon, BPS B1 Carbon Steel, Joker Compero, A Condor Bushlore I built myself, a custom knife I won in a GAW made by a maker on etsy, Cold Steel SRK in SK5, Boker Plus Tracker, ESEE 4 3D, Gerber Prodigy, Becker BK2, Becker BK9)
As you can see from the above images, I use a few different knives with varying profiles, edge geometry, edge grinds, sheaths, steels, styles, and handle material. As you can also see from the scratches, scuffs, and patinas, I actually use those knives and know how each performs. Those knives range in price from $15 to $150 and I will tell you that none of them do any particular camp task better then the others with one exception, the BK9 is a better chopper and batons better than the rest, but that is due to the size and weight, not the price tag or the edge grind. But when it comes to doing any basic camp task all of them will get the job done from carving to food prep. I do want to add, I do not like to use coated blades for food prep- if you do some looking you'll find the coatings are toxic. I know many who do use coated blades for cooking, and have no ill effects, but I personally try not to. Now does that mean they are all equal? Yes and no. There's always going to be knives we prefer to do a certain job, but that's on us as a personal preference, one should be able to carve a spoon if needed with a scandi ground edge just as we can from a convex edge. We are the ones with the skill, the knife is an inanimate object that's not going to get up and do the job for you. So we must practice to hone our skill level to become versatile.
Most of the knives in those pictures are some sort of carbon steel, and need more maintenance than stainless. It's good practice to completely dry a carbon steel knife before putting it back in the sheath. I will clean the knife, wipe it dry, and then let it sit for a short time before putting it back into the sheath. I'd rather do that then let my knife get rusted up. Especially with leather sheaths. A good solution to lube a knife is mineral oil. It doesn't go rancid like other oils so it's a little safer to use. I personally just make sure my knifes are dry before storing them. I'd also suggest stainless if you live in a wet climate, even here in NY we have a lot of humidity, so without proper care a carbon steel knife can rust, and do so PDQ in the hotter weather. That last part is just something to keep in mind.
One should be able to pick up any knife they own, head off into the woods, and do any task a knife would be needed for, regardless of handle material, edge grind, steel, price, or color. So I say? Yes. That's not being arrogant, it's being direct. Let me put it like this: I'm sure you have owned different cars/trucks, and they were different in shape, brand, price, motor, etc.. I'm sure you were able to go from one to the other like changing your socks (assuming you change your socks). The tires on one turned just like the tires on another, the steering wheel turned the car the same from one to another, the gas and brakes work the same.. So should it be with you knives. A knife is only a tool, and a tool is only as good as the person using it. So use all your knives, especially the ones you don't like until you are as proficient with one as you are the others. This cannot ever be expressed enough or said enough.
Blade thickness seems to be a hot topic. Some want paper thin super slicey. While there's nothing wrong with that, I do find an issue with the reasoning. It's better for food prep. Sure, but how fancy do you have to have camp food? Are you slicing up the chili beans? I mean I know they are huge but... Sorry, bad joke. I once used a pretty thick bladed knife to slice up a grape and baby carrot very thin just to show that a thick bladed knife can be slicey. Oh, and it was a scandi grind to boot. It was a Joker Ember.
If I were going to suggest a good beginner knife I'd recommend the BPS BP1. Full tang and the sheath is worth the price of the knife. The Mora Companion is a fantastic knife, and I like all of mine, but I do not like the sheath, at all. I used that Camillus for a year doing everything from processing wood to food prep, and it was less then any Mora at the time. The reason I suggest the BPS is you get a lot of knife and sheath for $40.
So what's the point?
The point is, knives are fun to talk about. There's so many different blades out there that it will always be fun to talk about them. But my advice is this: Never let anyone tell you you need the most expensive knife out there to enjoy the woods. Odds are, you will be able to cut that rope or paracord, make some shavings, and chop up some food with almost any knife on the market. So g forth, learn and practice, and be one with your knives!
