Hunting Knives

[Panzer]

What kind of knife does everyone carry into the woods?

Right now I'm using a fixed blade Gerber Gator for field dressing. It's nothing fancy but it holds a decent edge and I'm not out much if I lose it.

I also carry one of my ever present tactical folders for general utility use. Usually either a CRKT, Kershaw or a Benchmade.

[TexHunter]

I carry a Buck lite that they haven't made in years that was given to me and my brothers for Christmas many years ago. A few licks on the stone and the thing will cut your arm off. I also carry an Uncle Henry folding in my pocket all the time, good skinning knife.

[wisecountybuck]

Nothing fancy, a buck 110 folding, Schrade gut hook skinner and a Gerber gut hook. All sharp though... :D

[Panzer]

I carry a Buck lite that they haven't made in years that was given to me and my brothers for Christmas many years ago. A few licks on the stone and the thing will cut your arm off. I also carry an Uncle Henry folding in my pocket all the time, good skinning knife.


I had one of those buck lites many moons ago. It was a good knife, I wish I knew what happened to it.

[ldfalks]

For a folding knife I carry a Case Stainless 2" pocket knife. On my belt I carry a Randall Model 25-5 5" Camp and Trail Knife and in the backpack I carry my Randall Model 14 7" attack knife for heavy hacking. I use them all on just about every trip to the woods... :D

[Oldaro]

For general use I take along a Spanish Aitor Jungle King II, it's kind of Rambo thing, but smaller. Still, it comprises 24 functions, has an added skinner in skeletal form, also a compass, and the sheath has an incorporated slingshot frame, for which there is 25# rubber tubing inside. The handle compartment holds fire-sparker, some surgical blades, tweezers, and there is a space for pills, in case you need to carry some medication along.

I know it is like I'm describing a toy, but regardlesss of all other uses, this knife is extremely durable and very solidly made, and the whole package is practical.

Instead of it, sometimes I take along a locally made Tanto, created out of ship's steering plate, which is multi-layered steel, not unlike that used in Damascan sabres and also in Japanese Katanas. Along with it goes then the Swiss Army pocket knife.

Outside of Aitor, I take along this CRKT and one very sturdy model of Leatherman multi-pliers. The model name and capability is CRUNCH...

:D

[Panzer]

Fil,

It looks like we've got the same taste in blades. That CRKT you've got is pretty much the same as my EDC knife, except mine has the titanium handle scales.

[Oldaro]

Yes, but I think if I lost or broke the Titanium Carson, it would hurt too much...

I'll take pix of the Aitor and Tanto for you to see. Or better yet, I think I'll just gather them all for a family photo...

:D

[Panzer]

Actually the price wasn't to bad. I was doing some training at Fort Polk and I lost my Benchmade and I needed a knife. I found CRKT at the PX for about $55.

Of course right after I bought it I found the Benchmade.

[TexHunter]

Have to keep a close eye on that Buck Lite when family (my brother in law) is around. His is about wore out and he has tried to buy it. :D

Fil I like the Leatherman. Looks like alot more "features" on it than the one I carry.

[Oldaro]

Tex-H, that Leatherman jaw has the plumber's tool type lock, it can be adjusted by the big screw at the bottom of the handle. It's small but solid, and whatever you put those jaws around, it GRIPS. The handle blades are pretty much like with all other multi-pliers, with the one exception: I've never seen a knife in such a tool so well sharpened like in this one!

It has my heartfelt reccommendation.


Actually the price wasn't to bad.* I was doing some training at Fort Polk and I lost my Benchmade and I needed a knife.* I found CRKT at the PX for about $55.

I got mine from an archer friend who brought it from America. He's a Flight Controller with the UN in Africa now. It's not every day that I can get me another one, so it's probably more precious in that sense than yours.

(An' din't de scruffy dog go buy himself the Titanium scales model right after he unloaded de old model on me? 'e sure as 'ell did...)

:D

[TexHunter]

Fil I have cut sheetrock with the blade in my Leatherman without dulling the blade. LOL They are nice blades.

[Oldaro]

I can well imagine that. This is one classy company when it comes to useful tools, right.

[Denfore]

Gerber fixed blade, Case fixed blade, and a Leatherman Pocket tool. Nothing fancy nor too awful expensive, but they more than get the job done and each holds a sharp edge very well.

[Tejas Raz]

The odd assortment. Used to carry the Benchmade everyday. Then I bought the Kellam Damascus folder on the left. It's been replaced for everyday by the Kellam "Jouni" limited edition folder on the right with the leather sheath. I like it better because of it's slim design, the more curved blade, and how it fits the hand perfectly. The fixed blade is a Finish Kellam Puko Tommi with a special silver steel blade and arctic curly birch handle. All three of the Kellam knives are semi-custom, something I'd wanted to do for a long time. The quality is outstanding and the sharpness on the Tommi is unreal! Guaranteed to skin out an entire moose without needing sharpened! It's right up there with a straight razor. The Gerber Multi-Plier is nice because it's "one-handed". The pliers slide out the end. The Uncle Henry pocket knife was my Grandpa's. The knife I won't ever be without is the little Swiss Army... never know it's there and I use it all the time. The broadhead is a Simmons Shark 190 grain Interceptor. The cartridge is a .40-60 Maynard black powder one from the 1870's which fits my Winchester Hi-Wall single shot. The lighter was given to me from my ex-Army next door neighbor. He brought it back from Baghdad when he was driving a supply truck there for the AFEES PX system. Notice the custom background on the new phone! <Storm Achery blatent commercial inserted here.> Finally, the quilt was made by my talented wife, Denise!

[Panzer]

That's a nice looking collection Scott. I like the wood and leather, most of my stuff is black plastic and nylon "tactical" stuff. It's functional, but just doesn't have the character.

