Guy Gear
Pocketknives and multi-tools buying guide
A quality knife or multi-tool is one of the handiest things you can carry in your pack. It’ll help you spread peanut butter, carve a tent stake, fillet a rainbow trout, maybe even save your life. But you have to pick the right tool for the job.
Outdoor survival expert Peter Kummerfeldt will show you how.
THE LOWDOWN
There are several types of knives. Kummerfeldt’s favorite, fixed blades, are no-nonsense knives with a beefy handle and stationary blade.
“You need a knife to accomplish the everyday tasks you come across in the outdoors, from whittling on things and cutting materials to spreading peanut butter on your sandwiches,” he says. “And a short, no more than four-inch-long, fixed-blade knife will accomplish all of that.” Avoid large sheath knives; they are heavy and awkward to carry.
Then there are all-purpose folding pocketknives. Most come with tools such as a can opener, screwdriver, tweezers and, of course, knife blades — all in one compact package. Though they can be extremely handy, Kummerfeldt says a downside is the knife blade doesn’t lock into place, so it may fold up on your hand while you’re using it.
Lockbacks are simple folding knives with a single blade that can be locked. So you get the benefits of a sturdy fixed blade-style knife but in a convenient pocket-size package that can be folded open with just one hand.
You’ll also find specialty knives such as river rescue knives with serrated blades for slicing rope, whittling knives designed for carving wood, and multi-tools, which are compact, handheld tool boxes. Most are built around a pair of folding pliers.
BLADES
Most blades are made from strong and durable stainless steel. Blades are available in straight edge, serrated (jagged like a saw) or both. Bigger is not always better. A small, sharp four-inch-or-smaller blade can cut just as well as bigger knives but is much safer to handle and easier to maneuver in tight spots.
PRICE & QUALITY
You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a quality tool.
“My $15 knife does everything I want it to do,” Kummerfeldt says.
As prices go up, you’ll see small improvements in the quality and size of the blade.
CARE & MAINTENANCE
“The only good knife is a sharp knife,” Kummerfeldt says. “A blunt knife requires you to put so much force on it that it could slip, and you could drive the blade into your leg.”
As needed, run the edge of your blade across a sharpening stone a few times. Wipe the tool clean after every use and lubricate any hinges with a light oil like WD-40.
CARRY IT
Kummerfeldt says the smartest, safest place to stash your knife is in an easy-access spot in your backpack. You’re asking for trouble by wearing a fixed-blade knife on your belt. If you fall, the knife could rotate inward and you could land right on the blade.
Read 88 comments about “Pocketknives and multi-tools buying guide”
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Comment page: « 9 [8] 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 »
September 21st, 2008 at 9:07 pm
The Buck Whitaker multitool is great. It has the perfect blade for anything that you’ll actually need to do in Scouts. It’s always in my pocket.
September 17th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Don’t buy swich-blades or single blade knives.(the more things in it the better)
September 10th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
I use a Cold Steel SRK that is a real knife not some knife for a little kid. I carry it on my belt and have never had it come in on me, that is the stupidest thing I ever heard.
September 9th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
i suggest the benchmade 530sbk
September 8th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
i now have a geber one-handed lockback that is my constant companion
September 5th, 2008 at 9:26 am
I like Gerber (usually more expensive) Remington, and just recently i’ve been using Maxam. I love that one.
August 31st, 2008 at 1:18 pm
i own a rambo knife(more like a machete)
August 27th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
I have a leatherman that cost 130 bucks it totally does the job
August 27th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
buck knives rock
August 26th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
frost cuttlery is the best