What is your go to knife? (Go to knives?)

S

Shaggy DA

Joined
Aug 16, 2014
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When SHTF my family and I have our B.O.B. and our contingency plan and as everyone knows there are few things more important than a blade that you can count on. Each member of our family has their own bag covering the basics and for me that includes TWO blades. Everyone knows that you are suppose to pack light and to me a couple of extra ounces (or 18 LoL) is more than worth it. I have my Bushcrafter's blade AND a heavy chopper. Although a lot of people would prefer to pack an ax/hatchet I prefer an extra blade.

To me my most important blade is my JK 'The Tool.' It's my Bushcrafter blade that can cover everything. My next blade is Tops Knives 'Hawke's Hellion.' To make it simple, it takes less effort when having to baton larger/thicker/harder wood.

Specs on The Tool:
Blade Material: 1/8" O-1 RC 58
Blade Length: 5"
Overall Length: 9.5"
Handle Material: Green Micarta

Specs on Hawke's Hellion
Blade Material: 3/16" 5160 RC 56-58
Blade Length: 9"
Overall Length: 14.5"
Handle Material: Grey Micarta

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BK 2 and a Mora classic 2... Though I am working on an Old Hickory Bushcraft mod to see if I like it better than my trusted Mora.

The other knives that I take with me backpacking (leaving at home my BK) is a SAK Hiker (great saw) and a Manix 2.
 
Nice blades man. However, SHTF can mean a lot of different things. In my home, we camp often, and our packs are set up for a few weeks out in the elements. You really find out what works, and what's just not worth lugging around. That said, I'd rather leave a few things in the tent vs. not having them at all. One example, fubar!:

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Like you each member of the family has a backpack, and more importantly I practice skills with them such as feather sticks, making spears, snare making, ect.....

I have found that larger blades don't work well for me. They have to much that gets in the way. A simple 3-4 inch blade takes care of 99 percent of what I need. Usually the BK16, a Leatherman Sidekick (in extra pouch in sheath) , and Mora Classic are on me.

One "knife" that's for making processing game MUCH easier, and takes little to no weight is the Benchmade 5w, it hangs on one of the backpack straps:

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Sadly I've learned from first hand experience that when a natural disaster, or even a prolonged black out, hits my area the problem is PEOPLE not climate or nature. So the focus in my emergency kits is on firearms, lights, etc. It might sound crazy to you guys living in the US or Europe, but in a third world country like mine looting and riots are my number one concern.

Anyway, in my urban kits I'd rather have a prybar or something like that than a large knife, I've had to open stuck elevator doors, electric garage doors, etc. a few times. We usually experience flooding and blackouts during the summer. So in my heaviest urban kit I've got a couple of simple knives (I swtich around a lot, right now there's a Fallkniven F1 in there), plus a hatchet and a prybar.

When traveling by car or at my mountain ranch, I usually have a large Becker (BK-9 or Machax) with a Leatherman Rebar or ST300 in the sheath pocket in my emergency kit, and perhaps another medium knife like a Bark River Fox River or Canadian Special. People in the area were my ranch is actually work together when there's an emergency (forest fires are the main problem over there).
 
My "Go to knives" are both made by Survive Knives ! The Survive GSO 5 and the Necker II . I find that with these two knives and my Silky folding saw it covers all the wood processing , cutting and batoning I'm likely to need .

The GSO 5 is made of 3/16" thick CPM 3v , with a 5" blade and an overall length of 9 7/8"

The Necker II is made of 5/32" thick CPM 20cv , with a 2 1/4" blade and an overall length of6 1/2"

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For my purposes, a "go-to" knife is the one that I can carry without giving it a second thought. In an EDC role, that means choosing a folder that just disappears in my pocket but does everything I can expect a knife to do as part of my daily routine. I have no use for a fixed blade at work or for most home activities, so it's not until I'm going hiking or camping that I typically reach for a fixed blade. Then it's about ease of carry, so something with a versatile sheath that can comfortably ride on a backpack strap or belt without getting in my way is the likely choice. Nylon, kydex or even leather is fine, but I really have come to appreciate Tek-Lok mounts or similar methods of attachment. To be honest, I might pass over a superior knife if I don't like the sheath as much as that of a "lesser" knife.
 
Bravo-1 and a good multi-tool:




If I get a third option, it would be some kind of small camp axe:

 
I'm staying home unless my home is destroyed in which case, I'm headed to a motel. My concern is mostly people, but a good knife is important too should you be headed for the woods. If I were headed to the woods, I'd probably be driving and would have a lot of stuff with me including an axe, saws, tarps, several knives, small generator, tent, sleeping bags, pots and pans, Coleman stove, and so forth. All the stuff would be in plastic rubbermaid totes which are pretty much weather tight. But in the vein of the thread, I would probably choose my Dozier Pro Guides knife or Blackjack 125 as the only fixed blade and a couple folders including a SAK.
 
Hard for me to answer this as my knives are all very different from each other. I guess if it was just a question of picking one, I'd have to go Lg Sebenza 21 since it would have the most versatility amongst all of my blades.

Everything else I have either serves a more specific function, or excels in a couple of areas but lacks in an other. The seb is an all arounder.

That said, a mutitool (letherman, sak, etc) would probably be the best choice for shtf.
 
drrickso said:
Hard for me to answer this as my knives are all very different from each other. I guess if it was just a question of picking one, I'd have to go Lg Sebenza 21 since it would have the most versatility amongst all of my blades.

Everything else I have either serves a more specific function, or excels in a couple of areas but lacks in an other. The seb is an all arounder.

That said, a mutitool (letherman, sak, etc) would probably be the best choice for shtf.
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Got the Leatherman Supertool 300 in there as well. I go NOWHERE without it.
 
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