Recommendation? Best Survival Knife

[BAMA1ST]

Well Bama1st it looks like you win, nice collection and I'm sure a lot of time and $$ invested rounding them all up. Congrats, Hey if you want I do offer a free of charge testing of saw teeth survival knives, you know to see how they hold up to some hard use.

LOL Nah... That's ok!! But Thank ya though!

 

[GREENJACKET]

I'm just putting up a thread: "best fantasy survival knife".

 

[ThePeacent]

In response to those who quoted me, I thought we were talking (as discussed in page 2) as a blade you always have on your person capable enough to bring you to your cabin/home/vehicle where you have proper long-term survival tools (axe, saw, water purifiers, food and gear, etc.) safe and alive.

That, to me, means it has to be completely unobtrusive and never uncomfortable to carry (sitting on a car, walking around town, at work, even during the trip to the closest store), while allowing you to:

- Cut seatbelts, rope, fibers, plastics
- Pry open crates, reasonably sized doors and closed drawers
- Be nimble, lightweight, quick and secure in the hand, not hurting it with or without gloves
- Have a safe, sturdy and reliable sheath
- Be long and shaped appropriately for intimidation, defensive use against people/animals
- Be impervious or very resistant to the elements, abuse, falls, hits and climate
- Not chip, crack, split or shatter under use, heavy cutting or bending

And I think the Aqua Salt fits all of those, while the serrations remain a minor drawback as in the time you're needing to get to your "safe/better place" you won't need to resharpen them, be it that a few hours or a couple days at most.
Just my opinion, of course.

 

[Steve6387]

...I really don't need to cut anything more than 3" to build a shelter, make a fire, or build something. I don't need to carry much "knife" and too much is energy lost when carrying. I'm not a believer of the "one tool option", and pretty anti the way its pushed by some as a good idea. Its not...

+1 . I have a couple of large knives but they are for screwing around in thew woods, vehicle based camping, and yard work... and because I really like having a couple of large knives. But I don't need them for back-country travel / survival and neither do any of you. I am not trying to argue personal preference, mind you. Carry what you want and enjoy. I also realize some peoples' definitions of a "survival" scenario and it's likelihood differ. But it doesn't take a lot of knife to get to some dry tinder to start a fire. It takes very little fire to keep warm and provide comfort with the right shelter. It takes very little knife to cut some twine to secure said tarp / shelter.
Although, on my last multi-day backpacking trip I did take my Becker fixed blade.

 

[DocJD]

We that post or even just lurk here on BF.C mostly love knives ( or are in the business of) . We may be a tad too eager to believe that a knife is all important . Survival is really a "weakest link " process . E.g.: If you need a certain drug or medical procedure to stay alive , than that's your greatest potential failure point .

Different environments require their own special survival strategy . A hot desert demands protection from hyperthermia , dehydration , UV etc . In contrast , with a swamp , marine environment , or flood plain , water may be your biggest hazard .

I'm more guilty than most at overemphasizing my knife ,flashlight , and gun goodies at the expense of the more tedious survival factors .

 

[BAMA1ST]

We that post or even just lurk here on BF.C mostly love knives ( or are in the business of) . We may be a tad too eager to believe that a knife is all important . Survival is really a "weakest link " process . E.g.: If you need a certain drug or medical procedure to stay alive , than that's your greatest potential failure point .

Different environments require their own special survival strategy . A hot desert demands protection from hyperthermia , dehydration , UV etc . In contrast , with a swamp , marine environment , or flood plain , water may be your biggest hazard .

I'm more guilty than most at overemphasizing my knife ,flashlight , and gun goodies at the expense of the more tedious survival factors .

Well Said Doc!!! Very well said and very well Explained!!

 

[deltablade]

A Cold Steel Recon scout in O1, or an SRK, would a nice replacement for your Randall 14,
as would the Fallkniven NL3 Njord, or the NL4, and they are at different ends of the price spectrum. .

 

[sfrigon1]

A Cold Steel Recon scout in O1, or an SRK, would a nice replacement for your Randall 14,
as would the Fallkniven NL3 Njord, or the NL4, and they are at different ends of the price spectrum. .

