EDC Highlight Item ~ Canadian Belt Knife
The Canadian belt knife is quite a small knife, and is as unique and useful as it is odd looking.
The Cold Steel version of this knife is very inexpensive and comes in at roughly 20% of the cost of the ones made in Canada. Its slight boomerang shape is something that you don’t see in traditional knife making but, then again, the Canadian belt knife is a tradition all its own. And for good reason.
There’s a common little saying about the Canadian belt knife. Everyone is an unbeliever until they hold one in their hand. I would have to say that’s true.
I could rob you of the chance to google the Canadian belt knife, but I won’t. I think you will be entertained if you look it up and read about the history of it. I do find it incredible that a company can base most of its revenue on one diminutive product. Especially in the knife making world which is very competitive and pretty back stabby at times. Irony completely intended.
What I will highlight is the slight boomerang shape to the knife. The genius behind this design is simply not apparent until you really start using it, and its value as a food prep knife may be lost on someone who doesn’t do much food prep to begin with.
One of the main things that a food prep blade addresses is how to keep your knuckles from banging into the cutting board whilst chopping and slicing happily away in the kitchen. The most common method is to provide a chef knife shape with a wide blade with the handle up near the spine of the blade. Very conventional and very effective. My Wusthof is a dream chef's knife and I'm by no means comparing the two for heavy duty food prep. It's just that my chef knife isn't the most convenient for a belt knife.
It’s not always practical to have a chef knife dangling on your belt when camping.
This is where the Canadian belt knife amazes. The slight boomerang shape achieves the goal of keeping the skin on your knuckles by keeping the blade on your chopping tasks and your knuckles safe from banging on the cutting board due to the shape of the blade keeping said knuckles clear of the cutting surface as you chop and slice happily away.
I think the Cold Steel version of this belt knife is excellent and great value for the money. The handle is pretty cheap but comfortable, moulded plastic and same goes for the sheath. The steel is a very decent Victorinoxish type of steel best as I can figure.
Give it a whirl if you’re in the market. I think you’ll love it too. Don’t want to offend anyone’s delicate sensibilities but this little knife excels at one of its intended purposes, namely, skinning and processing game.
Have a good one,
Bug