Recommendations for a sub $40 survival knife

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whenhen

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Let me preface this by saying that if this is in the wrong section, I apologize. Though I've lurked the forum in the past, I've never posted.

Anyways, I'll be working in Yellowstone this summer and fall and need a good all purpose knife that will effectively chop wood, allow me to test the hardness of rocks (I'm a geology major), and do general purpose activities. Preferably, the knife could also easily slip back into the sheath, although that's not a "must have". Unfortunately, I can only afford $40 max, thereby severely limiting my options. While I've read rave reviews on this forum for the Morakniv and Ka-Bar Marine Combat Knife, the former doesn't seem as though it can effectively chop wood, while the latter is a bit too expensive. I also tried the almighty Google, but quickly learned that most people define cheap as costing between $80-200 :eek:

With that said, can anyone recommend some knives which fit my criteria? Thanks in advance.
 
Condor Knife & Tool is going to give you loads of fine options for really tough choppers or big camp knives below your price point.
 
KP513, thanks for the recommendation. I'm not crazy about carrying an oddly shaped machete although it does seem to be well regarded. Are there other Cold Steel products which are similarly priced but more comparable to an all purpose camping knife?

Boats, Condor looks awesome. Do you know how well they'll chop wood? I'm currently looking at the Hudson Bay http://www.smkw.com/webapp/eCommerc...ay™+with+Hardwood+Handle/CTK24085HC.html and the Radon http://www.smkw.com/webapp/eCommerc...ith+Black+Polypropylene+Handle/CTK2376HC.html
 
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Both the Hudson Bay and the Rodan would make fine choices.
 
cold steel gi tanto is a good one for 20 bucks , if you have skill to mod it .

CS 1055 very tough makes hard to break it , and full tang feels very solid .

edge retention is not poor for me , cool knife.

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cold steel machetes are better choices , if you need a bigger one for chop.

dingy
 
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add some more $$ and get something that will last longer, like a BK9. but thats just my 2c, the BK9 is one of the best at the price point

in your price range +1 for anything out of condor and CS. they both are excellent makers. If you want to test rock hardness, & you being in Yellowstone, I'd also throw in a Buck 119 into this mix as well. Buck knives are no stranger to that country haha
 
Mora. 'Nuff said.

You said test the hardness of rocks and chop wood, though? There are tools for those, namely a Rockwell hardness kit and an ax. The Mora will do everything a foxed blade should, bushcrafting, batoning, cutting... but there are few, if any, purpose built choppers in the price range. There are knives made for chopping, and there no knives I have heard of that would be good to test hardness, especially to a geology major (best you will get is an approximation of over, under, or near around 7, which is not a good metric). Don't try and force a knife to be a full utility belt, you will usually just set yourself up for failure or disappointment.
 
Get Mora and a CS Kukri Machete from Baryonyx. Might be slightly over $40 with shipping.

The Mora will work great right out of the box. So will the Kukri Machete if you get the special grade from him, otherwise you'll need to put in some work with a file to establish an edge. Even with the Special Grade, expect a few sharpening before it performs great as CS really seems to burn the edges bad with the way they grind them. So it takes a few sharpenings to get to the really good steel.
 
rather than look for the best junk knife possible, I'd suggest cutting out beer or movies for a month, and buy better quality up front.
 
Thanks for the further suggestions!

To clarify, I only intend to chop wood if I'm in an emergency situation. Though I'm sure I'd have the larger knife on me as well as my EDC, I doubt I'd carry the machete if I go out into the Yellowstone wilderness. If chopping wood were a regular deal, then I'd definitely go for the Mora/ CS Kukri combo.

dkb45, you make a good point. Though I've used my EDC to test hardness in the past, it's only an extremely crude diagnostic tool.

Mannlicher, lol, I wish I had enough money to spend on beer or movies. I'm a college student making slightly more than minimum wage. I spend maybe $10 a week on non essential items.

Right now, I'm between the Condor Hudson Bay and the Cold Steel GI Tanto. Both seem like they would do most jobs very well although the CS Gi Tanto is $17 cheaper.
 
The Ontario SP1-to-3 are good possibilities.

Of course that depends on just what you're intending to survive.
 
Hi . You said you had looked at the usmc ka-bar . Have you looked at the ka-bar mark 1 its a good all round knife ?
 

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You need to determine what size you prefer as a larger blade is more difficult to carry. You can do almost anything with a Mora companion and are more likely to have it on you than in your pack. Odds of forgetting your pant and belt are much lower than forgetting or losing your pack.
 
Yup, don't overlook Ontario. Their folders are very popular around here, and if you want a big fixed blade, they come in substantially cheaper than a comparable Ka-bar for basically the same specs and US construction. I personally have a Utilitac folder and a number of Spec Plus fixed blades, although I also have a soft spot in my heart for the classic Ontario pilot survival knife. Condor also makes some great knives for relatively little money, and although some people are not fans of the company in its current form, Schrade does make some nice knives suited for outdoor use. My sub-$40 outdoor "adventure" knives are as follows: Condor Rodan, Schrade XT2B, Cold Steel GI Tanto, Ontario pilot knife (or SP25 version) and Mora Companion.

Another knife I'll mention is the Condor Multi Knife II. I just ordered one, which showed up a couple days ago, and although I have to offer the disclaimer that I haven't had a chance to use it yet, I would be just as likely to carry it as any of the aforementioned knives. In the interest of covering all the usual bases, while its blade shape allows it to double as a kukri-style "mini machete," it's not suited to batoning due to the shortage of striking surface on the spine. Also, it uses 420HC instead of Condor's usual 1075, but Buck and Gerber have made some classic knives with 420HC, and the rust resistance is definitely a consideration, so that's not necessarily a bad thing.
 
Camber said:
Get Mora and a CS Kukri Machete from Baryonyx. Might be slightly over $40 with shipping........The Mora will work great right out of the box. So will the Kukri Machete if you get the special grade
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I think this is a good solution:thumbup:
 
I know it's a little different than what you asked for, but I second the Mora/Hultafors type blade. You can get a Hultafors GK for $13.98 shipped, which is like the heavy duty Moras, except cheaper. If you paired that with a $10 12" or 14" Tramontina Bush Machete, you'd have an incredibly cheap, light weight, and effective set-up. Add $10 for the machete sheath and you should still be under $40. What you'd get is a knife which actually works great as a knife and a machete which chops better than most any knife, especially knives within your price range.

My advice, get with 42 Blades. He deals with Mora and Tramontina and can probably hook you up with a good pair to cover all your needs under $40. Good luck.
 
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