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solid fix blade survival knife

X

xxspeakxx

Joined
Jan 26, 2014
Messages
46
Hi everyone, this my first post, and figured I'd ask you guys for advice on my first "real" knife. "real" as in decent steel, reputation, and not made in china or pakistan.


So I'm looking at a price range of 50 - 75$ not including shipping.

As for what kind of knife - practical to carry (were I live there is no blade length law but I'm thinking 5"), fixed blade, easy to sharpen, smooth blade, tough, all around good survival knife, and for every day use.

My list so far:

Ontario jet pilot's knife - 1095
Gil Hibbens assault tactical - 7cr17
SOG elite seal pup - AUS 8

any feedback or recommendations would be great
 
I would look at Becker. They have some great knives that should fit the bill, BK 2 or BK 17. If you are willing to spend a little more, ESEE works well too.
 
KaBar has got you covered, however if you save a bit longer one piece of Infi will be the last purchase you need to make.
 
The BK2 is damn near bomb proof. If I had to pick one knife to handle everything that would be it. The BK2 is the go-to knife if you ever need to field dress a Buick.
 
I like the seal pup. And I don't even like stainless fixed blades or SOGs! The Ontario pilots survival knife is a good deal too.
 
Esee 4 or Esee Lasestrike have the specs that you describe.
Great waranty, canvas micarta or G10 scales, kydex sheath, superb warranty (not that you'll ever need it)
New they are a bit above your budget, but a used Esee 4 can maybe be found for that price.

Also Becker has several knives that'll make you happy.
 
I would recommend a Becker BK2 or a ESEE 4. The ESEE is a bit more expensive, but a very nice knife and comes with canvas micarta scales and a kydex sheath.

Go with either and you will be pleased :)
 
I say, go with what looks coolest to you with a few caveats.

1) heat treatment matters and I think the best way to get that is to stick with manufacturers with good reputations. Becker, ESEE, Mora, Bark River, Kabar, Condor, Svord and martini all have good reputations and there are others.

2) Suggest staying clear of hollow ground blades. Great for hunting but less good for working with wood.

3) don't go nuts on length. Most folks who stick at this end up with blades in the 4" to 5" range.

Stainless vs carbon and exposed vs hidden tang construction will all have their advocates. End of the day, it should make you happy when you pull it out.
 
I used a full sized kabar as my camping/hunting knife for years, solid knife for the price, and never let me down.

Then I got an esee 6...now my old standby kabar is sitting in a bob. You can't go wrong with esee, simply a superior blade.
 
The Ontario TAK-1 is in your price range and was designed by Randalls Adventure & Training (the ESEE guys) . Has easy to sharpen 1095 steel blade also .


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HOLD MY BEER AND WATCH THIS ! :emot-yarr:
 
I was never very enamored with the traditional WWII bayonet type design such as made by Ontario and Kabar. Not saying they are bad knives, just knives that I know I would choose something else even if I owned one.

Take a look at the Kabar Becker BK-10. It is lighter than the BK-2 and I think more useful as a general purpose woods knife. Another in the Becker line is the BK-17 or the BK-16 which I find more useful in general.

I have the SOG Seal Pup Elite (plain edge) and it is a good knife. No complaints really.
 
I've got an old Pilot's Knife and I don't like it. The balance is weird, I don't care for the blade geometry for slicing, the sawback is bad for batoning, and while logically I know it would work fine I just don't like it.

Some random comments. I am a die-hard fan of Becker knives and feel there are several knives in their line that are absolutely dependable. Note that the Becker-designed knives are now manufactured by KA-BAR; those are the ones to get, not the older Beckers made by different companies. Also note that people say "KA-BAR" often when they're referring to the historic stacked leather handle fighting/utility "US Marines" knife style that is actually made by many different companies. I am a big fan of knives manufactured by KA-BAR; I'm not a fan at all of the stacked leather f/u knife that so many people like. But I know they would work fine. Lastly, the concept of "survival" is kind of a fantasy; have fun with it when you're buying gear, of course, but make sure you buy stuff that will also work for your daily chores and campsite duties since thats what you'll ACTUALLY be using your new toys for. Anyway, random comments over.

You talked about a 5" knife that's easy to sharpen, tough, and good for "survival" as well as all around daily use. I'm thinking the perfect knife for you is one of the Becker Shorts.... either the BK15, BK16, or BK17 depending on what blade design you like the looks of best. KA-BAR's 1095 is easy to sharpen, has an amazing heat treat, is ridiculously tough, and these knives are widely available. There are some fundamental designs that are so good, including the full tang and the exposed pommel. You get a choice of handle colors, and even though the handles are plastic they are very very comfortable and will last a long time. The sheath is GREAT. Finally, these knives are in your price range... people are recommending ESEE knives, and while I own several and am a big fan (hell, I freely call their Izula the 'perfect knife'), these are not in your price range unless you really do some looking for used ones. And their sheaths aren't as good for "survival" imo because of attachment methods and the extra pouch.

Becker also makes two knives that I hope you also look into. They're a little less practical for daily use: the BK-2 is super thick and pretty heavy, and the BK-7 is 7" long. But they are AWESOME. Same benefits as the Shorts, but stronger and also you can get a good chop out of them. When I'm out and about, I kind of prefer a one-knife solution and prefer a BK-2 or BK-7... I can't get very far chopping with a Short.

Good luck.
 
just looked into the becker bk# knives as well as the esee knives. They just don't have that tactical/bowie style that I love to see.

I'll wiegh the info you guys gave me and let you know what happens.

Always open to more suggestions and input though, thanks a bunch.
 
Don't get trapped by the tactical moniker...do you plan on assaulting a heavily defended evil fortress? Perhaps parachuting in behind enemy lines to free some POW's?

If you do, you can always spend the extra $30 for the tactical name and a built in seatbelt cutter...
 
I would look at the Becker BK16 and BK10, both of which are in your price range. The BK22 is the same as the BK2 but with a better sheath--both are good choices, but heavier and tougher than most people would ever need.

edit: just saw your comment about style. Everyone has their own preferences here, but a problem you are going to run into is that a tactical or combat-inspired knife is not typically an ideal survival knife. You are going to have to decide which is more important--looks, or function.
 
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