i need a survival knife

B

benchmadebob

Joined
May 12, 2008
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756
something not 440 and with a good sheath and have a clip point or bowie blade 10 to 12 inches long i need advice please and my price range is around 150$
 
RAT 7 in 1095 or D2? or maybe KaBar heavy bowie in 1095? or a Ontario Marine Raider bowie? All good knives, all knives that i own and have used for outdoorsy things.
 
Why on earth would you want a survival knife that long:eek:? The maximum size reccomended for survival is 7 inches and 4-5 is generally the most preferred blade length.
If your heart is set on a big monster you can check out ranger knives, Ka-bar or a coldsteel bushman bowie. For a more practical knife, check out rat cutlery, bark river and falkniven.
 
3wolves said:
Why on earth would you want a survival knife that long:eek:? The maximum size reccomended for survival is 7 inches and 4-5 is generally the most preferred blade length.
If your heart is set on a big monster you can check out ranger knives, Ka-bar or a coldsteel bushman bowie. For a more practical knife, check out rat cutlery, bark river and falkniven.
Click to expand...

you cant fall a small tree with a 4 inch blade and by small i mean 2 to 3 inches in diameter without batoning and i like the fallkniven a1 but i thought it was to small
 
Take a look at Bark River Knife and Tool they have several top bushcraft models some are even sold by wilderness schools.
 
At 12", you might consider an Ontario 12" machete. Better yet, back up a smaller fixed blade with a good hatchet.
 
Bark River Knives Bravo-1.

From the tone of your post, though, it sounds like you are on a plane falling out of the sky!!!

Maybe you should just say you'd "like to buy" a survival knife. By the time you "need" one, it's too late to be fishing on the internet for opinions.

Vanguard.45
 
Tall order there. Ontario RTAK II or Ranger RD9. I would still say you are looking for something too big. I would say you are looking really for a RAT 6, Benchmade CSK II, Ranger RD7 or a Ontario Rat 7.
 
3wolves said:
Why on earth would you want a survival knife that long:eek:? The maximum size reccomended for survival is 7 inches and 4-5 is generally the most preferred blade length.
If your heart is set on a big monster you can check out ranger knives, Ka-bar or a coldsteel bushman bowie. For a more practical knife, check out rat cutlery, bark river and falkniven.
Click to expand...
If I were in a survival situation it would most likely be in the mountains since that's where I spend most of my outdoors time

In a true survival situation shelter and fire would most likely be my priorities. I, or someone with me, may well be injured and/or on the way to hypothermia (something bad would have to be happening or else it wouldn't be a "survival" situation). If my life, or someone else's, depends on quickly building a shelter and a fire I'd far rather chop wood with my "big monster" than a 7, 5, or 4 inch blade.
 
There has been much discussion over best size for a survival blade. Some folks insist they need a big chopper. Others insist they need a smaller blade. Don't think there's a right answer. It's whatever works for you. As long as you know what you really need and are not immediately assuming that you need a huge blade a la Rambo. As you are new, and welcome aboard by the way, you may not be aware of the "Wilderness and Survival Skills Forum" where there are a whole lot of folks who specialize in these questions and discuss the merits of both systems frequently. Look here:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=692

For me, I would choose a 3" - 4" non-stainless blade so as to be able to perform fine cutting operations, then add a hatchet to the kit. YMMV.

However, that was not the original question. For a large blade I would look at Ontario Knives or Ranger knives.
 
Something that fits your description to a tee is the Browning Crowell/Barker competition knife. 10" blade of carbon steel, clip blade. It feels remarkably light in the hand and you can actually whittle with it pretty well. It's a great knife. Costs about $120.
 
benchmadebob said:
you cant fall a small tree with a 4 inch blade and by small i mean 2 to 3 inches in diameter without batoning and i like the fallkniven a1 but i thought it was to small
Click to expand...

You would still have a more versitile kit by carrying a small fixed blade and adding either a folding saw or small hatchet. Both will cut wood better than a chopper and will probably be easier to carry. Remember, most survival situations occur when you least expect it. You probably won't be wearing your rambo knife when you get lost on the way to the stream to fill up the canteen because it's "too heavy", but you often forget about a 4" skinner until you need it. It's really up to you, just my opinion. Good luck with whatever you do buy:). Choppers are more fun to play with though;).
 
here is a solution...

20 dollar machete (you can purchase a great machete for cheap, lets face it its just a hunk of disposable sharpened steel...)

and a good 4-5 inch blade.

in a survival situation, if your going out to build a fire, you look for branches etc, you would be wasting time copping down a whole tree! and precious energy, so buy a dirt cheap machete, and a great 4-5 inch blade and your set. personally (even if its not a whole lot of money in the knife world) i don't like beating up something that i spent 150 bucks on... not saying that im the type of guy that has shiny factory knifes in a case, on the contrary i only buy knifes as users. i think you would be better off with a solid smaller knife and a cheap ass machete.

and!!! what if you had to use the knife on yourself? how awkward would it be to do any finesse work with bladezilla in your hands?

think about it.
 
I would look at Ranger knives. If you raise your price to $215 The Dogfather is a great knife. The Ranger RD9 is a great knife in the given range though.
 
benchmadebob said:
you cant fall a small tree with a 4 inch blade and by small i mean 2 to 3 inches in diameter without batoning and i like the fallkniven a1 but i thought it was to small
Click to expand...

That's one task...but there will be a whole bunch of other tasks associated with survival that become a lot more awkward with a 10-12"...;)

I'd bet I could make fairly short work of any 2-3" tree with my BRKT Bravo 1...:D

That said, obviously you should get whatever you want...

Ray :)
 
Cold Steel Laredo in SK-5 would fit right inside your budget, and is a hell of a lot of bowie knife for the money. I'd definitely check that out.

39llb.jpg
 
Below is a Puma 'Original Bowie' (~$150+ mail order), a Buck 119 ($34 - Wally World), and a Buck 120 ($60 - Cabela's 'Pro-Line'). To me, the Buck 119, even though you'll see TV's 'Survivorman' Les Stroud carry one when he has a knife and his multi-tool, is a bit much. That 120 is like a broad sword to me. My preference is in the 3.5"-4.5" range.

IMG_0486_edited.jpg


Now, starting with the same handmade German Puma for scale at the bottom, we have a USMC KaBar - the usual ~$60 version, topped by another broad sword - my 'Made in Alabama' by Bear MGC Damascus Bowie, available several places in the $100-$150 range, despite the nearly twice the price MSRP. BTW, don't try to shave/pop hairs with that Damascus Bowie - the micro-serrations formed by the 512 layer Damascus will leave a rough blood trail, even if they won't pare away thin wood shavings like a finely tuned plane iron.

IMG_0485_edited.jpg


Those are what I would consider 'big' camping knives. I did, as a young man, carry my Dad's old WWII KaBar camping... fortunately, I also had a SAK for most duties.

Stainz
 
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