Outdoor Knife that last

[sideways]

Sounds like you need a trunk monkey...

Or you could learn to use your knives and they would not be wearing out on you left right and center.

I don't know what kinds of things you are doing surviving on your camping trips but I can assure you they are not necessary for your survival.

 

[james terrio]

I very strongly recommend learning how to put, and maintain, a basic edge on your knives. Try youtube; there are roughly a bazillion sharpening vids on there. Stick with the simplest ones.

Like stereo equipment and bicycles, you can spend as much or as little as you like on knives and still get something that makes noise or gets you from Point A to Point B. My sincere recommendation for almost anyone is the Becker line, manufactured by Ka-Bar. They're very sturdy, well-thought-out designs, made in the USA with a solid warranty, and they're affordable. If you're willing/able to spend a couple hundred bucks or more, naturally I welcome you to take a look at my work, other handmade/custom makers, or companies like Survive!, BRKT, Fallkniven, and so forth.

If you're on a tight budget and simply don't want to learn how to sharpen, just get you a set of steak knives from the Dollar Store and an inexpensive Coughlan's folding saw from WallyWorld. Possibly a machete if you may encounter a lot of tall grasses or thick brush. Throw the steak knives away when they get dull. The saw will outlast you if all you do is saw wood with it, and honestly a machete doesn't really need to be razor sharp to clear brush (although it helps). Total investment, about $30.

Terrio Handmade Knives Growl model. Mr Terrio hosts a knife makers forum right here in BF and he has his own website. I don't think even one of your "Non BBQ" weekends can ruin one of his blades.

Thanks for the mention Any knife can be ruined, of course... it mostly depends on whether one uses it as a knife, or as a screwdriver/cold chisel/prybar/concrete block smaller-maker, etc. Also, my website is down for the foreseeable future. The subforum is alive and well.

 

[Fire_Brand]

Serious suggestion: If you don't like sharpening and that is a deal breaking criterion in the selection process I would go buy a work-sharp. Like others have said it would be to your benefit to learn how to sharpen, but that said it is a skill that takes time to learn and it takes time to do as well so I can understand just wanting to use a knife and not maintain it.

Members here are knife enthusiasts and consider knife maintenance an enjoyable part of the hobby, but some of the same people may just want a car that works and take it to their local dealership twice a year for a check-up because they don't want to bother with worrying about upkeep. To a car enthusiast this may be infuriating and they would say that person is blowing all of their money paying someone $100 to change a belt and $50 for an oil change when you could do both yourself for $25 total. To some people things are just a tool that they just want to use and not deal with any of the hassle of upkeep or maintenance. It may not be the best use of money etc. but I can understand where you are coming from.

That is why I'd suggest buying a work sharp, it is a simple no-fuss tool that will give you a great edge fast and you don't have to waste any extra money sending it out to be sharpened or take time sharpening by hand.

As for what knife to get, all the suggestions already given are good and would work well for you. But for my own personal opinion I'd say get an ESEE. I don't really know what size you had in mind but I'd get a laser strike or a Junglas. Both good survival, camping, slashing etc. tools and with ESEE's warranty if you chip it or break it you can send it in for a replacement. If a small knife works for you maybe consider getting a new Master Hunter in 3V just because that steel is crazy tough.

Now for a less serious recommendation: If you are stuck on sending the knife out to sharpen but want to make sure the knife is "worth it" just get a really expensive knife and buy a Busse, that way when choosing between buying a new one or getting it sharpened, getting it sharpened will always make more sense. Plus INFI is another crazy tough steel (though not as tough as 3V). Alternatively just get a cheap machete like a tramontina, it can do all those things, you can sharpen it easily with a cheap metal file and if you chip it you can just throw it away and get a new one for $5.

 

[savage99]

Esse or buck as they both have fantastic warranty mabey cold steel too.

 

[LostViking]

These may be stupid questions, but,

What do your friends carry?

Do they break theirs as often as you break yours?

 

[LostViking]

Get a Buck 105. A superb knife at a good price, it will last a lifetime and is backed by Buck's great warranty service.

I agree, about the 105, awesome piece, extremely capable,


But you have to remember, this is survival we are talking about!

 

[zombieassassin]

Busse, Swamprat. .....they have what you want. ....but you didn't see this post cuz it was my 2 cents.

 

[B.F.U]

Or if you really want one that can saw as well as chop I highly recommend Newt Martins custom MCE2 in s35vn steel

It will run you a bit more money that most of the others recommended.

"A bit" haha

Cool knife though!

 

[Jonny1280]

A Harbor Frieght 1x30 belt sander is only like $30-$40.

And....Becker!

 

[abbydaddy]

This is my 1970's K. Tragbar. I've had it since I was 11. It has done camping and hunting duty from the Brooks Range to the Grand Canyon, From the Olympic Rainforest to the Catskills, and even a fair bit in the woods of Quebec (though I was living in the woods then, so it wasn't really camping). I have fancier, tougher, more modern knives, but this knife has done everything I've needed a knife to do in the wild for over two decades now. It is not a special knife in terms of value or materials (well it is very special to me, but that is a sentimental special). It has required no special care. It doesn't even have a full tang (it has a rattail). But sharpening it and not abusing it has kept it in good working shape.

