How to Buy a Good Pocketknife or Multitool
Opinel’s No.07 My First Opinel Folding Knife ($17, opinel-usa.com) is sharp but without a point. The 3.5-inch blade is made from Sandvik stainless steel, and it holds an edge. The outdoors version ($26, scoutshop.org) also has a built-in whistle to call for help in an emergency.
With proper training, many Scouts can use a knife — a valuable tool for camping or working on a whittling project. A multitool provides multiple blades and other tools. Examples are saws, drivers and even forks and spoons.
A knife is not a toy. If you’re a Bear, Webelos or Arrow of Light Cub Scout, earn your Whittling Chip. If you’re in Scouts BSA, earn your Totin’ Chip. Then you will know how to safely carry and use one of these tools.
The CRKT Minimalist Drop Point ($36, crkt.com) has a 2-inch fixed blade with a tough handle that’s comfortable to hold. The carbon-steel blade sharpens quickly, and the half-ounce durable thermoplastic sheath has multiple mounting options.
KNIFE BASICS
There are several types of knives.
All-purpose folding pocketknives are common in Scouting. Most come with tools such as a can opener, screwdriver, tweezers and, of course, knife blades — all in one compact package. Though they can be extremely handy, a downside is the knife blade doesn’t lock into place, so it may fold up on your hand while you’re using it.
Lockbacks are simple folding knives with a single blade that can be locked. So you get the benefits of a sturdy fixed blade-style knife but in a convenient pocket-size package that can be folded open with just one hand.
Scouts have been using Victorinox Swiss Army knives for a long time. The Victorinox Swiss Army Huntsman ($50, victorinox.com), a multitool with first-aid functions, has a suite of transitional tools, including a can opener, scissors and tweezers — plus large and small blades, saw, awl, leather punch and more. It pretty much has everything you need.
Fixed blades, are no-nonsense knives with a beefy handle and stationary blade. If you need a knife to accomplish the everyday tasks you come across in the outdoors, from whittling on things and cutting materials to spreading peanut butter on your sandwiches, a short, no more than four-inch-long, fixed-blade knife will accomplish all of that. Avoid large sheath knives; they are heavy and awkward to carry.
You’ll also find specialty knives such as river rescue knives with serrated blades for slicing rope, whittling knives designed for carving wood, and multitools, which are compact, handheld tool boxes. Most are built around a pair of folding pliers.
The Leatherman Sidekick ($70, leatherman.com) is a stainless-steel toolbox on your belt. The 7-ounce Sidekick has spring-action needle-nose and standard pliers, wire cutters and stripper, knife and serrated knife, saw, ruler, can and bottle openers, wood and metal file and three screwdrivers.
FOLDING OR FIXED KNIFE? KNOW THE POLICY
Knife policies vary among packs, troops, councils and camps when it comes to what blade types and lengths are allowed. Learn your unit’s policy before buying a blade of any kind. When it comes to types of knives, the Guide to Safe Scouting recommends “choosing the right equipment for the job at hand.”
BLADES
Most blades are made from strong and durable stainless steel. Blades are available in straight edge, serrated (jagged like a saw) or both. Bigger is not always better. A small, sharp four-inch-or-smaller blade can cut just as well as bigger knives but is much safer to handle and easier to maneuver in tight spots.
Stansport’s Folding Knife, Fork, Spoon Multitool ($15, stansport.com) has more than eating utensils. The tool, which separates into wo so you can use fork and spoon together, also has a can opener, corkscrew and chisel all in a belt-ready nylon carrying pouch.
PRICE AND QUALITY
You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a quality tool. Often, an inexpensive knife will do everything you want it to do. As prices go up, you’ll see small improvements in the quality and size of the blade.
CARE AND MAINTENANCE
Knives and multitools can last your whole life if you care for them. Wipe your pocketknife with a damp cloth to clean it, and add a drop of food-safe oil at pivot points to keep it at its best. Use a sharpener to keep your blade sharp.
