Poll: Best Fixed-Blade for Outdoor Survival Use?

My choice--because I use it for most camp chores (a hatchet for the chopping is emminently more useful than any "Battle Mistress")--

A Randall Made !!

Ive got a #5-5' with stag handle. It's great for anything you ever could possible use it for if--- you're not suffering from Ramboistic delusions and got something that makes you feel macho but never use. Really anything bigger just gets in the way and isn't as practical for chopping as an axe IMHO.
 
My most heavily used outdoor knife is the Ontario SP-10 "Raider Bowie." It has endured a certain amount of abuse, and takes a good edge. The grip could be more user friendly, the square edges tend to wear at the flesh. Its a good blade for under $100.00

I recently acquired a Mineral Mountain Hatchet Works "Survival Bowie" that feels promising, but I haven't had occasion to use it extensively yet. It ran $175.00.

Your basic KABAR is also a sound bet.

I think its kind of amusing that there are so many high-dollar "survival knives" available. They are made to endure FAR more abuse than they would be subjected to, even in the most severe survival situations. Don't get me wrong, I beleive in quality blades, but the more you pay doesn't insure your survival potential. If the confidence it provides is a factor, then I suppose its worth it.
 
If you look around this site you will come across several dozen related threads. I think we have discussed knife choices for everything from fireants to killer whales (yes even camping, fieldcraft and survival).

The "best knife" is usually a combination of tools best fitted to address your particular circumstances.

[This message has been edited by not2sharp (edited 30 November 1999).]
 
D.Epstein,

From where you sit, a Kabar is the perfect knife for you. Having seen numerous K-Bar's fail in the field (there is a reason they sell for $17 at the PX). This is not something I would bet my life on.

Native people generally do not have a Brend, for several reason's. First, being they do not have exposure to such a great knife. Second, they probably could not afford one.

Sadly, in third world countries, life is very cheap. So not a lot of thought is given to survival. Consequently, they make do with that they have.

Les
 
Les, the reason not a lot of though is given to survival in third world countries is because it's practiced everyday there and not a novelty as it is to us. Life may be cheap to some fo the ruling forces in 3rd world governments, but for the general populous it's as precious as ours.

Another point: even if most 'natives' had a case of 500 dollar knives they will typically go back to using what they have learned to use from birth.

I've said this over and over on this forum and I'm not trying to run it in the ground, but the indigs who live by the blade can do just as much with their 5 dollar POS than we can with our 500 dollar ones. Sure they love the novelty of a shiny new blade, but give it to them and they'll appease you for a while by using it, then go right back to their cheap stuff, not because it's better made but because it works for them better. - Jeff

------------------
Randall's Adventure & Training
jeff@jungletraining.com

 
Les,

I dont know about the knife preferences of third world populations. But, I do know that in many Rural parts of the U.S. many of the farm hands that perform the actual field work rely on cheap folders from makers like Frost Cutlery and Colonial. And, they seem perfectly happy with the performance they are getting out of these knives. Sometimes we need to separate "real world" from collector preferance.

Ps. Don't get me wrong I love my Walter Brend Mod 2 12". Its a very well made and impressive knife. But then... I'm a collector.
 
Jeff,

I agree with you 100% that for most of the people in the 3rd world that survival is a everyday reality.

Yes, the have learned to make due with a pos knife. Mostly because this is what is available and this is what they can afford.

But to say that these $5.00 knives can do everything a $500 knife can do, you are mistaken. Having been in Africa, Asian, Central America, I have bought and used many of the local knives. I can tell you from personal experience that these blades did not perform as well as the custom knives I carried.

The main reason I started buying custom knives is because I grew tired of factory knives falling apart.

Jeff I direct your attention to the Emerson Forum. There is a thread in there discussing how the knives show up out of the box with mistakes and have to be sent back to the factory. And these knives won an Award at the Blade Show!

I argee there are some excellent knives out there from the factories now. Yes the will perform, but not as well as a profesionally made custom knife.

Jeff, my opinion was formed over 5 1/2 years, all over the world in all kinds of environments while I was assigned to the 101st Airborne.

Jeff I realize that yours is an educated opinion and I respect that. However, I would submit to you that I have the $500 knife, I would like to see the $5.00 knife that could perform as well.

By the way, went to you and Doc Hoods web site last night. Wish you guys were closer to Georgia, Id love to take some of your courses.

Les
 
I'll assume the price ceiling is $200. For a production knife I'd go after the Gerber BMF, which although out of production can still be found if you look hard enough. (if I couldn't find the BMF, I'd settle for the LMF). For a custom, I'd look real hard at Newt Livesay's HKR (Hunter, Killer, Retriever). If price is no object, say so and we'll all have a field day!
 
whoops-just re-read the original question. Survival isn't mentioned at all-just camping and hunting. I'll stick with the BMF/LMF choice for production, but am changing to the Griffith Tracker for the custom. The Livesay Marshall would work, too, but I like the subtly different blade geometry on Lynn's knife. (Don't forget I gave myself a $200 limit)
 
Les,

I think you might have misunderstood my post. I didn't mean that 5 dollar knives were better than expensive customs. I simply meant that the indigs I know will opt for their 5 dollar POS everytime over a custom, because it's what they are use to and what they grew up learning bladework with...in other owrds it's what come natural to them. - Jeff

------------------
Randall's Adventure & Training
jeff@jungletraining.com

 
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