Minimal knife

[Diane Pinkers]

They don’t publish the weight, but I thought this looks more functional than a razor blade:

https://jho-knives.com/products/lynx-by-jho?variant=22467602817

$95 seemed a little steep, but I’m not a knife kinda person.

[DAN-Y]

Nice but expensive.

http://laptopbatteryone.com/foldable-card-knife-cardsharp-credit-card-size.html

[DAN-Y]

Or sharpen your credit card and slice tomatos with it:

[Ryan Jordan]

If your needs are:

• cutting thin cord;
• opening plastic packaging;
• desperate need to save weight on your spreadsheet;

Then these little knives are OK.

But if you subscribe to the idea that a knife is somewhat of an emergency/safety/survival item, then they seem desperately inadequate to me.

My preference for an ultralight knife when I need something for striking a firesteel or cleaning a trout or slicing food is a Spyderco Ladybug or the neat and cheap Opinel folder.

For a survival / firebuilding tool, I use the small neck knife shown in this winter firebuilding video.

For “bushcrafting” (mostly just entertainment for me), when I’m building a shelter with dead wood and need to hack limbs off of trees or I’m batoning firewood > 1.5″ in dia, I’m going to opt for a decent knife, which incidentally, is a lot more fun to use than a little credit card thingy!

[DAN-Y]

Ryan, we want something small enough to fit in our wallets so we can easily carry it 24/7. Give us a link that fits that description as Diane pointed out. We don’t want bulky items that you linked to.

[Diane Pinkers]

I was mostly curious to see what knife enthusiasts would make of this device. I carry a SAK Classic, mostly for the scissors and nail file. I know that UL enthusiasts say all you need is a razor blade. I also wanted to take a poke at that.

[Ken Thompson]

Ryan,

https://backpackinglight.com/backnife-review-micro-utility-knife/

“I found the perfect knife for me”

[DAN-Y]

Nice find Ken, I can see why Ryan forgot about that one.

https://www.backnife.com/

BACKNIFE

[Ryan Jordan]

Take a look at the Boker CC knife. I picked one up a few months ago, and it’s much nicer than the Backnife. The latter is tiny, but they just don’t give you much cutting power when you need it. The Boker has a pretty unique foldout design with a decent grip, and is up to some more robust cutting tasks. Not to the level of the little Ladybug, but superior to most CC knives I’ve used.

[DAN-Y]

I really like the Backnife, even gets better the more I look….whoa! a ceramic blade Backnife:

Quote:

Do you need to cut things all the times? Probably not. However, you can’t deny that there are more than a few times in your life that calls for a slicing tool. Between the need and do not need, you will almost definitely find yourself in a situation where you need a knife but you don’t have it. You can’t blame yourself because, knives, box cutter and whatnot are not exactly something you will want to be on you all the time. Why? It is intimidating and it is a hassle to carry due to the size. And, that my friends, is why there is the EDC Ceramic Micro Knife. https://www.backnife.com/

Created by Waterloo, Canada-based Backknife, EDC Ceramic Micro Knife gives you a reason to have a knife by your side, always. As the product name suggests, it is an EDC because of its micro size and notwithstanding its diminutive size, it has a ceramic blade. What this means is, you will have, at your disposal, an easy to carry cutting tool that weights almost nothing and last several times longer than corrosion-prone stainless steel variety. Not only ceramic blade is more lasting, but is a very capable cutter too. It can cut through almost anything you will need cut as a regular person. Seat belts, ropes, cardboard, papers, Kevlar, “super ropes,” fishing lines, you name it, it can cut them all.

Furthermore, it makes a good striker too for effortless fire starting. There is nothing fancy about EDC Ceramic Micro Knife, but it does features a carefully thought out injection molded blade holder/handle that provides it with the right amount of tension and sliding resistance, and it comes with a hole for securing a lanyard or keychain to it.

https://www.backnife.com/

 

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[Monte Masterson]

I carry 1 of 4 knives, depending on the mission. 1) At top is a simple utility blade and a homemade cardboard holder. Clear Scotch packaging tape holds the blade in. 6 gms.  Strictly for an emergency daypack. 2) Next down is the Buck Nano. Not the highest grade steel of Buck knife family, but it’s a leap over the utility blade in terms of usefulness. The Nano is my go to knife. 1.875″ blade. 19 gms. 3) Next is the Cutter Card. This thing is actually pretty impressive. Stronger than it looks when deployed (2nd pic). I have a survivalist buddy who swears he dressed out a deer with one. Longer blade (2.75″). 21 gms. 4) And at bottom is a higher grade Gerber pocket knife. Strong blade, holds an edge well. You could do most survival tasks with this knife (carve sticks, clean game) and it will hold up to the job. 2.25″ blade. 36 gms.

