One good knife.... and a folder.

[ApacheCoTodd]

Some Pals and I have an annual tradition coming up and since we are all getting on in age (read: soft), a few years ago we began a practice of each guy being allowed to put one limiting condition per year on the outing.

We're all former Army SF with a couple of misguided Former-Marines from back in the day. Consequently - things tend to get outa hand when you aren't limited to a ruck & LBE.

As time went on, things got weirder and weirder for comfort or outright gee-whizzness.

So, mocking turned to a sort of game. This, of voting out certain items or classes of items from the outing.

One year a fella *outlawed* any stove other than solid-fueled. Another was NO GORETEX, DAMMIT! Still another; no doggone LED of ANYTHING!

I personally have called a halt to the edged arms race with *one fixed - one folder - one axe*.

As such, this year's tag-alongs will be my never debated SAK Camper - favored by me for the incredibly valuable saw-blade.

Fixed is an old Robert Parrish, Massasauga from back in '87. I had thought to bring my Reeve *Green Beret* but figured it's a bit too on-the-nose.

I have plenty to choose from were this some.... "gotta ruck out... NOW!" scenario but to be honest - none of us want to miss out on a *Bar-B-Que* grade item if it's practical.

If you were playing with us - what would your "One Good Knife" be?



Forgot the axe - an Estwing Sportsman from their past Christmas.


Todd.

 

[Blue Jays]

My folder would be a partially-serrated Benchmade AFCK or similar.
My fixed blade would very probably be a Busse Steel Heart or similar.
Neither are obviously new and their usefulness is solid and well-known.

 

[SharpDog]

Swamp Rat INFI Ratmandu
SAK Outrider
19" Husky Carpenters Axe

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Swamp Rat INFI Ratmandu
SAK Outrider
19" Husky Carpenters Axe

Had to look up the Outrider.... nice.

Todd.

 

[SharpDog]

Had to look up the Outrider.... nice.

Todd.

The Ranger Grips are probably better but I have an outrider:



https://www.mitchellsadventure.com/work/hardware/knives/ranger-grip-55-swiss-army-knife/ev38002.aspx

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

The Ranger Grips are probably better but I have an outrider:

View attachment 983548

https://www.mitchellsadventure.com/work/hardware/knives/ranger-grip-55-swiss-army-knife/ev38002.aspx

I'm always conflicted with these newer SAK in noting evolutionary handle upgrades clashing with tradition.

Todd.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

That Robert Parrish, Massasauga looks good. What are the specs on it (dimensions, steel, handles)?

In the past, I took a Buck 124 Frontiersman (7-in. blade) for a fixed blade and a Buck 501 Squire for a folder. No axe. I'll have to think about what I would bring today.

11 inches long-6 inch blade, 1/4 inch thick, full tang, 440C and black micarta.

A really sweet handling and wonderfully balanced knife.

As far as Bucks - I gave up on them long ago as I'm not disciplined enough to sharpen them properly. Or simply can't be bothered.

Outstanding knives but the edges give me fits.

Todd.

 

[Boattale]

Given the group you describe, this is what I would bring.

W.C. Fields taught me to never be without a corkscrew. He famously told of crossing a desert without one and how they had to subsist on food and water for several days.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

View attachment 983581

Gotta love a classic Randall - I thought about one but figured there'd be at least two others there.
I keep hinting at those Gransfors but they don't seem to materialize under the tree come Christmas-time.

Todd.

 

[Boattale]

I keep hinting at those Gransfors but they don't seem to materialize under the tree come Christmas-time.

Todd.

They're great tools for sure, for using, for looking at and for pride of ownership. Heirloom quality and they have gravitas.
Is that a little over the top? Nah, all true.

Compared to a top shelf knife, they're actually pretty reasonably priced.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

They're great tools for sure, for using, for looking at and for pride of ownership. Heirloom quality and they have gravitas.
Is that a little over the top? Nah, all true.

Compared to a top shelf knife, they're actually pretty reasonably priced.

I have been known to *accidentally* leave my computer on the "Second Grade" page in a pathetic attempt at hinting. I figure I'll use the hell outa one so their cosmetic defects won't matter a bit to me.

