Need to make knife choices: Heavy Survival Fixed, Surv/Combat Fixed, Folder

M

manosteel00

Joined
Sep 22, 2010
Messages
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Hi Guys,

First of all, this is my first post! Nice to meet y'all. I came across the site and heard good things and decided to register.

I'm in the market for three knives and could use some help. I will admit to not having much experience other than the Benchmade I picked up in the scouts as a teenager.

Right now I'm looking at the following and would like some advice on what to get given it's purpose:

Heavy Survival Fixed Blade:

Currently favoring the Cold Steel Trailmaster SK5. Seems a bit old school though! I'm looking for a all-purpose camp knife to help with wood splitting, basic needs, etc. I don't want the thing to be a brick but weight isn't as much of a concern.

Survival & Combat Fixed Blade

Currently I'm split between the SOG Seal Pup Elite, KABAR, and Cold Steel SRK. Looking to take this on brief hikes and attach onto a belt/tac vest if needed.

Tactical Folder

I don't currently have something for every day carry. I'd like something with some reach thats relatively light. Other than that, I haven't researched them too much to know what's good and what's not.

Advice would be well appreciated.
 
Just for a little clarification, the Heavy Survival Blade I'm talking about is something in the ballpark of 7-9" that is a great chopper and good at batoning.

I also want to take a step down and look at 6-7" blades for day hiking.
 
Welcome to bladeforums.

These knives are knives I have used and used hard for years. I hope my pics will show you how well used they are, and they are still going strong. I suggest these because I know they will hold up and are comfortable to use.

Take a look at the BK9. It will be a good chopper. I have used mine for years and never had a problem. I thinned out the edge a bit and not it slices very well for it's size as well as a good chopper. I have batoned hard wood with this knife. I have batoned hard wood with a BK6 when the same wood broke my Cold Steel Recon tanto with a carbon V blade.

This is an older camilus BK9. Ka-Bar makes them now, but if you look around the old Camilus one can still be found.

As for a fighting knife, I would think this would save you from buying another knife. The name of this one is combat bowie :D .

For the folder, try a BM 710. I have used one as an EDC for years. Now it is the knife that I go to when I know I am going to work hard and dirty. My BM 710 has been on all of my camping and gold prospectiong trips. I have pried rocks, cut wires, dig, and God knows what else with this knife. It is still rockl solid and the only thing that looks well used is the blade. That is because I have used it hard and convexed it at on point when I had some chips that need to be taken out with the belt sander. I removed some of the buterfly logo. Then I went on a week long camping trip where I was sweating on the BM 710 and carrying it underwater for hours at a time. I never cleaned it while there. It developed a few stains which you can see in the pic.



Pics taken a few minutes ago after a work out in the woods and after a quick batch. There is some sap still stuck on that I need to take a razor to.
















 
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What type of price range for each knife?

I'll go ahead and put some thoughts down though;

Chopper- Ontario Ranger line up, maybe a RD-7 or RD-9.

Survival/combat- Yo probably talking about two different knives here as a survival knife may not make a good combat (fighting knife?) knife, and a combat knife may not make a good survival knife. Staying with Ontario, I think that a RD-4 might be the best of two worlds with it's clip point design.

Folder- First thoughts were for a ZT0200, but at 7.7 ounces, you might find it too heavy. A ZT0350 would also be a good choice.

All of the above are just some knives off the top of my head. You will get many more responses and many more suggestions!

Good luck, and let us know what you end up choosing.

Oh yeah.....WELCOME ABOARD, this is a FANTASTIC place to be!!:thumbup::D
 
My heavy duty chopper is an 18" overall length Himalayan Imports M-43 kukri. They also make a knife called the Tamang knife that would work very well for you as well as their Jungle knife.

For a general use survival/combat knife You could go with a Swamprat Knifeworks Ratmandu or one of the new Blackjack Jetpilot survival knives you can pick up from knivesshipfree.com. Both these knives have 5 inch blades which is all that is realy needed.

For a folder I would go with a ZT 0301 or the ZT 0200. I was so impressed with my ZT 0300 that I ordered a ZT 0301 to go with it. Best tactical folders around. Kershawguy here on the forums is who I pick up my ZT's from.

There are many other groupings of knives that you can go with. The SK5 Trailmaster is a good knife (I used to have one of the Carbon V models) I just didn't like the kraton handle.

I team em up like this A large knife/chopper 10 inch blade or more. Backed up by a 5" max blade utility knife (can be as small as a 4" blade F1). With a folder in the pocket.

You could use a 19" camp axe instead of a large chopper knife as well. Gransfors Bruks, Wetterlings and Estwing all make good ones. I personaly really like the Estwing campers hatchet.

Hope this helps and good luck in your search.
 
Heavy Survival Fixed Blade:
Junglas
HI Jungle Knife
Condor Hudson Bay or Kumunga

Survival & Combat Fixed Blade
All three are great choices, and at one point in time I've had all three. All pretty different, and all entirely practical and functional. BTW, Swamp RAT is selling Howling RAT LM's right now (4.5 inch Combat Utility blade made from 52100 steel) for 128 bucks-mine just shipped yesterday. They have a 5 inch RatManDu still available as well.

Tactical Folder
Really depends on your price range but I'd check out Kabar's AUS8 folders-they have some real nice ones right now from about 15 dollars on up to 50.
 
manosteel00 said:
Survival & Combat Fixed Blade

Currently I'm split between the SOG Seal Pup Elite, KABAR, and Cold Steel SRK. Looking to take this on brief hikes and attach onto a belt/tac vest if needed.


