# General > General Knives & Blades >  Knife/Survival Knife Info.

## eagle78

Hello Everyone,

I too have a survival kit problem. I have a master list that would probably fit into a small day pack. Lately though I have been developing a kit in a coffee can. I can describe it later if anyone is interested but on to my problem. It is what type of knife/tool should I put in the kit. I own a leatherman Wave that I carry all the time (even to church) and I have both wenger and victornx SAK(Both carry tidentical gear. Large lock blade, wood saw, philips and flathead drivers, awl). What are some of your opinions out there? Folding vs fixed? Multi tool (leatherman) vs Knife (SAK)?

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## thinkfree3

just a good pocketknife would work. Serrated blade is better for survial in my opinion because it last longer before getting dull.

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## BSM

Bring something to sharpen your knife.  Also a fixed knife is less likely to fall apart on you than a pocket knife.  At the same time, a pocket knife has quite a few more functions than a simple survival knife does.  Personally, I carry a pocket knife and a bic lighter all the time, and when I know I'm going out in the woods, I bring a 10'' survival knife I bought in an army surplus store, a sharpening stone, and a bic lighter.
BSM

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## kid

what a really good survival knife is its the aitor jungle king II. but it is hard to find so go to knifesearch.com and look unter sharpeners for the Sper-X- Survivor. which is the same thing but way cheaper and easyer to find.

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## eminitial

Recently I purchased a knife from Maxam. I haven't gotten it yet, so I'm still waiting for it. Here's the knife:
http://www.ckbproducts.com/product_i...oducts_id/1327
Great website btw.

Anywho, I was just wondering what everyone's thoughts were. Good knife? Bad knife? 

While we're on the subject, I also would like to know what you all look for in a good knife.

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## LarryB

Ya'll might think I'm a little weird but I like knives.  :Smile:   I wear a 40 year old CASE 223-5 Belt knife on my belt, a SAK in my right pocket, a Buck lock-back Folder, in my BOB and a few other jack knives and other lock-backs in some of my other bags (day pak, BikeBag, FannyPak etc.) You can NEVER have too many sharp blades.  I use an ignition file and a small case hardened, open end wrench, as my sharpener and steel, to keep ALL my blades shaving sharp!

I've also got one of the small Leatherman, multi-tools which is pretty handy at times too. It of course is worn on my ever present belt.

lb

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## Yooper14

I think the best survival knife is a fixed blade, about 4 1/2".  If you're in a survival situation, you don't need a philips screwdriver and a pair of scissors...you need a blade that will handle all you can throw at it.  I really like the Swiss Mora knives.  They are super durable, keep a great edge, and are cheap.  #1 survival knife, in my humble opinion!

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## lovegettinlost

The one you are looking at looks nice, but not a tactical survival knife, i collect knives of all kinds, prices, and sorts. It looks like a sweet show knife but a little too showing for very practical purposes, if you want agood longer practical knife then I'd go with one from SOG, or www.approvedgasmask.com makes extremely tougha nd practical knives, well worth the price, hope this helps.

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## bear

I am sold on the Knives of Alaska brand knives. I don't think you could wear one of these knives out. They keep an edge better than any knife that I have ever owned. They are also the knife of choice for the United States Air Force. There pilots go through alot of survival training and this is the brand they carry. bear

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## moses1moses

ontario cutlery, makes a good knife, i have kabar and okc3 they are like $50-100 depending on model, but they are still sharp and havent broken, 
buck and gerber make bad knives ive broken the tips off many and snapped more than one on half, if u need an all around great heavy duty knife but a kabar,

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## lovegettinlost

I will agree about Gerber knives but for Buck, I have to respectfully disagree. I use knives, a lot, and very hard, I few months ago I bought a folding tactical knife from Buck, half straight, half serrated edge. I work ina greenhouse, and use it for everything, the thing that impressed me the msot, was, any one who knows knives should agree with this, but if you use a knife with dirt, mud, sand, it will dull extremly fast, but I has happily surprised after a little over 8 months of using this particular knife I stil haven't sharpened it, it is very strong, very sharp, adn hte serrated edge can cut virutally anything, for me it has worked on, plastic, wood, thick papers, harness straps, cloth, rubber, hardened plastic (nalgene bottle type plastic), an dI had to use it ona copper pipe once nd it did the trick nicely. I have several Buck's and they haven't failed me yet, but I defidnalty recommend the one I have, I'll try to put up model soon.

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## bear

> I think the best survival knife is a fixed blade, about 4 1/2".  If you're in a survival situation, you don't need a philips screwdriver and a pair of scissors...you need a blade that will handle all you can throw at it.


Very good point. I agree with you.

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## kufitar

I'm Scandinavian so I think I'm bias when it comes to knives!  :Embarrassment:  I have tired all type of knives in my life and can honestly say the Scadis are the best for me! They are made by people who use knives in extreme environment and know how dangerous it could be to have a lousy tool with you. "Puukko" knives are simple, practical and can even take abuse. I also like the sheaths they come with. The sheath holds almost the whole knife and it's light to carry. 

Good information about those can be found here...

Finnish Puukko Knives

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## FVR

Knives are basically up to pers. preference.  Some like them fancy, some like them bowie style and then there are the military styles.

I've gone through the phases like most.  The big bowie was very attractive but just heavy and really a pain to use.  Never been much on the fancy knives and most military styles are for killing rather than survival.

