-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Survival Knife Help!!?
- Thread starter The Greer
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2007
- Messages
- 12,294
I think people are a little put off these because they are so cheap but I have the older Japanese made version and they are an awesome knife that you really have to see and hold to realize just how nice they are !!!!!
http://newgraham.com/store/product/4724/Blackjack-Grunt-BJ-GRUNT/
http://newgraham.com/store/product/4724/Blackjack-Grunt-BJ-GRUNT/
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2007
- Messages
- 12,294
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2008
- Messages
- 1,231
theres alot of knife you can go with $500,i like fallknivens,H1,A1,S1,F1,or tk2,are good,but also bark river,busse,blackjack(some models),rat,an doziers are awesome too.plus the custom makers on this forum,mr.drew an others use stainless,the trick is to find a dealer,gun or knife show an hold the kife in your hand,so you get the feel of the blade,alot of nice blades sit in my closet because i dont like the feel of the handle,carbon is good too just got to take care of the blade,,hope this helps ,,aloha
I use a carbon knife in saltwater/humid environment in Hawaii and dont have problems with rust. Surface rust can be polished off with sand or river silt. If you carry vaseline cotton balls for firestarting the vaseline can be used to coat the blade.
I would pick a 5" blade of your choice. Then pair it with a small 12" chopper/machete.
Before you go on your amazon journey you should just grab whatever the locals down there use at the nearest open air market. The locals will use whatever is the best.
I would pick a 5" blade of your choice. Then pair it with a small 12" chopper/machete.
Before you go on your amazon journey you should just grab whatever the locals down there use at the nearest open air market. The locals will use whatever is the best.
Mistwalker
Gold Member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2007
- Messages
- 19,212
Well..for me personally, I'm really not afraid to work a knife no matter how much it costs. However, if as you say the intended role of the knife in question is to be a "survival" knife I advise you not spend so much that you will hesitate to use and abuse it a little if needs be. In a "survival" situation hesitation to do what you know must be done can often cause some major problems.
sawgrass...LOL, does running up my credit card count for anything? I actually work with a small family run company...so I can occasionally sneak away on some of these trips. Also, wife is a physician..so hoping she can chip in on the knife as well 
By the way, does anyone have a recommendation as to where i can compare a couple of these knives side by side? Do the 'guns and knives' shows that I see occasionally usually have the brands we've been discussing on display??
Thanks,
Greer
By the way, does anyone have a recommendation as to where i can compare a couple of these knives side by side? Do the 'guns and knives' shows that I see occasionally usually have the brands we've been discussing on display??
Thanks,
Greer
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2006
- Messages
- 1,350
biggest show is in June in Atlanta "Blade Show" September has "Blade West" in Portland OR. and their are many smaller shows that many knife companies attend, send them an email and ask where/when won't hurt.
I have seen many a good people here show and help out neighbors, also wouldn't hurt to ask, knife makers and us blade nuts love showing off!
I have seen many a good people here show and help out neighbors, also wouldn't hurt to ask, knife makers and us blade nuts love showing off!
Thanks again everyone. You all have been extremely helpful. I'm going to try and find a few of these in person..and just go with the one that "fits" me the best. RAT currently in the lead...but will let you know the final outcome!
Happy holidays to all,
Greer
Happy holidays to all,
Greer
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2007
- Messages
- 12,294
Don't go with a RAT 4 without holding one first, I found it too small for my average hands !
My son has the Ontario TAK and that is a great sized blade !
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2007
- Messages
- 2,587
All you really need is a Mora knife and a 16" to 18" machete. You can spend a lot more money if you want to, but you don't need to.
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2009
- Messages
- 3,292
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2007
- Messages
- 3,532
For the Amazon, get a machete. Don't ask any questions about that. For less than ten bucks, you'll have a blade designed for use in those conditions, and proven over many, many years.
For a smaller utility blade, I'd recommend a RAT Cutlery RC-3. This is my opinion, but I've formed it from doing a lot of backpacking and hunting with that knife in the Midwestern US and the Rocky Mountains.
The key to a "survival" blade is that you are comfortable using it, can trust the blade to do what you need, and that you can have it on your person at all times in case you need it. There are a lot of knives that do this. Falknivens are very good as well. Bark River makes some excellent knives.
You could also get a custom knife from any of the makers frequently seen on this forum. The prices are very good and their work is excellent.
Moras have a great reputation and are cheap, but they have a different grind on them that you will either like or not like.
Don't be afraid of carbon steel in wet environments. Treat it right and it works surprisingly well. A nice feature of the RAT Cutlery blades is that the coating saves you from worrying about rust on most of the knife.
I would also recommend, for 7-14 day trips, that a small sharpener of some sort would probably be a good idea to take along if you're going to be doing a lot of cutting, game cleaning, or wood cutting.
For a smaller utility blade, I'd recommend a RAT Cutlery RC-3. This is my opinion, but I've formed it from doing a lot of backpacking and hunting with that knife in the Midwestern US and the Rocky Mountains.
The key to a "survival" blade is that you are comfortable using it, can trust the blade to do what you need, and that you can have it on your person at all times in case you need it. There are a lot of knives that do this. Falknivens are very good as well. Bark River makes some excellent knives.
You could also get a custom knife from any of the makers frequently seen on this forum. The prices are very good and their work is excellent.
Moras have a great reputation and are cheap, but they have a different grind on them that you will either like or not like.
Don't be afraid of carbon steel in wet environments. Treat it right and it works surprisingly well. A nice feature of the RAT Cutlery blades is that the coating saves you from worrying about rust on most of the knife.
I would also recommend, for 7-14 day trips, that a small sharpener of some sort would probably be a good idea to take along if you're going to be doing a lot of cutting, game cleaning, or wood cutting.
All good information here.
My two "bob's" worth.
A good multitool is worth it's weight in gold,try for scissors, an awl and saw blade. ( whole other thread here)
Moras are hard to beat for the price and make handy, lite kitchen knives.
Falkniven's are excellent. S1 is my general blade of choice ( the one I grab more than others.) It hasn't been mentioned but Falkie's come with the choice of either leather or Zytel sheaths. Zytel for extended use around water.
When I carried a Carbon ( 1095) blade hunting a lot I had a small zippie with olive oil soaked rag rubber banded to the sheath. End of the day give it a bit of a sharpen/strop and wipe over with the cloth. Easy. Now I always have PJCB's and they will do that job nicely add with the firelighting aspect as well.
Jungle/rainforest a Machete is a given ( another whole thread there as well)
Have you considered a small hatchet? Don't want to be cutting emergency shelter or stretcher poles with the saw on a SAK You can do it but what a panic.
Carl
My two "bob's" worth.
A good multitool is worth it's weight in gold,try for scissors, an awl and saw blade. ( whole other thread here)
Moras are hard to beat for the price and make handy, lite kitchen knives.
Falkniven's are excellent. S1 is my general blade of choice ( the one I grab more than others.) It hasn't been mentioned but Falkie's come with the choice of either leather or Zytel sheaths. Zytel for extended use around water.
When I carried a Carbon ( 1095) blade hunting a lot I had a small zippie with olive oil soaked rag rubber banded to the sheath. End of the day give it a bit of a sharpen/strop and wipe over with the cloth. Easy. Now I always have PJCB's and they will do that job nicely add with the firelighting aspect as well.
Jungle/rainforest a Machete is a given ( another whole thread there as well)
Have you considered a small hatchet? Don't want to be cutting emergency shelter or stretcher poles with the saw on a SAK You can do it but what a panic.
Carl
