Survival knife?

Barrabas said:
When you find the right combo for you, that's a milestone indeed..most likely an expensive journey.:)
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:D This grass hopper is oh, maybe mid to 3\4 through this journey. Were it's at right now is: car trunk, big beater axe, fixed wood saw, folding saw. Pack carry gets small forest axe or hawk, folding saw and either Becker bk-16 (which I have adapted to neck carry actually), ESEE 4 or 6. Lord knows that at any given time I could grab a machete or my old truck leaf spring Becker Brute. It's getting a little more defined for me now though.....slowly.
:D
 
If you have to take only one item, the features, I recommend a Ka Bar BK7 or ​​ESEE 5.
 
I think the key is to find the knife or combo that works for you. Some people are happy just copying what others have done and stick with that, while others will pick something they like and make it work. Others still will experiment with many combinations and eventually be satisfied (or not:)). Personally, I have found that for the most part fixed blades do not see a lot of use even though I quite enjoy them in theory. When I camp my knife usually just sees some food prep duties and maybe some whittling tasks for fun. Fire building usually just requires some wood collecting as I tend to do my hikes in the summer months. I still usually take a 4" fixed blade, but haven't had a real need that my edc folder could not handle
 
I carried a SOG Seal Team Elite everyday for about three months one summer. At the time it served its purpose I guess, and honestly at the time, I really liked it. But once I stopped carrying it, I realized how often I'd used another knife during that time. I ended up trading it away. The seal team isn't the biggest or heaviest knife out there, but why carry more than you'll use? I also learned a few things from that knife. I don't like serrations, hammer pommels don't work for me, and black on black is not a good look for a wilderness knife. Since then I've decided that smaller is better, since chopping isn't something I do with a "knife" (although I've used choppers and machetes, and they have their role) Not to say that the SOG wasn't a good survival knife, I think that if it's your style, then it would do just fine. Now my main knife is a RC/ESEE-3, which fits the things that I like in a knife right now (although that might change again over time) I agree with the guys who say a survival knife is the one that works for you, feels comfortable to you, and that you'll carry. Psychology is important too, a knife you don't trust is not going to make a good survival knife. I saw a few broken ESEE-3s on the now-archived RAT forum, and that told me just how much abuse it can take, and that should be about 275% of what I can dish out, so I figure that's a fair safety margin. Other options I have are my izula(also pretty tough, although small enough to slow things down), Mora2k (good enough for the swedish army, good enough for me) Some might disagree with my choices, but thats the joy of choice.
 
RatDrall said:
After some serious hiking and camping this summer, carrying a variety of fixed blades and folders, I've narrowed my user knives to lightweight folders with 3" or 4" blades (Spyderco Delica, Endura, Military) and fixed blades with thick, convex edged blades around 4" or 5".

Nothing I did required a fixed blade longer than 4".

95% of the cutting was done with the folding pocket knife, the fixed blade was only needed when setting up camp or batoning through wet sticks to get the dry insides after a rain.

I'm selling off all of my thin bladed fixed blade knives. They can't do anything I couldn't do with a folder, which is lighter and takes up less space. I'm also selling my fixed blades with blades longer than 5", as it's just wasted weight and space on my belt.
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Word :)

Distilling down to a BK10 and a Phat Bob or Vantage for me.
 
I am rather new to bushcraft but have gone through so much gear in about 10 months you would think I am insane, but its a hobby for me, my suggestion is this, guy at survive knives is offering the edc-4 which is elmax steel in 4 inch for about $ 120 its a ridiculous price for elmax, I preordered a gso-10 (no elmax avail) cpm 3v and I am ordering the edc-4 and edc-5 as soon as they are available. Take a look at Adams reviews from equip2edure the steel is so insane you shake your head and laugh I but the zero tolerance elmax 0561 hinderer and its amazing for a folder. He takes a sledge hammer drives the blade in almost to the hilt in the video then repels down a cliff with a rope attached to the skeletonized full tang. Bangs it out later and its still razor sharp, see the videos and I challenge anyone to find half the knife at that price. As far as the axe goes imo I have had hatches (a few brands including gransford brooks and wetterlinsg) and anything under 17 inches is not practical and not safe, see ray mears videos on youtube for bushcraft axe choice. Unless you are winter bound and need crazy amounts of food or mostly stationary a 17 inch axe is most practical if you are in an area that does not see allot of rain or snow the knife saw combo is the way to go. I prefer all three for anything over 2 days. I ilike bahco laplander saws, the silkys are nice but I like bahco. Also I like a 5 inch blade of 4 but 4 and a saw a re axe are great. Remember 2 is 1, 1 is none no I carry a 5 inch and a custom woodlore or bravo 1 cpm3v or a bravo necker 2 cpm 3v attached to my water container case. I also carry the zt 0561 folder and a multitool too.
 
When hiking, I carry a solid 4" fixed and my SAK German Army plus folding saw. If overnighting, I add my SFA from GB.

Wear at work is non fixed, so just the GA SAK and Classic, plus a 4" mora in my bag.

Casual is GA SAK, Classic and 3" fixed on belt.

