Hi. I am a Star scout in BSA Troop 346 and me and my troop go on a lot of camp outs and I am constantly looking for a good quality knife for under $30 to use on camp outs. Any suggestions? The last knife I bought was for $10 and it only took a matter of weeks for it to break, and it wasn't exactly a name brand either. Thanks, David

There are many good models of Swiss Army Knives that you can get for under $30.00. That would be your best choice for a camp knife.

You can look at several different models here.

http://www.victorinox.ch/newsite/en/produkte/index.htm

Are you limited to size or type by your scoutmaster or parents ( aka adults.) Secondly what tasks will you be performing with this knife? Anything can be broken with enough brute force or ingenuity. Swiss Army Knives are great pocket folders. If you want a sheath knife, www.ragweedforge.com has an excellent selection of inexpensive swedish moras. A somewhat more robust knife is the COLD STEEL mini Bushman. The rolled handle isn't exactly ergonomic and the sheaths junk, but they last forever.

I'd second both the Swiss Army Knife (SAK) and almost any of the Frosts or Erikkson Moras from www.ragweedforge.com .

My personal favorites are the SAK Pioneer or Soldier and the Frosts Swedish Army Knife (SMAK) or Erikkson Mora 2000 (M2K). With some smart shopping, you could pick up a SAK and a SMAK for under your stated budget.

Another good place to look would be http://www.eknifeworks.com/ ...

M

In addition to what has all ready been recommended, take a look at Buck, Gerber and Kershaw, see below:

Buck 110 $36 - it's a classic

Buck Pathfinder $36 -another classic

Gerber Freeman Caping Knife $32

Gerber Freeman Fixed Blade $37

Kershaw Echo $27 - Excellant buy

Kershaw Vapor - $22 another excellant buy

Becker Necker $30 - love this knife just need to improve the handle

I know you are in scouts and they may not be so accepting of fixed blade knives so the Swiss Army Knives as suggested by Sgt. Mike are good choices and preform well but I still won't venture far with out a good fixed balde to handle the tougher chores.

Right now my favorite combo is the Vic Ranger and Becker Necker w/ Parachord wraped handle.

Not sure what type of time-frame you have in mind (if you're like me, ya' gotta have it now, nOW, NOW!) lol)...BUT....

Check out the knife counter in the Wal Mart sporting goods department from time to time. A few months ago, there were some closeouts, and I picked up a FEW various pieces for some great prices. Example: I picked up two Leatherman Juice S2's (the orange handled one) for * * SEVENTEEN * * dollars each! (Would have loved for them to have had more of those, as I'd have bought all that I could afford at that price!)Dunno what the deal is, but I sure didn't argue...and I still see those things selling for around $50 retail in many places. Besides those bargains, there were many Bucks, Gerbers, and SAK's.

I have no idea when those types of deals come along, but it pays to keep your eye out, and I sure do everytime i'm in the Wally World, now.

Good luck, and I'm sure that you will be able to come up with a nice piece in that price range. There are some great suggestions in this thread.

Harley

As per the scouting rules fixed blades are out of the question, now my local council also doesn't allow anything without a lock, so I will also go by that. Finally, I know most scoutmasters get scared of anything over 4" or Assisted opening. So, my suggestions based on that are:

1. Benchmade Monochrome (for an inexpensive, but extremely high quality and good sized single blade one handed folder)

2. Victorinox Locking Swiss Army Knives, also called Victorinox Pocket Tools. (They have a lot of usefull functions and are pretty inexpensive, however not as durable as the Benchmade)

It would be good to know if you have any restrictions (length, lock, fixed blade, ect), that way we can narrow our search down (or expand mine).

Mr. Kavanaugh, my scoutmaster does limit the size of the knife from end to end to be no longer than your hand(mine's 7 in). I'd like to thank y'all so much for all your help, and I'll definitely go to my local sporting goods and outdoor to see if I can find sxome of these knives.

Bear Claw, I looked on Victorinox.com and found several good knives including a kinfe that has 79 different tools! But what I'm really looking for is a single blade knife, cuz I already have an o.k multi-tool.

