Drop Forged Survivalist

D

d762nato

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Dec 16, 2009
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Hello folks I recently got the knife mentioned and it's a nice knife overall. The thing that kind of bugs me is how thin the tip is. I don't normally pry on stuff but it seems like this tip would break off pretty easy. What do you all think about this blade.

I've seen a lot of bowies like this does anyone make a bowie with a thicker not likely too break if prying type tip on a bowie with an 8" blade. I mean it's called a survivalist right? What if you have too dig out some grubs to eat in some wood and Snap! Hmm! maybe a spear point would be better.
 
San Mai Trail Master has an unsharpened false edge and a convex grind, so also has a more robust point on a 9" blade.
 
Thanks Mike, I've thought about that one as I know it has a thicker tip just a little longer than I want right now. I also realize the bowie design is a fighter at heart. It would be nice to have more meat left in the blade tip on some bowie's. I guess Busse makes the thickest blade points I've dealt with, but some of them are too thick as well. I guess a custom ground blade may be the way to go in a bowie blade style.
 
If it absolutely has to be a bowie, the Natchez Bowie is great. If the tip doesn't have to be as acute, our new Wild West Bowie is large and solid.
 
You could dig with a stick or a rock if they're around, don't need to dig with a knife that way.

52100 is pretty tough stuff. I think it would bend or ding with reasonable signs of stress before it broke. If you dig into a rock, you may be in more trouble, but even then it may only end up with a folded tip and not a broken one.
 
d762nato said:
Hello folks I recently got the knife mentioned and it's a nice knife overall. The thing that kind of bugs me is how thin the tip is. I don't normally pry on stuff but it seems like this tip would break off pretty easy. What do you all think about this blade.

I've seen a lot of bowies like this does anyone make a bowie with a thicker not likely too break if prying type tip on a bowie with an 8" blade. I mean it's called a survivalist right? What if you have too dig out some grubs to eat in some wood and Snap! Hmm! maybe a spear point would be better.
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Except for the coating , these 52100 Drop Forged should be very tough . One solid piece of metal .

I suggest you go ahead and test out the knife (and any gear you plan to use for "survival" ) , before you need it for a real emergency .

I expect it will hold up to any reasonable hard use . Then you have confidence . :):thumbsup:

If it fails , then you know to seek something better or change how you use it .

I have only the Bowie and scratched the coating just on cardboard . But otherwise , it seems fairly robust in design . :cool:

But it's kinda small , as you can see next to the Laredo :

 
Cold Steel Knives said:
If it absolutely has to be a bowie, the Natchez Bowie is great. If the tip doesn't have to be as acute, our new Wild West Bowie is large and solid.
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Thanks appreciate the info, that wild west knife is a big one for sure. The frontier now that looks like a big one that could take some abuse if need be.

bikerector said:
You could dig with a stick or a rock if they're around, don't need to dig with a knife that way.

52100 is pretty tough stuff. I think it would bend or ding with reasonable signs of stress before it broke. If you dig into a rock, you may be in more trouble, but even then it may only end up with a folded tip and not a broken one.
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I guess bent is better than broke I rekon if it ever happened. I've never tested 52100 so I'll take your word as long as the heat treat is right...right.
 
DocJD said:
Except for the coating , these 52100 Drop Forged should be very tough . One solid piece of metal .

I suggest you go ahead and test out the knife (and any gear you plan to use for "survival" ) , before you need it for a real emergency .

I expect it will hold up to any reasonable hard use . Then you have confidence . :):thumbsup:

If it fails , then you know to seek something better or change how you use it .

I have only the Bowie and scratched the coating just on cardboard . But otherwise , it seems fairly robust in design . :cool:

But it's kinda small , as you can see next to the Laredo :

Click to expand...

That Laredo is sweet looking Thanks for the pics and info.
 
d762nato said:
Thanks appreciate the info, that wild west knife is a big one for sure. The frontier now that looks like a big one that could take some abuse if need be.


I guess bent is better than broke I rekon if it ever happened. I've never tested 52100 so I'll take your word as long as the heat treat is right...right.
Click to expand...

Here's a chart from Larrin on knifesteelnerds.com, a website about blade steel that he runs. It has a ton of good information. But the important piece here is the toughness charts. I wouldn't pay attention to the absolute numbers as much, but the comparisons between the steels' value is very helpful to gauge what you could expect in the field.

This chart is just below 1/2 way down the page. There is two other charts for different categories, stainless, and high-alloy non-stainless (mostly tool steels). Of course, this is with whatever HT was used for these tests but the relation between the steels should be valid.
O1-vs-low-alloy-toughness-8-22.jpg

Retrieved from https://knifesteelnerds.com/2019/08/26/o1-steel-history-properties-and-how-to-heat-treat/
 
Larrins charts are great and tell quite a bit about the different levels of hardness overall. The steel seems to be middle of the road too. Don't get me wrong its a nice knife especially at the price I paid for it. I think I'd like it better though without the swedge ground making the tip more fragile.
Thanks for the info.:thumbsup:
 
Ive beat up a drop forged survivalist for over a year, there is no damage to it whatsoever. The handle was the only downfall,it hurt during chopping. I gambled and bought the newer version w the plastic handle inserts, it made all the difference in the world. I sold my original one for the newer one and I think for the price, the new version of the drop forged survivalist is hard to beat.
 
goldie said:
Ive beat up a drop forged survivalist for over a year, there is no damage to it whatsoever. The handle was the only downfall,it hurt during chopping. I gambled and bought the newer version w the plastic handle inserts, it made all the difference in the world. I sold my original one for the newer one and I think for the price, the new version of the drop forged survivalist is hard to beat.
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Figured this would be the case. The scales were a huge improvement.
 
yeah its like a blueish black much better than that silver that turned black. That was a strange finish .
 
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