A tough hypothetical

[Kyp Degal]

First off I want to say I really like Kyp's custom Ranger! How long is that blade - 5" (?) - How about overall? - Sweet - I might have to get me one of those sometime

Thanks, James. It's 9 1/4" overall, with a 4 3/4" blade, 4" cutting edge, 3/16" thick. After using it awhile, I've discovered that this is pretty much ideal for the way my hands are made. Man I love this knife!

Edited to add: I edited my original post as well, added another picture.

 

[James Green Dragon]

Sweet! Thanks for the extra pics - looks like quite the handful!!!

I have heard nothing but good things about Ranger knives. Two of my current favorite production kinves are the BJ Grunt & CS SRK. - If you mated the two, that AUCK is about what you would get... With a superior heat treat to either one no doubt :thumbup: :thumbup:

Could it be the perfect knife? Does such a thing truly exist?!?

 

[Zombie Zeke]

I'll go with the Spyderco Manix CE its easy to live with and has a helluva blade, plus its happy to ride in your pocket or cut the head off a mountain lion.

 

[SkunkWerX]

Kyp, forgot to ask, and I think I read it a while back, what steel is your AUCK made of? No problem with the "custom" part, I'm glad you put it in the mix, it would certainly make a good production knife.

Also , I find it interesting that there are a lot of similarities in knives chosen. Lots of fixed blades in the 3.5" to 6" range mostly, a few 7" fixed, but nothing much larger. I think the Busse Razor was about as large as it got at the 7" length.

Thought process:
I didn't choose a larger knife, because for the next 10 years, with life being normal, I couldn't see EDC-ing a 7" plus knife to work, and around town.
The stipulation about not being able to use various multi-bladed folders quickly nixxed the SAKs.

I think this thread also quailfies as "What makes a good Bushcraft knife?" or
"What makes a good survival knife?"

Maybe for true long-term Wilderness survival the size choices would go UP a little, but probably would still be similar to what we see here.

Great Thread. An eye opener.

 

[pit man]

Mine would have to be this,not my favourite by a long stretch but it's the only one I use vitually every day and is built like a tank !!!

 

[SkunkWerX]

Pit? You gonna leave us hangin like that?

OA length? blade thickness? steel? brand?

That's a nice one!

 

[pit man]

Pit? You gonna leave us hangin like that?

OA length? blade thickness? steel? brand?

That's a nice one!

Sorry SkunkWerx,it's a British Army D-Type Survival Knife.It is high Carbon steel but I'm not sure exactly what sort only that it is very hard !
It is just over 1/4" thick,full tang,7" Blade and just over 12" overall !!!
And it was made by Rodgers of Sheffield,England.
Hope that helps !

 

[SkunkWerX]

Sorry SkunkWerx,it's a British Army D-Type Survival Knife.It is high Carbon steel but I'm not sure exactly what sort only that it is very hard !
It is just over 1/4" thick,full tang,7" Blade and just over 12" overall !!!
And it was made by Rodgers of Sheffield,England.
Hope that helps !

Cool, I wondered what it said on the blade.

I love the no-nonsense straight forward profile.

 

[gkruty]

Although I love so many knives, yo get back to the gist of the question....
No Customs, No "one offs"...

my Buck 560 would be it.


I am not even a Buck Guy.....

 

[Kyp Degal]

Sweet! Thanks for the extra pics - looks like quite the handful!!!

I have heard nothing but good things about Ranger knives. Two of my current favorite production kinves are the BJ Grunt & CS SRK. - If you mated the two, that AUCK is about what you would get... With a superior heat treat to either one no doubt :thumbup: :thumbup:

Could it be the perfect knife? Does such a thing truly exist?!?

Yup, Ranger's are great, and Justin is a real pleasure to deal with. I'm not sure if it would be the perfect knife for everybody, but I must say it sure comes awful close for me. Today I went for a walk in our woods, and just to see how it would do, I chopped the top two thirds off of a small pine tree, (about 1 1/2" - 2" in diameter) then using part of the top half as a baton, split the remaining (maybe 3 feet tall) section in half while still standing. Then I batoned through the trunk much lower, proceeding to separate the two foot or so long section into two sections, one of which I then used as a better baton to rough out the shape for a spoon in the other piece, after notching it in the appropriate places with my SAK saw. All with the AUCK.

So now all that is left is to burn out the bowl of the spoon, and I'll have myself a nice, long-handled wooden spoon. Anyhow, the AUCK performed perfectly, just as it should, and comfortably as well. I know that it wasn't really all that much of a test, but nevertheless, it did great at it!

* * * * *​

Kyp, forgot to ask, and I think I read it a while back, what steel is your AUCK made of? No problem with the "custom" part, I'm glad you put it in the mix, it would certainly make a good production knife.

It's 5160, same as the RD line, I just really like the steel and especially Justin's heat treat. And thanks. :thumbup:

Also , I find it interesting that there are a lot of similarities in knives chosen. Lots of fixed blades in the 3.5" to 6" range mostly, a few 7" fixed, but nothing much larger. I think the Busse Razor was about as large as it got at the 7" length.

Thought process:
I didn't choose a larger knife, because for the next 10 years, with life being normal, I couldn't see EDC-ing a 7" plus knife to work, and around town.
The stipulation about not being able to use various multi-bladed folders quickly nixxed the SAKs.

I had the same exact thought process. While for some things the Ranger RD7 might do better, I have to have a blade on me at all times that I'm dressed, or I just feel nekkid. I remember hearing that saying when I was younger, and thinking that it was funny, but now I see that it is 100% true. I usually transfer my Spyderco Native from my pants pocket to my lounge-around-the-house pants pocket as soon as I put them on at night, even.

