Hi there everyone! My first post on this thing.

As a "less is more" type of guy, I also go this way with my small emergency kit. It`s pretty much Tom Brown size, except mine costs about ten times more. For numberous reasons I just enjoy having high quality stuff.

So anyway, in my super small kit, I need a knife. I`ve been thinking about a multi tool, but I can`t seem to come up with any reason for it, so a foldingknife should do the trick.

Anyone have any options for high quality, small and light folders?

Thanks

How small is small? What closed dimensions are you looking for?

I guess somewhere around 4-5 inches long when closed and about 50 to 150g.

I`m not exactly a knife expert and defintly not when it comes to english terms for details, so I`m just looking for a bunch of suggestions, I guess. I can`t find much in this range, probably cause I don`t know where to look. I`ve looked a bit at the Tops stuff, but I won`t be able to try them. I`m sure there`s a bunch of stuff out there that I haven`t heard about.

Most important is that it`s something that can handle being used. I guess any knife could cut a seatbelt, so I`m looking for something that can handle both chooping wood(with help from something to hit it with offcourse) as well as some crow bar style action for doors, hatches, cutting some metal or worst case scenario, stuck limbs.

I guess plain edge would be fine, unless someone has any suggestion for why it would be a bad choice.

How much are you willing to pay? In a folder, you really aren't going to get something for use as a crowbar (why bother when you can get a small prybar for less then $20). As for chopping/batonning wood. I always suggest people don't get a knife with too goofy of a blade shape. The shapes that have been around for a long time have been around for a reason, they work. Knives I personally have used and would recommend are the Gerber EZ-out in a plain edge. Very light, good edge. The handle is thin but comfortable. Also the Spyderco Native III, also in plain edge (I don't particularly like serrated blades). Slightly heavier then the EZ-out, but not by much. Both have good lock back, locking blades. I also recently picked up and Opinel #7. Very simple knife. The blade is thinner then a lot of other knives, but takes a very good edge. The knife also has a simple, non-automatic locking ring.

The Opinel was about $10, the Gerber EZ-out ~$20 and the Spyderco Native ~$40.

Also if you know you're going to be doing a lot of chopping, a light ax, hatchet or tomahawk will serve you better then a heavy knife. I find the combination of a smaller lighter knife with a tomahawk works very well. The knife's blade stays sharper and is more effective and controllable then a larger knife used for both tasks. And the tomahawk can be used to chop or the head can be used as a wedge for batonning. Plus I find hatchet or tomahawk more comfortable to carry then a large knife since all the weight is concentrated in the head, which is right at your belt and doesn't flop around.

It`s just a knife for my very small belt pack. When I go out somewhere I know I need a knife I bring the heavy custom stuff. There are extra non-folding knifes and usually an axe in my baclpack. Just trying to keep it light, but I know the times I forget a knife and need one, I need something solid.

I was just reading a letter on the Tops site from a guy who broke open a toilet door with a 747 Magnum, so I thought why not get something the grandkids can enjoy. Could serve as an extra knife for someone who didn`t bring one, too. It seems when I think back, most of what I put in my kit could have been very useful in many situations I`ve been in. So I`m just looking for a back-up, but I`m a bit weird that way. I don`t really want to own stuff that hasn`t been made with love and care and can last generations. In the end it usually ends up cheaper, too. And better for the environment.

There isn`t much else in my kit, so I`m ok spending a lot on a knife. Even if it`s my emergency kit, that`s the piece I`ll probably bring out a little bit in non-emergencies. All hardware is considered lifetime investments for me. Unlike caviar it doesn`t get used up.lol

So far the Tops Knives 747 Magnum and the Cold Steel AK-47 look interesting.

Not much chance to check out anything here in Norway, but I`m taking a trip to Montreal soon and everyting islike half price there compared to here.

I`ll take a look at your suggestions.

Thanks

Do you have a saw in your kit? A can opener? If not, may a Victorinox Trekker.

It`s probably the worlds simplest kit:

NATO Compass
Firsteel Wrapped in parachute cord
Fishing line and hooks
Homemade miniature Nuwick Candle
Whistle
Space Blanket
1mx1m heavy plastic sheet
Rubber tubing
Small titanium cup
Watertabs

It`s generally not meant to be used. Lighter, flaslight and small multitool is always on me for daily use. Even a couple of NAP Unibars.

May I suggest a knife copany that sells most brands and types of knifes. Find one tht sutes you, half the fun is finding the right knife. Go to www.budk.com and click on the folder button at the top of the page. have fun

Well this is one of those questions with no answers.

Prying and folders is really not compatible.

Prying with any knife is something I do not consider knife work.

TOPS...stuff in my view, is generally way overbuilt...I want a sharp knife not a hunk of steel.

I generally find Spyderco offers some excellent folders at good prices with good steel.