I love my nl4 as much as a person could love a knife

 

[Thomas Linton]

In response to those who quoted me, I thought we were talking (as discussed in page 2) as a blade you always have on your person capable enough to bring you to your cabin/home/vehicle where you have proper long-term survival tools (axe, saw, water purifiers, food and gear, etc.) safe and alive.

That, to me, means it has to be completely unobtrusive and never uncomfortable to carry (sitting on a car, walking around town, at work, even during the trip to the closest store), while allowing you to:

- Cut seatbelts, rope, fibers, plastics
- Pry open crates, reasonably sized doors and closed drawers
- Be nimble, lightweight, quick and secure in the hand, not hurting it with or without gloves
- Have a safe, sturdy and reliable sheath
- Be long and shaped appropriately for intimidation, defensive use against people/animals
- Be impervious or very resistant to the elements, abuse, falls, hits and climate
- Not chip, crack, split or shatter under use, heavy cutting or bending

I was with you until you started prying doors open. Very few, and very thick, knives are actual sharpened pry bars. I have some that can do that, but they flunk the nimble and unobtrusive tests ("What is that 1/2" 2 lb. thing I'm carrying? Why it's an HI Ankola.") while pretty good on intimidation and cutting arms off.

I know. Compact Light Saber.

 

[Dr Rez]

+1 . I have a couple of large knives but they are for screwing around in thew woods, vehicle based camping, and yard work... and because I really like having a couple of large knives. But I don't need them for back-country travel / survival and neither do any of you. I am not trying to argue personal preference, mind you. Carry what you want and enjoy. I also realize some peoples' definitions of a "survival" scenario and it's likelihood differ. But it doesn't take a lot of knife to get to some dry tinder to start a fire. It takes very little fire to keep warm and provide comfort with the right shelter. It takes very little knife to cut some twine to secure said tarp / shelter.
Although, on my last multi-day backpacking trip I did take my Becker fixed blade.

Which Becker is this?

 

[Aleous]

If you want a tough survival knife I would suggest something in 3V such as the Cold Steel 3V SRK or AK47 Field knife.

Or if you can afford it and have the patience for the wait a 3V GSO 5.1 or 6 from Survive!Knives.

 

[Uncle Timbo]

I tried to paste a link but it no work. I'll try again another time. Sorry for now.

 

[DocJD]

In response to those who quoted me, I thought we were talking (as discussed in page 2) as a blade you always have on your person capable enough to bring you to your cabin/home/vehicle where you have proper long-term survival tools (axe, saw, water purifiers, food and gear, etc.) safe and alive.

That, to me, means it has to be completely unobtrusive and never uncomfortable to carry (sitting on a car, walking around town, at work, even during the trip to the closest store), while allowing you to:

- Cut seatbelts, rope, fibers, plastics
- Pry open crates, reasonably sized doors and closed drawers
- Be nimble, lightweight, quick and secure in the hand, not hurting it with or without gloves
- Have a safe, sturdy and reliable sheath
- Be long and shaped appropriately for intimidation, defensive use against people/animals
- Be impervious or very resistant to the elements, abuse, falls, hits and climate
- Not chip, crack, split or shatter under use, heavy cutting or bending

And I think the Aqua Salt fits all of those, while the serrations remain a minor drawback as in the time you're needing to get to your "safe/better place" you won't need to resharpen them, be it that a few hours or a couple days at most.
Just my opinion, of course.

Hey Peacent ! I didn't mean to question your recommendation . You have much more experience in hard using the Spyderco serrations than I do . I've seen your photos .

The only Spydie SE that I currently own are a Police Model folder and the (discontinued) full size Warrior in H1 . Neither have been subjected to really hard use . The Warrior might make a decent survival knife in a salt water or other highly corrosive environment . Socially awkward to EDC most places .

 

[Steve6387]

Which Becker is this?

