pacific good survival knife?

Z

zigbarr

Joined
Mar 31, 2008
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considering the pacific as large knife, not to carry all the time, but backpacking, and as a camp knife, really a worst case scenario knife. Is it really to tactical for this?
 
When I met with my dealer to pick up a Shadow IV, he brought along a Pacific to show me. It's a nice knife, but I wanted a camp knife, not a fighter, and went with the Shadow.
 
The pacific is a good knife, it will manage as a camp knife but i usually find its best to take something to compliment it like a small fixed blade or folder.
Its not fantastic at chopping, its not quite got the weight i would like for a chopper and its maybe a little short at 6.5" but it does get the job done. The serations can get in the way of intricate working though (thats why i take a small FB) but the serations do a good job cutting other materials so its a kind of weigh up.

I have had good use out of my Pacific and its a knife i like but i prefer something a bit longer and a bit heavier with no serations for a specific camp/survival knife. :thumbup:
 
zigbarr said:
considering the pacific as large knife, not to carry all the time, but backpacking, and as a camp knife, really a worst case scenario knife. Is it really to tactical for this?
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For backpacking I'd consider something smaller -- in the 4" range -- so as to reduce weight which is always oh so critical when hauling your entire home on your back.

The caveat to this is if I was doing ultra-light backpacking where I might be building my shelter out of local materials as I went along. In that case, I'd probably want the aforementioned 4" FB, but I'd also want a bigger chopper like some kind of a Khukri as well as a foldable camp saw.

Note that your choice of cutting instruments may change as you change environments. For example, for jungle and desert use, replace a Khukri with a machete.

For civilian woods-walking use, I really don't see how the "tactical" fixed blades really fit into the picture, unless you just want something that looks cool. :D

This thread may be better off in Wilderness & Survival.
 
I do alot of outdoor photography, and have the Pacific strapped to my camera bag shoulder strap. It comes in real handy and I like the size. Its not too heavy. Has also gone with me on camping (fishing ) trips...
 
any knife will do for a camp knife i use to use a kabar but the 5.5 green beret works nice if your useing it for a camp knife think survival/hunting/camp i really dont want a knife that will give me blisters while using it.
 
I would buy one in a second if I could get it with out the serrations. I hate serrations. My personal opinion but sure wish it was an option! I have never found them useful for anything but again, my own opinion so no offense to those who like them. Oh, and the reason I would get it is for outdoor use, not as a fighter. I have the Roberts but like the handle and the blade shape on the Pacific better.
 
Dave Costin said:
I would buy one in a second if I could get it with out the serrations. I hate serrations. My personal opinion but sure wish it was an option! I have never found them useful for anything but again, my own opinion so no offense to those who like them. Oh, and the reason I would get it is for outdoor use, not as a fighter. I have the Roberts but like the handle and the blade shape on the Pacific better.
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When the Pacific first came out, I actually wrote to CRK to see if I could get it without the serrations. No dice. :( I did ask them to at least consider a knife in that format without the serrations at some point in the future.

But what I really want is the Mountaineer II without the round handle. Love that A2. Not real big on the metal handle from a comfort perspective.
 
When the Pacific first came out, I actually wrote to CRK to see if I could get it without the serrations. No dice. I did ask them to at least consider a knife in that format without the serrations at some point in the future.
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That is funny! I have been away for a while and just seen the Pacific for the first time recently. As soon as I did I called CRK and asked for one w/o serrations and they said no. I won't go into the whole reasoning but I was bummed to say the least. I told the lady I understood it wasn't her fault but expressed my feelings in a polite way. :D

But what I really want is the Mountaineer II without the round handle. Love that A2. Not real big on the metal handle from a comfort perspective.
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I have a Sable (5.5") with a good kydex sheath but rarely use it. (Don't know why) I also have a Ubejane that has been growing on me so I need to have a nice kydex sheath made for it. I really like it actually. I've been taking it with me on most all my walks lately. It's a strange little knife but it sure feels good in my hand. :)
 
I was never to hot on the serrations either but really like it for cutting rope and small branchs..
 
