Need Help for Survival Knife - PLEASE

SEALTeam6 said:
I'm looking at the BK10 based on a lot of reco's but it has a similar handle profile to the BK2, which I haven't had a chance to feel out in person. Wish the Crotalus was in-stock because then that would make the decision simple. The other option is an ESEE 5, but didn't want to spend that much on a knife.

I'm not married to the carbon blade steel or the exposed pommel , so if any members think there are other knives that fit most of my criteria, I'm definitely open to exploring those as well.
Click to expand...

So, I've never heard of someone that didn't like the handle shape of a Becker knife. I've heard a fair bit of complaints about the texture of the grivory scales (some people think they're too slippery), but not about the actual shape (doesn't mean people haven't complained about it, but just that I haven't seen it). The BK10 has the exact same handle scales, but because the blade thickness is 3/16in instead of 1/4in it doesn't fill your hand quite as much. Depending on the size of your hand, you may like it more. Myself, my first Becker was a BK2, but then I got a BK9 (also 3/16in thick), and the handle felt too narrow so I added some handle liners under the scales, and have been happy with it since then. So keep that in mind as an option.

What about a Cold Steel SRK? I think the normal version is AUS8, but it checks most of the other boxes, although its a touch more spendy (~$80).
 
Wish you could handle both the BK-2 and BK-10. I know that neither has the kydex sheath which has been a complaint by the becker forum people at times. I bought a BK-2 because a couple years ago they were the rage and recommended over and over again. I figured, what am I missing? Bought one. I recall handling it in the store and going... wow. This is a knife! But after the newness wore off and the cool factor, I came to my senses and never carry the thing and wish I would have bought the BK-10. The truth is I have more knives than I know what to do with and I am not very limited when it comes to taking a "survival knife" out into the woods for fun or to use. That's why I haven't bought a BK-10 yet. I just have found that for me, I use a 4-6" knife much more regardless of survival considerations. (Yes, I know the BK-10 fits that size range.) How often have I had to survive anything serious in the woods anyway? Zero. I take precautions and plan ahead.

The grips on the Beckers are very well designed for both normal cutting, and stabbing if that is a consideration. The stabbing part never occurred to me (not part of my DNA), but a friend showed me it in simulated action. I was impressed actually.
 
Last edited:
22-rimfire said:
Wish you could handle both the BK-2 and BK-10. I know that neither has the kydex sheath which has been a complaint by the becker forum people at times. I bought a BK-2 because a couple years ago they were the rage and recommended over and over again. I figured, what am I missing? Bought one. I recall handling it in the store and going... wow. This is a knife! But after the newness wore off and the cool factor, I came to my senses and never carry the thing and wish I woudl have bought the BK-10. The truth is I have more knives than I know what to do with and I am not very limited when it comes to taking a "survival knife" out into the woods for fun or to use. That's why I haven't bought a BK-10 yet. I just have found that for me, I use a 4-6" knife much more regardless of survival considerations. How often have I had to survive anything serious in the woods anyway? Zero. I take precautions and plan ahead.
Click to expand...

When I was first getting into knives, this was more or less exactly what happened to me. However, I did research and find out that the BK10 was (at that time) an old out of production model. And when I checked used prices on them, I decided to go with the BK2. However, if I was doing it over again, I'd have got the BK10 (or actually the BK16) instead, and don't think I'd be "missing" anything at all.
 
Are you opposed to a stainless option? Since you have the esee, how about something like a used Fallkniven. An F1 can be had just north of your #. Or maybe wait till you have the funds and look in the $100-$150 range. The S1 would be ideal for you (IMO). Bark river knives has some great knives with different steel options. Also there are many members here that make great knives and would more than happy to help you build a knife that will be yours in every sense of the word. Good luck with the search.
 
Thanks guys! Definitely not opposed to stainless.

I don't have very large hands, which is one of the worries with the bk2. I've heard the grivory grips are slippery as well, but I figure spray rubber on the grips could be a solution.

The SRK is a pretty sweet knife and one I'll definitely look into. ..as well as the fallkniven...but the fallkniven's are a bit higher than what i'm looking to spend.

Would the BK10 hold up to batoning if needed?
 
It should handle batoning just fine. I don't have one, but I have what you might consider a longer version (BK9, same handle, same 3/16in thick blade stock), and its batoned like a champ. I've tackled knotted logs of ~6in or so in width, and have seen some people pound theirs through 7-8in logs. So with a blade length of 5.5in, I think the BK10 should be just fine :).

You can give the stock grivory handle scales a shot, and if you don't like them, you can do the rubber spray, stipple the grips, sand them, throw a ranger band on, or bite the bullet and buy some Micarta. Some people hate the stock scale texture, some love it, so you might not have to do anything to them.
 
Thanks for the recommendations...lots to think about.

What about everyone's experiences with Condor knives. Are they good quality? Any issues? Customer service/warranty?

Thanks
 
SEALTeam6 said:
What about everyone's experiences with Condor knives. Are they good quality? Any issues? Customer service/warranty?

Thanks
Click to expand...

