Folders for bushcraft

PatriotDan

PatriotDan

Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
911
Hi, can you good people recommend me a folding knife that you think would be as good as folders get for survival and general bushcraft kind of situation.

Not only whittling but batoning and chopping would also have to be included. Not just in a pinch but as a expected function of the blade during work.

For the record, I'm absolutely against folders for woods but that's because they tend to be too small and I have not heard of solid widebased opinion on any particular model that would fit the bill.

(I don't populate here too often so excuse my backwoods manners for asking such silly questions but I did try the search on several subforums)

Spydies, Striders, Gerbers, Lynn Thompsons, customs?...


Thanks :)
 
Well, I like the Sebenza, but the blade that goes with me to the outdoors the most is that RSK-1; excellent knife, steel and lock.

The Benchmade Rukus is another good option, long and robust enough to baton in an emergency.

ROCK6
 
Benchmade 710 D2 .... it's a little light for chopping but it will.
Battonning works well with this knife and it's also a great slicer.
So far this is the strongest folder I own hands down.
 
Why a folder for "survival" situations?
The only knive I would trust is the Fallkniven F1. It is not a folder but the strongest massproduced knife there is. www.fallkniven.com
It is very popular with the bushcraft community and with full and halftime soldiers everywhere.
If you have an F1 in your belt or hanging around your neck you will have the best edge tool to solve any situation. Then you can buy any knife, machete, bushwhacker you want.
 
Using a baton on any folder constitutes abuse IMHO. Even the strongest folder won't hold up very long under that sort of stress, so a FB is a better plan. It would be best to take along an axe if you anticipate having to split wood. Folders convenient to carry, but they're a tool for slicing, not chopping or batonning.
 
Another voice who doesn't understand the difference between survival and bushcraft.
 
Ras my understanding (though limited) is that bushcraft consists the practicing of survival skills, and the campcraft aspect of creating things to make life in the bush mre comfortable, Survival itself refers to an actual event or state. as said by others battoning with a folder is a bad idea, if it is to be done the blade should be un locked and at a 90 degree angle perpendicular to the handle, Battoning is too much strain on most locking mechanisms that are comprised of small parts.....Fonly posted sopme pics a while back when he battoned with his Buck folding 110 with out too much diff but as a general practice woul significantly reduce the longevity of your knife
 
You can boton with a folder, but it really makes me wince. The trick is not trying to overdo it. To split wood, I use 50% of the blade length as a rule of thumb with a fixed blade and I would drop to 30% with a folder. Don't be surprised to see the tip go flying or miss the mark and bash the pivot, etc. Remember in a survival situation, you might not be at your best level of coordination-- tired, dehydrated, injured, hypothermic, hungry, or scared-- or all the above. The technique just might save your backside too-- just use your head.

If you are planning a kit, a saw or small hatchet makes a good companion to a folder and avoids the controversy. Any of the Swiss Army knives with a saw will get you over that hump too.
 
I would have to say my ColdSteel Twistmasters...I really love these knives, I love my Opinal in equil parts...I just know the Twistmaster might take a little more abuse. I would also say the reason I choose this style of knife is not for the toughness...I like the solid lockup and shape of the blade. A nice flat grind that carves and slices well. My large Twistmaster has a stout enough blade to baton though small tinder all day long, and as long as you have the "Feel" for it....and don't hit with all your might, it will last fine.
As far as batoning with a folder goes...It is not something any of us would do unless we were trying to find a certain knifes limitations. In a Survival situation, if you must...well, you must..I myself would exhaust every other option..but thats just me.
I'm really suprised no one said Opinal before me??;)
 
Thanks for all the suggestions! The "get a fixed blade/hatchet" suggestions and my lack of understanding the term bushcraft too.

I'm trying to get opinions on knife folder models that people feel could do it in the woods ot atleast come close. I've never used a folder when doing green side ops either for the reasons stated and in fact I'm a very anti folder person in general for mil/leo use(look around this here forum). I know batoning is stretching it a bit as far as any blade functions go.

But still I'm trying to be open minded and get the idea if there were any votes for folder use and if particular models rise from the masses. I would still like to hear all kinds of opinions on the matter and specific models.

For example that Ritter was certainly a new acquaintance to me and I will certainly look in to it!

Any Spyderco models in particular? How about Striders, has anyone used Striders for this type of work or does their blade geometry work poorly on wood?
 
Bushcraft in my mind is a planned survival event and you can have whatever knife you want to play with. Survival is come as you are; your knife is whatever you EDC or happen to have on you just prior to the event. One of my EDC blades is a Ritter Griptilian (RSK Mk I). It carries easily and it can be baton'd, just not as well as a fixed blade. There are other ways to split wood. The idea is to have a knife.
 
ras said:
Bushcraft in my mind is a planned survival event and you can have whatever knife you want to play with. Survival is come as you are; your knife is whatever you EDC or happen to have on you just prior to the event. One of my EDC blades is a Ritter Griptilian (RSK Mk I). It carries easily and it can be baton'd, just not as well as a fixed blade. There are other ways to split wood. The idea is to have a knife.
Click to expand...

THE WAY I LOOK AT THINGS A GOOD QUALITY POCKET KNIFE IS PROBABLY THE THE ONLY TRUE SURVIVAL KNIFE IN TODAYS MODERN WORLD. MOST OCCASIONS THAT ALLOW US TO CARRY A SHEATH KNIFE SUCH AS HUNTING CAMPING HIKING ARE ALL PLANED EVENTS.WE PLAN FOR THE WHAT IF'S AND TAKE OUR FAVORITE BLADE BUT A TRUE SURVIVAL SITUATION USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE LEAST READY OR LEAST PREPARED FOR IT. MOST OF US CARRY A FOLDING KNIFE OR LIKE ME 3 OR 4. EVERY DAY IT'S WHAT YOUR MOST LIKELY TO HAVE WITH YOU EVERY DAY THAT THAT DETERMINS THE TRUE VALUE OF A SURVIVAL BLADE SO BUY THE BEST YOU CAN AFFORD . AND LIKE THE MAN SAID THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO SKIN A CAT OR SPLIT LUMBER WITH OUT BEATING YOUR MAIN SURVIVAL TOOL WITH A TREE LIMB. SORRY FOR THE RANT BEEN ONE OF THEM DAY'S
 
Anyone like the Ka-bar doziers? They look good, aus-8 or D2 steel, and a variety of blade shapes, thumb stud or hole. Cheap too, for the aus-8. Was thinking about trying them out..
 
Kabar Mule, CS Voyagers, Otario RAT folder (don't get the coated version. If you baton the coating between the back of the blade and te pin in the handle wears away and creates blade play)
 
I understand the problem with carrying big knives as EDC but there is usually some time between sitting at home watching TV and poof, you are in the middle of the green stuff, and it is raining. If you go off the asphalt you gould strap on your nice F1 in leather sheath with firesteel holder baldrick style. You could get an WM1, it is more like a non folding folder, but its a great knife too and fits in a normal pocket. I usually dont wear my F1 and all the other stuff, but as soon as I am going somewhere the semi-EDC pack goes with me.
 
Fonly:

How did you modify the BK-7 blade? How did you get off the black? What angle did you put on the edge? Great review! I have a BK-7 and was deciding right now whether to buy a hatchet too.
 
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