I have a variety of cutting tools for various tasks. I'm not a collector and I don't go for expensive knives. I like a nice looking knife but that shouldn't detract from its function. Like many people, I'm still experimenting and haven't yet found the ideal knife or combination but have found that I use the following cutting tools for the tasks described on a fairly regular basis.
This Puuku Leuko combo is my old favourite. If I’m not taking an axe and think I might have a bit of light chopping to do or undergrowth to cut back (perhaps when tracking) then this is the combo I take. The leuku is a 7 inch Stromeng laminated carbon and the puuku is a Jarvenpaa stainless steel. A nifty combination. I reach for this in preference to any others, especially on solo / lightweight outings where I know there’s not much heavy duty work to be done.
The prototype Woodlife Tracker belt knife – I certainly wouldn’t get rid of this one! It’s an absolute work-horse and potentially worthy of the Woodlife name. There’s still some testing to be done but it falls into the category of “… if there was just one knife you would take into the Wilderness, this would be it.” The micarta scales and no nonsense belt clip give it practicality and function over form and it’s as tough as old boots. At 6mm thickness, it’s not lightweight but I have carved a spoon with it. Of course, it’s incomparable for batonning jobs. I’m seeing Duncan Chandler at the Gathering. Let’s hope he’s in a position to do a production run.
Roger Harrington Bushcraft knife - I bought this off a friend as it came with a matching bushman’s pal neck knife. To be honest, I haven’t used this as much as I should as it’s an excellent knife. I think perhaps the lack of handle shape puts me off a bit. Having small hands, I tend to like a handle style with a bit more belly and grip. Still, it’s worthy of staying around until the next cull.
EKA W11 – This is a superb sub £100-00 bushcraft-style knife. In terms of form, it ticks all the boxes for me. It’s not a heavy-weight but it’s a great all round knife at the price. I didn’t like the original hollow grind with secondary bevel, so I let Chris Grant loose on it and it came back a completely different knife for the better, complete with convex grind. The sheath was the first sheath I made.
Frosts Clipper knife – Needless to say, I wouldn’t get a buyer for this even if I wanted to get rid of it! They are so cheap, light-weight and practical it makes sense to have a couple hanging around on a “grab and go” basis. Perhaps not the most robust of tools, but if you are just doing a few odd jobs you won’t go too far wrong. I often use it as a neck knife as it’s so light. The additional benefit is that you won’t cry too much if you lose it!
Gerber Profile – If I’m just out for the day, sometimes I don’t even need to take a belt knife, but it’s nice to have something in your pocket or pack which is light weight but robust enough to be worth carrying. This Gerber Profile is certainly lightweight. You don’t know you’ve got it on you. The blade locks back so it’s safe to use and the plastic scales are deceptively comfortable if you decide to do some impromptu carving. I wouldn’t baton with it though.
EKA Super Swede 92 – Someone recommended this to me as an unobtrusive, large-ish, folding pocket knife to go on an expedition with. It’s sturdy when locked back and the rubberised handle provides an excellent grip which won’t shrink, swell or deteriorate in damp or wet conditions. I took this to Namibia with me and it was used for kitchen duties while the EKA W11 was used for crafts. Looks like the Swedish knife-makers prevailed in Southern Africa!
Leatherman Charge – Funnily enough I bought this at the Gathering 2 years ago. Basically, it goes where I go, permanently affixed to my belt next to my pouch. It’s a bit heavy, but it serves so many functions it’s difficult to give any reasons why it should be left behind.
That leaves 4 knives to get rid of. The Phil Siddell Companion 2 is going as are a couple of cheap and cheerful Lapland style knives. I wonder what I’ll come back with!
Bahco Folding Saw This is an excellent piece of kit and I never leave home without it. It usually resides in my tool pack or shoulder bag. I tend to use this more than the axe for cutting green wood.
Granfors Bruks Small Forest Axe and Wildlife Hatchet I suppose these are the standard bushcraft axes. Both are ideally sized for splitting small to medium sized logs for firewood. They are also not bad for doing a bit of initial carving work. I take mainly the hatchet along if I know there's some log splitting to do. If not, it stays at home.
Granfors Bruks mini hatchet I bought this hatchet as I wanted something small to pack away in my shoulder bag. It hasn't disappointed me and I use it for wood carving projects and chopping small dead wood for my wood burning stove. It's got that little extra weight to it more than a standard knife. A good little tool in my opinion.
Condor double-edged bill hook I use this tool only for conservation work, although I suspect it would be pretty good for bushcraft use. The thing that put me off is the size of the tool for bushcraft use. It not really user friendly either but great for slashing your way through overgrown areas.
Benchmade Snody Activator - This is a great little 2 1/2 inch neck knife made out of D2 steel made by Benchmade after a design by Mike Snody. It's a lovely fit in small hands and I love the serrated thumb grip which also helps strike a firesteel. Nice for little carving jobs. Again, a slightly annoying secondary bevel, but this one I can live with. The whole thing is nice and slim making it the perfect neck knife.
