Survival Knives

remmmm said:
Your are going to get a lot of different opinions here on what constitutes a "survival knife". There are three more pieces of info really needed:

Price range your looking at.

Size of blade\weight of blade your wanting\willing to lug around.

Type of task you envision using it for - just "survival" is too vague. For some people a 3" Mora is a survival knife and anything more is excessive, for others a 2 pound chopper that could be used to build a log cabin is what they consider a survival knife...
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Price range: I'm one of those buy once, never worry about it again kind of guys. Here's a small example of what I mean. Personal use AR-15: top of the line, custom built, costs $1600 initially, but I never have to worry about it breaking. Handgun: HK USP Tactical. Been through so many torture tests that it's got me convinced it's unbreakable. Price isn't so much a problem as long as it's worth what I'm getting out of it.

Size/weight: once again, not too concerned. I'll drag around a 15 lb. knife if you can convince me that the 15 lb. is worth every ounce (this is exaggerating of course, but you get the idea).

Task: anything from personal defense in case both my primary and secondary weapon systems fail me and as an overall tool for cutting 550 cord to opening my beers (don't worry, I use the spine).

I've checked out every brand mentioned here and there's a few that really stick out. Also, after hearing that my SOG is far more adequate than I initially suspected I may just stick with it. On the other hand, why waste a perfectly good reason to pick up another hobby and buy another knife :)

Thanks for everyone's responses, you guys are great.
 
Something from Busse/scrapyard/swamprat. Rat cutlery is a viable option as well. Me? I'd spend the money on a Busse.
 
Xanatos57 said:
Price range: I'm one of those buy once, never worry about it again kind of guys. Here's a small example of what I mean. Personal use AR-15: top of the line, custom built, costs $1600 initially, but I never have to worry about it breaking. Handgun: HK USP Tactical. Been through so many torture tests that it's got me convinced it's unbreakable. Price isn't so much a problem as long as it's worth what I'm getting out of it.

Size/weight: once again, not too concerned. I'll drag around a 15 lb. knife if you can convince me that the 15 lb. is worth every ounce (this is exaggerating of course, but you get the idea).

Task: anything from personal defense in case both my primary and secondary weapon systems fail me and as an overall tool for cutting 550 cord to opening my beers (don't worry, I use the spine).

I've checked out every brand mentioned here and there's a few that really stick out. Also, after hearing that my SOG is far more adequate than I initially suspected I may just stick with it. On the other hand, why waste a perfectly good reason to pick up another hobby and buy another knife :)

Thanks for everyone's responses, you guys are great.
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Hey you mind enlightening us on your branch of service and or your MOS? the popular knife with my unit is the microtech crosshair, not a survival knife exactly but its one hell of a good piece of steel. you can do most survival tasks with it and if you use the back edge for everyday tasks such as 550 and mre containers then the main edge is still razor sharp for anything unexpected that might come your way. the sheath is also first class.

http://www.bladehq.com/item--Green-Microtech-Crosshair--4430

If you really want an all purpose blade then get the RAT rc-6, bulletproof warranty. you break it they replace it no questions asked which can be kind of handy.

http://www.knivesshipfree.com/RAT-Cutlery-RC-6

If you dont want the extra space taken up then go with a smaller rat they are really great knives. :thumbup:

also i know you didnt ask but if your looking for a hardcore folder the favorite around my unit is the zero tolerance mudd knife.
 
Aside from what's already been mentioned, you might also want to check out the Becker/Kabar BK-2. With a .25" thick spine, it's built like a freaking tank! I've done practically everything imaginable with it - hacking limbs off a tree, prying apart wooden pallets, batoning through seasoned oak, etc.

And while it's definitely a large knife, it's still great for more delicate tasks. I use it quite often for cooking and I've even managed to carve a half decent spoon with it:

P1000838.jpg


And here's a shot of it after I've personalized it a bit. I've added 8 feet of paracord around the sheath, an adjustable lanyard, and reprofiled it to a shaving sharp convex edge (I highly recommend doing this for any hard use knife BTW).

P1020003.jpg


The .25" thick spine practically makes it a sharpened prybar:

P1020005.jpg
 
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Sandbox = a multi-tool. Not tacticool, no "fatigue-cred" or hairychested Rambo looks - just boringly practical. You will find that unless you're on a specops unit and on a covert mission, you'll be leaving your fixed blade in your kit and toting a multi-tool. Even on a covert mission you'll probably tote a MT anyway. When you're already carrying bodyarmour, comms gear, gun, ammo and enough other gear that you can barely keep vertical, last thing you need is another heavy bit of steel that you're unlikely to need or use.
 
