How many of you EDC a "survival" knife? Fixed? Folding?

jac8610 said:
A 3.25 blind horse knives bushbaby. It cuts my orange in the morning, and my dinner at night. In between I use it for whatever needs cutting during the day. Also, I like to whittle a bit and the scandi grind seems to do admirably well in that respect. Though I cringe a little when people ask to borrow it, might have to pick up a decent folder for lending out.
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If I carry a EDC fixed blade its my Blind Horse Knives Small workhorse. Got to get the word out on BHK they are very nice knives for the price. Im passing my current small work horse on to my nephew who will go on his first deer hunt this year and ordering a new on to replace it. My folders vary but all of them couple be use in a survival situation if pressed, but my Emerson and striders are my knife of choice for a survival type folder. I also have a good collection of ZT knives that would perform in a pinch. I also think its important to carry a Leathermen or SOG type multi tool with you. Thoes damn thing come in handy so often and well you know how it goes soem duct tape bailing wire and a leathermen you can fix anything.
 
The only "survival" knife I own at the moment is the DPx HEST and while I could legally carry it around all day, I see no use in that.
I work in an office-ish environment and it would not leave a great impression. Its also way too thick for the things I need to do with my EDC knives.
Almost always carry my Leatherman Surge, though and I never leave the house without my SAK and I think those would be quite helpful if SHTF.
If I really should need a larger blade, I can walk home from work in about half an hour
 
Shorttime said:
I'm going to start muddying the water by saying that I, and probably a lot of others, regard any knife we carry with us as a "survival knife".

"Survival" can range from cutting a seatbelt to get yourself or another out of a crashed car at a downtown intersection, to finding wood and shelter to keep warm and dry in the middle of a million acres of forest.

"Survival" is what you do, not what you carry.

There are knives that are better suited to some of the situations in which you are going to need to cut things to stay alive, and the Micro Recon I have with me right now is not one of them.

But the 9" Kurki I have is.
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This is not muddying the water, it's the truth and well stated. That said, my EDC includes a Leatherman Blast, a Spyderco Endura, and a Case barlow. There's a Woodman's Pal and a Vic Farmer in my truck.
 
What's a survival knife? Seriously. Blade length, thickness, steel type, heat treat, designed purpose?

I carry a RAT-3 everywhere, but that is hardly in the same class as a machete. Neither performs well at the other's focused task.

So, I guess the question really is........what kind of surviving are you talking about? Urban survival is much different than survival in the woods (which is arguably much easier and pleasant up in the woods, IMHO).
 
bored2deth said:
Seriously? A Kukri? Bought my friend one for christmas last year, he loved it...I just hope he doesn't miss and lose a leg..(not my fault if he doesn't
pay attention. lol.)

Ka-bar Mules to tend to be thick folders with a good grind, took a hell of a lot to break the one I had. Nightmare sharp.

Jac, you lend out your bushbaby? I'd cringe too..I'd get mental images of paint cans, screws, and the like. People don't often respect another man's knife.. Like a friend of mine, who borrowed a leatherman surge....and lost it in the drink...ugh...
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The drawbacks to being the "knife guy" around work. Mainly I just let them know how much it cost and in what condition I want it back.
 
Any of my main EDC knives would do fine.
The SnG or SmF, my Umnumzaan or the Spyderco Tuff, or the ZT 0550, any of them would do.
But the humble SAK would be great as a survival knife as well. In Stranded, Les Stroud puts a SAK to good use.

Just remember to carry your brain along with your knife, and it becomes a survival knife.;)
 
I used my Vic small Tinker about thirty times today. That always stays on my key carabiner along with an Alox Bantam in my wallet. I kept an XL Voyager in my lower leg pocket when doing Army training in Europe because I am paranoid. :D
 
Here's my core EDC 'survival' set-up (I'll usually have a clipped one-hander as well):

core01.jpg


Seems to do the trick so far... :D
 
bored2deth said:
I was actually hoping someone would chime in and say they carry a Bk-9 or a Dundee-knife just so I
could ask, "Are you for real? Seriously?"
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What's wrong with carrying a BK-9? If that's the knife that a person owns, if that's the knife that they want to carry, if that's the knife they have a use for, and if it's legal, why should anyone else judge them, or even care? Isn't it bad enough that we who carry knives, any knives, face the negative judgments of non-knife people without judging each other based on knife choice?

