Best Survival knife

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....Way too expensive for a single knife.
For that price you get both, Cold Steel SRK and Recon Tanto in CPM-3V.
Or get a Kukri and smaller knife.
Or get a custom made knife...
I lean that way too. But, if you buy multiple knives that are similar, you might just as well get the one you really want regardless. Sometimes I wish I only had three knives. Not often however. Doesn't matter if I can only use one at a time if you like blades.

I understand carrying a preferred knife in the woods whether you are doing a long hike, just woods bumming or doing day hikes. Taking along a knife you are comfortable with is just part of it. I am more likely to face a survival situation out in the middle of no where due to a vehicle breakdown than I am to get in trouble hiking. So, I keep some larger knives inside my vehicle "just in case", but seldom ever carry them any distance unless it's necessary. Same applies to multi-tools.
 
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I recommend a good multi-tool (like the Leatherman Super Tool or Wave) as a survival knife.
There are very few places where you will not encounter the scraps of humanity.
Aluminum cans, bottles, metal items, barbed wire, fishing line, plastic items, etc...

A good multi-tool can help you modify those things in to useful survival items.
 
That's kinda shocking to me, but they probs plan to use weapons and ammo to steal other people's stuff...

You are correct. They do plan to take your stuff. If not them, there are government policies to take your stuff by force under martial law.

Then there are a few that have firearms just to protect their families. Many times those people will stock enough food to take care of their neighbors.

I have one friend that stockpiled enough wheat to last his family a year. About 1500 pounds. The last time we spoke about it, I think he was between 3000 to 5000 lbs.
The idea was to share with his neighbors.

Should get exciting in the upcoming years.

I don’t have much to take or give away.
 
The "best" "survival knife" is the one(s) you have with you when a "survival" situation arises.
Obviously, this event usually takes place when not planned on or expected.

Therefore, whatever your EDC is, may well be the "best" "survival knife" ... presuming you didn't leave home without it.

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Sometimes I wish I only had three knives.
Well I actually do have only three knives, large one, medium sized one and small one... and yes, it's quite simple for me, and it is actually satisfying to use the hell out of knives you have.
They do plan to take your stuff. If not them, there are government policies to take your stuff by force under martial law.
Well joke's on them because they can't take my stuff since I don't have any :D
I don’t have much to take or give away.
Same here, I probably wouldn't last very long, but I don't really care about it anyways.
 
This knife...
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Combined with this object and you got yourself a nice minimalist survival kit..
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If you dont want to drink it you can always
throw it at some aggressive apex predator
that wants to eat you for lunch.
 
You said your choice is between a Fallkniven A1x and the Crusader so I will stick to those two brands and models. I have a Fallkniven A1 in VG-10 and a Bark River Crusader in 3V. They are both great knives.

When you say "survival" knife I think of being lost in the wilderness and having to do bushcraft like making fire and shelter without a camp ax or saw. IMO a larger knife will serve you better because it can do important tasks, like chopping, that a smaller, lighter knife cannot do as well. Large knives, if well designed like the Crusader, can do delicate work too, using the heel of the blade (see attached pics - previously posted). My Crusader chopped through some western dogwood (nearly as hard as mesquite) better than my Swamp Rat Battle Rat, my RTAK II, and my Estwing Camper's Ax. Yes, it's heavy compared to the Fallkniven (I prefer the feel of the A1 and A1 Pro over the A1x btw). But it's versatile and I don't consider an 8.5" blade unwieldy.

If you're not envisioning chopping, then the Fallkniven A1 is perfectly suitable. Tough as nails and reliable.

My answer to you is to get the Crusader and also carry a $17 Mora Companion (4.5 oz. with sheath) if you feel that you can't do small tasks with an 8.5 inch knife.


Crusader Chop.jpg Turned Mushrooms.jpg
 
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The definition of a survival knife obviously varies due to the environment it's used in and the user's needs, knowledge, and skill. I can't know for sure what tools I'd need in a survival and/or emergency situation, since there are so many different possibilities and scenarios, but a knife would most likely be at or near the top of my list. When things are no longer normal I want a knife I can fully trust to do all I need it to do. Comfort and convenience are nice but I don't base my decisions on this when buying tools that my life and safety, or others, may depend on. I don't consider a few extra ounces to be "too heavy" or a few extra inches to be "too big" for a knife that may possibly be used in a survival or emergency situation.

For me, a survival knife is a very high quality, tough knife that can do everything from chopping wood to more delicate tasks such as game and food prep. I have found the best blade length for this to be around 10", with a 1/4" spine. A well-defined finger choil is a necessity, IMO, making a big knife much more versatile. I also love the Resiprene C handles on some of the Busse and kin (Swamp Rat and Scrap Yard) knives, which help cushion the shocks of chopping and have more grip when wet, again IMO.

Since knives are so important in the wilderness, I also usually carry a 4.5" fixed blade for smaller tasks and redundancy. High quality multi-tools are great, too, but I don't use them in place of fixed blade knives.

