Best survival knife?

J

JimRambo

Joined
May 7, 2013
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Hey everyone! I'm new here and have a question for you blade guys.

I'm currently looking for a good survival knife. I don't want one of those "Rambo" knives because I've heard they're more display objects than actual survival knives. So I did a little search for Becker's (a friend of mine recommended Becker) knives and found this: http://dudetakemymoney.com/top-5-survival-knives/

According to them, the Becker BK2 Companion is the best survival knife you can get. But is this true? I mean, it costs like only $69 on Amazon...

Maybe the Swedish Fallkniven A1 which they also recommend is a better choice than the BK2? That one costs about $200.


Thanks,

Jim Rambo
 
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You just opened a can.
It depends on what you want to use the knife for. If you are looking survival, then the BK2 is a gem. Decently priced, strong as hell, retains an awesome edge. Also very thick, and heavy. It does wonders proccessing wood. It can also be used for food prep. I love the thing. I always carry a Mora knife with it, for tasks that may require a little more finesse. Mora's run around 15$ a knife....I have used that one to baton wood as well.
 
There is no best knife for survival. It depends on what you want the knife to do. Some people like larger knives, some like smaller. Some will use them harder than others. The Becker line are all great knives for the money. That doesn't mean they're the best, because you will find people who don't like them. Same with ESEE, and pretty much every company. Any knife can be used for 'survival' you just need to adapt to the type of knife you have.
 
It isnt a knife that will allow you to survive whatever situation you may be in. It is training and knowledge that will help you to survive.

Dont count on the "best" of anything if you have no personal skills.

You can have the most expensive blade in the world, and you will still perish in the wilderness if you dont know what you are doing.

Since you are starting out, you dont need to go overboard. Start with something that is well within your budget, since you will likely buy other knives if this turns into a real hobby.
 
Both knives are great. The A1 is awesome. The Becker is a great tool as well. I have had the BK Brute for a number of years. ESEE (RAT) knives are some of my favorites. I'd start with the BK2 or ESEE (5"). You can spend a lot for a good fixed blade. I have a Chris Reeves Ubajani that is awesome. However, I can't say it will do any more than the BK2. Puma makes the Great White Hunter that is awesome as well. Cold Steel Trailmaster is tough as nails. Again, start with the BK2 or the legendary ESEE.
 
Welcome.

As the others have said, since we have no idea what you expect to do with your survival knife....we really can't help you much.

What do you think "survival" is? What tasks do you think "survival" entails? Where do you expect to do your "survival"?

And, to me, most importantly, when you say "survival", do you mean "outdoor recreation" like camping and hiking?

If you can answer that stuff for us, it would help immensely.

If you cant, you may have been sucked in by the powerful mojo that is the sexy advertising buzzword "survival." Easy to do....the hype is strong with "survival." :)
 
What are you surviving? Where are you surviving?

Stocking a vehicle kit or a bug out bag is one thing. As long as they are legal in your area, a good fixed blade is the way to go.

I’m a big knife/small knife guy myself. So that would be my choice. But…unless you already have the skills to use that set up, you probably want to stay away from hatchets/trail knives/machetes. Chopping wood and hitting yourself can only make a bad situation worse.

A four to six inch fixed blade plus a good folding saw will handle your wood processing needs with less risk to you.

Survival gear that is not with you when you need it can, by omission, get you killed. So the baseline survival knife is a pocket knife. Something you can have with you all—or almost all—the time.

For that I offer two suggestions:

1. The Benchmade Rittergrip.

2. The Victorinox Farmer. It’s the Boy Scout/army pattern with the addition of a great saw,
 
Raymond1000 said:
2. The Victorinox Farmer. It’s the Boy Scout/army pattern with the addition of a great saw,
Click to expand...

That right there is a great choice. Though since it isn't a fixed blade with a 1/4 inch thick black coated blade, people seem to think it's not a useful tool. Like you cant cut wood or clean a fish with it.
 
The BK2 is a good knife for the money but it's not "the best" anything. My "survival" knife at the moment is a silky saw and a mora. :D
 
Best is a relative term. especially for knives as im sure you know. But honestly if you want a small to medium knife then id go for an esse 4, 5, or 6. ive used beckers and while I have no real complaints I find that esse's feel more survival ish. feel more natural and arent that bulky. also the micarta I feel is one of best handle materials because even when your handle gets wet the micarta will absorb some water and thus make it grippier that a plastic handle would. at least with the plastic handles ive used. also Falkniven is a great option as well. they use a special stainless mix sort of like cold steel san mai as im sure you found out. So it wont rust. personally I own esse 4 and SRK san mai. i prefer my esse 4 by a long shot for a survival knife. Its all based on opinion and taste.
 
