Bushcraft / survival / camp knife , what's your favorite ?

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Ok , so we've all heard the "buzz" words many times and I think most of us know that it's generally accepted that knives that fall into those categories have blades between 4 and 6 inches in length . In Survive Knives case that narrows it down to the GSO 4.1 , 5 , 5.1 or 6 . So which one do you guys feel is the best at these tasks or the best "all rounder" ?

I have a GSO 5 that I got quite awhile back and I find it to be the best knife in that size range I've ever owned (and I've owned some very well respected knives) . I have a custom Kephart made of 1/8"stock and it cuts like a laser , but I know I'd kill it putting it through what my GSO 5 does on camping trips . I've also owned a BK-2 and other 1/4" knives and find them too thick and too heavy to be practical . So I like the size of the GOS 5 with the 3/16" blade thickness . BUT , I do own one smaller knife that's made with 5/32" stock and I like that blade thickness , at least in that sized knife . So as good as my GSO 5 is , this annoying little voice in the back of my mind keeps saying "what about the GSO 4.1 ?" . I'm thinking the GSO 4.1 would be a great knife , but maybe too small for some camp and survival tasks (shelter building , wood splitting and such) .

So I'd like to hear what you guys think . What do you find the go to size to be . If you have both , how do you like the 4.1 compared to the 5 , 5.1 or 6 ?
 
I'm going to say 5.1 or 5 for me would be ideal for most anything. For me it's less about wood prep for fires and more of a game prep and butchering.
 
I can't say for sure, but I'm really hoping my future 5 will be perfect for everything for me. My ESEE 6 has been my favorite solo knife, but I really haven't needed the choil. I realize a 5.1 would give some extra weight and length for chopping, but I've never needed my grip to be 1/9th of a millimeter away from the object I'm subjecting to fine cutting snd carving.

I'm not looking for a survival knife to build a log cabin and skin a shrew, I just want something that will do everything around camp well and look sexy doing it.
 
Silver Needle I get what your saying about the choil . I have had knives with a choil and did use it , but that's only because with the choil THEN the cutting edge gets to be a bit far from the handle . But I find a knife with no choil is easy to slide my thumb up the spine of the blade and just choke up a bit on the handle "if" needed . Also , personally I find the larger the knife , the less I use it or take it with me when on outings . So adding length and weight to get the choil seems to make a more cumbersome knife with the same length cutting edge and the none choil version .
 
Wrong topic sorry.

Mods please remove!!!!!

thx
Dutchtracker
 
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Silver Needle I get what your saying about the choil . I have had knives with a choil and did use it , but that's only because with the choil THEN the cutting edge gets to be a bit far from the handle . But I find a knife with no choil is easy to slide my thumb up the spine of the blade and just choke up a bit on the handle "if" needed . Also , personally I find the larger the knife , the less I use it or take it with me when on outings . So adding length and weight to get the choil seems to make a more cumbersome knife with the same length cutting edge and the none choil version .

Our obviously great minds are thinking alike! I do use the different grip options available on my ESEE 6, but I've never wished for a choil on my BK9.

Come on GSO 5, fill the space between and complete me!
 
Best all arounder? I feel the GSO 3.5 is where it's at for that. I still use and enjoy my 4's and 6, but it's hard to beat that 1/8th thickness on the 3.5. Certainly more control imo.
 
"Bushcraft / survival / camp knife ... best all arounder"

Well, where I am in America we have trees and woods, so a lot more "woodcraft" than the british "bushcraft", and ours involves not just whittling little sticks but splitting larger ones and a bit of chopping. Even 6" is a bit short for chopping, but the greater length and heft of the larger blades certainly help in such tasks that a 3.5 or even the 4.1 are ill-equipt to handle. That said, for just whittling or even for processing a kill, butchering meat, skinning fruit, spreading peanut butter ;) etc. there's no need for such a large, heavy blade and it might even be a nuisance.