Car is a Chevy Trailblazer and I am upgrading to Z71 Tahoe springs in rear to help with the weight! LOL! Survival needs vary with season and habitat. I would trade a knife for two small crowbars and a set of mini bolt cutters in urban survival.

Bill
 
bluerain said:
I'm looking to purchase a survival knife but, wouldn't it be better to get , say an fallkniven f1 and a small axe. Can any survival knife really be more beneficial than an axe. If so why.besides the extra carry, I would think an axe would work better, unless you need a machete type tool.is it purely a choice or is there something I'm missing. Ty b
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I'm not so much into survival knives but just think whats practical. A medium fixed blade that cuts wood well and a hatchet. Lately I've been playing with a Frontier Hawk and really like it. I think it's a much better value than the GB mini.
 
Mornin' folks,

Thought I'd toss in my .2 cents.. ;-) If you're after a "survival" knife, then I would personally suggest you take several steps.

1.Check the local laws and regulations for your state, area, etc. Determine the maximum length legal, also wether fixed or folding,
wether carry must be open or concealed, wether concealed is legal.
2.Research the higher quality companies (Ka-bar, SOG, Buck, Leatherman, Fehrman, etc.) and find something which fits your size and
price range.
3.Research that knife. Watch videos, read reviews, ask questions here.

This will help you to determine what a knife can do and cannot do, as well as finding one in a size which you can constantly carry. A knife
has no use if it must remain in the closet in box when you need it most. Seventeen years of woodscraft and tracking and I've never needed
anything longer than a 5 to 5 3/4 in. blade. Once you learn how, you can do just about anything with a 3 to 5 3/4 in. blade. Personally, I'd
recommend a Becker Bk-11 (3 in.), or a Becker Bk-16 (4 1/2, I think in) or maybe a Sog Seal Pup Elite (4 3/4 in or so)--but if a little longer,
a Bk-2 (5 in, plus 1/4 in thick.) Also, a good multi-tool such as a Sog (Powerlock) or a Leatherman (Wave/Surge/Tti) can prove a good
companion (2 blades, saw, file, pliers.) Add a good folding knife and you've got it. Oh, I should add that I've tested all of the above excepting
the 16 (which is likely a great knife) and the Tti. All I have now I a Bk-11--all I need. :-) Hope this helps.

Wondering what to have for breakfast..

:D
 
Corso said:
been looking at the BK16 myself...
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No buyers remorse after I got mine. I chopped my sheath up and turned it into a necker. It feels wonderful in hand.
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plumberroy said:
the knife you actually have with you when you get into a suvival situation :D A $20 sak in your pocket beats a $1000 custom on the shelf at home when the chips are down. You should plan on you primary carry knife as your survival knife
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I agree!! A "survival" situation may be a car accident--slashing a seat belt and breaking glass. May be in the woods. May be in the home. May be an earth quake while your puttering around a shop. Carry something you can take just about anywhere. A leatherman Sidekick or a sak, for example.
 
During my time in South America, the local's survival knife was usually a machete. They weren't expensive, but they probably felt they were kind of expensive as it's relative. I saw them do things with a machet that just amazed me. So using the machete approach, a really big knife is all you need if you are comfortable using it.

I think it takes practice and experience to wield a large knife safely and do small tasks with it. The small ones are the majority of the tasks anyway. So I lean toward a folder and a modest fixed blade. The SOG mentioned earlier was perfectly adequate although I dislike the partially serrated blades. The Seal Team Elite was one of my choices for a "survival" knife for a couple years.

I mostly do day hikes or one-day hikes from a base camp. You choose a "survival knife" that fits your needs. If you have a tent, you aren't likely to be building a shelter. You are mostly going to be concerned about cooking, collecting and usually breaking firewood, removing a splinter, or cutting weinie sticks. So a SAK works really well for most of these tasks. But I subscribe to a two knife/tool approach with a SAK usually as the starting point and a small fixed blade like the F1. If you want something a bit bigger (heavier too), maybe a BK-2. It is all you need. A saw comes in handy. I'd leave the hatchet or axe at home unless you are spreading out the weight between a number of people.

You need to be comfortable using the tools you carry with you. Cutting yourself badly is not a good survival technique.
 
bluerain said:
I'm looking to purchase a survival knife but, wouldn't it be better to get , say an fallkniven f1 and a small axe. Can any survival knife really be more beneficial than an axe. If so why.besides the extra carry, I would think an axe would work better, unless you need a machete type tool.is it purely a choice or is there something I'm missing. Ty b
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Well since, according to the Fallkniven website, the F1 has been the official survival knife for the Swedish Air Force since 1995, just get the F1 and an axe, then you'll have both bases covered ;) :)

http://www.fallkniven.com/en/shop/details/370/24/fixed-blades/survival-knives/f1
 
Not all trips to the outdoors are the same. Different terrain, different tasks, call for different tools. A 4 inch blade knife of good quality, and a small ax is my preferred combination, but at times I'll take a larger knife, and folding saw instead. Other times, it will be a small knife and a larger one.
All depends.............
 
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