# Topic of the week, 5, how to pick a good knife



## Flight1630 (Jan 4, 2017)

So in this weeks topic, how do you determine on how to pick a good knife. here is some things to consider.*
*
1. Tang. full tang or rat tail
2. Handle how does it feel in ones hands
3. Blade (Metal) stainless or carbon steel
4. Blade (Design) double edge, one edge serated or whatever
5. Blade (Length) how long
6. Blade (Thickness) how thick
7. Sheath leather or polycarbonate.

What do you all think? ideas, a new product? :dunno:


----------



## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

As Caribou said, the first step is to figure out what you want to use it for. I carry several blades. A jack of all trades tool is rarely good enough at anything to be very useful in my experience. Right tool for the job is the way to go even if you end up carrying more gear.


----------



## Pessimistic2 (Jan 26, 2017)

Jesus, I am going ga-ga....thought the title was "How To Pick A Good *WIFE*!!!! Gotta lay off that Bud Ice....

Not gonna be much help here!!  The only knives I have are a cheap Wally World special fillet knife, the good ole Buck lock blade I've had for about 15 years, and some kind of machete one of my exes gave me years ago, and it ain't been outta the closet since. Don't know much about knives, my brother says he'll pick out three or four for me when I head out West. He knows a lot more than me about knives, so I'll go with whatever he gets. :scratch


----------



## Flight1630 (Jan 4, 2017)

Caribou said:


> Depends on what I'm using it for. For a boning knife I'm looking for a thin flexible blade that will keep an edge.


fair enough so how would you describe your ultimate knife that you currently have? keeping in mind these questions. 
1. Tang. full tang or rat tail
2. Handle how does it feel in ones hands
3. Blade (Metal) stainless or carbon steel
4. Blade (Design) double edge, one edge serrated or whatever
5. Blade (Length) how long
6. Blade (Thickness) how thick
7. Sheath leather or poly carbonate.


----------



## Flight1630 (Jan 4, 2017)

Pessimistic2 said:


> Jesus, I am going ga-ga....thought the title was "How To Pick A Good *WIFE*!!!! Gotta lay off that Bud Ice....


Lol I can lend you my wally world reading glasses


----------



## bbqjoe (Feb 10, 2017)

I am not a person who relies heavily upon knives.
My leatherman wave works just fine for my needs.


----------



## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

I was not a knife guy at all when I joined this forum. I had a decent folder, a machete, a Buck hunting knife and a single Ka-Bar fixed TDI LEO knife. Like the tools in my junk drawer I just grabbed 'em when I needed one but otherwise could have cared less. I decided to up my game and realized that there was no such thing as the perfect knife. Like guns you need an arsenal to cover all your bases. My pile of knives now is borderline ridiculous. But the closest I have come to the perfect "survival" knife (for me) is the KA-BAR Becker BK22. Full tang, fixed blade, .25" thick, drop point, high quality steel, 5.5" blade, nearly indestructible handle and it's made in the USA. IIRC I paid around $80 each for them, so I would also call that model a great value.


----------



## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

Sentry18 said:


> I was not a knife guy at all when I joined this forum. I had a decent folder, a machete, a Buck hunting knife and a single Ka-Bar fixed TDI LEO knife. Like the tools in my junk drawer I just grabbed 'em when I needed one but otherwise could have cared less. I decided to up my game and realized that there was no such thing as the perfect knife. Like guns you need an arsenal to cover all your bases. My pile of knives now is borderline ridiculous. But the closest I have come to the perfect "survival" knife (for me) is the KA-BAR Becker BK22. Full tang, fixed blade, .25" thick, drop point, high quality steel, 5.5" blade, nearly indestructible handle and it's made in the USA. IIRC I paid around $80 each for them, so I would also call that model a great value.


What's that little cut out/notch for?


----------



## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

terri9630 said:


> What's that little cut out/notch for?


It was common on knives from the early days of knife making and they just stuck with it. I have heard a lot of BS about it what it is for, but it is really just a starting point for sharpening.


----------



## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

I tried to used this to peel an apple






,and almost killed myself, so like Caribou stated and like any other tool ,they all have a purpose .


----------



## Pessimistic2 (Jan 26, 2017)

readytogo said:


> I tried to used this to peel an apple
> View attachment 17293
> ,and almost killed myself, so like Caribou stated and like any other tool ,they all have a purpose .


Did the apple fight back much? :rofl: Jesus, RTG, I'm practically brain-dead, and I'VE got more sense than THAT! Why din't ya just grab the wife's paring knife??


----------



## Flight1630 (Jan 4, 2017)

readytogo said:


> I tried to used this to peel an apple
> View attachment 17293
> ,and almost killed myself, so like Caribou stated and like any other tool ,they all have a purpose .


Now that's a scary knife.


----------



## Pessimistic2 (Jan 26, 2017)

Flight1630 said:


> Now that's a scary knife.


I wanna see the APPLE!!!


----------



## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

readytogo said:


> I tried to used this to peel an apple
> View attachment 17293
> ,and almost killed myself, so like Caribou stated and like any other tool ,they all have a purpose .


That's just crazy. I use a drill to peel apples, much safer.


----------



## HardCider (Dec 13, 2013)

My luck, I would drill a hole through my hand


----------



## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

Though I really like stainless steel, I've only had a couple of stainless steel knive that held a sharp edge. Awhile back I bought a Ka-Bar, chrome-moly blade 7", poly handle, a bit much for daily carry but it is sharp and not what I'd want to come up against in a close quarter knife fight. What I'd really like to get someday in the future is a Japanese made folded steel knife made like the original Samurai swords, they are really hard and beautiful, also rather expensive, which is why I don't have one yet.


