What knife do you carry?

[redlite]

After having lost my Schrade Skinner knife this past summer after 5 yrs. that my old man got for me at WalFart and made me a Kydex sheath for, I went through this same dilema.
Cheap knife versus "good" expensive knife.
I come from a gun/ knife fanatic family. Brother and father collect knives big time. Me, I go through knives like toilet paper. Always seem to lose them and all deent knives (Buck, Gerber, Kershaw)
Some of the knives discussed are pretty nice and I am gonna have to look into some of them.
The one thing I found and what I feel is the most important aspect that has not been discussed, but the issue of putting the knife AWAY. Everyone talks about and wants a kife that is quick to draw. Well the couple I have experienced (including my Gerber Blackie Collins River knife and various CRT's) is that they are a pain in the but, litereally to put back in the sheath. I have stabbed myself on one occasion trying to put the Gerber back in the sheath without having to drop everything and use both hands, a flashlight, and some body twisting. Has cost me one set of waders (thank you Orvis).

A servicable, easy to acess and operate knife is an essential in the outdoors.

[RIROCKHOUND]

It was getting a little loose... keeps the sheath tight around the blade... still works great though....

[Iwannakeeper]

I have been waiting to chime in here, taking some time to think about what I really want on my belt.

I think there are 2 purposes for carrying a knife - convience and safety. For convience, there are any number of options and really comes down to personal preference.

For saftey - there are 2 primary characteristics I am going to look for; reliability and confidence. I think any reliably tool that you personally have confidence in will the trick. I would rather have a cheapo throw away that I have confidence in than a $300 knife, that I have doubts about.

So for evaluating knives for my belt, I am looking at the saftey aspect 1st. I will make the reliable knife I am confident in, convienent to use. otherwise I will carry 2 knives.

for saftey while in waders, I do not think you can beat a straight knife. I have had and continue to own many folders. Some open perfectly with a flick of the wrist, some are still a little bit stiffer, but have a decent thumb-stud or whole to open the knife with one hand. But a flick of the wrist underwater is not going to open that knife. And if you are tumbling around on the rocks and in the surf tangled in old fishing line or rope, I do not want to hesitate opening my knife. so I am set on a fixed blade.

next - I really like the idea of a dive or rescue knife. There are a lot to choose from. I like the blunt tip - same reason, if I am rolling on the rocks or in the surf, I want to cut - not stab. It seems like a lower risk of injury. This is a nice to have, but not a must. My priamary interest in dive and rescue knives are designed for salt-water. Not all of course, but many or most are designed for salt-water.

The Gerber River knife - a definite bargin. I am not a huge fan of the Grip, but aside from that - a great knife at a great price.

CRKT - Columbia Hammond A.B.C Aqua. Is the knife I am likely to go with. But I am still evaluating.

SOG - Seal, seal pup someone already posted

The Myerchin that RIRockHound posted has really caught my interest.

and of course, how can you go wrong with a benchmade river rescue.

I guess I still have a lot of homework to do. layout some of the pros and cons on each knife.

If anyone has had an exceptionally good or bad experience with any of these knives please let me know. I trust the opinions here, more than elsewhere.


As far as steel goes - look for H1 steel - here is an except from a sog knife

A big myth in the knife world is that out there somewhere is a knife that seriously cuts but cannot rust. Knives claiming these super powers are usually made with steels that are unable to hold a cutting edge for any measurable amount of time. Finally a steel foundry in Japan called Myodo Foundry makes this myth a reality with the introduction of a new steel called H1. H1 steel is a PH steel, meaning it is a precipitation-hardened steel. \"Huh\" you ask? Utilizing .1% nitrogen instead of carbon to harden the steel, it reaches a Rockwell hardness of 57-58rc.

Look at the SOG Atlantic Salt or Pacific Salt knives - if you like a folder. It has me looking.



-IWK