My brother and I have beat the hell out of their Golok Machetes.
I have demolished things with it that would normally take an axe (took a little more work, but was more fun :D).

My wife enjoys her Woodworker Axe from Condor as well...she was absolutely stoked about chopping down a tree on her own. :thumbup:

From what I've seen from the experience posted by others, their warranty and customer service have been very good. People have easily gotten replacements when they've been unlucky enough to get one that broke.

For the money, I don't think you can beat them.
 
Only Condor I've ever owned (Bushloare), I only owned for a short while before I gifted it to my father. The sheath was great, but the knife was a touch on the rough side. My particular knife had a flubbed grind that took a while to fix, but beyond that it seemed just fine.

The 1075 did seem to hold its edge "less well" than the 1095CV that I'm more used to, but it wasn't worth complaining about. They do seem to have extremely high value.
 
Thanks for the help guys!

Wanted to throw another option at you, Ontario Ranger RD-6. I just saw this yesterday online.

It has 5160 spring steel, micarta scales, 6 in blade and is 1/4" thick. No kydex, but I can always get that at a later point. Thoughts on that knife and the Ontario brand as a whole?
 
SEALTeam6 said:
Thanks for the help guys!

Wanted to throw another option at you, Ontario Ranger RD-6. I just saw this yesterday online.

It has 5160 spring steel, micarta scales, 6 in blade and is 1/4" thick. No kydex, but I can always get that at a later point. Thoughts on that knife and the Ontario brand as a whole?
Click to expand...

Another quality knife company. 5160 isn't going to hold an edge as well as 1095 - probably more like 1070. But it is a really tough steel for chopping - which a blade this size and thickness seems to be oriented around. Ontario only hardens these to around 54 Rc.

Decent pricing for a micarta handled knife, too. You might look at the rest of the Ranger or even Ontario knives - I had forgotten about them when you asked.
 
Last edited:
Ontario runs its 5160 a bit soft for my taste. On the upside, it should be incredibly tough, and easy to sharpen.

I'd be more interested in the Bush series myself. I'm of the opinion/experience that I don't need anything more than 3/16in thick blade stock for a hard use knife. The Bush series knives are 3/16in thick 1095, so they're more relevant to me.

Other than that, I hear the handles are a bit blocky and uncomfortable. The upside is that they're quite large, so you should be able to shape them to your preference if you want.

Good luck.
 
RX-79G, ocnLogan - thank you guys for the help and guidance. I'll check these out, as well as the bush line and let you guys know the final decision.

Really appreciate everyone's help here.
 
The Ontario SP series has almost everything you are looking for except for the handle. They don't have a huge selection on their website. Just go there and look thru all the fixed blade knives. They have mostly 5160 and some 1095 steel. They all MSRP a bit over $100 but you can find most of them around $75. But for battoning, wouldn't you want a blade a bit longer than 6 inches? If I was camping I would want a thin, short knife for regular tasks and something a few inches longer for hacking thru things.
 
I have an Ontario Ranger RD-7 with a custom kydex sheath. I love it for camping, processing wood and chopping. It batons better than any knife I've owned and is an excellent pack survival knife. The stock sheath is horrid, so make sure you plan on upgrading that. I would also recommend the Tops Fieldcraft BOB if you are wanting an excellent heavy duty survival bushcraft blade or the EnZo Trapper if you want something very sharp, practical and great for everyday carry.
 
I also have the Condor Bushlore with Micarta handles and Kumunga. The Bushlore is my second favorite woodsman daily carry knife. I stripped the grey coating and added a mustard patina to it for more of a custom look. Its stock sheath is beyond excellent for the price of the blade and you can easily make it a dangler. All Condor leather sheaths are the best stock sheaths for the price of the knives in my opinion. So, yes I believe Condor makes excellent knives, love them both and am going to buy more of their blades. For the price and the sheath quality, buying one can turn a budget purchase into a long term quality carry blade.
 
Schrader has a new knife out that is getting good reviews, the SCHF42. 5.1 inches, so close to the size you are looking for.
 
Seal6, I'm coming to this late but there's two issues I identified here:

1) Most factory sheaths I've gotten--even from excellent makers, such as Spyderco--suck and need replacement. I always factor this into the equation of any fixed blade I get, both the need to spend more money for it and what the availability of an aftermarket sheath would be for the model I'm considering.

2) The Crotalus appears to be more widely available (both Baryonyx and the river bookstore list it, and it was introduced last year, so I don't know what Knifecenter's problem is), but there's another candidate now entering the pipeline: the Condor Final Frontier. While it's 1/2" shorter in the blade than the Crotalus, it's full-tang, has a hammer pommel, and a bonus firebow bearing in the handle. Joe Flowers, who designed the Crotalus, also designed the FF.

Flowers went over the FF at SHOT 2015 here (from 0:29-1:10):

[youtube]R5x6J5CFX84[/youtube]

Unfortunately the only review currently on YouTube is a tabletop review in German:

[youtube]EfXLPvvvuuA[/youtube]


If you make a final selection, please reply here--I'm curious what you decide!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top