In the USMC many Marines I was with carried the Gerber dagger style, awsome knife but in the jungle it was worthless.  Then there were the officers who carried the larger bowies, showoffs.  I stuck to the good ol Kabar MKII.  The knife blade was packerized and was a bit more flexible than the standard black finished brittle blades.

Nowdays I always carry a Gerber folder with the serrated about 2" back of the blade folder.  Nice grip, on the belt will usually find the new model Kabar.  Unless I'm doing a period trek then it's this old Union cutlery folder and a slightly larger steak knife made from an old file.

Either way, there is always a large palm piece of flint and a small hooked piece of flint that works much better than knives for skinning game.

Just my buck two fifty.

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## WildGoth

all the info i have got from all of you has helped alot so i know you guys can help i'm thinking about buying a new knife any suggestions on what to avoid or get

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## wolf

What are you going to use it for? if survival then get a good reliable blade maybe with a saw on the back GET CARBON STEEL preferably with full tang. cold steel is a good company http://www.coldsteel.com/fixed-blades-bushman.html VERY GOOD BLADE HERE <-- iwould recommend it if you dont have anything else you were already going to get.

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## WildGoth

it was a good site but not many choices in the way of survival knifes

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## wolf

try this one maybe http://www.trueswords.com/knives-survival-c-58_60.html

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## WildGoth

i actully have that website bookmarked lol and i found a good knife it is a buck my dad still has his he got it in the navy he has had it for 15 years i went with your suggestion wolf and got a saw on the blade

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## Woodland

> just a good pocketknife would work. Serrated blade is better for survial in my opinion because it last longer before getting dull.


I carry a an old Spyderco Delica in my back pocket because of this, even when the points are dull it will cut or saw it's way through. you just have to get a triangle stone or a Spyderco sharpener to keep it sharp.

[LarryB "Ya'll might think I'm a little weird but I like knives"]

I know what you mean, besides my spyderco I carry and old Craftsman stockman and a Gerber Sportsman multipliar on my belt.

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## Danoon

New here and first post but I wanted to tell Larry that he is over doing it.  
Now personally, I carry a Leatherman wave, Leatherman knife [with the screwdriver, can opener and carabeaner & belt clip] and a gerber neck knife in the pocket. On my keys i have two led flashlights. 
I'd carry more but my pants fall down..

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## marberry

i carry the special edition wave , a micra , a buck folding knife, a machette, and a few other knives whenever im hiking or backwoods camping , i need advice on what survival knife to buy though?

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## marberry

whoa i love that knife! i think ill buy one lol it looks soo coo, if your going for strong ones go gerber or buck, the one you chose is so awsome though , it looks very sturdy and well made great choice!

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## marberry

HOLY ****!!!! i didnt see the price of it , cant be very sturdy for that price but WOW is it cheep heck i think ill buy a dozen or so lol

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## marberry

i need a good survival knife 2 i live close to a wholesale sports so i have plenty of selection and i have lotsa money (i bought a 250$ cowboy style hat on impulse, aswell as a pin striped suit lolz) so iv got like 300 or so to spend on it, what kind should i get?

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## Danoon

I guess it depends on what you think you will need for survival.  I have a Kershaw D2 and a Kabar on the BOB. The D2 is like a small machete but thick enough  to beat on or cut a fair tree down.  I think a survival knife is something that is small and has as many uses as possible, ie: your wave.  I like the Leatherman knives but I think the D2 is what you're looking for.

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## marberry

well if im goin out for a long time i usually take my collection of knives , sharpenin them passes alot of time, they include 2 cold steel folding knives , 1 gerber folding knife , 2 of the earlier unnamed leatherman tools, 3 copies of the combat knife i invented, its 4' shark tooth blade coated in black teflon with a clip and safety built it , the special feature im very proud of is the opening device ,  i call it a flip knife , you flick your wrist and the blade pops out with a loud snap, like a legal switchblade, a few unnamed folders and a straight razor.

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## Danoon

Got any pics of those knives of yours? I'm always looking for something to add to the collection... [just don't tell the wife, she figured out I'm not really opening a butcher shop.]

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## marberry

lol , sure ill take some 2moro , you interested in my custom ones ? they'r a very small negotiable price (in other words the max your willing to pay lol) the leathermans arnt for sale i collect em so far i have 7 and i havnt bought the 'juice' model yet

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## Danoon

Yeah, I'd like to see your custom knives. I've got too many multitools as it is and probably 40 pocket knives [ including dads and grandpas] along with 8 or so machetes. We won't even get into the number of flashlights, lanterns and radios.

The wife complained until I counted her shoes and jewelry boxes... now she just gives me "that look" when the ups truck pulls up.

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## marberry

lol i could rly use a lantern or good flashlight , maby once you see the knife we could arrange a trade? since you have excess lolz,

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## Dark786

i found this one web site selling a survival knife for 500 they had pics of it going threw sheet metal it was a sweet knifei will try to find the site again.

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## Tony uk

I know people who think THIS is a good one

But the mumma of all knives ive used is THIS

But for me i use my old faithfull one

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## LtAttiic

> it was a good site but not many choices in the way of survival knifes


what do you mean? any knife can be a survival knife.

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## FVR

Take your pick.

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

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I'm comfy with all of these.

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## Tony uk

Cool collection, can i ask how you got that one 1st down in the third pic ?

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## FVR

They are both Kabars.  The bottom one is a MK2 that I've had since I was 13.  I've taken it all over the world with me.

The knife above is the New Age Kabar.  I have not taken it anywhere.  Yet.  I won an ebay auction for it.  Saved a bit of money.

