I need help - Survival Knife

Last note before I take over your thread by accident, billhooks might be worth a look. They're pretty inexpensive and really common in the UK. I've been doing a bit of research on them and @FortyTwoBlades has a lot of experience with them, qnd has some for sale at baryonyx.com, but he's located in the US. If you search aome of his posts on the forum you will likely find sone sruff here, or just do some searches on billhooks. They're nore aimed at the woodprocessing side, from everything I'm reading, so a folder or small knife for food prep would be ideal.

I'm going to get his baryonyx machete soon which is reasonably based on a billhook and maybe a parang combo design (two-sided use). I actually had it on order but had to cancel as my dishwasher went out this week.

Machetes can make really good survival gear as well, if you can fit it into your kit. I've become more and more of a machete whore the past couple years since they're inexpensive so I have no worries beating the heck out of them, like cutting into the dirt to get sablings cut flush to the ground along trails to reduce trip hazards.

But, I still think some of the short thick blades like a BK2 would be a good starting point for you. If I get some time I'll try to get a picture of some of the nonsense I have that I would use for such a thing, keeping in mind that I prefer bushcraft knives (whatever that truly means...) so they'll be a little thinner stock than something like a bk2, which I don't actually own because I think it's thickness is a drawback for my uses.

Side note, since you were looking at the CPK, keep an eye out on busse forum this weekend and into next week. There's supposed to be a new scrapyard knife and based on the spy picture that was shared, it looks like it could fit perfectly into this type of use. Like all Busse and kin, you'll need to source a sheath and they usually aren't too budget friendly, though scrap yard knives in the sr-101 steel (roughly 52100 with great HT) are very good prices for a knife intended to be used hard, IMO.

I also think there is a swamp rat ratweiler in the knife exchange at a good price, in the busse section. It is a favorite of mine. The ratweiler and LT Wright Mark II are my two favorite fixed blades.

Sorry for the story book, I'm tied to the couch with a sleeping baby this morning (love this little guy).
 
I should have asked this at the start... but what do you consider a survival knife? What tasks do you anticipate performing with this knife?
 
Not built as a survival knife; but certainly up to the job...https://www.bladeforums.com/threads...-wednesday-may-8-2019-9-00pm-eastern.1659876/

Of course, it jumps your blade length by about 2 inches... and you could split the difference with a ratmandu, buy a sheath, and still save $$. I'm a big RMD fan; but they tend to come with obtuse edges (for durability, which is a plus for survival).

I was referring to that one above about what to watch for from Busse next Wednesday. It seems like a great all-purpose design and should be plenty stout for a survival use. As a fan of the ratweiler, I think this would make a nice option for a smaller carry and the price isn't too offensive, even for infi.
 
Last note before I take over your thread by accident, billhooks might be worth a look. They're pretty inexpensive and really common in the UK. I've been doing a bit of research on them and @FortyTwoBlades has a lot of experience with them, qnd has some for sale at baryonyx.com, but he's located in the US. If you search aome of his posts on the forum you will likely find sone sruff here, or just do some searches on billhooks. They're nore aimed at the woodprocessing side, from everything I'm reading, so a folder or small knife for food prep would be ideal.

I'm going to get his baryonyx machete soon which is reasonably based on a billhook and maybe a parang combo design (two-sided use). I actually had it on order but had to cancel as my dishwasher went out this week.

Machetes can make really good survival gear as well, if you can fit it into your kit. I've become more and more of a machete whore the past couple years since they're inexpensive so I have no worries beating the heck out of them, like cutting into the dirt to get sablings cut flush to the ground along trails to reduce trip hazards.

But, I still think some of the short thick blades like a BK2 would be a good starting point for you. If I get some time I'll try to get a picture of some of the nonsense I have that I would use for such a thing, keeping in mind that I prefer bushcraft knives (whatever that truly means...) so they'll be a little thinner stock than something like a bk2, which I don't actually own because I think it's thickness is a drawback for my uses.

Side note, since you were looking at the CPK, keep an eye out on busse forum this weekend and into next week. There's supposed to be a new scrapyard knife and based on the spy picture that was shared, it looks like it could fit perfectly into this type of use. Like all Busse and kin, you'll need to source a sheath and they usually aren't too budget friendly, though scrap yard knives in the sr-101 steel (roughly 52100 with great HT) are very good prices for a knife intended to be used hard, IMO.

I also think there is a swamp rat ratweiler in the knife exchange at a good price, in the busse section. It is a favorite of mine. The ratweiler and LT Wright Mark II are my two favorite fixed blades.

Sorry for the story book, I'm tied to the couch with a sleeping baby this morning (love this little guy).


Thank you again for sharing all this with me, I read it several times and I took all the advices you gave me. Sorry It took me so long to answer, and I hope you enjoyed your weekend with your son (I guess) or maybe your grand-son :)
 
try and score a survive gso 5.1

Thank you very much, it looks astonishing!

