Can anyone recommend a really good survival knife and a tactical knife that are both highly resistant to corrosion?

Status
Not open for further replies.
jayjaygee said:
A You Tuber reviewed it a while back as a bushcraft and outdoor survival knife and it did well. Surprisingly well, at least to me. Batoning, feather sticks, all that stuff. I think the one knife might do all the things OP is after. But like I said I haven't used it, just remember when it first came out and remember that review.

(There is a larger one (maybe just SOG Seal and no pup) that I might be confusing with the pup?)

I have this on my list of knives to buy if I ever get a boat. It's listed as my "survival knife, littoral" as in, I'd keep it stowed in my floatation bag in case I need to abandon ship gilligan it for a bit.
Click to expand...
The SEAL2000 was the larger 7inch version of the 4.75in Seal Pup, It was discontinued in 2005 and replaced with the SEAL TEAM/ST Elite. Those have also been discontinued. The Seal Pup and SP Elite are the only ones remaining in production,
I have owned the SEAL2000 and still use a Seal Pup. They are good knives for a wet environment.
 
Heffeb said:
Sorry, I had to go back to work, but I did say earlier that I decided upon the Cold Steel SRK and SOG pup. I like those options, and I think they will work out fine for me. Thanks.
Click to expand...
The Aus6 Seal Pup that was made in Seki Japan until 2005 was highly regarded. It was replaced with the Taiwan made version that used Aus8. I still have and use this knife, However, in 2017 SOG started manufacture of the Seal Pup in China, I would very strongly recommend avoiding these, They have poorer serrations compared to the Taiwan versions, and the metal sheath snap has been replaced with a plastic one. There seems to be both Taiwan(old) and China(newer) stock out there so I would recommend verifying first before buying. Another alternative is the SOG Seal Pup Elite which is still (AFIK) made in Taiwan.
I also had a Seal Pup Elite and I liked it a lot as it is built slightly heavier than the standard pup. Just need to get use to the jimping all along the spine.
Photo: Top is Taiwan, below is China.
t9wJwv.jpg


The SRK is also an excellent knife, and along with the SOG Seal Pup are one of the two knives known to be/have been issued for US Navy BUDS training, ie; Navy Seals. As mentioned by jlauffer jlauffer the Aus8 (Japan) and the VG1 core San Mai III (Japan) would have met your requirement. They can still be found sometimes used or on the bay.
But the curret San Mai VG10 core SRK (Taiwan) would meet your needs and is available.

Having owned and used both knives, I found the SRK was larger, had more weight and heft. But the Seal Pup had the serrations which are very useful in cuttng wet rope or thin whippy soft material.

There are many many other knives out there that will work. But these two probably come closest to what you are looking for at the lowest prices.
 
Last edited:
adluginb said:
14C28N is a great steel! it is cheaper than a lot of super steels but it is also a lot better than a lot of super steels. It just gets a bad rap as a cheaper steel which it is. Tougher than Magnacut and the resistance is almost the same.
Click to expand...
+1 for the rust resistance. I stuck my Mora pro in this steel in a glass of extremely salty water I made and it was unharmed
 
Ontario woodsman in 420hc for survival knife and or cold steel outdoorsman San mai for tactical, even the lite will serve you well. Great designs and won’t break the budget
 
not2sharp said:
I don’t understand the concern over rust on a using blade. The light amount of staining That you would see over a couple of days can be easily wiped off.

n2s
Click to expand...
I agree. I spent years in Latin America and almost every blade in use by locals in the fields and on the beaches and boats were simple carbon steel. One would think Kabars, bayonets, and machete’s just rusted into dust piles in the jungles in they way some people talk. I am a huge fan of MagnaCut, but frequently carry non-stainless fixed blades in lousy conditions.
 
adluginb said:
A lot of cheaper options in 14C28N also.
Click to expand...

Heffeb said:
I never cut on quality and performance with lifesaving tools, but saving money helps!
Click to expand...

I'm a big fan of 14C28N. As others have said, it is one of the toughest stainless blade steels. It has excellent corrosion resistance. Edge retention is decent. While the total edge life is closer to AUS-8, I feel that the quality of the edge is better over the course of that life. It is also one of the friendlier steels to sharpen.

