Middle Earth Ranger Forum

I'm thinking of going down the sgian-achlais route (not my photos)

ForgeCorvus wrote: ↑Fri Nov 11, 2022 6:20 pm I'm thinking of going down the sgian-achlais route (not my photos)

Hmm. I've never seen an armpit knife. Interesting. I will 100% sweat through and it will rust there. haha.
I think I'll forego the gauntlet knife. Definitely more rogue/assassin and not what I'm going for. Perhaps a small boot knife to give me an option off the belt. At what point do you carry too many knives? On my first trek I carried a seax, large bushcraft knife, my edc multiool, and a tomahawk. I'm working on an updated need wallet/survival kit that will have a morakniv strapped to it, but I intend that to be last resort and not readily accessible. I think a 2-3 inch fixed blade utility knife somewhere off the belt would be good so maybe my boot.

redhandfilms wrote: ↑Fri Nov 11, 2022 9:22 pm At what point do you carry too many knives?

For fighting or travelling?

I once LARPed as a siege- engineer/tunnelrat, the short blades were arranged so I could always reach at least one no matter what position I was in..... That might be a tad excessive though.

I'm planning on the Highland trinity, Sgian-dubh (small eating knife), Sgian-achlais (mid-sized utility knife), Sgian-mhor (big dirk)

redhandfilms wrote: ↑Fri Nov 11, 2022 9:22 pm At what point do you carry too many knives?

I think the perfect number for the fantasy adventurer context is three, you want something big and choppy, like a seax, that can handle processing fire wood (or you can use an axe/hatchet/tomahawk instead), you also want a 4-5'' fixed blade camp knife, to make food prep and intricate tasks easier, then you want a small light weight knife, possibly a folder, hidden somewhere in a pack as a backup

of course I can't really test this theory because where I live I can't carry blades with my kit (annoying legal reasons) so it is just a theory

Iodo wrote: ↑Wed Nov 16, 2022 7:47 am I think the perfect number for the fantasy adventurer context is three, you want something big and choppy, like a seax, that can handle processing fire wood (or you can use an axe/hatchet/tomahawk instead), you also want a 4-5'' fixed blade camp knife, to make food prep and intricate tasks easier, then you want a small light weight knife, possibly a folder, hidden somewhere in a pack as a backup

of course I can't really test this theory because where I live I can't carry blades with my kit (annoying legal reasons) so it is just a theory

What about your sword for combat? Or are you thinking it would be the big and choppy?

As for being limited in the U.K. What about larp knives are they allowed or is there some code against having one that looks like a knife? What do you use for real defense? Keep some crushed red pepper or hot sauce in your pocket? Salt, Sand, extra large finger nail clippers?

ForgeCorvus wrote: ↑Fri Nov 11, 2022 6:20 pm

It looks cool Maybe you can improve on that design. I hope the person in those photos knows he has a major artery right there.

Tom_Ranger wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 2:53 am

Iodo wrote: ↑Wed Nov 16, 2022 7:47 am I think the perfect number for the fantasy adventurer context is three, you want something big and choppy, like a seax, that can handle processing fire wood (or you can use an axe/hatchet/tomahawk instead), you also want a 4-5'' fixed blade camp knife, to make food prep and intricate tasks easier, then you want a small light weight knife, possibly a folder, hidden somewhere in a pack as a backup

of course I can't really test this theory because where I live I can't carry blades with my kit (annoying legal reasons) so it is just a theory

What about your sword for combat? Or are you thinking it would be the big and choppy?

Don't ever use your sword to process fire-wood or as a camp tool. Not unless you wish to ruin the blade beyond repair or at the very least to spend hours upon hours honing it again.

Tom_Ranger wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 3:00 am It looks cool Maybe you can improve on that design. I hope the person in those photos knows he has a major artery right there.

I dare say they do as ForgeCorvus rightly points out that it is a sgian-achlais or "arm-pit dagger" which is a traditional part of Highland dress and folks have been carrying blades there for hundreds of years. Don't fix what ain't broke.

Tom: UK law has no concept of defensive weapons, if you carry it in order to use it as a weapon its illegal.

There are a few ways to carry blades and other tools that could be weapons.... But unless you live in the UK or are planning on trekking here as your persona its not something I need to bore people with in this thread.

Cimrandir wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 3:33 am Don't ever use your sword to process fire-wood or as a camp tool. Not unless you wish to ruin the blade beyond repair or at the very least to spend hours upon hours honing it again.

My point exactly. Iodo left out the weapon, but maybe she intended to use the axe to intimidate the enemy into submission.

