Help me decide: survival knife

The Survival Knife of the Year is any good Kephart repro. It's what a good stout all-purpose knife needs to be: a 4" to 5" pry bar with a long cutting edge. But I don't know of one in S35VN.
 
This one would be my choice.
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Field knife, camp knife, or survival knife could all mean the same thing depending upon your needs.

I purchased my "survival" knife a few years ago. A Benchmade 162 Bushcraft. I have found it to be decent at every task I have ask it to perform but not really a master of any one thing.

However, if I could do it again, I would consider CPK's field knife and their fixed EDC knife.
 
To the OP...when are you going to take the next step with your "survival" knife and pair it with an axe and saw? Maybe even with a nice suitable folder?

These are all things that you could reasonably consider.
 
herbs&spices said:
Hi all! Long time BF member and lurker. :) Always my first place to go for knife advice.

I’m looking to get a new smaller fixed outdoor survival knife, and have narrowed it down to 3 options. But first, my primary qualifications:
1) S35VN (have been itching to try it out)
2) kydex sheath
3) Micarta handle (have never owned so also excited)
4) blade 4”-5”

A lot of popular survival knives don’t hit all the qualifications above, so I’ve narrowed it down to what I think is three knives, in order of what I think I’m leaning towards.

1) Spartan Harsey TT
https://spartanbladesusa.com/shop-all/fixed-blade-knives/spartan-harsey-tt/
(4.5 inch, not crazy about spear point)

2) Attleboro “The Attleboro”
http://www.attleboroknives.com/The-Attleboro-Knife--Straight-Stone-Wash_p_17.html
(4.5 inch, point still a bit too aggressive)

3) Chris Reeve “Green Beret 5.5”
https://chrisreeve.com/collections/fixed-blades-1/products/green-beret
(5.5” inch blade makes it longer than I’d like, but it’s Chris Reeve!)

Any thoughts would be appreciated! Open to other makers but the first two seem like great small companies. Thanks so much.
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Seems to me that you are looking for a “survival knife” more for “show” than “go”. No insult meant. It’s your dime and your choice and I hope it brings you satisfaction.

But, please allow me a suggestion or two. If you want a do everything, very strong, electrically insulated, almost full tang, part , hammer/ glass breaker butt, made of decent , part Serrated, 3/8” stock, SS (420H) , with good lightweight muti-mount sheath with built-in sharpener, combat proven, “sharpened Pry Bar” survival knife, at $75-$100, you want a Gerber LMF II. IMO, if it had a built in wire cutter, like the AK-47 bayonets, it would be a damn near perfect survival knife-tool. Honorable mention to the smaller, lighter, not insulated and not cheaper DPX HEST II. Either of those knives, paired with a sheathed LM WAVE Tool, will give you a decent urban-rural survival tool kit. Add a decent personal survival kit and first aid kit and some basic training on each and u r good to go.
 
This question of a good outdoor "all-a-rounder" got me addicted to knives and the forum. I've bought and sold dozens of knives in my 8 months on BF and have narrowed it down pretty well for my purposes.

I have owned both a difensa and a 5.5.green beret, and highly preferred the difensa. But while the difensa was created for both survival and tactical use, I felt it was geared more towards the latter.

I didn't see much mention of GSO knives here but they deserve a shout out. I had a 4.5 and 7/7 in the new d3v pht and they are great knives. I parted with the 4.5 but still use my 7 regularly and I throw a lot at it!

Busse INFI is tried and true survival steal. But I would suggest not getting a coated blade for ease of cleaning, and sheer steel is much better for preparing food, i find. My INFIdu is a wonderful all a rounder for the forest, but there are many models that fit the bill.

Finally, I have to agree with many other members previous comments. The CPK HDFK is the most profound knife I've ever held. If I were stranded anywhere and allowed one blade, I would not bat an eye before choosing it.

Anyway, preferance plays as large a roll as tasks to tackle. Find the knife right for you.
 
Definitely a Kephart style knife,and LTW makes a good one in the Genesis or Next Gen, just choose the blade length and steel that meets your needs.
 
A full tang, fixed blade in a good carbon steel you can field sharpen, around four to five inches in length.
 
Lots of definitions. My buddy figured his SAK Officer's Model with the saw saved his bacon when he was stranded for several days on the upper Skeena River a few years back -- he said you'd be surprised how much wood you could cut with it.
 
Alberta Ed said:
Lots of definitions. My buddy figured his SAK Officer's Model with the saw saved his bacon when he was stranded for several days on the upper Skeena River a few years back -- he said you'd be surprised how much wood you could cut with it.
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The Farmer! Great knife to be sure. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
Anything CPM3v, COS, 154cm even D2 with a 4 to 5 inch 1/4 thick maximum, convex drop point and an handle that suits your uses needs. In a cold / wet environment I try to avoid exposed tangs and Micarta because they become so cold it freezes your hand trough your gloves and the worst part is that when your gloves are damp the tang sticks to it like a tongue on a frost fence. The best survival knife construction have handles like the F1 or the CS master hunter and are usable in all weather.
 
marchone said:
Now that’s a super modern Kephart.
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Yea, not sure if ol Horace would of liked 3V or not. I like it and I don't like it.
The ONLY reason I don't like it is it won't show its age like a 1095 would. I know you can have SS acid etched, and I'm considering it, but I'm so old school it stinks and I just love a good carbon steel blade.
Did somebody say PATINA?
 
SteelJunkee said:
Anything CPM3v, COS, 154cm even D2 with a 4 to 5 inch 1/4 thick maximum, convex drop point and an handle that suits your uses needs. In a cold / wet environment I try to avoid exposed tangs and Micarta because they become so cold it freezes your hand trough your gloves and the worst part is that when your gloves are damp the tang sticks to it like a tongue on a frost fence. The best survival knife construction have handles like the F1 or the CS master hunter and are usable in all weather.
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That is a good point for sub-zero. I prefer the thermorun on the A1 even to the F1 handle, as it has a bit of ‘give’ in it. Wish they used it for all their handles!
 
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