Main Discussion Area > Around the Campfire
Knife question
Frode:
Hi all,
Hope this isn't the wrong place to start...
I've been enjoying learning the bow making process for just over a year now, learning about rasps, and shaves, and whatnot, but when it comes to knives, I'm a complete noob. I slept through that part of Scouts. The best pocket knife I had was a company logo freebee about as long as the last two joints on your little finger, locking blade, good edge, just right for splinters, sharpening pencils, etc. Kept in on my key ring, hardly knew it was there, and, of course, ended up donating it to the TSA.
So now that I'm actually working with wood, I'm wondering, what type of knife would be good for general use. Small enough to carry (I don't need a great whacking bush knife), but tough enough for a little carving, and other daily uses. Folding? Not? Type? I'm not necessarily looking for brands (don't want to violate the advertisers rules ;)), unless someone wants to PM me, more for types or styles, and maybe how you use them. Pics are always good, too.
A really, really noob question, I know, but admitting you're a city kid is the first step on the road to recovery, right? ;D
Thanks,
Frode
Pat B:
If you cabn find a Shrade Old Timer they are great little jack knives. Usually 2 blades and excellent carbon steel. They used to come in sizes from a small pen knife up to about a 4" handle folded up. Still not too big. Another all around good knife is a sod buster. More utilitarian than beautiful.
Try to find a knife with good carbon blades. They sharpen easier, stay sharp and if you use it it won't rust.
Frode:
Thanks, Pat! I will start there!
Frode
JW_Halverson:
I gotta echo Pat, those Old Timers and Schrade products were excellent. I have wished to have back all of them that I have lost. I seem to be able to get good edges on them and keep 'em that way much longer than the modern stainless steel blades.
I found two old Imperial pocket knives a couple years ago in a second hand store. They were all rusted to heck, but cleaned up nice. They were a little soft, needed to get a few licks on the steel on a very regular basis, but I grieved when I lost the last of them, too.
My favorite was a copper handled spade blade folding knife without any marks whatsoever. It was hard carbon steel that held an edge like diamond and sharpened with just a stroke or two. I left that one behind somewhere up north of Belle Fourche in some Bureaus of Land Management canyons rabbit hunting one winter. I hunted that canyon for 3 hours looking for the knife and still get sad thinking about it.
Ain't never wore out a pocket knife in my life, but I have seeded the planet with about a hundred by my guess.
Frode:
Thanks, JW!
In my brief searches under those names I see some real art there, real nice work. I had some kind of pocket knife when I was a wee lad, but didn't know what to do with it, so I just lugged it around until I lost it. What I do remember, now that I think about it, was my dad's old black handled two blade electricians pocket knife, which made more of an impression on me, because, while I didn't know what to do with my knife, he would pull his out and, voila, wires stripped, screws tightened, new light switch installed. And that was a tool! I haven't thought about that in years.
Frode
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version