Looking for medium size survival knife!

Read any of the books by Cody Lundin, or even watch Dual Survival. The guy lives with nothing but a Mora. And Does EVERYTHING he needs to survive.


MELERIAN said:
Mora cannot be survival knives. Please...Go with the Becker 7. Is a real nice blade, where price is low and utility is high.
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ocnLogan said:
I also agree that thicker knives aren't always better. I do own a BK2, and agree its not the nimblest knife out there, but I've actually been surprised with how much detail work (bushcrafting wise yes, I'm not a hunter so I couldn't say anything about skinning/game processing). I'm not saying its my ideal bushcraft knife, but its actually surprisingly comfortable being pushed into many different uses.
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For me bushcrafty things are best done with thin edges regardless of the overall size of the knife. Never owned a BK2 but if it's anything like the ESEE4, BK5, Swamprat RMD and HRLM, they're not so great. All with too thick edges for my liking. All great woods knives and can be used in a pinch for carving and such but give me a well done custom or even a Mora and the difference in that kind of work is night and day. Heck even a SAK destroys these knives in that kind of work. Best to have one of each. A big un for breaking wood apart and a small un for efficient carving.
 
Shotgun said:
For me bushcrafty things are best done with thin edges regardless of the overall size of the knife. Never owned a BK2 but if it's anything like the ESEE4, BK5, Swamprat RMD and HRLM, they're not so great. All with too thick edges for my liking. All great woods knives and can be used in a pinch for carving and such but give me a well done custom or even a Mora and the difference in that kind of work is night and day. Heck even a SAK destroys these knives in that kind of work. Best to have one of each. A big un for breaking wood apart and a small un for efficient carving.
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I hear you on that. I agree, I was just saying that every time I pull out the BK2 and expect it to be terrible at things like trap making for instance, it does better than I would think it would initially. And I totally agree with taking more than one blade out with you. Right now I use a Mora and a BK9 or a corona saw :).

Lets just hope the OP can find something that can suite his fancy :).
 
Shotgun said:
Not sure I understand how they compliment each other. Could you explain that one? I can see one being a backup for the other but at the weight these guys are at, that's a seriously heavy redundancy.
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The Bk2 is a 1/4" thick beast, great for many things however the BK16 is a smaller, lighter, thinner knife that can tackle small tasks with much more finesse. No one knife can handle everything so I like a multi-blade system. A BK2 with a multi-tool or SAK might be even better.
 
RobbyJoz said:
I took everyone's consideration in and narrowed it down to two knifes that I'm in love with know.... The Bk2 and the bk16.. And I can't choose... Any suggestion of which one?
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I think you should look at Ontario Knives too.
The Ontario Ranger RD4 (Ready Detachment series, 4.5" blade) is in your price range. :thumbup:
 
$75.00 ? Get a machete, SAK and a folding saw. And if you get drunk on what's left don't slice a finger off.
 
When I think of a survival knife I think of something around 3/16th thick, 5.5 to 7 inches in length. Preferably alloy ( not stainless, something like 3V, or L6) with a coating ( not one that slows down the cut through). It would have to have a full tang, and a guard on the bottom at least. I figure if I have to use an emergency knife it might not be the best conditions around and cold, wet conditions cause me to lose some grip. In an emergency the last thing I need is to add to my problems by giving myself an accidental cut.

A good, safe sheath with a tie down, pouch for a XYZ!@#, and a snap on the grip, and one on the shoulder.

Synthetic grips like micarta or G10. No weak points or stress risers on the blade. Something comfortable for my hands with no hot spots.

That's about it. :)

Joe
 
Shotgun said:
For me bushcrafty things are best done with thin edges regardless of the overall size of the knife. Never owned a BK2 but if it's anything like the ESEE4, BK5, Swamprat RMD and HRLM, they're not so great. All with too thick edges for my liking. All great woods knives and can be used in a pinch for carving and such but give me a well done custom or even a Mora and the difference in that kind of work is night and day. Heck even a SAK destroys these knives in that kind of work. Best to have one of each. A big un for breaking wood apart and a small un for efficient carving.
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A fallkniven F1 would be a good compromise. It's quite thick for its size but can still carve with the best of em.
 
You can never ever go wrong with an Esee 5 or 6. Best bangs for the buck ever made, IMO.
 
