Knife Article

[ColoSwiss]

This month's Popular Mechanics has an article on 'Seven Essential Knives'. Number one is a Victorinox Hiker.

That's the only one of the seven I have the actual model listed, though I prefer the Huntsman. For the others I can come up with something similar for most of them.

1. Victorinox Hiker / Victorinox Huntsman

2. Leatherman Rebar / Victorinox Spirit

3. Sod Buster Jr. / Not a pattern I have a lot of use for.

4. Masamoto Gyutou / Good Henckels Chefs Knife

5. Stanley Utility knife / Have several similar but not sure of brands

6. Gerber Gator Bolo Machete / Old Army Machete

7. Ka-Bar Becker Companion / Fallkniven F1

[enki_ck]

Hm,

I assume the first knife under every number is the knife Popular Mechanics chose. I don't know if I'd agree with those choices. What were the categories?

I'm guessing:

1. SAK
2. multitool
3. (traditional?) pocket knife
4. kitchen knife
5. utility knife
6. machete
7. outdoors knife

If so, and I'd have to choose only one then my choices would be:

1. Victorinox Ranger - largest useful tool selection in and relatively compact EDC-able size

2. Spirit X - same as the above but with pliers. The Rebar never really appealed to me. There are quite a few better offerings from LM around.

3. I'd agree with the Case Sodbuster Jr. or maybe an Opinel #6-8

4. I have yet to invest in a decent kitchen knife, but I've been looking at a few Forscher knives lately.

5. utility knife with a breakaway blade (non branded one but it works ) I prefer this style to the ones with a blade you have to take out and turn to get a sharp edge.

6. old Tramontina machete - has served me well for over a decade now, was MUCH cheaper than the Gerber and none of the Tramontinas were ever recalled. The Bolo wasn't but some other Gerber Gator Machetes were.

7. I think your choice is better for an outdoors knife, an S1 has been on my wishlist for some time now. But the knife I take to the woods mostly and serves me well is a simple Mora Clipper. I don't do a lot of chopping with my knifes, any chopping that is done with a knife can be done much easier with a folding saw or a SAK saw. For anything bigger, there are hatchets and axes.


I had a much more detailed explanations written for each tool, but a slip of the keyboard and I lost it all. I may add a few thoughts to it later though.

[ColoSwiss]

They didn't have categories; just listed seven 'essential' knives. Probably who paid them. Mixing kitchen knives with outdoor and shop tools is a bit odd. That's an area that would call for it's own separate range. The first knife was their list; the second my nearest equivalent. Still, figured it would make a good topic for discussion. Other choices or other categories.

[ICanFixThat]

I don't have the article, but seems to me they could have done better. I like the categories that Eric came up with.

My choices based on what I own more than ideal.

1. SAK: soldier/farmer/harvester/ranger/champion/swisschamp/compact (i.e. pick your favorite, and a second one,
1 SAK is not enough)

2. Multitool: Spirit there is no other.

3. Traditional: don't really have one, so i choose kershaw chive, or leek, benchmade or spyderco.

4. Kitchen knife: Ceramic knife and 10" chef's knife.

5. Utility knife: ya get a couple don't waste your good knives on cardboard or carpet.

6. Machete: not for me.

7. Outdoors knife: bark river bravo or gunny

[Syph007]

Oh I'll play. 

1. SAK: CT34 for urban, hercules for camping or other occasions.

2. Multitool: Spirit x

3. Traditional: I only have one, a buck stockman.  So I guess that one...

4. Kitchen knife: Im more of a cleaver man for kitchen work

5. Utility knife: I use moras for random cutting, I dont actually own a disposable blade type

6. Machete: Condor village parang! Just got one today   A gerber machete is never something Id want let alone put on a list of must haves!

7. Outdoors knife: Fallkniven A1.  Best money I ever spent on a big knife.  I still want an F1 too though.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Oh I'll play. 

1. SAK: CT34 for urban, hercules for camping or other occasions.

2. Multitool: Spirit x

3. Traditional: I only have one, a buck stockman.  So I guess that one...

4. Kitchen knife: Im more of a cleaver man for kitchen work

5. Utility knife: I use moras for random cutting, I dont actually own a disposable blade type

6. Machete: Condor village parang! Just got one today   A gerber machete is never something Id want let alone put on a list of must haves!

7. Outdoors knife: Fallkniven A1.  Best money I ever spent on a big knife.  I still want an F1 too though.

For the SAK, I'd pick the Huntsman, or a Ranger.  If I was going to go with a 111 mm model, why not go whole-hog and take a Work Champ?  Not that much bigger than a Herc, and I've found that for camp/bushcraft duties, a file can be a god-send.

Let us know how you like your parang!  I've been jonesing for one myself for a long time, and would love to hear what you think of it!   

[Jothra]

Pick me! Pick me!

SAK: Evo s18 SC; Outrider in my satchel
Multitool: Wave (in satchel, with bit kit)
Traditional: Opinel #8 (usually on the SAK shelf)
Kitchen: Cheap cheapies. When I live on my own, I use a lot of SAKs in there.
Utility knide: Any breakaway I can get my grubby mitts on, as long as I've got blacked blades for it.
Machete: I've been looking at parangs, but haven't picked one up yet.
Outdoors: An old, well-cared-for Solingen encapsulated tang with a hand-made antler handle.

[Echo]

Got to agree with the article, the Hiker is a damn nice knife. Nice and light, lots of tools to tackle most things, cheap to replace if lost. 

Is it the best SAK?? Can it replace the Alox Farmer?? Can it replace the SI?? I'll leave that up to the forum to decide.

[ameeks]

Not placing them in categories, here's my opinion.
1. Farmer or Pioneer
2. Leatherman of your choice
3. Buck 110
4. KaBar USMC
5. Opinel 7 with handle smoothed and lanyard added.
6. Bark River Bravo-1
7. Double bit hiking axe (not a knife but essential edged tool.)