To me, the 5.1 and 6 fit the hard-use group with length and heft, while the 4.1 and 3.5 fit the light-use group being compact and lightweight. The 5 ... it's shorter than the 5.1 and heavier than the 4.1, I'm not really sure what to do with it. I like the 5.1 because the choil allows it to be used like a shorter 4.1 (or 5) but the larger handle and length gives it the leverage of the 6. To me, that makes it the best "all arounder". Add to that my 5.1 had better (thinner) edge-geometry than either the 4.1 or SK-4 I've owned, it was an excellent performer. The 4.1 and 3.5 are great because of how compact & light they are in comparison. The only reason to take the 5.1 over them, imho, is because you need that extra length. In my recent use (butchering goats and chickens, splitting smaller logs, a little wood-carving), the 5.1 wouldn't serve me nearly as well as either of those 2 blades, though it could do the job. But in my video where i was cutting up downed branches, the short 4.1 and SK-4 were more annoying than helpful. That's my $0.02
 
" I like the 5.1 because the choil allows it to be used like a shorter 4.1 (or 5) but the larger handle and length gives it the leverage of the 6. "

In actual fact the GSO 5 has the exact same size handle as the 5.1 and 6 do . The 5 does not have the smaller handle like the 4.1 .
 
In actual fact the GSO 5 has the exact same size handle as the 5.1 and 6 do . The 5 does not have the smaller handle like the 4.1 .

I was wondering about this. I thought I read somewhere that the 5 and 5.1 use the same handle scales, but I couldn't find the post I was looking for.
 
As a matter of fact , when I spoke with Guy I'm pretty sure he told me that the handle was the exact same on the knives from the 5 to the 7/7 . At that time there was no 3.5 or Necker II and that only the 4.1 had a smaller handle and of course the 10 had the bigger different style handle .
 
America is a land of plenty and I have several knives. If I could take only one knife I suppose my choice would be based on task percentages. Mathematically speaking, I would take a GSO 5. This size is going to be better suited for smaller tasks than a 7/7 and easier to use for heavier tasks than a 4.1. However, I did not do well in math while in school, so I would take my 7/7! Love that knife!
 
Ok , so we've all heard the "buzz" words many times and I think most of us know that it's generally accepted that knives that fall into those categories have blades between 4 and 6 inches in length . In Survive Knives case that narrows it down to the GSO 4.1 , 5 , 5.1 or 6 . So which one do you guys feel is the best at these tasks or the best "all rounder" ?

I have a GSO 5 that I got quite awhile back and I find it to be the best knife in that size range I've ever owned (and I've owned some very well respected knives) . I have a custom Kephart made of 1/8"stock and it cuts like a laser , but I know I'd kill it putting it through what my GSO 5 does on camping trips . I've also owned a BK-2 and other 1/4" knives and find them too thick and too heavy to be practical . So I like the size of the GOS 5 with the 3/16" blade thickness . BUT , I do own one smaller knife that's made with 5/32" stock and I like that blade thickness , at least in that sized knife . So as good as my GSO 5 is , this annoying little voice in the back of my mind keeps saying "what about the GSO 4.1 ?" . I'm thinking the GSO 4.1 would be a great knife , but maybe too small for some camp and survival tasks (shelter building , wood splitting and such) .

So I'd like to hear what you guys think . What do you find the go to size to be . If you have both , how do you like the 4.1 compared to the 5 , 5.1 or 6 ?

Just get all three! :thumbup:
 
The 5 does not have the smaller handle like the 4.1 .

I know, didn't mean to imply that it did, was talking about the shorter overall length. The 5.1 is about as long as the 6, giving it extra heft and leverage that the 5 doesn't have, but the enlarged choil allows the user to reduce the blade length to that of the 5 when desired, something that the 6 cannot do. The 5 is more compact, but still not as compact as the 4.1 and nowhere near as light, the trade-off for the larger handle.
 
Since we're talking about handles, how do you all feel about the size? Can you grip towards the bottom comfortably for light chopping? Is there enough handle exposed at the bottom for pummeling?

Since the handle measures just under 5 inches, this is shorter than comparable knives.
 
Since we're talking about handles, how do you all feel about the size? Can you grip towards the bottom comfortably for light chopping? Is there enough handle exposed at the bottom for pummeling?

Since the handle measures just under 5 inches, this is shorter than comparable knives.

For most grips, the handle is the perfect size for me, 7.5 medium hands. Depending on what you're striking and your accuracy, the pommel is effective, but expect to pack that lanyard hole with debris ;) That was my experience using a wood mallet and also hammering in wide-head roofing nails and wooden stakes. I had no problem with a rearward grip for chopping, the heel flare is actually helpful in such use.

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Here is the 5.1 doing some light chopping (skip to 3:35)

[video=youtube;ipw7opIQsik]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipw7opIQsik[/video]
 
Ok Chiral, I've been dwelling on this... Do you have any pics with the 5 held in "hammer grip" as if you were going to use the pummel? The video was good, but a still pic would be even better.
 
Yes! The pic I wanted wad in there. I should have taken the time to look that up. Thanks for your ongoing thoroughness!
 
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