Knife you could rely on for survival

GB940Rookie said:
Same here with the 6.
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Folder? I’m not going anywhere without these two.
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I forgot to mention my GB2. Very solid knife that takes a lot of abuse. I need to get a GB1.:)
 
Because it's built like a tank, my Rat Worx mini MRX. Has never failed me. Goes on all my outdoor excursions on my belt holster.
 
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I haven’t put a ton of thought into this but probably something like a Chris Reeve Professional Solider, longer and in S90V. Wrap some paracord around the handle, maybe machine in some slightly more useful slots for being able to strip something down or tighten a screw up.
 
I didn’t read one knife; If I got dropped off or drove up and hiked miles into the wilderness and stayed for awhile, I’d bring backups. Besides a hawk and a folding saw, I’d have a rtak2 and a bk9, a machete, a couple 4” fixed blades, and a couple of small game skinners. With enough preparation, you can “survive” in style for a very long time. If you meant a true survival situation such as surviving a plane crash, I’d be happy to find any kind of knife at all!
 
Generally these days there is an obsession with knives that are far too small for most serious outdoor tasks. The assumption a whole slew of other tools will be there kind of makes the whole "survival knife" concept moot. Yes, if you bring your car with your whole living room in it, I predict you will make it... Thank God most "surviving" is done from a computer.

I've found some small tasks are sometimes better done by big, broad, thin edged fixed blades (10" long X 2" wide), because you can chop a crisper and neater cut using the large blade's momentum, whereas with a small blade you are pushing, pushing some more and then the material abruptly lets go, with less control for precise small tasks, such as delimbing neatly very small diameter branches.

For long term heavy use, you want a blade heavy point of balance at least 1/2" ahead of the guard, which means that, even with a decent non-full tang handle (full profile tangs make everything worse), the knife should have at least a 10" blade (11" will often give a full one inch balance point, doubling the balance bias for just more one inch).

The edge should be the thinnest edge possible (about 0.020" at the shoulders, which few makers offer on big knives, usually only Randall offers this from the box) with the widest blade possible, aiming for 2". Even with 1/4" stock, a 10" Full Flat Grind knife will be under pound (16-18 ounces for a 10", 20-22 ounces for an 11" blade), or about the same as the ridiculously heavy BK-2 that has half the blade length, so half the edge holding to begin with... This "object" is basically like carrying a one pound handle.

A blade width of 1.5" is way too narrow, and the stock should be at least 1/4" thick to dampen vibrations. 3/16" blades that are 10" plus will vibrate on wood, and this is made even worse with a full tang: The bigger Randalls have stick tangs and are closer to 1/4" stock (0.22" on a Model 12) for a reason.

The extremely wide blade with an extremely thin edge at the end combines so that even if the geometry is severely damaged by heavy use, just by virtue of the width, edge thinness and weight bias, it will still have the momentum to drive and cut into wood, whatever its condition. The edge strength and edge holding will be greatly helped by an appropriate micro-bevel: Good stainless should hold 15-17 dps with a 20 dps micro while chopping.

Yes a 2" broad 11" blade with a thin V edge will "stick" in wood (10" far less so), but only on the first few hits of a cut (in rain the sticking does get worse, but a simple tap directly opposite the edge will free the knife). Don't convex the edge to prevent sticking: Convex edges are less efficient at everything, that's why they don't stick into wood as much...

Small blades get dull faster, because there is less edge to wear down to begin with. But you'll never hear that in the current nonsense "mine is smaller than yours" atmosphere...

And please forget what you heard about not using stainless, unless all you can bring is a stone rather than a diamond hone. Just stay away from "powder" stainless steel: I have a stainless knife from the 1940s that does better in edge-holding than all the more common current powder steels. I have also seen cheap Taiwanese 420 do the same. Powder steels do hold their edge in rough use, but they lose their apex straightness very quickly: This doesn't matter for slicing (you can slice forever with a micro-folded apex), but for rough chopping it does, because a bent apex just gets more and more misaligned the more you chop.

Gaston
 
Gaston444 said:
Generally these days there is an obsession with knives that are far too small for most serious outdoor tasks. The assumption a whole slew of other tools will be there kind of makes the whole "survival knife" concept moot. Yes, if you bring your car with your whole living room in it, I predict you will make it... Thank God most "surviving" is done from a computer.

I've found some small tasks are sometimes better done by big, broad, thin edged fixed blades (10" long X 2" wide), because you can chop a crisper and neater cut using the large blade's momentum, whereas with a small blade you are pushing, pushing some more and then the material abruptly lets go, with less control for precise small tasks, such as delimbing neatly very small diameter branches.

For long term heavy use, you want a blade heavy point of balance at least 1/2" ahead of the guard, which means that, even with a decent non-full tang handle (full profile tangs make everything worse), the knife should have at least a 10" blade (11" will often give a full one inch balance point, doubling the balance bias for just more one inch).

