A knife is a universal tool, of endless uses for camping, fishing, foraging, outdoor cooking, do-it-yourself repairs and outdoor life.
While many travellers have reasons to use a knife, many countries and venues regulate carrying of blades.
Types of knives[edit]
| “ | A kitchen without a knife is not a kitchen. | ” |
—Masaharu Morimoto, also known as "Iron Chef" | ||
- Multi-tools such as the Swiss Army Knife are useful. However, if you lose your knife, you lose your whole toolbox! Multi-tools are mostly toys, be sure to bring a proper one if you depend on it (such as the real Swiss Army Knife).
- A survival knife is a simple, sturdy general-purpose knife. Every camper should have one. The ones marketed as survival knives are often not up to the task, with the knife itself clumsy and add-ons that (if needed) should be replaced with proper tools.
- A pocket knife is a light-weight option.
- A Stanley knife has a retractable blade.
- A kitchen knife is useful for self-catering. Typically part of the equipment of a travel trailer.
While travelling in populated areas, the knife is mostly a convenience, allowing you to make slices of your bread etc. But every hunter or fisherman knows the importance of a good knife, and for the wilderness the knife is the one essential tool: with a good knife an expert can make fire, lodging, transport and anything else needed.
Locations famous for knives[edit]
Though knives are made and used all around the world, some places are famous for knife-making.
- Switzerland, known for the Swiss Army knife, made by Victorinox AG.
- Japan, which carries on a millennia-long tradition of fine metalworking.
- Mora (Sweden), known for the Mora knife; a simple general-purpose knife.
- Finland, from where the Mora knife tradition originated
- Kauhava, with the Iisakki Järvenpää factory and museum
- Solingen, Germany has a knife-making tradition dating back centuries and still produces highly regarded (but expensive) knives to this day
- Sheffield, England's "steel city" makes cutlery and other knives
- Kinmen (Taiwan), known for its cleavers that were historically made from steel delivered to the island by Chinese artillery fire
- Taal (Philippines) for flick-open knives, illegal in some countries
Regulation[edit]
In many countries, unauthorized knife-carrying is criminalized. Even in countries where knife-carrying is not a crime, some restaurants and other venues prohibit knives. Venues in high-crime areas, as well as vulnerable institutions (banks, nightclubs, embassies, etc) might require guests to pass through a metal detector.
In some places a pocket knife with a blade shorter than a designated length (the palm of your hand is usually as long as it gets) may be allowed, where other knives are not.
When flying pack any knives into your check-in baggage as carrying a knife into the cabin is strictly prohibited.
Officially, knives of any kind are prohibited on trains in China, but in practice packing a very small pocket knife for peeling fruit etc usually is not an issue.
Carrying a blade for self-defense is not recommended. Just like other weapons, a knife is more likely to raise the stakes and cause more damage than it prevents.