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So I've been looking around for a camping / survival knife. The other day i got my hands on my former first option which was the gerber lmf ii, it's a nice one but too massive and heavy so it's just out of the question.
I got my eyes on the following:
Gerber Prodigy knife
SOG Seal Pup Elite
Cold Steel Bushcraft (bushman blade but it might be a bit too large, 7 inches, and I'm not sure if you can carry it when camping)
I'd like to hear some opinions. Thanks
Send me your address and I will give you one of our camp tools to try...
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/a...achmentid=8136
If you like it keep it no cost...
Always be safe...
I've always liked the sog but I also have the super swiss army knife that has everthing http://www.swissknifeshop.com/shop/s...wisschamp-xavt as well as the one with the survival kit. http://www.swissknifeshop.com/shop/s...hamp-sos-set-1 Both are from the army.
Steve, good job with the camping tool. He will not be disappointed. I love mine and use id quite often. Hope all is well
I have a KA-BAR fixed blade, strait edge knife I like. Very sturdy knife good for many things.
http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pub...bK5H0kDtRT2z16
Quote:
Originally Posted by CharlaineC
Those aren't 'survivial knives'. They are tiny little tool chests.
Allan
I saw this thread yesterday and thought of the Kabar, as a pretty basic knife they are hard to improve upon. If you are leaning toward a Swiss Army type I have a lock blade with a saw and the usually screw drivers etc., that is pretty nice, similar to this. I am convinced the Victronix brand is superior to the Wenger brand. Both are official Swiss Army knives however.
Attachment 8933
Roger that! I have the U.S. Military Pilot's Survival version of that knife. If you are talking pure survival then a fixed blade, heavy blade, large handled knife like these is the only way to go. They do not weigh that much (your life is worth a few ounces more), they are far more easier than any folding knife to hang onto, the fixed blade will not fold up under heave use as even some locking folding blades will. The heavier blade allows you to chop down small trees, cut wire, pry and use the knife as a weapon without fear of the blade breaking. They also hold a decent edge.Quote:
Originally Posted by Twism86
yes but theirs great other then that the kbar or the airforce fight knife
I have found the folding knives to be alright in less extreme conditions. Fair weather, don't need a fire, light duty like a day on the water. Indeed that is what I carry during the warmer small game hunting seasons. However, I have been hunting on many late season days when it is blustering, deadly cold and you have to remove your gloves to handle one of those smaller knives. They get slick in the cold, your hands can't grip them as well and you are on your way to frost bite. No thanks! You do not have to remove your gloves to pull the larger knife from the sheath or use it.
The folding blades are fine in fair weather but in tough, rugged, foul weather they just are not a match for the military survival knife be it the full size K-Bar or the shorter Pilot's K-Bar.
The misconception of "survival knife" has been twisted by folks watching Rambo spear a hog too many times. :)
The best survival knife is one that is sharp witha 4" to 6" blade, has a full tang & fits your hand like a glove (this is the one feature that is most often missed). I laugh when I see somebody with average-to-small hands carrying the Rambo special, that for them may as well be a two-handed broadsword. :) If you want a machete....buy a machete.
There are MANY quality full tang knives out there. It needn't be big....you are not spearing hogs, or using it to double as a maachete. It's a tool. There are very few spec ops folks that carry a single "do all" knife....for one reason. There are none. Most carry a knife as I just described above....AND....a multi-tool. Either a Leatherman, Swiss Champ, or like-tool. The tool needs a saw blade, a scissor blade, and a good knife blade at a minimum. A swiss champ saw will cut through a 2" sappling faster than you will hack it down with a fixed blade knife.
Remember....Survival/camp does not mean knife fight. It means a knife that comes naturally to the hand and fits the job.
My "survival" knife is a leatherman core tool which is attached to a leash on my hip. The leash is due to the lose of two others in the last three years.
This tool has served in many situations and has saved of the day not just as a survival tool in the out of doors. The best survival tool, in my opinion, is one you are familiar with and have with you.
The bigger the knife, the "greener" the hand holding it..... A good knife should be able to core an apple, clean you fingernails, and field dress a deer.
Gee whizz I guess my instructors at the wilderness survival school and the jungle warfare school courses should have thought of this right? Not to mention all of those desert courses too. Of course they are wway ahead of you and yes we carried a form of the multi tool too. But when it comes to pure survival that K-Bar is unbeatable.Quote:
Originally Posted by NJTroutbum
Yeah I carry a multi tool too and while it may suffice in a survival situation I ain't betting my life on it. You can if you want but don't expect me too.
Suffice it to say that you and I will never agree on this.
P.S. Before you actually critque the U.S. Military Pilot's Survival Knife you need to actually look at it and read up on it's specs. The reason I know you didn't is because of your comment about hacking through a sapling and needing a saw blade. Also who said I won't be using it to spear a hog, wild game or two legged monster? In a survival situation you must be as prepared as possible for any thing you must do to survive.