Price is another benefit. I haven't tried the Joker knives mentioned above but I've seen them in the ballpark of $100. If you want to spend more than $150, you might just skip production knives altogether. I'd recommend checking out the fixed blade section of the KnifeMaker's Market here on the Knife Exchange. You might also reach out to David Mary David Mary .

BTW, one of my favorite budget fixed blades in 14C28N is the Ruike Jager. The beautifully stonewashed blade is just shy of 4.5" and the handle is more comfortable than it looks. The sheath is only okay but it comes with an excellent belt attachment that lets you quickly change orientation with a locking tab. You can find these at dealers for like $70-80. Here is a picture of mine. (LMK if you'd like to see pics of stuff I've picked up from makers on the exchange, including David.)

DSC00712.JPG
 
KenHash said:
However, in 2017 SOG started manufacture of the Seal Pup in China, I would very strongly recommend avoiding these, They have poorer serrations compared to the Taiwan versions, and the metal sheath snap has been replaced with a plastic one. There seems to be both Taiwan(old) and China(newer) stock out there so I would recommend verifying first before buying. Another alternative is the SOG Seal Pup Elite which is still (AFIK) made in Taiwan.
Click to expand...
Good info. Isn't 2017 around when the Elite model showed up? I almost think they just kept the Taiwan plants operational, labeled them "Elite" and made a lower-tier Chinese version that was given the regular name. Just speculating, but it "feels" true.

So many great knives being suggested that I hadn't seen before, I wonder how OP feels about the options.
 
KenHash said:
Aus10
Click to expand...

Since the OP wanted high corrosion resistance, the recommendations for AUS-8 have been puzzling. While AUS-8 is stainless and its resistance isn't terrible, it is mediocre and I've seen it rust.

AUS-10 is just AUS-8 with more carbon. While that helps it to hold a better edge, it hurts a little on corrosion resistance. My experience with AUS-10 is limited and while it at least seems more stainless than D2, I wouldn't recommend it here.

I know everyone has different circumstances and preventative maintenance can go a long way, but spending time in high humidity and having corrosive sweat makes resistance important to me. The way I see it, corrosion resistance is a hedge. As the hedge gets higher, the need for care or the chance of spotting gets lower. At S35VN levels, I can carry a fixed blade with satin finish IWB during the worst parts of summer without issue. Although I generally don't, I can largely neglect steels like 9Cr18Mov, 14C28N, and BD1N without consequence.
 
Chronovore said:
I'm a big fan of 14C28N. As others have said, it is one of the toughest stainless blade steels. It has excellent corrosion resistance. Edge retention is decent. While the total edge life is closer to AUS-8, I feel that the quality of the edge is better over the course of that life. It is also one of the friendlier steels to sharpen.

Price is another benefit. I haven't tried the Joker knives mentioned above but I've seen them in the ballpark of $100. If you want to spend more than $150, you might just skip production knives altogether. I'd recommend checking out the fixed blade section of the KnifeMaker's Market here on the Knife Exchange. You might also reach out to David Mary David Mary .

BTW, one of my favorite budget fixed blades in 14C28N is the Ruike Jager. The beautifully stonewashed blade is just shy of 4.5" and the handle is more comfortable than it looks. The sheath is only okay but it comes with an excellent belt attachment that lets you quickly change orientation with a locking tab. You can find these at dealers for like $70-80. Here is a picture of mine. (LMK if you'd like to see pics of stuff I've picked up from makers on the exchange, including David.)

View attachment 2453027
Click to expand...

Ive got this Ruike Jager also and money for money this is the best value and quality knife I have out of all my brands. Including some big name brands!
 
Spillproof said:
Oil is cheaper than a new knife.
Definitely cheaper than two new knives.

There are lots of folks who work in the woods without Magnacut.
Click to expand...
It depends what you are doing. I live in a rainforest by the ocean. And we have cyclones. So massive rain, high humidity, high heat.

And I have knives that will get wet. And just stay wet all day.

And if I could afford magnacut. I absolutely would.
 
Mora garberg with polymer sheath (easy to clean and dry, it’s not tightly wrapped around blade = less prone to rust). Whip a wrist lanyard for the handle and use grinder to add stabby tip for the tacticool sentry assassinations.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top