Learn to sharpen your knives.

And if you aren't going to learn how to care for your knives then get a Mora.

 

[orezona]

BK9 or ESEE Junglas.

 

[TheGearGuy]

I have beat the snot out of my ESEE 4 for years. I wipe it off and put it away when I'm done. I sharpen it as needed. That knife is still as good as new. And, if it were to break ESEE would replace it. If you want tough, you can't go wrong with an ESEE knife.

Just in the past month I stopped using my ESEE 4 because my Spyderco Bradley Bowie is taking over. The Bradley is a much nicer knife in a lot of ways. However, I do not have the time and experience with the Bradley like I do the ESEE 4. So, for now I'll suggest the ESEE, even though I prefer the Bradley.

Also, if you want to saw something, bring a saw. A small folding Bahco saw or similar will make saw cuts far faster than a knife with no damage to your nice sharp knife edge.

 

[Jeru]

If I were you I would want something that is:
1. very though;
2. with a bit of chromium;
3. coated (under the handle).

I.e. something in CPM 3V or INFI or in other words:
Fehrman Knives or Busse

 

[panzertroop]

Esee 6

 

[craytab]

Almost every other years I'll have to purchase a new knife. Reasons... handle had broken off, Blade had a large chip, cost of sharping is more than a brand new knife etc, etc...

Example.
My last / current knife is a Boker USA Arbolito Timberwolf, tip had broken off.

PS
I do not abuses my knife/s and **YES** I do know how to use it and take care of it.

Um, if you are always breaking your knife and complaining about sharpening cost, how can you tell us that you are not abusing it and that you know how to take care of it.

Also, enable to have a laser like sharp knife you must take it in to a knife smith 2 or 3 time per a year... Unless you have the equipment at home.

Not true at all. You clearly need more experience in using and taking care of a knife.

Do keep in mind this is a survival camping trip not a weekend BBQ camping trip.

Nice, an implication that others only do weekend BBQ Camping trips.

So keep your 2 cents to yourself.

Not only will this attitude not go over well here it is not a good attitude to have when going about life in general.


I would say get an Esee. Easy for anyone to sharpen. And if you break it, they will send you a new one. Be warned though, if you utilize their warranty service multiple times they will call you an idiot because you are abusing your knife.

........

 

[TheGearGuy]

Be warned though, if you utilize their warranty service multiple times they will call you an idiot because you are abusing your knife.

........

LOL...and rightly so...if you break your ESEE multiple times don't tell anyone or lots of people will call you an idiot.

 

[Zuluninja]

I smell troll...

 

[Noswad0208]

I smell troll...

Not troll, that's the smell of manly man surviving.

 

[gitarmac]

I manage to keep my knives shaving sharp, I've never sent one in! How can you "survive" without knowing how to maintain your tools?!?!? The biggest mistake people make with maintaining knives is waiting until they get dull to sharpen them. You should never EVER let it get to the point of dullness.

For convex edged blades, like bark river and swamp rat, you can keep it in shape with sandpaper. Even a wood mounted strop is light and easy to pack for touching up, although I really haven't had to do that with my bark rivers and I've used them to skin several animals an outing. I got to where I just didn't bother taking the strop.

Spyderco makes nice ceramic stones in a nice plastic case for beveled edges. In all likelihood, you just need to straighten the edge with a steel, or a couple swipes on the stone.

I have a large smith triangle sharpener that has 2 diamond stones and an Arkansas stone. I can maintain even my zdp blades fairly easily. I actually have several sharpening systems, all reasonably priced that I alternate between, depending on if I really need to reprofile an edge, or just touch it up.

I have read about others that send off knives to be sharpened as well, although they don't come across as cocky as the OP. I would be embarrassed to brag about survival trips and actually admit you can't maintain an ancient tool like a knife. To add insult to injury, I'm a chick so you should feel bad. What do you do, just throw perfectly good knives away because you can't sharpen them?!?!

I guess I went over the 2 cent limit. But seriously, you should feel bad. You're not going to survive the post apocalyptic world as easy as you think you are. Especially when the postal services all collapse making sending those knives off for sharpening impossible.




*snort* :glee:

 

[knifedude802]

Any Busse. Or Swamp Rat. Or Scrap Yard. Or Busse.
Could always go with a Busse.
Or a Busse.

Also, the dude just asked for suggestions, doesn't sound like a Knut....lets give him suggestions. Like Busse.

...or Busse.

As others have said, it sounds like you really might be better off with a machete. What do your friends carry? Maybe get a lighter-duty fixed blade, maybe a Mora, and a machete?
If you want something you can beat the snot out of, and yes, abuse, Busse has got your back.