Give me a few minutes and I'll post a pic.,

[Tejas Raz]

Know what you're saying Chris! I used to be into the "tactical" side of things due to the fact that they're usually very practical. But the allure of wood and leather are what now capture my attention. Warm is the word I associate with them. And I find that done corrctly, there is no loss of utility. In fact, quite the contrary. Many of the "old" designs work better. They had to back then! I might have added my flint and steel fire starting kit too as it will always be in my pack on any trip into the woods. Always works, will save your life in an emergency! I can have a fire lit in seconds too. Much faster than any lighter known to man! No kidding. You just have to know how and the secret is in the "char cloth". Do a google search and you can find out how.

[Panzer]

Heere's mine. The pic didn't come out as well as it looked on the camera, sorry.

The top is my Gerber Gator. Below that on the left is a SOG Seal Pup with a Kydex sheath, it used to be the knife I carried on my web gear. Next to that is a CRKT folder that I bought in the PX in Iraq to replace a Kershaw Vapor II that fell out of my pocket in the latrine. I think one of the local workers got it before I realized it, but I couldn't prove it. Next to that is a Benchmade Ascent that my wife gave me as a coming home gift when I got back from Bosnia in '99. Below that is a Gerber Guardian that I found laying in the snow on the basecamp in Bosnia, I never did find out who's it was so I kept it. It's missing the sheath though.

The 2 folders in the middle are a pair of old Parkers that my grandpa gave me when I was a kid. I don't carry them any more for fear of losing them. Next to that is a Remington Bird knife that my mom gave me for Christmas when I was 16. It's got a slender blade and a hook that is perfect for cleaning small game plus a choke tube wrench that fits Remington 12 and 20 gauge chokes. Next is a Kershaw Vapor.

The big knife at the bottom is the Mark 7 PigSticker. Its a modified M7 bayonet that I picked it up new at a surplus store with a M10 sheath for $24. Since I didn't have any plans of ever fixing bayonets I ground the attachment ring a latch off to make it more like a trench knife. It rode on my body armor while I was in Iraq, and no, I never stuck anyone with it. It did cut plenty of tires and flexi-cuffs though.

Last but not least are a pair of Gerber Multi-pliers. Like Scott, I prefer them over the Leathermans because you can quickly snap them open with one hand.

The CRKT I was discussing with Fil isn't in the pic. I laid it on the dresser last night and it seems to have grown legs. Someone probably borrowed it and forgot to tell me. :PDT_Armataz_01_02:

[Tejas Raz]

Hmmm... The list could grow and grow couldn't it?

I totally forgot my Surefire Combat 6Z flashlight. I see you got yours in the picture Chris. Outstanding investment! Then there's the Kabar that every Marine absolutely must have! I've two. One for the wall that I got from the guys at retirement, and the one I bought at the 7-day store back when I wore mosquito wings many years ago. It's been around and shows it!

[Panzer]

I know what you mean Scott. I've just always stuck to synthetics because I've found myself in desert or very wet conditions for long periods of time and they tend to get banged about while riding on my web gear. Although wood and leather will be fine if cared for properly, synthetics don't show the wear as bad under those conditions. Now that I don't have to worry about that, I'm going more traditional from now on.

You're right about the list growing. I had a teacher when I was a kid that makes custom knives. I'm gonna have to look him up when I get home. :D

I wish I had all the ones I'd lost or traded off over the years. Especially 2 notables. The first was a Swiss Army Knife that I got for Christmas when I was a kid. I had it for years and carried it daily for the first 7 years of my career including Desert Storm. I was at the NTC in '96 and if fell down into the engine compartment of a M1A1. The only way to get it out was to lift the back deck and pull the pack (engine/transmission). This would have required a crane and several hours work, so needless to say, it's still there.

The other was a Buck 110 folder that I'd had for years also. When I was getting on the plane in Kuwait to come home from Desert Storm a MP said I couldn't carry it on the aircraft because it was a lockblade and tried to confiscate it. Since I was already carrying a M7 bayonet, an M16 and a M1911-A1 I couldn't see the knife making me any more dangerous. I think the guy just wanted a free knife and after about 10 minutes or arguing and cussin' the commander finally ordered me to give it up, so I jammed the blade into the sidewalk and snapped it off before I handed it over.

I forgot to mention the light is a SureFire C2 Centurion with the MILSPEC finish. They're expensive, but cheap at twice the price.

[Oldaro]

Like Chris, I seem to have some automotive blades, too. When I tried to collect them for the photo, I noticed that several are missing.
Here's what remained: a boatknife (for solving rope & knot questions etc.), CRKT, Swiss Army, Aitor JungleKing II and its skinner, Tanto and Kukhri. Above, it's Aitor sheath with the slingshot opened.

You'll notice an original grip solution on the Tanto. The grip is covered in o-rings. Try it, maybe on some kitchen knives first; you'll love it, especially if your hands are wet or oily.

[Tejas Raz]

Remember what i said before about the list growing longer?

Yup! I've got a Gurkha Kukhri too Fil. Hell of a knife especially when you learn how to snap the wrist and that blade wraps around. Loads of power in that stroke!

Guess I'll have to add on my Hawk and throwing knife... more pics coming. :D


.... should I add in my swords too?

[Oldaro]

Told you so, pix tell all. This simple picture upload feature is one of the nicest things about this Forum program.

I hope y'all have saliva-resistant keyboards (possible patent here!!!), specially if you're sold on cold steel. Like me. And I'm glad I'm not alone in that.

IMO, keep the swords separate, it makes shorter blades easier to photograph. Scale difference is a problem, if your swords are any bigger than my letter-opening Excalibur here...

:D

What's keepin' ya?