How to Choose the Perfect Survival Knife

artofmanliness ^ | Creek Stewart

[virgil283]

"A “survival knife” is just as it sounds–a knife that can help you survive. It is a tool with literally hundreds of survival-related functions.....Survival Knife Feature #1: Size: Does size matter? Yes, but when it comes to your survival knife, bigger is not always better. If your blade is too big, you sacrifice the ability to effectively use it for detailed tasks such as dressing small game or carving precision snare sets.... A fixed blade knife is more durable and reliable than a folding knife...Not only should your survival knife be a fixed blade, but it should also be FULL TANG........"

[Tijeras_Slim]

Not familiar with the ontario machete, I’ll have to look into that. Thanks!

[Chode]

yes they are... that one is or at least was German Army issue

i also keep these in my 4-Runner, the Camillus Carnivore is $28 at Wally's

[Chode]

LOLOL!!! da tovarisch

[central_va]

[yarddog]

It is just the regular army issue model which has been issued since probably before WWII. I once cleared a trail on my parents property of over a mile. It was first used for hiking then when they got older Daddy used it for his Honda 3 then 4 wheeler.

I used nothing but a machete.

[Joe 6-pack]

Yes, I openly admit, through my Army career, I maintained an Air Force knife on my webgear. This was at a time when a lot of soldiers were into the Rambo knives.

Truth be told, even the USAF knife was a bit much for most, but not all needs in most field situations. Typically during most deployments and field problems, a lot of my soldiers would come to me with their Crocodile Dundee sized knives hanging at their sides and ask, "Sir, can I borrow your Leatherman?"

[Billthedrill]

Yep. Cold Steel Trailmaster Bowie. I carry smaller knives for more refined purposes but if I had to carry only one, that'd be it.

Got a Randall #1 from my Dad that a friend was horrified to see me actually using. It's too beat up by now to be a collector's piece, though.

Got a little Gerber Epic that I use as a camp knife. Ugly little bugger but strong as it looks and yes, that lanyard hole is a bottle opener. Because I don't want to be marooned in the wilderness with only a case of beer and no bottle opener, that's why.

[EEGator]

You’d be better off with the greatest utensil ever...the spork. :)

[Joe 6-pack]

[TurboZamboni]

Cold Steel Trailmaster Bowie. I bought one 20 years ago? when they first came out and I still have it.

great knife.

[EEGator]

Now that’s more like it.

[yarddog]

I have to admit that I like the huge Crocodile Dundee type knives. You are right of course, they are not all that useful in a lot of situations.

I ordered one recently just to see what the made in Pakistan knives were like. It was very inexpensive and the workmanship was pretty good. The blade needed sharpening and I was sure disappointed in how soft the steel is. I doubt if it would hold up to any hard use. It sure does look wicked tho.

[MomwithHope]

Must be sharp, must be handy.

[Lancey Howard]

The Tom Brown ‘Tracker’ knife.

[Lancey Howard]

[CGASMIA68]

Only tool i took with me when I departed CG Aviation.Quite functional

[Joe 6-pack]

With the exception of a Cold Steel Recon Scout, I've always made a point of buying US or Canadian made knives, not because of any particularly jingoistic reasons, but strictly for qualitative ones.

If I'd noticed the Scout was made in China before I had ordered it, I wouldn't have done so, but at least Lynn Thompson at Cold Steel runs a pretty tight QC on their products and materiels, and the sheath is very well designed. For general day to day use, I carry a Leatherman Wave on my belt and a Kershaw Salvo clipped to my pocket, and find myself using one or the other on a very frequent basis, and rarely if ever in need of anything more...

[Vinnie]

Was in Gander Mtn. today. The are carrying a line of knives, Les Stroud signature (survivorman). On the Camillus label . $30 - 80. Green trimmed instead of Grylls orange.

I’ve got several folding Kershaw knives. Wicked looking but they have partial scalloped/saw blades.
While they appear practical I’ve not run into a situation where they perform better than a straight blade.
I’ve bought my last scalloped/saw bladed knife.

[yarddog]

When I was around 5 which would have been in 1953, my brother broke the blade on his Case pocket knife. He mailed it to them and they sent it back fairly soon with a new blade and no charge.

My Father for some reason preferred Queen Steel knives. When he died at 90, I noticed he still had the same old pocket knife. Of course it was worn almost to the point of not being useful anymore. I never did particularly like Queen knives as their stainless blades were always soft.

The German made Puma knives are probably as good as it gets, at least for a reasonable price.

[Joe 6-pack]

"The German made Puma knives are probably as good as it gets, at least for a reasonable price."

You raise another consideration there for a daily carry knife...price. As noted above, I carry a Kershaw every day. It replaced the Kershaw that disappeared about a year or two ago, which replaced the Kershaw that fell into Galveston Bay a few years before that. There are a ton of far more expensive, far more *exclusive* knives out there, which may (or may not) be better than my Kershaws have been, but I'm sure glad I never paid for one of them!