Looking for cheap fighting/survival knife.

I agree that the Buck 119 is a solid choice.I've had one since the 80s with no complaints.
 
rachet197 said:
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Also just to answer marcinek by survival I mean batoning, and knife fighting I mean in case..

....also what do you think of Cold Steel Bushman since it is far from full tang......
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"Survival" means batoning? If you expect your survival is going to depend on splitting wood...then I'd really suggest a hatchet (or better yet a splitting axe). Why not go into your planned survival situation with the right tool?

As far as this fighting (bears? bad guys?)....anything sharp and pointy will work. If you are already splitting wood, you might as well just fashion something out of a branch and harden the point in the fire you are splitting wood for.
 
Ontario knives are a great value for the price. A variety of blade sizes and styles can be had very resonably.
 
rachet197 said:
SleepyBadger, I've heard to many problems with the tang on usmc fighting knives.
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Most of those are hearsay. There are generations of fighting soldiers who have depended on KaBars and have not found them wanting.
 
rachet197 said:
I own a Buck 119, just wouldn't baton with it or use it in a "survival situation" also the buck 119 sheath not so great.......
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I agree that the Wally World Buck 119 sheath isn't the greatest. You can order the leather standard sheath from Buck.

As to using a 119 in a "survival situation", Les Stroud did so many times. As well as being on the belts of many thousands of outdoorsmen for decades.


And I am certain it will work as a fighter, it worked well in the Scream movies.;););):D:eek:

If you don't want to baton, simply use it to make a wooden wedge. You don't need to pound on a knife to split wood,no matter what the internet says.:)

(As a disclaimer, yes I have batoned my F1 though it wasn't really needed. I do carry a hatchet in colder months. And yes I have even split wood with a wooden wedge)
 
rachet197 said:
SleepyBadger, I've heard to many problems with the tang on usmc fighting knives.
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I have also heard of these issues, but having owned and used one for a while now, I would have to disagree. It has never failed me and has performed well when asked.
It is not always possible to find a perfect knife for the defined parameters, especially with such a low budget. But in my opinion, the USMC fits the bill well.
A lot of the survival knives suggested would not make good defensive/fighters, so I suppose its a give and take.
 
thanks brewcitymike, BTW I have a buck 119, I am not looking for a folding knife, and I wan't a big knife!!!
 
Are you really going to be using it as a fighting weapon? Why not just get a good survival blade that does actual work instead of a knife that tries do everything well, but in fact sucks at pretty much everything?
 
Cold Steel Bushman or a Jeff White off the 'bay. I recommend tennis racket grip material overlay on the handle for both. If I was ever caught in a genuine survival situation I'd be THRILLED to have either.
 
Have you checked out the Ontario Spec Plus line?Some of them would probably suit your needs.
 
rachet197 said:
thanks brewcitymike, BTW I have a buck 119, I am not looking for a folding knife, and I wan't a big knife!!!
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You can baton with a small knife, you know. I've even heard, and this may be just a crazy rumor, that one can enjoy time in the woods without having to baton. And without getting into a knife fight. :D

Seriously, if you just want some big knife to bash the bejeebus outta stuff with in the woods...there's nothing wrong with that. Get something in the Ontario Ranger RD series if you aren't sold on the KaBar Beckers. Or just get that GI Tanto. You can bash stuff in the woods with it to your heart's content. And I'm sure if you get in a knife fight out in the woods it will work just fine.
 
If you just want a big knife...

Condor Kumunga

The Kabar Heavy Bowie is just about there in price, same with the KaBar ZK War Sword.

Good luck.
 
rachet197 said:
SleepyBadger, I've heard to many problems with the tang on usmc fighting knives.
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I've heard those problems too but have never really seen it. My old USMC Ka-Bar that I got when I was 12 worked fine and I abused that knife like I was a drunk husband. I threw it at trees, hacked up 2x4, stabbed a sold wood door with it and I dropped it on concrete a few times too and even used it to pry open a wooden chest and the only damage that knife ever received was a few scratches and minor nicks in the blade all of which were easily removed with fine sandpaper. Though there are better options out there, the USMC Ka-Bar in my experience are tough as nails.
 
I really like the Ontario Spec Plus Marine Raider Bowie, it's out of my ideal price range but I think it's is worth it.
BTW Hadji Flip Me Over this is the type of knife I meant.
BTW thanks again you guys have helped me so much on my quest!:D

Ontario warranty information?
 
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much like the marines themselves... infantry at least, poke, poke. The Ka-bars are tough as hell. the blade will put up with anything you can throw at it, and soldiers throw as much shit at a knife as anyone you can imagine, not so much because of necessity like you would imagine, but more out of sheer boredom. I've seen it all, and every 4th guy has a ka-bar... in 12 years of this foolishness, I've never seen one fail under some really stupid conditions. I have seen a handle bend after being thrown at a wall somewhere in the neighbourhood of 100 times, but it was still usable and hardly the worse for wear after we bent it back with a vice... it's not my favorite knife, but I love them, and I would bet my life on one if that's all I had.
 
I noticed you mentioned the Glock Field Knife, I just picked up the Glock model 78 field knife off craigslist for 25 bucks, for your money you can't beat them. I'd say it could handle some light batoning, the blade is fairly thick. But for what you pay for them, they make a good fixed blade.
 
PiiG said:
I noticed you mentioned the Glock Field Knife, I just picked up the Glock model 78 field knife off craigslist for 25 bucks, for your money you can't beat them. I'd say it could handle some light batoning, the blade is fairly thick. But for what you pay for them, they make a good fixed blade.
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I've kind of forgot about the glock field knife, it's far from full tang, now I don't only like full tang knives but, given the intended purpose it's a major con.

thx for the reply
 
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