The knife of the mushroom picker: the rules of choice and features of use

Any intervention in the natural ecosystem leaves a painful mark. Nowadays, in conditions of a difficult environmental situation, every little thing is important, so all kinds of hiking in the forest should not bring the slightest harm to the environment. This fully applies to the fans of "quiet hunting" - mushroom pickers. One should never forget that the mycelium responsible for the further growth of fungi is a living organism, not a factory.

Collecting mushrooms, you need to carefully cut off only edible and not touch all the rest (inedible, overgrown, wormy), in order to preserve the mycelium to the maximum. There are mushrooms that grow densely in families (milk mushrooms, honey agaric, boletus). The expression "mushrooms - scythe" just about such mushrooms.

In the forest, the knife will need not only to cut mushrooms. They can be planted with a wood spear from a branch and agitating the foliage, not bending down each time, looking for mushrooms. With a knife it is easy to organize a fire to warm up or cook food, open canned food, chop bread if a long hike is planned. An extreme situation can happen - even an experienced person, who often went on a mushroom hunt, can wander into an unfamiliar forest and get lost. In such situations, the knife is simply irreplaceable.

Not for nothing among the hunters goes the expression: "In the forest it is better to lose a gun than a knife."

Mushroom pickers say: which knife to choose - answer yourself this question yourself. There are no universal recommendations. Someone would prefer a compact folding tool, someone would like a more brutal product with a fixed blade. Real mushroom pickers are responsible for choosing a knife and know what to look for in the first place:

• manufacturing material - stainless steel, this will ensure minimal maintenance of the product;
• comfortable grip from moisture resistant material (thick rubber, wood, special types of polymers);
• narrow blade (in the butt area optimally 2 cm);
• good blade sharpeningIn the functionality of the keyword - cut (not cut);
• blade length 7 - 10 cm (preferably);
• when choosing a model with a brush in the handle the nap should be tough.

In addition, it is worth thinking about security. It should be understood that a sharp knife is not a toy, but a dangerous edged weapon. Stop the choice better on the knife with a slightly rounded tip of the blade - this will reduce the risk of accidental injury. When choosing a knife with a fixed blade should not be neglected scabbard.

Coloring the grip is also important. It is better to choose a bright option, as mushroom pickers often lose knives. The probability of finding a brightly colored object in thick grass is much higher. Not in last place and the cost of products. The loss of knives is a “professional disease” of mushroom pickers, which makes it a choice not only to look at the price when choosing.

Among mushroom pickers, the prevailing view is that folding knives are less convenient when you need to carry a basket for mushrooms in one hand, and the other to fold and fold the mushroom knife. It is much easier to use a product with a fixed blade. It is easy to remove and re-sheathe.

Nowadays you can find mushroom knives of the most diverse assortment for every taste and budget in retail chains. There is no universal design. Developers tend to take into account various subtleties.There are models with a fixed or folding blade, with a straight or curved blade, with a different shape of the handle.

In the manufacturers' lines there are models with a special tassel, mounted in the heel of the handle or on the side, which will allow you to quickly shake off small debris from the mushroom cap. Far from every Russian mushroom picker, having cut the mushroom, will begin to sweep the sticky mote off of it, but there are people who will want to bring home a basket of mushrooms in a more presentable way.

Of foreign manufacturers, it is worth noting the French company Opinel and the Swedish company Mora. Their models of mushroom knives are compact, weigh little and have a convenient shape. Both Opinel and Mora use laminated Sandvik steel to make blades. A significant disadvantage is the high price of the products of these companies. Not all fans of “quiet hunting” can afford to buy a tool for 20-30 euros.

Products of Russian manufacturers are characterized by reliability and durability. Knife "Russian Bulat" can confidently be called a business card. It differs from European models in its simplicity and brutality of decoration, it can have a characteristic pattern on the blade. The blade is made of Damascus steel or steel 9HS, has high strength and resistance to external influences.

Russian Bulat parameters: total length 23 cm, blade length 11.3 cm, blade thickness 0.24 - 0.34 cm. The wooden handle is made of birch bark, famous for its ergonomic shape, due to which it “flows” into the palm. This knife can be used when performing many chores, and not just go with him for mushrooms. Often, to the question “why did you choose this knife?” Buyers answer “for everything”.

Another option for the Russian Bulat company knife is the small mushroom picker. This is a miniature model, the total length of only 20.5 cm, the length of the blade 9.2 cm. It has a high-quality blade of increased strength (hardness indicator 60-64 units).

Quiet hunting carries peace-loving promises. Under the silence of the silent forest, in which the melodious sounds of bird voices are heard occasionally, it is easy to relax and indulge in relaxation, and even bring home the forest gifts of nature to prepare a delicious dinner. It is only necessary to know very well the types of edible mushrooms and to remember that even one poisonous mushroom can cause a very sad outcome. The permanent rule is not to put the mushroom in the basket with the slightest doubt.

True connoisseurs of such a wonderful hobby, like mushroom hunting, know that pulling out a mushroom from a mycelium is comparable to damage to the arteries of a person. Anyone who loves and preserves native nature will never begin to destroy it by "barbaric raids."

About what knife to choose to collect mushrooms, see the following video.