Help choosing a large survival knife

J

Josh Feltman

Joined
Feb 12, 2001
Messages
4,501
Help! I thought I knew what I wanted, but now I am totally confused. I have been looking at large survival/outdoor knives, and I had pretty much narrowed it down to a Mineral Mountain 12" blade White River bowie. Then I started looking at the survival bowie, also by mineral mountain. Both of these are $150, which is about the max I am looking to spend right now. I looked at other knives in that price range, including the RTAK and the Becker Brute. Both were nice, but not as aesthetically pleasing as the Mineral Mountain knives. Now, unfortunately, I can't make up my mind. Does anyone who owns any of these knives have any recommendations? I am looking for something incredibly tough, a good chopper, but able to do food prep and other chores as well, wicked edge, basically the knife you would take if you could only take one knife, and you couldn't afford a Battle Mistress
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. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Are there any comparable/better knives in this price range that I am missing?
Thanks,
--Josh
 
I have always been happy with my Cold Steel Trailmasters, in Carbon V. They perform as well as any, and aren't out of your price range. They are a more manageable size than 12" as well. That's alot of weight to haul, considering the smaller (9 inch) CS will do all the tasks you require very well.
You can also find dressed up ones, with nice stag handles if you look around a bit.

Hope this helps.

Jet

 
I used the Carbon V Trailmaster for quite a while as my main camping knife, and loved it. But it has two serious drawbacks. Carbon V rusts very easily so if you are in a situation where you cannot clean and dry your knife for even a couple of hours, this will become a problem. Ironically, my Trailmaster took its worst beating in the Nahanni which is in the NWT. Also, the Kraton handle isn't the best. It can hurt after serious chopping and some people have reported the kraton coming loose. I never had the latter problem, but it did hurt after chopping. Jimmy is right about finding Trailmasters with stag handles etc. There are different kinds out there: stainless, Carbon V and san mai. A stag san mai might be pretty cool, if you can find it. But my san mai tanto was a bit prone to chipping.
Jimmy is also absolutely right, IMHO, about the blade length. Personally, I found 9-10" to be on the big and bloody heavy side with 6-8" being about right for general purposes, including light chopping.
I have moved on to Busses. The steelheart and BM are superior knives, but then again, they're more expensive. I believe the Basics are more in the price range and they would be a first rate choice.
Also, if you do go out there alot, it may pay to invest a little more in a custom that is a bit more knife. A Rinaldi or Tichbourne. for example, aren't too far off the budget either.

[This message has been edited by HJK (edited 06-23-2001).]
 
i ave a becker brute, also a few of the other knives, including a trailmaster. i think the brute is extremely cost effective. you can buy this knife for under 100 dollars, it chops and slices like a demon, and the handle is very ergonomic.

you could also use the $50 dollars you save to buy a small slicer/ SAK ruksak/ fireman/ to use on your trips.

alex
 
Go with the MMHW Survival Bowie. I just ordered one, because of the excellent quality of my Camp Knife. The heft and feel will surprise you, very comfortable in the hand for a heavy duty knife. It has that handmade "feel" to it. The other knives mentioned are great too, but to me, MMHW edges them out. Plus, you can't get a 12" blade oon the others.
 
One perspective is that if you really would like something else, save up and buy it.

Or, if you really need a big knife right now.... You can purchase a Martindale Golock for about $50, http://www.jungleknife.com, and it will do all that one requires, and save the rest for a Busse.

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Marion David Poff aka Eye mdpoff@hotmail.com

My website, guided links, talonite/cobalt alloy info, etc....
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"The sun will rise, who knows what the tide will bring." from the movie "CastAway"

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40K Space Marine Army, For Sale or Trade for Knives or Gear http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum13/HTML/002045.html
 
I have used the Becker Brute (91/2" blade) several times and am suprized by its overall preformance..Doc Ron and Brian have just returned from filming a solo survival video and both report they are quite impressed with the Becker Tac Tool ( 7" blade). I ordered a Tac Tool yesterday for $99.99 plus shipping. You may want to read their posts for the reviews. I relate to your tough decision and I never find it easy to decide which direction to go in next.
 
Just to add my 50th part of a dollar... I think the Becker is the way to go. Even though it doesn't have the esthetics of a MM knife it does have the staying power to get you through the rough times. Folks will ooo and ahh over it (but for different reasons) especially when you put it to work. This is not your pretty boy belt hanger knife! For the money it is the choice. If Ethan Becker signs his name to it, it's good enough for me!

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Where no law exists there still must be justice- Dan Mahoney
 
My quick $.02 on big survival blades:
-- Busse Battle Mistress if price doesn't matter
-- Becker big ones, Newt Livesay's Recon Combat Machete, or Busse Basic 9 for lower price

Greg
 
Having owned a Busse BM-E, a Basic 7, and a Lean Meanstreet, my vote still goes to the Becker Knife & Tool knives as giving the most "cut-for-the-buck". I have the Brute,Machax,Magnum Camp, and the Campanion and every one of them is a buch of knife for the money. I believe you could stake you life on any of them.