Those Microtech fixed blades listed above are pretty sweet, I have to admit I hadn't seen those before. Although I'm not sure I would go with the double serrated, double edged version when they do make a single edge partially serrated. Loosing that top spine on the double edge version really makes it more of a defensive knife and you loose a lot of utility. The one other downside I see is the steel. D2 is usually not peoples first choice for a high utilty use blade.

Based on what you've said, I would probably go with a partially serrated RAT RC-5. Definitely maximum utility and functionality. Only real downside I see is that it's probably not the best choice for close quarters combat use, but it would get the job done. It also comes with a nice sheath.
 
Get a custom made knife from a reputable maker. There are several on this forum.

I happen to be fond of Jeff Crowners knives because I met him, he is ex-military, makes a blade that I would put up against ANYONE elses in a torture test and will feel sorry for them when their blade breaks, and he is a nice guy. He torture tests many of his designs via a special ops survival instructor.

I believe he checks in here once in a while, but you can contact him through his website.

A custom will cost a few $ more than a production blade, but will certainly outperform if you choose the right maker.

Best of luck and thanks for serving so the rest of us can sleep well.

Carl-
 
As far as I’m concerned,

…the Bark River Smoke Jumper would be hard to beat.



It’s a very usable field tool that fits the bill in a survival role,

…A tough knife that is light and fast in hand for a knife of its size.





Big Mike
 
remmmm said:
Those Microtech fixed blades listed above are pretty sweet, I have to admit I hadn't seen those before. Although I'm not sure I would go with the double serrated, double edged version when they do make a single edge partially serrated. Loosing that top spine on the double edge version really makes it more of a defensive knife and you loose a lot of utility. The one other downside I see is the steel. D2 is usually not peoples first choice for a high utilty use blade..
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Well first off i dont plan on ever having to baton in afghanistan or otherwise use the top edge of the knife. were way more likely to have to cut ourselves off a rope so serrations (which i am usually opposed too) are what we went with. I dont know quite what utility you think your going to lose.

While i disagree with your view on D2 my knife is made of s30-v.
 
My first choice: Fallkniven F1 (black or shiny) and a Leatherman Wave (the old one).
My second choice: Mora 2000 (get three) and a Leatherman Fuse.
None of the knives will annoy anyone.

The F1 you can attach handle up or handle down by threading the zytel sheath through the straps on your west. The Mora 2000 should be carried handle up. If you have three you can give some to your friends. Mora or Fallkniven can easily be bought or traded by contacting any scandinavian units in the sandbox. The Mora 2000 is Sw Army issue and the Fallkniven is the Sw AF issue survival knife.

If a knife is really sharp there is no need for serrations.
I had a coated F1 in Bosnia in -01. I barely used it at all. My Leatherman PST were used daily though.

Good luck :)
 
If by sandbox you mean being deployed, my friend who went to the middle east found the Leatherman I loaned him to be an invaluable utility tool. I think it would see much more use than a large fixed blade.

Now if we're talking going rambo in the woods, get a Scrapyard Dogfather + a Victorinox One Handed Trekker :D
 
I've survived 53 years now with little more than a Case Stockman. Don't know that I would ever need much more.
 
If you are happy with your SOG knife then look no further.

If you want a tank to compare it to maybe check out a Busse ASH.

Quality and functionality are most important.
 
Xanatos57 said:
My branch is Army and MOS is infantry.
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awesome :thumbup: have you guys been issued gerber multitools yet? if you haven't you will most likely ben issued one before you deploy, also the bigger otis cleaning kits that you will get before deployment have one.

Who are you deploying with?
 
cgmblade said:
Really! I'd love to know the reasoning behind that statement.
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I'm also interested in your reasoning behind not liking D2 steel in a survival blade??? I think it would be an excellent choice! Very tough, holds an excellent edge, semi stainless so you dont have to worry about maintence much... Fill us in.
 
"survival knives" are about as vague a term as it is in identifying the eventual type of survival situation in which one is expected to overcome with a genericly marketed "survival knife"; presumably just so, in order for either the knife or owner to adapt and survive the numerous elements in facing the unknown.
take your best pick with just one "survival knife" in coping with the likes of an arid or semi-arid desert, open savanna grasslands, a forested woodland or triple canopied jungle, near aquatic or polar region.
couple with climate patterns and changing seasons, the environment becomes pretty varied.
as for a desert it's good to know for a start if every bit of material which make up parts of the survival knife is able to withstand such conditions as high temperatures in a highly heated environment...
 
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