Tom_Ranger wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 2:53 am What about your sword for combat? Or are you thinking it would be the big and choppy?

Ahhh... the OP originally said "knives", a sword is an entirely different thing so I didn't think to include it I was mainly contemplating survival and camp tasks instead of combat/monsters etc. however I would imagine my dwarf persona to carry a utility knife, a small backup, a long seax that could be used as a short sword if needed and a mattock for actual combat

Tom_Ranger wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 2:53 am As for being limited in the U.K. What about larp knives are they allowed or is there some code against having one that looks like a knife? What do you use for real defense? Keep some crushed red pepper or hot sauce in your pocket? Salt, Sand, extra large finger nail clippers?

I have carried LARP weapons before, until an incident where armed police got called out because a teenager was out for a walk in a local park with a LARP sword and someone saw and thought it was real, so while not against the law it's best not to tempt fate. and as for the second half of your question, ForgeCorvus has answered perfectly here:

ForgeCorvus wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 7:59 pm Tom: UK law has no concept of defensive weapons, if you carry it in order to use it as a weapon its illegal.

yep, even tactical pens are technically illegal to carry, I don't want to get too off topic here tho...

I dare say at this point this topic should probably be moved over to the Hard Kit section lest redhand's thread about his nice new gauntlets be further de-railed.

Good threads are like Rangers, they wander all over the place but do get back to where they belong.

redhandfilms wrote:I think I'll forego the gauntlet knife. Definitely more rogue/assassin and not what I'm going for. Perhaps a small boot knife to give me an option off the belt. At what point do you carry too many knives? On my first trek I carried a seax, large bushcraft knife, my edc multiool, and a tomahawk.

OK then, is the seax a weapon or a tool?..... For that matter which duty is the tomahawk?

I'm working on an updated need wallet/survival kit that will have a morakniv strapped to it, but I intend that to be last resort and not readily accessible. I think a 2-3 inch fixed blade utility knife somewhere off the belt would be good so maybe my boot.

Meet the Classic Mora. I know the sheath is nasty plastic, but you'll be replacing that anyway

They're cheap, simple and are pretty much all the knife you need for 90% of bushcraft jobs (assuming you're carrying either a saw or a heavy chopper of some kind). Plus this design has been around for the last 1500 years or so.

And to try a wrench this thread back OT...... Any chance you could do that buckles tutorial ?

ForgeCorvus wrote: ↑Sat Nov 19, 2022 5:53 pm Meet the Classic Mora. I know the sheath is nasty plastic, but you'll be replacing that anyway
And to try a wrench this thread back OT...... Any chance you could do that buckles tutorial ?

I have a Classic Mora knife blank that I will be making into a knife with wooden handle and sheath similar to this... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq0phQ91r5I&t=613s
I want a mora knife attached to my need wallet where the blade and handle fit together as on piece.
I got the blank on Amazon for $13. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KS ... UTF8&psc=1
If anyone really want's it, a Mora knife with plastic handle and sheath is only $10. https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Craftli ... C91&sr=8-2
Paying more for less... oh well.


I still plan to do the buckle tutorial at some point. I'm to blame for derailing a gauntlet talk onto knives.

Iodo wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 2:51 pm I have carried LARP weapons before, until an incident where armed police got called out because a teenager was out for a walk in a local park with a LARP sword and someone saw and thought it was real, so while not against the law it's best not to tempt fate. and as for the second half of your question, ForgeCorvus has answered perfectly here:

Hmm. Was that teenager by chance you? Either way, it's too bad. But a magic ring, what if you carry THAT as a weapon?

Tom_Ranger wrote: ↑Tue Nov 22, 2022 2:43 am

Iodo wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 2:51 pm I have carried LARP weapons before, until an incident where armed police got called out because a teenager was out for a walk in a local park with a LARP sword and someone saw and thought it was real...

Hmm. Was that teenager by chance you? Either way, it's too bad. But a magic ring, what if you carry THAT as a weapon?

No, not me. He was testing out some gear during covid when cons and LARP's were banned. When I first heard about it it seemed like a funny scenario (and it kind of is) but honestly it was no joke. The police had pointed loaded weapons at him and said "put the sword on the floor" and he had done as he was told so they were happy, but if for any reason he hadn't he was in a very real danger of getting shot. That and another incident at around the same time where a whole family got arrested for having a bushcraft knife and a children's bow and arrow set in a forest, when they were having a picnic + teaching there children some survival skills made me very nervous of going out in kit for quite a while

I have a magic ring so I guess I'm covered