“A sharp knife will work for you, while a dull one works against you,” says Kyle Owens of Work Sharp, a company that makes sharpeners.
A great knife deserves an equally great sharpener. Work Sharp’s Pocket Knife Sharpener ($15, worksharptools.com) is small enough to stash in your pack, with a diamond sharpening plate and ceramic honing rod that have built-in angle guides so you can get a perfect edge on your pocketknife.
CARRY IT SAFELY
The smartest, safest place to stash your knife is in an easy-access spot in your backpack. You’re asking for trouble by wearing a fixed-blade knife on your belt. If you fall, the knife could rotate inward and you could land right on the blade.
At only 3.1 ounces, Gerber’s Armbar Trade ($50, gerbergear.com) has eight essential tools, including a knife, saw, awl, driver, pry bar, hammer and bottle opener, packed into a surprisingly small and effective pocket clip tool.
TREAT YOUR KNIFE WITH RESPECT
Treating pocket knives with respect not only ensures your safety, but also keeps others safe. Here are a few major no-no’s:
- Throwing a knife
- Using a dull or dirty blade
- Handing a knife to someone blade first
- Cutting while others are within your “safety circle” (arm’s length)
- Carving into something that doesn’t belong to you
- Cutting toward your body
Using a knife requires responsibility. Bear Scouts can start carrying a pocketknife after completing the Whittling Chip requirements. Members of Scouts BSA must earn their Totin’ Chip, which also gives them the right to carry and use axes and saws.
Ask the Gear Guy
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cutco knives are the best they never rust and they are used in the millitary. also known as ka-bar
I use a Cutco Pocket Knife, not only does it not rust, but it’s way cheaper than the suggested knife in the July issue, (Spyderco Salt 1) the best part is it’s made here in the United States, and guarenteed forever. I typically call my local cutco office and they send it back and have it sharpened every year, although I must admit it doesn’t ever need sharpened.
Hey Sweet,
does Cutco make multi-tool pocket knives? My Swiss army knife has a saw,scissors,tweezers,and even a magnifying glass!If your camping its really nice to have a multi-tool knife.Oh and how much do Cutco knife cost?Just wondering what the cost was because I collect knifes and might look into buying one 🙂
I got a small pocket knife from selling popcorn at boy scouts. It is not a high quality knife, but it does not have to be a high quality, all i use it for is a camp out once in a great while. SO, don’t buy an expensive pocket knife if you don’t use a O.K. pocket knife once in a great while
Swiss army knives are very reliable and they do not rust easily.They are so convenient with the tooth pick and tweezers that I wear(a small one)on a necklace.I have always been very pleased with every Swiss army knife that i have ever bought!
i bought a 3-set of mossberg knives and they r awesome
I am looking for a knife since my old one is really worn out. I need a medium, sharp, lockout blade and not a lot of tools on it besides the knife. Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance
the Gerber metolius. big always sharp blade looks awesome and is extremely sturdy. most sturdy folder there is
I wish BSA had regulations on fixed blade knoves because I have a really nice fixed blade knofe that is a lot better than my folding knofe but I can never use it.
I meant Knive not knove
i have alot of knives but i use my buck lock blade, redhead 3 blade, and a swiss, i recently ordered a redhead 2 blade from bass pro
I need a knife thats sharp not to big and cheap does any body know one [please help me]
you should get the spyderco tenacious. its around 30 dollars and has a wickedly sharp edge on it that is easy to sharpen.
at Cabelas you can get a multitool pocket knife with needle nose pliers, a LED flashlight, a philips screw driver, a serrated knife, a regular knife and a flathead screw driver/can opener. its my favorite multitool knife.
i forgot, its like $10 and its stainless steel. comes with a belt case. i think it comes in black, green, red, orange and pink i think pink.
ajxs knife is wicked
how about a Garber curve Gander Mount.
