What is the best survival knife?
Bring a theme around the campfire such as the best caliber for a deer rifle, the prettiest girl, the toughest gear in the NFL, the most reliable four-wheel drive truck, or the best survival knife for everyone. aspects, and you will get opinions!
But the survival knife theme begs to be explored. Of all the tools needed to ensure your survival in an urban or wild emergency situation, a good knife should come first. Then the debate begins!
First, you must know what you need. Your survival knife should be lightweight, easy to carry, do the job it’s designed for, and adapt to the situation. Probably the most important thing is that it should be strong, durable and easy to sharpen.
Over the years, my preference for such survival knives has changed.
On my 1980 canoe trip down the Mississippi River, a Buck folder hung from my hip from the head of Lake Itasca, Minnesota, to Venice, Louisiana. The binder, with two 3-1 / 2-inch blades, worked well for cleaning fish, sharpening sausage sticks, chopping firewood, and spreading peanut butter. The knife went on backpacking trips on the John Muir Trail, through Yellowstone National Park, and on many canoe trips.
But, the weak point of any folding knife is the hinge. When that breaks, you end up with two pieces. So, in addition to the Buck’s performance, he retired two decades ago when I moved to Idaho. He was hunting elk and deer in the mountains and needed a sturdy hunting knife as well as a survival tool.
Now, after several decades of on-the-job testing, I have narrowed my survival knife options to three:
Swiss Army Knife Classic: I was given a Classic in 1994. Immediately, I went from wondering how good the little knife could be, to wondering how I managed without it.
Measuring 2-1 / 4 inches long and weighing one ounce, the Classic contains all the classic Swiss Army tools, including a small cutting blade, a pair of mini scissors, a screwdriver tip nail file, a toothpick teeth, tweezers, and a keychain.
The Classic is a favorite among light backpackers. I ran into a hiker on the Pacific Crest Trail last summer near Elk Lake, Oregon, and the only knife she had brought from Mexico was a Classic. She claimed it was all she needed.
The Classic accompanies me everywhere, including hunting camps, but it is definitely not the only knife I carry. Coupled with a larger sheath knife, the two knives can handle everything. Of the Classic tools, the ones you use the most are tweezers and scissors. In fact, the Classic is worth wearing just for the gorgeous tweezers!
Fixed Blade Mora: The current rage among survival schools appears to be the four-inch fixed blade Scandinavian style knives. I love the design. It looks like a kitchen knife with a sheath and works well for peeling potatoes, cutting rope, and other camping chores. The Mora style is a great choice for cleaning fish, highlands, and small game, and is worn on my hunting vest when behind birds.
I ordered six different models several years ago to test the potential of making fire from steel and its use with Boy Scouts. My favorite blackberry ended up being a J. Martinni pocket knife made in Finland. The knife weighs 2.5 ounces and the sheath, wrapped in about six feet of glossy tape, adds another 2.5 ounces. The forged blade has an edge and is easily sharpened. It is another one of those knives without which I would not like to do without.
Cold Steel SRK: I bought my SRK in 1991 to use as a versatile general hunting knife. The blade is 3/16 “thick and 6” long; Kraton’s handle is 4-3 / 4 inches long; total length is 10-3 / 4 inches. My SRK, without a sleeve, weighs eight ounces and 10.5 ounces with sleeve wrapped in duct tape.
The SRK comes with a black blade, so the first thing I did was remove the paint. He intended to use the SRK to cut meat and hunt, so the painted blade looked strange and Rambo-like. Also, I hunt with several former military men, and they would have laughed at a “tactical” or survival knife outside the camp!
For what I need, the SRK is perfect. The knife has dressed about 50 deer in the field and has been used on several elk. In one case, I dressed in the field and butchered three deer without sharpening the knife. At hunting camp, it’s my most borrowed knife.
The knife is still used a lot as most of the camps I do these days are with Boy Scout troops. The SRK is struck with a wooden stick to split firewood, and that allows us to leave axes and axes at home. He has also carved countless weiner sticks and been part of many carving projects around the campfire.
I have too many knives, of all types, sizes and descriptions, and 20 years ago I never needed to buy another. So here’s my take: the best survival knife is the one you have when you need it. Don’t worry about current fashions, or how pretty or cool a knife can look. The knife you carry is the only survival knife you have! Make sure it’s good!
