Best knife for survival ?

Brian Sargent said:
I've been in two survival situations in the back country. One heat stroke and another a torn ligament in the knee. For me and I think like most others, my first thoughts were staying hydrated, sheltered and most importantly, being found/getting out. Not eating, not building traps, not building fancy shelters, no spoons, no bowls and definitely not chopping big logs with a large knife. Survival isn't bushcraft. A nice 3.5" to 4.5" blade will excel at about any task. A small saw is great for a debris shelter. The combo of the two will let you split wood. Add a hatchet and you have a great trio. The tracker will work, I think it might make a sloppy dinning set. The sweet spot is not ideal for chopping and the saw really doesn't saw well. For about $65 you cold get an Eastwing hatchet, a Mora and a Bahco folding saw. You would be far better prepared than having the Tracker and have some extra cash. I could never recommend a poorly designed tool like the Tracker to anyone. Just my opinion.

I wonder what Cody Lundin would say about the Tracker.
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Shelter is usually more important than water. You can get hyper/hypothermia with in three hours depending on the environment. At that point being able to make a shelter and/or fire becomes more important than water. You can live for three days without water.

I did bring this knife to Cody Lundin's Aboriginal Living Skill Course taken @ Yavapai College.

As for survival vs bushcraft I couldn't agree with you more. Hence the Ray Mears inspired bushcraft knife in the 3rd picture I posted earlier. I think it was Tom Brown, Jr. that said "Survival is what you do when you are naked. Camping is what you do with clothes on." I have quite a few bushcraft knives in the 3 3/4" - 4 5/8" range in D2 & S30V with blade thickness from 1/8" - 3/16" all with scandi edges. I also always carry a SAK with a saw blade.

The absolute best knife to have in a survival situation is the one in your hand.
 
You live in Arizona and I in So-Cal. For me in May it can be 100 degrees at 4000' and never approach freezing at night. I sleep under the stars in a 20 degree bag. You are right, environment matters, so for me, in my environment water is king.

What did Cody say about your blade?

Here's a question ... what would you rather have in a survival situation... Your Ray Mears scandi grind and a SAK/saw or the Tracker?
 
Brian Sargent said:
You live in Arizona and I in So-Cal. For me in May it can be 100 degrees at 4000' and never approach freezing at night. I sleep under the stars in a 20 degree bag. You are right, environment matters, so for me, in my environment water is king.

What did Cody say about your blade?

Here's a question ... what would you rather have in a survival situation... Your Ray Mears scandi grind and a SAK/saw or the Tracker?
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Two years ago in Feb. I slipped on a wet rock while crossing a stream. I was wet up to my armpits. Most of the wood was wet, so I batoned a piece of wood to make it into smaller pieces for a fire. I guess this could have been considered a survival situation.

I generally have about three plus knives on me. I have never really though about the question you asked. Right now on my person I have a Charles May 'lil friend scani - 1/8" spine S30V - the blade is just over 3 1/2", a Microtech LCC folder , a SAK, a Brunton Helios Lighter and a scout firesteel. I would prefer to have my Tracker inspired knife, but would not absolutely NEED it. My boot laces are 550.

Cody didn't really say much about it one way or the other. His Mora works for him.

Below is a picture of the biggest knife I have on me at this time.

DSC_0641-1.jpg


lilfriend.jpg
 
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I should clarify that in the previous post I wasn't really trying to prioritize water/shelter/being found. To me they are about equal but that is just me.

One thing that I hear constantly is that your survival knife is the one that you have on you when the sh!t hits the fan.

So most likely for both of us it would be a trio of tools and not a Tracker sized tool.

BTW, you have some nice blades! :thumbup:
 
Brian Sargent said:
I should clarify that in the previous post I wasn't really trying to prioritize water/shelter/being found. To me they are about equal but that is just me.

One thing that I hear constantly is that your survival knife is the one that you have on you when the sh!t hits the fan.

So most likely for both of us it would be a trio of tools and not a Tracker sized tool.

BTW, you have some nice blades! :thumbup:
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I think being able to use what you have on you at the given time is very important. I can get by with whatever I need to, but the a tracker style knife just makes it easier in my opinion.