A survival knife, IMO, is any knife that you carry ALL THE TIME. "Survival" situations are the textbook definition of Murphy's Law and survival situations usually occur when you aren't geared down for the adventure. For example when I go on hikes, extended Kayak trips, etc I take my Fällkniven F1 and an Estwing Hatchet (because you really don't want to put the stress of chopping or batoning on a knife if you don't have to even if its capable) along with my EDC Leatherman Skelatool, multiple firesteels, tinder, food, plenty of water for the expected duration, water purification tabs, etc, but lets face it, although its possible, that's not when things are likely to turn into survival mode because I'm well prepared beyond the scope of my planned adventure. When things are most likely to turn into a survival setting is when an unexpected event happens or when you think you are only going "off the grid" for an hour or so and don't pack or plan for an extended adventure. This scenario, the true survival scenario, leaves you with only the stuff you have with you and your ability to make that stuff work for you, therefore if you buy a knife that's going to sit at home until you plan a trip and pack it, it's most likely not going to be with you in a survival situation.
I would buy something that is small and comfortable enough to carry every day and, like others have suggested, don't let that be the only knife you carry. The golden rule of survival gear is "Two is one and one is none" as well as making sure what you carry daily will perform at least three tasks to insure its worth carrying in the first place. I have already explained to you what I carry on my hikes, etc. and it's not cheap, but a knife doesn't have to be expensive or huge to be a good survival knife. My EDC is as follows:
A leatherman skelatool, a solo scientific fire steel wrapped in jute twine, a 4Seven's QMini X 123 flashlight, a $30 (can find them cheaper) Buck large Paklite skinner with the handle first wrapped in jute twine then over wrapped in paracord inside the buck sheath I have a 1/4" Misch metal firesteel and 4x's (1Gal) Katadyn Micropur water purification tabs. Most importantly it's all comfortable enough to carry every day whereas a larger knife is not. I can still "beaver chew" larger branches down to size for shelter and fire, etc, I can still make fire, skin food, etc. and most importantly am mentally capable of improvising, adapting and overcoming. I know you just asked about a "survival knife" but that's a relative term that can only be defined by how a knife accompanies the rest of your gear and how mentally prepared and knowledgable you are in the survival mindset.

As for the mora not being a survival knife I'm pretty sure Cody Lundin could pose a strong argument otherwise.

Sorry for the long post for my first post, but much like CSI Miami overshadows police and detective work I think a lot of TV shows overshadow what real survival is all about and it's much more than just a knife. Thanks.
 
save your money up a little more and get something of decent quality that'll last u a life time esee, swamp rat, survive knives, and if u wanna go for the gold save up for a busse
 
marcinek said:
Wow! 4 of your 6 posts are links to your Schrade SCHF9 youtube vid! Maybe for us non-YouTube users you can tell us here what you love about it. Thanks! :thumbup:
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I'm only a casual BF user, and I don't know you marcinek, but that little piece of sarcasm made me laugh out loud. Thanks for the monday chuckle.
 
Creaky Bones said:
I'm only a casual BF user, and I don't know you marcinek, but that little piece of sarcasm made me laugh out loud. Thanks for the monday chuckle.
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Well, if you knew me better, you'd know I'm never sarcastic! :cool:

In the interest of fair play, I did go and watch the video. It's a mint knife on a carpet and a description of the knife's specs. Might do what the OP expects to do....he never did say.
 
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RobbyJoz said:
I took everyone's consideration in and narrowed it down to two knifes that I'm in love with know.... The Bk2 and the bk16.. And I can't choose... Any suggestion of which one?
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PREDICTION: You will beat yourself up for days on end trying to make this decision. You will eventually choose one over the other based on something entirely arbitrary. You will love the knife you buy, but using it will reveal your need for a knife that is larger/smaller. You will buy the other one. And then you will be truly happy.

Go in peace, my child.
 
Scott_Parvin said:
A survival knife, IMO, is any knife that you carry ALL THE TIME. "Survival" situations are the textbook definition of Murphy's Law and survival situations usually occur when you aren't geared down for the adventure. For example when I go on hikes, extended Kayak trips, etc I take my Fällkniven F1 and an Estwing Hatchet (because you really don't want to put the stress of chopping or batoning on a knife if you don't have to even if its capable) along with my EDC Leatherman Skelatool, multiple firesteels, tinder, food, plenty of water for the expected duration, water purification tabs, etc, but lets face it, although its possible, that's not when things are likely to turn into survival mode because I'm well prepared beyond the scope of my planned adventure. When things are most likely to turn into a survival setting is when an unexpected event happens or when you think you are only going "off the grid" for an hour or so and don't pack or plan for an extended adventure. This scenario, the true survival scenario, leaves you with only the stuff you have with you and your ability to make that stuff work for you, therefore if you buy a knife that's going to sit at home until you plan a trip and pack it, it's most likely not going to be with you in a survival situation.
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While you do make very good points about the nature of a survival situation, I think you're getting off track from what the OP asked. You talked about EDC in response to a question about survival knives.

A survival knife is what you take when you go to the woods.
An EDC knife is what you have in case you wind up in the woods.
 
PitchAndMoment said:
A survival knife is what you take when you go to the woods.
An EDC knife is what you have in case you wind up in the woods.
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I disagree.

An "outdoors recreation or 'field' or hunting/camping/hiking/fishing" knife is what you take when you go to the woods.
A survival knife is what you have in case you wind up in the woods. (I've never figured out how that happens, though. :) "Poof"...you're in the woods somehow with only one knife and nothing else.)
 
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