-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Need Infor on Survival Knife
- Thread starter BLair
- Start date
- Joined
- May 31, 2001
- Messages
- 4,379
There have been about a million threads on this subject, particularly over in the "Wilderness and Survival Skills" forum. I suggest that you use the search function; you may be surprised at how much information you find.
I might as well add that there is no single "best" survival knife. It depends a lot on intended use and, perhaps more importantly, where the knife will be used. A great jungle knife might not do well in the desert, etc.
One more point: the notion of "survival" can be pretty flexible. A lot of us here are inclined to view the lowly Swiss Army Knife as an important survival tool.
Edited to add: Welcome to BF!
I might as well add that there is no single "best" survival knife. It depends a lot on intended use and, perhaps more importantly, where the knife will be used. A great jungle knife might not do well in the desert, etc.
One more point: the notion of "survival" can be pretty flexible. A lot of us here are inclined to view the lowly Swiss Army Knife as an important survival tool.
Edited to add: Welcome to BF!
- Joined
- Nov 17, 1998
- Messages
- 3,295
First you'll have to figure out what size knife you'd want to carry. Blade lengths of 6" to 9" are the norm. Will it be exposed to a lot of salt water? If so, stainless steel would be a good idea. Get a Victorinox SAK also. Here are a few "survival" knives:
Cold Steel SRK
Busse Battle Mistress/Steel Heart
Cold Steel Recon Scout/Trailmaster
TOPS Anaconda/Steel Eagle
Fallkniven A1/A2
Ontario RTAK
BK&T BK1/7/9
KA-BAR USMC F/U(#1217)
Randall #14/#15
...the list goes on and on.
Cold Steel SRK
Busse Battle Mistress/Steel Heart
Cold Steel Recon Scout/Trailmaster
TOPS Anaconda/Steel Eagle
Fallkniven A1/A2
Ontario RTAK
BK&T BK1/7/9
KA-BAR USMC F/U(#1217)
Randall #14/#15
...the list goes on and on.
How do you define survival?
Is this a knife that you will carry? If so, a smaller lighter knife you have with you in a time of need beats the heck out of a large heavy monster survival knife that sits at home in a closet.
Secondly, what's your price range? Are you looking at pure production knives in the ~$100 range or, is a $350 high performance custom an option?
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2000
- Messages
- 296
not much into survival stuff both take a look at the Swamprat Battle Rat and Camp Tramp. Each less than $150. Closest thing a working guys Busse. I have two of the smaller blades and they a great.
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2001
- Messages
- 343
BLair: Welcome to the forums
Now to answer your question.
I don't suppose you mean the brandname or makers trademark http://www.survivalknives.com/html/tac_10___tac_11.html ?
I suppose survival knives really took off in a big way back in the 1980's with "John Rambo"
And soon after many hollow handle bowies followed.
Like the Buckmaster http://cutlerscove.com/survival-knives/buckmaster.htm
The Gerber BMF http://cutlerscove.com/survival-knives/gerber-bmf-survival.htm
And many had great expectations with the Aitor Jungle King series http://store3.yimg.com/I/gyby_1709_186097231
But Survival knives didn't all take the form of the bowie.
A long time favorite was the Gerber Mark 2 http://www.knifemart.com/Germkii.htm A double edge with serrations.
Hell, even the Russian's had one http://secure.sovietski.com/cgi-bin/Sovietski.storefront/EN/product/200610
A simple and inexpensive choice would be the Swedish made Mora http://www.swedishknives.com/
Be sure to read this link http://www.foodreserve.com/stronknifiss.html and you'll probably have a better understanding for requirements.
So in answer to your question, there is no one knife solution.
Krizzard, out.
"...Whoever kills with the sword must be killed by the sword... "
- The New Testament, Revelation 13:10
Now to answer your question.
I don't suppose you mean the brandname or makers trademark http://www.survivalknives.com/html/tac_10___tac_11.html ?
I suppose survival knives really took off in a big way back in the 1980's with "John Rambo"
And soon after many hollow handle bowies followed.
Like the Buckmaster http://cutlerscove.com/survival-knives/buckmaster.htm
The Gerber BMF http://cutlerscove.com/survival-knives/gerber-bmf-survival.htm
And many had great expectations with the Aitor Jungle King series http://store3.yimg.com/I/gyby_1709_186097231
But Survival knives didn't all take the form of the bowie.
A long time favorite was the Gerber Mark 2 http://www.knifemart.com/Germkii.htm A double edge with serrations.
Hell, even the Russian's had one http://secure.sovietski.com/cgi-bin/Sovietski.storefront/EN/product/200610
A simple and inexpensive choice would be the Swedish made Mora http://www.swedishknives.com/
Be sure to read this link http://www.foodreserve.com/stronknifiss.html and you'll probably have a better understanding for requirements.
So in answer to your question, there is no one knife solution.
Krizzard, out.
"...Whoever kills with the sword must be killed by the sword... "
- The New Testament, Revelation 13:10
TLR
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 5, 1998
- Messages
- 1,568
I would have to agree with CH the fallkniven F1 is a great knife and the steel on mine has held an edge like no ther knife that I have owned. The only possible thing that it won't do well that a little bigger knife might do is cut wood. I know that when I backpack the F1 and a camp saw do all that I could ever need and for the weight issues a saw and smaller fixed blade always is better than a large knife IMHO.
First of all, I agree that the best survival knife, is the one you have with you. If you spend a lot on a knife and then don't want to carry it because you might lose it, then I would suggest a cheaper knife that you will carry with you.
