Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 47

Thread: survival knives

  1. #1
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    ontario canada
    Posts
    6

    Default survival knives

    I like a blade that is 4 fingers long and has a scandi grind I want to know what you guys like for survival knives.


  2. #2
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    SE/SW Wisconsin
    Posts
    26,866

    Default

    Mostly use a hunting knife (Mora, Buck) and SAK.

    Use several custom knives made by Crashdive (member here) that have been being seeing a lot more use.
    Do have a Ka-Bar BK-2 that I got in a trade....kinda like that for a "survival knife"
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  3. #3
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    KY bluegrass region-the center of the universe
    Posts
    10,360

    Default

    GSO, I bet you have been watching Mors K on Y-tube again! He is good but most of what he proposes is for the newbies with no skill and less experience. But for a Canadian he is pretty smart if you take what he says as a starting point and not the final word.

    I never depend on just one knife so I have drifted into the use of a 5"-6" blade on my belt knife with a smaller multi-bladed or multi-purpose pocket knife for detail and utility work. There is usually a hatchet around for doing what many try to use a knife to do.

    I prefer a flat grind on my blades. The Scandi grind is too abrupt for my needs.
    Last edited by kyratshooter; 07-02-2017 at 01:10 PM.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

  4. #4

    Default

    I'm not at all particular about knives. Wouldn't know a scandi from a flat if handed to me.
    All I care about is, does it hold an edge, can I sharpen it with the stone I have handy for all my cutlery, and am I willing to carry it so that I have it with me should said survival situation arise (not all that common an occurrence.)
    If we are to have another contest in…our national existence I predict that the dividing line will not be Mason and Dixon's, but between patriotism & intelligence on the one side, and superstition, ambition & ignorance on the other…
    ~ President Ulysses S. Grant

  5. #5
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    KY bluegrass region-the center of the universe
    Posts
    10,360

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by LowKey View Post
    I'm not at all particular about knives. Wouldn't know a scandi from a flat if handed to me.
    All I care about is, does it hold an edge, can I sharpen it with the stone I have handy for all my cutlery, and am I willing to carry it so that I have it with me should said survival situation arise (not all that common an occurrence.)
    Probably in line with 90% of the knife carrying population LK, and the actual use of the tool in a "survival" situation being slim to none, Hunter's reference to his knife label as a "hunting knife" also holds true.

    None of the knives that I carry on a regular basis are labeled by their manufacturer as a "survival knife" and they are not carried by me for intended use in a life or death situation, just as tools for the normal uses required by daily life in home, around the garden, on the homestead or in camp or the hunting field.

    Well, there is one correction on that since I sometimes carry an Air Force SK out of nostalgia, but even that knife is a take off of an old 1930 era very popular Marbles hunting knife.

    The fixed blade knife I use the most? A Case Old Forge butcher knife w/6" blade. It lives in the kitchen. I use it countless times each day for everything from splitting chickens apart to applying peanut butter to toast. I did use it to process a deer once, probably twice I do not remember. I have grown so fond of it that I installed some nice tiger stripped maple scales.

    That Old Forge knife, and the Old Hickory brand from the Ontario works, both use 1095 steel, just kike the K-bar and the fancy Ontario offerings. Same knife, different presentation, same capabilities.

    The knives that carried our pioneer forefathers, and mothers, from coast to coast across a vast uncharted wilderness were butcher knives provided by the Hudson Bay traders and assorted knife factories of Sheffield, England and the forges of France.

    What is the most important feature of an outdoor knife?

    Being able to reach the bottom of the peanut butter jar!
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

  6. #6
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Central Indiana
    Posts
    58,832

    Default

    Are those finger lengths or fingers widths? I'm taking notes over here.

  7. #7
    Future Senior Member? Rollicks's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Redmond, WA
    Posts
    71

    Default

    Lately I've been carrying one paring knife and an old Sheffield butcher knife. I just like to go camping and mostly just use them for cooking, butchering or cutting rope.

  8. #8

    Default

    KRATSHOOTER ??

    But for a Canadian he is pretty smart ??? WTF Get your head out of the sand. Is Trump rubbing off on everyone south of the border ?
    Last edited by fjrmurph; 07-02-2017 at 08:55 PM.

  9. #9
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    KY bluegrass region-the center of the universe
    Posts
    10,360

    Default

    Who said that?

    I didn't say that!

    I looked back through the thread and no one said that.

    I read all his previous posts and no one said that.

    I want proof!

    As for Trump??? Quit dissing him or we will stop letting you continue the illusion that you are a real country.

    We might even turn the lights off and scare all of you to death.
    Last edited by kyratshooter; 07-02-2017 at 09:04 PM.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

  10. #10
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    SE/SW Wisconsin
    Posts
    26,866

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by fjrmurph View Post
    KRATSHOOTER ??

