What is the purpose of carrying a knife out in a safari..

[HankBuck]

If I could, I'd bring a knife on my belt even in town! I feel naked without!

@Phil Giordano - Women carry Lipstick….Men carry a Pocket Knife, it’s part of being well groomed !

 

[Phil Giordano]

@Phil Giordano - Women carry Lipstick….Men carry a Pocket Knife, it’s part of being well groomed !

Absolutely so!

 

[Altitude sickness]

I do not need Pants, underwear, shirt, knife or watch to hunt.

But I feel and look underprepared without any of those items

 

[rblum]

You are correct. No need to carry a sheath knife. Just one more thing to clunk around. I view a multitool the same way. You are paying the outfitter “The big bucks” to have that sort of thing.
I have a little pocket knife that I carry and find that i use it daily for little things, such as trimming thread, opening envelopes, etc. I bring my pocket knife, in my case a Kershaw Leek. 3”folding blade. I can open any mail that i receive with it while on safari… grin.

 

[Scott CWO]

I do not need Pants, underwear, shirt, knife or watch to hunt.

But I feel and look underprepared without any of those items

Haha thanks for wearing your underwear and pants on your hunts with us in Colorado. Much appreciated on this side!

 

[Ridge Runner]

You are correct. No need to carry a sheath knife. Just one more thing to clunk around. I view a multitool the same way. You are paying the outfitter “The big bucks” to have that sort of thing.
I have a little pocket knife that I carry and find that i use it daily for little things, such as trimming thread, opening envelopes, etc. I bring my pocket knife, in my case a Kershaw Leek. 3”folding blade. I can open any mail that i receive with it while on safari… grin.

I bet that's hell on electronics.

Personally I find it easier to just tap the Google or Yahoo (e)mail app key.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

@Doug Hamilton - are you Ready? It is almost amazing that You can determine someone’s hunting skill - not only by their knife but right down to the blade length “within an inch” ie: 3“ to 4” = skilled but 6” = No Deer?. For many years I only carried a 4” folder and it worked fine for deer & bear, then occassionally had a 4” fixed blade - very light inexpensive buck “Woodsman” And liked them both as they were “enough”. But I sometimes carried a custom 5” fixed out West for Elk (Not knowing it reflected poorly on my hunting skills). I hunt some remote areas and usually alone but never had any difficulties or “adventures doing so. Twice, on Guide hunts - spent an unexpected Night-in-the-woods: once in Maine after killing bear over hounds miles from truck - Guide said he’d walk back to truck, drive closer and walk in to get me …told Me to stay with Hounds leashed up and dead bear and expect him back in 4-6 hours… - 20 hours later (just after sunrise as I was getting ready to release hounds and walk out —with one of their ‘tracking collars” in my jacket) he returned. He’d had gotten lost then truck wouldn’t start, he was “relieved to see me” and glad I didn’t panic and get lost…we had no cell phones or radio communication on that 1979 hunt. I was able to start a fire, cook a slice of bear meat and it was September so Not cold. Didn’t’t have to build a shelter or cut a lot of wood for big warm fire and it didn’t rain but I realized how “Unprepared” I was for an UNexpected night in the woods. Now, on any similar remote hunt - with or without a Guide - I’m a little better prepared: 5” or 6” straight knife & Leatherman back up, plus small packet (50’ parachute cord, matches, fire starter, back up compass, space blanket = 7oz weight). Only used it once in 30 years and could’ve survived without it then too - but it was helpful, gives me confidence to hunt areas I might not go alone. I’m not a trained “Survivalist” and Not a “Prepper” but I attempt to be slightly self reliant if something unexpected comes up. Lastly, I’ve found that a 5”-6” straight knife can split a deer sternum easier then a 4” folder and makes getting gutting/cutting windpipe a little easier. I can bone a deer with a 4” but a 5” blade makes it easier. There are some functional reasons to carry a 5“, 6”, even 7” fixed blade besides looking like Tarzan (although I admire Tarzan !!)

Why yes I can generally determine a person's skill level based on the gear he carries. Can't you?

If someone wants to carry excessive weight, bulk and flash for no sound reason I guess he can, but why would I think he knows something I don't?

