What do Y'all Carry/Use as Your Camping Knife? Looking for Suggestions.

[Klbsa]

Each year in the dead of winter I spend 10 days or so in the deep woods of North Central PA on a solo hiking/camping trip. I prefer to get as far away from civilization as I can. The past few years I have hiked out to the same spot which is miles from even the nearest dirt path. I end up bushwhacking for miles to get there.

Anyways I try out a new knife each year and some have been great others not so much. I have also learned that an expensive blade is not always better than a budget one when it comes to deep woods survival/camping. Last year I went with the OKC SP5 10' bladed knife and it was my first time taking a LARGE blade out as my main knife..... Its was amazing, at a 55 dollar price point I had a better experience than with knives that cost 5 times as much that I've used in the past.

I have learned that I prefer a big old knife over the standard camp/bushcraft knife. I always bring an extra smaller knife and multitool anyways so the much smaller tasks are done with them.

So, what do y'all use? I'm looking for suggestions and of course an excuse to buy another large bladed knife for this years excursion (in a few weeks). My criteria is a knife with at least an 8 inch blade and a price that is up to 200 bucks. Keep in mind I am spending a week or more alone in fairly cold conditions, so I end up processing LOTS of fire wood. Any Ideas?

 

[jbmonkey]

bk9 add the micarta scales and you're good to go.

 

[Bob Denman]

For camping: my Leatherman Super Tool.

 

[Sbs1974]

Esee 4

 

[kobold]

For winter, a Silky, a chopper like a Condor Mini Duku and something like a Bark River Bravo 1 LT, Tundra, or the Gunny.

Or a Leuku and a Puukko.

 

[shane45-1911]

bk9 add the micarta scales and you're good to go.

Absolutely:

 

[FloridaDreams]

 

[FloridaDreams]

Absolutely:

Interested in sharing the patina method for the BK9? Looks incredible! Nice one.

 

[LimpCroissant]

I'm not exactly sure what to tell you on the 8 inch blade thing as that's a bigger knife than I like to carry for the same thing. I do a lot of camping and hiking though and a little bit of backpacking. My standard for several years has been my ESEE 4 with orange g10 scales. And then I'll also carry a folder for small stuff, it used to be an OG original Paramilitary sprint run in D2. I have a Maxamet Para 3 coming so I'm hoping that will take its place. And then I'll also have a multi tool on my belt if camping and maybe in my backpack if backpacking.

 

[shane45-1911]

Interested in sharing the patina method for the BK9? Looks incredible! Nice one.

Thanks.

Vinegar etch, followed by a mustard etch, and a bit of gun blue for highlights.

 

[Reallybigmonkey1]

My favorite for camping is a Mora bushcraft black. If you need a stainless version I like the Mora Bushcraft Forrest.

 

[cbach8tw]

Bk9 or a TrailMaster. Several in the Condor line would also work.

 

[Rich S]

In my younger days, I backpacked several weeks on the Appalachian trail with my SAK Tinker and a 4 inch puukko.
No need for a big hunken blade, just added weight. Never have had to baton anything and wouldn't risk busting a knife while in the wilderness.

 

[USMCPOP]

Perhaps one of these 4 on the left if I didn't have a hatchet or saw. The 7-incher on the right is handy. These are Thai/Lao knives from the north/northeast. A SAK would be nice, as would be a light 3-4" knife.

 

[bigsurbob]

I agree with the Trailmaster suggestion. The BK9 too, but i don't own it. My Trailmaster is a beast and can take a pounding. If you're not bringing an axe/hawk then that justifies that huge blade.

Here she is successfully batoning a piece of oak way too big to be batoned... because I can!

 

[The Grendels]

If I'm only hiking a few miles and staying at a set camp, I'm going lighter on the knife and heavier on bigger tools: Husqvarna Foresters Axe and Silky Saw Big Boy. If I want something for clearing brush, I'd probably take my light brush clearing axe (there are a lot of names for them, but I call them Viking Machetes). Ten days in the middle of winter also means more clothes and a lot more food to carry, but set camps are where the dedicated tools shine brightest.

For knives, I'd bring either my Bark River Bravo 1 or my Joker Ember (depending on what I want to do or both if it's just a few miles in to camp), my Leatherman Surge (to fix anything in camp instead of cutting my trip short), and a Benchmade Bugout (for a very light utility knife). Depending on the kinds of wood available, I might even bring my carving knives too, to give myself something to do during my downtime in camp.

 

[hank_rearden]

Looks like a brute. But as a question: ferro rods don't work on blades with black oxide coating, or ceracoats?

 

[moonpath]

For most camping a bark river kephart with micarta scales. Prefer flat ground fixed blade knife in stainless for easy maintenance, a five inch blade. Also like multi tools because they can perform so many chores. I usually bring a small saw, such as a silky, and a small axe for chopping wood. I do not prefer big knives because I find they are limited in what they can do in a practical, routine way.

 

[Creaky Bones]

Skrama. https://www.varusteleka.com/en/product/terava-skrama-240-carbon-steel/30189

 

[dirc]

since you already have the ontario sp5, you really are set... it's hard to beat at that pricepoint

but, the skrama will outclass it in just about every way - it's amazing, they do a really good job with 80crv2