Advice would be well appreciated.
Click to expand...

Are you expecting to encounter many survival and combat situations during your "...brief hikes"?

If not, something like a SAK Vic Farmer or AG Russell Woodswalker will more than suffice on a day hike. Not as tacticool....but they are something an actual hiker not interested in playing commando might carry.
 
What marcinek said.

I you want a big knife, just buy one. The Becker Companion, BK7 or BK9 are good knives.

If you really are serious about learning survival skills, you won't need much more than a 4-5" blade.

"Combat"? If you ever do join-up for service, you'll be humping so much gear that you will be leaving that big heavy knife in your locker.
 
What CWL said!

If you want a big ol' smacher/basher/chopper like a big Becker or Ranger...get one!

But its silly to walk around with it, or consider it part of your "survival".

Use it to have a grand old time bashing stuff in the woods. Stay close to the car with the trunk full of beer!
 
Welcome to the forums!

Pay no mind to all the self proclaimed survival "experts" who love to bash any knife that is more than 4 inches long. They will try their best to dissuade you from getting certain styles of knives for some reason.

There is nothing wrong with getting what appeals to you. Besides, you know what will suit you better than they.

...It would be helpfull to have a price range in mind though, before making any recomendations.:)
 
BryFry said:
Welcome to the forums!

Pay no mind to all the self proclaimed survival "experts" who love to bash any knife that is more than 4 inches long. They will try their best to dissuade you from getting certain styles of knives for some reason.

There is nothing wrong with getting what appeals to you. Besides, you know what will suit you better than they.

...It would be helpfull to have a price range in mind though, before making any recomendations.:)
Click to expand...

Actually, the "...survival 'experts' who love to bash any knife that is more than 4 inches long" do so because they are survival experts. They "...try their best to dissuade you from getting certain styles of knives..." because they are silly, pointless overkill.

I have no particular objection to silly, pointless overkill, its perfect for "within 50 yards of a gassed-up car with a trunk full of beer" survival! :thumbup:
 
marcinek said:
Actually, the "...survival 'experts' who love to bash any knife that is more than 4 inches long" do so because they are survival experts. They "...try their best to dissuade you from getting certain styles of knives..." because they are silly, pointless overkill.

I have no particular objection to silly, pointless overkill, its perfect for "within 50 yards of a gassed-up car with a trunk full of beer" survival! :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Your opinion, and you're welcome to it.:thumbup:

Others disagree.

...and it gets old every time someone asks specifically about a large or "tactical" blade, you always get the same off topics replies bashing the very knives that inspire some people to join a forum like this in the first place.

If you really think that all large knives are just "silly, pointless overkill" and that the knives that YOU use are the ONLY ones that matter, then you are missing out, as well as showing your ignorance as to their usfullness.

Maybe you just need some practice to learn how to use them? :)
 
Survival Combat fixed blade around 6 inches, you say?

11.JPG


Think of the A1 as a SRK but with much better steel, strength, blade shape and convex edge.
 
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the 710 is a classic & i suggest it over an endura for a beginner since it's stouter. the bk9 is another classic --used mine last weekend to clear some corner brush obscuring road vision. i think it's a good idea to put a lanyard on the bk. cold steel srk is'nt quite as heavy duty but tough enough to handle most tasks w/o as much weight.if you are pretty savvy with knife use the endura while lite weight is a great slicer.welcome to the forum.
dennis
 
+1 for the A1
Once you get this it will do pretty much anything you would need from the other 3. I got mine and LOVE it. :D
 
To the OP,

As far as large fixed blade camping type knives, you can't go wrong with that Trailmaster your looking at, or the BK9 pictured above.:thumbup:

Plenty of othes to choose from to. Here are a few more.....

At about the same price as the CS TM, there is the Crowell/barker Browning competition knife ....truely great for the money IMHO!
002-1.jpg


If you're on a budget take a look at the KA-BAR USMC, or the Ontario Raider Bowie. Both are only around $60.
moreknives001.jpg


If you like the Trailmaster, and can afford to pay a little more check out Fallkniven NL series...
013.jpg


If you have the money you should also take a look at Busse, or Fehrman.
 
BryFry said:
If you really think that all large knives are just "silly, pointless overkill" and that the knives that YOU use are the ONLY ones that matter, then you are missing out, as well as showing your ignorance as to their usfullness.

Maybe you just need some practice to learn how to use them? :)
Click to expand...

Do you understand the overkill concept?

Sure, you could start a fire with a flamethower too....but it doesn't involve practice or skill to do so.

But hey.... a huge, heavy, cumbersome knife makes you feel happy...knock yourself out.

I suggest the Myke Hawke Hellion.
 
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BryFry said:
Your opinion, and you're welcome to it.:thumbup:

Others disagree.

...and it gets old every time someone asks specifically about a large or "tactical" blade, you always get the same off topics replies bashing the very knives that inspire some people to join a forum like this in the first place.
Click to expand...

It also gets old when people whose opinion is disagreed with blame the disagreement on "bashing" by the other person.

I'm sorry the suggestion I offered as more efficient and potentially adding to the OPs outdoor enjoyment differed from your opinion.

I'm shocked you didn't accuse me of trolling. That's usually the second step when one continues to disagree with those people.
 
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