Whats best for me?
What would be the best knife for me. I want to start practicing bush craft, so I will be cutting smaller logs, carving, cutting. What would be best for me, a serrated or straight edge?
Also a good quality knife sharpener would be good as well.
Thanks for all the info,
SurvivalKid
Have you ever owned a knife and have you spent much time using one?
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IMO. The only thing a serrated blade is good for is cutting aluminum,,
It sounds like he wants a beater. One with a heavy back edge you can hit with a log when you need to.
Kid, knives are all rather specialized as to purpose. Some carry more than one. When I go fishing I carry three. A beater, a bait knife and a filleting knife. I sure as heck wouldn't try to hack the head off a 26" bluefish with the filleting knife but I'm also not going to carry the head and entrails back 2 miles down the beach.
Straight edge for carving. But a dremel is faster.
Go with one of the moras. Try it for everything you intend to do with a knife. That way you will have a better idea of what you want and need in a knife.
I had a compass, but without a map, it's just a cool toy to show you where oceans and ice are.
For the price and quality check out one of the mora knives. Also check out a coldsteel bushman also decent for the price
. But for any heavy chopping think about adding a hatchet for thiat duty.,it helps save your knife from being beat on.
I Wonder Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink what ever comes out?"
Yeah, I have a husky knife of some sort. its a pocket knife, was pretty sharp til i skinned 10 squirrels with it. Dulled up fast. I have also cut notches for wood making deadfalls, etc with it.Originally Posted by Rick
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Since Mora's are highly spoken upon here. Where could I purchase one? I know a couple guys have online shops on here just cant remember.
I had a compass, but without a map, it's just a cool toy to show you where oceans and ice are.
Practice sharpening the knife you have now too, other wise you will soon have two dull knives.
Never sharpened a knife, where can I get a quality sharpener?
Rick, Are these going to be available......http://www.safezonellc.com/mora2000.html
I used mine in the kitchen for about two'ish years. And I wanted a light but sturdy tool for my survival vest, and so I moved it over there.
IMO it would be best to learn with either a stone (like and Arkansas stone) or a diamond plate. You can get them on-line or in your local sporting goods store. I probably don't need to say this, but I'm going to anyway - make sure you check with your parents with any of the advice you receive or see here.
You should learn to use a Whetstone for sharpening. The crisscross ones work okay but they wear out pretty quick. A good stone or three (depending on what you're sharpening) can last you a lifetime.
The trick is patience in getting the angle right and not folding the cutting edge.
Thanks crash I will be sure to do that lol. She will buy me anything I want, as long as I can give her the cash in return, she says its not necessary but if I want something Im going to get it myself, wether I have to acquire it through her or not. I like having a peace of mind knowing something is mine.
I prefer the straight edge over a serrated.
I suggest you look around the yard sales and thrift stores to find a knife and sheath. Knife should have a 3.5" to 5" blade, handgrip as long as your hand is wide, blade about 1/8-3/8" thick. Ideally a good brand, like Case, Gerber, Schrade, etc., but don't have to be for starters. If you're going to buy a new knife, I suggest getting a Mora, they're reasonably priced and of very good quality.
There are a variety of knife sharpeners on the market, most require a level of skill and experience to use properly. The Lansky-type sharpeners that hold the knife onto a rod to guide it along the sharpening stone is great for beginners to learn how to maintain the angle, critical to successful sharpening, but they are kind of expensive. The cheap plastic sharpeners with the crossed ceramic or steel inserts work tollerably, but are not something you'll want to depend on long-term.
Wherefore, let us be thankful that there are still thousands of cool, green nooks beside crystal springs, where the weary soul may hide for a time, away from debts, duns and deviltries, and a while commune with nature in her undress. ~ George W. “Nessmuk” Sears ~
After you learn to sharpen a knife, start buying as many different types of knives as you can afford and try them out. Eventually you'll find one thats best for you.
1. If it's in your kit and you don't know how to use it....It's useless.
2. If you can't reach your kit when you need it....Its useless.
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As for the knife (and I am about to take holy you know what) Dont get a Mora unless you just plan on using it to cut tomatoes! I cut one apart to see the tang thickness and found large air gaps around the center of the tang. Want to see the proof?
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If you press down on the blade, the energy is transfered to the middle of the tang (because the end is braced). When there is nothing there to support it, it is likely to fail. Now, I guess it is better to have the air gap on the top of the tang then the bottom. It might handle "normal" work as long as you arent battoning, prying, or doing anything that might require pulling up on the handle (rolling my eyes).... Picture a pencil on its side with the eraser on one desk and the tip on another and nothing supporting the rest of the pencil...how much force would it take to snap that pencil in the middle?
I suppose it is possible that I picked up the only junk one Mora ever made but my advice would be to stick to a full tang knife as long as you are buying factory made.
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
Serrated blades are great for cutting bread, tomatoes, and rope. Other than that they are the most useless edge you can have on a knife (in my opinion of course). The mora's are great knives at a good price. I believe you'll find that a knife is a very personal thing and few will agree on which is "best." My recommendation is a sheath knife with a blade about 3 1/2 to 4 inches long with a good, sharp point and decent curve to the tip. The next best "knife" is a 12 to 14 inch machete!
Last edited by mosquitomountainman; 02-22-2011 at 10:40 PM. Reason: typos
Kid, I would say start with a decent Mora and work up from there. After I would say 20-30 knives I tried, I ended up with a Cold Steel SRK, for me, it has been the best knife besides a Randal #1, that I have ever owned. The SRK works for me because of all the rustic furniture and bushcraft I do. It is hefty, stays sharp and will NOT break under anything I could ever put it to... I even used it as a step up on a tree trunk so I could cut a limb and it did not break or even bend at all. Your needs may be different. I do agree with everyone though.... learn to sharpen knives, free hand on a stone and also with a gadget like a Loray, Lanski and other guided sharpeners.
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