Considering that knife is the # 1 tool for outdoors. I have noticed that I didn't use my Mora for quite a while while camping around. Even the folding knife in my pocket is becoming something of a dead weight.

Usually I do car camping. If family is with me the DW brings her stuff including a small kitchen knife. If I am alone, my cooking is scaled down to boiling water over an esbit. I will either boil an egg or two, or boil water for Cup a Soup. Either way, I only use a spoon for cooking and eating.

The campground is an established one with toilets ..etc. No wood cutting allowed. Fuel is usually BBQ coal, or propane stoves. If alone, I use an esbit. So in a way, there is no wood processing. Food processing is minimal and requires no knife.

So, my question to all guys and gals : Other than food processing or wood processing, where so you use your knife ??

My pocket knive(s) lives by the computer,mostly handy opening all the boxes UPS keeps dragging here,opening stuff in that heavy plastic they put around products.On the road its used for fingernail prep quite often. Im drawing a blank on specifics,but the truck one gets used a lot!IE,if it wasnt there it would be missed.

i assume you mean a knife blade, not multi-tool/SAK functions...

-ferro rod scraper
-fire steel
-whittling
-cutting rope/fishing line/vine
-opening packaging
-cutting tags off stuff, especially clothes
-i have been known to use it as a shovel
-bee stinger scarper
-pry bar
-nail file/clippers
-signal mirror
-screw driver
-hammer
-spoon

I carry a larger pocket clip folder, usually a BenchMade Ares axis lock or Sebenza, but the one that gets the most usage is a Victorinox 4 pin Executive, though I've never used the orange peeler...it is larger than the Classic and has more usable scissors...

The knife I carry is usually on a multitool; I find I use the scissors about as often as the knife, which is employed for "processing" fingernails or opening boxes.

Thanks everyone

Around the house I use a multitool frequently.
But in the outdoors, well, I guess the way it is , you cannot call it that. It should be called : an URBAN-type outdoors.
That is why a knife isn't used or needed.


Les,
what is the last tool in your SAK ?
The tool beside the bigger blade


BPJ,
you use your knife as a hammer ?
A Mora ??
And you use it as a spoon ???
Hope the young ones don't learn these bad habits.


Around the house I do use the pocket knife as a mini-micro prybar at times. Actually, this is why I most my pocket knife are the cheapo types. It doesn't matter if they are not super-sharp. I use them more for prying and scraping than real cutting.

One time , at the house, I had to scrape the label of a plastic bottle. Initially, I used the Mora. But it was so sharp it started biting into the plastic bottle and almost cutting it. I used the cheapo to finish the job and it did just fine.

So the anti knife movement begins...
Seriously guys, remember my condom principle? I'd rather have one ad not need it, then not have and need one? Even if you don't use your knife even once one on a score of trips go without it even once and see how many times you need it. Just my opinion, you're certainly welcome to yours.

I just reread that and it did sound pretty careless. I should have elaborated:

No Mora for me, yet. I've got a nice Ruko Muela 25-12, that I mostly use for food and wood.

Ruko Muela

A spoon - I'd never put a knife in my mouth. I do use it to scoop and stir hot chocolate when I forgot my spoon. I guess that's food prep though, isn't it? I very often use it to dig pine pitch out of trees. Is that wood processing?

Hammer - I have used the handle to bang in tent pegs when I couldn't find a rock. In my defense, I left it in the sheath, held it parallel to the ground, and hit the leg with the sheath not the actual knife handle. it's rubberized but I don't want to risk breaking it.

just thought of another one:

Building stuff out of metal and plastic garbage. I've used my knife and pop cans to make a hobo stoves and fishing lures. I've also used it to cut down plastic pop bottles to turn them into scoops. I also used it last week to cut off a piece of inner tube to make some ranger bands.

Understanding that I am a Scout Master, an avid backpacker and camper, and do some of these activities for work, including teaching wilderness survival, I use my knife frequently. I generally carry three: a sheath knife or large folder, a Swiss Army Knife (the Ranger being my preferred model for the saw, leather working tools and metal file/saw), and a multi-tool. If I am going light, I may swap the regular multi-tool for a small one like the Squirt. How do I use my knife/knives?

Wood working (whittling, shaping for pioneering projects, cutting improvised tent stakes, primitive technology crafts, cutting rope and string, cutting wood for fire or shelter)

Food prep, especially fish and game

Repairing gear (sometimes you have to cut to cure)

Lighting fires (in conjunction with a Ferro Rod)

Digging

Clearing a spot for my tent or bed

Building stuff out of plastic or metal that is found (reiterating what Bacpacjac said)

I will also generally carry EMT shears, and encourage my scouts to do it as well (especially the younger ones). They will perform many cutting jobs, are one hand operation and entirely safe.

I am generally not too worried about a little extra weight. I also carry a pocket sharpener,I like the Smith's as it has the carbide, ceramic and a diamond rod. The carbide is only for repairing major damage to the edge as it removes a good bit of steel. I tend to use the ceramic frequently to maintain the edge and the diamond rod if the edge needs more work.

I carry three knives also, must be an airborne thing.

SAK, usually the ranger, sometimes others.

Sheath knife, my venerable Gerber Command I, or issue survival knife. Could be my new Mora now.

Multi-tool, usually some form of Leatherman.

