Many people have different views on what does or doesn't make a good survival knife. There are so many options when it comes to choosing a survival knife. What is your take on the subject? Hollow handle? Carbon steel? Large? Small? Fixed blade or folder?
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What do you look for in a survival knife?
- Thread starter cgusek111
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Something the survival knife definitely is NOT for me is a folder or a hollow handled fixed blade. Neither are durable solutions, and survival knives need to be durable.
The kind of knife I consider built to be a survival knife (instead of just being some random knife you happen to have with you when you get into a surprising and unexpected survival situation) is always a fixed blade with a strong tang, certainly no hollow handles, and a blade sturdy and thick enough to stand up to things beyond just cutting paper and vegetables in the kitchen. The blade needs to be able to deal with lots of wood working and skinning. It must be small enough to not be unwieldy in precise work and large enough to not be useless as a real tool, so I'd count miniature neck knives and huge machetes both out.
The kind of knife I consider built to be a survival knife (instead of just being some random knife you happen to have with you when you get into a surprising and unexpected survival situation) is always a fixed blade with a strong tang, certainly no hollow handles, and a blade sturdy and thick enough to stand up to things beyond just cutting paper and vegetables in the kitchen. The blade needs to be able to deal with lots of wood working and skinning. It must be small enough to not be unwieldy in precise work and large enough to not be useless as a real tool, so I'd count miniature neck knives and huge machetes both out.
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I am no expert. I have been lost in the Canadian wilderness, alone, winter time and raining sleet. I also have made some other mistakes that haven't killed me.
I look for a Knife that can cut some branches quickly for shelter and do some wood carving.
I like carbon alot. I like machetes because they are the most efficient cutting tools and they are cheap.
It must be acknowledged, when going on a short hike, most people are not going to have a machete strapped to their belt. A small knife 4" blade is the best compromise. A leatherman or something with a saw is also high on my list.
Can't wait to hear others thoughts.
Chris
I look for a Knife that can cut some branches quickly for shelter and do some wood carving.
I like carbon alot. I like machetes because they are the most efficient cutting tools and they are cheap.
It must be acknowledged, when going on a short hike, most people are not going to have a machete strapped to their belt. A small knife 4" blade is the best compromise. A leatherman or something with a saw is also high on my list.
Can't wait to hear others thoughts.
Chris
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I like 7-8" full-tang carbon steel fixed blades with synthetic handles. I had David Wesner of Kelsey Creek Knife Works make one for me. He named it the Hondo. I beat on that thing like a red-headed step-child. I love it. It's the closest thing I've got to a lightsabre.
Hey Fonly, I live in High Prairie. Where are you from?
Hey Fonly, I live in High Prairie. Where are you from?
troutfisher13111
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The main thing I look for? Toughness. I want a knife that is not going to fail me when I need it most.
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The previous posters have pretty much summed it up. For a single knife, I really like my new ratmandu, Ontario rat-5, fallkniven A-1, and Scrapper 6
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Putting all my criteria together I basically came up with a RAT-7. Only difference is I'd prefer more drop in the point. But that's a minor thing.
There is one good hollow handle that I have previously used, the Cold Steel Bushman. It was a very strong knife, simple and light. I myself usually stick with a 5"-6" blade with a cord wrapped handle. Currently I use the Buck Omni Hunter 12pt and 10pt. I took off the rubber handles and cord wrapped them. Then I customized my own leather sheaths.
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don't forget the crk hollow handle A2 knives......those are serious knives if I have ever seen one.
For me the Becker BK10 Crewman has the best combination of size, strength, and slicing ability for a hard use emergency situation. However, this is rarely the knife that I am toting around - it is more of a BoB implement.
My next knife purchase is going to be either a Bark River Northstar or Canadian Special. These are both robust bushcraft knives suitable for a wide range of tasks, but are of a size that encourages you to carry them along.
I'd hate to trot out the old "a survival knife is the one you have with you" theme, but I've decided that it would be very practical to learn and practice how to do the largest variety of things with the knives I carry the most - a Spirit multitool and a Mini Canadian.
My next knife purchase is going to be either a Bark River Northstar or Canadian Special. These are both robust bushcraft knives suitable for a wide range of tasks, but are of a size that encourages you to carry them along.
I'd hate to trot out the old "a survival knife is the one you have with you" theme, but I've decided that it would be very practical to learn and practice how to do the largest variety of things with the knives I carry the most - a Spirit multitool and a Mini Canadian.
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I like a 6 to 8 inch blade. 3/16" to 1/4" thick.
Scott
Scott
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I haven't experimented with a lot of knives, as others here have, but for me the CS Masterhunter would be my first choice. For me, it is just handy, large slip-resistant handle, thick spine, flat grind, takes a good edge easily, a versatile blade. My second choice would be a Mora Clipper (I've tried a K-Bar, a big knife that I like, and an Air Force survival knife, but don't like the grind and the edges). And if I had my druthers, an additional Tramontina machete.
Have you ever tried cutting a tramontina blade back to about 6 or 7 inches and then reshaping the point? It makes for a very useful and cheap backwoods knife.
I had a coworker back in '94 who broke a tramontina doing who knows what with it and he just gave me the handle portion and the surviving approx. 7" of blade. I reshaped the point slowly with a dremel to a sort-of drop point and it's been a useful knife... mainly because I don't feel bad about abusing it.
I had a coworker back in '94 who broke a tramontina doing who knows what with it and he just gave me the handle portion and the surviving approx. 7" of blade. I reshaped the point slowly with a dremel to a sort-of drop point and it's been a useful knife... mainly because I don't feel bad about abusing it.