bushcrafter or survival knife... if you only had one?

[stabman]

Just ordered my own SXB. Heading north end of the week to break it in ��

I think you'll like it.
It ships with a FAR better edge and grind angle than the Tracker does.
Had to reprofile the hell out of my Tracker, whereas with the SXB I was able to just start using it.

Stabman, would you chose the SXB over the Junglas if you could only have one?

Tough call.
They both dig in about the same with chopping, and both cut rather well near the handle.
I might give the nod to the Junglas, but that's because I have used it for 10 hours straight before with no issues; I will have to get a chance to do something that insane with the SXB before I can tell for sure.

Both of them will cut green, whippy vegetation (long enough to get the requisite speed), but the Junglas does do better at that.
So I guess if you have a need for cutting whippy vegetation machete-style, the Junglas will do a better job at that.
Of course, if you need to do much machete work, a full-sized machete would be a better choice.

The sheath is nicer on the Junglas, I will say that. The SXB sheath works fine, but the Junglas one is pretty great.

 

[GREENJACKET]

Thanks for that.

I generally don't wear gloves unless working through hawthorn or bramble as I work too hot. Its got to be stupid cold temp wise. Getting hands toughened takes a few weeks and they take even less time to soften. In thick overgrowth then a blade with some real reach is a real plus.

 

[InfidelShootist]

I have been making and using knives for over 25 years and have only gotten into the bushcraft size/style in the last couple years as it's a pretty popular style and since I'm in the woods a lot with my job it seemed like a natural fit. Here's the rub... when I have to pick one knife to take with me, I still end up taking a slightly larger knife (more in the 10" OAL) range, with a full flat or convex grind over scandi as I find it more useful for making more things, but I thought maybe it was just me. So last year I gave one of the survival experts that comes to my unit to teach wilderness survival a knife to evaluate as an unbiased outside subject matter expert, and when I met with him yesterday he had the same critiques I do in favour of a larger "survival" type size in favour of the smaller bushcraft knife as it can chop easier and support more weight when needed as a step or to pull you up a steep incline or whatnot. All that to say is what do most of you prefer and why?

thanks

IMO all knives are a compromise. Our ancestors survived using chipped stones.

My idea of a survival knife is something useful if my head ended up in the mouth of a predator but still useful for filleting fish,cutting rope or making shelter.

So my pick of the hundred of so knives I have would be a John Greco Bowie. 8670 steel. Sharpened swedge. Almost double edged. Just under 9 inch blade but pretty thin and light.

Why the bowie and not a Kukuri or parang,machete or bolo? The point and sharp swedge.

I actually had a Doberman that had me face down by the neck once. You’re almost helpless. Even armed.

My #2 of what I own would be my Kabar Ek model 4. That steel Kabar uses takes a great edge. Is easy to sharpen. For a dagger it slices extremely well. The handles are very tough. For utility like Davy Crockett believed. You have two sharp edges.

I’d never have just one knife. I sleep with one on my neck. The only 100% answer to a rear naked choke.