A New Camping Knife

[JimmerJammerMrK]

Well, I picked up a Buck 119 today from my local gun shop. It seems fairly sharp out of the box, what's a good benchmark test? Thanks to everyone for steering me in the right direction, pictures to follow.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Buck 119

Congratulations.

I live eight miles from the Buck Knives factory, and I drop in whenever I get the chance.

​

They're good folks, and they stand behind their product.

Few months ago I was standing in their lobby by the customer service window. Older gent came in with a knife he'd had for ages. It was all beat up, chipped, and that sort of thing. He asked the gal at the window what they would charge to refurbish it. She asked if he would have any sentimental objection to having it replaced. He said no, it was just a working knife. She retrieved a brand new copy of the knife, with the more current X2 edge grind, and swapped it on the spot.

Dude was seriously tickled. He went to the other side of the lobby, into the little retail shoppe they have there, and bought another knife (more like three or four, actually).

They're not kidding about the warranty.

Anything happens to that knife, just send it to them.

Don't pamper the 119. It wasn't made to be pampered.

Get out there and use it.

 

[theken206]

""Well, I picked up a Buck 119 today from my local gun shop. It seems fairly sharp out of the box, what's a good benchmark test? Thanks to everyone for steering me in the right direction, pictures to follow."

nice choice. bump for pics.

 

[Zip7]

I have over a hundred good quality knives, various configurations, and when I go camping/canoeing or whatever, the one knife I do not / cannot / will not leave home without is a Swiss army knife. Any model with the scissors and a saw.

Typically I will carry a large fixed blade too, and since I have so many - a pocket folder but will use the swiss army knife twice as much as anything else.

In fact, Victorinox makes a multi-tool called the Swisstool and one called the Spirit - and those are as handy as the swiss army knife in addition to being a bit larger and sturdier - have everything you need including the knife, and aren't terribly expensive.

 

[theken206]

thats some cool stuff arfin

 

[22-rimfire]

The Buck 119 is a good choice. Now you need a SAK to carry in your pocket. I take at least two knives with me in the woods and it is often a medium sized fixed blade and a SAK. The Buck is a good value for the dollar.

 

[mole]

If they stand behind their product like you say, then maybe I should take my 119 out more often.

 

[JimmerJammerMrK]

As promised, some pictures of my new 119:








Also, I know some of you have been suggesting a good SAK as well. I actually just found this knife yesterday. It's an old Boy Scout pocket knife, and while it seems a little bit beat up, the blade has no wobble and the steel is marked USA. Anyone know anything about these knives? I'll try to sharpen it and see if it will take an edge. Here are a few pictures:









What do you think, piece of junk or worth cleaning up and sharpening? By the way, what appears to be a large spider-web crack in the center of the blade in the photos is actually a Boy Scouts logo, and the words Boy Scouts of America is also written on the blade.

 

[Goblin]

Ka-Bar 6in Hunter Less than $60.00.

 

[JShirley]

I like the 119 in general, but don't like the handle material. Too slick for me.

J

 

[Carl Levitian]

For most camping on the North American contenant, you won't need more than a sak and a fixed blade of some sort. I usually have a Victorinox modle of one of the more basic sak's like a bantam or recruit, and a 12 inch machete in a pack. Most of the time I rarely use anything but my pocket knife. There just ain't that much true wilderness left anymore where you'll run into heathen injuns or man eating creatures. But the small machete does a great job on kindling wood. Not a bad low radar profile defence tool either, used with a little epee or saber techniques.

There's a reason why most backpackers carry a small knife, even though they may be traveling into wilderness. If you have decent camping gear, then you have your shelter with you, as well as cooking gear, fire making, and general living in the wilderness stuff in your pack. The large sheath knife on your hip is just for comfort, and will seldom be used for anything that can't be done with your sak.

If you really want a sheath knife, give the Buck model 102 woodsman a try. I've had one for many years, and it is a handy little knife. A sheath knife will clean up better than a folder in food use, and no mechanisim to manipulate opening or closing. It's pretty light, maybe 5 onces with sheath. Light weight is good. And its small enough that it does not attract undo attention on a belt.

Too many people overdo the knife thing while going camping.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Small Fixed Blade

On the one hand, I agree that the Buck 102 will be as useful as (possibly more than) the Buck 119.

Ironically, the 119 (as sold at Wal*Mart) costs less than the 102. Go figure.

Interestingly, when I'm at large, I use my larger knives for food prep more than anything else. The longer blade is well suited to kitchen duty, while keeping the messy bits off the knife hand.

With that in mind, I've started carrying a Rapala folding fillet knife for messy camp/on-the-road kitchen work. Slim, flexible, sharp, easy to clean, safe to carry. And cheap. More recently, now that Rapala has started having that knife made in China, I've started buying mine from sources that can guarantee the blade is the Swedish one (see Ragnar's Forge for the EKA 1000, which is the same knife).

I will also agree that the handle on the Buck 119 can be a little slippery when wet. I don't think that has to be a show stopper, though.

I'm not all that inventive, but I'll bet I could work out a way to improve the friction on that handle.

 

[Aka Zero]

I like Frosts Mora knives. Get them in stainless, or carbon steel. Fixed blade, but some of the smaller ones clip nicely in a pocket.

Cheap enough you won't mind doing work with them, they hold a great edge. Lightweight, few different styles to choose from.

