Knives, In The Dirt

Knives, In The Dirt

 In the Dirt how many “cool” knives do you carry? One , two, five, or more? Whatever the number is is it mostly the same “crew” that you take/carry in the Dirt, do the knives vary but the number might remain the same.

 Many years ago when I had more energy, I used to keep a journal of my camping, hiking, hunting, etc experiences, it was fun to write about for my own amusement , later on for my own education. What the journal led to was a breakdown of all my gear, how I used it, and under what kind of conditions, that means terrain, winter or summer, and what my purpose was while so engaged. Reviewing many of those notes, that at times I can just make out what I wrote, I ran into my thoughts on knives in the Dirt.

  First things first, I’am not any kind of knife maker, I’ am not a knife expert or even an “exspurt”. However, combining many years of “trail” and many errors, reading, observing the real users, including a whole gaggle of old timers, I have still not made up my mind. I remain to be impressed by anything new. That is called “marketing”. But have still managed to come to some conclusions.The notes I made might be found interesting by some.

  My notes say I had five knives almost all the time. One was always a folder, a SAK back then, and before that a slim 2 inch one blade folder. Now my folder is the “Outrider”( a sak). Im not listing all the knives I used, that is not the point, ahem, but the point is how do you find what you should or need to carry. How do you arrive at that decision.

  Break out the knives you carry. Think back about what you have used and what knife, or knives do you turn to over, and over again? One thing here, which of your knives are really doing the same thing, duty, as another knife you carry. Dump one of them.

  What knife do you use because it was marketed for that kind of use? Do you really need to use that knife at all. Remember, “gear fits the terrain”, not always but 90% of the time. Seems that the conventional wisdom over the last 100 years, speaking in broad terms, a camp knife is a blade of around 4 and a 1/2 inches and is a sheath knife, fixed blade. That is pretty simple. Well dont let that stop you from being confused because the number of knives that fit that M.O is staggering. My take is 41/2 inches, carbon steel, 1/8th of an inch thick. Lots to choose from in that select group. If you have one of these then it should work into your “always carry” gear.

  We are now with 2 knives, a small folder and a “camp” knife. Do you need nore than these two? For me I carry a neck knife, fixed blade, about a 3 inch blade, 1/8th wide. I use it for fine work, however, I could do without it. Look again at how much you use a tool in the same type of terrain. In a scaled down version of my knife carry this is it, these are the knives I use the most. The more you use them the better you get with that tool.

   Many of you like a chopper. They have a place in the right terrain. They can be heavy, and after a week in the Dirt, carrying one of those everyday, all day, it might begin to wear on you. Maybe not. I do not use a chopper, ahhh except in special circumstances I like a Kukuri, seldom is the key phrase here. The other sharp thing I use is a Granforsbuks “baby” hatchet, way lighter than a chopper, and does the job better IMHO. However, this is not about what is better but what you can carry to your benefit and your comfort, most important to you the  advantage in the terrain. A hatchet can be a very dangerous tool, way more than a knife. You really must move slowly with a hatchett because it could end up in your knee or other parts.  Find a mentor, or do some intense reading on the subject.

  On point but off just a little. I told, Alan Halcon, the other day that I ran into a bunch of my Dads knives, all wrapped up these many years since he died, at 93 in 1999.
Anyway the knives were real working blades and used in the Dirt. With a few exceptions all were some form of a butcher knife, many modified just a bit, all are well used and well taken care of. A few other camp type knives as well, this brings us back to the one fact, a simple inexpensive butcher type of knife should not be snubbed. They are light, if you do not like the handle, or slabs, change them. I find them as being very good users. Good enough for the “Longhunters” and the “Mountainmen” and many other true  backwoodsmen. I have put together a “kit” of  butcher knives that now have  sheaths, they are different shapes. I have named them after my Dad, they are the, “Blackjack”,  butcher knife kit.

   Try my method and keep a journal over the next year, list the gear you carry, how it is used, did you use it at ALL. Will another piece of gear work just as well. I know the old “saw” , “well I never know when I “might” need it. I used to use that as an excuse all the time just because I liked the idea of that piece of gear. My suggestion, get over it. What if I break one of the knives? What? Are you kidding me? If you do  break your knife you are doing something wrong! Like using the knife for a prybar. Only use your knife for what it is designed for. Period.

  Taking a hard look at what we carry and then following a plan about the “why” we are carrying the gear leads to being a real and honest DirtCrafter, who owns the skills. Your choice of gear is the first clue.

By Dude McLean p48