[How to choose a camp knife] The road to an expert camper! Points that will not fail and 5 recommended knives

A bonfire and outdoor cooking, which is also a pleasure unique to camping. ” outdoor cooking Knife” is a problem if it is not in those scenes, but there are many technical terms and many beginners are wondering which one to choose. Therefore, this time, we will introduce the questions and glossary that are often asked when choosing a knife, and recommended knives in an easy-to-understand manner.

[Introduction to Knife Selection] Think about the types of blades used in the camp and the scenes in which they will be used.

First, think about when to use a knife in a camp.

The following five scenes I think of.

[Scene using a knife]

• cooking

Cut vegetables, meat, fish, etc.

• Do the work

Custom feather sticks, cut wood and bamboo to custom chopsticks and containers

• Cut trees and branches

batoning (breaking wood into small pieces for bonfire), pruning, etc.

• Break the wood

Break a thick tree

• others

Cut the mouth of a string or bag, etc.

There are various types, but this time we will limit it to “knife” from the types of blades and think about what kind of knife should be used for each scene.

Types of knives that can be used outdoors

There are two types of knives, depending on whether they can be folded or not.

• Sheath knife

A type that can be carried in a sheath

• Folding knife

Folding type, There are also multiple names, depending on the intended use and shape of the scene.

• Cooking knife

Cutting ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, fish and meat

• Survival knife

A sturdy type that can be used for multiple purposes such as cutting meat, handling fish, and cutting trees and ropes.

• Damascus knife

Beautiful wavy striped knife with blades forged by layering metal layers

etc…

With these in mind, here are some terms that will make it easier for you to choose a knife!

[Beginner’s selection of knives] Learning the features and terms makes it easier to choose the camp knife that suits you.

One of the reasons why beginners are confused when choosing a knife is the variety of types and terms.

You may be worried about what to choose, brand, size, material, etc., and you don’t know which knife is right for you.

Therefore, let’s start by knowing the basic knowledge such as terms, materials, and characteristics related to knives.

Terms related to knives

I will briefly explain the structure of the outdoor knife and Katakana terms.

Blade: Blade

Handle: handle, handle

Tongue: The core inside the handle. The one that the blade passes from the tip to the back is called full tongue

Sheath: Sheath (contains the blade of the knife)

Folding: Folding

Serration edge: Wave blade

Blade material and characteristics

There is also a difference in sharpness and ease of maintenance depending on the material, which is a factor to worry about when choosing a knife.

There are three types of blade materials that are widely used as knives for camping.

• Stainless: Hard to rust, easy to maintain
• Carbon (carbon steel): Sharp and easy to rust (weak to moisture)
• H-1 steel: Low carbon content, strong against water and resistant to rust

Blade shape

It is common to all blades, not just knives, but the shapes are divided into the following three.

Keep in mind that the sharpening method differs depending on the shape of the blade.

Left: Double-edged          Middle: Hamaguriba       Right: Single-edged

• Double-edged (scanji)

When the blade is viewed from the front, it is tilted on both the left and right sides.

• Convex

A double-edged companion with a bulge on the blade

• Single-edged (chisel)

When the blade is viewed from the front, it has an inclination on only one side.

The point of the shape of the cutting edge

In addition, there are different types of cutting edge shapes. Remember the two most commonly used types.

[Clip point]

There is a curved relief towards the cutting edge, with the tip of the blade pointing upwards.

Features: Suitable for poking, handling and stinging fish.

[Drop point]

The tip of the blade is down.

Features: Suitable for work such as peeling, cutting ingredients, and making feather sticks. Not suitable for stabbing work.

For those who are new to knives or who are not accustomed to handling knives, we recommend the drop point where the cutting edge is gently pointing downwards.

In addition to this, there are various types such as a dagger point that specializes in stabbing and a small caper point that allows you to perform detailed work.

Terms related to bonfire

When using a knife on a bonfire, the terms that often appear are “batoning” and “feather stick”.

Many people long for this task and wholesale new knives.

These terms are also explained below ↓

• Batoning

Divide the firewood used for the bonfire into small pieces

• Feather stick (fire stick)

A thin piece of wood with the tip cut like a bird’s feather

Used when igniting a bonfire

For more information on batoning, see this article as well.

