survival knife and wear resist.

[glorfindel]

Hello to everybody!

I'd like to buy in the near future a small survival/overall utility knife...the choice is among these toys:
Strider MFS, CRK Green Beret 5,5'', MD Pygmy Atak, Bog Dog and Bandicoot from Swamp Rat Knives.
The price and availability factor is important because not only I am not a millionaire but also don't have nerves of steel

The MFS is the favourite by now. But I'd like to ask...which knife has better steel according to wear resistance and break-resistance:

O-1 MD, S30v by strider, S30V by CRK, or Sr-101 SRK?

I know the diffrence won't be very much but anyway the curiosity kills me. Anybody has done such a test?
I handled CRK green beret 5,5'' and this is excellent knife but should I pay about 100USD more for somehow better finished knife? I am not a fan of any of these makers so trying to look totally objectively.

So the most important matter for me: green beret or strider MFS for the best survival knife - what do you think?

thanks!

Glorf.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

glorfindel :

[wear resistance and break-resistance]

O-1 MD, S30v by strider, S30V by CRK, or Sr-101 SRK?

The durability is easily SR-101, spring tempered with a high degree of toughness and strength. The two stainless S30V blades are next and signficantly lower, the O1 by McClung is last and one of the more fragile steels I have used. Getting specific, McClungs O1 is more flexible through the body than S30V due to the spring spine (well one of the ones I broke was, the other snapped like glass), but much more fragile in the edge.

In regards to wear resistance, S30V is significantly ahead, and Strider has a slightly harder temper than Reeve which will add slightly to the edge retention by inceasing resistance to rolling. SR-101 and O1 have similar wear resistance, but McClung has the edge harder so expect better edge retention as long as it doesn't chip - which is easily done.

green beret or strider MFS for the best survival knife - what do you think?

Camp Tramp, much greater impact toughness and flexibility with a high level of cutting ability, chopping performance, handle ergonomics and security. Lots more information in the reviews if you are interested.

-Cliff

 

[SteelDriver]

Originally posted by glorfindel
So the most important matter for me: green beret or strider MFS for the best survival knife - what do you think?

Welcome to Bladeforums, Gorf! The question of the best survival knife is often discussed here, and if you run a search in the Wilderness & Survival Skills forum you'll find a wealth of information on this topic. Needless to say, opinions vary widely, but if you give a few more specifics about what you want the knife to do, we can better help you with a recommendation.

Cliff summed up the steels nicely, and the knives you listed are all good choices. My advice is to take your time, do your homework on this topic, and if possible, handle them in person. Good luck with your decision!

 

[Jeff Clark]

The Swamp Rat knives are tops for wear resistance and break-resistance, but you can't get both in the same knife. If you absolutely don't want it to break you want the differentially hardened SR-101 such as the Bandicoot. If you want a knife with very high wear resistance (and are willing to not hammer, pry or otherwise stress the blade) the D2 alloy in the Bog Dog is best. For a hunting and light utility knife I would get a Bog Dog. For a depend-on-it-for-your-life survival knife I would get a Bandicoot or other SR-101 type from Swamp Rat.

 

[glorfindel]

Thanks guys! Especially to Cliff which scietific-like reviews provided me a lot of information. I thought that MD's O-1 would outperform SR-101 in breaking-resist. - both of them are selectively tempered but looking at prices of MD - such knife as for example ATACK should have shown its specification due to much higher price class. So it implies possibility of precisier and better heat-treatment any of the steels.

Hm.Interesting.

I think that I take compact MFS for light and adjutant tasks only and maybe Battle Rat in the future. For now - Becker BK9 should be good enough for me. Two knives in the wilderness is always better than universal one knife.