Knife/Survival Knife Info.

[tennecedar]

Golath, here's the site of a knife maker that produces quality hollow handle knives.
Check out what goes into making that design work and what steels are used. Then after you see the quality look at the price tags. I'm a metal fabricator. The tool steel/knife steel good knives are made from cost more than your knife did. Blank stock pieces. If you consider the time involved in polishing, assembling, sharpening, then packaging your knife and the labor costs involved, how much is the metal worth?

http://www.chrisreeve.com/

[Rick]

You all can bark about "quality" knives at $300-400 all you want. I will never own a knife that costs that much. In my mind, that's just nuts. I can own 10 or more good quality knives for that much. Quick, crab a paper bag! I'm hyperventilating.

[tennecedar]

I'm only talking about that specific design. I received one as a gift. that's the ONLY reason i have one. My day to day woods knife varies between a 50 year old Marble's or one of the other dozen's of knives I've picked up here and there. Mostly used knives and all under fifty bucks.

[danmc]

You all can bark about "quality" knives at $300-400 all you want. I will never own a knife that costs that much. In my mind, that's just nuts. I can own 10 or more good quality knives for that much. Quick, crab a paper bag! I'm hyperventilating.

I saw a review a year or two back for some titanium fishing pliers. They were in that price range ($300-$400). I'm thinking "yeah, I'll take those in a boat". A $10 pair that won't make me cry if I drop them in the lake is much better for me.

[loki]

I think the best survival knife is a fixed blade, about 4 1/2". If you're in a survival situation, you don't need a philips screwdriver and a pair of scissors...you need a blade that will handle all you can throw at it. I really like the Swiss Mora knives. They are super durable, keep a great edge, and are cheap. #1 survival knife, in my humble opinion!

This kind of depend on if you are surviving in an urban or wilderness setting. In an urban area a set of screwdrives and set of scissors might come in very handy such as opening some covers to get to an electrical panel to reroute power, or using the scissors to cut away clothing from an injured person. True a knife could be used to do that but the scissors dont require the force needed from a knife with the upward motion and there is less of a chance of a accidental puncture with scissors on an injured person.

[crashdive123]

Good points Loki - How about heading over to the Introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself. Thanks. You can find it here http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...splay.php?f=14

[loki]

The glock knifes are great, the handels and scaberd are made from the same pastic as their pistoles. It holds a good edge and they are cheap.

I too own a glock knife and while I think that it does ok at holding an edge I do think that the blade profile is to thick for most average chores such as cleaning fish and basic food prep. Try cleaning a hand size brim with it and you will learn to hate the knife.

[loki]

I'm just wondering... out of everyone here, what do you think is the best brand of knife? I already have several, mostly buck knives... I've heard leatherman is good... is that true?

I personally don't think any one brand is the best. Different knives for different applications and all makers have their ups and downs. I have over 20 knives from at least 8 different makers and I like them all for different things.

[lucznik]

...you will probably find that 440 stainless and flint do not do a good job at making a spark.

Why do you think this? I have a few different knives of 440 stainless. I have experienced no problem getting a nice shower of sparks from them and a FireSteel.

I think the best survival knife is a fixed blade, about 4 1/2". If you're in a survival situation, you don't need a philips screwdriver and a pair of scissors...

While I think I understand the point you are making, I'm not sure I totally agree with this. Of all the tools on my SAK (a Victorinox Fieldmaster), the scissors get the most used - even when camping/hiking/"surviving." It is actually amazing just how useful they are.

[lucznik]

You all can bark about "quality" knives at $300-400 all you want. I will never own a knife that costs that much. In my mind, that's just nuts. I can own 10 or more good quality knives for that much. Quick, crab a paper bag! I'm hyperventilating.

With this I totally agree . My most expensive knife (a rosewood handled Buck Alpha Hunter) retailed at about $70 (I paid $45). Most of my knives were considerably less expensive. I have yet to find anyone who could do anything more with their "quality," $300+ knives. In fact, most of these guys that I have met do such a poor job of keeping their knives properly sharpened that they couldn't do half of what I could.

As my dad likes to say, "you could ride bare-a$$ed to Boston on that blade!"

[crashdive123]

Why do you think this? I have a few different knives of 440 stainless. I have experienced no problem getting a nice shower of sparks from them and a FireSteel.

Make you a deal. You go to the introduction section and tell us a little about yourself - wilderness experience, general age, general location, etc. and I'll answer your question.

[lucznik]

Make you a deal. You go to the introduction section and tell us a little about yourself - wilderness experience, general age, general location, etc. and I'll answer your question.

Do you know how much typing that requires??


O.K. done.

[crashdive123]

I guess it's time for me to pay up. Nice intro by the way.

Why do you think this? I have a few different knives of 440 stainless. I have experienced no problem getting a nice shower of sparks from them and a FireSteel.

If you are getting a nice shower of sparks using your firesteel and a knife, I doubt that blade is made of 440 stainless steel. Stainless steel and a ferrocium rod will not produce a shower of sparks. Without getting too technical, stainless does not have the material in it to make it happen, while carbon steel does. There is also a high carbon stainless steel available. While 440 stainless does have a higher carbon content than some other stainless varieties, and you can get some sparks - a high carbon content blade (like 1095 carbon steel) will produce much more. Try this - use the back of your 440 stainless knife against your firesteel, and then use the back of a hacksaw blade. You should see a huge difference. If the knife you are using is producing a "shower of sparks" then my guess is that it isn't 440 stainless.

