Anza Knives for Survival

Colt6731

Colt6731

Joined
Jan 8, 2002
Messages
1,277
I was looking at the Anza knives lineup and their Bodington Hunter, Ranger, and Tracker look like good tuff wilderness blades. File steel blades, blued finish, with micarta scales. Pretty much low tech and simple sheaths but the prices are decent.

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with these models and have used them for any WS tasks?

I'm currently deployed to Iraq with the US Army. My kit blades here are a Strider VB and a Strider EB-T. Priced as the Anzas' are, I was thinking of getting a Ranger and Bodington sent over here and try them out.
 
I used to have an Anza but ended up selling it off. It was a cool blade by I wasn't happy with the handle construction and the entire blade was a bit too flexible for my liking. It performed well in the kitchen, but I never really put it to use outside as it was never really my cup of tea.

I liked it a lot at first, but, as I got different knives, stopped liking it as much.

I must say this was a an OLDER Anza and, from the looks of the knives on the site, this have changed a lot in his shop. I talked to the owner a few times after I bought mine and he was always a pleasure to work with and very responsive to phone calls and emails.

By no means am I an experienced knife reviewer so don't take my word as law on Anzas.

Stay safe bro!
 
I think that Anza's could be good for survival; it just depends on what you as the user requires and likes. I mean, people tout and love all kinds of knives for survival, from Mora and Opinel and up to way expensive from there. In other words, I think any knife can be a survival knife if that is what you actually use it for. You really need to evaluate what you are looking for in a knife, like design, type of steel, etc. I have handled Anza knives. I really like the high carbon steel, but parts of their design just aren't right for me. Generally, I haven't found one that they make in which I like the handle shape or blade design, or any combination thereof. That being said, if someone laid those three models on a table and said I could only choose one of them before I walked into the woods alone, I'd choose the Boddington.

And thanks for your service my friend!! Stay safe.
 
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I had a chance to use an Anza Boddington Tactical a few years ago in a pass around, It was a sturdy blade that would be great as a basic camp/survival knife. I wouldn't have had any qualms hitting the woods with one.

ANZA.JPG


This link is in Polish but they have some great pics there. You can get a good idea of the stoutness of the blade.
 
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handled an anza ata store ince and the edge was prett poor in my opinion. could have just been that one though.
 
If you hang around the shop talk forum the topic of using files for knife steel comes up often. As A knife maker, If you know the composition of the steel you are using you can make a decent knife. American made files in general can make quite a good knife. But there is nothing magical about them having been a file in a former life. An American made file is normally of a steel composition similar to W1 or W2, the big farriers rasps are similar to 1095 in composition.
If you are a hobbyist and happen to have an old file you want to make a knife out of then by all means have at it. However, it cost me about $00.70 for enough W1 steel to make a decent knife, a new file cost me close to $12.00.
I find it very curious that a company could come up with the volume of files that Said company is using at that cost when new steel of known composition is available at a better cost.

At a recent event I met a vendor for Anza knives who calmed to be one of there knife makers. He even showed me the mark that was supposed to be his mark on the knives at his table. During our conversation I discovered that this fellow had no idea what W1, W2, 1095, or for that mater any other blade steel was. He also didn't have a clew if the files were American made or not. That doesn't mean Anza knives are not any good, it only means that I was talking to an idiot.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=567597
 
bikermikearchery said:
during our conversation i discovered that this fellow had no idea what w1, w2, 1095, or for that mater any other blade steel was. He also didn't have a clew if the files were american made or not. That doesn't mean anza knives are not any good, it only means that i was talking to an idiot.
Click to expand...

roflmao!!
 
I have a dozen or so Anza knives picked up over the past few years.

A couple of them have semi-flexible 1095 blades; those are my least favorite.
(But good knives nonetheless, especially for the money.)

The others - made from files - are all high quality knives.
Excellent fit and finish with sharp edges. A few arrived with edges that were very sharp. Stout blades.
A couple have Micarta scales and the rest are multicolored diamondwood.

I've bought all of these knives from one particular seller on eBay who claims to have some special relationship with the Anza company.
(Whether true or not, I don't know.)

But the knives have performed very well.

If I have one issue with them it would be the handle construction.
I've never had a problem with any - and never heard of any problems.
But I don't know what Anza is using to secure the handles (expoxy, I guess.)
None of them have any pins.
 
Can someone post a link to any Boddington Tactical Hunter reviews here on BF? I dont have search capability and my MWR computer time is limited. Anyone take a look at the Anza Tracker model or have any comments on this knife?
 
The only problem I see with Anza knives is that they may tend to rust, but I don't think they will have any problems in Iraq unless you are going to be in the marshes or the coastline. I like my Anzas, they are simple workhorse blades.

If you are going to carry one, I'd suggest that you get a new sheath as the one that comes with it is too loose for deployment carry. Either leather with a strap, or molded kydex for a secure hold.
 
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