What tools/knives do you carry?
- Thread starter gixer
- Start date
Whiteburn
Thru Hiker
I had the tiny Victorinox Classic confiscated in Seoul airport, went through UK & Amsterdam securities OK,.....be aware of different rules.
Daymoth
Section Hiker
Oh good to know! I think here 5 or 6cm is the limit
Whiteburn
Thru Hiker
The Classic has a blade of about 3cm
Security in Seoul seemed to indicate NO BLADED item.
Heltrekker
Section Hiker
Gerber Curve - tiny, stays sharp, weighs next to nothing
Willie Todd
Summit Camper
Knife & scissors from a Swiss Army card 10g.
Bmblbzzz
Thru Hiker
In the past, if I've been camping I've usually been cycling, so mostly bike-specific tools, which would include small screwdriver but I'm trying standardize as many fixings as possible on allen keys. And an Opinel for cooking. Sometimes also a SAK, of which I have two:* both have large blade, cork screw, tin and bottle opener, wood saw (v useful); the red one also has small blade (too small for much use really), spike (presumably for getting horses out of boy scouts' hooves but also useful for, well, making holes); the black one has tweezers, tooth pick and something else I can't remember right now. The tweezers and toothpick aren't much cop really. Neither has scissors but I always have scissors if I'm away for a couple of nights or more, as my nails grow quite fast and I don't like having them long.
*I used to have three but I lost one in Slovakia. Nowhere wild, unfortunately – well, not outdoors wild, anyway. I'm not sure if I left it on a train when I was making sandwiches with some friendly Slovaks or with the rather weird Bratislava B&B landlady who turned out to want more than just my money...
*I used to have three but I lost one in Slovakia. Nowhere wild, unfortunately – well, not outdoors wild, anyway. I'm not sure if I left it on a train when I was making sandwiches with some friendly Slovaks or with the rather weird Bratislava B&B landlady who turned out to want more than just my money...
Clare
Thru Hiker
In the past, if I've been camping I've usually been cycling, so mostly bike-specific tools, which would include small screwdriver but I'm trying standardize as many fixings as possible on allen keys. And an Opinel for cooking. Sometimes also a SAK, of which I have two:* both have large blade, cork screw, tin and bottle opener, wood saw (v useful); the red one also has small blade (too small for much use really), spike (presumably for getting horses out of boy scouts' hooves but also useful for, well, making holes); the black one has tweezers, tooth pick and something else I can't remember right now. The tweezers and toothpick aren't much cop really. Neither has scissors but I always have scissors if I'm away for a couple of nights or more, as my nails grow quite fast and I don't like having them long.
*I used to have three but I lost one in Slovakia. Nowhere wild, unfortunately – well, not outdoors wild, anyway. I'm not sure if I left it on a train when I was making sandwiches with some friendly Slovaks or with the rather weird Bratislava B&B landlady who turned out to want more than just my money...
And at that moment you lost your tool?
Daymoth
Section Hiker
Welp it just happened...after 20+ flights my mini pocket knife was confiscated......
BlueTrain
Trail Blazer
The last time we were in Paris, there was a little store selling Opinel knives across the street from where we ate lunch one day. I was tempted to get one, if only because I don't have one, but I wonder if it would have made it home with me, through security and everything. We've been to London, too, but I didn't see anyone carrying a machete, unless they were carrying it concealed. I have a couple because I live in the suburbs of a jungle, sort of. One is a classic Martindale golok, which, I hate to admit, I don't like as much as the cheap hardware store Collins. But I don't take them hiking.
There have been a few mentions of needing a knife in case you need to cut cords. I have been led to believe that you must never cut up your cords but I am often mistaken.
Anyone carry rope, by the way? Samwise Gamgee believed rope was too useful not to be taken along on a journey. Of course, they didn't have parachute cord then, not that I like so-called parachute cord.
There have been a few mentions of needing a knife in case you need to cut cords. I have been led to believe that you must never cut up your cords but I am often mistaken.
Anyone carry rope, by the way? Samwise Gamgee believed rope was too useful not to be taken along on a journey. Of course, they didn't have parachute cord then, not that I like so-called parachute cord.
Odd Man
Thru Hiker
But he had Wheels of Steel.
Michael_x
Section Hiker
Sam had the benefit of elvish rope. I'm guessing it's lighter than the several kilos a decent length of climbing rope weighs. So alas I do without. One day I do plan to do the stream bed Piers Ghyll shortcut down from Scafell Pike, and I will be taking a rope for that. ( https://www.wmrt.org.uk/advice/accident-black-spots/piers-gill-scafell-pike/ ).
BlueTrain
Trail Blazer
I don't carry rope. Don't even have any, as a matter of fact. But usually, I do carry some cord. In theory, it's to use setting up a bivouac shelter in the woods, which I only do occasionally, when absolutely necessary. But I don't use "parachute cord." I use a different cord of unidentified white material that will not run when wet and is easier to see at night.
