Well at least that's what the new moderator on another popular forum is saying, here is his post,what's your views ?


Overboard with Blade Thickness: Your Mod's Ramblings

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I am always amazed when I see guys attempting to use a heavy duty knife for fine delicate tasks. It is simple geometry that dictates, in part, how a knife will perform. In looking at many traditional knives from cultures unarguably known for their survival skills, it is easy to see a common theme, thin is in. An exception being the Kukhri with it's incredibly thick spine. The machete, for example, is thin stock and has been used for generations all over the world in tropical places. The humble Mora is a staple in many Scandinavian cultures. Even the classic slip joint has it's place in history of proven bushcraft blades here in the Americas. Where are all the traditional thick blades?

Fast forward to today and you'll find the "sharpened pry bars" or the "tactical chisels" in the hands of many aspiring woodsmen and women. At what point in our collective use of knives did we make the shift from thin to thick? Why do we find ourselves obsessed and using knives with overly thick edges and stock to accomplish delicate tasks? These answers will vary and there are many forum members that will insist on certain thickness. Perhaps internet cinder block knife gurus have conditioned us to believe thickness is necessary to survive. This is complete non-sense as true WILDERNESS survival skills will never require you to use a knife as a jackhammer. The thickness issue has been rehashed over and over but recently it has been on my mind so I had to express my views and pose this question.

How thick is thick enough? Is there an ideal thickness for a bush blade? As many of you know, some survival schools use the trusty Mora that is approximately 3/32" thick. This thin stock knife can handle most tasks but lateral stress (batonning through knots) can break a blade. The Wilderness Learning Center, where I teach, uses a Bark River Knife and Tool Fox River that is .170" thick. This thickness can accomplish all we throw at it but some would argue this .170" thickness is too thick. Is 1/8" thickness the pooridge Goldy Locks would have picked? Is .170" or approximately 5/32" that thickness when comparing it to .250" stock knives?

How do we come to a consensus? Is it even possible to come to a consensus or do we just agree to disagree? While I don't know if a single thickness is the perfect thickness, I know it is possible to be too thin and it is definitely possible to be too thick.

Your thoughts?