The flint knapped knife is what I call Caveman Kabars.  I've made two and have given them away.  The one I'm working on now is a bit bigger.

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## WildGoth

that is amazing how did you make it

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## FVR

Making the knives are kind of easy.  I look through my stash of rock and find some that look like a knife blade.   Then start knapping.  I will use my deer antler hammer to get the rough form, then I will use my handy little river rock to further shape the blade.  Then I will start flaking the blade and thinning out the area that will go into the handle.

They are not as pretty as most out there but I can tell you one thing, they will last alot longer.  The one shown, the back of the blade is a little over a half inch thick.  

I just finished a little dagger that I'm sending to a good friend.

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## the edge

i think a swiss army knife is good

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## spiritman

How functional are your hand made knives? 

I like my folding Osborne Benchmade, it has a really amazing swing/lock mechanism that will not say die as well as an ideal(at least for me) alloy. You would do good to look into what properties your blade has and compare that to your skill of maintaining the edge, it will save you grief if you know how to maintain it. I keep it with me at all times and it's not too big. When I had to replace it(because my first one got stolen) I had the money for a more expensive knife but I still stuck with my same knife if that says anything to ya. As for a fixed blade, my buck knife is one tough piece of metal, and not expensive either.

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## FVR

Well, they gut and skin critters better than any metal blade knife.  Hogs especially as there is alot of grease and fat.  Metal blade knives, the micro edges fill in with the grease and you have to keep scrubbing your knives.  Flint and obsidian knives for some reason don't to that.  I have flint tools that have skinned three hogs out where the metal knife could only get a quarter of the job done.

They are what they are, primitve knives.

I always carry either a flint knife or flint tools.  The flint tools don't look like much but they are compact and come in real handy.

I use to do knapping exibitions for the boyscouts years ago.  To show them how sharp the rock knives were, I would take a heavy piece of deerskin and take a razor sharp knife and do a slice.  Then I would do the same with a rock knife and would amaze all as the rock knives, although they look primitive, were much sharper.

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## KRASH!

FVR, 
check out the Master's of Defense (M.O.D.) Close Quarters Defense (CQD) Mark I (auto)

It's usually a bit pricey if you don't qualify for a discount, and its usually illegal for most folks.  But one heck of a good pig-sticker and of course (grin) its hella' fun.  

Use it mostly for work, but dependible works outdoors too.

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## FVR

Checked them out, really nice and compact and yes, pricey.

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## mbarnatl

I found the SOG SEAL Revolver to be an ideal folding survival knife. And the SOG SEAL Pup Elite is really reliable fixed knife.

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## FVR

I always carry one of the Gerber Gators as I call it.  Nice grip for a folder, has serrated blade at the back and sharp.

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## Sarge47

When it comes to knives, quality counts.  It's gotta hold up.  I look for a Rockwell hardness rating of between 48-52.  I use both folding & fixed blade knives, depending on the circumstances.  The one I stay away from is the "Rambo" style knife with the hollow handle.  This design creates a weakness where the blade joins the handle, unlike a regular fixed blade that is all one solid piece of steel from heel to toe.  Good names to trust are Buck, Gerber, K-bar, Ontario, & Camillus.  Gerber makes a knife that was the result of a collaboration  with the military that I like for about $100 called the "LMF Knives".  (view them at cabellas.com and click on "knives") It's not a huge knife, but just the right size.

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## Sarge47

> I always carry a folding knife, but, my fixed blade is a RAT-7.
> Best knife i've ever owned.


If I recall right, the RAT-7 is made by the Ontario Knife Company.  Great choice!

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## paul vs wild

It depends where you are and what style you are. If your gonna have lots of cutting go with a big fixed knife. If you like to improvise go for a leatherman wave. if you like a smaller knife that can still to big knife jobs go for a folding large knife. the most important thing is to make sure the handle is solid and try to stick to trusted manufacturers like buck. I have 20 knives all different styles and i have to say if i was dropped into the wilderness with one knife (or multitool)  and nothing else it would be my leatherman. but my favorite knife is my buck zipper with rubberized handle (with gut hook used by bear grylls in his everglades episode). if your gonna get a big fixed blade knife try to get a gut hook with it, its well worth the extra price!

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## Sarge47

> It depends where you are and what style you are. If your gonna have lots of cutting go with a big fixed knife. If you like to improvise go for a leatherman wave. if you like a smaller knife that can still to big knife jobs go for a folding large knife. the most important thing is to make sure the handle is solid and try to stick to trusted manufacturers like buck. I have 20 knives all different styles and i have to say if i was dropped into the wilderness with one knife (or multitool)  and nothing else it would be my leatherman. but my favorite knife is my buck zipper with rubberized handle (with gut hook used by bear grylls in his everglades episode). if your gonna get a big fixed blade knife try to get a gut hook with it, its well worth the extra price!


Paul, I have a couple of Buck fixed blade knives.  One is like the one you mention without the gut-hook.  I bought it many years back after seeing the same thing used by a survival expert on the video:  "The Ultimate Outdoorsman" by Bob Newman.  (The video & book is available from Paladin Press.)  I also have the Buck "General", which is the "old line" style of hunting knife with the black ebony handle.  It's just a bit longer than their "Special", which Wal-Mart sells.  Have you heard of that one?

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## Woodland

Hey PaulvsWild, do you know which folder bear had in some of the shows. it looked to be a part serrated folder with a 4 inch blade or so.

Just got a Benchmade Vex, Hope to go to the mountains this Sunday for a hike to try it out.

