/out/ - Outdoors » Thread #197300

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Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 16:58:34 No.197300 View View Reply Original Report

Quoted By: >>197303 >>197769 >>197773

I'm looking to buy a knife to use when I go innawoods/onnamountain.

I don't know a whole lot about knives but I guess I would like the knife I do buy to have as many uses as possible. As its my first knife I am not looking to spend a whole lot of money and would like to keep it under £100 as well as not buy a knife that is overly large.

Any advice or recommendations would be most welcome. Also general knives thread.

Pic related but no idea if it is any good. Blackhawk Tatang.

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO 1368612693570.jpg, 965KiB, 2132x2305

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 17:20:14 No.197302 Report

Quoted By: >>197312 >>197454

If you have no money, buy a Mora
If you want a folder, buy an Opinel
If you want to look like a badass, buy a Buck 119
If you want to look like a badass (military edition), buy a Kabar

Honestly, just lurk more. There will always be at least 1 knife thread and there are usually more. The only consensus you will get is that the blade ought to be carbon steel. I can't tell you if a knife is versatile enough for you if I don't know why you're buying it. For what it's worth, I bought a Condor Bushlore and love it.

pic does not represent the the opinion of /out/, but it's a start.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 17:21:13 No.197303 Report

Quoted By:

>>197300
I have an Estwing Axe and a Frost Mora knife. Total was under 65 bucks.

Why have a knife that can do everything. Just get more things.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 18:01:47 No.197312 Report

Quoted By: >>197360

>>197302
>carbon steel
If you know nothing about knives this means you need to oil your knife. Which is easier than it sounds.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 18:32:47 No.197323 Report

Quoted By: >>197328

SOG Seal Pup

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 18:43:17 No.197328 Report

Quoted By:

>>197323
You again?

Still... can't go wrong. Could spend less though.

CONDOR KNIVES.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 19:44:04 No.197360 Report

Quoted By: >>197367

>>197312
so you don't oil your knife?
I've just graduated from cheap stainless steel pocket knives to a carbon steel knife and I'd like some tips on blade care.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 20:08:50 No.197367 Report

Quoted By: >>197370

>>197360
Not him.

I uze Lansky honing oil to wipe my blades down, though most any should work.

Also DMT 8" diamond stone double sided in fine and extra fine, JA Henkles sharpening steel and Messermiester ceramic sharpening rod.

Very happy with all!

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 20:10:53 No.197368 Report

Quoted By:

What kind of stones should I get for sharpening?

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 20:16:31 No.197370 Report

Quoted By:

Get what you like.

I like:
>>197367

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO mora knives.jpg, 395KiB, 1600x1200

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 20:28:01 No.197378 Report

Quoted By:

Mora.

Seriously OP, Mora.

If it's your first knife, it's the best one you can get. It's cheap, so it's not much of a problem if you lose or break it, and only once you learn how to use this one, you may consider getting something a bit better and more fitting to your specific needs. Or you may be surprised and end up sticking to your Mora.

Anything else would be a waste of your money for the time being, while you'll never regret having a Mora. I may have a $100 knife myself, I still have my first Mora which I keep using.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 20:30:48 No.197379 Report

Quoted By:

Get a mora as a starting point. Mainly because it's cheap.

Use it on a couple of trips.

Evaluate what you like and dislike.

Buy new knife based on this evaluation.

There is no perfect knife for everyone and every situation. The key is finding out what your own preferences are and buying a knife based on those preferences.

In the meantime, try to learn about different grinds, blade shapes, steels, etc. That way, if you see shortcomings, you will know what options there are to adress them.

You can come back after you're a bit more clear about what you want exactly.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 22:43:57 No.197407 Report

Quoted By: >>197408 >>197409

Hmm guess I might be purchasing a mora then!