The edge should be the thinnest edge possible (about 0.020" at the shoulders, which few makers offer on big knives, usually only Randall offers this from the box) with the widest blade possible, aiming for 2". Even with 1/4" stock, a 10" Full Flat Grind knife will be under pound (16-18 ounces for a 10", 20-22 ounces for an 11" blade), or about the same as the ridiculously heavy BK-2 that has half the blade length, so half the edge holding to begin with... This "object" is basically like carrying a one pound handle.

A blade width of 1.5" is way too narrow, and the stock should be at least 1/4" thick to dampen vibrations. 3/16" blades that are 10" plus will vibrate on wood, and this is made even worse with a full tang: The bigger Randalls have stick tangs and are closer to 1/4" stock (0.22" on a Model 12) for a reason.

The extremely wide blade with an extremely thin edge at the end combines so that even if the geometry is severely damaged by heavy use, just by virtue of the width, edge thinness and weight bias, it will still have the momentum to drive and cut into wood, whatever its condition. The edge strength and edge holding will be greatly helped by an appropriate micro-bevel: Good stainless should hold 15-17 dps with a 20 dps micro while chopping.

Yes a 2" broad 11" blade with a thin V edge will "stick" in wood (10" far less so), but only on the first few hits of a cut (in rain the sticking does get worse, but a simple tap directly opposite the edge will free the knife). Don't convex the edge to prevent sticking: Convex edges are less efficient at everything, that's why they don't stick into wood as much...

Small blades get dull faster, because there is less edge to wear down to begin with. But you'll never hear that in the current nonsense "mine is smaller than yours" atmosphere...

And please forget what you heard about not using stainless, unless all you can bring is a stone rather than a diamond hone. Just stay away from "powder" stainless steel: I have a stainless knife from the 1940s that does better in edge-holding than all the more common current powder steels. I have also seen cheap Taiwanese 420 do the same. Powder steels do hold their edge in rough use, but they lose their apex straightness very quickly: This doesn't matter for slicing (you can slice forever with a micro-folded apex), but for rough chopping it does, because a bent apex just gets more and more misaligned the more you chop.

Gaston
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This sounds more like opinion rather than fact to me. I say do it your way and we all do it our way and nobody is wrong no matter which way they do it. YOUR way doesn't necessarily mean it's the BEST way...
 
From a knife standpoint, my choice would be Benchmade's siebert bushcraft. Or better yet one from Siebert himself.
That being said, I would also include an axe and a good saw. An ox head axe and a saw by silky. That's just me however.
 
Gaston444 said:
Generally these days there is an obsession with knives that are far too small for most serious outdoor tasks. The assumption a whole slew of other tools will be there kind of makes the whole "survival knife" concept moot. Yes, if you bring your car with your whole living room in it, I predict you will make it... Thank God most "surviving" is done from a computer.

I've found some small tasks are sometimes better done by big, broad, thin edged fixed blades (10" long X 2" wide), because you can chop a crisper and neater cut using the large blade's momentum, whereas with a small blade you are pushing, pushing some more and then the material abruptly lets go, with less control for precise small tasks, such as delimbing neatly very small diameter branches.

For long term heavy use, you want a blade heavy point of balance at least 1/2" ahead of the guard, which means that, even with a decent non-full tang handle (full profile tangs make everything worse), the knife should have at least a 10" blade (11" will often give a full one inch balance point, doubling the balance bias for just more one inch).

The edge should be the thinnest edge possible (about 0.020" at the shoulders, which few makers offer on big knives, usually only Randall offers this from the box) with the widest blade possible, aiming for 2". Even with 1/4" stock, a 10" Full Flat Grind knife will be under pound (16-18 ounces for a 10", 20-22 ounces for an 11" blade), or about the same as the ridiculously heavy BK-2 that has half the blade length, so half the edge holding to begin with... This "object" is basically like carrying a one pound handle.

A blade width of 1.5" is way too narrow, and the stock should be at least 1/4" thick to dampen vibrations. 3/16" blades that are 10" plus will vibrate on wood, and this is made even worse with a full tang: The bigger Randalls have stick tangs and are closer to 1/4" stock (0.22" on a Model 12) for a reason.

The extremely wide blade with an extremely thin edge at the end combines so that even if the geometry is severely damaged by heavy use, just by virtue of the width, edge thinness and weight bias, it will still have the momentum to drive and cut into wood, whatever its condition. The edge strength and edge holding will be greatly helped by an appropriate micro-bevel: Good stainless should hold 15-17 dps with a 20 dps micro while chopping.