I am deployed here in Afghanistan and have handled the Pacific. I can tell you that none of the SF guys that I work with carry this knife because of the serrations. Most agree that it is the down fall of this awesome design. The day to day cutting chores that you use a knife for very rarely if ever require cutting aircraft skin or anything that would require serrations. The military is now issuing belt cutters for any strap cutting. Just my thoughts.
 
First of all I want to say that I love Chris Reeves Knives, I have carried a sebenza for years, its been perfect. But a while ago I was looking for a medium fixed blade and was planning on getting the Pacific, but then I saw a knife test with a Chris Reeve Green Beret. it is on you tube, type in the phrase "green beret knife test" to see it for yourself. Now I would never put my knife under this kind of abuse but if I want a good camping/survival knife I dont want that to happen. The same guys also tests other knifes and the scored the best was Busse. I researched it and got one, I am glad I went with that choice too, it has been a good knife.

I dont want to put down CRK but I dont think the S30V is the steel for a larger fixed blade.
 
While I think tests like Noss did are usful and informative, with over 40 years of experience using a knife I've yet to come close to breaking one. I feel too many of us are living in a fantasy world, thinking we need to use our knives for things they were never intended for. How the pioneers ever survived with the primitive knives they used I don't know. I may not live in the most rugged part of the world, but the Rockies can be unforgiving, if not prepared. CRKs continue to get me in and out, alive....
 
JohnnyO said:
While I think tests like Noss did are usful and informative, with over 40 years of experience using a knife I've yet to come close to breaking one. I feel too many of us are living in a fantasy world, thinking we need to use our knives for things they were never intended for. How the pioneers ever survived with the primitive knives they used I don't know. I may not live in the most rugged part of the world, but the Rockies can be unforgiving, if not prepared. CRKs continue to get me in and out, alive....
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This is a bit off topic, but reading your post made me remember this little incident. A few years ago I actually broke a knife. It was a Buck-one of their commonly seen fixed blades (can`t recall what this model was called). I dropped it on the floor (in it`s sheath even) and the blade literally broke in half!

I suppose the heat treating on this one was totally bad, must have been awfully brittle. I was quite shocked to see that, as back then I considered it a good and slightly expensive blade. ;)

So yeah, sorry for this off topic post. To get back to the actual topic though : I recently bought a Pacific, and like it. However, I haven`t used it so far, so I can`t say anything about it`s durability. :) ;)
 
Akubra

I have to agree with you there. Even I wouldn't expect a knive to break that easily.
 
I would have a Pacific or Green Beret by now if it weren't for the serrations, as the design is incredible. For now, I will have to "make do" with my Busse. ;)

CRK's unwillingness to do something as simple as NOT grind serrations is really silly. I'll bet if they offered the GB or Pacific without serrations they'd probably sell twice as many.
 
If you don't like serrations, why not just go with a Neil Roberts? That's the direction I took. I have a GB, but 1" of serrations on a 7" blade works out ok. Don't care for them on a smaller blade, however.
 
Well, I am glad to hear others feel the same on the serrations. I have nothing against if that is what you like. I believe it not to far fetched of an idea to think that this could be a 50/50 thing. Half like them, half don't. If that were true why would you design and build a product and eliminate half of your market by "adding" something to the item? I don't understand. If people wanted this knife and ask for such a simple request that would actually eliminate a process during the manufacture, why not oblige them? Especially if it is the troops for which the knife was designed for? (Thanks for your input Recondo4u)

I don't like the design of the Roberts as much.
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I feel the same way. I actually did buy the Neil Roberts and never use it. I even had a nice Okuden sheath made for it. :)

I feel too many of us are living in a fantasy world, thinking we need to use our knives for things they were never intended for. How the pioneers ever survived with the primitive knives they used I don't know. I may not live in the most rugged part of the world, but the Rockies can be unforgiving, if not prepared.
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I agree, but I'm also sometimes guilty too... :D
 
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