UL pocketknife – what blade do you carry?

At 1.8oz for a 3.25" blade it has a great blade length to weight ratio. Its also made of some nice metal, 153CM, and is super thin.

http://www.benchmade.com/products/product_detail.aspx?
model=530

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOkmPrdAiXU&feature=related

is also what I carry. Great knife for every day carry as well. Just so happens to be on Steepandcheap.com for $25 right now.

I don't think I would go into the woods without a fixed blade knife with at least a 3" blade. But I always have my Wenger Evo-Grip 18(3.1 oz.). As you can allready tell I don't think a knife is the item on the packing list to save weight or money on.

I find that 99% of my cutting chores require just a small blade so I incorporated the Stanley Mitey-Knife into my kit. It weighs just 7 grams including the 2 spare blades inside the handle, and is 2 7/8 inches long.

Flame me, flame me, you've got every right to blame me…

Leatherman Wave. Yeah, seriously, it's true. God, it's gonna' get hot in here…real soon.

And a SOG SealPup, which is not a pocketknife, but it's a knife. I just know the wood is comin'…

By the way, you don't lash your knife to a piece of longish firewood to make a spear, you use your knife to sharpen your longish piece firewood so that it can be used as a spear. Technical correction, but you'll still have a knife when you're done screwing around stabbing at fish.

I wouldn't even think about going into the woods without my tools. And I sure won't be leaving them out there either.

John

I don't think knives are very heavy in general– given the utility.

My EDC (every day carry) is a Benchmade Griptilian with a bright orange handle. 3.9oz., excellent steel, easy to open one-handed, good pocket clip, great ergonomics– works for lefties with no compromises. It is stout enough for survival and easy to carry.

My favorite fixed blade (du jour) is the Mora 2010. It is inexpensive, 5.1oz, stout and sharp. About $35 on eBay.

Want a great food prep knife? Get a Victorinox paring knife. Stainless 3.25" serrated blade, 3/4oz. and about $4.50 (model 49693). Sharp as blazes and dirt cheap. Commercial fishermen use them for all kinds of net and bait work. I wouldn't recommend one for survival, but I'd be happy to have one. It can cut line, prep food and make fuzz sticks for fire starting.

Best Swiss Army knife? I like the Hiker: 2 blades, saw, awl, Phillips, flat blade screwdrivers, can opener, bottle opener. The Trekker model is a big knife with a locking blade and tools. That and a Classic will take you anywhere.

A Victorinox Classic lives on my keychain along with a firesteel, whistle, LED flashlight and spy capsule. Most used implements: scissors and toothpick.

The Spyderco Ladybug is a neat little single blade folder. 2" blade, 0.6oz/18g. Mine is bright orange.

The SOG seal pup is a nice blend if you want a good, relatively lightweight (For longer fixed blades) knife for general utility and the occasional last ditch bear-defense or cabin building scenario. It's too bad the sheath isn't lighter, though. A lot of people will say "No way" or "Good luck" when the idea of fighting off a bear with a knife comes to mind, but after I read the story in Canada of the guy that actually killed an attacking bear with his knife a couple years ago it's hard to walk into bear country with just a razor blade these days.

It's close to a pocket knife, lighter than some, but more practical for my intents…

The Grohmann Boat Knife

Stout 4" blade, thin enough for finely slicing onion or cheese, stout enough for batoning smallish wood splits. Weighs about 3.5 ounces, 1.5 ounces for full leather sheath. Doesn't leave my belt.

Only because Mike C! must be out in the woods….

Here at BPL, the DermaSafe Razor –

"Weighed On Our Scales » 0.27 oz. (7.62g)"

My favorite knife for backpacking is the Buck Mini 350.

It weighs just about an ounce yet it has pliers AND scissors. Tweezers too. It’s an ounce of pure usefulness.

G

I've not had a need for anything bigger than a small blade and the scissors, but I do like to carry a nail clipper with me.

At 37 grams (1.3 ounces), the Wenger Swiss Clipper (CampMor – $22.99) is perfect for me:

I usually hike with friends who can't go without their Skeletool or similar device, but the only implement we ever seem to need is the scissors from my tiny knife.