[David Noll]

One word. Opinel.

[Andy Bryant]

Have you seen the Deejo naked?  15g, with a 6cm blade and a lock. Super minimal.

https://amzn.to/31ocd5P

[Ken Thompson]

They use to sell those in the BPL store, way back when.

[Paul Wagner]

I can’t help but think that those of you who carry something like this 24/7 make a lot of gear donations to the TSA when you fly…

[Mark Verber]

I am with Ryan.  In the past I tried using card knives or something like the derma-safe-folding-utility-razor but I have long since abandoned their use.  I found they were only useful if my goal was minimizing weight on my gear spreadsheet rather than having a functional sharp.

Around town I want some other things (like a small screwdriver) with me so I use a  Victorinox Rambler. In the back country I want something that is more durable:  a small lock blade if I am on trails and expect to see people, and a fixed blade if I think my survival might depended on having a knife.

Ah yes… Paul, I have donated several small knives to the TSA.  Around 10 years ago I swap my pocket knife for a swiss-tech key knife which has never been confiscated by the TSA.

The deejo looks like the baladeo which was decent as a filet knife but I wouldn’t recommend for general use.

More thoughts on my recommended knives page.

[Gary M]

Yes looks great tried to order myself and My Brother these for Christmas, try as we might it would get all the way to the last page then just stop. Tried multiple times over a 2 week period and concluded it can not be ordered in the United States, Shame I really want one

 

[Scott W]

I have battled with this question as well.  The Opinel looks nice but I’d be worried about the Deejo blad being exposed not from getting cut but damage to the edge.

For now, my kit includes a Becker BK 23P neck knife and a Leatherman Mikra. Not very minimal, but as others have said a decent knife is something you will sorely miss when you need it if you don’t have it.

The Mikra (49.9g) covers most chores with a 1.5″ blade, screw drivers, tweezers, and scissors (main reason I got them).

The BK 23p (67.9g with sheath and handle wrap) has a 3.25″ blade.  This is a “luxury item”.  If SHTF and I’m stranded, I’d rather have this or my larger BK11 (5 oz).

Like others have said it’s your decision (HYOH) but don’t sacrifice safety at the cost of a few ounces.  There are better places to save weight in the big 3(4) – Pack, Shelter, Sleeping gear, (electronics).  Unless you’ve already covered those or are trying to go SUL….save the ounces elsewhere.

[Mark Verber]

opinel are nice, you just have to be careful to make sure it gets dried after you use it. The carbon blade is prone to rust, and the handle will swell if left somewhere wet. Regarding the Deejo … I haven’t used it, but a similar design, the baladeo’s.  I carried it for a couple of years. Never damaged the edge.

[R]

I still carry a 15g Baladeo.  I chose it for length vs weight.  No problem w/ it when closed.

What’s not immediately obvious is that these are left-handed knives.  If you’re slicing food with the knife in your right hand, holding the food with your left, the chisel blade wants to slice to the right, making it difficult to make thin, even slices (cheese, hard salami).  Worse, gripping the knife tightly with your right hand tends to squeeze the locking mechanism, unlocking the blade.  Not a problem slicing food, but if you do anything with follow through, like slicing through a guy line, the blade may fold half way shut once you complete the cut and your hand flies out to one side and then stops.  I haven’t actually cut myself doing this, but it’s not a good situation.

The thin-slice problem is annoying, but manageable.  Paying attention to your grip when using more force can address the unlock issue, but you have to be aware of it.

Haven’t been motivated to replace it yet, but got my eye on these (surprised this hasn’t been mentioned yet) https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/in-praise-of-the-little-vicky-paring-knife/

[Chris R]

I have the Opinel gardening knife. Stainless steel drop point blade.

[Adrian Griffin]

The Gerber LST knives are light and small. The come in a few different sizes. I think the smallest is the Ultralight LST. Also the a look at the Spiderco Bug and Honeybee.

[Daniel Oxnard]

I am new to posting, but have been reading for years. I really like knives, and having worked in many kitchens, I want to point out the versatility of a good paring knife. They are very small, very lightweight, and very comfortable to use. I love the “Victorinox 4-Inch Swiss Classic Paring Knife with Straight Blade, Spear Point”.  At 0.8 Oz’s it fits the light profile for me.  I always take a few small blocks of cheese on the trail, and it works great for that. I got mine for 5 bucks at a restaurant supply place, but you can find them online around ten or so. They have a tiny polypropylene sheath you can purchase, but I use a diy index card/tape sheath. If I am camping in 10 degree to subzero, I will take something more substantial to hack through ice, but any other time this is my go to.

[Matthew / BPL]

It’s a good knife in the kitchen too. Dual purpose!

[Dean F.]

Victorinox makes a folding paring knife, too.

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