It's a Bk23. That and the Jarosz rambler are fun little knives to have around, toss in a gym bag.... Whatever

 

[sfrigon1]

And the best hiking boots if your car breaks down are the house slippers you were wearing.

Besides even if this silly aphorism was true, and it's not, it would spoil all the fun of discussing/testing/researching what's a better knife.

The tools you have access to when you need them are the tools you have access to. So chose wisely.


Next week, "One is none and two is one." (So two is none.)

Uhhh, who drives in there slippers ? Not i

 

[strategy9]

For Aron Ralston, the (only) best survival knife was a cheap multitool.

The manufacturer of the tool was never named, but Ralston said "it was not a Leatherman but what you'd get if you bought a $15 flashlight and got a free multi use tool."

He used that knife (in the most extreme way) and because of it, he survived...

 

[ridnovir]

Hmm..

 

[Andrew124c41]

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Here are just a Handful of my knife collection:

Handmade Knives by: Hibben, Wood, Neeley, Sanders, Matton, Schiller, Martin, Clifford...

More photos to come and more knives coming...Including Beautiful Vaughn Keeley handmade set of FIRST BLOOD, RAMBO MISSION, And Gents Folder...And a 2nd FIRST BLOOD knife by Andy Wood... His #03 recreation of #03 of the first 13 FIRST BLOOD movie knives that Jimmy Lile made and was used in the movie, FIRST BLOOD...Recreated by Andy Wood and 100%.Accurate!!!

The problem here is the psychological condition of cognitive dissonance and the resulting delay which in a survival condition could kill you. Given this array of hardware, should a threatening decision pose itself, "my, my which knife to choose?" Choose one, and there will be the sudden second guessing of one's own decision, "perhaps I should choose, the other one." During that period of indecision, one could be neutralized by the threat.

In all seriousness, that is quite a collection.

A certain Movie comes to mind.

However, not the one you would think!

 

[Andrew124c41]

In response to those who quoted me, I thought we were talking (as discussed in page 2) as a blade you always have on your person capable enough to bring you to your cabin/home/vehicle where you have proper long-term survival tools (axe, saw, water purifiers, food and gear, etc.) safe and alive.

That, to me, means it has to be completely unobtrusive and never uncomfortable to carry (sitting on a car, walking around town, at work, even during the trip to the closest store), while allowing you to:

- Cut seatbelts, rope, fibers, plastics
- Pry open crates, reasonably sized doors and closed drawers
- Be nimble, lightweight, quick and secure in the hand, not hurting it with or without gloves
- Have a safe, sturdy and reliable sheath
- Be long and shaped appropriately for intimidation, defensive use against people/animals
- Be impervious or very resistant to the elements, abuse, falls, hits and climate
- Not chip, crack, split or shatter under use, heavy cutting or bending

And I think the Aqua Salt fits all of those, while the serrations remain a minor drawback as in the time you're needing to get to your "safe/better place" you won't need to resharpen them, be it that a few hours or a couple days at most.
Just my opinion, of course.

Just to be clear, I did not define what I mean by a "survival" knife. I mean of course, one of such size and proportion as you describe which is not consistent with the EDC knife I carry. My daily travels can take me into DC, suburban MD, or northern Virginia, places where walking around with a large knife upon my person would be frowned upon by the local constabulary.

So, yes, camp knife. survival knife, military tactical knife...that sort of thing. I do not believe one knife can serve all purposes.

 

[Andrew124c41]

We that post or even just lurk here on BF.C mostly love knives ( or are in the business of) . We may be a tad too eager to believe that a knife is all important . Survival is really a "weakest link " process . E.g.: If you need a certain drug or medical procedure to stay alive , than that's your greatest potential failure point .

Different environments require their own special survival strategy . A hot desert demands protection from hyperthermia , dehydration , UV etc . In contrast , with a swamp , marine environment , or flood plain , water may be your biggest hazard .

I'm more guilty than most at overemphasizing my knife ,flashlight , and gun goodies at the expense of the more tedious survival factors .

Certainly in modern life the checklist of survival items is not short.

What happens if the Internet is shut down? Banks close? No food in the Supermarkets?