Good, Cheap Survival Knife

Tostig, hola

That's an Extrema Ratio Shrapnel

Preacher Man, hey

I'm not so sure they'd be very different at slicing. I bought one of the old type SRKs for my brother and slicing really wasn't its thing at all. I'll agree it is a stronger built design and I suspect there wouldn't be much disagreement if I said the steel they used as Carbon V is better than 1095 but NIB slicing ability isn't great. In fact, I used to watch my brother try to compensate for that with some consternation. Where I would have addressed the geometry causing that with a belt and refined it into something that cut better he just worked it to a rough toothy scratchy edge – if it hacked through rope in one slice to him that was slicing ability. I've always wondered how much more I could have teased from one of those if I'd refined it a bit. That said, one could do exactly the same to the SP2. I don't see either as fundamentally great for slicing. Also, whilst I'd agree that the SRK probably has marginally better chopping potential, chopping would be so far down the list of things the SRK is good at I think that's pretty academic. I do think it would take a baton better though.
 
baldtaco-II,

You may be absolutely right. I should have specified "IMO", which of course is subjective. What leads me to think that the SRK is somewhat better at slicing is the steel. Both the old Carbon V and AUS 8A have vanadium in its matrix, which 1095 lacks. The vanadium allows the steel to have sharper, finer edge with better edge retention.
 
pitdog said:
How about a BlackJack Grunt !

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Hey, I've been looking at one of those, how do you like it?
 
shelbysguns said:
Hey, I've been looking at one of those, how do you like it?
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Great knife, razor sharp convexed edge, awesome handle and at that price what's not to like !

Mine is the made in Japan version but Noss on knife tests reviews one of the made in China versions and it holds up pretty well !!!!
 
Thanks again for all the great suggestions!
I'm leaning toward the Cold Steel Bushman, seems to be a proven design, uses the SK-5 steel (which I believe is similar to 1095, right?) is light, versatile, and cheap. Is there anything I'm missing?
I really like the SRK, but I've found I just don't use a 5-6 inch blade all that much, I guess I prefer either a big 7-9 inch or a small 4-3. Just my preference. All though that BlackJack does look nice...
Slight deviation, I got the CS Frontier Hawk, it's beautiful, should make a better chopper than any large knife I could afford. Haven't tested it yet though...

So, any other suggestions?
 
pitdog said:
Great knife, razor sharp convexed edge, awesome handle and at that price what's not to like !

Mine is the made in Japan version but Noss on knife tests reviews one of the made in China versions and it holds up pretty well !!!!
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Cool, Thanks! I'm going to get one soon! How is the sheath? That's the one thing I'm not sure about. And how's the 10cr17 steel? Thanks again!
 
Buck 119,Vanguard,105,110,Kalinga,etc

Any Buck's a good choice for an affordable camp knife.
 
Originally posted by PayetteRucker:

you like Carbon V better than 1095? That's very interesting, I'll have to look into it
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As far as I know, Carbon V is no longer made. It is also referred to as 50100-B or 0170-6C (as becker used to refer to it) and since it was made by Camillus, it disappeared along with it.
 
ctg1231 said:
Thanks again for all the great suggestions!
I'm leaning toward the Cold Steel Bushman, seems to be a proven design, uses the SK-5 steel (which I believe is similar to 1095, right?) is light, versatile, and cheap. Is there anything I'm missing?
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If you go with the bushman, you may want to consider finding or having a better sheath made for it.
 
shelbysguns said:
Cool, Thanks! I'm going to get one soon! How is the sheath? That's the one thing I'm not sure about. And how's the 10cr17 steel? Thanks again!
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The China version comes with a decent pouch sheath. Decent considering the price of the total package, but it works. It's some sort of a hard plastic or plastic wrapped in fabric? Can't remember exactly. I'm not a big fan of the knife. Mine has been relegated to the BOB in my wife's jeep. I like the looks of it, but it just didn't work that great for me.
 
remmmm said:
The China version comes with a decent pouch sheath. Decent considering the price of the total package, but it works. It's some sort of a hard plastic or plastic wrapped in fabric? Can't remember exactly. I'm not a big fan of the knife. Mine has been relegated to the BOB in my wife's jeep. I like the looks of it, but it just didn't work that great for me.
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Cool, thanks alot! Mines on the way from new graham. I'll check it out!
 
You're going to need several knives. You have a hatchet, good. A folding pruning saw is real handy for camping.
I like a neck knife, handy, fast, sharp, and cheap. I had one given to me for buying other knives.
In a fixed blade, I would go with a CS VG-1 San Mai 3 Hunter, gut hook or not. $84 on sale at Midway.
For a folding knife in your BDU's, I really like a Gerber with a pocket clip that I got at Lowes for around $20. I've had two of them, they work on the farm cutting fertilizer bags or whatever and stay sharp as the dickens until you lose them or run over them with the tractor.
I don't know what steel Gerber puts in this skeleton knife but it is excellent for the price.
You need a knife in your pack and a Swiss Army with several options is nice to have and
Gerber makes a nice "leatherman" type plier combination which would also be a good pack alternative.
A handgun might come in handy depending on where you are going.
 
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