I would like to know what is a good knife, or more importantly what are the attributes of a good knife. The reason I am asking is because I plan on doing a lot of hiking when I go overseas (back to China), and would like to know if I decide to bring one with me, what should I be looking for.
Presumably you mean a knife for hiking/camping? In which case leathermans pretty much the only brand I can name but if you want a knife for sticking in bears or people I can give you a decent list. Actually most of them would probably work as utility knives if you had to...
basics of a good knife would be: 1) full tang 2) thick (enough) spine 3) good belly 4) nice reinforced point 5) nice grip that suits your hand 6) balance in your hand 7) preferably cheap (dang, i just described myself)
Pick one up when you get in country.. Traveling abroad with a blade can bring more trouble than it is worth sometimes.. This is what I do when I go abroad. But depending on where you want to focus the use towards.. Just stating that you want to get a knife for hiking in a foreign country is vague..
Yes I am planning to buy it when I am over there, however I don't know much about knives. I'll also leave it there when I come back home.
I don't do a lot of knifework, but I'd tend to favour something like this http://dealerscorner.coldsteel.com/Products/10DSM/ that gives a good balance of cutting and thrusting options.
Good list. I would also add a blade length in the 3.5-4.5" range. Some people prefer a larger blade, but for just hiking and general camp type use I like a ~4" blade. I like the Fallkniven F1
For hiking and such? Go for a good swiss army knife as a utility tool, and any reasonable camp knife for chopping wood, hacking up rabbits and whatever else you may need to do.
what do you want to use it for? chopping through brambles? hunting bears? or just something for general camping type stuff? a bowie knifes not much use for buttering toast and a butter knifes not gonna be much use for making kindle.
If you are worried about security a solid piece of hardwood oak will serve you better than a knife. And look at the bright side, if that still isn't enough you can always tie a knife to the end
Here are the typical norwegian outdoors knives, first the Sami-knife, good in sub-arctic climate, used as machete/axe as well as for finer work: http://www.oslosportslager.no/uploads/bilder/nettbutikk/produkter2/18682-800.jpg Here is a much smaller knive, called "tollekniv" in Norwegian. Good all-round knife, solid (and used for ritualistic knife-fighing a few hundred years ago): http://www.norskdesign.no/getfile.p...1961-1999)/Peer Gynt-kniven.jpg (397x300).jpg
I own a lot of knives and abuse the crap out of them. This little beauty takes a lot of punishment for not a lot of dosh [ame="http://www.amazon.com/gerber-22-01589-big-rock-camp-knife/dp/B000VL4G30?SubscriptionId=0B6VXRVZCR607G1MDC82&tag=gerberknivesonline-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B000VL4G30"]http://www.amazon.com/gerber-22-01589-big-rock-camp-knife/dp/B000VL4G30?SubscriptionId=0B6VXRVZCR607G1MDC82&tag=gerberknivesonline-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B000VL4G30[/ame] Secretly I will get one of these too... http://bear.gerbergear.com/knives/ultimate-knife/ Because I am cheap basically!
That's true but I can't (and don't want to) bring my dog overseas with me. Since my dog is bread and trained for field trials, he would have a MELT DOWN during Chinese New Year's celebrations.
how about a shovel? use it like a shovel or an axe! [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIqihUYb_JA&feature=fvwrel]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIqihUYb_JA&feature=fvwrel[/ame] [ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017UVEW0/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=1278548962&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001NWAEQ4&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=14P5HFJVMP11GQKR2T9F]on amazon[/ame]
I have a very nice Buck knife but I only carry it when I am out in the wilds (not Dennistoun). The Bear.