I like the look of this one.

http://www.heinnie.com/Knives/Mora-Knives/Companion-Heavy-Duty/p-0-92-304-9822/

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 22:49:54 No.197408 Report

Quoted By: >>197410

>>197407

I like this one too actually.

http://www.heinnie.com/Knives/Mora-Knives/Bushcraft-Black/p-0-92-304-9409/

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 22:51:24 No.197409 Report

Quoted By: >>197412

>>197407

Good choice.
Have fun using it on your trips.
Be sure to oil it with some WD-40 or similar after your trip to prevent rust.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 22:56:57 No.197410 Report

Quoted By: >>197412

>>197408

Also a good choice. It's actually the one I use. But a bit more expensive.
Really, any mora will do for a starter knife. So I recommend going cheap. It never hurts to save a few bucks. Especially when youre not sure what you want in a knife.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 23:01:57 No.197412 Report

Quoted By: >>197420

>>197409

Duly noted. Thanks for the tip!

>>197410

I can afford to spend the few extra quid as I budgeted to possibly spend a lot more. I'm going to be using the knife as a general all-purpose knife to take out with me when I go camping, hiking etc.

I can actually see it getting quite a bit of use around the home too as the only other knives I have are of the kitchen variety. It will be helpful to have a decent knife around the place now I come to think about it.

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO image.jpg, 6KiB, 365x240

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 23:08:03 No.197414 Report

Quoted By: >>197437 >>197455 >>197465

If u want a quasi indestructible hunk of steel get a Becker. Great outdoor knives in variouse sizes for around 60 usd. If want a higher end version go esee.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 23:18:32 No.197420 Report

Quoted By: >>197429

>>197412

Then by all means, go for it. I love using my mora bushcraft black. While I often take other, more specialised knives with me on trips, I also have alot of fun taking just the mora and using it as a great allround tool.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 23:44:31 No.197429 Report

Quoted By: >>197434 >>197442

>>197420

Out of interest have you ever used a bushcraft knife more as a "survival" tool than it's designed purpose?

Although the mora is obviously a great knife, I am thinking of adding a survival knife to my kit too as I will still have money to spare.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 23:51:29 No.197434 Report

Quoted By: >>197452

>>197429

Or perhaps a small hatchet rather than another knife would be better.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 15 Sep 2013 23:56:18 No.197437 Report

Quoted By:

>>197414

My Becker Necker arrived dull. And when I say dull I mean I could press into my hand and draw cut and it did nothing. It's been a pain in the ass to get sharp too.

Just my experience, but I'm not impressed.

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 16 Sep 2013 00:06:31 No.197442 Report

Quoted By:

>>197429

I dont really see a distinction between a bushcraft knife and a survival knife.
If I was in a survival situation, I'd want to have a knife with me that I also use in bushcraft. Simply because those are the knives I'm most comfortable using and I know how they handle in various situations.

What I see marketed as survival knives usually are the more gimmicky type knives that I wouldn't personally rely on. Gimmicks often mean more places where the knife can fail. Simplicity is key in a good knife.

Ideally, a knife would simply be called a knife. It's the job of the user to determine if it's features are suitable for the intended task.

Of course, this is all personal opinion. So be free to ignore it.

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 16 Sep 2013 00:31:57 No.197452 Report

Quoted By: >>197710

>>197434

A hatchet can be a great tool. But it's not something I would get as a beginner.

Get to know your knife first. Maybe you find that you can process wood with it just fine and that you dont need any other tools. Maybe you think it's too big. Or too small.
Maybe you find out using a big knife and small knife combination works best for you.
Maybe you feel the need for a hatchet.
Or an axe. Maybe you prefer saws.

These are all things that you can only learn through experience.
I suggest using your knife alot at first. Then, wherever you see the need for another tool, borrow it from someone. That way you can find out if it's something you like.

That way you dont have to buy all the tools yourself, only to find out you're only gonna use 2 or 3 of them.

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 16 Sep 2013 00:35:53 No.197454 Report

Quoted By:

>>197302
>The only consensus you will get is that the blade ought to be carbon steel
Why?
I hate carbon steel and it has nothing to do with oiling/rust etc.

