Recommendation? Survival knife

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Garaidh

Joined
Oct 3, 2019
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Okay, this is my first post and wanting feedback on a good fixed blade survival knife. I'm not a hunter, but on the local emergency response team. I'm not a survivalist, but very much want to be prepared. I have several large folding knives that do the little things required, but I feel a need for one large fixed blade. I've narrowed it down to the typical Ka-bar of military days, of this is the 1095 steel and a 7" blade. The other is a Buck 656 & Selkirk model (this for my wife), however this is a 4 5/8" blade of 420hc. I hesitate with the Buck brand for I bought one when in the military back in 1974 and have yet to get an edge on it. I want a razor sharp edge that will last. Other brands are welcomed just don't really know much. Love blades, just never needed a fixed blade. I shall post about sharpening suggest in another thread. Looking for something under $100. Thanks!
 
upload_2019-10-3_21-42-7.jpeg
i like this one. Not 7 inches though. If your interested there are two threads on it.
Ontario 499 USAF Pilots knife.
I have one in all 3 cars and one in my bugout bag. They replaced my KA bars that now do my nightstand duty
 
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I like the KAbar too. I have the original but want to get the smaller one and they also make a bigger one too. Like 5 inch 7 inch and 10 inch range
 
Welcome:)

I would look at something like the Condor Crotalus. About 5" of good easy to sharpen carbon steel, stout as all get out, you can baton with it, throw sparks with its square spine, even use the hollow holes in the handle to make it into a spear. Plus it should be in your price range and comes with a nice Kydex sheath.

I think the Ka-Bar is a fine military knife but not what I would call a survival knife. Of course, we don't gwt to pick when and where we have to survive, generally, so ANY knife on you in a bad situation is a survival knife. I would find one very comforting on a cold night lost in the woods, but it wouldn't be my first choice. I'm a khukuri guy, but for honest survival I dont favor a big knife.

Good luck!
 
Ontario Rat-7
Becker BK7

I have both. As their names imply, they’re both 7” blades. Very durable, under $100 sheath included. Easy to sharpen. Tough. There are LOTS of reviews of each knife on YouTube. Here are a couple at random:

Rat 7:

Becker BK7:

Good luck in your quest!
 
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Garaidh said:
Okay, this is my first post and wanting feedback on a good fixed blade survival knife. I'm not a hunter, but on the local emergency response team. I'm not a survivalist, but very much want to be prepared. I have several large folding knives that do the little things required, but I feel a need for one large fixed blade. I've narrowed it down to the typical Ka-bar of military days, of this is the 1095 steel and a 7" blade. The other is a Buck 656 & Selkirk model (this for my wife), however this is a 4 5/8" blade of 420hc. I hesitate with the Buck brand for I bought one when in the military back in 1974 and have yet to get an edge on it. I want a razor sharp edge that will last. Other brands are welcomed just don't really know much. Love blades, just never needed a fixed blade. I shall post about sharpening suggest in another thread. Looking for something under $100. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Buck always has and always will make an excellent knife as far as everything they produce I house at their post falls factory, don't know about the imported knives like the Selkirk.
The problem with the old Bucks is that they used a 440c blade steel that was hard to sharpen on the softer stones available back then and they had a thicker edge profile.
The 420hc blades of the current knives are very easy to keep sharp and they use an excellent " edge 2000 " profile on most of their traditional knives.
I think a Buck 632 Mesa would serve you very well.
 
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I've read that Buck used to convex their edges and a lot of folks tried to sharpen them like a V edge.
 
Before you buy a survival knife I'd suggest finding out what your survival environment would likely be and what is the toughest job you'd probably need your knife for. Your life, and others, may depend on your knife and other tools, so it's wise to make the best decisions and buy the best tools for the job.

I live in forested mountains and personally would not consider a knife with a blade much under 10" for survival. This is to save as many calories as possible when chopping wood for fire, shelter, and other purposes. A big knife, especially with a finger choil, can also do what a smaller knife can do, although maybe not always as well.
 
I am going to say before you pick the knife pick the sheath and where it will attach to your gear.

Do you have one of those SAR vests or do you carry a backpack or LBE rig? Are you always walking or are driving and in and out of a side by side or ATV?

If the knife/sheath is going to be an impediment then you'll wind up leaving it at home.
 
I think most of us eventually want to get a "survival knife". You get a lot of impulse buys that you never use. I would suggest that you really consider what kinds of scenarios would be more likely in terms of "survival". Stuff happens, but usually its stuff we can make a reasonably good guess as to what the stuff would be in general. What part of the country... forests, mountains, desert, etc....

Are you thinking a fighting knife? Are you thinking a woods knife? Chopping? Pure urban survival? I suspect there are a lot of common elements relating to the choice, but if chopping wood is a likely scenario, I would decide if you want a big chopper or simply keep a folding saw handy. Remember you have to carry the thing.... surviving.

Traditionally it is a two knife kind of scenario.

Without knowing anything, I would say Kabar Becker BK-7 and whatever folder you carry. The $100 budget is crucial to the choice.
 
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panella said:
Ontario Rat-7
Becker BK7

I have both. As their names imply, they’re both 7” blades. Very durable, under $100 sheath included. Easy to sharpen. Tough. There are LOTS of reviews of each knife on YouTube. Here are a couple at random:

Rat 7:

Becker BK7:

Good luck in your quest!
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting the videos, I keep forgetting about youtube.
 
MtnHawk1 said:
Before you buy a survival knife I'd suggest finding out what your survival environment would likely be and what is the toughest job you'd probably need your knife for. Your life, and others, may depend on your knife and other tools, so it's wise to make the best decisions and buy the best tools for the job.

I live in forested mountains and personally would not consider a knife with a blade much under 10" for survival. This is to save as many calories as possible when chopping wood for fire, shelter, and other purposes. A big knife, especially with a finger choil, can also do what a smaller knife can do, although maybe not always as well.
Click to expand...

I reside in the Rocky Mtns, my roaming area is Utah, Colorado, Idaho & Wyoming. Your advice is good. Mostly chopping wood, etc., using as spear if needed. The last would be defensive.
 
Two beastly Condors <$100 are the Ironpath and Moonshiner. I have a Moonshiner and have only handled the Ironpath. Both are beastly knives; choppers. A slightly smaller Condor is the Hudson Bay. The Moonshiner feels a lot like the BK-9. I like the handle better personally.

One of my dominant choppers is the Condor Pack Golok. But the blade shape does not lend itself to anything other than chopping. I however like it a lot and it chops very well.
 
BK7 is a great knife in the size you like.
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