One really off-beat item I now include in my bivouac outfit along with the white cord (of unidentified material) is a round plastic "thing" about four or five inches in diameter with a threaded socket on the underside, like an inverted bowl. I have no idea where it came from or what it was for but with my hiking stick inserted in the socket, it's just the thing for propping up my poncho and which won't poke a hole in it. That and some odd lengths of cord (probably nylon), the poncho, a few tent stakes, a piece of plastic for a ground cloth, plus my hiking stick, constitute my bivouac outfit. The trick is to find just the right place to put it up, since trees are rarely in the right places and even a level piece of ground is scarce in some places.
One really off-beat item I now include in my bivouac outfit along with the white cord (of unidentified material) is a round plastic "thing" about four or five inches in diameter with a threaded socket on the underside, like an inverted bowl. I have no idea where it came from or what it was for but with my hiking stick inserted in the socket, it's just the thing for propping up my poncho and which won't poke a hole in it. That and some odd lengths of cord (probably nylon), the poncho, a few tent stakes, a piece of plastic for a ground cloth, plus my hiking stick, constitute my bivouac outfit. The trick is to find just the right place to put it up, since trees are rarely in the right places and even a level piece of ground is scarce in some places.
Foxster
Section Hiker
I just ordered a new knife, a Victorinox Ambassador as a replacement for my trusty Victorinox Classic SD. It's the same knife, just a bit larger (and 32g v 21g for the SD).
I've struggled with the tiny size of the SD in my large hands and also been a tad wary of the tiny blade snapping if cutting anything tougher than a banana.
I've struggled with the tiny size of the SD in my large hands and also been a tad wary of the tiny blade snapping if cutting anything tougher than a banana.
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BlueTrain
Trail Blazer
I actually bought a serrated blade kitchen paring knife with the intention of adding it to my so-called kitchen outfit. But as it happened, it stayed in the drawer and never went anywhere. As far as I know, it's happy to stay at home. The blade is quite thin, though, and it probably wouldn't stand up to anything tougher than a tomato. But it sure is sharp.
I find that I prefer to have a small fixed blade knife most of the time. Full size handle with a 7cm blade or so.
A Mora classic 2/0 is the lightest "full size" fixed blade I know of. 50g with the horrible plastic sheath it comes with. 58g with the leather sheath I have for it.
I also use a Victorinox Classic SD or a Opinel no. 6 some times.
I recently bought a Cold Steel Pendleton Mini Hunter in CPM 3v steel. Quite a nice sturdy little knife at 76g in the sheath (with the dangly bit removed), but I find that I still reach for the Mora.
The Enzo Necker 70 (now called the Brisa Necker) is quite good as well, but kind of heavy at 95g in the sheath.
I'm a bit of a knife nut though, so I spend way too much time thinking about these things.
A SAK is fine for probably 95% of the stuff I do while I'm out.
A Mora classic 2/0 is the lightest "full size" fixed blade I know of. 50g with the horrible plastic sheath it comes with. 58g with the leather sheath I have for it.
I also use a Victorinox Classic SD or a Opinel no. 6 some times.
I recently bought a Cold Steel Pendleton Mini Hunter in CPM 3v steel. Quite a nice sturdy little knife at 76g in the sheath (with the dangly bit removed), but I find that I still reach for the Mora.
The Enzo Necker 70 (now called the Brisa Necker) is quite good as well, but kind of heavy at 95g in the sheath.
I'm a bit of a knife nut though, so I spend way too much time thinking about these things.
A SAK is fine for probably 95% of the stuff I do while I'm out.
dovidola
Thru Hiker
Knife:
Opinel No 7 Trekking (35g).
Opinel No 8 Walnut/Inox (42g) or Trekking (48g) or even No 9 (59g) if I want a larger blade. No 10 is overkill. No 6 too small for me.
I like Opinels for hiking because they are light, cheap, have a comfortable non-slippy handle with a locking safety ring, and the blade shape is excellent for multi-purpose use. They also have a sufficiently angular blade spine and handle design for striking decent sparks from a ferro rod without needing to open the knife.
Tool:
Leatherman Style PS 47g - no blade - plier, scissor, tweezer, rasp and screwdriver. Does all my other jobs. I'm surprised how capable it is given its small size.
Yes, I could save some weight by combining them into a suitable SAK, but I just don't like mixing a knife with a multi-tool, probably because I don't really like multi-tools in the first place.
Opinel No 7 Trekking (35g).
Opinel No 8 Walnut/Inox (42g) or Trekking (48g) or even No 9 (59g) if I want a larger blade. No 10 is overkill. No 6 too small for me.
I like Opinels for hiking because they are light, cheap, have a comfortable non-slippy handle with a locking safety ring, and the blade shape is excellent for multi-purpose use. They also have a sufficiently angular blade spine and handle design for striking decent sparks from a ferro rod without needing to open the knife.
Tool:
Leatherman Style PS 47g - no blade - plier, scissor, tweezer, rasp and screwdriver. Does all my other jobs. I'm surprised how capable it is given its small size.
Yes, I could save some weight by combining them into a suitable SAK, but I just don't like mixing a knife with a multi-tool, probably because I don't really like multi-tools in the first place.