*** Soapbox warning! ***

I have been trying, literally for years, to have someone show me a BSA document "outlawing" fixed blade knives. I consider this somewhat akin to an "urban legend," except Scouts are supposed to be outing... and not urbaning.... <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

The Bible of Scouting, a.k.a. The Guide to Safe Scouting, does not prohibit fixed blade knives. Think about food preparation and the types of knives frequently used therein.

Having said that, knives are tools, and it is important to learn to use the appropriate tool for the task. Most camp chores are well suited to small knives, and folders are inheriently safer when folded and not in use than a fixed blade.

Fixed blades may not be PC, but they're not banned (unless for specific events, e.g., a camporee) and they're sometimes useful.

Please don't take this as a recommendation to go out and get a fixed blade knife. The choice of knife depends on an almost infinite number of factors, including, in many cases, attitudes of others. I just feel it necessary to correct some myths/misunderstandings.

/Neal

Eagle Scout, Scouter and the usual woods tools instructor for most of our Council training.

Don't look at the national rules, look at the local council, troop, and (summer) camp rules. Between them there is usually some rule. Plus camp staff love to confiscate things just so they can play with them. I got a bali confiscated in a bali legal state a few years back when I took it out to cut some rope. I later heard the same guy who took it was playing with it. I did get it back, though with some perminant wear marks and edge chipping.

I looked too for a national rule, but this is all I could find:
"While there is no official national rule against scouts carrying a fix blade most Boy Scout camps do have a policy of no fixed blades. Older Scouts might remember when the Boy Scouts sold fixed blade knifes which had about four inch blades. Many scouts decided they wanted bigger knifes so they started to bring seven and eight inch knifes. In the interest of safety scout camps forbid them. In most cases only small knife is needed. "

I figure, if the scoutmaster says it is okay and the kid uses it the way it is supposed to be used it is fine (I myself carried a small fixed blade for the last two years of scouting, though I was a totin chip/paul bunyon/wood tools instructor). However, from my experience this is only maybe 5% of scouts, so the folder rule seems to work very well. I've had hospital runs with a 1" blade SAK, I wouldn't want to have a 6" blade hospital run. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

USAF Issue Pilots Survival Knife <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
All the KaBar in a smaller package. 5" blade. Inexpensive, but ruggid and well built. It's beefy enough to take a beating, and if you do manage to break it, you're out less than $30. A great deal stronger than folders for heavy duty general purpose camping work as well.
$19-29


Course, I carry several knives.... For 99% of situations, a decent folding pocketknife will do what you need done just fine (cut rope, whittle, that kind of thing).

Please NOTE:
I have NO experience of scouting and so please follow the good advice of the experienced people here. It seems that a 'lockable' folding knife from Victorinox would be suitable - just one lockable blade plus perhaps a bottle opener is enough, you don't have to buy anything with lots of tools if you don't want to, that's why they make so many models - I have one with a lock knife & 3 other basic functions and that's very compact/easy to use and I love it.
.........

OK guys, now to my point:

Isn't a large fixed blade knife the safest and the easiest and the most convenient way to cut/slice things for cooking/cutting and etc?? - condition: always use the large-ISH knife on a choping board/surface.

Isn't a folding knife (with/without a lock) more risky than a fixed blade? Isn't a decent, large-ish, fixed knife (4"-5") better/safer/more useful? Aren't we (amatuer or pro) more likely to CUT ourselves by mis-use or accident using a FOLDING knife, for example by cutting things up in the air (un-supported), and often cutting towards ourself?

I have kids and I perfer them to use a 5" SHARP chef/kitchen knife securely on a choping board - I get extremely nervous if they start using a small peeler, up in the air and often towards their own body (fingers/arms/legs).

What's your expereinece on this point please?

caio.

An additional suggestion is to steer clear of serrated blades. Plain edges are generally more versatile and better for someone who is still learning how to sharpen and care for a knife (not to mention much more forgiving during accidents -a serrated blade gives a VERY nasty cut - I can show you the scar).

I myself would lean toward the single-blade locking Benchmade, Kershaw, Gerber, or Buck than worry about having an on-board can opener. Pack a Swing-A-Way can opener in the patrol kitchen box or carry a P-38 can opener when size is an issue. The P-38s are tiney, cost less than a buck, and work better than most those on most folders.