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 16 Sep 2013 00:36:43 No.197455 Report

Quoted By: >>197769

>>197414
Becker BK2 for the win.
Heavy duty and cool as shit

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 16 Sep 2013 01:09:43 No.197465 Report

Quoted By:

>>197414
currently cutting my fingernails with it now

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO 1373196398768.jpg, 41KiB, 383x550

Anonymous Mon 16 Sep 2013 15:13:01 No.197710 Report

Quoted By: >>197720

>>197452

Yeah all good points.

I think i'm going to go with the BK2 on reflection. Seems to me i'm going to be able to do a lot more with it than with the mora (batoning etc).

I dont suppose anyone knows a US knife shop that mails to the UK for a reasonable price? The price of that knife in the US is around $75 (£47). The only site I can find that stocks it in England charge £98 for it o_O

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 16 Sep 2013 15:55:08 No.197720 Report

Quoted By:

>>197710

Honestly, in my opinion, a bigger blade can be quite limiting. Batoning is usually not the only task your knife has. In fact, you should avoid it as much as possible. Besides, the mora bushcraft black is adequate for light batoning, while still being small enough for all other tasks.

In all honesty, I think the becker would be a bad choice as a first blade. Not that it's a bad knife, just that it isn't as versatile.

The becker could possibly be a knife you buy after you find out that's what you like (and even then, I could show you a couple better alternatives). The mora is a knife you buy to find out what you like.

Also, the only good point i see being made in this thread about the becker is its "indestructability". All knives can possibly break if you use them wrong. If youre able to break a mora in a few trips, its honestly not the knife, but the way you use it. And even then, because the moras are so cheap, I tend to abuse them. And I've never had one break on me.

Sure, you can spend 3 times as much (or even more) as you would on any mora for a knife that seems better to you now. But if you end up not liking it, it's just a waste.

I just know that when I give workshops, most people tend to prefer the mora over my fallkniven, my esee, my enzo and my tops.

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO 1378143850572.jpg, 291KiB, 2100x1441

Anonymous Mon 16 Sep 2013 16:19:17 No.197725 Report

Quoted By:

If it's you're first knife, get a carbon Mora with a guard.

You'll make mistakes(not oiling, sharpening incorrectly, hitting ground/rocks/chipping). But it's only a $15 knife.

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 16 Sep 2013 17:39:46 No.197769 Report

Quoted By:

>>197455
>>197300

Definitely my knife of choice (right now). I beat the hell out of that thing, and no problems so far!

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 16 Sep 2013 18:05:25 No.197773 Report

Quoted By: >>197774

>>197300
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005QEWS6

Its a little cliché, but it is a great multi function knife for all the things you'd need a knife for.

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 16 Sep 2013 18:07:53 No.197774 Report

Quoted By: >>197776

>>197773
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005QEWS6E

Fucking reply shit

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 16 Sep 2013 18:37:16 No.197776 Report

Quoted By:

>>197774

Have fun sharpening that in the field.

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO plenty becker knives.jpg, 105KiB, 950x448

Anonymous Mon 16 Sep 2013 19:37:59 No.197797 Report

Quoted By: >>197897

You know OP, the difference between a $15 knife and a $200 knife is very small.

It's the kind of difference you really notice when you really start to get used to using knife, taking care of them, and resharpening them over the course of years, and even then it's minimal, about the difference between "fucking awesome" and "incredible".

The reason Moras are so popular as starting knives is because you won't regret ruining them because they're so cheap. And you ruining your knife WILL happen. Beckers are great, but that would be a waste of money.

You can consider your first knife to be the first one you'll break. So avoid making that knife the expensive one you wanted.

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 16 Sep 2013 23:40:07 No.197897 Report

Quoted By: >>197902 >>197908 >>197924

>>197797

Just out of curiosity: How do you treat your knives? How do you ruin them? What do you do with them?