[Practice of choosing a knife] By scene and purpose! 5 camp knives that are easy to use even for beginners recommended by the author

Some campers do everything with one knife, while others use cooking knives and bonfire knives separately.

If you have plenty of luggage, it is convenient to have several different types of knives to suit your situation.

For those who want to enjoy outdoor cooking mainly! Recommended knives for camping

Recommended: Sheath knife, folding knife

When choosing a knife mainly for cooking, focus on sharpness, resistance to rust, and ease of maintenance.

It is recommended that the blade is made of stainless steel or H-1 steel.

Knife that is hard to rust and easy to grip: G.SAKAI New Sabi Knife 3

We recommend using a knife that does not rust easily and is easy to grip.

1. Sakai’s Sabi Knife 3 uses H-1 steel for the blade, which is resistant to rust.

The lightweight and easy-to-grip handle and the rust-resistant blade are perfect for cooking.

For those who want to enjoy batoning, feather stick making, and bonfire! Recommended knives for camping

Recommendation: Sheath knife

Since batoning applies the force of hitting from above when breaking wood, the full tongue type with the blade passing to the handle part is suitable.

Also, choose a sheathed knife or a folding knife with a locking mechanism to prevent the knife from becoming unstable during batoning.

It is recommended because it is easy to put effort into cutting wood such as making feather sticks.

Great for batoning! MOSSY OAK sheath knife

Sheath knife with full tongue structure.

The handle is made of wood, and the feel when gripped is familiar to the hand.

The blade is angled to prevent slipping, so you can enjoy everything from batoning to making feather sticks.

For feather sticks and woodwork ◎ Mora knife Companion MG Stainless steel

A famous knife that can be said to be a representative of camping knives.

Ogiyahagi-san also used it in “Ogiyahagi no Hapikan (produced by Me-Tele)”.

This knife has blades made of stainless steel and carbon, but beginners should start with stainless steel.

A well-balanced knife that is lightweight, easy to handle, and affordable.

For those who want to choose a compact and lightweight one! Recommended knives for camping

Recommendation: Folding knife

Among the folding knives that can be folded when not in use, choose one with a light handle and a light weight.

If the total length or blade length is too short, it may be difficult to hold or cut.

Consider the size of your hand and choose one that is easy to grip and fits in your hand.

Compact and lightweight knife suitable for solo camp OPINEL Stainless Steel # 6

Opinel’s knife that is very effective when cooking.

Especially, there are many people around me who use sizes # 6 and # 9.

The blade is made of stainless steel for easy maintenance, and the handle is made of beech white wood, which has a gentle color. Contains the Opinel logo.

Easy to use and stylish in appearance. It is a very useful knife if you have one.

▼ Click here for reviews of Opinel knife users

For those who want a multifunctional knife that can be used in multiple ways with one! Recommended knives for camping

Recommendation: Multi-tool knife

Multi-tool knives are recommended for versatile uses such as pulling wine corks, cutting fruits, and using assembly gear at campgrounds.

Most of them are compact, so if you are batoning, it is better to prepare two types, a sheath knife and a multi-tool knife.

A classic multi-tool knife! VICTORINOX climber 1.3703

Victorinox is a representative brand of multi-tools.

In addition to the knife, the product “Climber” comes with a cork remover, a flat-blade screwdriver, and scissors.

The scissors can be used for opening foods, and the flat-blade screwdriver can be used for multiple purposes such as opening the lid of a can.

▼ Check out the review articles by Victorinox users!

Get to know the famous brands of knives used in the camp!

The most famous camp knife brands are Opinel and Mora Knife.

It is a knife brand that many people wholesale as the first one when starting a camp.

Other brands of knives commonly used by campers include:

• Helle
• GERBER
• Victorinox
• BUCK
• MOSSY OAK
• Sakai
• Colombia
• BarkRiver

Please use it as a reference when considering a camping knife!

It is recommended to choose a camping knife that suits your purpose! If you have two types, you can enjoy a more comfortable camp

When choosing a knife, check the size, material, shape, etc. and choose the one that suits your purpose.

My recommendation is to have two knives of different sizes. It’s hygienic and easy to understand if you use it properly for batoning and cooking.

Please use them properly and enjoy the camp life you are aiming for.

Click to have more Shieldon EDC knives and tools fun.

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