Best Survival Knives?

ThorTso

ThorTso

Joined
Jul 8, 2002
Messages
537
If you could only take one survival folder and one fixed blade survival/wilderness/camp knife, which would they be and why? Could you submit pictures please? I am seriously looking at a new fixed blade for wilderness use possibly an Ontatario RTAK Survival knife or a Smith & Wesson Survivor as a fixed blade, and definitely an Al Mar SERE 2000 folder.

What are your thoughts of these knives if you have them?
 
A buddy of mine has one of the Al Mar knives and I can testify it is a well built knife. I think Al Mar has also came out with a fixed blade that may be worth checking out.

Keep It Sharp

Chris Bowles
www.bowlesknives.com
 
You'd be well served with both the RTAK and the SERE. Both fine knives. I have the SERE and I'm waiting for the RTAK.

(I'll admit I'm prejudiced since Jeff Randall is a friend, but I have a lot of confidence in his judgement and designs.)
 
I'd go with a Busse Combat Battle Mistress from Busse Combat. (fixed blade)
And a Chris Reeve Sebenza from Chris Reeve Knives. (folder)

You can go to www.bussecombat.com
and www.chrisreeve.com to see the knives.
They are a little more expensive than the knives you are looking at, but are in my opinon the finest field grade knives of their type.



-Jeff
 
From my own collection, depending on type of wilderness and trip (large group/small group, camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, etc.):

Economy- Benchmade Mel Pardue 720S + Gurkha House Service One Kukris

Business- CRK Sebenza (Large) + Himilayan Imports Ang Khola Kukris

First Class- Mayo TNT (Large) + Busse Battle Mistress-E
 
...mmmm for survival gear/wilderness camping, I carry:
1) Leatherman super tool (more versatile than a folder)
and
2) SOG NW Ranger (fixed blade is more reliable than a folder and serrations for extra cutting power especially for fiberous material)
 
I reckon my Ontario 12" machete and my Wenger Serrated Backpacker could handle about any situation I might encounter.

I might substitute the Wenger for a Leatherman Wave.

Good luck,
Allen.
 
Fixed - Busse Steel Heart - straight handled
Folder - Benchmade AFCK
Multitool - Wave
 
Gotta go with what I got.

Becker C/U-7, CRKT Apache II folder, original Leatherman tool.
 
It's no good if you don't have it and I'm not likely to carry a big knife. When I'm camping or hiking I always have my Victorinox Outrider. Since finding these forums I've bought a Benchmade 806D2, which will probably be clipped in my pocket. I also bought a Yari because I wanted a longer blade than the Fallkniven F1 and Hoodoo recommended it. If I carry the Yari, however, it will be in my pack.

IMO there is no "best" survival knife, but there are plenty of them that are "good enough" if you've got one. For me the answer would be:

1. A high quality fixed blade with a 4" to 6" blade ($8 Mora to $300+ Busse Satin Jack--personally, I wouldn't spend more than $75)

2. A sturdy lockblade (Sebenza, Benchmade AFCK, Spyderco Military and Strider spring to mind but there are many other suitable choices)

3. An SAK with a blade, a saw, scissors and an awl and

4. Any equipment required to sharpen them in the field.
 
Get a Becker C/U-7 and either a good multitool(SOG or Leatherman) or

Larger SAK with that great wood saw on it.

Helluva setup for under 100 bux
 
Depends a lot on the price point that's best for you as well.

I think for the money the Ka-Bar USMC knife is a good fixed blade. I just got one myself and I think it's gonna be perfect for my next camping trip. It can used and abused and I won't cry should anything happen to it. I'm pretty confident that it'll measure up to standard though...I know a friend who put hers through hell and it's still cutting like crazy...

For a folder I'll have to choose my trusty AFCK. It's a good fit for my hand. Perfect in forward and reverse grip.
 
:)

ready?

18" Ontario Milspec Machete w\sawback and rubber military sheath

Victorinox Hiker SAK

Total?

I've seen this combo online from a reputable dealer for around $50. Only thing I would add would be a small DMT pocket hone for the SAK. I believe this model SAK has a file that could be used to sharpen the machete. If not get one that does! Oh yea, don't forget a Tuf-Cloth to keep the machete from rusting.

I have done amazing things with the above combo :D

Mongrel
yea I know I've recommended this combo in two different posts now...
 
Well, if we are talking strong and multifunctional,
1.Folder, my Strider GB
2. Fixed blade, Himalayan Imports YCS khukuri
With those two I can do anything in the brush and know that they WILL NOT fail me when the chips are down.
 
Both diletante & mongrel make very , very good common sense
on the selection and , more importantly, the reasons for that selection.

NO survival knife of any make will be of any good unless it's ON you.

That said remember that no one gets to chose when they will be placed in
a survival situation. NO one. The best we humans can do is act, and prepare,
as if the next moment in time may us put in a situation that will require survival
skills and tools to carry it out. So what you carry on you daily takes on new
importance.......if you really want to stay alive.

For wilderness uses there are many blades that will do. My favorite is a Kukri.
Paired with a Supertool and a large stockman I can make what I might need or
salvage what I find in a survival / wilderness situation. The Kukri I don't carry
but it''s usually close at hand. The supertool and stockman are ALWAYS on my
person. Period.

