What makes a good truck knife?

[Ron Texas]

I like the big heavy duty fixed blade solution.

 

[BP Green]

I got one of those maybe 20 years ago. Our duty weapons were Glocks, and the toy store where we bought our stuff had them on sale, or something. I wasn't real impressed with it, and don't remember ever using it for anything. But after you brought it up, I did a search, and it'll be going in the truck.
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I remember when those were around they were literally everywhere! You can still find them in various states of wear at gun shows. Guaranteed there will be one or two at some old guys table, along with a selection of old beat up BDU pants and plastic army canteens. . .

 

[hunterjrg]

My truck knife is a Swiss Army knife in the center console

 

[denverknifeguy]

All the below, LOL

 

[snow and steel]

As a follow up to my previous statement - the cold steel kobun is what rides around in my vehicle door, and a CS shovel in the back. Along with whatever would be on my pocket, I should be covered for anything, and if I break/lose the shovel or kobun they are easy and cheap to replace.

 

[VorpelSword]

Maybe I don't understand what a "truck knife " is.

For years among the stuff under the seat of my pickup, along with the tire changing tools was a length of stout rope, a surplus folding entrenching shovel and a pawn shop machete.

 

[SharpBits]

pawn shop machete.

That was your truck knife.

 

[VorpelSword]

Oh . . .good, I had a truck knife and didn't read;ize it then.

 

[BP Green]

Oh . . .good, I had a truck knife and didn't read;ize it then.

 

[Jabe1]

I keep an opinel #8 for lunches,
A Mora companion, a Leatherman of some kind (can’t remember), an no name locking folder to give away in an emergency situation and an old Plumb carpenter’s hatchet in my van. Of course that’s in addition to what’s on my person at any given moment.

 

[Quiet]

My truck knife is my original CS AD-10 that I keep in the center console along with a small gear pack type thing with several other odds and ends such as fire starters, some small first aid items and such.

 

[Drop bear]

Maybe I don't understand what a "truck knife " is.

For years among the stuff under the seat of my pickup, along with the tire changing tools was a length of stout rope, a surplus folding entrenching shovel and a pawn shop machete.

Yeah. The knife in your truck you always use because you want to keep your good knives good In case you want to use them.

 

[Zornhau]

I keep a lot of tools in my truck, including several knives, but this is the one that gets used.

 

[denverknifeguy]

 

[elde66]

In my neighborhood: a Kershaw.

 

[Centermass]

I keep an Ontario SP5 and an Ontario SP16 Spax in my truck.

 

[XJ-linux]

Cheapest servicable SRK with a sheath on eBay is what I shoot for. Any variation will do. I like the handles and heft. Glove box also has a SAK of some sort usually. I have a Wrangler so whatever I keep in there is likely getting stolen eventually.

 

[SharpBits]

Cheapest SRK is likely a clone made of mystery metal. Go to the retailer in Midwest when they have a sale.

 

[FIUman]

My number one and number two criteria for knives in my trucks are:

1. Is the knife robust enough to survive some petty rough treatment if I have to cut brush to jam under the wheels to get unstuck.

2. If I loose or break the knife I will not be crying about it.


The facts are that I usually keep a small shovel with sharpened edges (Cold Steel Spetznatz) or machete (Ontario) along with a full tang knife with a flat spine. For instance, at the moment I have a bashed up abused but functional Morakniv Garberg stainless that I bought from someone who had buggered it up trying to sharpen it. Functionally, the knife is fine but appearance wise it is not much to look at. I duct taped a fero rod to the plastic sheath just in case.

 

[jaseman]

Late to the party on this one, but as the family”s handyman, roadside mechanic, avid camper, and part time prepper, my truck is stocked to handle pretty much anything in an emergency. So between the center console, tool and gear bags that live in the truck, there has to be at least a dozen bladed items in it.

But the ones I would consider my “truck knives” and non negotiable?
- Leatherman Wave - I’m a big proponent of having a decent multi tool in every vehicle. You’re not gonna fix a seized engine with it, but for quick emergency repairs, or as something you can grab and take with you of you have to start walking, theirs really nothing more useful
- Cold Steel Recon Tanto - big, cheap, and robust, will chop through small branches, dig holes of needed, and is thick enough to use as a pry bar. Bonus, if you can’t carry a firearm, it’ll give two legged predators a reason to think twice.
- medium sized camp/boys axe. The head on mine is probably older than I am, and it’s on its second or third handle by now, but as a ‘truck knife’ I find it infinitely usable. Digs better than a knife and has more reach, that hickory handle give a lot of leverage if you need to pry something large, can be used as a make shift extraction tool, and the back side can be used as a hammer or sledge of need be. In fact, I just used it to break up some ice on the side of my sister’s house a few days ago, where the downspout had frozen.i

Cheap, tough, versatile, and ideally, something you already have. The are the most important things you want in a truck knife.