Fixed blade or folder for a dedicated camp kitchen knife?

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Fahimden

Newbie
For those of you who actually cook a lot at camp, do you prefer a small fixed blade or a folder as the dedicated camp-kitchen knife?

A folder is easier to toss in a pocket, but cleaning food out of the pivot is the part that makes me question it. A small fixed blade seems simpler, but then you have the sheath and storage to deal with.

What blade length has actually been useful for you rather than just looking good on paper?
 
I use a cheap 3-piece fixed set. A chopping knife, an in-betweener, and a paring knife. No way would I use a folding knife for meal prep/cooking. Spot on about that crevice getting gunked up and spreading contamination.
 
Fahimden said:
For those of you who actually cook a lot at camp, do you prefer a small fixed blade or a folder as the dedicated camp-kitchen knife?

A folder is easier to toss in a pocket, but cleaning food out of the pivot is the part that makes me question it. A small fixed blade seems simpler, but then you have the sheath and storage to deal with.

What blade length has actually been useful for you rather than just looking good on paper?
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Got to admit, the box knife has been used more than once in the galley -- a quick wrapper opening. But would I ever cut a meat or something like that - absolutely not. Keep a cheap walmart grade kitchen knife in its shealth for anything food prep.
 
Sweeney said:
…Keep a cheap walmart grade kitchen knife in its shealth for anything food prep.
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This. I use the same style as I do in the kitchen at home; a chef’s knife, but an inexpensive version. Plus a small slicer that can go on a picnic in its plastic cover, and a paring knife, medium and small cutting boards…

A folder doesn’t work for me with food. Too hard to clean. If i’m away from camp or home a folder gets more use, but it may be a fixed if hiking or boating.

What do you use @Fahimden ?
 
A paring knife and a chefs knife is all i need. Something in the $10 farberware knife does the tric. If I'm frisky, I'll head down to the restaurants supply and picking one up there. At home, I have a nicer set -- but in the camper everything gets beat up as I'm rolling down the highway - its not really worth spending much. Frankly, the Farberware if kept in its shealth does just fine.

The biggest problem is not putting them in a dishwasher to get banged around...and once a year or so throwing them on a whetstone - I can shave with mine when I'm done (Hence the moniker)

@Fahimden - what do you use? No wrong answer - a Japanese chef knife is a perfectly good answer.
 
SethB said:
The “sheath” on my chef’s knife is cereal box cardboard and masking tape. It gets the job done, good enough!
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The cheapo kithchen knifes come with a plastic sheath - and a built in duller, you know the 'v' channels that removes any residular sharp edge and replaces it with a jagged edge?

I keep a worksharp pocket in the camper -- its prodcues an 'ok' edge --- but not anything I'd write home about. Ever since I discovered the Ken Onion sharpening system (by worksharp) its my go-to, if not that then the tormek water stone system The trouble is one produces a stone 'flat' the other produces a convex edge. THe convex edge lasts longer, but makes it functionally incompatible with 'stone' unless you want to remove a fair amount of metal every time.



SLO Camper said:
I use a homemade fixed blade
View attachment 13581
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Whats the story behind that?
 
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manuel palmer said:
The cleanup point is exactly what I was wondering about. I found this Noblie fixed-blade guide while comparing the construction side:
Fixed Blade Knife: The Ultimate Guide to Your Reliable Cutting Tool
It’s pretty obvious a fixed blade wins on simplicity. I’m still not sure whether that outweighs the convenience of a folder for a small camp setup.
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that guide you linked is great!

So, by those categories, we might consider a knife for every day carry (aka EDC), bushcraft, or camp/survival. EDC is all about convenience, after all the type of knife doesn’t matter if you don’t have it with you! And a folder goes in your pocket or bag… currently I carry a keychain swiss army knife, in my working life it was a Leatherman multitool on my belt.

In my opinion the larger fixed blades at the campsite have to do with campcraft. Wood for projects and campfires. For firewood you need a very sturdy knife! Since we have a CI to cart around a “boy’s” axe and a folding saw for firewood, my camp knife is a fairly light Morakniv for projects and light woodworking. Like this one, only in high carbon steel. Appears to be only stainless right now…
Mora are amazing knives, especially for the price!
 
Fahimden said:
For those of you who actually cook a lot at camp, do you prefer a small fixed blade or a folder as the dedicated camp-kitchen knife?

A folder is easier to toss in a pocket, but cleaning food out of the pivot is the part that makes me question it. A small fixed blade seems simpler, but then you have the sheath and storage to deal with.

What blade length has actually been useful for you rather than just looking good on paper?
Click to expand...
I have both. Why would you carry a kitchen knife in your pocket? I have a roll up with kitchen knives and utensils that I keep in the galley. And I have a knife and sheath that I wear on my belt when camping
 
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