gerber paraframe 1 or 2 1 is the bigger of the two
multi tools pocket knives make great everyday carrys. very useful tools
i wish i knew a good place to get boy scout 4-inch multi tools
i have a swiss army knife and it has a scissors, a can opener, two blades, a bottle opener and a nail file/ fish pliers
a good pocketknife is the letherman micra.it’s small folds to be about 2.5 inches long has 9 uses and costs about 19.99
I have a bsa blue pocket knife that is so good and you can buy it at your local scouting store
I have a yellow, victorinox, BSA, glow in the dark, climbers, swiss army knife. It has large and small blades, a bottle opener/wire stripper/wire bender/screwdriver, a can opener, scissors, a hole punch, a hook, a corkscrew, a toothpick,tweezers, and a clip to clip it on to your belt. On the front there is a BSA symbol and a vitorinox symbol. it’s a sick knife!
hey, I have a $10, single, locking blade knife. It’s really better in some ways then those $50 multi-tools you buy at the huge camping outlets. You really only need a inexpensive locking blade. really.
could someone QUOTE the regulation that states ” Fixed blade knives are not allowed in scouting”. Which manual, and passage please!
absoluteley none they just dont want us throwing them and yes i know what you meen
I use a Sharper Image knife. Now, I know that their known for making
lights, and fans, but this is a good knife!
Hammer-head attachment with nail remover, star-head screw-driver, flat-head, saw, file, pliers, wire cutters, and the classic knife
blade.
And get this, I found it on a back-packing trip when I was playing
capture-the-flag!
i use a victorinox huntsman it is a great pocketknife for me because it has everything i need in it as well as other tools that will come in handy sometime soon.
thanks that helps alot and it all is true i just bought a knife off your guide and now i have a great knife(along with my other 14 knifes
Where I lived previously, in *censored*, the blade length limit was 4 inches. I moved to *censored* and bought a knife that was 3.5in. but it turns out the limit here was 3 inches. Just a warning- check with your troop before buying a knife. By the way this is the knife I use (not in scouting, exceeds limit) Ozark Trail lockback knife. I bought it at Wal-Mart for $15
I use a 1957 black wenger scout that is the best knife i’ve ever used (except fixed blade, but those aren’t allowed in scouting.)
OADude,
Fixed blade knives are allowed in Scouts however a blade above 4 inches in not a wise choice. Heck I wish I bought a regular scout knife instead of the LMF II. Sure it’s a good knife but it’s a hassle to carry around.
I use a Buck 750 Red-Point, it is one of the toughest knives I’ve ever used. I would usually use a fixed-blade knife instead (I hunt& fish a lot), but you know, scouting doesn’t allow fixed-blades. But anyway, the 750 Red-Point, one of the best scouting knives ever. I’ve had it for a good 2 years, and have never had to sharpen it. And its lock is very safe for scouting stuff.
amen to the red point 750 THEY ROCK
I own an assisted opening knife (no they are not illegal) just the totally assisted blades are… Gerber is a good brand and Smith and Wesson sell cheap/good ones at Big 5 soooo…
assisted opening knives are also illegal in some states unless you are a first responder or police officer.
most assisted opening knives that I have seen have some sort of safety. I own one that has a little switch on the side that’s a safety
FOR THE LAST TIME ASSISTED OPENING KNIFES AND AUTO KNIFES ARE LEGAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have a small swiss army knife and i’d like better one for around 15$. What brand should I choose.
if you want a good knife cheap, raise your budget a few bucks and get the Gerber Paraframe 1 for $25. It’s coated carbon-steel, so it won’t rust easily. And it’s super light, plus it’s one-handed opening/closing.
Try this:
Victorinox Swiss Army One-Hand Trekker Lockblade Pocket Knife (Black)
It can be found at Amzaon for $31.00
BE Warned the scout knives re flimsy steer clear.
Also fixed blade knives are illelgal at almost all scouting events.
Also 2: A assisted opening knife is cool but Unless you have a knife pocket in your pants or a pouch it could pop open on you.