Scenario: Survival Folder?

Quarterstaff

Quarterstaff

Joined
Dec 14, 2000
Messages
226
Now that public parks and hunting grounds are continually frowning larger fixed blades and the onslaught of political correctness is growing whats the best single bladed folder that you would rely on? Whats the cheapest single bladed folder that you would rely on?
 
Best:Buck Strider or Al Mar SERE 2000.
Least expensive that I would use: Cold Steel Large Voyager Tanto or clip point.
I would rather have a good neck knife-alot cheaper than a good folder and they'll last longer with less problems. I just ordered a Newt Livesay Woo, Bow Huntin' Buddy, and a U.S. Marshall. You can spend 100-150 dollars for a good folder or 50 bucks for a neck knife that will work just as good and last longer. Just my opinion. Regards, Clayton
 
Benchmade 720 is a good candidate. Nice, solid, flat-ground blade and one of the strongest locking mechanisms in the business, the axis lock. Also, the knife is fairly light and compact, so it is a good every day carry and therefore should satisfy those who continually exclaim that the only true survival knife is the one you have on you when the SHTF.

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Hoodoo

I get some pleasure from finding a relentlessly peaceful use for a combative looking knife.
JKM
 
I define a survival folder as the one I am most likely to have with me when an emergency situation occurs. That being my criteria that blade is most likely a Myerco Blackie Collins Bolt Action with pocket clip (I have an old Gerber belt pouch version too).

I like the drop point blade for almost any usage, it is light enough to carry constantly. It is possibly the smoothest opening folder I have ever carried. The lock is a strong one, and is safe for ambedextrous usage (even though it take a little practice for a left hander like myself to close it with one handed ease).

The second folder I am likely to have with me would be an SAK, either Tinker or Cyber Tool. Or, a Gerber Multipliers.

When I spend time in the woods the folder I am most likely to be carrying (along with the Myerco) is a large two locking blade trapper by Camillus.
 
The cheapest single-blade folder I'd rely on? That would be a Schrade LB7 - basically their version of a Buck 110 folding hunter. Back in ninth grade (early '80s), I traded a cheapo Mexican switchblade to a borderline juvenile delinquent in my English class for his Scrade LB7. Don't know what ever happened to the punk who got my $4 switchblade but I do know that I got a great knife that I carried on many a camping trip, and on many road trips and island hops. I love high-tech, lightweight knives as much as the next guy, but this old tank just feels right. Still has one HELL of a sharp edge on it too.
 
I don't think there is such a thing as a "survival folder". Which doesn't mean one couldn't be made, but I think it'd be rather heavy and clumsy.
If you call some good folders "survival folders" you've moved the limit for what a survival knife is pretty much, so much that almost any decent knife could be called a survival knife. And then how do you distinguish the real ones?

That said, the best folders I have experience with all have limitations which makes them unsuitable from time to time. The strong ones are usually metal for example, which isn't what you want in cold weather or they can be difficult to open and close with gloves and/or cold hands or they may be too weak to stand up for inexact and forceful use which you might be expected of you in stressful situations.
My suggestion is a small, shortbladed but good fixed blade knife as the survival knife (like the WM1) and a larger folder which you think is better for day to day tasks if that's what you're more comfortable with.

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Urban Fredriksson www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/
Latest updates:
A Marttiini and a Brusletto knife, links to Scandinavian manufacturers, Fällkniven K1+K2 kitchen knives

"All this takes only about ten seconds, and then I hang the knife vertically, with a nail through the thong hole (and that's one of the big reasons why most every LOVELESS knife has a thong tube; it makes things easy, handling the blades and knives here in the shop)."
- How to make knives, Richard W. Barney and Robert W. Loveless
 
I love my Sebenza. I carry a small one daily and move up to the larger one for special occassions. Additionally I have a Umfaan for dress occassions and I put it in my survival kit when I'm in the woods.

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Hoah! (Its an Army thing!)
 
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Now that public parks and hunting grounds are continually frowning larger fixed blades and the onslaught of political correctness is growing whats the best single bladed folder that you would rely on? Whats the cheapest single bladed folder that you would rely on?
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What do you mean by "public parks"? Are you speaking of large national parks like Yosemite, or much smaller regional parks. I've never had anyone look twice at a 5" fixed blade in any park where over-night camping is accomodated. I wonder also what you mean by "larger fixed blades". I have to admit that taking an RTAK or even a Busse SH II might be a little much in minimal impact camping environments.

That being said, and agreeing with others that a folder is not ideal under many outdoors conditions even short of a genuine survival emergency (the SAK being always a good backup), the best folder for the job would almost have to be a large Sebenza thanks to its superior strength while still being able to retain a wickedly sharp cutting edge.

As for the cheapest acceptable folder that might end up in a survival situation, I'd look at the various Spyderco or CS folders with blades in the 3+ inch range. There are probably hundreds of acceptable models.
 
Guys, guys, guys. How can you resist something like this?
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Hoodoo

I get some pleasure from finding a relentlessly peaceful use for a combative looking knife.
JKM
 
As Michlee has pointed out "a survival folder.. the one I am most likely to have with me when an emergency situation occurs" I was think what folders could be the jack-of-all trades; be it defending yourself, dressing game, preparing food, gathering firewood, etc. I realize that a fixed blade would be better for rough work but rarely do many suburbanites like myself have a belt knife close by 100% of the time. Logically this is where a folding knife comes in. A SAK is always carried on the person here but its not ideal for an emergency tactical situation. As for hunting, camping, and other expeditions it would be great comfort to know that if your larger fixed blade was lost you could still rely on the folder most of the time.
Matthew Rapport: Had a few older hunters mutter when they saw the "large" ka-bar
smile.gif
. Personally it feels kinda small. Used to 6+ inch blades for everything from peeling tatters to chopping meat. (came from working in a restaurant. Amazing what you can do with only a chinese meat cleaver and a butcher knife.)
As for me asking about the best and then the cheapest...well the budget is tight after all the christmast shopping
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.
Hope this is a cleary explanation. Thanks for all your comments.