With your kit list I would add a thin alox SAK (say a Farmer with saw) or a Spyderco Delica (I would also add some tinder and make sure you can scrape sparks with something).


Edit:
Actually I just realized you were in Norway....I would add a Helle or Bruseletto...3" or so, mora type knife.

Yeah, for that I'd go with a good SAK or multitool with a saw and either pliers or scissors, your call.

Look at the Benchmade Mini-Rukus.
Small, well, not exactly.
Light, well, no.
But it is razor sharp, holds an edge very well and is built like a tank. It also carries well, I carry mine daily and never notice it.

If you don't mind looking past a folder, BRKT (Bark River Knives) has knives in a wide range of sizes, including one that will fit in an Altoids size tin, for reasonable prices considering the high quality and very good customer service.

Looks like a good alternative. Found a nice price for it, too.

I just got some interesting feedback from the field in Iraq. Apparently the KA-BAR Desert Mule is winning over hearts and minds as a good utility/combat folder. It is a bit larger than your spec, but sounds like it is good and reliable. Not a bad set up for a $40 knife.

If the boys in the field are raving it, then it is worth further investigation I reckon. I do plan on getting one now. I am going to post this info in a new thread as well.

I am also going to check with the professional critics on Bladeforums and see what they say.

I am a bit of a Spyderco fan. I have a Spyderco Salt II in my pocket right now, but that might be a little small or light for the kinds of things you're talking about. The Spyderco Manix, which I have used but do not own, seems to be a very good knife indeed.

I personally put a Becker Necker in my larger survival kit instead of a folder. It's no longer in production and prices are climbing as a result, but it is small, light, extremely sturdy, and holds a very good edge. It has some additional functions - the handle has a cap lifter and a wire breaking notch in the butt. The skeleton handle also makes it easy to lash it to a pole for use as a spear.

"...lash it to a pole for use as a spear..."

Might be just me, but there is no way I would tie my only blade to a stick and throw it at something. Lots of bad things could happen. Instead, I would use it to sharpen the end of that stick, harden the end in a fire, and use that as a spear instead...

I wouldn't throw it either. It would be used to thrust the blade at something that was either too far away for me to reach or that I hope to keep far enough away to not reach me! For the most part, though, for gigging frogs and so on, I would prefer a sharpened stick, too.

The British Army Folding Locking Knife is useful available here



or the Fallkniven U2 folder.

My EDC knife usually rotates between a Spyderco Byrd series or a Opinel. I am not much into very expensive knives.

Recently, I have been carrying an EKA Compact. I like the Scandi grind. It is easy to sharpen and maintain. It has a large handle that feels good in the hand. It is not a locking blade though.

I have ordered a few more to go in my emergency kits and complement the fixed blade Moras in my car kits.

I like the Swiss Army Adventurer or the Hunter. They have locking main blades, some non-locking accessory blades that are handy ...are relatively small and are $22 or $27 from www.budk.com. Have also found them at www.knifecenter.com, though I haven't checked their prices recently.
The previously mentioned military knife is nice ...though not many other blades or uses....I prefer locking blades since folders that fold up when you use them only can contribute bad things to your survival situation. For small kits ...folder is best option for me ...bigger kits can have the fixed blade knives ...I like Ka-Bar ...decent price, good product, not a huge $$$ investment. Sometimes can find sales on para-cord wrappend handle blades for less that would work.
I also like the Leatherman Micra ...they are about $20 or so, but their blade is small...and I carry one all the tiem anyway ...so for a small kit something more is nice.
Love the Leatherman Wave also ... one in my kit in case I'm not carrying my other one...but they cost more (~$68) so to keep costs down my Adventurer is in my kits too.
I am leary of spending $100 or more for a blade I stash away for emergencies and don't use as its reserved for emergencies... that's a lot of $$ to tie up since all the other components cost real money too when you add it up. But that must be tempered with quality too.
One has to draw a line in the sand at some point.

coldsteel maks folder in 3 4 5 6 in knifes they are the best made in the world

That's a pretty tall order for any knife! That really qualifies as abuse. No knife is made for this, and you'll probably find a specific exclusion for damage caused by such in just about every knife's warrantee, no matter how good and expensive the knife is.

If you need a prybar, buy a seperate one. They come in all sizes. Here are three really tiny ones, in case you want them to fit into your small kit.

http://www.countycomm.com/PRYBAR.htm (comically small)

http://www.countycomm.com/widgy.htm (ridiculously small)

http://www.countycomm.com/WIDGYMICRO.htm (ludicrously small)

Yeah. lol

A Helle Harding was my first knife. Bought it at the factory on a school trip. Carrying a fixed blade isn`t practical or even legal, though. It`s a nice traditional Norwegian knife for the woods, but wouldn`t hold up for more extreme use.