Can you tell me what is the difference between peened and tumbles steel? Is it just esthetic?
I saw there are lots of different knives, would you say the gso 5.1 is the best of all them because the 4.5 seems maybe already big enough for a survival knife?
What is the quality of this knife compared to a Bark River or a CPK FK2?

Cordialy
 
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Thank you very much, it looks astonishing!

Can you tell me what is the difference between peened and tumbles steel? Is it just esthetic?
I saw there are lots of different knives, would you say the gso 5.1 is the best of all them because the 4.5 seems maybe already big enough for a survival knife?
What is the quality of this knife compared to a Bark River or a CPK FK2?

Cordialy

Barring the huge scandal that is the survive company, it seems like they make okay looking knives. But, CPK is top notch and Bark River isn't too far behind. Purely personal, I will never own a survive whether from the company or 2nd hand as I do not support companies that blatantly scam people (there's a lot of threads about them in the good, bad, and ugly forum on blade forums).

Purely my opinion, I just don't trust a company that has robbed people of their money to actually give me what they tell me, namely the steel. Bark River has messed up the steel before but it's not really common and they at least deliver product and I don't think I've heard of the mistake that Bark River made happening many times. They basically mislabeled their steel bars in-house, which unfortunately happens in manufacturing, and it's probably even easier for a small company that doesn't have a huge amount of quality assurance (QA) measures in place for preventative measures (I've worked in QA mostly for the last decade).
 
Barring the huge scandal that is the survive company, it seems like they make okay looking knives. But, CPK is top notch and Bark River isn't too far behind. Purely personal, I will never own a survive whether from the company or 2nd hand as I do not support companies that blatantly scam people (there's a lot of threads about them in the good, bad, and ugly forum on blade forums).

Purely my opinion, I just don't trust a company that has robbed people of their money to actually give me what they tell me, namely the steel. Bark River has messed up the steel before but it's not really common and they at least deliver product and I don't think I've heard of the mistake that Bark River made happening many times. They basically mislabeled their steel bars in-house, which unfortunately happens in manufacturing, and it's probably even easier for a small company that doesn't have a huge amount of quality assurance (QA) measures in place for preventative measures (I've worked in QA mostly for the last decade).

I think you're right. I was really going on a bark river aurora or bravo 1 (can't decide and drives me crazy by the way) if I won't be able to handle a freakin' CPK that I am starting to fall in love with.. I was just a bit sceptical because I heard that the tip of the Bark River is not very tough for hard use on both the aurora and bravo 1.. Don't know what you, Sir, are thinking about that.
 
I think you're right. I was really going on a bark river aurora or bravo 1 (can't decide and drives me crazy by the way) if I won't be able to handle a freakin' CPK that I am starting to fall in love with.. I was just a bit sceptical because I heard that the tip of the Bark River is not very tough for hard use on both the aurora and bravo 1.. Don't know what you, Sir, are thinking about that.

I think the bravo 1 is a great candidate, from the best I can tell. If you get it in 3V, even better. It's too thick for my general liking but that's one part that will make it good for your uses. It may be a little short but it should get the job done. Just make sure you get some experience with it before things go wrong.

As I've never broken a tip on a knife, I'm not sure what it takes to break one. A thick tip is only useful in stabbing and batoning, and in stabbing it's only good at not breaking but it gives up the performance of the stab, generally speaking. I think a thinner tip is far more useful for 90% of what a knife is designed for and if you're batoning, just don't bash the tip. A good technique to getting around excessive abuse while batoning is to use a wood wedge. Start the split with the knife and once the wedge fits, use that instead. Then you're beating no a reproducible tool instead of the knife. A thinner tip is going to be a blessing for all of your food related tasks, especially turning dead animals into a meal.

If the whole knife is thin and weak, then you have a problem in terms of survival situations, but I can say I haven't really been in one that lasted long enough that, that really became a concern. Usually, for me, it's getting to somewhere warmer or creating heat since winter is when things are most likely to go poorly for me.

In terms of the aurora and the bravo 1, the aurora will be better at bushcraft and general woods use whereas the bravo will do those things well, but not as well, but should prove more durable and a little better at processing wood. The durability is the big thing. I think Bark River is touted as having good convex grinds so I suspect the bravo 1 will treat you pretty well still.

Bravo 1 seems like a winner if you don't want something bigger. For something with a similar design but much less pretty and a little bigger blade, check out the BK10. For something very close in design for a little cheaper, but also a bit uglier, the BK16 is very nice. Clearly, I'm a fan of Becker's designs but part of that is because they're designed to work and they have a great value. But, they aren't the nicest until you start customizing them and then you're looking at bark river pricing so if something like the bravo 1 is calling to you, get it.
 
I think the bravo 1 is a great candidate, from the best I can tell. If you get it in 3V, even better. It's too thick for my general liking but that's one part that will make it good for your uses. It may be a little short but it should get the job done. Just make sure you get some experience with it before things go wrong.

