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Heavy Duty Survival knife

Well many good choices, here a few more to throw in the mix.

Kabar-made RD-6 - about $100 and can be had in orange mircata

Bark River Bravo II - closer to $200 but has purty handles

Fallkniven A2 (I think the handles suck on the regular Fallknivens, but the blades are awesome)

Used Scrapyard SOD

Customs - Honestly, I don't know anyone who works with 1/4" chunks of metal for less than $200. Gossman and NWA come to mine for that thickness, but they are over () that price point. However, plenty of folks are making 3/16" which is as thick as you every need. Breeden, JK for starters.

Do you need 0.25" thick? RC-5 never turned my crank much, but I love the RC-6 in 3/16". I can't ever see breaking that blade.
 
Well...I can't speak for any of the knives on that list though the Becker BK-7 really impressed me for toughness. Ka-Bar's 1095CV seems to be some awesome steel so I would think the BK-2 just as tough.

I have put Bryans knives through some pretty hard paces and have been very impressed with them as well, so that pathfinder should serve you very well.

You seem to have a well rounded collection, and have been supportive of the makers here, I don't blame you for wanting to try something new and different at all, but after what I've read and heard about the Ontario/RAT situation, and having run across a couple in the spec-plus line with reeeeaaallllyyy soft tips...I'll personally never buy another Ontario product again unless it is somehow my only choice.
 
A bit more than $200 NWA makes some very nice durable outdoor blades and couldn't be easier to communicate with.
http://www.nwaknives.com/?page_id=39 You should check out his site for sure.

On the factory side, a Cold Steel Recon Scout is a good size blade around 7" that can handle some chopping and is 5/16" thick.
 
Well first, congrats on the anniversary. :thumbup:

In terms of large choppers, I have used two that I consider to be both tough-as-nails and versatile. The first, a production, is my BK-9. It dismantles wood with ease and has served me well as an all-season chopper.

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The second is my JK Hudson Bay 7". I like this one better than the Becker :eek: It has a traditional style, which I enjoy, and it is well-suited for kitchen work and (believe it or not) fine detail work as well.

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I would highly recommend both knives. Both have scaled-down siblings that would be great as all-around survival knives. Stomper (JK) also has a camp knife model that looks excellent.

All the best,

- Mike
 
Hi all,

Coaldigger one of these The MEGA Warthorn top knife or the MEGA 1-0.
these are the only 2 designs that I now carry and use every day.

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From builing a fish trap,

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A spear,
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Splitting wood up.

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Making traps,
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A camp chair for my camp,
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Swinging pot holder,

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or even food prep.

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I can tell ya with a longer knife blade I do not get any may on my handle like I have with shorter knives LOL

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As to the warrenty stuff. I will tell ya. If you come to my shop I will I will take out my personal Warthorn or one of my 1-0s and walk over to the 55 gal steel barrel I use for a trash can and chop on the lip of the just to show you how tough 0-1 steel is.

yes there will be some dings and dents in the edge but it by no means destroyed and few minutes on the grinder will take them dings and dents out with no problem, I have had Rocketbomb and burrdog from here at the forums here at my shop and showed them both that same thing.

Do I recomend that no.

I do not think it is a good idea to take one of my Warthorns or 1-0 knives and attack a tank and try to cut it open so you can kill the driver.
Get the jist of what of what I am saying. I use my knives for there intended purpose camp craft and food prep, grooming ( ie cleaning my
finger nails LOL), cleaning spark plugs,
GOOD OLD CUTTING LOL

And I have full confidence that if you have to defend your self that if you have to stab into what ever is attacking you that your hand will not slip up on the edge and cut your fingers, if you hit bone or gear that what ever you are defending yourself from.