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## spiritman

I love my osborne benchmade, you'll be very happy with your Vex for sure!

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## woodzman

> What are you going to use it for? if survival then get a good reliable blade maybe with a saw on the back GET CARBON STEEL preferably with full tang. cold steel is a good company http://www.coldsteel.com/fixed-blades-bushman.html VERY GOOD BLADE HERE <-- iwould recommend it if you dont have anything else you were already going to get.



Cold Steel does make a good knife. I have one of their Survival Rescue Knives that can do everything from skin squirrels to split fire wood if needed. It's a little big for my taste, but It's a lot of knife for the money.

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## Woodland

The Osborne is a nice looking knife, is the Axis lock holding up well. I'ts supposed to be a pretty tough lock. I'm thinking about getting a Griptilian because of the price and the axis lock.

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## spiritman

> The Osborne is a nice looking knife, is the Axis lock holding up well. I'ts supposed to be a pretty tough lock. I'm thinking about getting a Griptilian because of the price and the axis lock.


Yeah the lock is a beauty I've never had a problem with it and I use it for everything, period. it's also easy to keep clean because it's so simple and it's my favorite part about the knife and i catch myself opening and closing it all the time. It's the smoothest action I've ever known and I'm hooked for life.

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## jimjimjimmyjim

i just bought a kershaw blackout. it is pretty nice. i went with the serrated blade. its really solid but as far as a survival knife goes i think im going to go with a kabar or another fixed blade knife of that type. Kershaw is a good name for folding knifes though.

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## Sarge47

> i just bought a kershaw blackout. it is pretty nice. i went with the serrated blade. its really solid but as far as a survival knife goes i think im going to go with a kabar or another fixed blade knife of that type. Kershaw is a good name for folding knifes though.


I own a Kabar & it's a great knife, however check out the Gerber LMF knives at www.cabelas.com.  It's made for the navy seals and can be lashed to a pole to make a spear.

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## bladefrenzy

Hi, new here, but I am a true knife knut, and a newbie maker.  I would like to suggest a fairly affordable custom for those seeking a heavy duty survival type knife.  Get ahold of Justin at Ranger knives. You could get one of several customs around 150 some even less.  He's also willing to modify knives or build to your specs all for a reasonable price.  They really are bomb proof knives.
     I am not affiliated with them at all, just used the knives. Thought I'd pass it along.  Later, Steve

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## troutndeer

I carry a sog fllash 2 as my everyday. but for a fixed blade i really like the glock knifes.

Fvr I like your tru-bal throwers!

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## bladefrenzy

I have always wanted a glock knife, but never got around to getting one. I may try one , they're pretty stout I suppose?

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## jimjimjimmyjim

kershaw makes some dang good folders. they will stay sharp for a long time and they are really solid. check out kershawknives.com. good stuff.

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## jimjimjimmyjim

thanks, yeah that does look pretty sweet. but i would probably have to go find one at a store somewhere so i could actually hold it because i hate buying knives that i have never felt or looked at closley. is it just me or does it seem like those knives where you can exchange the blade fo a saw or different blade are a really bad idea? jesus does rock

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## jimjimjimmyjim

is a gut hook really necassary? if im in a survival situation im probably not going to be getting much big game. so is there any other uses to a gut hook then guts? bare with me im only sixteen and i literally have about zero hunting experience but i do want to learn about this stuff.

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## Sarge47

> thanks, yeah that does look pretty sweet. but i would probably have to go find one at a store somewhere so i could actually hold it because i hate buying knives that i have never felt or looked at closley. is it just me or does it seem like those knives where you can exchange the blade fo a saw or different blade are a really bad idea? jesus does rock


I hear you, I, for one, don't care for knives where you can exchange blades.  Seems to me that it might weaken the knife some how.  However, if mail-order is the only way to go then I've no other choice, I just order from a company with a decent return policy.

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## Sarge47

> is a gut hook really necassary? if im in a survival situation im probably not going to be getting much big game. so is there any other uses to a gut hook then guts? bare with me im only sixteen and i literally have about zero hunting experience but i do want to learn about this stuff.


I maintain that any accessories on a knife are purely up to the individual's taste.
None of my fixed-blade knives have a "gut-hook".  However just about all of my Swiss Army knives seem to have something that could be called that.  I don't care for the idea of a gut-hook on a fixed-blade knife as it seems that it could snag on things too easy.

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## rusty_oxydado

Sarge 47;
  I'm not much for flash and fancy, and maybe you can inform me of some of the knives being offered on the market today.
  I am currious about these serrated knife blades. What are they good for? The steel in them can't be all that good if you have to saw through whatever it is you are trying to cut.
  I understand the safety feature of having a lock blade, but in the end if you have a sharp blade and you are using the knife right, you won't have a need to lock the blade open, now would you?
  We all have our preferences, and styles we tend to saunter over to, in my life I can't say how many knives I have had. I have had long knives, they are ok, I guess.
  I prefere the old pocket knife, I still have the "Old Timer" my dad gave me over 45 years ago. It is retired now as it has been sharpened far too many times and the blades resemble ice picks more than blades any more.
  For my use and needs a 3" blade is just about right, no serations, no fancy gut hooks, just a simple blade.
  I will go for a long blade when I am cutting meat, other than that, it is my pocket knife that I use for everything else, cleaning and trimming my nails, opening my mail, and in a fix, cutting my meat.
  My pocket knife fit's my pocket nicely, and is out of site, unlike a long knife that needs to be hung from your belt.
  Though you intend the knife as purely utilitairian, a long knife on your belt, there will be those who will see it as a weapon, and may play on you to use it. In some places it is seen as a weapon, and the laws are prohibitive twards them.
  This thing with the serrated blade up next to the knifes handle, this is the part of the knife I use for whittling, and slicing stuff. I don't want to saw stuff.
  Knives are a specialized tool for the individual, for the person what type he/she chooses is purely to their taste.
  Survival, you have only so much stuff you can carry, this is where you decide over flash fancy and utilitarian.

