A friend asked me what kind of knife would be suitable for camping and picnicking. I recommended him to buy a folding fruit knife. Actually, a fruit knife can meet 70% of the knife-using needs for light camping. Here are my three knives. They look shiny because I spray WD40 on them for maintenance after each use. Among them, the Swiss Army Knife is the one I use the most. I take it with me when I go out to play for more than half of the time. Next is the large folding knife from Han Dao, and I also take it out for use from time to time. As for this fixed blade knife, I’ve only used it twice. It’s not that it’s not useful, but it’s really not as portable as the other two knives. Besides, I bought it mainly for collection because I like knives. If you just want to use it for light camping, here are my personal suggestions:
1. Don’t buy those knives with exaggerated shapes. The several oddly-shaped knives I’ve used were all not very handy. When it comes to actual use, knives that are straight with a natural curve are more user-friendly.
2. Make sure to buy knives with guards. It’s best to tie a hand rope of an appropriate length to the end of the knife. When you stab downward at something, use the guard in combination with pressing your thumb on the end of the knife for added safety.
3. For outdoor knives, don’t blindly pursue sharpness. Unless the knives are specially processed, the sharper the blade is, the more brittle it will be, and it won’t be suitable for use in the harsh outdoor environment.
