Help me pick a fixed blade knife for camping.

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Gadgetaholic

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I have been reading on survivaltopics.com about how I need to have a good knife as a part of any good survival kit. I am going camping next weekend and will do so again plenty more times - I am buying a good folder and also want a good fixed blade. So I was thinking of buying a good survival knife like recommended on survivaltopics.

BUT:
They recommend more than one option!

Apparently survivorman Les Stroud carries a Buck Special 119 - # Blade Length: 6" (15.2 cm)
# Blade Material: Satin Finish 420HC Stainless Steel
# Carry System: Black leather sheath
# Handle Material: Phenolic
This would cost about $45 which isn't too bad.

They did recommend a SOG Seal Pup
# Blade Length: 4.85"
# Overall Length: 9.5"
# Weight: 5.4 oz.
# Edge: Straight
# Steel: AUS 8
# Handle: Zytel
This would cost about $78 and I suppose I could stretch the budget that far.

They also recommended a KA-BAR Becker 7"
# Blade Length: 7" 1095CroVan
# Overall Length: 12.75"
# Blade Thickness: 0.188"
# Blade Coating: Black epoxy powder coat
# Grind: High, flat saber grind
# Handle Material: Full tang, Grivory
This one is $76 - so similar to the SOG

Hmm - they all seem nice and capable knives. The Becker has a 7" blade which would be better for some tasks, but is that too long? The Buck has a 6" blade, maybe a better size? Is the SOG's 4.85" blade big enough?

I am kinda leaning towards the bigger one because I will have a folder with a smaller blade (probably an Endura with 3 3/4" blade) that I can use for things that a 7" blade is a bit much for. I also have an Ontario Rugged 9" knife with a 4" blade on order - only $14.95, so that is a smaller fixed blade knife.

So, any reason not to go with the Becker 7" for a good fixed blade knife?
 
I think if I had to pick one, and only one, there's a Kukri in D2 from Kershaw that I'd go for. D2 as a steel will take a pretty good edge, but the edge HOLDING ability is just amazing. Tool steel tends to be that way, though.

And the Kukri style is just too versatile. I used to use my old indian-made ones as both knives, and hatchets. If you're not going for D2, I think there are some distributors for the indian made Kukris, that are pretty discriminating when it comes to making sure they only sell the best of what they get in. For the money, they're impossible to beat. You're not going to get admiring stares at a knife show, but for $30-40, you can beat the crap out of them all day, sharpen them to good enough with a file, or to really sharp with a stone. Edge holding probably isn't as good as the better steels, but this is a serious user/budget tool that's made to be abused.

As a survival knife... it doesn't have a fancy hollow handle or anything like that. It's not Rambo Cool. But it's a straight-ahead, practical, no BS kind of knife that can be used as a knife, a hatchet, a (short) machete...

That's just me though.
 
I like a small pocket knife and then a larger fixed blade for bigger chores. The Buck is a fine option, many have used it for years and I would give it a look. Well priced and if you don't like it even if you sold it for 1/2 what you paid for it you're not hurt much.
 
ohen cepel said:
I like a small pocket knife and then a larger fixed blade for bigger chores. The Buck is a fine option, many have used it for years and I would give it a look. Well priced and if you don't like it even if you sold it for 1/2 what you paid for it you're not hurt much.
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Knowing me I'll take more knives than I should - I EDC a Victorinox Cybertool & a Leatherman Wave, so I always have a small knife when I need one. For camping I'll take a folder (or 2 or 3) and a fixed knife (or 2). I like the 7" Becker, but the Buck looks like good value and would be a decent knife for most tasks.
 
Lothar.OTHP said:
I think if I had to pick one, and only one, there's a Kukri in D2 from Kershaw that I'd go for.

As a survival knife... it doesn't have a fancy hollow handle or anything like that. It's not Rambo Cool. But it's a straight-ahead, practical, no BS kind of knife that can be used as a knife, a hatchet, a (short) machete...
Click to expand...

Hmmm, I might get a kukri later if I decide I want something bigger - but they seem a little larger than what I am looking for ATM.

I wont be getting a knife with a hollow handle - that would surely make for a weaker knife that couldn't take the same abuse as one with a good solid handle and a full tang.
 