Can't tell you how many times I've use a knife to cut, poke a hole, start a fire, perform minor surgery, open a can, whatever...

If I had to beat feet with literally seconds to spare, the first thing I would grab is a knife, followed by a lighter and a flashlight. From there I can MacGuyver the rest.

I carry a Leatherman Multi-tool and a SOG Flash II Tanto on my person. The multi-tool gets a LOT more use than the Flash, but there are times when the SOG blade comes in very handy for larger cutting jobs.

Or, like the other day, I was removing some stickers from the back window of a car I had just purchased for my son, and the shape of the SOG Flash blade (and the incredible sharpness) made peeling off those stickers a breeze.

The Leatherman's Screwdrivers and Scissors get used a lot, along with the blade for quick things and the pliers are very good too, although a little small sometimes for simple things like tightening up a garden hose....

Chisel... it's a citrus peeler.. the edge is serrated and has a chisel (no pun) point... shown with a Vic Classic for size..

Thanks Les for clarification.
I usually prefer a dedicated knife for food. I think that fluids and bits may find their way into a folding system to make cleaning a challenging job. But then , I haven't tried a folder or SAK for food, so I don't know for sure.

Chisel-wise, I am nuts for knives with chisel tip. Don't have any so far but I keep dreaming about it.

NOW, we are talking.

Macgyvering stuff is a big hobby for me. A multitool and some wire clothes hangers (for example) can go a long way fixing camping trip's problems.

Regarding the RUKO, this knife is awsome.
It has all I love for a multi-purpose knife. The serrated portion is there, but still not interfering with the straight edge. The spine is long enough for battoning, despite of the serration ( compare that with the SP-8 for example). Great knife design.

OTOH, I don't like looooong knives with loooong tips. My Mcgyveric brain prefers shorter, stouter, less tippy , and more chisely type of knives.

Maybe I will buy a RUKO, saw off 2 inches and re-model the tip to my liking. It will be more suitable for rough work like digging, and even better for cooking : it won't scratch the pot with that fine tip while stirring the soup.

Thanks

That is my favorite new word.

LOL! We just found MacGuiver in US Netflix. My doesn't like it. That breaks my heart a little bit.

I really like the knife. My hubby bought it years ago (11 or 12, I think) and I stole it from him. (I'm pretty sure there was something about "What's yours in mine" in our wedding vows somewhere and I know there was "Keep your wife happy" advice at the reception! ;l

Shhh Jac. I don't want my wife, (if I ever find one) to hear that kind of stuff. LOL

LOL! You just need to find the right kind of woman, Snake!

LOL. She'd have to be real special to put up with me, Jac.

Unfortunately it is too late for me
My DW is a strong believer in that principle. LOL

Problem is , we guys cannot always retaliate. Many guy stuff fits OK with women, but not many women stuff fit OK with us guys. We just have to put up with this unfair principle ...

So, for unmmarried guys like you snake doctor, you still have the chance to add/subtract a few lines from the marriage fineprint. LOL

Chisel, sounds like you need to form a one man raiding party. LOL!

Even if it doesn't she doesn't have immediately usable gear or clothes for you to "share", there's probably stuff you can repurpose from your wife, like:

-cotton pads, tampons... (fire tinder)
-compact (signal mirror)
-a pashmina/wrap/scarf... (bandana, blanket... I'm pretty sure the term "shemag" means "stolen from wife's closet". LOL!)
-nylons (liner socks, stuff sacks, filter...)
-vanity bags (gadget/gear bags)
-old clothes (bandanas, char cloth, stuff sacks...)
-shoe bags (gear/food bags)
-little metal make-up containers (char cloth tin, tinder tin...)
-make-up/hygiene bottles (spices/seasonings, oil, pine shavings...)

I'm not even a girly girl and this is some of the stuff my hubby and son have pilfered from me. Of course, my hubby and I are close enough to the same size that we can share clothes, at least we could before I had this baby.
:-)

Good list BPJ, but here is what I have managed to get from her stuff.

- Used cooking gear:
almost retired gear ... been using them for backyard camping and light cooking

- Hair clips:
I don't know exactly what they are called .
Not the hair clips that are shaped as flowers or butterflies ..etc. They are very simple metal wire folded in half. Very stiff and can be called "MacGyver uinversal tool #2 " after the paper clip.

- Bags :
One of them is serving as a trunk bag. Old and a bit worn out but still usable for "just being there in the trunk".

- Cell phone:
Her older one is now my secondary (emergency) phone

I am sure there was many more.

This is turning into marriage life manual ... LOL

Maybe this will convince snake doc to hurry and get a wife.
She will be his "surplus store" in emergencies ... LOL

I wore my kilt through the house one day when Hellcat had friends over. She shook her head and told me to take her skirt off. When she palmed me off to Wonder Buns she actually wore it as a skirt to a few shoots. Even a mans kilt isn't safe from a woman. SMH. Watch out men, hide your good stuff! Lol.

Only 3 JBMAST?

Well said Chisel. I have always employed the Forest Gump principle when a woman mentions marriage: I Run Forest RUN! Seriously, I once left my car sitting in a girls driveway. She came to the door and yelled, "You forgot your car dumb___!" She was laying in wait on the porch when I commando'd my way up the drive and was trying to get into it. I was scared she would render me unconcious and that I would wake up in Jaurez, married.

LOL!