Knives - which ones are right for you?
Knives and how to pick 'em
With getting back to the outdoors becoming more and more popular, it follows that learning about which knives do what and how to select the right knife for you is a topic worth visiting. It all depends upon your activity and personal preference but here is some information and advice. Hope you enjoy....Fixed, Folding or ???
So you've just started camping, or hiking or maybe it's just time to get your first knife. Men love knives (women do too:-) for a variety of reasons - it's part of our built-in DNA, primal being, they come in handy for just about anything from cutting rope or wood to opening packages. And they come in handy in a knife fight (just don't bring one to a gunfight). That was a joke.....
Well, your 2 basic choices are fixed blade vs folding. I'm going to leave out Multi-tools, Swiss Army Knives and the like since I plan to cover them in another post.
So let's look at the advantages of each:
Fixed Blade:
Advantages: Durable, always ready for use, stronger (blade metal usually runs through handle), easier to clean.
Folding Blade:
Advantages: Compact, safer, more versatile, and there are 3 types, each with their own distinct advantage:
1) Lockback - locks open and needs 2 hands to open or close, the safest.
2) Liner-Lock - locks open, but can be opened with one hand, perfect for climbers, hikers with a pole etc...
3) Pocket knife - the old standby we all had as kids. Main advantage is very compact size, you can always have them with you for opening packages, etc.....
Well, your 2 basic choices are fixed blade vs folding. I'm going to leave out Multi-tools, Swiss Army Knives and the like since I plan to cover them in another post.
So let's look at the advantages of each:
Fixed Blade:
Advantages: Durable, always ready for use, stronger (blade metal usually runs through handle), easier to clean.
Folding Blade:
Advantages: Compact, safer, more versatile, and there are 3 types, each with their own distinct advantage:
1) Lockback - locks open and needs 2 hands to open or close, the safest.
2) Liner-Lock - locks open, but can be opened with one hand, perfect for climbers, hikers with a pole etc...
3) Pocket knife - the old standby we all had as kids. Main advantage is very compact size, you can always have them with you for opening packages, etc.....
How To Choose
There really are no best knives, as you've guessed by now. It depends on your needs:
House or Office workers - a good old pocket (pen) knife
Hikers - A folding lockback or liner if you'll have only one free hand
Climbers, Boaters - A liner lock
Light campers - A lockback or liner lock on your belt
Serious campers - A lockback and a good solid fixed blade knife
Hunters - Fixed blade
Or get a couple of each and start a collection - it's a fun hobby and you can actually use your toys!
House or Office workers - a good old pocket (pen) knife
Hikers - A folding lockback or liner if you'll have only one free hand
Climbers, Boaters - A liner lock
Light campers - A lockback or liner lock on your belt
Serious campers - A lockback and a good solid fixed blade knife
Hunters - Fixed blade
Or get a couple of each and start a collection - it's a fun hobby and you can actually use your toys!
No comments:
Post a Comment