What knives do you want for survival?

[gazz98]

Bourbon plant proximity would be useful for it's supply of anesthetics/antiseptics to treat possible accidents/injuries from our survival tools.

Exactly! That was my main reason for choosing such location. I'm not as dumb as my typing indicates.

 

[bdcochran]

Mix of knives as follows and reasons why:
1. camp knife - Ontario Old Hickory 7 inch butcher knife in k-bar sheath.
2. kid's knife - any Mora
3. multi tool - leatherman Wave; Victorinox Huntsman. You want the ability to trim finger and toe nails, dig out splinters
4. all around - Ontario TFI. Small enough and light enough to actually be carried, decent enough sheath, can do a high percentage of tasks done by specifically dedicated knives to a task. Decent sharpness out of the box. Requires no modification.
Background- retired dealer. I probably own every knife mentioned in this thread and in multiples. I restore/modify knives/swords/metal tools/hatchets/axes in retirement.

 

[comis]

Probably my Gransfor Bruks Axe, Ontario Machete, BK62 Becker Kephart, and a few SAKs.

 

[King of the Cheese]

Cold Steel SRK in SK-5.
$40 each, and will probably outlast most knives double, triple, quadruple the cost.
The design of the knife would permit use without serious damage by a wide range of users, the grip is suitable for wet environments, the tip is strong, and the sheath is fantastic for the cost.

So that is my vote, and I personally have one of each in San Mai and 3V.

 

[abcdef]

sak, opinel, morakin is/are always the answer

To avoid heavier chopping tools - smatchet.

 

[Alberta Ed]

A Leatherman or SAK, a puukko and a 3/4 single bit Snow & Neally Hudson's Bay ax.

 

[not2sharp]

Thanks, we are doing well here.

Probably the toughest knives for me to choose are simple table flatware. We need something that can hold up to multiple cycles of immersion and harsh chemicals on a daily basis, and yet something which can handle extended use and maintain an edge. Folders are hard to clean for food use, and many field knives wouldn't hold up under constant cleaning, especially those with natural handle scales. Mora knives might be a good choice here, has anyone tried one in the kitchen over an extended period of time?

n2s

 

[eveled]

Probably the toughest knives for me to choose are simple table flatware. We need something that can hold up to multiple cycles of immersion and harsh chemicals on a daily basis, and yet something which can handle extended use and maintain an edge.

n2s

Theses are extremely rugged. They no longer say dishwasher safe, but through extensive testing I can assure you they are. They would be easy to sanitize in the field with boiling water no worries about the handles. They say safe up to 250* Fahrenheit

 

[craytab]

I'm not sure why people are bringing up cost, as the perimeters of this fantasy scenario or practically limitless. Why not have the best? For example, when listing an SRK, why not take the 3v version?


I'm not going to include pliers based multi-tools, axes, saws, surgical equipment, or machetes as the question says knives.

First, kitchen knives. A very underrated group of knives I see most people ignore. These knives will do most of your knife work! A good paring and chefs knife are essential. For me it would be the North Arms Trilium (S35vn), CPK Potato knife, and the Esee/Becker Kitchen knife set.

I don't really have many pics of all the Esee/Beckers but here are a couple:

Next, pocket knives. Vic SAK Super Tinkers and lots of them! Right now, I'm digging the Spyderco Siren (maintenance free except sharpening) so that one. Really, any of my larger folders would work. I also think that if the only folding knife we had was a Sebenza, we wouldn't fail

Last, fixed blades. CPK FK2 and HDFK. One of the CPK large choppers or an Esee Junglas. Delta CPM 3v is going to win this category all day long and IMO no one makes and designs a better knife than Nathan and Lorien. For a smaller fixed blade I really like the Ruike f815 or a bit larger/smaller an Esee 3 or Izula.

But really, since the options of this question are without bounds, I would just replicate my entire collection a hundred times over. We would do just fine as I always make the perfect knife choice

 

[eveled]

The entire Dexter Russel Sani-safe line is designed to be sanitized over and over again. Commercial kitchen / butcher grade knives.

 

[not2sharp]

I'm not sure why people are bringing up cost, as the perimeters of this fantasy scenario or practically limitless. Why not have the best? For example, when listing an SRK, why not take the 3v version?.....

My original post is in part a response to the usual survival question which imagines people surviving on their own. That may happen in the short term, but it is an aberration, most of the time survival becomes a group effort.

n2s

 

[craytab]

My original post is in part a response to the usual survival question which imagines people surviving on their own. That may happen in the short term, but it is an aberration, most of the time survival becomes a group effort.

n2s

I like it! And the fact that you have dispensed with any and all normal requirements related to type, budget, and quantities makes it that much more realistic. No need to limit yourself to a $40 knife that you and your party will depend on for survival. Busse, CRKs, and antique sandbar bowies for everyone!