Yes a 2" broad 11" blade with a thin V edge will "stick" in wood (10" far less so), but only on the first few hits of a cut (in rain the sticking does get worse, but a simple tap directly opposite the edge will free the knife). Don't convex the edge to prevent sticking: Convex edges are less efficient at everything, that's why they don't stick into wood as much...

Small blades get dull faster, because there is less edge to wear down to begin with. But you'll never hear that in the current nonsense "mine is smaller than yours" atmosphere...

And please forget what you heard about not using stainless, unless all you can bring is a stone rather than a diamond hone. Just stay away from "powder" stainless steel: I have a stainless knife from the 1940s that does better in edge-holding than all the more common current powder steels. I have also seen cheap Taiwanese 420 do the same. Powder steels do hold their edge in rough use, but they lose their apex straightness very quickly: This doesn't matter for slicing (you can slice forever with a micro-folded apex), but for rough chopping it does, because a bent apex just gets more and more misaligned the more you chop.

Gaston
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You don't need a car/truck/ATV/ horse or mule to bring an axe, or hatchet and a saw for a planned trip (per the OP's scenario) into the boonies.
A 10 inch long 2 inch wide 1/4 inch thick blade as you suggest would be a hindrance more often than an asset.
Such a knife would not work well (if at all) for skinning and cleaning game or fish, for example, or for carving a spoon or bowl, if needed.
People have been flourishing in the boonies with a Mora No. 1 or No. 2 doing serious bushcrafting for over a century.

Finesse beats brute strength. There is no reason to baton. Consider the beaver. They fell trees up-to a foot of more in diameter by whittling around the tree. There is no reason you cannot shorten branches the same way with your knife, or use a saw or axe/hatchet if you brought one with you.
If it is necessary to split your firewood, an axe or hatchet is a better tool than any knife. Knives are a cutting tool, not a chopping/splitting tool.

There are videos on You Tube where people have built weatherproof shelters using nothing but a sharp 2 blade jack knife - a slipjoint - from cutting the willows for the framework, the grass used to thatch the roof, and the twine to hold everything together. The jack knife used by the man I'm thinking of had carbon steel blades, with a main blade under 3 inches in length. I'm sorry, but I do not remember his name. I think he lives in Ireland or Scotland. Somewhere in the British Isles, anyway. :)
 
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DracoKrys said:
If you knew you were about to spend a long time in the wilderness in any environment, what knife would knife would you choose to bring with you, and why?
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'DracoKrys'... what knife do you personally bring when you're about to spend a long time in the wilderness in any environment?
 
I would obviously be relying on what's in my pockets / with me for the week, but if I was going out I'd definately make sure these were with me.


In my opinion the one tool option is a myth.
My " utility axe " will get the chopping / splitting done as well as any hammering, and the Buck 119 will get the knife tasks handled along with what was already in my pocket / with me.
 
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It would have alot to do with where I was and what season it was ... but if I had to limit to one it would probably be my Esee Jungla or Becker BK9 ... preferably two knives or a knife and small axe in which would be my Becker BK15 with my GSO 5.1 or the small axe.
 
Probably one of my Busse blades, most likely my comp finish SJTAC. Stout but still ridiculously sharp. Or my Carothers HDFK
 
afishhunter said:
You don't need a car/truck/ATV/ horse or mule to bring an axe, or hatchet and a saw for a planned trip (per the OP's scenario) into the boonies.
A 10 inch long 2 inch wide 1/4 inch thick blade as you suggest would be a hindrance more often than an asset.
Such a knife would not work well (if at all) for skinning and cleaning game or fish, for example, or for carving a spoon or bowl, if needed.
People have been flourishing in the boonies with a Mora No. 1 or No. 2 doing serious bushcrafting for over a century.

Finesse beats brute strength. There is no reason to baton. Consider the beaver. They fell trees up-to a foot of more in diameter by whittling around the tree. There is no reason you cannot shorten branches the same way with your knife, or use a saw or axe/hatchet if you brought one with you.
If it is necessary to split your firewood, an axe or hatchet is a better tool than any knife. Knives are a cutting tool, not a chopping/splitting tool.

There are videos on You Tube where people have built weatherproof shelters using nothing but a sharp 2 blade jack knife - a slipjoint - from cutting the willows for the framework, the grass used to thatch the roof, and the twine to hold everything together. The jack knife used by the man I'm thinking of had carbon steel blades, with a main blade under 3 inches in length. I'm sorry, but I do not remember his name. I think he lives in Ireland or Scotland. Somewhere in the British Isles, anyway. :)
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vinnysdayoff he has a few good videos
 
chambelona59 said:
'DracoKrys'... what knife do you personally bring when you're about to spend a long time in the wilderness in any environment?
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I was asking you because I'm not sure what I'd bring exactly. If it was only one I'd want a 5" carbon steel full tang drop point fixed blade of some sort.
 
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