How much knife do you need for camping?

[RogerDat]

paring knife, medium kitchen knife, steak knives are in the camper. There is a leatherman type multi-tool in the first aid kit.


I carry a small, inexpensive single blade knife clipped in my watch pocket. Cutting rope, string, opening boxes etc. A swiss army knife in my pocket with the usual assortment of small tools. But I carry the two pocket knives all the time.


Bow saw and smallish axe for splitting wood. Axe is bigger than a hatchet and smaller than a full sized & weight felling axe. Used to be called a pack or camp axe.

[burrorojo]

I'm a big proponent of Leathermen multi tools. Especially with a locking blade/tools. I have a bunch of old motorcycles, and older SUV, an older house and I'm getting on too. All of the above need repairs/tune ups. BUT I gave away my various Swiss Army knives and older and cheaper multi tools when I bought my first locking blade Leatherman. No more having the screwdriver or blade flip back and bite me when I was doing something unorthodox with the blade! (read - 'stupid'). I have broken the odd Leatherman and they've been replaced no questions asked. Visiting the factory is on my bucket list. Yes you can dress a rabbit with one too.

[Jon Vermilye]

For cooking, I have an 8" chef's knife & a paring knife, both high quality knives. I also have an original Leatherman that I've carries for many years that pretty much does everything but cooking.

[Nor Cal Mike]

Since I got into backpacking a few years ago, I have traded out all of my old heavy stuff for lightweight new. Now that I have purchased a 16 ft. Casita and plan to use my 4cyl Subaru Forester to pull it, using the lightweight gear makes a lot of sense. We have three knives sold in the culinary section of a grocery store near us that have brightly colored handles that plug into a similar colored plastic sheath that hold a pretty good edge. They don't weigh much. Two or three of them should supply our trailer kitchen nicely with cutting implements. We also always carry a swiss army knives in one of the door storage compartments of our Subaru for emergency as well. It never leaves the car for anything beyond picnic use or a trip to the dishwasher.

[John in Santa Cruz]

for years, I carried various Swiss Army 'knives'. the knife was the least used tool on them, the beer opener, phillips, scissors, and corkscrew all got way more use.

then I tried a leatherman "juice" for the same thing, better steel (victorinox swiss army knifes are very soft), but the handle started to fall apart after a year ro two.

right now, I'm carrying an actual knife, a Spyderco Byrd CaraCara2, with a partially serrated edge... much more useful for actual cutting tasks, still gets the beer bottles open, and I carry screwdrivers and corkscrews and such in my glovebox and/or camper, so don't need those.

[BSinNH]

I find my Leatherman multi-tool invaluable. Clips on my pocket and never go camping without it.

[stevebaz]

I love my Old hickory steel knives the best. After that you just need one of everything.

[Ttocs M]

Outside use:
Small Gerber hatchet - it's very sharp, short handle and perfect for making kindling; blunt head side is used as a hammer
Buck Folding knife
Swiss Army knife or universal tool
folding hand saw

Inside trailer:
steak knives, chef knife, paring knife

Kayaking: NRS knife (has no sharp tip) and is attached to my life vest - mostly used to spread peanut butter!

The Swiss Army knife or folding knife go hiking with me.with my wilderness first aid kit.

[PMWIZARD]

I have used a Wenger Swiss Army knife when I went camping with the family. Retired it because of sentimental reasons, but have 3 more that I bought. I carry everyday a victorinox Swiss Army knife with the house keys attached. May not use it everyday, but when I need it, it's there.

[stude]

Originally Posted by John Linck

How much knife do you need for camping? I keep a couple of knives in the kitchen drawer for chopping veggies, etc. But I seldom carry any other than a multitool on occasion. Do you find a knife useful around the camp? Are you Rambo?

BTW. I do carry a folding tree saw. I carried a hand axe in the past, but no more since we seldom have fires. And I have the marshmallow forks for protection from invading zombies. ;-)

John

hat ever you do, don't cross the border into Canada without declaring every Knife that you have that can kill and I would think everyone of those will do the job. Same goes for Guns make sure you declare all guns or you will never see them again and you will pay one hell of a fine for undeclared Knifes and Guns. I watch that Border show on TV and those guys are not playing around as I have had my own experience with them so now I let my wife answer all there questions unless they ask me one then I only answer that and shut up.
Stude

[Jim Bennett]

I have carried knives of all kinds and axe too across the border many times. Never said anything about them and have never been bothered about them. Other things yes, but not knives. If they asked I would tell them. I carry no know I can't pick up on either side of the border in a heartbeat.

[John Linck]

Last May the Canadian customs folks asked if we were carrying guns into Canada.

On the way back the U.S. customs folks asked if we had fruit.

We were OK both times.

Thanks for all the knife suggestions. You Fiberglass RV zealots sure are diverse in your cutting edge preferences.

My most frequently used cutting tool is my band saw. It has about 400 cutting edges. Too bad it won't fit in the Scamp.

John

[floyd]

Originally Posted by John Linck

Last May the Canadian customs folks asked if we were carrying guns into Canada.

On the way back the U.S. customs folks asked if we had fruit.

We were OK both times.

Thanks for all the knife suggestions. You Fiberglass RV zealots sure are diverse in your cutting edge preferences.

