Folders for bushcraft

ALot of people talk about the knife you have with you is your survival knife.....that's alot like saying the underwear you have on is your survival underwear....to me it's all location location location...if I'm in an urban environment I always have a sak or leatherman on me. The minute I'm headin anywhere remotley bush, my f-1 or fixed blade is on my hip or in my bag till I get to a place where it is appropiate to wear on my hip. in fact the only situation I can think of where I might not have access to my fixed blade would be a plane crash type situation, where my knife would be in the baggage compartment....but than again my folder would be there too....JMHOYMV
 
If I had to use only a folder for survival or bushcraft, I'd take a 111mm SAK with a saw among its implements - then there would be no need to baton.
 
I have been using the Benchmade 551 Griptillian with good results but am switching over to their Mini-Ruckus. I've found the blade geo & scales on the Mini-Ruckus works better for a Woods folder - mostly making shavings, digging out slivers in my hands, cutting vines for tinder bundles, whittling, carving, making the trigger etc for traps, cleaning fish, cutting rope/cord, & food prep etc. Plus I need a folder I can use for defense so it has to have the Axis lock for both front and back cutting as back cutting can be extremely hard on most other locking systems. Also a folder must be able to fluidly flow back 'n forth from forward to reverse grip in a defensive situation. My needs may be different than yours but I've found these two knives serve all the above very well.

My folder is my back up to my handgun, fixed blade and ax I carry with me all the time in the woods...and serves a slightly different purpose but will work in a pinch if that is all I've got.
 
The thing I don't like about the Ritter RSK-1 is that it only has partial steel liners. A bit fat in the pocket too. A better option IMO would be the Spydie Manix or the Benchmade Ruckus. Although I would personally opt for their mini versions.
 
Shotgun said:
The thing I don't like about the Ritter RSK-1 is that it only has partial steel liners. A bit fat in the pocket too. A better option IMO would be the Spydie Manix or the Benchmade Ruckus. Although I would personally opt for their mini versions.
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You think the RSK-1 is a bit fat in the pocket, but you're happy carrying either the Rukus or the Mini-Rukus?

And you don't think they're "a bit fat in the pocket"?????
 
Another vote for the Manix.

I also have a Lone Wolf T3 Ranger with which I have a love/hate relationship . The 4¾" long, 1¼" deep, 4mm thick full height flat ground CPM-S30V blade works so so well outdoors. The supplied sheath is excellent and the only way to carry such a heavy knife. However the liner lock won't withstand batoning on the tip. The pocket clip is also frankly stupid on a knife that size, is uncomfortable when gripped tightly, fouls on the sheath and once removed leaves the main pivot on the right standing clear of the handle with a sharp square edge. I'd love to get a block of box elder burl and replace the cheap nylon slabs with nices ones which fit better and would alleviate all of my complaints bar the ones inherrent to a liner.
 
Manix has actually been on my watch list. But just recently someone posted on some other forum how the Manix's tip broke when batoning.
 
nodh said:
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.
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Wow -glad you like your F1, but somehow I seriously doubt that!

Does anyone else worry about the use of S30V on the RSK? Ever since all the stories about chipping out I've wondered about the advisability of that steel on a "survival" knife.
 
The tip on their manix broke because they were hitting the tip of the baton. I believe the proper way to do it is to hit towards the handle.

I used my mini manix to limp out a few pine when I was out last time, and it did it flawlessly. Along with push cutting a 3/4" alder as a walking stick etc.

That's my folder for when I'm camping, but I'll have either a large fixed blade/ hachet or both with me.
 
There's a pretty comprehensive review of the manix (and others) here:
http://www.cutleryscience.com/reviews/manix.html

I've seen the post to which you refer and the poster admitted his batoning was sloppy. I read it as him not only batoning on the tip but also not hitting it square on and he wasn't complaining about it. I certainly see no cause to let up on the use I give mine :thumbup:
 
Batonning and chopping with a folder seems a bit silly to me. I broke the blade off a Gerber FSII stag many years ago while demonstrating how to baton the blade through a 2" piece of redwood. I was teaching a Girl Scout troop survival skills and felt pretty stupid.

Buy a lock blade Swiss army knife with a saw and forget about chopping. Instead of using a baton just shave the bark off. Push split small pieces off for kindling and burn the bigger pieces. I think this emphasis on chopping and batoning is BS. In my world I just find no need to chop.
 
PatriotDan,

You specifically mentioned Strider, and I think their SnG is a great option for what you are looking for. I usually have a larger fixed blade along in the wilderness, but I always have the SnG clipped to my pocket. It is reassuring to have a pocket knife this tough as a backup. It is strong enough to handle any of the camp chores you might need to do.

The only thing in its class that I'd consider carrying instead would be a small fixed blade like a RAT-3.

There have been a few isolated reports of S30v chipping, but they certainly weren't on blades heat treated by Paul Bos, like the SnG.
 
Strongly suggest NOT to baton any folder, unless abolutely necessary (maybe disengage the lock and let the handle hang freely). Sure the lock could hold-up but what about the long-term effect on the pivot? I certainly don't want to stress that critical area.

For the outdoors, I echo the Spyderco Manix as well as the Vic One-Hand Opening "Trekker" and Vic "Farmer" models.
 
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