I EDC a fixed-blade everyday. Sometimes I carry one with a 4 inch blade, sometimes one with a 5 inch blade. I use them rutinely at work to cut things that require a stronger knife than my EDC folder, or when I have a particular dirty job to perform and I don't want to have to clean a lot of crap out of my folder. I also use them outside of work for the same reasons.

As far as survival knives, while it's true that any knife can be used to save a life, I would not necessarily describe every knife as a "survival knife". If I were going camping deep in the wilderness I would carry a knife that I could depend on for my survival if that should be necessary. I would want it to be a multi-funtional knife, one that I could use for woodwork, prepping small game, clearing brush/cutting a trail, even digging (I've seen cases of people falling into narrow ravines or crevices and using a knife to dig hand and foot holes in the side to climb out). Basically, I would describe a "wilderness survival knife" as a knife well suited for any wilderness emergency that one might find themselves in.

For an "urban survival knife" the possible uses are fewer, after all, it's not like anyone has to build a shelter, start a fire, or skin small animals for supper. The fixed-blades that I carry have sharp edges for any cutting that I may need to do, and they have relatively thick blades which I like if I should ever need to perform any emergency prying.

The little Swiss Army knife that I carry on my keychain could be used to cut myself out of a seatbelt, but I wouldn't call it a "survival knife". In general, I might describe a "survival knife" as a knife that one is prepared to depend upon for their survival. In other words, would you be willing to bet your life on that knife in an emergency survival situation.
 
i keep my sp10 in the truck at all times along with my rat 7. I switch out each depending on what the area looks like. I work from my truck on the highway most of the time so the only time I really see people is when I'm getting something done like a trailer tire switched. I have noticed a significant difference in reaction depending on which part of texas I'm in. If I'm in Tyler area or Texarkana nobody cares they normally ask "what kind of knife you got". If I'm around "civilized" city people there is a significant amount of strange looks. I try to stay on the outskirts of town to say the least.
 
Lol.. :-) There is no such thing as a "survival" knife, I just enjoy picking at the marketing ploy. Kinda fun. Hehehe.. I use whatever I have on me at the time I need something. I work outdoors so it ranges. If it needs cutting, it's usually my axe that cuts it. Though, survival could be taken in the context of
a tool which eases your work--as, I'm sure, opening packages with strong tape is a pain in the wazoo, or in my case having to open up straw bales and the like :-P. Survival--getting thru a shi@%# work day! Plus, the responses are sometimes funny. :-) I just enjoy learning what others currently EDC, it's interesting. Especially learning what office staff folks carry, if anything.
 
Yeah, I prefer the company of like-minded people myself. Plenty of things in the country hills and the urban sprawl to be scared of,
knives aren't one of them. Know what I'm scared of in the city? Pigeons..plus dumb kids..with exlax.. The horror. Poop everywhere.
It was almost like a snow storm.. Sometimes I wonder if it's safer working outdoors...oh well..atleast I get fresh air and an axe to swing.
 
I EDC a 0350/military, a Leatherman Wave and/or a Victorinox (classic size, not sure the name, it has stayglow scales on it though).
Just giving you and idea of my edc for reference :P.
 
When I am out and about I carry a Martin XL Tejas prototype. Superb folder in every regard. Or sometimes I carry my XL clip point Voyager. Superb knife again in every regard and BIG and SHARP. Out in the woods or steelhead fishing I'll carry either folder and a nice big fixed blade. Could be an older Leuku of carbon steel or my VonT bowie. keepem sharp

PS bowhunting I'll for go the folder and carry a f.b. hunter like my Joe444(Joe Calton) made bird and trout(it takes alot of abuse for it's size!) or my new Night Watch 5.0 another superb cutting tool.
 
Well I guess I qualify. I like to have a biggish, stout knife with me "just in case". In case of what, Heaven only knows. For me that would be one of the Izulas (not big but all hell for stout) or a Military or Paramilitary. Also with me will be a Delica and a SAK for all the little tools. I often shed the Delica where a clip knife might be frowned upon but I like one handed deployment for things where my other hand is occupied.
 
I EDC my ESEE 3 which also happens to be the knife that I take in the woods with me more than any other so I guess you can say I EDC a survival knife.
 
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