I disagree with some of the advice in this thread, but there is good info here, too. I think Twindog's post (6) is especially relevant in the real world.
 
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Well I actually do have only three knives, large one, medium sized one and small one... and yes, it's quite simple for me, and it is actually satisfying to use the hell out of knives you have...

Now I am curious, what three knives do you have and why them?

@GatorMedic is down to only three and I really am impressed with her reasoning. I would have done things a little differently than she did but it is still an impressive set of kit and her reasoning is very sound and logical.
 
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I will echo what many others have said. The best survival knife is one you won't mind carrying. When I started hiking and camping I thought the best knife would be the one that afforded me the most options. I went with a Tops Tahoma Field Knife because it was big enough to do any amount of batoning, chopping, big knife shenanigans, and it had a choil which would let me choke up on the blade if I needed to be more precise. Now don't get me wrong, the Tahoma Field Knife is an excellent knife and did everything I wanted it to, but I found it was just too big to hike with and that I could do everything I needed to do with a knife with smaller knives. I swapped the Tahoma Field Knife out for an ESEE 6 as my camp knife and a SOG Seal Pup as my hiking knife. As I've done more hiking the Seal Pup has been joined by a Benchmade Adamas fixed blade and a Hinderer FXM.

Now, both the Bark River Bravo Crusader and the Fallkniven A1X are great knives, and I have no doubt they will do everything you need them to do and may even outlive you, but they are also exceptionally large for a survival knife. Large knives can be quite useful in certain situations. For example, if you're planning on spending an extended amount of time out in the bush and want to take only one tool, and that tool is not an axe or hatchet, a large knife has a lot of advantages. But for most of your everyday survival camping chores a 3"-6" knife actually does just about everything you need it to.

Edited because I realized I never answered the question. I would recommend an ESEE 6 or a RAT 7. There's nothing I've needed to do outdoors that these knives couldn't do that wouldn't be much better done with an axe.
 
My thoughts on a "survival" knife.

A good pocket knife about 3 to 4 inches in blade length that is always on your person , it does not much matter which brand it is , they will all work , an Opinel could be a starting point.

If you go out with a backpack:-
A Mora or similar fixed blade.
A small Hatchet like the Gerber Back-Pax (it punches WAY above its weight class).
A lightweight folding saw.
A Multi-Tool could be useful.

Other survival items like a small pot , water bottle , spare clothing , etc..

This is for starters.

:D

Cheers.
 
Now I am curious, what three knives do you have and why them?

@GatorMedic is down to only three and I really am impressed with her reasoning. I would have done things a little differently than she did but it is still an impressive set of kit and her reasoning is very sound and logical.
I'm glad you asked.

First knife is Recon Tanto in SK-5 steel, I used it as my work knife at first while I was working at construction site. I really liked the tanto point, I often used it to scrape or pry things with it, I would even use it on my lunch now and then, or to punch holes through sheet of plastic, or just unpack things.
Latley I use it mainly in my yard, as a chopper for bushes, brushes and to trim smaller branches on my trees. Occassionally I chopped pork ribs with it.

Second knife is Drop Forged Hunter in 52100 steel. I like it because entire knife is one chunk of metal, so it's very solid. Handle is fairly thin, but still comfortable, and the knife itself is easy to conceal, and I carried it as my EDC during winter.
Blade is fairly thick, but I most often used it on sandwiches, not apples or stuff like that, so it's fine. I also used it to fix some things with it, 52100 appears to have excellent edge retention and is very tough too, so I don't hesitate to beat stuff with it.

Third knife is Boker GoBag in D2 steel. I was indecisive about it so my friends bought it for me as a gift. It's my current EDC, good edge retention, good slicer, small but comfy handle, and it's lightweight and easy to conceal. I use it to cut strings, food, zip ties, nylon wraps and for similar smaller tasks. It's thickness and handle design also make it viable option even for self defense. It's my EDC for warmer weather.
 
Third knife is Boker GoBag in D2 steel. I was indecisive about it so my friends bought it for me as a gift. It's my current EDC.

Many years ago I saw an article on defensive knives in a gun or blade magazine. The crux of this discussion was which alloy was the best for "survival." As you can guess, every hobbyist had a favorite, complicated foreign metal that few average guys ever handled.

However, the final winner(s) were mundane blends of iron and/or some element of carbon steel. The writers accepted the concept that such knives would quickly lose their cosmetic finish but cut and slice longer than anything else.

As I was writing this I checked my knife drawer--only to find that most of my folders were crafted from AUS8 and 154CM...the same blends popular +20 years ago.
 
First, Welcome!

I really like my A1 and would recommend it highly. Mine holds an edge great and I love how easy VG10 is to resharpen. I need to put a disclaimer in though, I have owned several since the first one I bought and Fallknivens heat treat can differ knife to knife.

I have owned several bark river knives as well but never used a large one. I found that the fit and finish can be a little rough on bark rivers but they make good user blades. I especially like the Aurora.

Good luck!
 
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