Lots of truth to that. It is also the one between a person's ears which means some folks ain't gonna make it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Byron Zuehlsdorff
Nighthawk....you sure took my comments as personal? Not sure why?....wasnt directed at anybody, just giving my opinion. Your handle actually reminds me of a good friend who in a twist of events after a jump ended up with a Bianchi Nighthawk he was carrying on his gear through his thigh. It ripped through a kevlar sheath. Almost died....bad day. Thank goodness for fast medivacs :)
Yes, there are as many opinions of what is the best survival knife out there, as there are instructors teaching their uses. The K-Bar? I was awarded one when I left one of my units....was engraved. That is the best use of a K-bar in my opinion. I've bent and broken many of them over the years. They sharpen easily, chip easy, & bend like butter. I have an EK Bowie that has travelled on a hip extender with me on many real world travels....but I would never carry it on a camping or hunting trip. It falls into my hand perfectly, has a very specific purpose and is the perfect tool for the job. But in my opinion it is not a good camp/survival tool. UnLess you're going to be fighting bear or pounding it through an ammo can wiith an e-tool in camp? LOL But in all honesty, I carried out more "survival" tasks with the original Buck Crosslock I carried dummy-chordedd to my web belt than any other.
Actually I'm very familiar with survival knives. And very familiar with the instruction styles of many of the survival courses. Yes, I remember the pilots knife they handed me in SERE school. It's the only one I ever carried. No offense. I'm a graduate of both the navy and army SERE courses, Both the basic and advanced JEST courses (still have my Leaf Spring Bolo with water-buffalo grips), and in a past life was an extreme cold weather backcountry survival instructor. Now I'm just another veteran with an old worn beret hanging in the closet. :) My EK is in a shadow box along with my K-bar & my Swiss Champ I carried is on my daughters belt currently on active duty.
These days, I carry a 4" blade fixed blade knife of either Case or Buck, and it's accompanined by a Benchmark Mini-Gryptilian or a CKRT M-16. A Leatherman pulls permanant duty in my survival kit for such occassions.
Ralph
Haven't heard anyone use the term Dummy-Cord in over 20 years. Thanks for the memory.
Carried a Buck Folding Hunter through a couple of tours in Nam and a tour in the Panama Canal Zone. That was a great knife, gutted fish, skinned a couple snakes (the other white meat), sharpened punji stakes and a host of other things. My other knife was a Gerber MarkI combat knife. Thin, double edged blade (before they added serrations to it) that wasn't good for a whole lot. It didn't get used much, but when it did clear the sheath, it did so with extreme prejudice and sense of purpose. Those times, I was really, really glad I had it.
REE
Okay, I'm posting this question a little late in the discussion but, maybe better late then never(?):
Wouldn't you agree that a 'camping knife' is different then a 'survival knife'?
Allan
Wow, so many posts!! What I failed to mention is that I just want another one, I don't "need" it. I own a Kershaw Echo which is a little beast, a Mora 2010 which is meant for lighter tasks as well as a Mora 511.
I just wanted to see if you guys had any comments on the knives I was curious about. I don't like Rambo knifes either tho they make you look cool.
Thanks a ton for the offer of the camping tool (pm sent), I really appreciate the good heart you fellow fly anglers have.
So...that being said, does anybody have any reviews on those knives?
Thanks much
For just an everyday useable and affordable outdoor knife I think the Mora is very hard to beat. I think even Cody Lundy carries one as a neck knife. They may not be stylish or be able to skin a crocodile but they work and they last. Just my two cents.
Darn it, I was on my way to skin a croc good thing you mentioned that lol, the bushcraft forest is a nice looking knife even with the simple plastic sheath, I added a leg strapQuote:
Originally Posted by texfly
http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...0818-00634.jpg
I made the the 511 into a neck knife
http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...0822-00646.jpg
Martin, I've kept one of these in my pickup and one in my SUV for years. Great camping knife, but not just for camping.
http://www.knifecountryusa.com/store...er-handle.html
So I take it is ok to carry a knife in you car here in CA, the only thing I know is that as long as it is not concealed you're ok. That's a nice knife.Quote:
Originally Posted by jimsnarocks
My recommendation would be for a Swamp Rat Knife Works "Ratmandu" (a sibling company of Busse Custom Knives). $139 plus shipping. Custom Leather or Kydex sheaths are available for an additional $50. It is just about the perfect bushcraft knife out there right now IMHO. :twisted:
It is a full-tang 5 3/8" blade, 10 1/2" overall length, 0.189" thick, and weighing in at a nice 10 ounces. It is made from the Swamp's proprietary SR-101 steel (a special heat-treat of 52100 ball-bearing steel), which will take a scary sharp edge and hold it through some pretty BRUTAL work (google for reviews). They come with either canvas or paper micarta handles. Either way they're impervious to most chemicals. The only thing to be careful of is that 52100 is a carbon steel, so it will rust if not treated properly (one of the main reason for the usual powder coating on these blades).
