Survival Knife

I want either my bk16 or my gso 4.1 and a hatchet. I don't carry either of those daily though. On a normal day I have a SAK cadet, letherman wingman, and large folder (today is a sypderco endura) and small fixed either on my person or in my edc bag (either a bk 14, esee izula, or a Mora). I think I could make do pretty well with that combo if necessary. I live near the MD / PA line, so not a lot of harsh wilderness around here. Water is easy to find, shelter pretty easy to build, climate fairly mild, and civilization not too far away.
 
I go hiking to the middle of nowhere in various parts of Colorado pretty frequently and have for many years.

My Spec Plus SP2 AF Pilot Survival knife has gone with me for the last 20 years - for the just-in-case situation.
It might not be the best possible knife, or even the best knife than I own, but it's what is attached to my pack every time. (that's where it lives)
 
Since I'm feeling bad for getting ornery I am going to play along with this happy exercise.
The knife I would choose is the Buck 124. Granted I like Bucks. But this one has a full handle tang, unlike the rat tail tang on the other 100 series or the KaBar.
Anyway I trust Bucks quality and it should take as much of a beating as any other. Now here's another bonus, the 420 hc Bos steel. It may not hold an edge as well as the high end metals, but we're talking about blades that'll get beat up trying to survive. Any steel will lose their edge eventually, especially if you're chopping something and accidentally hit a rock. With the 420 hc, you can find a reasonably flat and smooth rock and get a working edge back. May not be razor sharp unless you luck out and find an awesome piece of quartz, but a workable doable edge. One of the most important abilities of a knife is it's ability to be sharpened, and my experience with Bucks is they resharpen nice. I have actually sharpened my 110 folding hunter off a rock, sharp enough to glide across my thumb nail.
I hope this adds to the conversation.
 
For the hypothetical scenarios, I would love a larger blade as they are just more efficient, especially when you’re talking about shelter construction. Still my choice would be a little smaller and designed for versatility while being compact enough to wear on my belt yet large enough for moderate “big-cutting” tasks. I don’t often where a heavy-sheath system type rig, but this is one where the additions would come in handy.

The Habilis Bush Tool is my choice. A little on the large side for what I typically prefer as a belt knife, but still comfortable to carry. Blade profile lends itself to do both small and large chores from shelter construction to small game/fish cleaning. Not really “cheating”, but I have a BRKT “piggy-backed” to the sheath for the smaller tasks. Add a firesteel with a tube handle for tinder, some 550-cord, needles and artificial sinew, brass wire and a decent sharpener and I’m all set for fantasy island survival!





I had a small pack of a dozen fish hooks, coiled fish line and a few sinkers in a small duct-taped wrapped water proof bag attached. It was flat, but still added a little too much bulk for my liking…of course for the scenario, it would be a much appreciated addition.

ROCK6
 
I'd have to say that if something happened while I am on town or anywhere outside I'd have to limit myself to what I carry, which is always some kind of plier based MT on the belt, a one handed folder (usually Spyderco) and big folder or fixed blade (which I always EDC as a defensive option and tends to be a TriAd folder, or a 5-7 in. blade). All those on my person everyday.
And on my bag I always have near or on me there is a SAK, a Leatherman and a flashlight as well as a small first aid kit and a fire source. That way I feel confident enough going anywhere.
 
bt93 said:
The knife I would choose is the Buck 124. Granted I like Bucks. But this one has a full handle tang, unlike the rat tail tang on the other 100 series or the KaBar.
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The 124 certainly wouldn't be a bad choice. ;)


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I'm going to have to throw the humble CS Bushman into the mix. I only purchased this blade to keep as a back up in the car, a knife I wouldn't be too upset about if it was stolen. To be honest I was a little disappointed with it's ' Out of the box ' sharpness. Everyone seemed to go on about how sharp CS blades were. Anyway the other day I figured that even though it was just a back up blade I'd give it a sharpen, to say I was surprised how easily it became scary sharp is an understatement !
The fact that it can be fixed to a long pole is an added bonus !



My son drilled me another hole in the handle so I can use nails rather than relying on one little screw to hold the stick in the socket.