 

[Tra3]

Why yes I can generally determine a person's skill level based on the gear he carries. Can't you?

If someone wants to carry excessive weight, bulk and flash for no sound reason I guess he can, but why would I think he knows something I don't?

This conversation reminds me of how useful a simple Swiss Army knife is. I sharpened the mini blade and normal blade on mine. It has a saw as well. I gutted and quartered an elk with it, because I wanted to see if it would work. It did, wonderfully.

I prefer to carry a small folding knife, the blade is about 2 1/2-3” long. I’ve used it on most of the deer, elk and antelope over the last number of years.
I also carry a small knife sharpening stone (Victorinox) that comes in the size of a bic pen. It works great to keep the knife sharp in the field.

I’ve carried a small EDC knife in my pocket in africa, but I don’t invade on the province of the pros. I’m glad to help carry or hold, but the trackers really take pride in their work and I’m not one to impede.

Post script:
I went to the Blade show in Atlanta a couple weeks ago. Maybe a million knives under one convention center roof. Fewer bandaids, but they were there too!
I quickly realized that knife selection is as personal as one’s choice in a watch, or vehicle, or spouse. Big tires doesn’t mean the truck actually gets used for four wheeling.
The Blade show was successful in convincing me to leave with not the “one or two” that I thought I would get; I left with an even dozen. I never thought that picking out kitchen knives would be so complicated!

 

[mdwest]

Why yes I can generally determine a person's skill level based on the gear he carries. Can't you?

If someone wants to carry excessive weight, bulk and flash for no sound reason I guess he can, but why would I think he knows something I don't?

Really depends on the mindset of the individual…

One mind set is “travel light, freeze at night”… that guy is prepared for any and all foreseeable contingencies… but may end up carrying more than is necessary for typical circumstances…

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the guy that wants to move fast, be unencumbered, and is willing to absorb some amount of measurable risk… i.e. “why carry a knife? My PH will have one”.. well, what if he doesn’t?

Neither is wrong… both have pluses and minuses…

I’m somewhere in the middle… I always have a small trauma kit with me… but rarely have a full blown med bag nearby… I’ve always got a belt knife on me.. but it’s usually a hunting profile that has limited application .. etc…

Specific to Africa, the truck is always within reasonable distance… so I tend to have a lot of stuff available to me.. but in a pack, that stays in the truck, not on my person… specific to TX whitetail or hog hunting, I tend to carry a bunch of stuff, and keep it in my pack in my blind.. it’s not a burden to carry and I figure it’s better to have and not need than to need and not have…

But when hunting somewhere like Kodiak.. where things are actually much more extreme, I am much more selective about what I take.. because I’m willing to trade some risk for not having to haul 20lbs of extra kit all over the side of some Alaskan mountain …so only what I determine is absolutely necessary goes with… (which still ends up being a good bit… because it is Alaska after all… )…

 

[Phfat]

Depends on where you are and what your intentions are but if you are talking about a guided African hunt you have no more need for a knife than you do at an office job.

If you want to participate in the skinning and/ or butchering, the skinners will no doubt humor you but you’d be helping them about as much as if you brought your car in for service and helped the mechanic.

Reminds me of a sign a local gunsmith had hanging in his shop:

"Shop rates, $10.00 per hour."

"If you watch, $15.00 per hour."

" If you help, $20.00 per hour."

 

[freefall]

I generally carry a 4" Rappala filet knife that I reground to a 3 1/2" drop point. It weighs about what a 3" pocket knife would but is deployed with one hand much more easily. I just got in the habit when commercial fishing and dog mushing.
Do I need it? Rarely. But it's there and handy. The nail clipper on my key ring is more of a problem to carry, but it's handy too.

 

[HankBuck]

Why yes I can generally determine a person's skill level based on the gear he carries. Can't you?

If someone wants to carry excessive weight, bulk and flash for no sound reason I guess he can, but why would I think he knows something I don't?