Thanks for the comments on my blades. Below is another one. It is a Charles May OSK-1 with a scandi edge in S30V. I think the blade is 5/32" thick and 4 5/8" long.

Picture061.jpg
 
OK, I give! You are killing me with the Scandi Charlies! I'm jealous. :p

What does the Tracker make easier?

The saw doesn't saw like a Silky or Bahco ... or other brands for that matter.

It sure doesn't chop like a well ground hatchet or 10" blade from a skilled maker.

I'd much rather have one of those Charlies for "bushcraft" type stuff.

I couldn't imagine trying to use a tracker as a do all.

I have used, not owned one. I'd take that thing to a belt grinder and it wouldn't resemble the same knife afterwards.

I just cant get over the hook in the sweet spot for chopping and the teeth geometry combined with the blade thickness makes a poor saw at best.
 
Brian Sargent said:
What does the Tracker make easier?

It sure doesn't chop like a well ground hatchet or 10" blade from a skilled maker.

I couldn't imagine trying to use a tracker as a do all.

I just cant get over the hook in the sweet spot for chopping and the teeth geometry combined with the blade thickness makes a poor saw at best.
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I would happily take that challenge against any 7" blade with the same weight as mine. 19 1/12 oz.

It has more to do with using the lanyard to choke up on the blade.

The hatchet part on mine is smaller than a production one and it has one hell of a sweet spot.

Below is a picture of my wife's Swamp Oak Scandi

swampoak.jpg
 
Choking up ... or back? Your picture looks like you are using a three finger grip with the lanyard for security. That is dropping the blade so that it presents the front cutting edge to the material being chopped. What does that say about the overall design of the blade? That is a compensation and IMO far from safe ... especially in a survival situation where one is tired, lacking food or water and needs to build a shelter/fire because they are freezing.
 
Brian Sargent said:
Choking up ... or back? Your picture looks like you are using a three finger grip with the lanyard for security.
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You are correct about choking back in the picture. By choking up - having the lanyard around my forearm and my fingers on the top front of the blade it is possible to do fine work with it. I am anal about almost always using a lanyard for security whenever possible - especially with the scandi knives. I have "trained" myself not to try and catch the knife if it comes out of my hand. I do not want to be picking my fingers up off of the ground. One of the best articles I have read on different knife positions is in volume 5 of "Combat & Survival What it takes to fight and win." In that article they talk about a "professional" edge which is commonly referred to as the scandi edge. 1994 was when I learned about the "scandi" / "professional" edge.

Below is my newest scandi knife with a 4 1/8" S30V blade. I bought one for my wife, too.

bb7.jpg
 
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Stitch said:
You are correct about choking back in the picture. By choking up - having the lanyard around my forearm and my fingers on the top front of the blade it is possible to do fine work with it. I am anal about almost always using a lanyard for security whenever possible - especially with the scandi knives. I have "trained" myself not to try and catch the knife if it comes out of my hand. I do not want to be picking my fingers up off of the ground. One of the best articles I have read on different knife positions is in volume 5 of "Combat & Survival What it takes to fight and win." In that article they talk about a "professional" edge which is commonly referred to as the scandi edge. 1994 was when I learned about the "scandi" / "professional" edge.

Below is my newest scandi knife with a 4 1/8" S30V blade.

bb7.jpg
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44 posts, and you are stirring the pot and posting pics of awesome knives..
I like you already!
I am one of the crazy guys that loves the Tracker design, and I thank you for posting the info on the original design!! I like that one MUCH more than the few more recent takes on the design I have owned.
I had a Martin made one, and loved it...but it went to a home that really wanted it.
Now I want one like yours...
I have always liked the "one" knife concept...when I was a teen in the 80's, it was hollow handles...now, for me, its a 7-8" blade, 1/4" thick and a flat grind.
I keep coming back to the Tracker...NOT the TOPS version, which has serious performance issues due to the terrible grind, but some of the cool customs out there.
Now yours looks perfect...I shall make one ASAP.
 
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