Another knife many boys consider is a Leatherman-type multitool. The problem with some of these is that the act of opening/folding the main blade requires folding activies while the blade is exposed. In inexperienced hands this often results in cuts.

The newer versions of the Leathermans (Charge & Wave) now allow the main blades to open/close without any folding/unfolding of the handles, which makes them much safer. Of course those usually cost more than $40.

About the BSA camp rules regarding fixed blades. Though I too feel that fixed blades can be safer and much more sanitary around food, there is no sense arguing with those that make these rules. Their minds are as fixed as the blades they ban. Scouting forums have discussed this over and over. One of the things we teach the boys is to respect authority, so as a leader I simply grin and stay silent on the issue.

The funny thing is most patrol kitchen boxes have fixed blade kitchen knives - but since they are not in sheaths, nor carried outside the kitchen area, their presence at camps is usually ignored.

If origin does not matter, Buck Knives makes a a nice fixed blade for around $20. I bought one not knowing it was imported. I think it was at Dick's Sporting Goods. When I got home and took it our of the blister pack I seen it was manufactured in China. Wrote them a letter and Charles Buck sent me a letter back with a voucher for a knife of similar value. It is a very versitile knife and a good size. Diamondback™ 3.25

I asked the same question here a year ago, and Chris gave me the same answer - buy a Mora. I bought a half-dozen carbon-steel Erikson's on his advice and I bought another one from Karamat Wilderness Ways when I took a course from Mors Kochanski last summer.

I was a scout for many years and we never had a problem with any folding knives which blade was no longer than the width of one's hand. No sheath knives were allowed for any reasons, other than cooking knives and maybe the occasional filet knives.

If you are looking for a very good, and relatively cheap knife, I'd go with the CRKT Kit Carson M16 with the Zytel Handle. And it is available with a straight edged blade.
http://www.1sks.com/store/crkt-kit-carson-m16-zytel.html
Its $34.00 plus S&H.

I recently bought the M16 EDC with the aluminum handle, it was worth the money. It is so light weight I cannot even feel it clipped in my pocket, but the Zytel handle will make it alittle bit heavier.

With my experiences with this knife is that if you aren't abusing your knives this one should hold up just fine with normal activities (I was a scout so I know what normal is......). it should take a fair amount of punishment.
The only thing I didn't like about it was how the piece you have to push with your thumb to unlock the blade was sticking on mine. So I just took apart the knife and filed it down. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I think you will be very please with this knife.
Hope this help.

Frank

Thanks Burncycle, I found the USAF Survival knife on the site of my town's outdoor store I'll prbably buy that (if my scoutmaster and parents allow it).

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Please let us know what your Scoutmaster says. I'd be really really suprised if he recommends a fixed blade knife and/or allows one at Scout functions.

As mentioned before, the Boy Scouts of America's official policy, in the Guide to Safe Scouting, is "Avoid large sheath knives. They are heavy and awkward to carry, and unnecessary for most camp chores except for cleaning fish." While the BSA does not ban fixed blade knives outright, from what I know, most councils (mine included) have indeed banded them from council-owned properties and council-run events.

Maybe they should rename themselves to the Boy Babies of America(BBA), the Boy Wussies of America(BWA), or the Wussie Boys of America(WBA).
What is with people these days...Just ban BIG fixed blade knives if it becomes a problem, but a Mora!!! WTF???
I carried a Folder in the CUB Scouts for goodness sake!(cannot user the proper expression there for religous reasons <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> )

Never thought I'd see the day. We ALL had sheath knives, folders, SAKs AND axes, hatchets and machetes. What a shame.
Dave

I agree with that completely, that's why I am formally a boyscout. I do not endorse quitting, but I could not bare the rules and regulations. I have used knives safely from a very young age and I feltl that I should have been allowed to carry a sheath knife on the longer camping trips (where we actually ventured into the woods).

I just felt that we were all being babied. Although, looking back I wish I stayed until eagle. Looks great for colleges and job applications.

Frank