  Rusty.

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## Sarge47

> Sarge 47;
>   I'm not much for flash and fancy, and maybe you can inform me of some of the knives being offered on the market today.
>   I am currious about these serrated knife blades. What are they good for? The steel in them can't be all that good if you have to saw through whatever it is you are trying to cut.
>   I understand the safety feature of having a lock blade, but in the end if you have a sharp blade and you are using the knife right, you won't have a need to lock the blade open, now would you?
>   We all have our preferences, and styles we tend to saunter over to, in my life I can't say how many knives I have had. I have had long knives, they are ok, I guess.
>   I prefere the old pocket knife, I still have the "Old Timer" my dad gave me over 45 years ago. It is retired now as it has been sharpened far too many times and the blades resemble ice picks more than blades any more.
>   For my use and needs a 3" blade is just about right, no serations, no fancy gut hooks, just a simple blade.
>   I will go for a long blade when I am cutting meat, other than that, it is my pocket knife that I use for everything else, cleaning and trimming my nails, opening my mail, and in a fix, cutting my meat.
>   My pocket knife fit's my pocket nicely, and is out of site, unlike a long knife that needs to be hung from your belt.
> ...


First, I would say go with what you know.  There are so many knives on the market today it would make your head spin.  I only take a fixed-blade knife when I'm out in the woods or field.  If I'm ever involved with the Boy Scouts again I wouldn't take a knife with a long blade. (Nothing over 4")  It's too tempting for the young rascals to get a hold of and do some serious damage to themselves or others.  In the field I also carry a swiss champ and a folding buck, but in different places in case something would happen to my fixed-blade knife.  What I look for in any knife can be summed up in a three words:  QUALITY, DURABILITY, & PRICE.  I've been checking out knives on the internet and have narrowed MY choices down to two companies:  Gerber and The Ontario knife Company.  Both are outstanding companies and I know that if I pick something from their military groups I'm somewhat assured of my three areas.  I want a "Rockwell Hardness count" between 52-58.  (RC)  This is not the hardest steel, but close.  Any harder and the blade will be either difficult to sharpen in the field or brittle.  I won't pay more than $130.00 for a good knife, and I mean GOOD!  I've seen knives from $300 up to over a grand.
I don't need that kind of a knife, but their may be others that do.  I will only deal with established knife manufacturers who I know are reliable.  On my belt I carry a Swiss Army Knife (Victorinox) that is longer than most and has a locking blade.  Next to it is my Victorinox multi-tool.  These are with me always.  If you don't want the serrated blade then get a knife without one.  They're only used for sawing through branches anyway, to the best of my knowledge.  By the way, your "Old-Timer" is probably a collector's item now that Schrade has closed their doors.  I hoped I've helped.

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## FVR

The folder that Baer carries looks identical to the one I carry which is a Gerber Gator folder.  Nice handle, serated about two inches and locks.

Never thought I would like a knife that had a 1/3 of it's length serated, but boy was I wrong.  It zips through rope, works well for cutting nocks in arrows, cutting cane shoots for arrows and splitting feathers.

And it doesn't really cost all that much.

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## Sarge47

> The folder that Baer carries looks identical to the one I carry which is a Gerber Gator folder.  Nice handle, serated about two inches and locks.
> 
> Never thought I would like a knife that had a 1/3 of it's length serated, but boy was I wrong.  It zips through rope, works well for cutting nocks in arrows, cutting cane shoots for arrows and splitting feathers.
> 
> And it doesn't really cost all that much.


Gerber makes a top-quality knife!

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## bear

I have a Knives of Alaska knife that is called a Bushcamp. It is one of the best knives that I have ever owned. It is very easy to sharpen and will hold a good edge. Cold Steels are also hard to beat. bear

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## Sarge47

> I have a Knives of Alaska knife that is called a Bushcamp. It is one of the best knives that I have ever owned. It is very easy to sharpen and will hold a good edge. Cold Steels are also hard to beat. bear


The three things I look for in a knife is QUALITY, DURABILITY, & PRICE.  The two brands you mentioned meet the 1st two, but fail the third....waaaayy to high priced for me.

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## troutndeer

The glock knifes are great, the handels and scaberd are made from the same pastic as their pistoles. It holds a good edge and they are cheap.

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## FrankyFourFingers

Hy fellas, first post here. I am considering purchasing it but want to hear from some people who already own it or have used it.  It looks to be a great knife for about 85$ ( as low as 70 on ebay). I should note that I am not an expert survivalist or anything, just another guy who likes to take extended camping trips a few times a year, if I can get away.  I am going to plan my first mini survival expedition to the appalachian mountains in the fall and I am considering buying this knife for that reason.

Are there any better knives in that price range ( or cheaper?....but not too cheap if you know what I mean).  I seem to be partial to Gerbers because they seem to be good values but I am  open to any brand.

