David,

Whether day-hiking or backpacking, I carry a small ditty bag with me at all times. It contains (from the bottom to the top): A length of "parachute" cord. (Length varies as I cut off a piece to use now and again). First-Aid kit. A square of pack towel. A small roll of 2", breatable athletic tape. A small Nalgene tube of Bag Balm. Lip Balm. A ziplok baggie of tiny bags of drugs (Tylenol, Benadryl, Imodium, Electrolyte tabs, Pepcid AC, etc.), Extra matches in ziplok, Petzel headlamp, and Blister treatment stuff. It weighs more than I like but has served me well, for the past 21 years, while leading hikes and hiking solo. I used to carry Purelle in there too but, since making a Titanium, multi-use ,super ultra lite, "pottery" Trowel, I now carry the Purelle in a silnylon bag with the PT, TP and handy wipes.


Silnylon Ditty Bag
Ditty Bag Contents

Edited by redleader on 03/04/2007 16:13:31 MST.

The Baladeo "22 gram knife", weighing in at 23g


The Opinel #8, stainless, at 46 grams


The Boker Anti Grav, ceramic bladed folder, at 58 grams

Edited by EBasil on 09/08/2012 18:35:26 MDT.

I've thinking of this knife/multi tool issue for a bit. I don't need half the stuff for daily affairs in the wilderness and am thinking that pliers a good knife and maybe a flat blade screw driver is really all that is needed. In an emergancy however I guess you want options. I got a small light pliars based multitool but the blade is almost uselessly small and out of the entire multitool set it's the knife that I have ever used....to sharpen the end of a fresh stick to bake marshmellows with. I think most items on a multitool are a waste of time and weight.

A mora #2 is an extremely lightweight knife, considering it can split kindling, carve a spoon, fillet a fish, or fight off a bear-shark. Under 3 oz.
I would never even consider a folding knife.

Here are info sources you might find helpful
https://sites.google.com/site/hobbyhintstricksideas/Home/back-country-safety#TOC-The-Evolution-of-Gear

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoQc7C_jF-8

Google 'Havalon Piranta' - a better mousetrap IMO.

I always have my Leatherman Squirt with me.

Justin

Have you tried the shorter full tang Mora Classic #2/0 or #1? How would you compare them if so?

TIA!

KJ

Ken, I missed your post.
I can't remember if I have the #1 or #2, but it's the longer of the 2. It's a little too long, I am probably going to get the shorter one soon. I'm talking about the red wooden handled ones here.

I have carried a Victronix Classic for many, many years. Last couple of years usually just a razor blade ala Clelland. The only thing I usually use with the classic is the scissors, they do what a knife blade can do but often better.

I have at least a dozen multi-tools given to me as gifts over the decades. I have never taken one a trip.

Even in the old days of external frame packs and metal hardware, I never had a need for anything other than a knife blade.

God bless marketing departments.

If you knife is under 3oz, I'm guessing it's actually the Mora Classic 1. I believe that knife weighs in at 2.8oz and has a 3/4 length epoxied tang. Is it 100mm or a 110mm blade?

I just picked up a Mora Classic 2/0 with full pressure fit tang. I'm yet to put it through it's paces. It's a little on the small side (the handle more so than the blade), but I think it should work out good. It weighs in at 1.8oz with a 75mm blade that's thicker than the Classic 1 or 2.

I have some shots of it in this thread I created: Link

KJ

I switched to a classic only a year or two back and it didn't last long. The trouble came with hard dried salamis. I always take this item and the SAK classic just takes too long to chop up the salami, it's not much better with a large block of dry-ish cheese either. I still carry the classic for the scissors and if I want to do a quick overnighter sans salami, but I really like having a real knife in case a tent or hiking pole breaks or I need to whittle an extra stake. Not to mention cleaning fish, etc.

My favorite? the uber-light Gerber Harsey Air Ranger. It's about $40 and weighs 2.6 oz. It will come in right at or under two once you remove the heavy SS clip. Here's a stock pic I found online. This knife is well balanced and just feels right in the hand. Cannot recommend enough.

Anybody using the Kestral ultralighter knives? I have the Ti version, I want to say 13g and stainless version, 24grams. My memory may be off by a gram or two, I can confirm if needed. I got them from Nate over the summer and I love them. Sharp, robust, for how I use a knife and very light for a fixed blade.

There are lighter options but not by a lot with similar blade size and a handle that you can really get on. Handle is a tad short for my ham hands but Im not using it hard for big jobs so not a real issue and is enough for splitting sticks for wood stove cooking and camp jobs. The stainless one would be better for food as the carbide could hold food on the Ti one, maybe not. I don't do much food prep just boil the water

-Tim

I have been using a CRKT Folts Minimalist neck-knife that's 1.5 ounces with the sheath.

The one on top is what I have - The Wharncliffe ... very useful for the weight.

Do you guys with the larger (I mean over 1.5" blades by "large" ) ever find any real use of that much blade? I've been carrying a Spyderco Bug a lot and I really don't ever find myself needing anything larger.


Yeah, that's a normal sized post-it note and two normal paper clips.

I keep a short piece of spectra through the hole in the handle, and it sits on the back of my pack. I use it to trim leukotape, pick out splinters, cut open weird, stubborn food packages if the need arises, and that's all I ever really need a blade for in the backcountry.
Comes from the factory with a great, toothy edge on it. I polished it up a little and it holds quite a fine edge considering it's a tiny $9 knife.


Oh, and it's .3oz... Even a razor blade and some kind of minimal holder weighs about that much and those tend to be sort of fragile and don't like to be twisted.