Folding Knives:
Folding knives come in many shapes and sizes, with a choice of locking mechanisms from the simplest friction folder where nothing but the grip of the user's hand holds the blade in place, through slip joints, to back locks, frame locks, slide locks, liner locks, button locks and many variations. A folding knife has more mechanical parts that a fixed blade and is therefore considered to be less reliable, through higher propensity for mechanical failure. A folding blade does have one distinct advantage in that its sheath is permanently attached in the form of the knife handle. Folding knives come with anything from a single blade, to the popular Swiss Army Knife with multiple tools housed within the handle. Below are a selection of the folding knives that I carry and use regularly for Every Day Carry, or for other purposes where indicated.
Victorinox Outrider:
The Victorinox Outrider is my folding knife of choice for the outdoors. Housed in a Maxpedition signle sheath, along with a couple of other components that I will go into in another thread, this makes up one half of what I call my possibles carry. The Outrider is a 11mm model with locking main blade, which locks using a slide lock, located on the side of the knife. The knife sports a large main blade, wood saw, scissors, long spear style phillips screwdriver, cap lifter/screwdriver, can opener/screwdriver, along with a reamer, corkscrew and keyring attachment point. I searched long and hard for something to replace my old and battered but still trusty Victorinox Huntsman, which is a 93mm non-locking SAK variant. For me, this is the PERFECT outdoors knife. The blade is bery capable of smaller cutting jobs like notching or making smaller feather sticks, the wood saw will allow you to cut through up to 10cm diameter rounds with correct technique (although obviously no substitute for a folding saw or the Browning Take down Saw which you can see reviewed elsewhere on this site) and the scissors allow me to save the main blade for very light cutting tasks where perhaps some additional dexterity is required, like cutting material for example. I love the way it feels in the hand, this one will be with me for many, many years to come!
Victorinox Farmer:
The Victorinox Farmer is a 93mm Alox scaled 'Swiss Army Knife' or SAK, weighing in at 86g or 3oz. Very similar to the 1961 onwards 'Soldier' model, the Farmer has an additional and very useful tool in the form of a wood saw as well as a keyring. The full specification of tools includes a large blade, reamer, wood saw, can opener/screwdriver, cap lifter/screwdriver and keyring. Many people believe that the extra width of the Farmer makes it more comfortable in the hand than similar but thinner models like the Pioneer for example. This is an extremely hard wearing and durable knife, and is carried every day in my right front trouser pocket. I NEVER leave home without it, except in circumstances where UK Knife Laws would soon have me end up in jail as a result of doing so, like public houses. With a slipjoint mechanism holding the blade in place, I have found over the last couple of years that, used properly with good, safe knife handling technique, this knife will easily cope with any day to day jobs that I have ever had the need to use it for, and gives me the confidence that it could just as easily handle much more demanding tasks.
Victorinox Soldier:
Very similar to the Farmer model, the Soldier also has Alox scales and is a 93mm model. The difference between the Soldier and the Farmer being that the Soldier does not have the wood saw or keyring attachment point. Again this is a very capable and durable blade that will cope with any day to day tasks required of it, and is often used as my EDC blade when I want something a little thinner in the profile, and where I dont have any need at all for the wood saw. Official issue to the Swiss Army since 1891, this is the only SAK with the year of manufacture stamped on the main blade, the Alox scales were introduced in 1961 and continued in manufacture through to 2007 when it was replaced by the new Soldier model which is a 111mm version, with 'dual density' handles, a locking, larger main blade and other locking tools. Weighing in at 69.7g, this is slightly lighter than the Farmer model, and the full specification of tools includes the main blade, cap lifter/screwdriver, bottle opener/screwdriver and awl. I will quite often carry this knife as my form of 'Gentlemans' knife. Its just one of those that people do not pay much attention to when I take it out of my pocket to lift a beer bottle cap, or take the tip off my cigar, it really is a 'sheeple' friendly, unobtrusive and unoffending knife that still has lots to offer.
Opinel Number 9:
The Opinel, like the Victorinox Swiss Army Knives are design classics. The Opinel was invented by Joseph Opinel in 1890 and intended to be a simple 'peasant' knife. The 'main couronnee' or 'crowned hand' is the familiar emblem that an be found on the blade. Manufactured in a series of 12 sizes, the Opinel also has a special type of locking mechanism called the 'virobloc' which is a collar fitted around the top of the blade handle, which allows the blade to be opened and closed, but when twisted, locks the blade in either the open or closed position. I have read many article and reviews, and watched many a YouTube video on the Opinel range, and constantly I pick up on the question being asked of the Opinel, as to whether or not it is a 'Bushcraft' knife or not. What does that mean exactly? Its a folder for a start, but it can still be used for Bushcraft, The blade is comparatively thin so there is no way I would batton with an Opinel of any size (personally I wouldnt batton with any knife!) The blade profile is more suited to slicing, but then many people would agree that its also a very good whittling and carving knife too? My point, is that it all depends what you want to do with you knife. If Bushcraft, for you, is more about sleeping comfortably under tarp and hammock, spending most of your time wild food foraging for fruits, 'shroom and other tasty treats, then there is no reason the Opinel cannot be a fantastic blade to use. If your Bushcraft is more about building shelters, chopping branches for beams and battons, clearing brush etc, then the Opinel will probably not be as useful a blade for you. At the end of the day, it was invented a long time ago, its been around for years and years, the thing works well for what it was designed to do, it has become a classic around the world and I quite like them, so, I have a number 9, waiting for a slight modification...did I mention that the handles (and blades for that matter!) are easily modified without costing you a fortune?! There you go then...thats another feather in the Opinels cap!