​How many knives?

[Guest]

I carry compass overkill (not as bad as knives, but close).

I am lately in a confessional query mood – how many knife cutting blades do you usually carry on a trip? I’ll count, and I suspect my own answer to that question is beyond overkill:

Rescue folder on PFD lash tab
Leatherman in essentials bag
“Mechanic’s” Swiss Army in essentials bag.
Sheath knife in essentials bag or on person
Small Swiss Army in personal first aid kit
Oh crap, there is a Swiss Army in the big group first aid kit (which doesn’t come on every trip)
And another Mechanic’s SA in the Spare and Repairs Ditch kit (likewise not on every trip)

Five at a minimum, seven max. Eight when I fished and carried a filet knife. Honestly, I am not infatuated with knives, but I don’t know which one I would remove from my kit. I am sure there are folks who carry one or two, and maybe a few who carry more.

What blades do you bring?

 

[Iskweo]

One cheap Canadian Tire folding knife on my belt and the filleting knife in the food barrel or tackle bag. I was thinking to get a fixed blade to carry and toss my folder in my ditch kit.

Christy

 

[Odyssey]

I have yet to buy a knife and carry it. (I'm often an all talk and no action kinda guy.) I'm still intending to purchase one or two this spring; but I said that to myself last year. I'm not entirely knife- less though. Aside from a couple very sharp kitchen knives (they don't count, do they?) in their plastic sheaths amongst kitchen stuff, I stash an old folder in the emergency kit. Another folder is in the canoe bulkhead with ziplocked stuff like car keys and wallet, fire making kit and extra wool socks etc. I don't remember where those folders came from; they weren't given to me or bought, they just kinda showed up in our clutter and junk...so I oiled, sharpened and stashed them. Another folder was recently given to me by my daughter who used it for a field biology job. In future I'll stash it somewhere, likely a pocket. I haven't decided on a PFD blade. Helpful advice from Mike in that regard will keep me thinking about it. I lost a folder given to me by my son, and so relied on digging in the kitchen gear for a blade, rather than the other stashed places. That's why I'm considering slowly moving from talking to action this spring, and buying knives for us to carry on belts. I have no intention of wrestling with bears or whittling furniture. Just having a handy sharp tool at hand is helpful sometimes. So what's the count?
Umm. That makes 3 folders currently...until this spring when I buy a fixed blade each for my wife and I......I think, I'm still talking about it.

 

[Rippy]

– how many knife cutting blades do you usually carry on a trip?

One sheath knife.
One folder.
One Gerber multitool thing(like a Leatherman)

My sheath knife is kept on the back of my day pack when not in use. With all the tripping / slipping hazards in canoe country I will not wear a sheath knife on me. A sharp sheath knife could go right through a leather sheath in a fall. I have a folder on me always during a trip. I have never yet used my multitool on a trip. Thought about taking it out of my day pack, but then I would need it next time. Dave

 

[Mihun09]

One folding knife on my belt and whatever Christy has with her, lol.

 

[memaquay]

One fillet knife and one 6 inch buck. Oh ya, and an oxhead axe and usually chainsaw.

 

[Guest]

I have never yet used my multitool on a trip.

I have used the Leatherman several times doing field repairs to boat or gear.

The reason for the Leatherman + Mechanic’s Swiss Army knife becomes apparent when you try to hold a nut and tighten a machine screw. Can’t do that if the pliers and Phillips head are on the same tool.

 

[Alan Gage]

Probably 6 or so when I'm tripping. A 6" knife that's mostly used for splitting firewood and a folder that lives in my pocket takes care of most of the light duty chores like cutting line. Then a 6" knife in with the kitchen stuff and 2 or 3 other cheap folders mixed with with the first aid/ditch kits that are in each pack. Oh, and a leatherman in the repair kit.

I think I'll start carrying that 6" on my belt and use it for kitchen chores as well. Will still keep the cheap folders stashed in the ditch kits but could probably forsake the one in my pocket.

Alan

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

My last week long canoe trip: none. I lost my folder on the way to the Adirondacks and didn't have my usual tricked-out PFD.

Not being a fisherman, a cook, a wood processor or animal knife fighter, I rarely need a knife for anything.

I've never owned an ax and never will. My folding pruning saw can cut the few sticks that my hands and knees can't break.

Usually, however, I have a Spyderco so-called EMT rescue knife on my PFD, which I used to cut cheese once in 1985, and another Benchmade folder in my pocket.

I think most people bring too much of everything on canoe trips . . . or any trips.

Jack Reacher travels all over the country with just the one pair of clothes on his back and a debit card. He throws his shirts, pants and socks away when they get dirty and buys a new pair at a dollar store. He does use a good pair of leather shoes. No knife.

 

[Philtrum]

My main knife no matter where I am is a small Swiss Army knife - the kind with one small blade, a nail file, and a little scissors. It's my primary tool in the BW.
I also carry a 5" blade KaBar for heavy work like trimming wood, a smaller KaBar with a razor sharp blade (that never gets used), and a small Leatherman-type tool in my repair kit.
I'd be lost without that little SA knife.

