Define the Ultimate Survival/ Utility knife.
Well to me the Ultimate Survival/ Utility knife will be a knife that can handle most outdoor chores, reliable, easy to maintain and of course cheap. I understand that quality knives do not come cheaply but I am sure that every one here want them to be cheap but I should define cheap as well as in cost effective and value for money.
First of all I would like to discuss about function. I know that a knife that performs many tasks cannot be good at any. And have been told many times to use the right tool for the right job. But lets face it during an outdoor trip one cannot bring everything. Just imagine just for cutting tool in a camp trip bring an axe, saw, machete, big knife and small knife and if it is really feasible to buy all this different kind of tool at the 1st place not all of us are woodsman. The thing is in most outdoor activities we do not need a perfect tool for each and everything just something that get the job done. When chopping wood, is it a big factor that it takes more time and effort to do so for I do not think that we do a lot of those or need a lot of wood anyway. Just some for shelter and fire thats all. For me I think that a good Survival/ Utility knife will be one that can perform a variety of task, able to perform task such as minor chopping, some ground clearing and other cutting task. It is a fact that no multi tool can out perform a minimally stock tool box but we just cannot carry a tool box walking around everyday. We just get a multi tool that best suits our lifestyle and environment.
Second is reliability. When we are in the outdoor or in the wilds we rely on our tools a lot so it will need to able to take certain amount of damage and abuse and still able to function. By increasing the thickness of the blade will improve its strength but reduce its cutting ability so a balance between strength and cutting ability should be achieved. And should be built with less part for the more parts there is the more chance of failure. I guess this rule out those hollow handle and many part knives out as good knives.
Thirdly will be the ease of maintenance. In the outdoor our tools are open to the elements and sometimes proper maintenance is near impossible. So it will need to be able to stand up to the elements. From my experience even the best stainless steel will rust in certain condition and if your knife needs to be oil after each use it is simply too much trouble. There was this time when I used a high carbon steel knife where it rust just after a few hours of exposure in the open. I should also state I was near saltwater environment and the environment is also very damp for I am in a tropical climate place and very near the sea. A decent carbon steel knife can easily out perform any expensive stainless steel in terms of edge holding ability and strength but in the out door open to the elements carbon steel will not be my choice for even with coating the cutting edge is still exposure. To the best of my knowledge the more rust resistant the steel is the weaker it is in terns of edge holding ability. So a balance between rust resistance and edge holding ability should also be achieved.
Lastly I would like to discuss about cost. Well with enough resources at our disposal one can custom made an ultimate knife with exotic state or the art material but sadly that is rarely the case. And even if one can afford that I think it is very unlikely that he or she will use it. It will be more likely ending as a collection piece where it is on display rather then really being used. And if it is not really used before how can one tell that it is the ultimate knife for it has never been tested at all. And if is only available to a select few what is the point? So the ultimate knife should be with thin the reach of the general public this mean that it should not be too expensive.
Will like to note that this is just what I think and feel free to comment and help me in my search for the Ultimate Survival knife.
Well to me the Ultimate Survival/ Utility knife will be a knife that can handle most outdoor chores, reliable, easy to maintain and of course cheap. I understand that quality knives do not come cheaply but I am sure that every one here want them to be cheap but I should define cheap as well as in cost effective and value for money.
First of all I would like to discuss about function. I know that a knife that performs many tasks cannot be good at any. And have been told many times to use the right tool for the right job. But lets face it during an outdoor trip one cannot bring everything. Just imagine just for cutting tool in a camp trip bring an axe, saw, machete, big knife and small knife and if it is really feasible to buy all this different kind of tool at the 1st place not all of us are woodsman. The thing is in most outdoor activities we do not need a perfect tool for each and everything just something that get the job done. When chopping wood, is it a big factor that it takes more time and effort to do so for I do not think that we do a lot of those or need a lot of wood anyway. Just some for shelter and fire thats all. For me I think that a good Survival/ Utility knife will be one that can perform a variety of task, able to perform task such as minor chopping, some ground clearing and other cutting task. It is a fact that no multi tool can out perform a minimally stock tool box but we just cannot carry a tool box walking around everyday. We just get a multi tool that best suits our lifestyle and environment.
Second is reliability. When we are in the outdoor or in the wilds we rely on our tools a lot so it will need to able to take certain amount of damage and abuse and still able to function. By increasing the thickness of the blade will improve its strength but reduce its cutting ability so a balance between strength and cutting ability should be achieved. And should be built with less part for the more parts there is the more chance of failure. I guess this rule out those hollow handle and many part knives out as good knives.
Thirdly will be the ease of maintenance. In the outdoor our tools are open to the elements and sometimes proper maintenance is near impossible. So it will need to be able to stand up to the elements. From my experience even the best stainless steel will rust in certain condition and if your knife needs to be oil after each use it is simply too much trouble. There was this time when I used a high carbon steel knife where it rust just after a few hours of exposure in the open. I should also state I was near saltwater environment and the environment is also very damp for I am in a tropical climate place and very near the sea. A decent carbon steel knife can easily out perform any expensive stainless steel in terms of edge holding ability and strength but in the out door open to the elements carbon steel will not be my choice for even with coating the cutting edge is still exposure. To the best of my knowledge the more rust resistant the steel is the weaker it is in terns of edge holding ability. So a balance between rust resistance and edge holding ability should also be achieved.
Lastly I would like to discuss about cost. Well with enough resources at our disposal one can custom made an ultimate knife with exotic state or the art material but sadly that is rarely the case. And even if one can afford that I think it is very unlikely that he or she will use it. It will be more likely ending as a collection piece where it is on display rather then really being used. And if it is not really used before how can one tell that it is the ultimate knife for it has never been tested at all. And if is only available to a select few what is the point? So the ultimate knife should be with thin the reach of the general public this mean that it should not be too expensive.
Will like to note that this is just what I think and feel free to comment and help me in my search for the Ultimate Survival knife.
