MAINELY OUTDOORS
I can’t honestly remember my age when I got my first jackknife, probably 8 to 10 years old. It was a bulky, multi-tool “Scout” model that was all the fad in the 1950s and ’60s. It was a birthday present, and I’m pretty sure I cut myself within the first week. Since that time I’ve seldom spent a day without a small, sharp folding knife in my back pocket, work or play.
Like most Aroostook outdoorsmen who hunt, fish, trap, camp, or enjoy other Crown of Maine outdoor activities, cutlery plays an important part of day-to-day life. In my mind there are five different classes of cutting tools; axes and hatchets, bone shears and saws, solid-blade belt knives, heavy duty folding knives and small pocket knives. Each and every one of the cutting implements offers a particular specialty and many of them are multi-faceted for outdoor chores.
Rather than a full-size loggers’ ax, I opted for a medium size camp ax and a hatchet, each from Snow and Nealley, a 150-year old Maine company, with a lifetime guarantee. Each is perfect for cutting firewood, clearing brush, pounding in stakes or even cleaning and quartering game animals. Ben’s Trading Post carries a full selection of Snow and Nealley products.
I carry a set of curved-edge bisecting shears in a belt case for easily removing wings and legs from upland game and waterfowl. These are a far quicker and safer option than using a knife or hatchet, and in a pinch they will cut rope, small wire and tree branches as large as your little finger. Several well-known cutlery companies produce these shears in curved and straight-blade models, including Gerber which offers a new item with replaceable blade edges to maintain sharpness.
Guides and outfitters often carry bone saws in their vehicles or large backpacks to ease the work of cleaning and quartering large game animals for transport. Top of the line bone saws are expensive and fairly large to pack. A smaller less costly option will work fine for outdoorsmen who handle only a deer, bear, or moose each fall rather than two or three per day.
After experimenting and trying out several small saws over the years I’ve settled on a Browning folding belt saw with a six-inch locking blade. It works on wood if you’re constructing a makeshift duck blind or deer stand, or just need to clear a shooting lane if you’re bow hunting. I’ve used the saw to cut the ribs and breast bone of deer and moose to clean out the thoracic cavity. Any six- to 10-inch saw blade with fine teeth and a solid locking mechanism will work on bone or wood. Folding models prove safer, fiberglass or plastic handles are lighter and finger grips aid stability even when wet with water or blood. Small, folding saws prove as essential as belt knives on many outdoor endeavors.
Since frontier pioneers explored new territories, a solid belt knife sat on one hip while a handgun rode the opposite hip. The iconic Bowie knife still exists and a few hunters still carry one, but most sports now settle for a smaller four- to six-inch blade with a comfortable handle and sturdy leather belt case. The most notable changes have occurred in blade shapes and handle composites, and individual outdoorsmen need to select their belt knife by most likely use and personal fit.
Trappers will want a different size and shape blade than a fisherman, and campers will favor a very different style knife than a big game hunter. It has to be a hands-on selection process, and chances are one particular belt knife won’t fit every need. I’m not sure whether to be proud or embarrassed to say I have at least a dozen models I’ve collected over the years.
The final option comprises folding knives, both heavy duty belt models as well as smaller pocket varieties. As you might expect I have a couple of each of these as well. Buck knives are world-renowned, readily available, reasonably priced, hold a keen edge and are truly durable. Their model 110 folding Hunter (7.2 oz, 3-3/4-inch blade) has been in its sheath on my belt for 30 years, while the 501 Squire (3 oz, 2-3/4 inches) resides in my back pocket daily. Other proven U.S. made favorites include Case, Shrade, Benchmade, Kershaw and Gerber, and there’s a size, shape, style and price for everyone. And finally, as with most any product you can think of, there’s new technology with outdoor cutlery as well, and I’d be remiss not to bring it to everyone’s attention. My first reaction to the innovation was skepticism, but upon investigation and hands-on experience I became convinced that this is a true boon to every blade-wielding outdoorsman.
The most dangerous piece of cutlery is one with a dull blade! An unbelievable number of people cut themselves badly using dull knives and many more suffer injuries while trying to sharpen a dull blade. The technology experts at Gerber and Havalon came up with replaceable knife blades! The two pioneering cutlery companies now offer several models of outdoor knives that never need to be sharpened. When a blade begins to lose its keen edge, simply select a brand new sharp cutting edge from a set of replacements, snap out the old one and lock the new blade edge in place. It’s fast, efficient, surprisingly simple, moderately priced and your never have to sharpen a blade again or chance an injury due to a dull knife. Check out these replaceable blade knives and all the other edged tools used by avid outdoorsmen at your local sporting goods shop, at the neighborhood Tractor Supply Company store or go online to garner more info. Spring will eventually arrive and with it a full array of cast and blast options for several months where a trusty knife is always a welcome companion.
