soyAnarchisto wrote:What animal are we talking here? Elk or rabbit?

Zzz wrote:I'm not sure how you can continue to live with yourself after that typo.

ExperimentalAviator wrote:

Zzz wrote:I'm not sure how you can continue to live with yourself after that typo.

It helps to be a bit dislexic , typo fixed.

Hammer wrote:I really enjoy scandi ground high carbon knives with rather large wood handles. This is the sort of knife I reach for whenever I have a cutting chore and a choice of knives.


But a knife that I end up carrying and using a lot has none of that. It’s the Fallkniven F1, which supposedly is the official survival knife of the Swedish Air Force. I’ve always wondered if those little red fish are the official snack of the Swedish Navy…



The Fallkniven F1 has few of the characteristics I like in a knife…it’s convex ground, stainless steel, with a smallish synthetic handle. But it’s just a really, really usable knife.

I’m not a fan of stainless steel for the most part, but the laminated VG10 stainless used in the F1 is a very good steel. It takes a shaving edge with normal sharpening methods and holds it well. They also make the knife in 3G, a wonder-steel that’s all the rage lately, but which requires specialized tools and techniques to sharpen and which I’ve never been able to make as sharp as other steels. None of the 3G knives I own get any regular use just for that reason. The difference between a shaving-sharp knife and a just-sharp knife is pretty noticeable.



The Thermorun handle is comfortable to me and my XXL hands. Some folks complain that it’s too small, but I find it adequate and quite appreciate not having to lug around a half pound of canvas Micarta handle material. These knives are available with custom handles for people who want that, but you get to pay for it.



The blade is 4.5mm thick, making it a fairly beefy knife. Any thicker and I wouldn’t pack it. It’s a laminated blade, meaning that the edge is made from a harder steel laminated into softer steel that makes up the body of the knife. This makes for a tougher knife, as hard steel is also brittle steel. By using hard steel only on the cutting edge they get a very tough knife that still holds a great edge.

The tang runs through the handle and comes out the back so if for some reason you had to pound it into something, you’d be pounding on steel instead of handle material. The stoutness of the knife means that it’s suitable for careful battoning and splitting chores…something I’m hesitant to do with more delicate knives. Fact of the matter is I think that if you were careful and took your time you could baton this knife lengthwise though an airplane float if that was somehow advantageous to you. Unlike a lot of other knives, its robust construction doesn't get in the way of being useful. It's a good cutter.



Notching around a dry Douglas Fir sapling to make a breaking point.


Splitting the broken piece.


Making tinder and kindling.


The size of the knife is pretty decent. It’s the largest knife I’ll regularly cary with me but I’m not a fan of big knives…bigger than that and I’ll go for an axe.

Frankly one of the reasons I end up carrying the Fallkniven as much as I do is because of its stainless and synthetic construction. Love carbon steel and wood handles though I do, there’s a time and place for synthetics. If I’m going to lug a knife around I keep it handy, not in a dry bag or backpack, so it’s exposed to whatever I am.

21 days in Grand Canyon in December when nothing ever drys out and you can go for weeks without warming sunlight? I had enough chores to do every day to stay moderately dry and warm…dealing with a rusting knife didn’t need to be one of them. Rust attacks the edge first, so someone fastidious about sharpness isn't going to be real happy with a rusty blade.

Sea kayaking trip in the Sea of Cortez? Same deal…a carbon steel knife would rust to the point of distraction.

Kayaking in Nepal at the tail end of the monsoon? Stainless, please.

The Fallkniven F1 is to me a lot like a Glock. A blued 1911 might have all the class and be a joy to use, but the Glock gets the job done in any conditions without being pampered. Sometimes that’s just what I want.

Fallkniven makes several models of fixed blade and folding knives and I've yet to see one I didn't like. Prices are moderate...between one and three hundred dollars, which is what a lot of factory folders go for these days. In my experience the Fallkniven knives are a much better product than most US made factory knives, including the fancy brands.

DENNY wrote:Any good sharp knife will do the job. Bring a simple diamond stone along and do a few strokes mid stream. Now the big issue is how are you going to get the ribs/horns/legs off a moose. I like a chainsaw but I just used a simple handsaw my buddy had that could cut the head off a moose in 1/2 min I think it was a simple small wall mart wood saw but it worked great. Havalon is what I would use if I wanted a good cape to mount.
DENNY

ExperimentalAviator wrote:I just picked up a Outdoor Edge Razor-Lite. Guess I don't have any reason now to not get a deer.