I've yet to see how one can ruin a properly made knife when it is used for the intended purposes.

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 16 Sep 2013 23:54:25 No.197902 Report

Quoted By:

>>197897

I had a Becker BK-7 that snapped in half after years of frequent batoning. It happens.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 17 Sep 2013 00:06:28 No.197908 Report

Quoted By: >>198051

>>197897

Not that anon.

Inexperienced users often use the knife in ways it was not intended. Thats the whole problem.
You can neglect to oil it, for example. Or sharpen them incorrectly, ruining the grind. Or they could chip the blade and not know how to fix it. The handle or even the blade could break from prying or batoning. Etc.

Sure, not everyone is going to ruin their first knife. But the chance is there.

Besides, even if you decide to buy another knife after your mora, youd probably wanna keep your mora for smaller tasks anyway.
We're just trying to prevent people from spending too much money when they dont need to.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 17 Sep 2013 01:12:32 No.197924 Report

Quoted By:

>>197897
>when it is used for the intended purposes
When you don't know much and are in the process of learning, chances are you'll be using it for unintended purposes.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 17 Sep 2013 08:28:38 No.198051 Report

Quoted By: >>198255

>>197908

Ah well but even if you forget to oil it the knife will be far from ruined. I have a knife in my desk drawer that was one of the first I made and I never oiled it for years and did not care for it. It has only very light superficial rust that could be polished away without problems.
This is more of a cosmetic concern if you did not "store" it in a tank of sea water for a year.

Sharpening them incorrectly would also not destroy a knife per se. You could still properly sharpen it and it will work again ( I do not think the blade was whittled away a whole centimetre). Some chips...well. Could be that you had to remove too much material. But if you sharpen it again and do not plan to use it for shaving or preparing wilderness-sushi, the knife will still work. Over the years you will grind out the chips through sharpening anyway.

Prying is the real killer. That is not what a knife is made for and one often sees people doing it anyway. A properly heat treated carbon steel will stand up to much abuse, but this can ruin a knife, true. Batoning is a very disputed matter. It is not good for a blade in my opinion. If my life depended on my knife, I would rarely consider doing it if it can be helped.

Nothing against buying a Mora first, I think this is the best course of action.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 17 Sep 2013 20:45:19 No.198255 Report

Quoted By:

>>198051

Well, "ruin" can mean alot of things.
I think sharpening is the best example. It takes a while to learn how to do it properly.
Personally, I love my knives. And I wouldnt want to have to resharpen my more expensive knives after messing it up. I believe it's always best to only sharpen when needed and to keep them it in good condition in general. Not properly sharpening knives, not keeping them clean and not oiling them are just as bad, to me, as prying with them. It shows a lack of respect for the things that help you. Sure, having to reshapen doesn't destroy the knife. But it goes against the principle of taking proper care of your tools.
That same principle applies to moras, of course, but you have to learn somewhere. And it's better to learn with a knife where it doesn't hurt as much in your wallet.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 18 Sep 2013 07:02:55 No.198559 Report

Quoted By: >>198593

BK2. The thing is basically indestructible. The shape also makes it easy to use for cooking, and other small tasks.

Brutal testing:http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/839944-BK2-test-the-final-part-(LOTS-of-pictures)

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 18 Sep 2013 10:59:21 No.198593 Report

Quoted By:

>>198559

I'd rather have a thinner knife made of carbon steel with a better blade geometry and refrain from batoning through concrete blocks ;)

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO 1374657480991.png, 459KiB, 500x598

Anonymous Wed 18 Sep 2013 23:32:37 No.198865 Report

Quoted By:

Good thread guys.

Here's a link to a vid Dave Canterbury did about selecting Knives. As he stresses, it's just his opinion, but I think it lays down a good foundation for looking at knives. I disagree with some of his criteria, but I think he gives you some good ideas for how evaluate what your preferences and priorities are when choosing knives.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpNQS6CX7FA

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