    But for a Canadian he is pretty smart ??? WTF Get your head out of the sand. Is Trump rubbing off on everyone south of the border ?
    Bad batch of Moslon?....LOL
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  11. #11
    Senior Member Phaedrus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    The Last Best Place
    Posts
    1,510

    Default

    The term "survival knife" is hard to pin down for me. What does it mean? A knife placed in your survival gear that sits there until you need it? Or is whatever knife you have on you a survival knife by virtue of your being in a survival situation? What many call a survival knife might also be called a bushcrafting knife by some.

    Like most boys infatuated with toys I have several "survival kits". Some are more 'bush bumming' kits, things I like to have for comfort and convenience while in the woods. The line kind of blurs between stuff for survival and stuff for recreation. Generally I will have a couple knives if I'm out for a hike or camping trip but there will probably be another one or two stashed as backups. As backup knives there are a few that I like:

    1) Cold Steel Kudu- While I'm not a big CS fan the Kudu is pretty remarkable for $5 shipped. The edge is serviceable and the large-ish blade locks up very strongly. It's quirky to close but for the price that's not a big deal to me. It's cheap enough that if I lose it or store it forever without actually using it, it's not a big deal.

    2) Opinel- I like the Garden No. 8 the best although I think the Carbone blades are better. Another one that costs $10 or less yet works pretty well.

    3) Buck Pak-lite 140- This is American made by Buck of kind of generic stainless but the design is pretty good. It's available with an Orange "Traction Coat" that makes it easy to hold and hard to lose. It's skeletonized (no scales) and costs around $15 or so. Again, the common theme here is that I could do a lot of tasks with this knife yet it's cheap and compact enough that I can stash it in my gear and forget it til I need it.

    4) Mora- I like most of the knives from Morakniv, I think I've got around 25-30 of them. All of them are nice but I think the Companion is about my favorite of the lot. I tend to buy them in bright colors- particularly Orange- because they're easy to keep track of. Every Mora knife I have ever run across has been shaving sharp and they use pretty decent steel. I'm not in love with the Scandi grind and occasionally I'll actually convex them on my belt grinder. They're cheap enough to be almost disposable yet useful enough that you could probably use one as your primary knife (and I imagine many folks do).

    5) Ritter CRKT RSK- This is knife designed by Doug Ritter of Knife Rights and the ETS Foundation to fit in an Altoid's tin. The knife is made by CRKT in China. The steel is not amazing but I give the knife a lot of credit. It's generally not difficult to design a good product if size and price is no object, but considerably harder to make something useful in a very small size and at a low price point. The RSK would suck as your only knife but if the S hit the F I'd be grateful to have it instead of a razor blade.

    My main "survival knife" will probably be the belt knife or even folder that I have on me if I wind up lost or in a jam. On a good day that will mean my Ontario RAT7 in my pack or on my belt with a Spyderco Native in Maxamet in my back pocket, and maybe an ESEE Izula on my neck. Other days it might be my ESEE 3 and a couple of folders. Very often I'll have a medium sized SAK and/or a mulit-tool on me (useful mostly for tinkering with the stuff I brought along like stoves or packs). Worst case it might just be a folder in my pocket and whatever I have stashed in my survival gear.

    I kind of go back and forth on how critical a knife is for survival. If I wander off a trail and get turned around in a park where someone will be looking for me I'm probably better off with a canteen and a sleeping bag vs an axe or knife. In a longer term situation a knife may be more important. As a though experiment, just what would you absolutely have to have a knife for? I like to baton wood but generally you can just break it up by stomping on it and gather up smaller twigs. If you could have either a saw or a knife for wood a saw would be the no-brainer. You don't usually need a knife to make a fire. In a short term situation you're probably not going to be hunting and skinning game.

    All in all though I do think a knife is great to have.

  12. #12
    Senior Member Antonyraison's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Johannesburg South Africa
    Posts
    1,154

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by hunter63 View Post
    Mostly use a hunting knife (Mora, Buck) and SAK.

    Use several custom knives made by Crashdive (member here) that have been being seeing a lot more use.
    Do have a Ka-Bar BK-2 that I got in a trade....kinda like that for a "survival knife"
    Kabar BK2 is one of my absolute favorite survival Kinves. I also have one.
    My youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ultsmackdown Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antonyraison/

    (BOSWA) ELITE SURVIVAL RANGER - BSR/16/05

  13. #13
    Senior Member Antonyraison's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Johannesburg South Africa
    Posts
    1,154

    Default

    Survival knife, or Bushcraft knife?
    I make a huge distinction bettween the too actually.
    If I where to be pushed only to use 1 knife in a scenario (and yes, I have done scenarios with JUST 1 knife, a water bottle and Fire-steel only that as kit, and some paracord)
    Then I need to take a knife that is well rounded and good at most things. for me that knife is a BK2, is large but not too large, its tough, its easy to sharpen holds a decent edge for a decent amount of TIME, Can't be broken (well not by me yet any way) Can take down small trees rather easily to build shetlers and can Baton wood like a beast, and can also do some finer work decently ( I mean I am not making lovely awesome Curious for home, I am making things that I need in the bush, like maybe a bow drill a trap, a shelter, things like that)
    So generally for me a decent Outdoors knife with a full tang and decent steel is paramount, I like a full flat Grind, I never have tried a scandi grind, for me that is more suited to a lot of carving. I am not out in the bush making a kuksa... And IF iwas I would be using a crook knife for those bowl carving things.

