Bushcraft vs. survival

Yes, Charlie, it does help. Thanks. Survival is not my gig, so I never would have thought of knives in this way. Now I understand better.
 
B34NS said:
Better question, what kind of knife would you like to have?! How thick is the stock?
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I'm no Rambo or Ninja, so I don't need anything too aggressive. Mostly, I'm just experimenting with making different kinds of knives, having recently gotten into the hobby. The steel stock I have is .200. On another thread the posters suggested that such thick steel would be good for survival or combat knives.
 
marcinek said:
Nobody understands the difference. They are meaningless marketing terms invented to draw in people with misunderstandings about how knives are actually used they vhabve gotten from movies, video games, and "survival" "reality" shows.

Forget about them. Especially if you are making a knife. Design it to do the job it is supposed to do. :thumbup:
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This is spot on. Much of the joy in making your own knife is to create your design. Forget labels & typical designs, make the knife you dream of holding.
 
Sprayman said:
I'm no Rambo or Ninja, so I don't need anything too aggressive. Mostly, I'm just experimenting with making different kinds of knives, having recently gotten into the hobby. The steel stock I have is .200. On another thread the posters suggested that such thick steel would be good for survival or combat knives.
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Sounds like a fun project! Hopefully we'll get to see the finished product?!

I was more looking for types of grinds, clip point, drop, spear? What kind of heat treat?

The only real survival knife is the one you have on you right now. The "thickness" thing was more a marketing trend for sharpened prybars. .200 is thick, but not so thick you couldn't make a beast of a blade. Forget survival, bushcraft, how about
Cow chopper?
 
smith357 said:
To me "survival knife" is a term coined buy the military for multi use air crash tool that is cheap and deadly. A bushcraft knife is more for us old guys who like to fart around in the woods.
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marcinek said:
Nobody understands the difference. They are meaningless marketing terms invented to draw in people with misunderstandings about how knives are actually used they vhabve gotten from movies, video games, and "survival" "reality" shows.

Forget about them. Especially if you are making a knife. Design it to do the job it is supposed to do. :thumbup:
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:) Like Marcinek's answer.

Most people have spoken of a survival knife in the military meaning like smith357 and that's right I guess. Another definition might be a knife which fits in a survival kit well and is still versatile.

I got my first Mercator "Cat" from Field and Stream as a kid. They had an ad for them for years as a "German survival kit knife" because of the thin profile. 'Course I'm so old they didn't teach History in school yet when I was a kid.

So yeah, make a knife which suits you. And be sure to show us your handiwork when you're done.
 
TravisH said:
And KILL.

To me, that's the main difference - self-defense. A "survival" knife must also possess a 'fighting' component that dictates blade design and weight.
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That is a good point. Kill what? I suspect Rambo would agree with you.

I also agree that the terms "survivial and bushcraft" are mostly marketing terms to prod you to buy another knife thinking it is actually better when none/few of us need either a survival or bushcraft knife at all. But, ya know, you just never know what tomorrow brings and we have to be prepared. Can't depend on UPS to save your butt when it needs saving.
 
I've always thought the "survival" knife is what you have with you when something bad & unexpected happens.
For me it's going to be what I have in my pocket and what's in my car kit. The car kit has a Busse TGLB and a Swamp Rat Sniper Hawk.
 
Bushcraft: to practise woodcrafting skills in the woods with no danger for your life.
Survival: trying to survive in a emergency situation.

A bushcraft knife has a traditional pattern; saber scandi ground, O1 or other carbon steel,spear point, wooden handle, handle allowing the different bushcraft grips, mostly about 4 inch blade.
A survival knife is mostly bigger and stronger to deal with all situations; bushcrafting, skinning, food preparation,...
A survival knife has no pattern, it could have any shape.

To give an idea a bushcraft and a survival knife from the same company.
The survival knife is much ticker: 6mm

p1010680-copy-copy.jpg
 
In a mega city a survival knife could have a whole different meaning/ purpose ;)
 
I'm neither a survivalist nor a bushcrafter per se, but I enjoy camping and hiking and just being in the forest. I tend to pick knives that I like, that are suited to my pursuits, and that are within my budget. I usually use a multi blade system, which works for me. I take a BK 9, or a hawk, or a hatchet strapped to my pack, a 4-6" knife on my belt, and a good folder in my pocket. I've never needed or wanted for anything else when in the forest. Could I perform bushcraft tasks with this combo? Sure. Could I survive if necessary? Sure. I don't care if people think I'm Joe Bushcrafter or a Rambo wannabe. I use what I think I'll need and what I enjoy using. After all this is MY fun and relaxation. I love my BK 9, my Fiddleback Forge Duke, and my Tops Tex Creek XL. I also get a lot of use from my Condor Kephart and my GEC Bullnose. Use what you like!
Nightflyer
 
One of my bushcraft (and other wise) heroes in John the Baptist. He lived his life in the desert, preaching the Word of God, and preparing for the coming of Messiah. I'm a Bible college student so role with me here! I don't think that he used a huge knife with 20 features. He didn't have 5.11 pants, or super shelters, or freeze dried food. He lived clothed in hides, eating bugs, honey, and whatever he could find in the wilderness, probably living in caves and bush shelters made with sticks and stones. But he was happy to do it because he had a purpose. I often use him as an example for what is really needed for wilderness living.
 
Marketing terms meant to widen the appeal of the product the term is attached to, thus increasing the potential for sales.
 
I thought survival knives had to have a hollow handle with fishing line n' junk inside! :confused:
 
B34NS said:
Sounds like a fun project! Hopefully we'll get to see the finished product?!

I was more looking for types of grinds, clip point, drop, spear? What kind of heat treat?

The only real survival knife is the one you have on you right now. The "thickness" thing was more a marketing trend for sharpened prybars. .200 is thick, but not so thick you couldn't make a beast of a blade. Forget survival, bushcraft, how about
Cow chopper?
Click to expand...

I haven't decided on the point. I'll probably give it a Scandi grind. I'll heat treat it in lump charcoal--I have a Big Green Egg smoker that works great as a forge. Before I do all this, though, I want to finish a few other knives I have going. I've been practicing on some old saw blades, which I realize aren't ideal, but are good to use until I'm ready to cut into the quality steel. Even making a bad knife is fun :thumbup:
 
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