Recommendation? (NOT custom) survival knife without budget limit

ondrej2m said:
Hi, I am looking for tips. I decided to finally buy THE knife :)
- drop point
- full tang
- 15-20 cm blade (I carry SAK for finer work)
- no serration
- stainless
- handle comfy without gloves (sorry falkniven)
- I have rather large hands, thus handle should accomodate them
- comfortable fingers protection against slipping into blade (I need to stab/pierce plastic barrels time to time etc.)
- I do NOT want a custom knife, I wanna see it before I buy it and I believe more in quality control of more established processes
- no gold, emeralds, diamonds or fancy carvings, but no budget limit

- should serve most of the time as camping/bushcraft knife
- but I will take it to the Carpathian mountains and the knife may turn into survival knife on any trip there
- the knife should cut bread as well as do some light chopping

I am new here so I appologise if messed in some way with any rules or customs here. Thank you for any tips!!!!
Ondrej
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These are your answer. A CPK is the knife you want. I don't think there is a finer option for the money, or in general really. Nathan and company have exceedingly high standards in every aspect of making a knife.

jmgruber said:

Carothers Performance Knives

http://www.carothersknives.com
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com

I would take a look at the Basic 5" Field Knife
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unwisefool said:
Here is a picture of said knife:
View attachment 1942060
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Bunker Hill Blades said:
I might be wrong about this, but doesn’t Carothers use just 3V? Great steel! but isn’t technically stainless.
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They also use AEB-L but mostly Delta 3v. With the Delta heat protocol, my CPK 3v knives have been more stainless than some true stainless steels. Nathan says that with the Delta, D3v is nearly stainless, or semi stainless. In my experience, this is spot on. If you take into account the other qualities of D3V, including it being semistainless, I think it is the best steel for an all around survival/utility/woods knife.

Can they be somewhat difficult to get? Yes. Are they Custom? Depending on your definition, maybe. Are they stainless? Almost & plenty enough IMO. But the real question is, Do You Want the Best? If Yes, then you will find a way to get a CPK in D3V.

And, because pics:

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Define the word "survival knife" first. Give it some thought, what it really meant to you.
Then weed out all the nice, well built knives that have been picked for their looks but that don't meet the qualifications to be a true survival knife at the level you picked.
 
For me personally I would not spend all that money on a knife I will be beating on, breaking or possibly losing. I have gone on hikes that went longer than expected and camping trips that turned nasty. My load out always looks something like this...
E0oz9vs.jpeg

The SAK for almost everything really. The hatchet is a box store Estwing that as of this photo is over 25 years old and cost $25. As you can see it's taking a beating. The fixed blade is a BM 151 with handles I made after the original fell apart after 15 years of use. The medium/large folder is really the only thing that keeps changing. For almost 15 years it was the Spydie. Now the Ritter is likely to be in my pocket.

Unless I was looking for a fixed blade version of pocket jewelry, I would go with the fixed Hogue Ritter and a decent hatchet to beat on. Just my thoughts though.
 
mmyron1 said:
For me personally I would not spend all that money on a knife I will be beating on, breaking or possibly losing. I have gone on hikes that went longer than expected and camping trips that turned nasty. My load out always looks something like this...
E0oz9vs.jpeg

The SAK for almost everything really. The hatchet is a box store Estwing that as of this photo is over 25 years old and cost $25. As you can see it's taking a beating. The fixed blade is a BM 151 with handles I made after the original fell apart after 15 years of use. The medium/large folder is really the only thing that keeps changing. For almost 15 years it was the Spydie. Now the Ritter is likely to be in my pocket.