[tennecedar]

With this I totally agree . My most expensive knife (a rosewood handled Buck Alpha Hunter) retailed at about $70 (I paid $45). Most of my knives were considerably less expensive. I have yet to find anyone who could do anything more with their "quality," $300+ knives. In fact, most of these guys that I have met do such a poor job of keeping their knives properly sharpened that they couldn't do half of what I could.

As my dad likes to say, "you could ride bare-a$$ed to Boston on that blade!"

Since you mentioned the Alpha, here's mine. Oh, by the way mine's plenty sharp. All my knives will shave ya.

[lucznik]

I guess it's time for me to pay up. Nice intro by the way. If you are getting a nice shower of sparks using your firesteel and a knife, I doubt that blade is made of 440 stainless steel. Stainless steel and a ferrocium rod will not produce a shower of sparks. Without getting too technical, stainless does not have the material in it to make it happen, while carbon steel does. There is also a high carbon stainless steel available. While 440 stainless does have a higher carbon content than some other stainless varieties, and you can get some sparks - a high carbon content blade (like 1095 carbon steel) will produce much more. Try this - use the back of your 440 stainless knife against your firesteel, and then use the back of a hacksaw blade. You should see a huge difference. If the knife you are using is producing a "shower of sparks" then my guess is that it isn't 440 stainless.

I'm using two knives to test this. The first is a the little green handled lockback that I recieved as a door prize at the Ducks Unlimited banquet. It has "440 STAINLESS" laser engraved on the side of the blade. The second is the little all-stainless skeletonized knife which has "STAINLESS STEEL 440" stamped into the side of the blade. I am using a FireSteel from www.firesteels.com. I get a similar amount of sparks from the knives as I get from the FireSteel Striker that came with the FireSteel. I suppose it is possible that both of these knives could be mis-marked, though I would be a bit surprised.

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I think the critical matter is the sharpness of the back edge. If it is rounded at all, it doesn't want to work. But as long as it has a good, flat edge you can get sparks pretty easily.

[lucznik]

Since you mentioned the Alpha, here's mine. Oh, by the way mine's plenty sharp. All my knives will shave ya.

Very nice. Here is mine. Actually, I have another as well. It is the rubber handled one like yours, only mine has the guthook - which, incidentally, I really don't like.

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Since we've been discussing getting sparks from a knife I will throw in here that the one problem I have had with this particular Alpha Hunter is the fact that the back edge of the blade has been quite well rounded. As a result, I cannot get sparks using this knife unless I use the actual blade - which I am loathe to do. This isn't a huge problem as the striker that came with my FireSteel is always attached to it, but I would like for this utility to be part of my knife's abilities. My rubber-handled Alpha Hunter does not have this same rounding of the back edge and so I can get sparks from it just fine.

When I get a chance I will probably try to file down a small portion of the back edge to get a area conducive to spark throwing as otherwise this is my favorite knife.

[Sarge47]

I'm using two knives to test this. The first is a the little green handled lockback that I recieved as a door prize at the Ducks Unlimited banquet. It has "440 STAINLESS" laser engraved on the side of the blade. The second is the little all-stainless skeletonized knife which has "STAINLESS STEEL 440" stamped into the side of the blade. I am using a FireSteel from www.firesteels.com. I get a similar amount of sparks from the knives as I get from the FireSteel Striker that came with the FireSteel. I suppose it is possible that both of these knives could be mis-marked, though I would be a bit surprised.

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I think the critical matter is the sharpness of the back edge. If it is rounded at all, it doesn't want to work. But as long as it has a good, flat edge you can get sparks pretty easily.

What make is the smaller knife, Luc., & where is it made? Some companies, like Buck for instance, add carbonto the stainless steel, which is why Buck advertises their steel as 420HC; the initials stand for the added carbon content.

[lucznik]

The short answer is - I don't know.

The Ducks Unlimited knife has "PRC" (I'm guessing People's Republic of China) laser engraved on the opposite side of the blade. The belt/pocket clip also has the brand name "GunHunter" in the plastic.

The smaller knife was purchased in an auto parts store in Salt Lake City, Utah about 8 or so years ago. It has no brand name nor does it have a "made in ___" stamp anywhere on it.

[Alpine_Sapper]

When I get a chance I will probably try to file down a small portion of the back edge to get a area conducive to spark throwing as otherwise this is my favorite knife.

Why not just try a different area of the knife, such as the flat area between the lanyard hole at the back of the handle and the grooves on the back?

[lucznik]

Why not just try a different area of the knife, such as the flat area between the lanyard hole at the back of the handle and the grooves on the back?

Good suggestion, but I already have.

In fact, I've tried using every part of this knife. The blade works great, but I'm not keen on damaging the blade in that way. All the remaining edges on the knife have been very nicely rounded, which makes the knife look great and even feel better in the hand, but which also makes it impossible to get any sparks.

BTW, when I went home for lunch (I live right across the street from my hospital) I found another knife that is labeled as 440 Steel. This one is a First Production Run, Taylor Cutlery, Smith&Wesson "ExtremeOps" tactical folder. I tried it and it too is able to produce a good quantity of sparks from the FireSteel.

I know that you need high carbon steel to get sparks from a traditional flint and steel rig like those used by Mountain Man reenactors. However, in this case, it is the flint that is actually shaving tiny particles off the steel and igniting them by friction. It is the exact opposite with modern Metal Matches, Swedish Firesteels, and the like. The blade is shaving small bits off the "flint" and igniting them into sparks. Those sparks are also much hotter than the sparks from the traditional flint and steel set.