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ThePeacent said:
I'd have to say that if something happened while I am on town or anywhere outside I'd have to limit myself to what I carry, which is always some kind of plier based MT on the belt, a one handed folder (usually Spyderco) and big folder or fixed blade (which I always EDC as a defensive option and tends to be a TriAd folder, or a 5-7 in. blade). All those on my person everyday.
And on my bag I always have near or on me there is a SAK, a Leatherman and a flashlight as well as a small first aid kit and a fire source. That way I feel confident enough going anywhere.
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Surely you can only have what you have, but the OP didn't ask about the "unexpected EDC" scenario.
 
Over the last year I've been carrying 3 different knives and testing then out on my canoe trips, hunting trips and camping trips. My Wolflore (woodloe clone), GSO 4.1 and Bravo 1. And at the end of the day, I would take my Bravo 1 every time. I found it to be the best all round knife. From feather sticks to skinning its just does it all the best IMO!
 
I've been buying, trying, and selling knives for several years now, looking for the "one". I think I've found it in the Ratmandu. It's bigger than I thought I'd like but I've worked my way up from Izulas and down from the Junglas. Got hung up on the 3 1/2 to 4 inch blades for a long time but felt I had to have an axe/hatchet to go along with them. I'd still want a SAK or an Alox + Leatherman Micra to go along with the Rat but I could get by with just the "one".
 
cardo said:
I've been buying, trying, and selling knives for several years now, looking for the "one". I think I've found it in the Ratmandu. It's bigger than I thought I'd like but I've worked my way up from Izulas and down from the Junglas. Got hung up on the 3 1/2 to 4 inch blades for a long time but felt I had to have an axe/hatchet to go along with them....
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Its funny you say that as I'm going in the opposite direction. I loved the big survival knives (still do actually) and would always carry at least a 6 inch blade on me. Now I'm getting in to hatchets and axes (recently purchased a Wetterlings Bushman and a Gransfors Bruk Wildlife hatchet) so now I couple that with a smaller 4" blade when camping or backpacking.
 
cardo said:
I've been buying, trying, and selling knives for several years now, looking for the "one". I think I've found it in the Ratmandu. It's bigger than I thought I'd like but I've worked my way up from Izulas and down from the Junglas. Got hung up on the 3 1/2 to 4 inch blades for a long time but felt I had to have an axe/hatchet to go along with them. I'd still want a SAK or an Alox + Leatherman Micra to go along with the Rat but I could get by with just the "one".
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The RMD is my choice as well for no other reason than I know the knife very well and I have complete confidence in it.
 
Without a doubt id take a heavy bladed machete.
Out of my current knives, Id take my condor parang.
 
I have a Becker BK10 which is the same size as the BK 2 but thinner
A full sized handle to power thru anything and 3/16th is plenty strong enough
Not that I carry it, but it would be my survival knife

The TOPS BOB would also be a strong contender for my 'survival knife
 
JN7556 said:
Lets say one day you find yourself stranded out in the middle of nowhere for whatever reason, what one survival knife would you want out there with you?
Id say I would want either my SOG SEAL pup elite, or a Tops hawks hellion survivor.
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For me, the middle of nowhere would be the CO mtns. I'll take a SAK Huntsman or Farmer.
 
Always hit the woods with my Busse TGLB, Swamp Rat Rodent Solution, and a Leatherman Wave with a mini Mag and Habilis Firesteel in the Wave Sheath. Its a lot of steel but I'm good for the weight, and strapped to my hip is a Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 Mag with some extra rounds on the belt. I religiously carry a pistol and knife system even for a short hike.
 
JN7556 said:
Lets say one day you find yourself stranded out in the middle of nowhere for whatever reason, what one survival knife would you want out there with you?
Id say I would want either my SOG SEAL pup elite, or a Tops hawks hellion survivor.
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Where is this mythical "middle of nowhere? Mountains in the middle of winter? High desert in mid summer? An African savannah? Deserted island in the Pacific? A sodden Florida swamp? And why does it have to be a "survival knife"? Won't some other type of knife do just as well? Can I just stab the person who is attempting to abduct me and drop me off there? Or cut the bonds I am tied with? What do you imagine survival entailing? Building a permanent shelter? Hunting and butchering game? Fishing and roasting them over a fire? Defending against wild animals? Hostile people? :confused:
 
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