@Doug Hamilton - I can NOT determine a Hunter’s skill based on the “gear” he carries, nor can I determine his “income level” because I’ve seen & know guys with very expensive gear that still lived in a apartment and drove a junker car. But I make assumptions and jump to conclusions - just like you do: Some guys read a Lot & Hunt ”a little”, they also mostly hunt with a guide and/or on Game Ranches, they don’t have real skill but they can do-what-they’re-told….and of course rely on someone else to Take Care of Them - even though they KNOW IT ALL.
I have strong opinions that are unreasonable and inflexible: Men should always carry a knife (2 when hunting) and Women should always wear Lipstick — doesn’t matter where you are — these are two Basic Standards backed by centuries of etiquette…..Tarzan always wore his knife and Jane always ‘looked good’ !!

 

[Doug Hamilton]

@Doug Hamilton - I can NOT determine a Hunter’s skill based on the “gear” he carries, nor can I determine his “income level” because I’ve seen & know guys with very expensive gear that still lived in a apartment and drove a junker car. But I make assumptions and jump to conclusions - just like you do: Some guys read a Lot & Hunt ”a little”, they also mostly hunt with a guide and/or on Game Ranches, they don’t have real skill but they can do-what-they’re-told….and of course rely on someone else to Take Care of Them - even though they KNOW IT ALL.
I have strong opinions that are unreasonable and inflexible: Men should always carry a knife (2 when hunting) and Women should always wear Lipstick — doesn’t matter where you are — these are two Basic Standards backed by centuries of etiquette…..Tarzan always wore his knife and Jane always ‘looked good’ !!

Income level I wouldn't try to guess, but I can tell a lot about a hunter's skill level based non what he carries. Sometimes it is important to know. Let me give you an example. One time while hunting in the Sierra I met another hunter. He had a 6" Buck on his belt (of course), but more than that was his rifle and optics. He had a Savage 99 (okay so far) but he had an enormous 4-12 x 50 Leupold on big see thru rings. As you would expect, he bragged that he would use the open sights on close shots and the scope for long shots. Then, if he saw something that he wanted to "check out" he would just use scope to view it. That way he didn't need to carry binoculars. I pointed out to him that a scope is an aiming device, and you never aim a rifle at something you don't intend to shoot. I also told him that if I came out of cover and saw him pointing a gun at me, I wasn't going to like it. So yes, the gear someone carries does say a lot about their field abilities.

 

[HankBuck]

Income level I wouldn't try to guess, but I can tell a lot about a hunter's skill level based non what he carries. Sometimes it is important to know. Let me give you an example. One time while hunting in the Sierra I met another hunter. He had a 6" Buck on his belt (of course), but more than that was his rifle and optics. He had a Savage 99 (okay so far) but he had an enormous 4-12 x 50 Leupold on big see thru rings. As you would expect, he bragged that he would use the open sights on close shots and the scope for long shots. Then, if he saw something that he wanted to "check out" he would just use scope to view it. That way he didn't need to carry binoculars. I pointed out to him that a scope is an aiming device, and you never aim a rifle at something you don't intend to shoot. I also told him that if I came out of cover and saw him pointing a gun at me, I wasn't going to like it. So yes, the gear someone carries does say a lot about their field abilities.

@Doug Hamilton - oh give it up….I’m sure you could “tell a lot about a Hunter” knowing his Zodiak sign or if his truck was a Ford/Chevy/Dodge…. Now, if the guy drove a Subaru or Mazda Miata — you might convince me, or if he carried an Ozonic device and wore their logo hat

 

[Field28]

I carry a Benchmade Claymore every day that I use for everything from cutting rope to cutting up a steak.

I did pick up this sweet Nkosi from Afton but I didn't wear it.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

I carry a Benchmade Claymore every day that I use for everything from cutting rope to cutting up a steak.

I did pick up this sweet Nkosi from Afton but I didn't wear it.

View attachment 618520

That's gorgeous!

Now I'm suffering from "knife envy!"

 

[zephyr]

Do I use a belt knife when in Africa?? You bet ...I was knee deep in both Tuskless I shot, skinning and quartering long before the recovery crew showed... I was involved with skinning all three Buff I've shot It gave me something to do and gave me the opportunity to do a forensic study of my shot selection and bullet choice... Was I in the way??... perhaps ... I do my best to be respectful of the folks in the Skinning shed.... on my safaris usually the PH is there plus trackers all helping to get the job done