Good hunting , mate:)
 
"survival/wilderness/camp knife"

These are different terms that require different knives. Even the survival knives can be divided into sub-catagories depending on terrain, foliage (or lack thereof) and climate. I'm not trying to overly complicate your questions but follow me.

Survival tpyically means staying alive untill getting out or getting found/rescued. Shelter, water, fire and food and high on my list in this regard and a heavy chopper like a Busse Battle Mistress owuld be my choice followed very closely by the Busse Steel Heart or Basic #9 or #7. If I had to chose one fixed blade in this catagory, it would probably be the BM. As to the folder, the Strider AR or Buck Strider would probably be my choice.

Camp knife is a different thing altogether. "Camping" to me is not the same as "backpacking" where weight is a much more critical situation. Accordingly, my answer directs itself to "car camping" or other camping situations where humping in the gear is not the plan. Food prep is the most frequent use for my knives in camp. Here, chopping is not as important as slicing, yet a fillet knife is not capable of other camp chores that a fixed blade will be called to do. Here I like the Chris Reeve Project 2 and the Chris Reeve Sebenza. I also like the 3/16th Busse Satin Jack and the Buck 110. The Becker Magnum Camp also seems to be a good choice in this area but I have never used one and therefore cannot comment confidently as I can with all of the others aforementioned.

Wilderness has been reserved for last as it is the most difficult to answer in that wilderness means different things to different people. Does it mean hunting, day or partial day hiking? To some it may mean making PB&Js at the weekend cabin. Wilderness also could mean the dressing and/or skinning of game as well as the cleaning of fish. It means whittling, some chopping and general outdoor use without dedicated design towards any particular task. With all of that said, The Chris Reeve Sable or Busse Satin Jack would be with me along with a Sebenza.

With all of that said, I cannot comment on the RTAK as I have never held one. As to the SERE: Al Mar makes a real fine product with great fit and finish. VG-10 is great and the design, materials and execution of the knife are all first rate. For me I did not like certain features as it relates to general outdoor use. The point was too pointy, the edge too thin and it was a liner lock. I do not mean that in the sense that liner locks are bad (though I prefer just about any other lock) but in the sense that "outdoor stuff" can get between the lock bar and the operating side liner and ginger up the knife until it's cleared. Lockbacks can get gingered up with "outdoor stuff" as well but I still love the Buck 110. A frame lock, on the other hand, is not as prone to getting stuff jambed int here and is much easier to clear if/when the do get gunked up with mud, blood, fat and other manner of "stuff." I like the SERE but view it more as a really great tactical knife as opposed to a general outdoorsman's knife. Just my two cents. Happy hunting.

BTW: On less of a budget than some of my selections would be a Swamp Rat Knife Works Camp Tramp and perhaps a Benchmade Pinnacle.
 
1 Leatherman (PST or Wave)
1 BKT-CU7, Fallkniven A1, or Busse

If you are truly talking survival, consider that you could find yourself in a pinch with a broken down vehicle in god-knows-where. I have repaired radiator hoses, fuel lines, and carburetors with my Leatherman - on boats stuck in the ocean and vehicles in the boondocks. It goes on my hip when I buckle my pants. If you're stuck and can't fix your disabled auto to drive, remember that tail lights make good signal beacons, if you can unscrew them and flip them up to shine skyward. Lot easier for search and rescue planes to see the auto from above with the lights flashing - and a multitool with a screwdriver can make the difference. Like Nimrod, above, said, "Survival tpyically means staying alive untill getting out or getting found/rescued."

Hit a big rock and fold in your car fender against your tire - better have a sturdy fixed blade full-tang knife that you can do some serious prying with. The flat side of a stout fixed blade actually works better than a crowbar against the tire. When stuck in a freak snowstorm above timberline with just a wool blanket, I was able to split and pry open a rotten log with my fixed-blade A1. The log's soft rotten interior giving me good ground insulation against the cold. The blanket, log, and a trash bag got me through the night. Not the Hilton, but hey I survived. In survival situations, I've also found that a pommel extension on a fixed blade made a decent hammer to crush things or fashion tools from tin cans or other scavenged debris. The pommel extension also makes a good point of contact if you need to hammer the blade straight into something using a tree branch or rock to hammer the pommel with. Try that against most handles without the extension, and you'll likely break the handle material.

My 2-cents.

TT2Toes
 
Originally posted by ThorTso
If you could only take one survival folder and one fixed blade survival/wilderness/camp knife, which would they be and why? Could you submit pictures please? I am seriously looking at a new fixed blade for wilderness use possibly an Ontatario RTAK Survival knife or a Smith & Wesson Survivor as a fixed blade, and definitely an Al Mar SERE 2000 folder.

What are your thoughts of these knives if you have them?
Click to expand...

Ontario RTAK??? Don't you mean the Newt Livesay WKC RTAK? I have a RTAK and it's made by WKC.
 
I would take a machete and a leatherman supertool

if it couldn't be a multitool it would be a sak trailmaster.


it isn't tactical looking and expensive but I will surivive comfortably. :D


all those expensive knives are total BS they look cool that is all. primitive people who depend on their knives day in day out have the cheapest crap and it works great. I have given up on expensive tactical looking knives.

don't fall into I am a bad A$$ surivivalist with a $200-plus knife and don't know how to sharpen it. that cracks me up.



buy a few cheap knives play with them for a while then spend the extra cash on a good sharpening stone. there is no hurry!
 
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