My most frequently used cutting tool is my band saw. It has about 400 cutting edges. Too bad it won't fit in the Scamp.

John

I thought we welcomed all sorts of fruits here in the U.S.
Canadian fruits must be tough to grow in that cold environment though, which might be a little intimidating? Besides, a frozen banana can be down right dangerous in the wrong hands!
They look pretty scary, don't they?
Can you name them all? I would be most afraid of one which is not in the picture (Lefty Lemon Lime)...



Jolly Ollie Orange, Goofy Grape, Choo-Choo Cherry, Freckle Face Strawberry, Rootin-Tootin Raspberry, and Loud Mouth Lime.
There were a few more notorious characters and many of the names were changed to protect the sensitive.

Below is the border guard who is working to keep them out...

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by John Linck

You Fiberglass RV zealots sure are diverse in your cutting edge preferences.

This diversity of ideas and preferences is obvious in many discussions here. The only right choice ever is the one you make for yourself, and it is great when there are so many to choose from.

[Mike Magee]

We are a bunch of cutting-edge RVers, aren't we!

[John in Santa Cruz]

sharp, too!

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by John Linck

My most frequently used cutting tool is my band saw. It has about 400 cutting edges. Too bad it won't fit in the Scamp. John

Sure it will John, just make a shorter stand but you'll have to sleep on a cot outside.....but you CAN get it inside. I can see it now, a mobile woodshop and a tax write off too .

[Steve L.]

One generic 9” kitchen knife, a D.H. Russell “camp” knife (much like Glenn’s knife) and two pair of Boker stag handled knife/fork sets (because I won’t eat steak off a paper plate or with plastic utensils).


My EDC (every day carry) is currently an A.G. Russell Gentleman’s Pen Knife with mother of pearl scales. I am rather fond of this knife so while camping I often substitute a Case kirinite tear drop as a knife that won't break the bank if I misplace it somewhere.

I do have in the trailer somewhere a Case Rio Grande Camp Knife with stag handle but it’s a monster and I’ve never used it camping. But it says “Camp Knife right on the blade and I think I have to bring it camping. I think it’s a law of some sort

[John Linck]

My first knife was a 6 inch sheath knife when I was about 12 years old. I really didn't have any use for it in my city neighborhood, but like many things in life I really wanted it. So I saved up my allowance for months and paid nearly $6.00 for it. I also bought a can of Neatsfoot oil to condition the leather sheath. I enjoyed having that knife for many years and did a lot of whittling, but little else. It was on my belt for at least one whole Summer, likely terrifying neighborhood moms.

I still keep knives around. Their most frequent use is opening boxes, certainly a 21st century survival skill. I probably have a dozen knives of various kinds throughout my house, some pretty sharp, all pretty small. Can't seem to give or throw them away. Why are folks attracted to sharp steel? Is it a Y chromosome thing?

So I queried the google and found this from Bill Heavey at Field and Stream.

There's something about a good knife that speaks to you on a primal level. It's been this way for about 2 1/2 million years, ever since David E. Petzal was just a gleam in his papa's eye and some nameless hunter-gatherer first began pounding rocks together...

His article continues here. Recommended. And pretty funny.

John

Pic at Arches National Park.

[TomK]

O.K. You finally got to me. I admit it. I collect knives. My wife thinks "collecting" is a gross understatement. It started very early in life. I often hung around with my Grandfather in the early '50's. Sometimes on a walk, he would stop for a rest, and he'd pull an apple and a knife out of his pocket and slice it up to share with me. I just thought that was about the coolest thing ever! He used that little pocket knife for everything. When I was 8 years old my Grandmother gave me one of my own. It was a small pen knife with a 1.5" blade. Just like Grandpa, I never went anywhere without it. Back then, you could count the boys who didn't carry a knife to school on one hand. The nuns could care less. Just don't get caught carving the desk.

My collection didn't grow much until I moved from home and had a little disposable income. My career in the Army enabled me, allowing me to "justify" buying a new knife for this purpose or that. I had to have different knives for hunting, fishing, camping, you name it. As a survival instructor for my fellow aviators, I accumulated quite a few more in my quest for the elusive "Perfect Survival Knife". That led to bushcrafting. Of course anyone knows you need special blades for that. Etc., etc.....

Over the years I probably accumulated between 200 to 300 (ish) blades. I've given many away as well. I'm pretty sure I have just about every knife listed in this thread. Favorites include Randalls, and the Russell Canadian camp knife mentioned earlier by Glenn. Thanks for that video too, Glenn. Can't believe I never heard that! I'm also fond of Bark River fixed blades, Spydies, Bench Made, Helle, Victorinox, Great Eastern Cutlery, Case, and Fallkniven, Gransfors Bruks are my favorite hatchets.

What do I bring camping? Bob Dustrude buck saw, a G.B. mini-hatchet, A Bark River Bushcrafter, a Spyderco paramilitary 2 folder, and always, always a pocket knife or two in case an apple comes rolling my way.

My all time favorite knife? I have two. The tiny pocketknife my Grandmother gave me 60 years ago, and my Dad's old deer hunting knife. I wouldn't trade them for all the other knives in my collection.

Tom