They are currently out of stock (had some just a few days ago), however they are expecting more in very shortly.
Here are a couple of pictures of one where a member on Bladeforums stripped the blade coating and gave it a satin finish, then put a very nicely polished convex edge on it:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a3/...l/IMG_4350.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a3/...l/IMG_4362.jpg
Texfly,
I think you mean Cody Lundin. Cody Lundy is a completely different sort of character.
REE
Thanks for the correction Ron. Cody Lundin , the big guy with the long hair that insist on going everywhere bare foot. One tough guy.
Wow!! That is a mean looking knife!! Next thing you know I'll be throwing all my shoes away. lol. Thanks for the info CO_flyfisher.Quote:
Originally Posted by CO_Flyfisher
I have a pair of puukko/leuku knives that I use for camping/hunting. They aren't necessarily survival knives in a military sense, but they are good tools for the outdoors. I did some work for a buddy, and when I wouldn't let him pay me, he gave me the combo. I am liking them more all of the time.
http://www.ragweedforge.com/5629.jpg
Nice set of knives Blue. Like the looks of them alot.
I am partial towards this blade and any others made by Al Mar...
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...MARSERE-1-.jpg
PT/TB;)
My main beater is one like this, mine still has the original leather sheath, this one looks ho-made. Its a Herters bowie I bought from Herters in the 70's for less than $2. Its "hand forged" with a African Tiger wood handle (supposed to be impervious it anything). Its tuff bladed, mine has been sharpened many times and keeps a fine edge. There is an ebay listing right now that the seller wants $112.00 for one.
[IMG]http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...0737934117.jpg[/IMG]
I had a Herter's version of the Canadian belt knife back in the 60's. This had a carbon steel blade and some sort of tropical wood handle. Dropped it in a mountain lake in CO in about 10 feet of water and wasn't able to go back for it for a couple of weeks. When I finally retrieved it, the blade was blued. The knife never showed a sign of rust after that. Somewhere along the line during one of my moves, it went missing. I really enjoyed that knife when I used it, but had not thought about it for several years until Jerry's posting.
Ted
steve where did you get that camp tool
I purchased a lot from OSH in Sunnyvale... It just was meant to be my son and I had just opened our conversation camp in 2004
and I happened across them had wanted to give special gifts to our camp friends and they more than fit the need
I know you would like it...
I would be honored to send you one... Please PM me your address asap.... No money required our pleasure for sure..
I own a lot of knives, probably due to my father, who collected them all his life. Several are what most people would consider combat or survival knives. The one I actually carry, however, is a simple CRKT M-16-01KZ folder, that will do anything I need done, from trimming maps at work to cutting rope to dressing game. When the zombie apocalypse comes, I want the whole collection, but this one will do until then.
I don't know which one is 'best'. But I know what works best for me.
I have both my Marine-issue Kabar (which was actually made by Ontario Knifeworks), and my issue Navy Mark 4 Dive Knife, all from the early '70s. They are great outdoor knives, but my favorite is my Cold Steel Bushman. And, I also like my Cold Steel GI Tanto. Both are solid pieces of metal, with nothing to break or come loose. And I absolutely love my Cold Steel Canadian Belt Knife, so much that I carry it everywhere, and use it in the kitchen (as well as the Bushman...it's is a fantastic slicer, and Chef's Knife...).
If I absolutely had to pick just one knife to be in the boonies with (in a non-combat situation), it would be the Bushman. I've cut small trees down with it, and it would still slice a ripe tomato without squishing it. Now, that's a knife........ I can use the Bushman to slice bologna and ham so thin you can almost see through it. I've filleted fish with it (not as good as a fillet knife, but it did the job acceptably), dressed deer and hogs, cut foliage and trees, and used it as a spearhead, and it is still in as good a shape as the day I bought it, save for a few scratches on the blade. And you can sharpen it on any old flat rock, and it takes a very keen edge quickly. Mine is the original 1050 Carbon blade. I have heard they switched to some other steel for the new ones.
I also have a Cold Steel Mini-Bushman (discontinued for years) that is just as great as it big brother. For the price, Bushmans can't be beat.
Mini Bushman
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n...Video029-1.jpg
A few of my other blades:
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n...taryKnives.jpg
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n...dingKnives.jpg
Thanks Gigmaster, you sure know your knives, I am now the proud owner of a Cold Steel Bushman, I got it today and I love it!Quote:
Originally Posted by Gigmaster
http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...0904-00680.jpg
I also have some older cold steel knives, and like them alot. At one point they were selling basic Carbon V knives that were older style blades with basic wood scale handles. Pretty decent steel, and they sold for around $10 if I recall. I still have 3: a green river skinner, a scalper, and a drop point. I haven't bought any of their new stuff, but the old was sure good.
Emerson CQC7 and a Leatherman are all I carry as a professional wildland firefighter. Although I am looking at the new Gerber Epic for a line pack knife.
Wayne
Wow, the Gerber Epic looks pretty nice.Quote:
Originally Posted by MTWFF