----------



## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

My favorite heavy work knife is my cds survival knife. Full tang, mova 58 stainless. It can take any abuse thrown at it and excels at heavy camp tasks. I also carry a leatherman surge (complete with the tool kit). It takes care of most my other needs and is just too darn useful not to have. I carry a small boning/fillet knife as well. If spending a lot of time in the outdoors my camp ax and bob dustrude folding buck saw round out my edged tools.


----------



## SewingMachine (Mar 26, 2017)

Flight1630 said:


> So in this weeks topic, how do you determine on how to pick a good knife. here is some things to consider.*
> *
> 1. Tang. full tang or rat tail
> Full tang.
> ...


There are just too many specific tasks for knives. I don't want to clean fish or small game with a "combat knife" or at least not very many.


----------



## phideaux (Nov 7, 2015)

This one carries well, does fit my hand well and is my all purpose knife.

Oh yeah, the conversion also makes it a one handed lightning fast opener...
















This one I hang on the belt when I go Turkey and Deer hunting,

Its a Tucker, Buffalo Knife, one of a kind, made right here by in Ky, by Mr Tucker.
I amateurishly made the sheath..
















Jim


----------



## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

I think that sheath has some style. Good job.


----------



## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

Oooh. I forgot one. I also keep my dads old wyoming knife in my pack. I call it the zipper. Very useful when processing game. Love that thing.


----------



## tmttactical (Nov 23, 2015)

Buck 110 Conversion listing

*Click Here*









Thanks to Dr. D. I am now a click here wizard. artydance:


----------



## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

I have a number of different Knife styles, but I prefer the Bowie style Blade, 6-7 inches long and made from High Carbon Stainless Steel with a full Tang. In the past I preferred a natural material for the Handle, but have settled on Stagalon since it is so durable. IMO, the Bowie style Blade comes as close as one can get to a multi-purpose Knife as it makes for a good Fighter, Skinner, and all around Camp Knife. The High Carbon Stainless Steel is a good compromise between obtaining a sharp Edge, while keeping the positive qualities of Stainless Steel. Marry this Knife with a Hand Tooled Leather Sheath and I'm a Happy Camper.


----------



## Pessimistic2 (Jan 26, 2017)

tmttactical said:


> Buck 110 Conversion listing
> 
> *
> 
> ...


----------



## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

I have a Kershaw multi-blade knife that was given to me many years ago, it has a wide blade, a fillet blade and a small saw blade, it's all stainless steel but the blades hold a sharp edge for a long time. I've used the fillet blade to cut up venison and it works great. I have a newer folding Kershaw but the quality of stainless steel is no where near what the multi-blade knife is, the folding knife was made in China and the multi-blade knife was made in Japan. I'm looking to buy another Ka-Bar, perhaps a short Black Tanto, as the large straight edge 7" Ka-Bar is just too long for EDC, but great for post SHTF.


----------



## Griff (Jan 12, 2013)

Good info, but should this be prefaced as "best compromise option"? My apologies if I missed that, and its not my intention to crap on your thread.

Having said that...

I have a KaBar and a USAF Pilot's knife, but honestly, never had much use for a sharpened pry bar while hiking, canoeing, and camping in the scouts; fixing tanks in the military, or the million little things that pop up around the farm. Turns out we're more in the "utility" camp. Mora, Swiss Army Knives, Opinel folders, Leathermen, Cold Steel Roachbelly and Pendelton Lite Hunter, etc.

Today I used my belt knife to cut some of that orange plastic baling twine to tie up a tarp for a temporary goat shelter, and to open a feed sack that didn't have a pull string. EMT shears would have worked just as well, if not better. Hmmmm. Sounds like Amazon Prime time.


----------



## tmttactical (Nov 23, 2015)

Pessimistic2 said:


> Thank you Dr. D.,....you have now created MONSTEROUS REPTILIAN, with the skills of Bill Gates....the world is in peril!!!!  Never mind "bubbles," we need to find him a straight jacket! artydance::beercheer: Click here....nyaaa, nyaaa
> 
> You have a good trip this summer...take care! :wave:


Knowledge Is POWER !!!:club::club::earthhug:


----------



## bacpacker (Jul 15, 2011)

Flight1630 said:


> So in this weeks topic, how do you determine on how to pick a good knife. here is some things to consider.*
> *
> 1. Tang. full tang or rat tail
> 2. Handle how does it feel in ones hands
> ...


Full tang, Very hard to break even when being abused.
I just want it to fit my hand comfortably when used for longer periods.
I prefer carbon steel. Much easier to sharpen, just have to a little more often.
Single edge, no serrations
depends on intended use. Heavy bushcraft 8-12", general use-campcraft 6-8", Heavy clearing kukri or machete.
Same as above.
I like leather, but lined cordura works well.


----------



## sgtusmc98 (Sep 8, 2013)

I have a Gerber coffin handle Bowie. Honestly it's bigger than I'd buy now probably but I've had it 20 years, served in the Marine Corps with me so we have a connection.








This one isn't actually mine, to lazy to get it out of lockup. It's been discontinued for nearly 20 years. I have cleaned squirrel and deer with it. It is heavy enough to remove a deers head with two swings through bone and holds an edge well enough to do delicate cutting afterwards. I sharpen it every 3-4 years and process 3 or so deer a year. I have processing knives but they don't hold an edge as well as this Gerber does even taking breaking bone out of it.

The handle is a rubber composite that sounds like crap but it's never hot or cold and never slick even when bloody. It has made shelters and cleaned fingernails.

It is a great knife, now being discontinued the cheapest price I have seen was $140 and the highest $999,999.00. Both are off. $240 or so is probably about right, it was $140 20 years ago and the near million is stamped preproduction but lets be realistic.


----------