    Generally I like to have a mix of cutting tools on me, I like having a saw of sorts (folding cause its compact) a Larger knife such as a parang or a kukri , or a machette.. and then a smaller knife for finer tasks (that is ideal)
    But otherwise if its 1 knife I can take its MY bk2. I like anything with about 5-6inch blade and robust for a 1 knife solution.
    I made a video quiet some time ago, on what I look for in survival Knives and options...\

    Last edited by Antonyraison; 07-03-2017 at 03:39 AM.
    My youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ultsmackdown Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antonyraison/

    (BOSWA) ELITE SURVIVAL RANGER - BSR/16/05

  14. #14
    Senior Member Antonyraison's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Johannesburg South Africa
    Posts
    1,154

    Default

    lastly IMO, and you can say what you like, for me a Mora, well your general mora companion to me is not a survival Knife.
    It is cheap, it is good at carving , and will be a good carver... but the knife is not completly full tang, it is a bit on the small end and thinish blade.
    for me I dont believe it would hold up a day in a survival situation, wilst you trying to take down small trees, process fire wood,etc.
    We have in africa tough conditions, hot dry arrid weather and VERY often VERY hard tough wood trees.
    My youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ultsmackdown Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antonyraison/

    (BOSWA) ELITE SURVIVAL RANGER - BSR/16/05

  15. #15
    Senior Member Graf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Fenton, Michigan
    Posts
    358

    Default

    I usally like large knifes my favorites are Tops Skull Crusher, Tops Kukuri, Becker BK-2 the smaller scale is my ESSE 4, all knifes have a folding knife, ferro rod attached to the sheaths
    Semper Paratus

  16. #16
    Senior Member Manwithnoname's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Land of the free, home of the brave.
    Posts
    201

    Default

    For me it's what works for a particular job and keeps it simple. My fixed blade hunter is an edgemark I got for a Christmas present as a kid. 4 1/2" or so with stag horn grip. A buck 110 folding hunter is daily carry and an opinel for pocket carry. Just this weekend got a 50th bday present,going on 3 yrs late, a hand made skinner. I'll have to get back to you on that one after this years deer season.

  17. #17
    Senior Member Highhawk1948's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Flatwoods and Swamps of Florida
    Posts
    282

    Default

    When I use to live in the woods I had a Swiss army knive in my pocket and a "k-bar" type knife by Randall Made Knives on my belt. They met all my needs.
    Ride, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth.

  18. #18

    Default

    Knives....hmmm...
    For surfcasting, I carry two, both stainless due to saltwater. One an old off the shelf butcher knife for cutting bait and beheading big bony fish. The other is a 6" filleting knife. Both only hold an edge for about one day's worth of fishing.

    For lake fishing, the only knife I have is the one in the Leatherman on my belt. That one goes with me just about everywhere. Been looking into a Skeletool as I only seem to use the pliers, knife and screwdrivers. It isn't a very beefy thing. The ''survival knife," if you want to call it that, is a ka-bar style Case XX that moves around form pack to truck.

    I do have a big Old Hickory butcher knife I'm rather fond of for kitchen use. Most other kitchen knives have to be dishwasher proof.

    There are also various and sundry garden knives, from the little Rada 4" used for trimming and harvesting to the big old HoriHori I've had since my greenhouse days (used for dividing plants mostly.) I used to carry a Sheffield hooked grafting/pruning knife too but not so much any more, unless I happen to know I'll be shucking raw littlenecks. Very handy for that.
    Last edited by LowKey; 07-03-2017 at 11:31 AM.
    If we are to have another contest in…our national existence I predict that the dividing line will not be Mason and Dixon's, but between patriotism & intelligence on the one side, and superstition, ambition & ignorance on the other…
    ~ President Ulysses S. Grant

  19. #19
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    ontario canada
    Posts
    6

    Default

    I'm not saying a survival knife for me is a one tool option. I only carry one fixed blade a hatchet a sak a saw. the best survival knife is the one you have on you when you need it most. I'm ok with carrying a small hatchet on my belt or a tomahawk head. the rest is your opinion

  20. #20
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Central Indiana
    Posts
    58,832

    Default

    Actualllllllly. It's all your opinion. Whatever works for you is great. Whatever works for the next guy is great too.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •