Choosing Fixed Survival Knife.

[Survival Solutions]

BUSSE is the real deal, but I find that most of their knives are sold out on the website. Then you have the people that hurry to buy them up, then turn around and try to flip them at double the price. BUSSE makes nice stuff, but its not easy to get ahold of. Don't even get me started on Survive Knives LOL, I've been trying to get a knife from them for 3 years to no avail.

 

[GREENJACKET]

Bought a couple of GSO's a few years back, I like them. Haven't been able to match being in funds and availability since for one of their bigger offerings. The 3.5 is almost a pocket blade, and the 4.1 just about perfect for a practical belt sheath knife around the farmstead. For survival one size or two up, yes probably just because it would give more pry and edge power?

Busse and the trade in them has a world of its own.

Fallkniven certainly are solid choices. Cold Steel SRK is too. In truth there is something for every pocket. Think the question should be how much knife are you prepared to carry? A multitool might be better for some people though some are pretty weighty now.
Lots of permutations, so it really is personal choice. I just say take a punt on something, get out there and learn some skills, and then only you can tell if you made a good choice. Think we have all upgraded or changed something as our experience has grown.

Last comment: do buy second hand as there are a lot of BNIB good knives to be had, or "lightly used". These knives get some use so don't stay new for long. Save yourself a few bucks as once heavy used their value will crash. The value is in their use from then on, not how shiny they are.

 

[PatrickKnight]

I tried just about every production knife in the 5 inch range before I found out they all had something I didn't like about them. Went with a custom and couldn't be happier. You can have custom knife made exactly how you want it for less than some of the production knives mentioned here. Heck you can likely have a custom commissioned and delivered before you even get a Survive that you preordered 2 years ago.

 

[GREENJACKET]

Quite true, but you have to have faith in the custom maker to craft your knife with some luck built in. If the maker does that then its a winner. One reason to buy a custom is to buy into the ethos of the maker. Its something you do when buying into a major manufacturers marketing and hype, but with a custom maker its far more personal. You are investing in a relationship, not just a tool.
Here a Harry Boden, English maker from the 1980's; its not a survival but a hunting sheath knife. Would do at a pinch:

Great knives to be had of every ilk. There is a hobby in it all, why we are here.

A Skrama and Ben Orford Eben snedding parang:

And learn how to use them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU-2j1eOLoU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=133Ts86T-R8

 

[skyhorse]

I would really recommend you look into something stainless like the Fallknivens, especially if you are using them often. I've found Carbon steels all wear away very rapidly on re-sharpening, losing a large amount of edge height and thus changing in geometry rapidly... This does mean they are easier to re-sharpen, but with diamond hones this is no longer that much of a real factor.

To me the current obsession with carbon steels for rugged "survival" knives is a fad based on falsehoods (great for manufacturers btw: Fast wear means cheap steel and longer lasting belts). They get to sell a good quality but second-rate low-cost product as if it was optimized premium stuff: Who would not want that? This is pretty much like selling 10 year old computers on the basis of "simplicity" and "ruggedness"... Only in the knife industry is this working on a large scale...


Gaston

Lol, carbon steel knives are more than a fad imho.
http://www.knowyourknives.com/stainless-steel-blade-history/

 

[Knife 'em]

The Ontario Rat 7 is a good survival knife to have.

 

[adudeuknow]

some would say it is too much knife and in some instances it is but i don't hit the woods other than hunting fairly near home without my esee junglas.

that thing has had me in firewood in mere seconds. spent 3 days(unplanned) in the dense northern Maine forest and that thing made life a lot better.

for those wondering, i was hiking and looking for mature deer sign and continued to do so and had about 12 inches of snow dumped on me while doing so and without the use of a GPS, got a little off my path. LOL

 

[Pilot1]

I'll take a shot at this even though I'm sure you already bought a knife. Go get yourself a Fallkniven A1 or a Fallkniven A1 Pro considering how rich you are and call it a day. Both knives are laminated, super tough, and well thought out. Many of the best survivalist in the world will tell you that its hard to knock the Fallkniven A1. If you want something smaller then a A1 then Id suggest getting a Fallkniven F1.

I have an F1, and it is a great all around knife, but I think the S1 is the perfect size, and the A1 is just too big FOR ME, for a general purpose, woods knife.