Pairing knives What to take out and where?

Take a complimentary pair of knives along. It's no good taking similar knives.

My newly acquired LINDER Super Edge 5 ATS 34 Bushcraft knife, a perfect to pair with the FKMD Parus. The SuperEdge 5 has an excellent shape and at 5mm thick chunk of ATS 34 can really handle the pace. It will be going into the mountains in the northern hemisphere this year with me.

The FKMD Parus is a kind of lightweight hatchet if you like but added bonus of being a knife too. I use it to split logs and or bust off small bits of timber to help build a fire, especially if I decide not to carry a saw.

I used my RaidOps LG6GPMT to make a OJIBWA bird pole

Take a knife which it is easy to make a OJIBWA bird pole with. Despite it's small size, I easily carved this dead hazel branch which BTW the tip had been hardened in the fire; I  then drilled a small hole in it with the end of the LJ6GPMT (That's a mouthful!) 

Generally I'm camping in places where  only a small knife is necessary as there is always tinder material and it's hot and dry and lighting a fire is too easy. OR I go to places where lighting a fire is forbidden, so it's a fuel stove and a small knife. OR I go to places where the rangers cut up fallen trees somewhat and then it's up to the campers to be able to process any of the cut logs/branches (Big knife and or saw). OR I go away away from everywhere and what I take is what I'm about to discuss below.

I always take a knife I can prepare my daily meals with. This same knife must be capable of use for hunting as well. When I speak of hunting, what do I mean? I mean that knife must be able to be used to gut and clean animals (includes fish- which are animals of course but seem to get relegated to the subject of "Fishing".

If I'm going somewhere where there are no fish to be found then the knife choice might be different, such as a super pointy tip may not be my choice.

If I'm going to go hunting specifically, then I will be taking suitable knives along, that is knives whose geometry are suitable for dressing out game. See some examples below:

I'm always carrying a folder (in the wilds) and it's never a frame lock, rarely a liner lock and more than likely a simple and fool proof lock back knife these days. 

Nieto Combate lock back folder

In my past It was either a Swiss Army knife-Victorinox or Wegner (today for fishing I take a multitool as well) and a lock back knife. My reasons are several. Frame locks are cool but I only own one so far (it's damn good too) but the blade is too short. A lot of frame locks are poorly constructed and exhibit blade movement under heavy loads in the direction of cutting, which can be a serious problem and possibly result in an injury. Liner locks are great but also contain many parts to get mucked up with sand, dirt and mud and grass etc. Plus liner locks lateral stability relies totally upon the quality of the washers used and the construction (like frame locks too). So even if build quality appears good, if the washers are crap then the blade will exhibit lateral movement or the pivoting mechanism (ie the washers) will wear quickly.

I'm not saying liner locks are no good, hell I own many of them but for simplicity on trips well away from help, I want dependability over what seems to be the norm today and that means a simple lock back knife, and no, you do not need 2 hands to open one. There is an obsession today about flicking open folders are so many people are would be if I could be knife fighters LOL!

For a traditional lock back folder, it's near impossible for the blade to come out of the main frame due to the tension of the back spring steel. This is not the case for many liner locks and frame locks where these types of knives it is necessary to carry them by the use of the pocket clip in a deep pocket in order to restrict the accidental opening of the blade. Also Flipper-type folders, whether frame locking or liner locking also fall under this category and the flipper can not only put a hole in one's pocket but also actuate the release of the blade accidentally if clothing or other objects het caught on it. I learnt that from an almost serious accident in the wilds with a flipper type folder. It (that flipper) is a great knife and well designed but they are IMHO NOT for hiking with as they can and should only be carried in a pocket via using the pocket clip for the reasons stated above.

 Also traditional style lock back knives, the base of the blade, or tang if you like is fully supported by the steel frame of the knife. This is not the case for all other folders using washers, as only the surface area of the washer is in contact with the tang. There is less likely-hood of dirt ingression for such folders too, where material can enter the spaces between the washers and the inner liners. This is next to impossible (except fine dust) for a traditional style folder.

On a recent trip into the mountains (no car big journey via public transport and then walking of course several kilometres to the first campsite with my young son, pack weight was a huge concern. I did not want to carry: hatchets, saws, big chopper knives, hunting knives, folders etc etc. So what to take?  He had his Opinel for kids-it weighs nothing. I took a FKMD Parus- a real beater and weighty (in the right place) enough to comfortably cut down through several inches of dead wood. Although most of the dead wood was hardwood, I used it to split parts off in order to help build the fires. I had a large folder (my Nieto Fighter) for food preparation around camp. The next trip I only took my Kizlyar Supreme Sturm (also an excellent knife) 

Kizlyar Supreme Sturm - it doesn't look like this any more due to my stupidity as I broke the tip doing something very silly! But I have since reground it!

and an FKMD Predator folder-yes I broke my rule and took a liner lock, that's because we were with a car and it wasn't far from our campsite. I could have brought a chopper but no need as others had saws, chainsaws, axes, hatchets, Kukri knives- all bases were covered! Just one less thing for me to bring.

Where there are people

Where there are huts, and other people I don't know, I always only carry small knives. You just look like a fool bringing out a large knife 

in a community hut, even if it is in the middle of nowhere, trust me, been there done that many years ago and learnt my lessons.

If I have fishing rods, then I definitely carry a Swiss Tool or similar multitool.


More later.............