SURVIVAL Question---FIXED vs FOLDER--Your opinion and WHY??

I would prefer a folder in any survival situation where I could expect to fall or be jostled/thrown about without an adequately protective sheath.

(e.g. If my survival situation necessitated jumping out of an airplane without a jump sheath, running head long through the jungle, etc. Any situation that might carry a reasonable likelihood of my being injured by my knife.)
 
I see the obvious has not been spotted.
The straight forward answer will be "Fixed Blade" of course.
Now here's the problem. I carry my Benchmade Folder "all" the time. It's not frowned upon by most "Sheeple" until they get to see how big it really is.
Now, how much advance warning will we actually get before the Sheite hits the proverbial fan? :eek:
Don't know? Me either.
Like I said, my Benchmade DeJaVoo is always with me, and when the Doo fly's, that folder in the pocket is WAY better than the fixed blade at home. ;)
-Bruce
 
Fixed.
No lock to fail, No pivot to get gummed up with dirt/sand/blood/ etc., Less dexterity needed for use(don't have to open)
 
The best knife is the one you are carrying
I carry a slipjoint every day

I do not get up in the morning and choose my knife knowing I am going into a survival situation
So 99.99% of my time if I will meet a survival situation, I will have my slipjoint in my pocket

Also the advantage of a slipjoint is it passed security with little to no problems
It is not seen as a weapon
This is a major consideration for me in urban situations

If I was being sent out to a harms way situation, I would choose a full tang fixed blade
 
Rprecision said:
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Wow...No respect for the Doc ?!?! & How many times have you posted here ? If you don't like the question then why are you here posting on Docs thread ?
 
I will take a Fixed any time, I have one "Pocket FixedBlade" & I've got one more from Mark Wohlwend on the way so packing a fixedblade regulary is common for me when I'm not working. When I'm working I have 2 pocket knives (Spyderco or ZT & a SAK) on me at all times & some times I carry the pocket Fixedblade instead of the Large folders. I can not think of "Any situation" where I would prefer a Folder over a fixed.
 
I'll apologize off the top for not reading all the posts, I got bored with the the back and forth OT. Scenario where I want a folder as a survival knife over a fixed blade.
Folder: BM large grip
Situation: I'm working a corporate show down town, and the city core power goes out. lets say it was an industrial accident dropped a sub-station, and so power will be down for at minimum 48h. I'm off work, but as I took transit to work I have no car. That doesn't matter because the downtown core is gridlocked and a large number of people have left their cars in the street. Time to walk home. on the way I pass a police checkpoint as they are looking for looters. I show ID, med certificate, and explain my job, and keep walking. More likely I would be carrying my SOG powerlock and would have stashed the BM in a secured place with my work equipment. but the rule was no multis.

rule breaker scenario,
Knife: '79 Vic soldier
Scenario: similar to above but the situation is worse, and I'm stuck downtown while the cops let everyone out slowly. I can get food, but it is canned, no problem. also when it is time to go, I can easily make up a story about how the knife has sentimental value, (it also is so worn as to look even more harmless) and I can keep at least some steel with me for the long walk home.
just my .02
 
+1 on a fixed blade.

doesn't really matter if it's a 3" WM1, a 5 1/4" S1 or some thumping great huge bowie knife. there is NO situation in which i 'prefer' a folding knife.
 
Is there ANY survival situation where your would RATHER have a Folding knife than a Fixed Blade???

Every situation except in the jungle. In a real situation, things are tough enough without taking a chance of doing serious injury to yourself. You could have a bad fall and sever an artery or do other serious damage. Leather sheathes do not offer enough protection.
 
I don't know if I'd actually prefer a folder, but I would like to speak to a few theoretical advantages.

1) weight - assuming I'm in a survival situation, meaning I'm up on distant mulholland and at least a day or more hike up and down mountains to get out) I'd prefer less weight for everything, keeping myself as mobile as possible.

2) danger in a fall - I'd hate to fall on my fixed the wrong way. Talk about makeing a bad situation worse. I've stabbed through a few sheaths like this, though never injured by it, but it does make me think that it's only a matter of time.