Unless I was looking for a fixed blade version of pocket jewelry, I would go with the fixed Hogue Ritter and a decent hatchet to beat on. Just my thoughts though.
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For that matter, a Mora, Fiskars hatchet and SAK will work for decades if you don't abuse them. I guess that is not as much fun as constantly upgrading.
 
dogstar said:
For that matter, a Mora, Fiskars hatchet and SAK will work for decades if you don't abuse them. I guess that is not as much fun as constantly upgrading.
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No. Upgrade to your hearts content. I just believe in the right tool for the job. I would rather spend $600 on a good Hinderer folder and use it for what it's designed for than on a large fixed blade and abuse the crap out of it. I don't have a need to "chop" a tree down or split fire wood with a Busse. I know they can do it but doesn't mean I will plan on doing it. If giving the time to plan a trip or hike I will gladly bring along tools for the intended purpose. If you're going on a hike or camping trip with just a large fixed blade and a SAK that speaks more to me about poor planning. If this is a SHTF scenario then yeah. Grab your Junglas and go.
 
Watch this and decide if yours would be in the running after the same treatment. Remember the word, survival.
That doesn't mean if your Mercedes dies on the side of the interstate and you'll be there a while. Or the power goes out overnight in the Airbnb.

 
I think you're missing my point my friend. Going on a 7 day hike as the OP suggested I would have all my pictured tools. Will my BM do what an ESEE 5 would do. Hell no. But I also wouldn't try it unless absolutely necessary. That is what my hatchet would be for. And by the way. I would have recommended the ESEE but said stainless.
 
Chris Reeve "Pacific" or the shorter 5.5 inch "Green Beret" come to my mind. " Hell-for-stout" as they say here in Texas. Served many well in Iraq and Afghanistan. Both are high spec blades from a premium knife maker.
 
Has anyone recommended anything from Randall Made?

Their #16 "Diver's Knife" seems to be the toughest model and can be had with a saw tooth spine . . .but exceeds your length by several inches. Don't know what blade steel they use (440-C?). It seems to be their only offering that has a substantial tang rather that a thinner hidden tang.
 
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What about looking through the knife makers for sale area?
Most everything is handmade, but not really “custom” because it’s already been made. But you get to see it before you purchase it.
 
The Lionsteel M7 is a nice, well-made knife with an 18 cm blade. Don't know if the Sleipner steel is stainless enough for you. Also, the factory grind may be a bit obtuse, so consider having to reprofile it to your taste. Oh, and it's readily available. No use choosing a knife you cannot actually buy (or wait x years for...)

www.lionsteel.it

M7 fixed blade sporting knife: ideal to cut branches - Black micarta

M7 is the biggest lionSTEEL sporting knife: ideal to cut branches and go through the most challenging excursions. Discover it on the official shop!
www.lionsteel.it www.lionsteel.it
 
busse boss jack
theres a knife in that size on the scrap yard knife company website. the reseprine c handles are pretty nice.
 
For stainless I’d say a Falkniven A1 but apparently you’ve held one and don’t like the handle. If you haven’t held one I’d say try that as it’s much beefier than the F1 and S1
 
ondrej2m said:
Hi, I am looking for tips. I decided to finally buy THE knife :)
- drop point
- full tang
- 15-20 cm blade (I carry SAK for finer work)
- no serration
- stainless
- handle comfy without gloves (sorry falkniven)
- I have rather large hands, thus handle should accomodate them
- comfortable fingers protection against slipping into blade (I need to stab/pierce plastic barrels time to time etc.)
- I do NOT want a custom knife, I wanna see it before I buy it and I believe more in quality control of more established processes
- no gold, emeralds, diamonds or fancy carvings, but no budget limit

- should serve most of the time as camping/bushcraft knife
- but I will take it to the Carpathian mountains and the knife may turn into survival knife on any trip there
- the knife should cut bread as well as do some light chopping

I am new here so I appologise if messed in some way with any rules or customs here. Thank you for any tips!!!!
Ondrej
Click to expand...
You messed up asking for specifics when people here answering want to mostly suggest their own favorites. I would suggest adjusting your requirements to the following. A blade between 1" and 8 inches, stainless or carbon steel, any point or shape, in fact even a hatchet. This will increase the validity of bladeforum replies 95.5%.
 
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