Todd.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

I had gravitas once. The wife and I went to a Sunday brunch upstate. They served it on a sesame bagel.

That's some high-toned dining right there, Mister!

I mean, assuming they were wild-caught, ethically sourced and sustainable gvaitaseses.

Todd.

 

[hso]

My old discontinued Vic Master Craftsman/Astronaught and a knife of my design that Jesse Davis makes for me. My Bruks Small Forrest axe would tag along.

 

[lemaymiami]

A bit off topic... but if you ever have to live in Gore-tex foul weather gear day in and day out... it WILL fail you in around three weeks. At least that was my experience with it. Much, much more utilitarian is rain gear by either Grundens (for up north) or Helly Hansen for down south (my personal choice). Either outfit's foul weather gear will last years and years - particularly the models meant for commericial fishermen..

Always buy a size larger than you normally would (leaving room for hooded sweats, sweaters, etc. or allowing you a bit of ventilation in warmer weather.. .

 

[the Black Spot]

Tops tex creek hunter
Sak huntsman
Estwing

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

My old discontinued Vic Master Craftsman/Astronaught and a knife of my design that Jesse Davis makes for me. My Bruks Small Forrest axe would tag along.

Do you specifically like the *Forrest* over the *Hunter* of the same dimensions from Gransfors?

Also - how about a photo of that Davis commission knife he makes for you.

Todd.

 

[Boattale]

Do you specifically like the *Forrest* over the *Hunter* of the same dimensions from Gransfors?

Also - how about a photo of that Davis commission knife he makes for you.

Todd.

That's a small forest axe in my photo. Hunter has a more rounded poll that's intended to help with skinning using the poll of the axe between skin and flesh. Small difference. I'm quite happy with the one I own. No more skinning for me, and when I did it did not involve an axe poll.

 

[hso]

Do you specifically like the *Forrest* over the *Hunter* of the same dimensions from Gransfors?

Also - how about a photo of that Davis commission knife he makes for you.

Todd.

The four to the left are mine and the two on the right are "riffs" Walter Brend did after handling mine. Walter and I had a lot of fun conversations about the knife and I was very pleased he asked if he could make "something like it...but nicer". Uncle Wally and I tease back and forth quite a bit.

As for axes, I picked the square poll of the Small Forest because I'm not going to be removing hides (which a rounded poll is good for). I also have several other axes in this size. It becomes a bit of an affliction wondering if "this" axe will be better than the GB Small Forrest. So I have Council, Stihl, Hults Bruks, Husqvarna, Wetterlings on my bench (yeah, I'm "that guy").

I get to handle a lot of blades so I'm always mentally comparing knives to other knives, axes to other axes, machetes to other machetes, ...

 

[rust collector]

"The American Girl's Handy Book"? Interesting backdrop for some serious cutlery!

 

[Zaydok Allen]

View media item 3065
This Hogue for a folder and probably a Buck 119 as the fixed blade. Maybe my Western Bowie Model 49.

While both these knives are classics, I would like to pick up a fixed blade with better blade steel. I think these are 420 and 440C respectively. But for a weekend in the woods they would certainly do the job.

Consequently, that's the gun I'd bring too. Sig P220 in 10mm. It snuck in.

 

[hso]

I think these are 420 and 440C respectively.

The Western 49 was carbon steel. Kinda big, but carbon.

 

[hso]

Interesting backdrop for some serious cutlery!

How so?

 

[9x56MS]

I can't believe those jarheads let you get away with that. In my best Highlander voice "There can be only one" knife the USMC fighting knife the nonpariel Kabar.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

I can't believe those jarheads let you get away with that. In my best Highlander voice "There can be only one" knife the USMC fighting knife the nonpariel Kabar.

Hell - we're just happy when they don't bring machetes and short-swords or bayonets.

A fella can only carry so many butterfly bandages.

Todd.

 

[rust collector]

How so?

Would you agree with me that the American Girl's Handy Book and The Art of War (Sun Tzu?) are not commonly found in proximity? There's another there that appears to be upside down, so maybe they are only for ambience?