3) LAWS make me carry mostly folders, and if it's a choice between a folder and nothing at all, well, folder wins. The laws of my community limits carry of fixed blades to 3" or less. Strange as it sounds, to go bigger, I have to go folder. I can't wait for a middle-price/heavy duty maker like ZT to come out with a 4.5" to 5" flipper. Legal carry, capable of so many tasks. That'd be my ultimate carry, for sure.

4) I can't think of a #4. :)
 
I guess it's up to each individual to define survival. For me, it's staying alive 72 hours until rescued. The most likely way for me to get into such a situation is to be lost, injured or stranded by bad weather. I always have a folder. I never carry a fixed blade - leave them in camp or the car.
 
In answer to the OP's question, yes an urban survival situation would warrant a folder (unless you are a sniper or marksman and need to be digging loopholes through brick or concrete). An urban survival situation is one where a folder would be ideal. The primary purposes of the blade would be for general cutting/slicing and self defense (most likely against other people which wouldn't really require stabbing anything tougher than flesh). There really wouldn't be much chopping or digging or drilling required and in an urban environment you would be able to scavenge a more appropriate alternative for those types of tasks (unless what you got works:D). The right folder can be light, tucked away and quickly deployed when needed and doesn't take up much space in a pocket.
Personally a Rodent Solution is my everyday carry knife and is either on my hip or close enough to hand that I can grab it n go. In a survival situation I would have to go with whatever was readily available whether that is my EDC, a folder, a disposable razor, or a broadsword, but I would prefer a fixed blade in a 6-8" flavor of INFI...:D
 
If the choice was between a lock knife and a sheath knife, then I would choose the sheath knife. Where I'm from they're legally classed the same, that's why all my outdoor knives are fixed blades and my town knives are slip joints.

It might sound strange that I would limit myself, but if the choice was between a slipjoint and a fixed blade of some sort, then I'd take the slipjoint!

A slipjoint is unlikely to be confiscated as a weapon. Which could be important if the scenario happened in another city/state/country with different laws, or because of natural disaster you were in an emergency refugee centre...

That's why I think a SAK of some sort is perfect, low key and nonthreatening, you can travel the world with one and (apart from airports) it won't raise eyebrows.

The "old timers" carried slipjoints and did all manner of tasks with them, Nessmuk included one in his trinity.
 
Michigan Fancyman said:
No. Simply put I could not think of ANY situation where a folding knife would be my choice over a fixed blade.
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How about when in areas where you can carry a folder but not a fixed blade?
We're talking about bad situations which happen unexpectedly (I think) rather than planned excursions.:)
In a PLANNED excursion to wilderness areas I'd bring a fixed blade (and a folder, and a fire starter, food, etc.)
But I ALWAYS have a folder on me, so I can count on that being there.
 
Another scenario to add is if there are multiple young children around. I would probably prefer the security of the blade deep in my pocket when small hands are grabbing. I would probably choose my Raja 2 versus my Timberline Pitbull neck knife as well.
 
So, a total out of the blue emergency situation where you don't pick what happens to you?

What if I just broke my hand? On the one hand, I'd probably want a nice one-hander. On the other I'd sure want a fixed blade over a slip-joint in that event.

Anyway, I'd probably want one in any situation that might permit it. Where I'm not going to have to chop heavy limbs to make shelters for instance.
 
Hi,

I think you highligth an important point. The most useful and the best knife is the one that you carry.
But (there always a "but"!), I think prepardness must use several layers:
-First layer: what I carry one me,
-Second layer, what is in my bag,
-Third layer, what is in my car or in the place where I am
- ...

I think that a fixe blade is appropriate in the second layer because, unfortunatly, it is not allow to carry at your belt a fixed blade here...



PS: Sorry for the mistakes, English is not my first language...


Ballenxj said:
I see the obvious has not been spotted.
The straight forward answer will be "Fixed Blade" of course.
Now here's the problem. I carry my Benchmade Folder "all" the time. It's not frowned upon by most "Sheeple" until they get to see how big it really is.
Now, how much advance warning will we actually get before the Sheite hits the proverbial fan? :eek:
Don't know? Me either.
Like I said, my Benchmade DeJaVoo is always with me, and when the Doo fly's, that folder in the pocket is WAY better than the fixed blade at home. ;)
-Bruce
Click to expand...
 
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