Looking for honest and good straight forward advice!!

[Kai Winters]

There are no winners in a knife fight...generally the winner is the guy with the least amount of cuts and the less nasty.

But like all tools different sized knives work best in situations they were designed for...few are designed for "zombie swatting" though they will all work well in the given situation but were it me I'd rather have a sturdy oak or ash staff around six feet long with a weighted end and a nice spear point on the other...like my "bo" but with the metal work I just described...great stand off weapon that will anti zombie the hell out of someone.

You can't go wrong buying from "recognized" makers such as Becker, ESEE, etc...so many good makers are out there.
Generally stay away from knives in the big box stores. They are usually of less than superior metal, thinner than you'd want and don't hold up well to hard use.

I have a nice Kukri, officer model...a bit smaller than the usual models...and it is a great knife for chopping...I've used it to chop down a nuisance tree with a four inch diameter...double trunk tree that was going to split...it is not the easiest to sharpen but it is a decent knife...I'd not carry it on a camping expedition as it is heavy and not great as a multi purpose knife/chopper but it is a great knife to start a collection with.

Good luck, welcome aboard and keep us informed...especially with pics.

 

[VT Darkangel]

Instead of looking to spend money on a bunch of knives, I'd highly suggest you take that money and seek actual training in the use of a knife. Long range? Melee Range? "Close quarters"? First of all, long range is what firearms are for. Melee/close quarters are the same range, and not somewhere I'D personally want to be if I had no knife training. So, if you want to be a mall ninja and buy a bunch of sweet knives for self-defense so you can think of yourself as prepared, please go right ahead. Can't tell you how many Youtube videos there are out there with super obese guys waving an expensive combat knife around, talking about how they'll be using it in "CQB", when they're already huffing and puffing just trying to talk to make the video. A guy with training and good conditioning who has a sharpened butter-knife will be on an entire other level than a guy who's untrained who has a super expensive combat knife.

If you want anything you buy to be worth anything "when you need it most", then it's worth actually going to get trained.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Go learn how to use the knife, ESPECIALLY if you intend to carry for self-defense. I personally recommend any of the Philippine arts: Escrima, Kali, or Arnis.

 

[Sonnydaze]

Becker BK2 fixed blade much less than $100, BenchMade Adamas 275 folder (big and excellent), about $150.
I have both of these; each one is super-tough.

 

[machinist4life]

I absolutely agree with Quiet. However, i gota add... I can't believe that not one recommended Himalayan Imports. I mean what gives? = )

 

[jmclfrsh]

Can't tell you how many Youtube videos there are out there with super obese guys waving an expensive combat knife around, talking about how they'll be using it in "CQB", when they're already huffing and puffing just trying to talk to make the video.

LOL, that's priceless.

jrj5784, you are on the right path, looking for good advice before wasting time and money. You're already ahead of the game by making good decisions.

 

[Quiet]

Can't tell you how many Youtube videos there are out there with super obese guys waving an expensive combat knife around, talking about how they'll be using it in "CQB", when they're already huffing and puffing just trying to talk to make the video.

LOL, that's priceless.

jrj5784, you are on the right path, looking for good advice before wasting time and money. You're already ahead of the game by making good decisions.

Right? LOL It cracks me up, it really does. I watch a lot of YT knife vids, probably more than is healthy. And so, my description fits a large number of Youtube blade reviewers I watch. You also see some these guys on the gun side, also. A guy wearing a 5xl size tacticool supplies website $49.99 "tac" vest, face covered in sweat, talking about combat tactics with their AR-15s covered in rails with lasers, flashlights all over the place. Like, really guy? Spending two or three grand on stuff won't make you a warrior.

Same here. Buying the best combat knife on the planet won't mean anything if you don't know how to use it.

 

[jstn]

Esee, Busse, Swamp Rat, Ferhman, Becker, you can't go wrong with any.

 

[Cutty73]

Becker BK7

Check 'em out:thumbup:

 

[ratedjaR]

Kabar big brother bowie hands down. it is a combat/utility model knife after all and in an zombie apocolypse youll most likely need both combat and utility. People will talk down about it because its a stick tang but I have two the leather and kraton model and they have yet to fail me . Plus it just looks intimidating .