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## WildGoth

well a good knife is a buck knife my dad has had his for 25 years and it still works perfectly

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## Rocky789

I have this knife and love it, its very functional in practically any situation, its definately not a light knife but when you have it in hand and hold it properly it all balances out very well with a good grip on it.  It is really good metal and very solid and certainly sharp out of the box, and with the sharpener already built in it's carrier, sharpening it is pretty simple and best of all the sharpener actually works fairly well.  I live fairly close to the appalachian mountains and have used it with great results with the materials in that area.  Now im not saying this is the absolute best knife but in all reality its hard to pick out one knife that is best but this no matter what is a great  knife and I think is worth it if you plan to not abuse it past whats necessary it should last for a very long time.

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## Sarge47

> Hy fellas, first post here. I am considering purchasing it but want to hear from some people who already own it or have used it.  It looks to be a great knife for about 85$ ( as low as 70 on ebay). I should note that I am not an expert survivalist or anything, just another guy who likes to take extended camping trips a few times a year, if I can get away.  I am going to plan my first mini survival expedition to the appalachian mountains in the fall and I am considering buying this knife for that reason.
> 
> Are there any better knives in that price range ( or cheaper?....but not too cheap if you know what I mean).  I seem to be partial to Gerbers because they seem to be good values but I am  open to any brand.


Welcome Franky!  Ive got three Buck knives and they are great.  I'm also looking into the Gerber LMF as a smaller knife combined with the Ontario RTAK-II.  The RTAK has a 10 inch blade as opposed to the RAT-7's 6 inch blade, although the RAT-7 is a great knife as well!  In the end, you can't go wrong with either one of them as long as you treat them with the respect they deserve and the care that they'll need.

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## FrankyFourFingers

Thanks for the replies fellas.  Buying a knife is turning out to be much harder than I thought it would be...I am like a kid in a candy store.  Right now I am leaning toward the Gerber LMF ( it just LOOKS like a beast...lol) but I will have to check out RTAK and RAT-7.

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## Strider

Hey, I just got a new set of knives after searching for a month or so... my first knife was a heavy duty and expensive plier type with a bunch of little tools that fold into the handle. I got a few other small pocket knives but last year i spent some money and got a really good knife. If you are looking for good quality, 'd say look for Buck Knives. They are sturdy, strong, and useful. 
I saw some other people say it depends on what you are gonna use it for. That's true. If you want one for hiking and camping and such, I would recommend a good folding knife, not a fixed blade. Even in a hard sheath, a fixed blade can puncture it and stab you if you trip and fall. (Happened to someone I knew, and ouch, took 3 operations to fix his leg up...) 
Yeah, so I'd look for brand name knives, like Buck, on the Buck site or other knife sites. Go to buckknives.com and there's all their knives... all great quality, if not a bit expensive. ... 
 :Smile:

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## Sarge47

> Hey, I just got a new set of knives after searching for a month or so... my first knife was a heavy duty and expensive plier type with a bunch of little tools that fold into the handle. I got a few other small pocket knives but last year i spent some money and got a really good knife. If you are looking for good quality, 'd say look for Buck Knives. They are sturdy, strong, and useful. 
> I saw some other people say it depends on what you are gonna use it for. That's true. If you want one for hiking and camping and such, I would recommend a good folding knife, not a fixed blade. Even in a hard sheath, a fixed blade can puncture it and stab you if you trip and fall. (Happened to someone I knew, and ouch, took 3 operations to fix his leg up...) 
> Yeah, so I'd look for brand name knives, like Buck, on the Buck site or other knife sites. Go to buckknives.com and there's all their knives... all great quality, if not a bit expensive. ...


They're not nearly as expensive as the Bear Grylls Knife.  :>)  I own Three Buck knives & the Buck camp hand-axe. (Buck Lumina LED, Buck Pro-Line General, & the Buck Vanguard...without the gut-hook, makes it easier to use a "baton".)  Buck is always top-quality for folks like us.  However, I carry both folders & fixed if I'm out & about, or, as our Aussie brothers might put it:  "Goin' for a bit of a walk-about mate."

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## Semper Fi

HI all, I am new to the forums and looking for a new knife.
 I know there is no such thing as a Perfect knife and it all depends on the specific use of the knife. I am looking for a knife that I can chop down trees with, Skin animals, clean fish, defend myself, clear brush, Hold a good edge, be durable and reliable, preferably with some serrations, be rust and corrosion resistant, have the ability to be razor sharp yet somewhat thick for sturdyness, and last of all be not to much over a $100.

Seems very difficult for me to find a knife like this.Although these are what I am looking at right now . Tell me what you think. hope the links work

https://www.kabar.com/product_detail...itary/Tactical

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/DBA802-2190-1258.html

https://www.kabar.com/product_detail...itary/Tactical

What is a better steel D2 or 1095?

I can't wait to hear some of you guys' responses, thanks in advance.

Semper Fi

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## ATough

this knife is expensive but it can do all that http://www.bayleyknife.com/
you might be able to find a used one on the net that is cheaper.

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## FVR

I have one of the new Kabars and am very pleased.

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## Sarge47

> HI all, I am new to the forums and looking for a new knife.
>  I know there is no such thing as a Perfect knife and it all depends on the specific use of the knife. I am looking for a knife that I can chop down trees with, Skin animals, clean fish, defend myself, clear brush, Hold a good edge, be durable and reliable, preferably with some serrations, be rust and corrosion resistant, have the ability to be razor sharp yet somewhat thick for sturdyness, and last of all be not to much over a $100.
> 
> Seems very difficult for me to find a knife like this.Although these are what I am looking at right now . Tell me what you think. hope the links work
> 
> http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/20694-16492-1258.html
> http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/DBA802-2190-1258.html
> 
> 
> ...