Make the RIGHT choice!
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Ron,
Bremerton, Washington
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The Becker Brute or Tac-Tool will serve you well. My Brute performed outstandingly under hypothermic conditions with snow and hail and 35 deg temps. It may not be the prettiest looking thing, but turst me: when the sh*t hits the fan, you care ONLY about functionality! And these puppies function!
You can see them at http://www.camillusknives.com
If you are going into higher-priced, semi-custom/prodcution blades, look at TOPS -- they are also amazing performers. We played with a smoke jumper on the trip, and with it's 6 1/2-7" blade (I think it's seven), it chopped like a bigger blade. And the handle was outstandingly contoured and fitted for comfort. In fact, every TOPS blade I've seen and used was impeccable in fit and finish. They are at http://www.topsknives.com

And there's Trace Rinaldi and Rob Simonich on the high end custom market.

Whatever your price range, any of these tools will serve you unfailingly in the wilderness. They did for us!

Best,

Brian.

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Brian Jones
Co-moderator
Wilderness & Survival Skills Forum

Check out Hood's Woods at:
http://www.survival.com

 
If aesthetics is a strong driver, the Bowie styled knives look the "coolest" to me (I used to own two of these). SOG Tigershark (under "Seal" knives) and the Tech-I/II, et al look great:

http://www.sogknives.com/sealknives.htm
http://www.sogknives.com/bowie_series.htm

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If functionality is the key, then consider the combo of a larger, true chopper and a smaller belt knife. About the same or a smidgen more weight, and you could get this done for $160 and end up with two more useful tools IMHO than a single 9" blade... can cover more utility ground with two blades:

Big knife:
==========
Becker Patrol Machete (formerly called Bush Hog, I own one). About 14" blade and 19" overall, and a good mid range chopper. About $70. Longer than the Brute and Machax, cross between Machax & a machete.

Go to this link, page down, click on "Becker Knife & Tool Patrol Machete" for a pic:

http://www.crknives.com/breaknews.html

See also a simple Ontario 18" machete for $22 (skip the D-Guard, it hurts the pinky finger under hard use, I know, have 3 Ontario machetes, one D-Guard is enough). Or buy an 18" AND a 12", and still have money left for the belt knife... come to think of it, Ontario has some big Bowie styled knives that are very cost effective, 1095 is what they use. Here are some pics:
http://www.jtknives.com/ontario-knife.htm
http://www.ndsproducts.com/ontario.html

Belt Knife:
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A Fallkniven fixed blade in VG-10 (not bad, near ATS-34 in performance and stainless in any case)... your choice of size:
F1: 4" drop point (I own one)
S1: 5" clip/bowie
A1: 6.3" clip/bowie (got one of these too)

http://www.fallkniven.com/next-index.htm

If you want a really nice belt knife, the Dozier Pro Guide (one up for sale now for I think $120) is a real winner (own one of these also), and you'll have enough left for an 18" Ontario machete. Oops, both are gone, but both links have good pics: http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/018567.html
http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/018177.html

or www.dozierknives.com

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Otherwise, if you want one blade, I'd be tempted to save up for a Busse Basic 9 or pick one up used (even better). I own the Battle Mistress and it's an excellent overall utility knife.

The CS Trailmaster is a really heavy knife, 5/16" stock which is excessive IMO, and comparing Carbon-V to INFI or M-INFI, I'll take INFI.

Carbon V is just 0170-6, same basic stuff BK&T uses, so nothing magic there, just a good basic high carbon chrome-vanadium carbon steel. A little, but not a lot, better than 1095. Both CS & BK&T know how to heat treat it well.

I have seen, but not handled the Mineral Mountain stuff.

http://www.plan-a.org/mmhw/knives.htm

It just looks a little, not a lot, overpriced to me for a big working knife out of 1095 or 5160 or whatever, just parkerized. But that is without handling or using. So not worth much. A couple of the big Bowies look hollow ground, and I'm not sure I'd want a hollow ground big chopper...much prefer convex or flat ground. Some of the big knives are also left full stock thickness for 1/2 the blade, and then hollow ground with a relatively small wheel (6"?). That implies both heavy weight and potentially the hollow ground edge isn't backed up with as much metal as could be, given the weight, and hollow may tend to wedge more than flat ground for a chopper.


[This message has been edited by rdangerer (edited 06-25-2001).]
 
rdangerer, you get my vote for posting a kickass, informative post. AWESOME!

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"Come What May..."
 
I am expecting a Kershaw Outcast in the mail from a trade any day now. It gets some criticism for its handle and for being D2, but I have never had a big blade and I am looking forward to trying it out. In pics, it looks like quite a chopper.
 
Busse Bushwhacker Mistress:
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Busse CGFBM:
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HI Ang Khola Bowie:
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HI Chiruwa Ang Khola:
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HI M43:
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Or if you want to really go big, HI Giant Chitlangi Bowie:
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The Mineral Mountain 12" blade White River bowie is now $300, that's how old this thread is !:rolleyes:
 
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