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What do you use a big fixed blade knife for?

22K views 77 replies 56 participants last post by  IceDeep 
#1 ·
I see where a some people here carry a big fixed blade knife in their kits. What do you use those for? I have never really found them to come in handy.

Am I right in thinking that people are using them in what would usually be the role of a hatchet?

No trying to raise a ruckus, just curious about what uses people have found for these tools. Thanks.
 
#5 ·
#6 ·
Well, I learned the hard way yesterday not to use a hammer on a big knife :D I'v has a big 6-8" Buck (with the black handle) for 20 yrs, decided to split a piece of 1x12 off for a string wrapper... it was just laying there on shelf, First little whack with hammer and WaLaa.. 2 piece blade. Made me a little sad seeing the made in USA stamp and everything on blade but, shat..I get to buy a new blade now :)
 
#7 ·
I have'nt watched the vid yet but to say for uses - to make items from wood, as a spear (lashed to a staff), obviously self-defense or offense, butchering large game animals, makeing shelter parts.
a machete is one thing that a small group of bug-out people should have along with 1-2 large 'bowie - type' knifes per group or bayonets for their rifles should do just as well.
 
#11 ·
Now there is a question I have been meaning to ask. Can you kill anything with a knife strapped to a stick that you couldnt just kill with a pointy stick?
Yes, two critters come to mind, wild pig and porcupine. They are plenty tough and the knife would make things a lot easier.
 
#14 ·
This is a copy of a reply I made on another post regarding knives and multitools I feel would possibly help the original poster's question.

You can make almost any knife a multi tasking tool in which you seek. In my pack I have 3 folding knives, one is a skinning knife by Remington, another I dont know what kind it is, simple folder with a rubber handle, found it in Germany and I have a baby folder which is also a no name brand, just for tiny jobs, all of them are in seperate pockets of course. I own a Gerber MK2 and my issued K-Bar, but depending on what Im doing I only bring one or the other, but lashed to the outside of my pack is the invaluable Kukri knife I got from a soldier while in Nepal in that countries army. Acts as a machete / hatchet combo. The two ceremonial knives fit in the top of the sheath by the belt loop, one is sharp one is rounded but come in handy for various little jobs. (Hope this pic turns out, if not, here is a link.) http://www.redair.co.za/redair_010.htm



Sounds like a lot of knives but again, the folders stay in pockets of my pack and only bring a long blade depending on what Im doing, hunting or camping. As for a multitool, I still have my Gerber while serving overseas and never had a problem with it, but I also have a Leatherman and I generally grab what ever my hand lays on first as Im heading out the door.
 
#18 ·
I purchased a gerber recon bowie (admittedly an impulse buy, good price). Have not used it in any woodcraft in camping or hiking, Too heavy to take hiking.

I like it a bunch and convinced myself that I could use it in a basecamp situation for something. If used as a hatchet, I would have a hatchet there. If used as a skinner, would have something smaller more suited for that.

Could serve as an excellent short sword for cqc.
 
#19 ·
Chopping, skinning, spear, self defense there are tons of good reasons to have a large fixed blade.

I have 2, 1942 USMC Kabar and a M9 Bayonet (it has fence cutters).
 
#20 ·
I carry 2 large blade knives
a bayonet fer tha FN
and a bowie -- whacks off fishheads w one chop, scrapes hides, skinning,
slitting pigs (4 legged) throats, mini wedge for splitting , and last stand
 
#25 ·
The only KNIFE-job that I use my Gerber LMF II for that I couldn't use my CRKT Drifter for is batonning dry wood from a wet environment.

But that's not why I carry such a "big" knife. I carry my Gerber LMF II because it's bombproof. It satisfactorily fulfills the role of a shovel, hatchet, AND hammer in a 1lb package, all the while continuing to keep its edge and function flawlessly in its knife role. Try putting a knife, shovel, hatchet, and hammer in a bag. I bet it weighs more than 5lbs.

Could I forage my environment for these tools? Yes, absolutely. And, in that scenario, I would only need a little knife like my CRKT Drifter and my Fiskars saw to get by. But I use my Gerber LMF II as a hatchet, hammer, knife, and shovel so frequently that it is more convenient to carry around this 1lb multitool, instead of having to fashion them from natural resources everytime I need them.

Time is is the commodity when you're bushcrafting, and my 1lb Gerber LMF II saves me a lot of time. :thumb:
 
#27 ·
I guess I'm a little 'Bi' and swing both ways. Sometimes a hatchet and knife, like a GB and a Mora and sometimes a Busse Bushwacker and a large SAK, it's all good, I try not to judge or be a 'hater' :eek::

But to answer the question 'what do I use a big knife for?' answer, everything!