2 1/2" blade, 1 1/2 oz. Makes excellent wood shavings and remains sharp for prepping food, trimming hangnails etc.

http://www.coldsteel.com/birdtroutknife.htm

Weight: 0.8 oz
Blade Length: 2 1/4"
Handle Length: 4 1/16"

My photon light and whistle also hangs from it.

I have never really understood why people carry a razor blade into the bush. Cant you just tear open your food packs? I find the two worst cuts I have had from a cutting tool were from a razor blade and my tiny swiss army knife. I see nothing wrong with carrying a razor but its not a knife and has little to no utility. I use my knife to make tent stakes clean a fish, cut fire wood carve a spoon ect. The real reason I carry a knife is for a last ditch attempt at self defence against big scarry things. I have recently swithched from my massive TBII to a Benchmade Nim Cub II it only weighs 3.1 ounces and has an amazing edge. In the end I can find a dozen things I can leave home to save a few ounces but my knife isnt one of them, its the single most important thing I pack. Right now I am wearing two knifes, my spyderco folder and my Benchmade Nim. I use both these knifes regularly and would be lost without them. Just my 2 cents which is what its worth. Ali

depending on the hike either :

– nothing ( but some scissor from a swiss card )
– a ladybug
– a fallkniven wm1
very easy to clean and didnt rust from sea water after cleaning and preparing filets from a dozen fish ( artic char, salmon , cabillaud) this last hike in Greenland
2.5oz /70g but i need to find a lighter solution for the sheath (30g atm) , i dont want to wear it on neck, and i cannot on belt with my backpack on )

Have you considered a baldric style carry for your fallkniven? I like it for fixed blades because the strap/cord doesn't interfere with backpacks. Also, you can have the knife in front of you when you're using it and then swing it to the side out of the way when not.

Most all the knifes I have seen are WAY to HEAVY!!!

7 functions at 0.7 oz…Keep it simple….

The best knife is the one that you have when you need it.
I like knives but I flip/flop. Sometimes a micro knife in a complete kit. Or like Ali take a field and make parts of my kit that I did not bring. Tent stakes, walking stick,
eating utensils /toothbush etc.It depends on my mood.

Jim

Sorry should have read field knife :(

That Fallkniven U2 is a gorgeous knife. I think I like that better than a BM mini grip on my wish list, if I ever get around to buying a knife just to have a knife.

I currently use a SAK one handed trekker. I don't like the blade, the chisel point doesn't work very well left handed. But I really like having a saw, and the saw here is the longest and best avail on a SAK. For using the bushbuddy, the saw is great for notching sticks just slightly too thick to break.

Spyderco Jester is my favorite UL. Nice knife for the $$.

New member and just wanted to chime in on this thread:
I’m just getting back into backpacking after about 10+ years of working too hard. I’ve got my pack weight down from 40+ to 20 pounds which is just lightweight but I’m old enough to want some comfort once I’m in camp and I’m willing to pay for it with a little extra weight. Part 2 – I usually go in the woods with the capability to assist/rescue others (old habits die hard.)
Wow! A lot of great ideas and choices here, this is my take. It’s hard to go wrong with any of the Spyderco models from the ladybug for light weight to the military/police series. Kershaw and SOG make some nice folders with an assisted opening. SOG for smaller lighter, Kershaw for a larger blade (I carry a leek, blur or cyclone daily.) The Doug Ritter S30V Griptilian is another great folder. That said, when in the woods I carry a Juice S2, It’s the lightest tool (4.4 oz) I could find with both usable scissors and pliers. I pair that with a good fixed blade. On a budget get a Mora and make your own sheath. Light and small, I have a RAT Izula that is great for the price and a perfect neck knife. The Nim Cub posted above is a great knife but I spent a couple bucks more for my EDC which is a ScrapYard Knives Scrapper 5. Light enough at 194 grams and the SR101 steel will cut through a car or cinder block in a pinch :) this knife will do it all. You can pick up the SR101 version for around $125 and the INFI version is for sale now for around $200.
Hope this helps someone out.

Sears has 'em all.

I never leave home without my Emerson SARK!

Here is a nice tiny fixed blade:
Doug Ritter RSK mk5

Fits in an Altoids box and designed for survival applications. Weighs less than one ounce with sheath, I’ve started carrying it on my last ditch lanyard.