As I've never broken a tip on a knife, I'm not sure what it takes to break one. A thick tip is only useful in stabbing and batoning, and in stabbing it's only good at not breaking but it gives up the performance of the stab, generally speaking. I think a thinner tip is far more useful for 90% of what a knife is designed for and if you're batoning, just don't bash the tip. A good technique to getting around excessive abuse while batoning is to use a wood wedge. Start the split with the knife and once the wedge fits, use that instead. Then you're beating no a reproducible tool instead of the knife. A thinner tip is going to be a blessing for all of your food related tasks, especially turning dead animals into a meal.

If the whole knife is thin and weak, then you have a problem in terms of survival situations, but I can say I haven't really been in one that lasted long enough that, that really became a concern. Usually, for me, it's getting to somewhere warmer or creating heat since winter is when things are most likely to go poorly for me.

In terms of the aurora and the bravo 1, the aurora will be better at bushcraft and general woods use whereas the bravo will do those things well, but not as well, but should prove more durable and a little better at processing wood. The durability is the big thing. I think Bark River is touted as having good convex grinds so I suspect the bravo 1 will treat you pretty well still.

Bravo 1 seems like a winner if you don't want something bigger. For something with a similar design but much less pretty and a little bigger blade, check out the BK10. For something very close in design for a little cheaper, but also a bit uglier, the BK16 is very nice. Clearly, I'm a fan of Becker's designs but part of that is because they're designed to work and they have a great value. But, they aren't the nicest until you start customizing them and then you're looking at bark river pricing so if something like the bravo 1 is calling to you, get it.

Well after reading all your advices I think that I should stop looking for something that appeared to be in front of me the whole time and get the Aurora in 3V. I always come back to it and seems to be the best of all worlds. So again, I will try to get a CPK -but it does not show up well for the moment- while waiting the retailers to have new arrivals of the Aurora and buy one if the FK2 is too difficult to get. And I will go for the black canvas also because I rememeber you said (I think it was you, I'm sorry?) that the green turns out to become a bit brown after some time of use.

Thank you for being so patient with me for the last three days, I can really say that you helped me a lot, you and all you guys from the forum. I recall I may have asked stupid questions but you answered to all of them patiently with lots of details and personal experiences, and I made my choice now thanks to you. I wish you all the best. Greetings from Marseille, France !!
 
Right.......... first I heard of a scandal, but have not followed them for a couple years, after I settled on one, they can be found on epray, have owned 5 of them, and my personal is a gso5.1 in 20 cv, the fit and finish have all been 10/10. I have no doubts about its intended use. preen looks like a very fine orange peel stone washed are smooth
 
Buy em both and you decide. I wouldn't buy either one of them. My $.02.--KV
Well.....you got the value right......

Bar, when someone equivocates like that, move on to the next person, because they will waste your time by pretending to know things that they will never give you.

Yes....of course there are a myriad of variables to consider; but that should stop a person from giving real advice. That’s like someone telling you that there are so many examples, they can’t think of one.

I have the 3V Aurora.....it’s a very good knife, in my opinion, feels good in the hand. The steel is a premium one....you probably will neither need nor use it to its max capabilities (I also have the A2 one....that would serve you well, too).

I think it’s a good blade length range for about 85% of what you would use it for in most situations you might encounter. Even in the most “Zombie Pockeyklipse” survival situation, it would STILL be good for all your general cutting needs.

It was designed for bushcraft, meaning that the user is assumed to be doing a lot of wood “tasks”; and that guides its length range (3.5 - 5.5 inches, -ish), thickness range, blade shape, a point for making holes, etc.,....in other words, it was made in accordance with a particular philosophy of use, one that is commonly considered one of the more typical “survival” scenarios. And if you think about it, what sort of situations do you think you might typically encounter that you would consider “survival”?

I don’t know anything about the BOB; but I have a couple of TOPS knives, and they are also well made. They are a bit more thickly built; so that may trade fine work capability for sturdiness.....but if the parameters are similar, they’ll probably perform in the same range of work.

If you are able to get both, it would be a fun and informative way to learn how to evaluate what knife is right for you. But, if you’ve already narrowed your search to those two, and would like advice on them; I can put in a good word for the Aurora. Just make sure it feels good in YOUR hand.
 
Add in a small folder like a trapper pattern and you have a lot of cutting edges to work with.
This. Take your main survival knife up in length and thickness; then add a smaller, fine work knife.

That pair is another good option, if you can carry/pack two knives.
 
If you are able to get both, it would be a fun and informative way to learn how to evaluate what knife is right for you.

This is how you select the best knife :thumbsup:. Asking for informed opinions on a forum is a great first step. A second and even better step is to buy different knives and use them. Experience tells you what is right for you. It's just something you can't know from secondary information. If you don't have the cash to buy numerous knives - like a lot of us - buy one, try it out, sell it on the secondary market, use the cash to buy another one; rinse and repeat.

(Maybe this is what kvaughn was saying but in different words. ;))
 
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