I have the Ka-Bar non-serrated blade & it's a good knife.  The one survivorman is recommending will cost you well over $700.00.  I think that Ontario's RTAK-II is more along the line of a knife that will cut trees and brush better.  It has a 10 inch blade and you can get one with a partially serrated blade for the same price as the non-serrated one at www.brigadeqm.com.  The price is about $90.00 plus S.& H.  Check out the description and see what you think.

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## FVR

700 bucks.  It better come equipped with a guide.

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## Semper Fi

wow 17'' overall is pretty big not that I mind a big knife but they do seem to be a little unwieldly for me to handle. and the ontario knife is a little ugly compared to the KA-Bars lol.

Thanks for all the replys keep em coming.

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## Sarge47

> 700 bucks.  It better come equipped with a guide.


Check out the thread:  "Gear used on Man vs. Wild.", start with the 1st thread and work your way down!

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## Sarge47

> wow 17'' overall is pretty big not that I mind a big knife but they do seem to be a little unwieldly for me to handle. and the ontario knife is a little ugly compared to the KA-Bars lol.
> 
> Thanks for all the replys keep em coming.


Go back to that site & check out Ontario's "RAT-7" and Cabela's has the "Buck General Pro-Line" for around $55.00.  However the Ka-Bar is a great knife as well!

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## NevadaCarry

I have the Kabar knife you linked and carry it whenever I go camping. 
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/DBA802-2190-1258.html

My reason for getting a Kabar is just that I remember my father having a few of them growing up. He was in the military and I'm pretty sure that's what he was issued. Seems like a solid knife to me. There's no way I'll be paying $700 for knife...unless I hit the lottery!

I also carry a Cold Steel Recon 1 Tanto Pt Non serrated. I bring it with me when I'm camping/hiking and I also carry it everyday. I love this knife!
http://www.coldsteel.com/recon1.html

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## Semper Fi

I would try and steer away from trueswords.com they have cheap stuff but the quality is low on most of the products on their site.

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## Fog_Harbor

I purchased the Ka-Bar long Bowie for my general knife, and the Ka-Bar Kukri for chopping and camp work.  Both strong knives, and a joy to work with.

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## Fog_Harbor

420 Stainless is not a very good knife blade material.  Spend some money, and buy quality.  Many good brands and suggestions here.  My personal favorite is the Ka Bar Heavy Bowie.

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## HOP

Heat treating may be what adds to the price of a knife most and a knife  at this price is probably very soft and subject to easy damage. My 2 cents say find a style you can live with and that fits your needs then find the best quality of that style you can afford.

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## Sarge47

> Recently I purchased a knife from Maxam. I haven't gotten it yet, so I'm still waiting for it. Here's the knife:
> http://www.ckbproducts.com/product_i...oducts_id/1327
> Great website btw.
> 
> Anywho, I was just wondering what everyone's thoughts were. Good knife? Bad knife? 
> 
> While we're on the subject, I also would like to know what you all look for in a good knife.


I know about the SOG, The RAT-7, The RTAK-II, but this was 1st time viewing a POS :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  However, if you insist on being a "Rambo wannabe" you have two choices on how to protect yourself from, say, a charging bear with this piece of junk.  1st:  Hold the knife out, let the sun glimmer on the blade long enough for the bear to see it and say:  "Look puppy!  See the play-pretty?"  Then throw it as far away from you as you can  while shouting "fetch!!!" at the top of your lungs.  That should only be used though if the 2nd thing didn't work when you showed said bear the knife.  If he stops his charge & falls to the ground laughing insanely this should give you the opportunity to sneak away.  Do yourself a favor and get yourself a "proven" knife from one of the reputable companies listed through out this forum.  Keep the knife you've got coming as an emergency fish lure...it might work! :Big Grin:

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## trax

So Sarge, you really approve huh? I find it interesting that people have posted about certain knives..."that's not really a survival knife" It is if it's what I'm carrying and I need to survive. I'm more bothered by the idea of yahoos who are running around out there with knives, guns,(note some other postings around here, lol) traps and don't know what they're doing (where did that come from?) If you're going to spend the money on a decent knife, use it for what it was meant for and it'll last you forever. Also, take a first aid course first, so that when you slice your thumb off, you'll know exactly how good your knife is, and exactly what to do...

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## Strider

I'm just wondering... out of everyone here, what do you think is the best brand of knife? I already have several, mostly buck knives...  I've heard leatherman is good... is that true?  :Confused:

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## spiritman

Yeah leatherman is good, no doubt. My favorite knife is a benchmade though.

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## SOE digital

Leatherman is the best, IMO, but it all depends on what you want to get out of your knife.

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## donny h

> what do you think is the best brand of knife?


I think it depends on the kind of knife, I too think Leatherman makes the best multi tools. 

Some Gerber blades are really nice, especially older ones, others are junk.

I have a Tanto shaped folder that is from Cold Steel, they invented the Tanto, for that shape I wouldn't buy any other brand.

Spyderco makes some affordable and functional blades, so does Kershaw. Working mans knives.

Benchmades sure look nice, I haven't owned one.

I looked at Kukris from different major makers, instead I got an authentic one made from a leaf spring, I think it's beefier than the commercial versions, for 1/3 the cost.

I don't think there is any one best brand, and the knives I mentioned here are very much entry level, there are thousands of custom knive makers out there, with a limitless selection of high dollar blades, I bet they all have an opinion on best brand.

