What makes a good Survival knife ?

[crossada]

I'm glad you mentioned Busses.

I was thinking about this matter before I saw this thread.

I have three large Busses , all with big choils. I would rather *not* have the choils, I didn't like them from the start. But I like the knives enough to put up with it. Besides, two of them are really choppers anyway and the choil *can* be used for a choked-up grip. The third, which hasn't arrived yet, is about 5" blade. I would much rather it didn't have the choil. There's should be no need for a choked-up grip on this blade, gripping the handle should be close enough; if it had no choil. It's a waste of 3/4" of very good steel.

I really want a smaller blade, 3 to 4 inch. I would like it to be a Busse, but it almost certainly won't be because there is *no* point having a blade that small with a choil. But they all (I think) have one. So, as much as I am a fan of Busses, and I *might* get a small Busse just for the hell of it, it won't be a user. That is a shame.

Funny thing is, I sort of like the choils from a purely aesthetic perspective, but the practical half (the survivalist half?) of me shouts "NO!" on all but the choppers.

Just my thoughts...

Rick.

i remember bob loveless the custom knifemaker saying a knife with a choil is too big in the first place.

check out a knife called the cliff from idaho mtn knife works. makes a great user but not as "nice" as a busse

 

[Kraz]

Agreed that the benefit of a finger choil is greater on a large knife than small knife. Even if the blade was small enough to eliminate the need for a finger choil I would still prefer a small choil from a sharpening perspective.

FYI, I just measured my new 3"ish Game Warden choil and it is about 3/16" from the edge of the blade to the edge of the ricasso. If you haven't done so already, check one out in person if possible.

 

[blade_buff]

This is my first post in blade forums, so to start out I want to say hello to everyone here.

I asked the system admin. at http://knifetests.com who makes videos where he tests different types of knives to see how they fail, what makes a good survival knife for chopping and skinning. I have copied his comments below.

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"I think a blade length of about no more then 9" with a flat grind. If a blade is to long it gets to flexible and takes away from its chopping ability unless you keep the blade thickness high such as an Himalayan import. Some of the blades are up to 1/2" thick with 20 inch blades. The flat grind seems to work best all the way around cutting,chopping,splitting. Also a nice thick solid spine with no saws or milled thumb groves they seem to weaken the blade during batoning or hammering. This is where the Strider BT finally broke. There is no such thing as a perfect all around knife. So I think there needs to be a balance of all intended uses. You correct a full width tang is best Such as the RTAK II. It comes down to simple proportions. say 25 % tang 75 % blade. The K-bars are about 10 % tang 90 % blade there isn't much tang at all. So for me, I try and find a more equal division between the Two.

So far the 1095 series steels have shown they are very good for a heavy work survival knife.

The answer to your question. My specs would be
9" blade 1/4" thick blade 1095 high carbon steel.

There are many tough steels that I have not tested yet, so the above
is my opinion based on what I have tested so far. My opinion may change as I test more steels."

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I also saw an interesting video on youtube on the forging of Pattern Weld Steel for anyone interested in the design process.

Here is the link to that video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6CQ0WtJxxI

Jim
blade_buff

 

[GibsonFan]

"The answer to your question. My specs would be 9" blade 1/4" thick blade 1095 high carbon steel."

I think those recommendations are a darn good place to start. I like a knife I can beat hard if needed, but I also need it to be razor sharp. Of course many people don't care for a knife that big or thick; 1095 will serve them well also.

The guy at knifetests.com generates no small amount of controversy with his methods... but at least in this case I agree.

I also saw an interesting video on youtube on the forging of Pattern Weld Steel... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6CQ0WtJxxI
Jim
blade_buff

That's a good one, thanks for posting. I could watch that stuff all day...

 

[blade_buff]

Thanks for the comment GibsonFan. You're correct, there are many people that prefer a smaller blade for their survival knife.

I found the videos at knifetests.com very educational because through destructive testing you quickly get to see where a particular knife design is most prone to failure. He tested a K-Bar that quickly failed where the handle was joined to the blade, showing a weakness in the design where you would not want to use this particular knife for batoning or prying. However a cheap priced Cold Steel Bushman held up really well, taking more abuse than you would ever do to it in the bush and still holding up nicely.

Here are some of my D.H. Russell belt knives I have.

D.H. Russell Survival knife with water buffalo horn handle and sharpening steel

Knives in included sheaves

Same knives without the sheaves

 

[Fonly]

Nice knives Buff, I have a #4 and a Larger skinner, great knvies.

 

[troutfisher13111]

I didn't take the time to read the other post, but my answer is a good survival knife is one you have on you at the time, if you know its limitations.