Knife

A good outdoor knife sits well in the hand. The blade should not be too long — that gives you less control. A good rule: when you hold the handle, your thumb should reach at least two-thirds of the way up the back of the blade. If you will mainly use it for whittling, shorter is ideal. The knife is a tool you should always have with you on a trip.

Knives come in an enormous range, and it is wise to feel the knife in your hand in the shop. How does it feel? Do you get a good grip?

Using a knife

A knife should always be treated as a dangerous tool. Use it turned away from your body and from anyone nearby. The knife should stay as still as possible in the hand resting on your knee. Your thumb should lie along the back of the blade to control it. It is the piece you are cutting that is moved and worked.

Blunt knives are dangerous knives

The knives people most often cut themselves on are the blunt ones. When the knife does not bite, you have to use more force — and if it slips, you hit yourself or others with greater power. A sharp knife cuts effectively and needs less pressure.

Keep the knife sharp with regular sharpening. There are simple, ‘foolproof’ sharpening tools — better to use these than to set about it with a sharpening steel or whetstone if you do not know what you are doing. If the knife becomes completely blunt, you have to grind a new edge on a rotating grindstone.

Long knives

There are various large/long knives with the centre of gravity well out along the blade. The most common in Norway are Sámi knives. These are not good for whittling, but are best as a chopping tool for thin poles and twigs. On long trips they can partly replace both knife and axe, and so save weight.

Next steps

• Outdoor tools — together with other tools
• Axe — other traditional tools
• Campfire — using a knife at the campfire
• Gear — the hub

Learn more

• DNT — gear — recommendations and courses
• Friluftsmagasinet Fri Flyt — tests and expert material
• Klepp & Tobiasson — Lettkledd — sustainable gear thinking