best survival folder

Torm said:
There really doesn't seem to be any call for such a condescending post towards anyone who chooses to use a fixed blade or who takes responsibility for their own safety.
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Absolutely no condescension intended. This is what I read:

dragonram7 said:
I'm looking for your opinion:
As part of a residency for graduate school, we are headed up into the mountains. After signing all the AD&D waivers, we are allowed to bring one folding knife. No lodges, no cell phone coverage, no Leathermans, no guns, no fixed blades. Animals: bear, mountain lions, wolves, coyote, fox, etc. What is the FOLDER YOU would take and why? I'll be up in the Uintas for a week.
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I saw that the instructors if his graduate class told him specific rules and parameters for this outing. Certainly in my mind, they had a reason for their course content with a specific goal in mind.

In short, what transpired in many posts after that had nothing to do with his graduate work, the professor's course design, or in some cases not even a suggestion of a folder.
Since I would assume he is looking to graduate this part of the course, I would think it would be in his best interest to mind the parameters set out by his college.

Obviously, others think differently and would have him do as they see fit, encouraging him to follow their suggestions to do as they would.

If this was a true survival trip, as I said before, it is quite likely that many of the items banned from the trip might be required. I don't know anything about his college, but I would hope that he is going to a safe camp (it is a scant 8 miles from cell phone service) where the folks there have experience in this particular course and know exactly what they feel he needs. Not what we think he needs. The OP asked a specific question concerning a specific tool, and that question was disregarded by some and the guidelines were derided as nonsense.

All the OP asked about was which folder, not commentary on his college course content or alternatives to a folder that might be recommended by the group.

Robert
 
Actually, the only folder I can think of that would be sure to make it through being beat to hell in the woods would be the Cold Steel Spartan. Nothing about that knife says weak. It will hold up to actual chopping, and could be batoned.
 
If you ever spent time in the woods with thick overbuilt knives like the Adamas then you know they are not a very wise choice. They hurt the hand, don't cut very well, and are just not well suited for the event, generally.

Typically a thin, light and small knife gets more work done in a more efficient manor not causing you to exert yourself more than needed.

I personally like my spyderco delica or a traditional folder.
 
When I got to the forrest, I use a box cutter and wrap tissues around the handle so i don't hurt my hand and i can use it all day because it's light enough. .. and I also take my hand cream with... that's how it's done

Haha. . .
 
There are few things in the woods that one can't do with a Buck 110, a dash of knowledge and a pinch of common sense.
 
A 5 bucks Higonokami + electrical tape and the trick is done, now you have the most secure lock mechanism and most comfortable folder on the planet.:D



 
chambelona59 said:
I have to say/admit, I really was not familiar with The 'Rat' and owned nothing from this company.
But last month after reading some reviews, I decided to purchase a 'Rat II'.... I'm really surprised just how much I like it,
absolutely superb fit, finish, razor sharp out of the box, perfectly even bevels, centered blade.... it literally flies open with just a minimal push
on the thumb stub, I am really amazed that a made in China $27.00 knife could be so good!
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The RAT folders are made in Taiwan.
 
I'd go with my Zero Tolerance 0551 or a similar ZT. The blade is elmax, which is a great tough stainless steel that sharpens up like a carbon stee, and a super strong frame lock. But I agree with some who have stated that the super strong locking mechanism is overemphasized. Bottom line is that you can't use a folder like a fixed blade. But with batoning, etc., I would want a strong lock.

Striders are of course very strong, but I think the bulkiness makes them a less useful knife (but I have not actually used one, just held them).

Benchmade makes that super strong M390 folder, but that has the same bulkiness issue.

Interestingly, I feel like my old school Old Timer cave bear feels like a very strong design and has a great robust 1095 carbon steel blade, which I would much prefer to a stainless blade. If you get one, make sure you get an older one that was made in the USA -- the newer ones have some crappy stainless blade and are probably not as well-made.
 
Spyderco Military. Sounds like fun, good luck.

Edit: I missed the part about why. I would choose this knife because it is large but not a burden to carry, sharp, simple, strong and reliable. Don't pry or dig with it. Use it to cut things. The animals you mention are of no consequence as you will likely not have an interaction with any of those - let alone even a sighting (which would be really cool). If you are worried about them, use your new shiny knife to sharpen a stick and use that instead.