Only thing I don't like is the plastic sheathes on some of the are kinda loose on the knife. I used some elastic around the lip of one of my sheaths to tighten it up a bit.

For folders, can't go wrong with any of the spyderco "byrd" line. Had a caracara in g-10, great knife. can get it for about $25. In stainless handle for about $20.

 

[Carl Levitian]

Mr. Greebly makes a good point about the Buck sheath knives like the 119 and 102. The factory polished finish on the black micarta handles are slippery when wet. You have to take some 400 paper and rough up the finish in a random pattern. It gets very grippy when wet then. 100% better.

 

[snow]

camping knife

In the range that you're speaking of the Ontario has a few good selections in the spec plus line and there is the air force survival knife in the freedom fighters line by Ontario also. These can be found at knifecenter.com from ranges of 35.00 to 65.00

 

[22-rimfire]

That SAK is all you need along with your Buck. The SAK should sharpen up nicely. After you have it a while, take a look at other SAKs and think about how you might utilize them. they are handy knives.

 

[sm]

Congrats on the new knife!


Tom Krein and I were visiting about knives for camping, hiking and trail use, to fit budgets.
These also were discussed for emergency use, and having in kits for assisting those in need, and for back up.

Swiss Army kitchen knives, and Tom really likes one of the Paring knives.
IIRC, he does a kydex sheath for these.
Contact him to find out more about this paring knife and sheath.

The Folder, is a SAK of some variety as well.
I mentioned the larger Solo, with the red nylon handle with a lanyard hole.
Others discussed were simple models such as Spartan, Rescue, and Farmer.

Paring knife and folder with two blades and some tools would be best.

Solo is just one I have suggested for those for whatever reason, did not want a fixed, and carried two folders.

Just ideas for the next person that has a need...

Steve

 

[Stainz]

JimmerJammerMrK,

A great way to test your 119 for sharpness is just shaving arm hair. Sure, paring fingernail layers is finer, but that 119 is fine when it can relieve your arm of hair - without bloodletting!

A great item to have to keep most steel knife blades sharp is a Spyderco 'Sharpmaker', usually $50 or so. I could put razor edges on single bevel items, like my woodturning & carving chisels and gouges, with my Arkansas stones, but never begin to symmetrically sharpen my SAKs. As they - and the Bucks and Kershaws - got dull, I bought more. I had quite a stash of butter knives when I got the Sharpmaker - it really helped.

One Victorinox SAK I was led to by folks here and on the blade/knife forums is the 'Farmer'. It is perfect for camping - or survival. It is stout, with all metal construction, containing a knife, saw, awl, and can & bottle openers, both doubling as screwdrivers. Amazon had them nearer the first of this year for $16 - with free shipping over $25, so I ordered my older son one as well.

You have the mainstay in that 119 - great camping/survival fixed blade. Clean it and it will make a great 'kitchen' knife - I use mine to do everything from pare to trim roasts with. You are on the right track - congratulations!

Stainz

 

[Limeyfellow]

You made a good choice with the Buck. I do like my Buck 110 folder, though wish it came with a lanyard loop on there. After a short sharpening session it worked rather well.

I do tend to take my Gerber multitool most places with me. I find it a more useful tool for ordinary work.

For fixed blade work I use the Kukri, British MOD survival knife and Kabar. They all have different advantages. The Kukri is a chopping monster, but rather heavy, but is a go for tool that I do garden work with. The British MOD survival knife is a big heavy straight blade that can take alot of work, but doesn't have the fine point on the end that a Kabar has.

My Bear butterfly knife works really too, but I need to get that repinned. That has the advantage of folding away, but when open and locked, it has approaching the strength of a fixed blade knife. Worth a look at anyway.

I don't tend to like serrated blades while outdoors. They tend to be a pain in the arse to sharpen without the right equipment. Not to say it can't be done and is useful for cutting rope. Luckily my multitool has a straight edge and serrated edge blades on it.

I would also not turn down a really decent folding saw and the trust old axe. A folding saw really makes light work of cutting up wood for a fire on a cold winter night when the temperature is dropping below freezing.

 

[JimmerJammerMrK]

Thanks for the responses and the help!

 

[T.R.]

COLD STEEL's Finn Bear is inspired by Scandinavian designs that have been used by Sami people for many centuries. You can find one on eBay for under $20.00

Mora and EKA are makers of affordable yet high quality Scandinavian knives.

TR

 

[rantingredneck]

That's a nice looking knife there TR. Clean, simple.

 

[kevenn]

New Knife

You definitely have a big decision, however here are my 2 cents. The Cold Steel line is good for low affordable copies of timeless patterns. The Finn Bear, Canadian Belt Knife, and Roach Belly are steals. You can get them at SMKW.com for $14. If you listen to the true Bushcrafters out there, they love the Mora #510 or M571 Marttiini, you can find them at Ragweedforge.com and Bensoutdoors.com - I really would start there, you can get these knives for $10 - $15, and they will serve you for a lifetime.

If you end up like the rest of us here, you will probably buy more knives once you appreciate the simplicity and overall down-to-earth pleasure you get from actually using your new knife out in the field. At that time you can buy a more expensive knife like one of the Buck's, then throw your Mora or CS in your dash. Good luck! and keep us informed with your purchase!