The slanted guard is the KEY to the design. When you wrap your pointer finger around this handle and choil area this is the most secure grip I have ever used and if you do not wrap your finger around the bottom or top guard that is ok too. Even with other grips I still have full control over the knife.
If you look on page 22 of Ray Mears book called bushcraft the 5 different grips( the Forehand,Backhand Chest-lever and the Reinforced grips One and Two ) that he talks about I have personaly done with either a Warthorn or a 1-0. Again the Slanted guard is the KEY to using one of these knives with those different grips. For me personaly it is the best knife design I have every used for what I use a knife for.

Out of the knives I have made in the past and still make. These are the only knives I am making more of for myself , so I can replace the knives in other kits with a Warthorn or a 1-0 knife in the the survival kits and BOB kits that I have.
Each kit is getting a smaller Warthorn or 1-0( 5.5" to 6" blade length and then a MEGA Warthorn or a MEGA 1-0( 10" blade) knife.

Thomas I do not know how many makers out there will send you knife to try out. but since I feel I know you pretty darn well and we chat not just here on the forums let me know and I will send you one if you want to try it out and see what you think of a Warthorn or a 1-0. If like it great, if you do not that is fine too. since we are all not the same to each there own.


Take care,
 
Now would be a good time also to pick up a Busse Tankbuster or the Scrapyard Scrapper 5LE in Infi. Two fine blades also.

Doc
 
ScrapYard SOD or DogFather - Depending on the size you are looking for. Both can be had used for around $200 and they are tough as nails!!
 
My recommendations:

The Lobo from JK Handmade knives if you want a big knife.

RAT RC5 for regular sized hands.

Fallkniven S1 for medium-smaller hands.
 
Hey Kgd you are right there are not many out there that are making 1/4" knives for around $200. This is one that I started for a British Army Survival Instructor ( thanks to mistwalker for introducing me to him )

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A in hand pic

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8" long by 1/4" thick long with a 6" long handle. This thing is a beast LOL

Bryan
 
Of the original list, the RC5 would be my choice.

Or, go for a real bruiser:
Himalayan Imports AK Bowie:
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There's lots of good knives mentioned here, out of all those, I've owned the RC5, it is a beast, 1lb! Took some time getting used to, but I really like it. Just be sure you like that pound first.
 
For what you can spend I would suggest a RC 6 and a Becker 2. IMHO the Becker 2 and the RAT 5 are very similar in size and weight. They are built almost alike.:D
 
I have beat the ever loving crap out of a couple dozen Ontario's. Man I never had a lick of trouble with any of them, Bar None.:confused: I still have about six of them. including one that is 42 years old.
 
Hi im new here so take MHO for what its worth, i can only speak for the bk-2 but WOW is it a beast! When I first got it I babied it like all my NEW knives, but after awhile it was begging for some abuse. I took it camping several times, once on a 4 night run at Ollalie lake, OR, after splitting, chopping, and carving it could shave relitivley well, and a few strokes on some Cro2 leather and it was poppin hairs again. after that I decided to test it for real, this is prolly considered abuse but i knew the bk-2 could take it, I first chopped some pennys, then moved to some canadian dollars I had from my last trip, after that I chopped some 1/4 aluminum rods, then about 3min on my 1x30 and some sandpaper/mousepad the edge was not only in good shape but acctually better once it had been ground to a convex. To sum it up the bk-2 is amazing and tough as s%$t for the 60$ I piad.
 
udtjim said:
I have beat the ever loving crap out of a couple dozen Ontario's. Man I never had a lick of trouble with any of them, Bar None.:confused: I still have about six of them. including one that is 42 years old.
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I like my older ones too, I have a couple of their earlier issue survival knives that rank among my most sentimental knives that I have beat the crap out of, and I've had a couple of their version of the Ka-Bar, and the UDT knife and loved them all. I still have a few old Old Hickory butcher knives and paring knives that are my favorite kitchen knives. However I was really disappointed with an SP-6 and an SP-5 that both of the tips were really soft on, and I've heard where several people had the same problem with some of the SP line.
 
I'm throwing my support in for the Busse family. An ad in the "Want To Buy" forum should get you a Son Of Dogfather right quick. Right in your price range.
 
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