Hunting kinves etc. for hiking use

[Aftab]

I go for a lot of hikes in Sahyadris, where a hunting knife would come in handy. My question is, is it legal to procure and carry one? And where would I get it? Not exactly found at the local supermarket.......
Or do you think a swiss knife would be better? Because I have seen both, and the hunting knife is sharper, and more robust. Swiss knife is a bit delicate......
Also, I want to avoid anything illegal because I would have to carry it in the jungle and I dont know if it is allowed. Its not like I can do any hunting with a knife (or otherwise)! However, it is better to know the facts......

[choombak]

Knives as tools are okay, and you can carry one on hiking trips. Though a length limit exists, a 3 to 5 inch blade is okay. Sweet spot is about 4 inch. No quality knives in India off the shelf unless you get one done from a blacksmith who knows this job (rare). Better import one. Knifecenter is a good online retailer with moderate shipping price andant ifg members have procured several knives. Search for threads here and you will find more ideas.

[slingshot]

Carrying a knife while camping or trekking, should not be cause of concern. As a rule, never display or flaunt the blade. I usually keep it tucked away in my gear. Carrying a Victorinox SAK has its uses and you will definitely need to carry one for many small tasks. However, it does help to have a fixed blade. It can be used for food preparation, processing wood and other camping chores. I have never needed a big knife. As Choombak has said, anything in the 3 to 5 inch zone is fine. For example, I love the ESEE Izula. There are many other options too. And sometimes you will find a real gem of a blade that wont cost you an arm and a leg. I love the Churi from Khukuri House. Very high value blade. Do check this forum for information. And welcome to the wonderful world of Cutlery

[Mark]

The knives that I use to teach wood working/bushcraft skills are called "Sloyd" knives and in general most look like this:


This is an excellent style for a hiking and general purpose knife. There must be a wood worker supply store that has these, and they are both extremely reasonable in cost and also surprisingly good quality, as woodworking tradesmen use them and someone who works for a living usually does not suffer through poor quality tools.

[hvj1]

Hello Aftab,
This is list of things I carry, photos of some are below;

001.JPG

The Victronix has enough features to call it a true survival knife. The Victronix alone is sufficient on its own. But I do carry the axe in my car for chopping wood. It is handy enough to be slung in a belt and takes care of chopping wood, breaking the window, if your car gets caught in a flash flood and or splitting heads.

002.JPG

Besides the above, I carry a Puma white steel six inch heavy duty knife and a khukri with a 12 inch blade. (Not in the picture)

All the above can be attached to my person, quite comfortably. But OFF the four, if I have to take only one knife, then the Victronix is the last stop!
Best Regards.

[Raghavachari]

Aftab,
What exactly do you want to do with it?
For most of what you will need a SAK is adequate. However I must second slingshot that you do need a fixed blade if you are going to process wood and food.
You can actually have one made by a smith in India if you study up a little on steel types, heat treat etc. Alternately there is knifecenter where I bought most of my import knives.

[winnie_the_pooh]

hvj1, what do you use to hold up your pants when you are carrying all that stuff?

[Vikram]

hvj1, what do you use to hold up your pants when you are carrying all that stuff?

Winnie, you, you evil man!

HVJ1, What do you say?

Pics are not mine/Taken from the web




Or something like this?







Best-
Vikram

[u_vaste]

Guys,
I think, he checking legality of carrying those .I also have similar thoughts when we used to go trekking/hiking.

selecting tools or knives should not be issue since you can Google it OR all your posts are good enough do decide on any tools or knives which may needed.
it was always fear in mind that we should not face any problem carrying these if get checked by authorities.usually there are near such sites like out post or some chowki etc. I think 12 inch blade which Hvj1 carries certainly exceeds limits.

I am aware of the 9" blade limit and arms rules etc. courtesy of this forum but I saw guy get thrashed by police for carrying small pocket knife, of course he was flaunting and teasing with it. these authorities have different viewpoint for bunch of guys than family or mixed groups on trekking/hiking.

your though guys.....( I am not trying to hijack thread but I have same question)

Uv

[Mack The Knife]

I think 12 inch blade which Hvj1 carries certainly exceeds limits.

How often are you outdoors? A 12" blade is a pretty common sight and unsheathed at that.

The 9" limit applies to imports. Supposedly.

[u_vaste]

I think 12 inch blade which Hvj1 carries certainly exceeds limits.

How often are you outdoors? A 12" blade is a pretty common sight and unsheathed at that.

The 9" limit applies to imports. Supposedly.

Not at all now , but few years from now at list once a year.
Mostly people used to travel from city towards such location and use public transport till the gathering point , imagine caring such blades in city like Mumbai.

Uv

[Rolf]

I will just give you my two cents on this. The type of knife you will carry will also depend on the area where you plan to go on a hike.

For a desert trek, I would prefer a Condor Bushlore or something similar to that. It's strong and sturdy enough to tackle the bushy vegetation (cacti and shrubs that you find in the desert) and since you really don't have to split hardwood, you don't require a chopper. But if I were to go on a trek to, say, Dodital or Dyara Bugyal--both are wooded Himalayan forests, maybe something stronger like a Becker BK2 would do. And for something like Roopkund, I would prefer a 7 inch kukri. A small Swiss Army Knife or any decent folder with locking blade will be the backup.

That said, I believe, an Esee4 will be a good choice, It's not too big (it has a 4-inch long blade and doesn't attract unwanted attention (It has a simple drop point utilitarian design, no fancy tactical look). It is also 3/16 inch thick and makes for an excellent survival knife, should the situation arise. Try Knife Works. They have a good collection of Esee4 and at a much cheaper price than at knifecenter, knifesupply or Smoky Mountain Knife Works.

Check this link
http://www.knifeworks.com/ratcutlerymod ... nedge.aspx

Else, you may try this. It's a 7 inch blade and a quarter of an inch thick. It's a tank and the manufacturer's price includes shipping cost too. I bought it for 45.80 pounds including shipping. At Knife Centre it will cost you $101 + $40 postage + customs duty
http://www.sheffieldknives.co.uk/acatalog/2-88.html


Warm Regards
Rolf

[hvj1]

hvj1, what do you use to hold up your pants when you are carrying all that stuff?

All righty right wise guy
The Axe is in the car.
The Victronix and Puma on my belt, which incidentally are army fatigues with loops.
The Khukri, stays in camp/car.
Thus far my pants have not let me down, but as an added precautions I wear Jockey shorts with red petunias print.
Best Regards

[SriramK]

Thus far my pants have not let me down, but as an added precautions I wear Jockey shorts with red petunias print.

With red petunia print, your pants would be too scared to fall off.

[hvj1]

Thus far my pants have not let me down, but as an added precautions I wear Jockey shorts with red petunias print.

With red petunia print, your pants would be too scared to fall off.

Now you hit the nail on the head!