I am going to be getting the Tom Brown Tracker knife from TOPS for Christmas. I have traditionally carried small lockbacks with me on my backpacking trips (Schrade Uncle Henry). I will continue to carry my Uncle Henry, but wanted something that will handle more chopping and some bigger tasks. I have experienced several occasions when I would have liked to have had a larger blade to cut into wood to get some dry kindling.
Just make sure whatever your survival blade is, that you are carrying it.
I am going to be getting the Tom Brown Tracker knife from TOPS for Christmas. I have traditionally carried small lockbacks with me on my backpacking trips (Schrade Uncle Henry). I will continue to carry my Uncle Henry, but wanted something that will handle more chopping and some bigger tasks. I have experienced several occasions when I would have liked to have had a larger blade to cut into wood to get some dry kindling.
Just make sure whatever your survival blade is, that you are carrying it.
To elaborate a bit, I would say that TLR is spot on. I prefer a small sturdy fixed blade and a saw like the folding model from Gerber, over any other combination. I've went the "big bowie survival knife way" and tried several of the popular 6-12" blades on extended canoe trips in remote areas, etc. While a big blade may come in handy, I never found them to be a necessity, and in every situation that I faced, a stout entrenching tool like the Cold Steel Spetznaz shovel worked far better. These were just my experiences, YMMV 
.
I do, however, exclude jungle environments like those in South/Central America, as a good machete here is IMHO a necessity.
My favorites are the Fallkniven F1, BK&T Campanion, Ka-Bar mini marine combat, and the BM Nimravous. There are probably many other great choices that I am not familiar with.
Just my thoughts,
Clay
.I do, however, exclude jungle environments like those in South/Central America, as a good machete here is IMHO a necessity.
My favorites are the Fallkniven F1, BK&T Campanion, Ka-Bar mini marine combat, and the BM Nimravous. There are probably many other great choices that I am not familiar with.
Just my thoughts,
Clay
I was in the AF for 8 yrs (Desert Storm/Shield included) in Survival Equipment. You would be surprised whats really used for survival purposes. The standard was the AF pilots knife. The small cheap three blade colonial stockman (was a three dollar knife!) was the norm for the ba-18 survival chute survival kits. The 4 blade utility knife was the norm for the survival raft kits (not too mention both had a version of the hooked blade knife).
It all comes down to your needs. A sak can make an excellant survival knife. The pilots knife is a good knife, but the knife has always suffered two problems, one the blade tang is thin and is prone to breakage at the point it connects to the handle, through the guard. The second is the tip. Its still a good knife, but the saw, which many do not know, is intended to cut through sheet metal, not wood (for anyone who's tried it, the saw cuts wood very poorly, wasnt inteded for this purpose).
When I was in the AF I used a sak, and a issue ontario f/u better known as a kabar (used generically of course for any knife, camillus, ontario, pal, utica, ect patterned after the original kabar produced f/u). Ive also used a western w49. It all depends on the room you have, and the weight your willing to carry. There are knives that are very durable, also very expensive, the thing to remember is that any decent knife can be used as a survival knife. No matter what you choose consider teaming it with a sak (like a camper model with saw!), you cant go wrong that way. also remeber many forget this, but include a compact sharpener, such as a lansky, dog bone hone.
A kitchen knife could be a survival knife, the key is to pick according to what you think you might need, want to carry, room available, ect.
The classic "rambo" knife is not really needed.
hope this helps some!
It all comes down to your needs. A sak can make an excellant survival knife. The pilots knife is a good knife, but the knife has always suffered two problems, one the blade tang is thin and is prone to breakage at the point it connects to the handle, through the guard. The second is the tip. Its still a good knife, but the saw, which many do not know, is intended to cut through sheet metal, not wood (for anyone who's tried it, the saw cuts wood very poorly, wasnt inteded for this purpose).
When I was in the AF I used a sak, and a issue ontario f/u better known as a kabar (used generically of course for any knife, camillus, ontario, pal, utica, ect patterned after the original kabar produced f/u). Ive also used a western w49. It all depends on the room you have, and the weight your willing to carry. There are knives that are very durable, also very expensive, the thing to remember is that any decent knife can be used as a survival knife. No matter what you choose consider teaming it with a sak (like a camper model with saw!), you cant go wrong that way. also remeber many forget this, but include a compact sharpener, such as a lansky, dog bone hone.
A kitchen knife could be a survival knife, the key is to pick according to what you think you might need, want to carry, room available, ect.
The classic "rambo" knife is not really needed.
hope this helps some!
Batrachian
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2001
- Messages
- 105
A survival knife should be A) durable, and B) cut well. The Chris Reeve Project 1 does well on both counts. It also has that little compartment in the handle.
The other benefit of it is that if you won't actually use it for survival it's also fun to look at and play with.
Our primitive ancestors survived quite well in the harshest conditions with nothing more than a flake of stone (at least as far as cutlery was concerned), as well as their knowledge. Any knife of the right size (6", give or take) from a reputable manufacturer will serve you well in the outback.
The other benefit of it is that if you won't actually use it for survival it's also fun to look at and play with.
Our primitive ancestors survived quite well in the harshest conditions with nothing more than a flake of stone (at least as far as cutlery was concerned), as well as their knowledge. Any knife of the right size (6", give or take) from a reputable manufacturer will serve you well in the outback.
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2002
- Messages
- 2,342
The best survival knife is the one you actually have WITH YOU when you need it.Interestingly the same applies to a self defense knife. In my experience I have found sharpenabiliy an oft overlooked attribute to a survival knife, consider maybe a somewhat lower hardness of steel say 55-57 rather than a super steel with a Rc of 61 or so.This will allow you to effectively sharpen your blade in the field w/materials at hand should you lose/not have a true sharpener.