i need a survival knife

Some good suggestions here. Swamp Rat, Scrap Yard, Ranger, and the CS Trailmaster in SK 5 are all solid knives.
 
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Big blades are a lot of fun, however there's some sage advice being given here. Both camping/hiking and my military occupational adventures have led me to a mid-sized knife. It really comes down to the size of knife you can comfortably carry on your person at all times. Survival is not something you plan for; hence a big knife strapped to your pack won't always be with you when you need it. A larger knife does give you some benefits; more leverage and more efficient chopping (compared to a smaller fixed blade, not an axe), but the trade off is carrying it often (they are much larger or heavier) and comfortably.

Even if I plan to carry a larger knife (usually strapped to or inside my pack), I'll have a smaller fixed blade on my belt. There are several advocates of a large knife (Ron Hood comes to mind), however you need even more skill to fully utilize the potential without harming yourself. Someone that knows how to use a smaller fixed blade and can easily measure up to most tasks performed with a larger blade.

It's easy to say that "size" doesn't matter as much as the skill wielding it; however not having a blade on you when you need it is even more important. I would suggest getting a quality fixed blade with a blade between 4-5.5" and learn how to make various shelters, batten (horizontally and vertically), make traps, skin/clean game, shave fuzz sticks, make a fire-board for a bow and drill, maybe even some basic bushcraft skills (bowel, spoon, etc.). If you really need a chopper, the suggestion of a quality, inexpensive machete (Ontario or Tramontina) or a good small axe/hatchet (Wetterlings makes some great ones). Don’t underestimate the value of a small folding saw (Gerber, Silky, or a Kershaw/Bahco). They make very quick and efficient flush cuts on saplings and branches…they are inherently more safe than a chopping tool and don’t take up much space in one’s kit.

Unless I intentionally hike to a very isolated area, I typically won't carry a large knife on my person. They are just too cumbersome even in a combat zone and too heavy for backpacking; and if you carry on a drop-leg setup, they snag too much if you're off trail and you get unwanted comments if you're on the trails.

If you're still set on getting one, I highly recommend one of Justin's Ranger knives (RD series); the Browning Barker/Crowell Competition knife is a hell of a bargain and even the Cold Steel Trailmaster is okay if you look around for a decent bargain price. Swamp Rat and Scrap Yard knives are excellent bargains as well. Ontario’s RTAK II is also a good chopper (I have an original Livesay RTAK). KaBar makes a few larger chopping knives that are quite inexpensive but I can't comment on durability if your tasks are too punishing. If you search around, there are numerous up-and-coming knife makers that will make you a blade to you specifications for under $200. You might just luck out in that department if you have the patience.

ROCK6
 
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
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Wouldn't it take less time and effort to cut down a 3" diameter tree with a "small", light weight folding saw?

Thanks,
Rich
 
I fish a lot . I chop sticks to use as a rod holder. A small knife wont do. I always have a poket knife anyway. So Im an advocate of the big knife.
 
My Scrapyard Yard Guard is a good all-around survival-style knife. 7" blade, and compared to other knives I've owned it's a great chopper. But somebody mentioned the Dogfather above, which is another whole world above the Yard Guard. I paid $140.00 for the Yard Guard.

I actually have several blades when I'm out in the wilderness... my Yard Guard, a Buck Short Nighthawk, and a Gerber Evo for small cutting jobs. I also take a Fiskars hatchet usually.

YardGuard1-1.jpg
 
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Can you tell us a little more about the situation you anticipate needing this knife for?
 
i think i know what im guna but a bacho folding saw and either a puma bowie or a fallkniven a1 im not sure yet on witch one yet what do you guys think and thanks for the help guys
 
jbombelli said:
My Scrapyard Yard Guard is a good all-around survival-style knife. 7" blade, and compared to other knives I've owned it's a great chopper. But somebody mentioned the Dogfather above, which is another whole world above the Yard Guard. I paid $140.00 for the Yard Guard.

I actually have several blades when I'm out in the wilderness... my Yard Guard, a Buck Short Nighthawk, and a Gerber Evo for small cutting jobs. I also take a Fiskars hatchet usually.

YardGuard1-1.jpg
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The yardhook is a wonderful knife.
I took mine hunting last year.
http://www.scrapyardknives.com/ubbt...t=0&Board=Knives&Number=187805&page=1&fpart=1
Its a recurve done right, excellent slicer.
After a few backpacking trips the coating is mostly chipped off or smoothed and the spine is dented from batoning with granite rocks(harder than noss's hammer mind you).
I'll post pics soon.
 
For MUCH less than $150- I'd go with the Ka-Bar Heavie Bowie. It as a 9" Blade and will do everything you need still and leave $90 in your pocket to buy food with.
benchmadebob said:
something not 440 and with a good sheath and have a clip point or bowie blade 10 to 12 inches long i need advice please and my price range is around 150$
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benchmadebob said:
i think i know what im guna but a bacho folding saw and either a puma bowie or a fallkniven a1 im not sure yet on witch one yet what do you guys think and thanks for the help guys
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The pinned guard of the puma bowie weakens the tang far to much to pry with and prying kindling is something that is often done in the woods. The fallkniven is a better choice but i prefer my rangers to all others i have yet to try in this price range... Why not give the rd9 and a pocket knife a try? i don't think there is anything in the woods you wouldn't be able to handle with this combo and you could still carry a small folding saw if you felt the need to make precision snares.
 
Moodino said:
For MUCH less than $150- I'd go with the Ka-Bar Heavie Bowie. It as a 9" Blade and will do everything you need still and leave $90 in your pocket to buy food with.
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I like the ka-bar heavy bowies too and use both the long and short version and i also wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone but as far as the leftover $90.00 hmmmm. I think i would hunt for food and save that for gas:D:D
 
For $150, you can buy a Fiskars hatchet, Fiskars folding saw, an Ontario machete and either a Fallkniven F1 or a Ranger RD6 or RD7. If you shop around, you'll probably have enough left over buy a Mora knife to boot.

These would fit any need you'll ever have.
 
Camillus KaBar backed up by a SAK Farmer, cutting and chopping ability, can opener and saw. Works for me.
 
Some of the smaller saws are great, I really like the Kershaw (Bahco) model myself.

They can be limiting, however. You can't split wood or shave wood with a saw. Nor can you make pegs/stakes and pound them in with a saw, or chop through ice for water (shamefully stolen from Mors Kochanski). But they are easy to use and very, very safe.

It really depends on your needs.
 
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