It baffles me why posters cannot just accept the conditions and make a recommendation. :confused:
 
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Torm said:
Fair enough; I read into your post incorrectly. My apologies.
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I appreciate it, but no apology needed. I think we were both just clarifying our thoughts here...


knifenut1013 said:
If you ever spent time in the woods with thick overbuilt knives like the Adamas then you know they are not a very wise choice. They hurt the hand, don't cut very well, and are just not well suited for the event, generally.

Typically a thin, light and small knife gets more work done in a more efficient manor not causing you to exert yourself more than needed.

I personally like my spyderco delica or a traditional folder.
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I don't believe I have ever gone camping, hiking or hunting without a traditional, usually a stockman in my pocket. Gone on too many two day camps and hunting trips to count with just a 4" stockman and never needed a larger knife. Before I started carrying lockbacks and linerlocks for work I never owned one for casual use, but now when I camp/hike/hunt/fish I am more likely to carry a folder clipped to my pocket than to take a sheath knife.

Still... I never go without a traditional in my pocket. I feel naked without it.

Robert
 
I went to blade hq last night. I almost pulled the trigger on the zt 560 carbon fiber. I decided to go with the cold steel spartan. If i ruin it, I wont feel bad due to the price point. II went away from cold steel a number of years ago. I will take it with me in the mountains next week and report back.
 
I can't think of an overall more robust folder than the Cold Steel Spartan, at any price point. It's the ultimate SHTF folder. If you can't carry a fixed blade but feel you need one, carry a Cold Steel Spartan.

YMMV

Precision
 
I'd go with the Benchmade Adamas. It has a thick D2 blade and a beefied up axis lock. IMO one of the strongest production folders out there, beast of a knife
 
The BM 275 Adamas was another consideration. I liked everything about it. I picked up the 940 and Contego a few weeks ago. I went with the Tri-Ad lock because I haven't had any experience with it. I have heard it is a great system, so I thought I'd give it a try. I called CS the other day. I asked for their recommendations. I expected them to pick the most expensive. They recommended the Spartan over the Rajah 2.
 
I've been on outings that had lists like the one for the OP. I found I was the only one that actually followed the rules. I would take what I thought I needed, but keep it put away for emergencies. Unless you are being searched having a fire starter, some water purifier tabs, etc. shouldn't be a problem. After working as a cop, and a correctional officer I can say even if I was to be searched I could probably get what I wanted in. No, I'm not talking about "suitcasing" it either for those of you that think like that. :)

Hiding things is very easy. Much easier than most think.



Heck, even in the army we had to look out for ourselves while out in the field, on training exercises or at schools. Our gear was often searched then too. After doing it a few times I find nothing further worthwhile to learn by starving, dehydrating, or getting hypothermic. Much less to learn from getting repeated doses of strange gastro loving amoebas and other vermin.
 
dragonram7 said:
I decided to go with the cold steel spartan. If i ruin it, I wont feel bad due to the price point. II went away from cold steel a number of years ago. I will take it with me in the mountains next week and report back.
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Please come back and post to this thread as I have it marked as others obviously do.

I would be interested to see what you think of the CS Spartan. I was looking for another heavy duty work knife for my construction job, and a maker here on the forum suggested that I look into the CS American Lawman. He had one, and had apparently purchased it with low expectations, but a $55 bucks he was willing to try it. He loved it.

I took the plunge based on his advice. This knife is very lightweight, the locking mechanism is beyond strong (would easily place it with my best Kai products and ZT) and the G10 handles are extremely grippy. The blade is hollow ground which makes it easy to sharpen into a wicked slicer (although it came sharp, just not sharp enough for me). The grip of the G10 makes the knife easy to hang onto when using the knife with work gloves on or in my sweaty palms.

The blade is coated, which I don't like, but not enough to remove the coating at this point. The AUS8 blade put me off, but not after using it. CS says they heat treat and condition their blade steel differently, and I believe it. This doesn't hold up as well as a super premium steel, but it holds and edge very well and is easy to sharpen.

Without that strong recommendation of the maker, I wouldn't have given CS a second look. But I am really glad I did. This is one of the sturdiest knives I own.

Love to hear your thoughts with actual camp use.

Robert
 
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