Help me decide on a fixed blade for BOB (surplus sog or something else).

For survival, I want a big, thick, heavy, full tang, good steel blade that will take a beating.

I say this because I want it to chop well, both for opening a rib cage of an elk, and for constructing a hasty shelter or firewood. (I don't venture into the wild without a firearm capable of taking game if needed.......both for bear/cats and for food.)

I also usually carry at least two fixed blades, for two reasons. First, if I lose or break one I'm not screwed, and second, I can expand the uses by carrying knives suited to different tasks.

For what you are looking for, the cold steel gi tanto (laugh it up....) can be had for cheap and the blade gave knifetests.com a hell of a time trying to break it). Might be ugly, but it would cost next to nothing and is a tanto like you said you preferred.

The sheath is adequate, but I'm going to replace it with a custom kydex sheath after I school myself on that process.
also, I found this, but its a dagger so probably not good for anything but fighting.midwayusa.com/product/726005/sog-daggert-1-fixed-blade-tactical-knife-565-spear-point-aus-8-stainless-steel-bead-blasted-blade-kraton-handle-black
 
that 'surplus' SEAL is probably a trade in or the owner's personal abuser that he is trying to get rid of. Don't buy into the 'this was issued' crap. It's a nice knife in it's own right and plenty capable but there are more practical designs for the role. A tanto is about the least efficient design for wilderness survival. It'll cut stuff and sure you can put one through a zombie's eye socket if the need arises but for practical day to day roles you're going to want a useable tip and a big belly.


Get a Mora 840 and something bigger like...
Condor Varan,
a decent machete,
a Becker series,
a Kabar Heavy Duty series,
an Ontario RAT or Ranger series,
A Cold Steel RSK or Trailmaster,
a good tomahawk (HB Forge or Cold Steel)
A number of TOPS designs, like the BOB for example,
there are many many options. Take a good hard look at the Kabar Heavy Duty series. For more of a knife the Warthog is a super survival design, and all the others make for fantastic machetes.
 
With the machete, I think that a SAK would work well for detail chores. I think a fixed blade in about a 4-5" blade length is a good choice to augment the machete along with a SAK or whatever slip joint you like. I have a preference for stuff made by GEC and Queen, but those are fairly expensive factory pocket knives. The cost in part is why I always have a SAK in my pocket.

(To augment my previous comments.) I have used my SOG Seal Pup Elite (plain edge) for purposes similar to your concept. The nylon sheath has a pocket that will accomadate a fairly large SAK which is a nice blend of capabilities. The Northwest Ranger is a little bigger, but a good blade. The NW Ranger was one of the first knives I purchased about 5 years ago before I really started thinking about use and capability. It is a pretty good knife but mine has the partially serrated edge which I dislike. Have not bought the new plain edge that is out, as I prefer the Seal Pup Elite.

The SOG field pup is another inexpensive blade that makes a good a good field blade for non-chopping chores. It's cheap too. I am not fond of the sheath that SOG provides with the knife. It is similar in the Moras in terms of use.

You basic Kabar marine type knife will work for your application. I have just never been crazy about that knife in general.

The Condor Bushlore I suggested earlier uses fairly thick steel and as a result makes it a little less comfortable to use for slicing and dicing kinds of things. But the design is a good choice for your application and one that is proven for bushcraft types of activities. It is not a chopper, but could be for small stuff. The appeal with the Condor for me is the low price and not feeling bad that I don't use the blade much. Price seems to matter a lot, so based on my buying and using, that is the one I would buy for your application.
 
I know I am going to be the odd man out, but why not just go with a Gerber LMF II for your B.O.B.? You can pick on up for $65 on Amazon.

It nice sheath, built in sharpener, glass or plexiglass punch, can be used as a light use hammer, nice comfortable handle that is both shock resistant (from pounding / comfort) and shock resistant from electricity. Also, it is partially serrated, which unless you plan on driving your car to the middle of the woods and running to live in a cave, I believe it makes more sense to have a utility type knife for a B.O.B. I believe this is a great urban survival type knife. Seems like a no brainer for a B.O.B., especially for the price. Check it out.
 
A bit necrotic, but thanks for the response. I was able to repair my father's USMC Ontario pilot survival knife, so I'll be using that in my BOB, in addition to a Ka-Bar kukri machete. I ended up spending my amazon money on an Ontario RD Pick Hawk, which I'm very happy with. If it attached to my BOB as well as my machete did, it would replace it.
 
My get home bag in my car trunk is equipped with a Condor Hudson Bay and a Mora 510. Both are up to any appropriate task, both are cheap enough that I don't mind leaving them in there a lot, and neither are tactical looking. I've tried to keep my get home bag and stuff untactical so as not to attract the wrong sort of attention.
 
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