 

[Rippy]

Glenn I sort of feel ya. While a knife could come in handy for other things, most of the time I use one to open packages, both at home and on trips. I find plenty of small sticks for kindling. The little kid in me likes knives and looks for excuses to get one out and play with it. That's OK, life doesn't have to be a sh#t sandwich and every day we take another bite. It can be fun and exciting as well. There are many risks in going on a remote trip and cutting yourself with a sharp object could be eliminated. But most risks remain. I could open my food pouches with a round nosed scissors but it wouldn't be as fun as "whipping out my blade" and cutting the package open like a "real man". (I think my inner child is still a little insecure). By the way, real men cut away from their body to avoid injury. Freaky and unexpected things can and do happen to me, even when I'm being careful. Yah knives are a risk. I like guns too and feel they are much riskier, but I still use them also. Just be careful out there. And if you cut your leg off with a axe, don't go running to Glenn cause he warned you. Dave

 

[scoutergriz]

I always carry my SA mechanics knife in my pocket, and another in my FA kit. Most times I'm only using them to cut rope or sausage, so I don't need bigger. If I'm going "off trail" in the off season I'll add either my buck folder or my Tramontina 6" sheath knife.
Years ago I had a very wise man tell me "Always cut towards your chum, never your thumb. You can always get a new chum, but you can't get a new thumb"

 

[DuctTape]

Depends on the trip. I always have my Buck nano folder. It is my "everything else bag". On occasion I will bring my old mora w/birch handle as it is the better tool to carve up tent stakes, hot-dog sticks, cut steak, etc... Less often I will have one of my folding saws and/or mini-hatchet. The tools for wood cutting make it fun, but I have built just as big fires with just breaking sticks by hand or using leverage (sometimes with less effort too.) The wood pile doesn't look as pretty without the clean sawn edges, but it burns just as nice.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Rippy, I fully understand that folks have varied hobbies that fascinate them--toys that they love just to hold and look at, play with, build, modify, tinker with, and even use. Common hobbies for outdoor folks include knives, axes, saws, guns, maps, paddles, multiple canoes, dogs, ancient bushcraft techniques, fire starting implements, footwear, fishing gear, meal prep, cooking, wilderness medicine, etc., etc., etc. Life would be boring without such hobbies and interests. I have some, not others.

As to knives, I find I need them less on a canoe trip than I do in daily life. My canoe kit is so fixed that there's really nothing to cut. My meals are just commercial freeze dried stuff, and I don't even need scissors for those because they now have a tear strip.

I forgot about my little Swiss Army knives with blade, scissors and file. I have them on all my vehicle key chains and use them quite frequently for various things in normal life. Since I usually toss my car keys in my day bag, I suppose I forgot that I usually have that knife along, too. I may even have a Leatherman tool buried in that day bag. I'm afraid to look, as I could have 20 year old sandwiches buried in there too.

 

[Odyssey]

We saw a store display in France with more Opinel designs than you can shake a ... sharpened stick at. Elegant dinner settings too. Many colours and handle materials to choose from. My favourite had a cork screw folded away in the handle. Ooh la la I liked it. The store was closed. For lunch. So we tottered off to a nearby cafe ourselves, where I subsequently forgot all about the knife. No worries though, they're available over here for attractive prices. Nice.

 

[red langford]

Leatherman, largish fixed blade bel knife, filet knife, and a small pen knife stashed somewhere else.

 

[Rippy]

Norton has that size comparison thing down pat. You'll do fine here.

 

[Canotrouge]

I cary a pocket knife every day of the week, Opinel or Casexx, Some time a belt knife, but that is not often. On trips, I have a Spyderco Enuff Sheepfoot on my PFD. If I'm not wearing my drysuit, I have one of the pocket knife with me. I do carry a SuissTool in my day bag, and if we are on a multi day trip, I have an axe, a small saw, and one good she style knife in the kitchen kit. I believe in eating good food like at home on our trip, so food prep is part of our every day routine, just like at home. I use to carry big knife, but not anymore, not even for moose hunting, 4" blade is usually plenty. If I could carry only one sharp thing in my entire kit, it would be my axe, I can to every thing with it that knife can do, and more!!

To each is own I guess, but I use a knife every day of my life!!
cheers

 

[ppine]

I have not seen a can of National Bo in over 40 years, much less drank one. I would vote for anyone that drinks it, "brewed on the shares of Chesapeake Bay." I had a few beers on Sat nite with a friend that was on the Bay in the Coast Guard and we talked about the old cartoon advertisements with the dancing crabs. Please tell me they are still around.

I bring a Mora ss knife on my PFD, a couple of knives for the kitchen and a fillet knife if we are fishing. Usually a Swiss Army knife buried somewhere with a lot of dodads. A large sheath knife only if hunting.

 

[Robin]

I carry a folding 4" on my belt, plus a small leatherman in with my gear. I bring a small filet knife if I bring a wannigan when I use my wall tent, otherwise I leave it home. The 4" folder does an ok job on pickerel fillets and anything else I would need a knife for.

I always carry an small ax and wood pack saw on trips, I just like having the with me.

I have carried the same small folder in my back pocket next to my wallet for 25 years. When I was driving I needed one to cut the shrink wrap on pallets and I never got out of the habit of carrying it, hard to believe I haven't lost it yet. I never go anywhere without it.