[This message has been edited by Quarterstaff (edited 12-21-2000).]
 
I'd trust the Spydie endura in my pocket at the moment, or the native that rides in my pocket at work. Neither of them are chosen for survival tasks as a first priority, but if I'm doing that, I'll take a firesteel, a pot and a hatchet
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I agree with the statement, and have probably said it myself, that a survival folder is the one in your pocket.

On the cheapness end, the endura in my pocket cost me 15 dollars from the knife shop formerly known as Ironstone, now the Spydie factory outlet. They run a seconds/returns sale occasionally, and sell returned enduras and delicas for 15 bucks, or 3/30. Most returns are for a broken plastic clip, and they'll put a new clip on for 5 bucks. You get a perfectly functional endura, with a better than original clip, for a price that you could find a cheap knock-off in a gas station for.

Stryver
 
I would agree that a survival folder is that which you would have with you when the SHTF. As such, I routinely carry one of several politically correct Spyderco's with me on a daily basis (Rookie, Standard, Delica, or Calypso Jr.) These are supplemented by one of several SAK's (Cadet, Soldier, or Rucksack.) Additionally, when going into a situation with a greater survival demand potential, I have with me a good fixed blade (currently Fallkniven or my trusty old Buck Woodsman.) My truck and atv are each also equipped with spare SAK soldiers, a KBar, and a hatchet in a waterproof toolbox.
 
Hi,

"Survival folder" I probably will never get into a situation in Holland where I will need a "Survival folder" as we are one of the most heavilly populated nations in the World (people/square mile).

Still for me a "Survival folder" is a folder that I have with me ALL the time and one that's usable for a lot of tasks.

I almost always carry either my Victorinox SwissTool with me which has 2 locking blades or when I have to "dress up" I carry the much flatter carrying Leatherman Wave in it's beautifull leather sheath.

Since over a month I've had a constant companion dangling from it's River City CF Neck Sheath around my neck.
It's my Spyderco Military in CPM440-V and after I pulled the outer "tubing" of a 550 parachute cord over the break-away ball chain of the neck sheath I hardly notice the Military around my neck.

I'm confident that this knife will in the event of a rizing "Survival" situation do it's job and do it good.

The whole package is so light and easy to carry that for me it's the ideal "survival folder".

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Holland,

Bagheera

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Just about any folder with a 2.5 inch blade or larger would do for most people in most situations.

I never go anywhere without my Wave or Mini-AFCK, including camping and hunting. As yet I have never been "under knifed."

I have never met a backpacker (and I meet a lot in Colorado) who couldn't live indeffinitely do to "insufficient knife choice." However, I HAVE met several large knife carrying individuals in the mountains who expressed regret at ignoring the well intentioned advice of "small knifed granola hikers."
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Hmmm...all around "survival" folder??? - a large Sebenza. But, If I am to pick a large folding hunter...well, then only a stag handled one will do! ;) Thus, I'll reach for my PCKS Stag/BG-42 Buck 110. :cool:
 
A good stout folder, with a strong lock, strong handle, strong blade, and good quality materials, and a multi-tool, stout, strong, without a lot of fancy gizmo's to break (nothing with fancy locks or auto-opening pliers).

Those are my requirements for folding survival blades/tools.
My EKI Commander and Gerber tool meet that reqirement... altho I;d like to update the tool to a Leatherman, and for a survival folder, a Buck Strider, or even a real Strider. My Emerson works, but I;d rather have something with a thicker, slightly longer blade to use for survival.
 
Well, right now I tend to carry a Strider GB with me wherever I go.They are more pricy than you would like I think $350.00 and up. There is the Buck Strider, very good choice, or the BM 710, that is another great choice and a little easier carry for a lot of people. There are many more out there, but these are the ones that I know well.
 
satin, If you want a really tough multi tool look for an ORIGINAL
Supertool. The new Supertool updates this tool with a lock release
that is mechanically unecessary and prone to failure.

I carry ( and own 2 backups for ) the Original Supertool because I've
found the trick to closing the blades easily. The tool layout in the handle
puts the two longest tools for each side near the outside edge with all the smaller
tools in between these tools. Depending on which tool you have out all you
have to do is raise a longer tool to close that side. You can do it quicker that it
took me to type how to. All with NO mechanism to break. Plus the supertool,
after break in, can be opened one handed butterfly style which is great.

For the knife I'd recommend any Cold Steel Voyager , Buck 110, Schrade LB-7.
All old line lockbacks but absolutely bullit proof for dependabilty. Men have
staked their lives on these knives are still here to tell of it.
 
I believe there's a place for the "survival folder". My first choice for a survival knife would certainly be a fixed blade, but, as others have noted, you're more likely to be carrying a folder than a fixed blade at any given time, simply because it's easier to carry a folder. Plus, some of them really do the job. The large Sebenza gets high votes here, and so does the SERE 2000 (which has the advantage of costing less than half the price of the cheapest Sebenza). All things considered, you really can't beat the SERE 2000. See Jeff Randall's review here:

http://www.jungletraining.com/almar.htm

The BM 710 was mentioned in this thread, but, although I love my 710, I consider it more a tactical than a survival knife. I'm not sure the 710 would be rugged enough in a wilderness setting; the blade seems a little too slim and I'd be afraid that too much gunk would get into the axis lock.
 
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