It really depends on what you are doing (chopping vs slicing), where you are doing it (you don't want exposed tangs in cold weather), and for how long you are doing it (ease of sharpening). There is no knife that does every task best, and some tasks are easier with other tools entirely. Get a Mora blade while you figure out what you want from a knife.
 
at the end of this month, I'm going on a 7-day primitive skills living course in Utah, the school uses a Mora triflex for just under $30.
I'll see how well I survive in making a fire, building a shelter etc :-)
 
First look for a knife which does all you need it to do.

Then look for simple but rugged construction.

"Survival" isn't a term I like to use. It implies the wrong thing to Sheeple. It's also a vague term.

The "survival knife" for most of the third world is a humble machete. The "survival knife" of the American frontier was almost always a butcher knife of some sort.

What I look for personally is a good high carbon steel like 1095 or similar. Then I look for a blade a good 1/8" to 1/4" thick. I'd prefer it closer to 3/16". Then I look at the price point.

IMO Becker Knife & Tool and ESEE are as close to perfection that I've found.
 
Wolf_1989 said:
First look for a knife which does all you need it to do.

Then look for simple but rugged construction.

"Survival" isn't a term I like to use. It implies the wrong thing to Sheeple. It's also a vague term.

The "survival knife" for most of the third world is a humble machete. The "survival knife" of the American frontier was almost always a butcher knife of some sort.

What I look for personally is a good high carbon steel like 1095 or similar. Then I look for a blade a good 1/8" to 1/4" thick. I'd prefer it closer to 3/16". Then I look at the price point.

IMO Becker Knife & Tool and ESEE are as close to perfection that I've found.
Click to expand...

The language is tricky. When people talked about Jim Bowie wearing his big butcher knife, they weren't suggesting a a man dressed in white, cutting steaks off of a primal. In those days “butcher knife” connoted a fighting knife, used to butcher men.

The original Bowie knife wasn't that far in function from the Hudson Bay Camp Knife: A heavy chopper used for building shelter, butchering animals, cutting firewood, making camp furniture, building a canoe, and occasionally butchering men. The Company was issuing Camp Knives to fur traders while America was a gaggle of colonies.
 
I agree with knowledge being primary to survival. If you get a blade use it, just don't look at it. Building shelter and fire is easy in theory, until you have adverse conditions.

I'd also check into the Ontario RD line, Beckers are solid, you may want to go bigger like a Kabar heavy bowie or kukri, but the bigger you go the heavier the weight. Weight can kill you. If you can a good multitool is worth putting in the pack.
 
Survival knife? Trying to survive an attack by a human or beast? My survival knife(s) is the one or two that I am likely to have with me when I go out hiking, hunting, or otherwise venture into the woods. Personal preference has a lot to do with your choice. I have a BK-2. It's a tank and I supppose if you had only one knife with you, that would be a good one that would allow you to do many tasks. It would be a good knife to toss in your "bug out bag" or in your pickup just in case. But it is not my choice for using.

For me, most of the survival tasks would be better performed with smaller knives for the most part. I bought a Fallniven F1 to be my go to the woods knife.... But it has for the most part it has occupied a position in my sock drawer unused, but it is a great knife. Have looked at the Fallniven A1 and its a nice knife and I might well buy one with micarta handles. I'd personally choose it over the BK-2 because I would be safer using it. The F1 is smaller and probably a better finese knife for the outdoors. I lean that way.

My current "survival knife" is a Blackjack 125 coupled with a pocket folder knife. Those are the two knives I carry with me when I head to the woods now. It certainly isn't as tough as the BK-2, but I would be more apt to have it with me and more apt to use it without injuring myself. I would not use it for a "hunting" knife, although that is probably what it is designed to be used for. A little big for my tastes and skill level..... I like a smaller knife for that and the Fallkniven F1 comes closer to that knife. Just remember, you can do most hunting chores with just about any sharp knife. The Spyderco Moran is a great hunting knife or F1 comes closer to my ideal hunting knife unless I choose a custom. Overall, I'd be very comfortable if I only had the F1 or BJ125 with me, but I would probably have a folder along as well.
 
From my instructions to a friend who wanted to make a BOB.

A Get Out Of Dodge bag is important, but it’s not primary.
The most important thing you need is skill. A ferro rod is super reliable and will light thousands of fires. If you know how to use it. It’s not intuitively obvious. Reading about it isn’t the same. When the chips are down you need muscle memory. You need dirt time. Your hands need to know the work.
Skill weighs nothing and makes a huge difference.

While I’m on the subject…
Attitude is vital. Attitude is everything. A positive attitude improves your chances enormously. Never give up. You are determined to survive no matter what. Obstacles don’t stop you. You deal with obstacles and keep going. This helps you survive. I cannot overstate the importance of positive attitude.
 
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