Travellers knife. What would you bring?

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Knecked

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Travelling through Europe for a while and using terrible 'knives' at my various accomodation has me missing my kit back home ha. I started to think about what knife I would bring if I were to do it over again. Maybe a small gyuto beater and a strop, or a folder of some sort, or just a petty. Just for simple meals and snacks. What would you bring?
 
HHH midtech no doubt. Durable, well made basic blade. That and a cheap folder and i can pretty much do anything.
 
Nothing. They wouldn't let me on a plane with a knife.
 
Party pooper. You just have to put it in check in not carry on luggage.
 
Maybe a couple cheap kiwi knives.
 
If I need/want to pack a knife with me I usually bring Takamura R2 210mm. Light, nimble, good edge retention, good cutter.
Right now, I am 800km from home staying in a cabin and have it with me. I think it's time to get a saya for it.
 
I would bring a folder for fruit, hand held items, a small serrated knife for bread and my Tojiro Pro 180 mm gyuto
 
If going the cheap route, some ideas:

1. For Thaiknives: Kom Kom or Penguin not kiwi :), parings knives especially useful from them
2. Cheap chinese cleaver from the wok shop
3. Cheap old dirty carbon from EBay that you tuneup (<$35??)

But why not just get a spare Tojiro DP??

Use a DMT diafold to keep it up to snuff (or even the bottom of a coffee cup if need be)
 
180 gyuto and 100mm paring knife. If the space is tight I carry custom made 155 bunka by Blenheimforge and 110 Blazen R2 paring. I would only carryba larger knife when I expect to cook a lot, what is rarely the case.
 
@NoodleSoup an area where you don't have the kind of asian grocer that has a shelf full of Kiwi&Kom Kom is probably a food desert anyway :)
 
I have plenty of the low end Kiwi knives around here in Asian grocery stores but I have never seen their high end stuff outside of their catalog, even in Thailand. Not sure why. The "high end" food prep knives I saw on my last trip to Thailand were all Taiwanese.
 
Opinel n°8 and Opinel n°12; carbon steel. But If you go to Europe (especially to France), just buy them when you are there. It will be around 30US$ in total....
 
But you will need a sharpening solution as well, as they use to come with a terrible factory edge. Any small piece of coarse stone will do.
 
zetieum said:
Opinel n°8 and Opinel n°12; carbon steel. But If you go to Europe (especially to France), just buy them when you are there. It will be around 30US$ in total....
Click to expand...

Maybe the n°8 in stainless, nicer for cutting fruit as the carbon is very reactive. Also, I've read that the Opinel stainless (some kind of modded 12C27) is pretty much en par with the carbon and that this has been tested extensively.
 
bennyprofane said:
Maybe the n°8 in stainless, nicer for cutting fruit as the carbon is very reactive. Also, I've read that the Opinel stainless (some kind of modded 12C27) is pretty much en par with the carbon and that this has been tested extensively.
Click to expand...

Bugger! Just ordered a carbon Opinel today. Originally, I went with the Kiwi option because they're cheap and almost disposable at the price. But when I saw the Opinel suggested I had a light bulb moment. Of course, a folding knife! No need for sheaths or sayas and no holes in luggage. Alas, I ordered a carbon before reading your comment about reactivity.
:cry:
Oh well - not an expensive blunder and I've always wanted one anyway. Will just have to give it some extra care. If that doesn't work out, I'll order a stainless as I'll actually be travelling next year.
 
bennyprofane said:
You can put a nice patina on the carbon Opinel for protection:

http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/s...on-good-knives?p=429009&viewfull=1#post429009
Click to expand...

Thanks for that. Though I'm a bit reluctant after reading about zetieum's problems dismantling/reassembling the knife. Even you said it's a bit of hit and miss and I'm not great with tools. However your black patina does look nice so if I need to force a patina, I will try your 70/30 tea to vinegar mix. Just not sure about dismantling the Opinel first - mine being a No 12. Not too concerned - another No 12 in SS is always an easier option (for my skill set).
 
I owe multiple camping knives, including mentioned opinels. But if I am in the place with kitchen, those are not my first choice. Even in the organized camp ground (drive'n camp) a kitchen knive is way to go. Much faster and pleasureful to prep food.
The only time I would not bring one is when I am headed to a "wild". But even then, I might grab a small ss santoku along all the camping knives/tools.
Another time I would not bring a kitchen knife is the Hotel only trip, where I will be eating out all the time.
 
I won't bring any knife, just buy some cheap knife if I really need one
 
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