I think this thread also quailfies as "What makes a good Bushcraft knife?" or
"What makes a good survival knife?"

Indeed, this is true. I'm fond of the frame of mind that a true survival knife is whichever knife you're carrying when the survival situation arises, and I'm pretty darn confident that if I was thrust into a 'situation' with my AUCK on me, along with, of course, a method of starting fire, which I always have with me anyway (Though people tend to look at you funny when you carry a lighter and don't smoke. It seems that sheeple think that if you carry a lighter and don't smoke, you must be either crazy, a pyromaniac, or a crazy pyromaniac.), I'd be alright.

Maybe for true long-term Wilderness survival the size choices would go UP a little, but probably would still be similar to what we see here.

While I'd be really tempted to go with my RD7 for long-term wilderness survival, as I said above, a true survival knife is what's with you at the pivotal moment.

Great Thread. An eye opener.

Sure enough! I'm loving this thread. Lot's of good ideas and opinions here, as always on this board.

 

[Grappler1911]

Wow,tough call.
10 years and only ONE knife?
I have a lot of tools in the tool box.
Crawford Kasper is out as you said no customs.
Well living in South Florida my main needs are defensive and mundane.
As a believer in always being armed with both firearms and a good blade.
I'd have to choose my Cuda Maxx.
Balancing the need to conceal with lethality and weight.
Long enough to reach the bottom of the peanut butter jar.
Thin enough to cut a loaf of bread.

 

[Brad Greulich]

I would have to go for the S1 as well, great knife all around (i just have to get one first )

 

[Buddiiee]

probaly a tak1 or a laminated wood handle, carbon steel marbles gamegetter.

 

[Helle]

If the world would let me edc it I'd take my Swamp Rat, Ratweiler, but since it's hypothetical so I say OK.

I haven't buttered bread with it yet but I'm sure it's up to the task.

Hmm, that could be my final edge touch up, butter stropping on whole grain toast with honey crystals, multitasking at it's finest.

Helle

 

[upnorth]

I think that the only knife that I own that is tough enough to hack 10 years of rough play, other than some skanky bayonets, would be my Becker Brute. It doesnt feel so big in my hand anymore. But its still big and tough enough.

 

[GibsonFan]

Yeah, the eye candy caught me and I couldn't resist.

Different strokes and all that but the day I pay 450 dollars for a knife, and a plane jane knife at that, is the same day that I hit the powerball. Yes sir, better show me some ivory and gold for $450.00. But never mind me, I am a southern Applachian hillbilly that thinks a pocket knife and an Old Hickory is all I need.

I'm with ya man, for $450 I can replace ALL my most-used, favorite knives and have money left for dinner. Of course, everytime I get some OT I'm tempted to order up a custom bowie Regardless, that BRKT NorthStar is a gorgeous, graceful, usable-looking knife.

Naturally, I don't like the idea of just one knife. If I did, why would I spend so much time reading and posting here? ONE knife for TEN years is a tall order.

Having said all that, my current choice is my CS Master Hunter in CarbonV. I love my satin CarbonV TrailMaster, and I'm tall/heavy enough to conceal and carry it comfortably (IWB) but c'mon, I don't need that big a knife to open boxes, fix dinner or clean a fish!

I could happily carry my Becker Necker (1095) or Frost clipper (12c27 stainless), both are fan-damn-tastic, easy to carry/sharpen/use, wicked sharp, versatile and nearly bullet-proof knives for EDC in town or the woods.. But the MH has that extra bit of thickness and length that makes me feel better, just in case I want to baton my way through some wood. Not to mention self-defense. (I'm not a particularly violent guy and have never had to (or had time to) pull a knife in a fight, but if I ever did, I want more blade, not less.) The handle is really comfortable for me, the sheath works quite well, it only cost me $45, and it has cut everything I asked it to without a hiccup. It's easy to maintain a scary edge on it. Yes, I have sliced meat, cheese and veggies with it just fine, it tends to pull away from you some when you slice like that due to the thickness of the blade, but not too bad at all. Better than my TrailMaster in everyday use, no doubt about it.

If I include production knives I don't yet own, I think those Fallkniven S1/F1/A1 types (I forget exactly which is which at the moment, they're all pretty cool) are a cut above my Master Hunter in overall quality, from what I've read. But I'm not complaining.

Hmm, that could be my final edge touch up, butter stropping on whole grain toast with honey crystals, multitasking at it's finest.Helle

Heh!

 

[diceman]

It'd either be my Ontario RAT5 w/ linen grips, or my blued Ranger RD7 - tough choice. The only "custom" work done on these was done by myself - so they're still good to go as "production" knives. For general use, I'd go w/ RAT5 - If I knew I'd be outdoors a whole lot, I'd go w/ the RD7:

 

[GibsonFan]

diceman, it was a toin-coss when I ordered my Master Hunter, either that or the Rat-5. I chose the MH because I already had a TrailMaster and Rifleman's hawk, so they kind of match. Pretty sure I would be just as happy with the Rat.

 

[diceman]

GibsonFan - I've got one of each RAT other than the TAK - they're a nice happy family! I swapped the grips from my RAT7 D2 w/ my RAT 5 because I like the linen vs. the canvas on a smaller blade. I've also got a number of CS blades, but have really gotten in to RAT/Ranger recently, and have a Scrapyard on the way!

 

[GibsonFan]

Yeah, believe me, if I had a couple extra hundred bucks laying around, I would order that whole Rat series and check 'em out. Look like smart designs to me.