 

[Murphjd25]

I could probably get by and do anything I needed with one of my Sebenzas and my FK2.

 

[Pomsbz]

My original post is in part a response to the usual survival question which imagines people surviving on their own. That may happen in the short term, but it is an aberration, most of the time survival becomes a group effort.

n2s

Makes a lot of sense. The lone ranger survival fantasies ignore human history. Groups survive and rebuilt.

 

[Quiet]

My original post is in part a response to the usual survival question which imagines people surviving on their own. That may happen in the short term, but it is an aberration, most of the time survival becomes a group effort.

n2s

Which is true, but let me tell you, you show up to my deepwoods hidden bunker compound without so much as a knife of ANY kind on you, you'll be turned away at the door. I mean, I'm not going to try to outfit my whole crew.

I would just make sure I only handpicked people who were smart enough to have their steel situation sorted out beforehand in the first place!

 

[King of the Cheese]

I like it! And the fact that you have dispensed with any and all normal requirements related to type, budget, and quantities makes it that much more realistic. No need to limit yourself to a $40 knife that you and your party will depend on for survival. Busse, CRKs, and antique sandbar bowies for everyone!

Well since in both your posts you call out the SRK, and the $40 mark, (both of which are things I mentioned), I’ll assume the remark was directed at me.
It’s safe to say that cost and availability are closely related. No need to take that literally, of course there are outlier examples but it mostly holds true. You’re more likely to acquire a crate of SK-5 SRKs than you are a crate of 3V SRKs... companies make more and stock more of items that sell more and cost less. If you don’t agree I’ll find plenty of examples
So my rationale is solid: Less expensive knives will be more readily available... and you’re more likely to get a few hundred $40 SRKs than you are a few hundred Bark River Bravos or Lon Humphrey Alphas.

Now we can get into money in exchange for other goods that might be more valuable than knives, if money is still worth something in this scenario.. but I’ll frame this as “yes it is”, and “less money for knives means more money for other things”.

 

[craytab]

Well since in both your posts you call out the SRK, and the $40 mark, (both of which are things I mentioned), I’ll assume the remark was directed at me.
It’s safe to say that cost and availability are closely related. No need to take that literally, of course there are outlier examples but it mostly holds true. You’re more likely to acquire a crate of SK-5 SRKs than you are a crate of 3V SRKs... companies make more and stock more of items that sell more and cost less. If you don’t agree I’ll find plenty of examples
So my rationale is solid: Less expensive knives will be more readily available... and you’re more likely to get a few hundred $40 SRKs than you are a few hundred Bark River Bravos or Lon Humphrey Alphas.

Now we can get into money in exchange for other goods that might be more valuable than knives, if money is still worth something in this scenario.. but I’ll frame this as “yes it is”, and “less money for knives means more money for other things”.

You entirely missed the point of not only my post, but also the point of the thread. It is a fantasy scenario where you can literally have anything, no need to find it. If you want a bunch of $40 Sk5 SRKs, go for it. Wouldn't be what I chose but we all have different tastes! I'll be over with my group and the crate of high end cutlery.

 

[King of the Cheese]

You entirely missed the point of not only my post, but also the point of the thread. It is a fantasy scenario where you can literally have anything, no need to find it. If you want a bunch of $40 Sk5 SRKs, go for it. Wouldn't be what I chose but we all have different tastes! I'll be over with my group and the crate of high end cutlery.

Nah, I think I nailed MY point... that even in a made up daydream scenario, you’ll still need money to buy things, and the best value still means something.

 

[gazz98]

Which is true, but let me tell you, you show up to my deepwoods hidden bunker compound without so much as a knife of ANY kind on you, you'll be turned away at the door. I mean, I'm not going to try to outfit my whole crew.

I would just make sure I only handpicked people who were smart enough to have their steel situation sorted out beforehand in the first place!

Please make sure I have a long enough cot, I'm almost 6'8". I know I will get in, I carry a Mtech in the left pocket and Tac Force in the right. So put a check mark next to "steel situation sorted out" next to my name.

 

[craytab]

Nah, I think I nailed MY point... that even in a made up daydream scenario, you’ll still need money to buy things, and the best value still means something.

Well, at least you can never be wrong answering questions with your own made up parameters! Doesn't sound like a lot of fun for a discussion when you are the only one who knows what is being discussed, but whatever floats your boat.

My crew is rocking this:

And we each have a back up