For the money the buck nighthawk is one tough knife. Falkniven s-1 - rat rc-6 - benchmade csk II - brkt bravo I or II. scrapyard 6 - these would be my choices.
 
banana-clip said:
Check out the Scrapyard SOD or RAT RC 5 or even a Swedish Mora knife.
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I looked at the RAT RC5 - very nice, but more money then I want to spend right now.

Scrapyard SOD? *google* Ooh, nice! 7.5" drop point plain blade, hmmm also a bit more money than I want to spend. I might have to look out for a good special on one of those.

Looking at the SOD with 7.5" blade makes me lean more towards the bigger blade. Does anyone have an opinion on the KA-BAR Becker 7"?
 
Check out the RAT RC 3 or RC 4, should be little cheaper.

Check out the different Beckers too.

The Kabar is a good knife that will get the job done, it will take a beating.
 
winbag338 said:
For the money the buck nighthawk is one tough knife. Falkniven s-1 - rat rc-6 - benchmade csk II - brkt bravo I or II. scrapyard 6 - these would be my choices.
Click to expand...

Oh damn, more choices!

The Buck Nighthawk 6 1/2" looks good and not a bad price
 
banana-clip said:
Check out the RAT RC 3 or RC 4, should be little cheaper.

Check out the different Beckers too.

The Kabar is a good knife that will get the job done, it will take a beating.
Click to expand...

Yeah, there's a Becker 9" that is also under $80 - If I buy the 7" and like it then there would be a good chance of getting a 9" next.

The RC-3 or RC-4 are still over $100 and the RC-3 is smaller than I am looking for.

So many nice knives - I wish I had an unlimited budget! I am sure that if I could afford to buy any 2 dozen folders I wanted + any 2 dozen fixed blade knives then I would have the right size/style/steel for any job. I can see why the 'knife nuts' collect so many!

My current plan is to order this fixed blade that I am considering (whichever one I end up buying) as well as a Spyderco folder and the 2 I have already ordered (Rat 1 and Ontario fixed 4" blade knife). I already have a LM Wave, LM Squirt, Victorinox Cybertool SAK & a LM K502x. After that I will save my money and just add knives when I can afford better ones - probably over $100 knives only. Right now I am looking for knives to do the job without running me out of money - but I want to spend my money right and get good knives for whatever I am paying. This forum is great for checking up on what is good before spending my hard earned.
 
I agree with Winbag, you could simply go camping with what you have and have ordered.

Otherwise, if you really want to spend now, then one of the most famous and proven survival knives is the totally no-nonsense and very dependable Fallkniven F1. A modern classic.
 
Figure out what you may need, save up and purchase as quickly as you can, because this present economy may still collapse in the not to distant future.
 
ExMachina said:
what job?

answering that question may help you narrow down your options.
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It would probably help me to decide - but I really don't have an exact job in mind. I guess I am looking for a knife capable of preparing wood for a fire with some chopping, shaving & batonning type work. Also general camping and survival type jobs that are easier with a larger fixed blade. I want a good general purpose camping knife I think.

I may decide after a camping trip or 2 that I really need a bigger knife for chopping wood - so I am happy to add another knife at that point. That's when I'll look at 9" or bigger knives or a machete or a Kukri or maybe a hatchet. At the moment I don't know if I really have a need for something like that.

I think that with knives there is always going to be an evolution from what you start with to what you realise is more useful based on what you like or dislike about what you started with (bigger/smaller/sharper/whatever).

Some of my camping will be around others and I don't want to freak people out by pulling out a really huge intimidating knife, but I want something capable of handling whatever I need a knife for. Hopefully a 6-7" knife wont be too over the top for camping use. In urban settings I will stick with a folder out of sight in a pocket to avoid making other people uncomfortable - this bigger fixed blade knife with be tucked in a bag until I get to a campsite.
 
Gadgetaholic said:
I think that with knives there is always going to be an evolution from what you start with to what you realise is more useful based on what you like or dislike about what you started with (bigger/smaller/sharper/whatever).
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yup. and the same is true w/ camping. :) eventually you're gonna figure out what's important and what you can leave at home.

reading your posts, my suggestion would be that you spend some time getting your feet wet with that day-to-day of camping before you break the bank on any more cutlery.
 
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