I think big knives have their place in camps and when hiking. They are great for loping off tree limbs, and can even be used for splitting firewood.
You could also field dress a game animal if you didn't have a something better, and if you wanted to chop through the pelvic bone, a good large knife should be up to the task.
If I were going the large knife route, which I have, I would want it a little thicker than a knife used for general cutting. A thicker knife would not cut as well, but it would be stronger, plus a bit heavier for those chopping chores.
One of the handiest tools I carry when hunting is a pruner about the size of a large set of pliers. These will cut though a 1/2 inch limb with ease, and if you are walking though a thick area, especially with a lot of briars, it is easy to make a passagway in a short amount of time. I have found these work better than most knives for cutting briars and small limbs and brush.
Big knives are cool but real limited in use, I have a few that never get used. Back in the day the Marbles Trailmaker, top 2, were used to cut everything from trails to bread and were a handy camp item.
I dont see how a guy could gut game with one, quarter yes, but it better be a big critter.
It�s a magazine not a clip......
Advice is seldom welcome, and those who need it the most, like it the least.� - Lord Chesterfield. 1750
Nice big Marbles knives you have there. I like the top one best. What is it's model name?
Biggest knife I currently own has a nine inch blade. It's a Bark River Knife & Tool offering. It's the one all the way to the right.
It's not only fully up to any wood chopping task, it's razor sharp, too. Spilled a good bit of my own blood with it with just an accidental light touch.
The one on the top is called a Trailmaker, most had a blade style like the one in the middle but a very few were Lovelass drop point's like that one. Its the only stag/stag one I have ever seen.
You know the guy who runs Bark River was the main man at Marbles till 2001, and for the life of me I cannot recall him name, but the quality and service went down hill after he left IMHO.
Bark River makes some awesome knives and has some of the best customer service in the knife industry. When I still hunted the UP, pre wolfs, I would have them clean, sharpen and buff my knives on my way back to the lower while I pawed over all the stuff that was in R&D.
It was like letting the fat kid watch the candy.
I still have a few prototypes in the safe from those stops.
It�s a magazine not a clip......
Advice is seldom welcome, and those who need it the most, like it the least.� - Lord Chesterfield. 1750
The one on the top is called a Trailmaker, most had a blade style like the one in the middle but a very few were Lovelass drop point's like that one. Its the only stag/stag one I have ever seen.
You know the guy who runs Bark River was the main man at Marbles till 2001, and for the life of me I cannot recall him name, but the quality and service went down hill after he left IMHO.
Bark River makes some awesome knives and has some of the best customer service in the knife industry. When I still hunted the UP, pre wolfs, I would have them clean, sharpen and buff my knives on my way back to the lower while I pawed over all the stuff that was in R&D.
It was like letting the fat kid watch the candy.
I still have a few prototypes in the safe from those stops.
Cool. Did you notice that my Bark River has almost the exact same blade as your Marbles?
That knife is actually my dad's and he probably got it a long time ago. He is a WWII vet, a Marine still and all around good dad and grand dad.
Ka-Bar Still makes them exactly the same as ever. They still come in a box exactly like the one in your picture. I bought mine about ten or fifteen years ago. Good knives. There are much tougher knives available nowadays, but unless you are determined to destroy a knife with abusive use, the Ka-Bar can handle any reasonable survival knife task.
PS If you'd like to see someone intentionally destroy one of these knives by putting it to work doing things knife should never be asked to do, watch this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK6wSzXr_GE
It takes a long time to watch all segments of this test, but it's fun to watch. Just click on the next part until you have viewed all of them. They will come up on the right.
Although I always hate to see a nice knife, essentially intentionally destroyed, these tests do serve a function in comparing one knife to the other in the most extreme circumstances.
I think this guy, for some reason, doesn't want to be recognized. Also, probably as protective gear in case a shard of steel goes flying towards his face.