A LW point A to B backpacker won't miss one. If you like to stay in the back country for a week or two and enjoy making your own shelter and foraging chow, bow drill fire building, primative fishing ect. a big knife (or hatchet) gets a good workout.

It's all about what your out there to achieve.

Take care,
 
#29 ·
I usually do have a larger knife but it's mostly for contingencies. My medium. folder is much more useful, including for things like dressing large game. The chances of actually needing to make a spear with a knife are very low. Batoning wood is rarely necessary. Chopping with a knife can be necessary, but in many cases you can break wood, or cut a notch and break it, or just don't resize the wood at all. One thing I've found most useful about a big knife, is digging.

There are uses for big knives, but smaller ones are usually more useful in my opinion. And also IMO, a lot of people have big knives because they look cool.
 
#30 ·
Personally, I would rather have a small axe than a large knife. I like the GB small forest axe....small enough to use with one hand, big enough to get two hands on.

Large knives can be great for efficiency in cutting. I think a large knife can fill the void between a machete and a pocket knife or small fixed blade.

If I only got to take ONE sharp thing....it would probably be something like a Becker BK2. Its a large enough knife to do some chopping and splitting, but small enough for detail work and can slice cut well also. Its also basically a sharpened crow bar, so toughness isn't too much in question.
 
#31 ·
I went for a hybrid between axe and knife ... a Khukri.

Fairly substantial blade, good for wood processing, shelter building, path clearing (specific to my AO), and keeping distance between myself and critters I don't like but have to dispatch (snakes).

Most recreational non-bushcraft hikes I only bring a small fixed blade though... No need for bigger when you have to stay on trails, open fires are banned, and tents/hammocks are mandatory.
 
#34 ·
Farmer John the pencil sharpener idea is great. I don't carry a large knife. I personally find a small folder, and 3-5 inch fixed blade and a good hand axe better. The medium fixed blade is far better for skinning, slicing meat and many other chores than its bigger brother. The small folder handles anything more delicate and general everyday use. The hand axe is better at chopping and splitting than the knife and takes less energy even when a baton is used. The video always shows two people when a baton is being used. What about when you are alone. The added energy used with a baton may mean the difference between surviving and death especially in the cold. For the price on one of the large knives shown, you can buy a folder, medium fixed blade and a quality hand axe.
 
#36 ·
A wise man once said that you can use a large knife for any job that a smaller knife can do....but you can't use a small knife for any job a larger knife can do.

Can I gut a fish with a 10" blade? Yea, it won't be pretty but I could do it. Can I baton through a 7" piece of wood with a 3" blade? Nope.

But it really boils down to each person and what they want/like. Small knife, big knife.... either one is better then no knife.
 
#78 ·
And what wise man was that? Hmmmm?

Have you ever tried making a wood bowl, or doing small work with a big ol blade? Some tasks are about impossible with a big knife (like making a bowl, fine intricate work, etc)

Have you considered that the majority of work is done with the belly of the knife and only 1-2 inches of this belly is actually needed for most work? Everything beyond that is actually a near waste of weight and material. Most of the time a knife is just need to cut things like rope, chop up materials into smaller pieces (say for dinner, maybe some pine needles for pine needle tea, etc).

I can tell you a wise man (and actually give his name) said you didn't need a knife bigger than just past the width of your hand, and the only items you absolutely need to survive with the proper skill set (besides your brain obviously) was a small (4inch or so) knife, a pot, and a axe and his name is Mors Kochanski http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mors_Kochanski http://www.amazon.com/Bushcraft-Outdoor-Skills-Wilderness-Survival/dp/1551051222/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1333078397&sr=1-1

Now with that said I do prefer a Kukri over a axe for one reason mentioned (IIRC in his book Bushcraft) is that you are more likely to injure yourself with a axe than a knife if your not skilled/trained/used to using one. But I haven't read his book for a few months (time for another read through). But I have considered adding a axe head (the rest can be made on site) for my kit I just couldn't afford the one I wanted.

One thing that you also need to consider is a axe has a number of benefits if your trying to chop large lumber/trees in that because of the shape of the head it "splits" the wood as it goes deeper into the tree/wood. A knife which isn't as wide will often get stuck which is a lot harder to do with a axe.

There are people who would take a axe and only a axe into the woods and do for for almost everything from chopping down a tree, to skinning a animal etc. So really it's all about personal preference and skill set.
 
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