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## Sarge47

> I'm just wondering... out of everyone here, what do you think is the best brand of knife? I already have several, mostly buck knives...  I've heard leatherman is good... is that true?


I've used Buck for years; they come with a great guarantee as does any quality knife.  Ka-Bar is good, Ontario is good, Gerber is good, Work your way on up the money tree and you'll find exceptional quality! :Cool:    What exactly do you a.) want the knife for, or to do, b.) what environment are you planning to use it in, & c,) how much do you want to spend?

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## Strider

Well, I am thinking of getting a fixed blade, and using it for pretty much everything... well, everything camping involved! :Wink:   Howm much I'd spend? Well, I don't think I'd like to too much over 100 bucks, but if it were a really good knife, and everyone said that the company who made it was good... then I might...  :Smile:  Thanks for your replies!

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## Sarge47

> Well, I am thinking of getting a fixed blade, and using it for pretty much everything... well, everything camping involved!  How much I'd spend? Well, I don't think I'd like to go too much over 100 bucks, but if it were a really good knife, and everyone said that the company who made it was good... then I might...  Thanks for your replies!


You have a good working budget.  You say you want the knife to be used for "pretty much everything camping involved."  Clearing brush?  if so check out Ontario's RTAK-II with it's 10 inch blade, a good cross between a hunting knife and a machete.  Brigade Quartermasters sells them for $90 + S.& H. 

Too long of a blade?  Ontario's RAT-7 has a 6 1/2 inch blade and is available from Brigade for about $100 + S&H.  Kabar's fighting knife is also good with it's 7" blade.  Cost is about $50 if you shop around.  Buck's general can be bought from Cabela's for $55 +S&H.(7 1/2' blade)  Wal-Mart carries the next size down from the General, the #119 Special for $35. (6" blade) 

Need a smaller blade than that?  Brigade Quartermasters sells the Gerber LMF II for $79.  Check out the Buck Vanguard for about $50.  

You should always carry a folding knife of sorts for small tasks like whittling, cutting small notches in wood for stakes, figure 4 trap triggers, etc.  A good quality Swiss Army knife is good for that.  Top quality ones are made by either Wenger or Victoinox.  Hope that helps.

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## ZTGuy

Funny _YOU_ should ask.....I love Leatherman, and carry a Charge Ti everywhere I go, but my *HANDS DOWN* all time favorite brand/maker is *Strider*.  They are not cheap, but IMHO, they are the most rugged, hard use, high quality knives out there.  Not to mention the customer service and warranty are second to none.  According to Strider, their policy is "If you break it, first, we'll be impressed, and second, we'll fix it."  I also am a big fan of Benchmade and Kershaw/Ken Onion.

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## Sarge47

> Funny _YOU_ should ask.....I love Leatherman, and carry a Charge Ti everywhere I go, but my *HANDS DOWN* all time favorite brand/maker is *Strider*.  They are not cheap, but IMHO, they are the most rugged, hard use, high quality knives out there.  Not to mention the customer service and warranty are second to none.  According to Strider, their policy is "If you break it, first, we'll be impressed, and second, we'll fix it."  I also am a big fan of Benchmade and Kershaw/Ken Onion.


 :EEK!:  The Strider's run from between $350 to $750, and that just what I saw for a few moments.  Does Bear Grylls know about these guys? :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## ZTGuy

> The Strider's run from between $350 to $750, and that just what I saw for a few moments.  Does Bear Grylls know about these guys?


Hey there, Sarge!  If he doesn't....then dare I say he's not TRULY hard core ;-)  After all, the Strider Knives motto is:  "High speed tools for HARD CORE individuals".  BTW, IMHO they are WELL worth the ching.  And you're correct, Sarge....their least expensive knife is $325.  Their "customs" (technically, since ALOT of hand fitting goes into each knife, they consider all of them "custom") run up to $1,500+.  I have one that ran me a grand!!  You get what you pay for.....

----------


## Sarge47

> Hey there, Sarge!  If he doesn't....then dare I say he's not TRULY hard core ;-)  After all, the Strider Knives motto is:  "High speed tools for HARD CORE individuals".  BTW, IMHO they are WELL worth the ching.  And you're correct, Sarge....their least expensive knife is $325.  Their "customs" (technically, since ALOT of hand fitting goes into each knife, they consider all of them "custom") run up to $1,500+.  I have one that ran me a grand!!  You get what you pay for.....


That company needs to change they're motto to "Really expensive knives for really RICH individuals"! :Stick Out Tongue:    There is no reason to ever pay more than $150 for a knife, and that's only if it comes with a really great sheath.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):   I'll put my Buck or Ka-Bar up against any one of 'em.  You actually paid a grand for a knife?  I hope it came with a new car! :EEK!:

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## RobertRogers

I like the SOGs 'cause they are made for wet conditions, like where I live.

I carry a SOG Seal Pup knife.

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## Sarge47

Here's two knife places that handle about all of your "non-custom" affordable knives at lower prices.  The first one I found to be lower than the rest.  Check out that new Kabar "Bill Dozier"!

www.gpknives.com

www.knifecenter.com

Happy browsing! :Big Grin:

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## ZTGuy

> That company needs to change they're motto to "Really expensive knives for really RICH individuals"!   There is no reason to ever pay more than $150 for a knife *(in YOUR opinion),* and that's only if it comes with a really great sheath.   I'll put my Buck or Ka-Bar up against any one of 'em *(You'll lose). * You actually paid a grand for a knife?  I hope it came with a new car *(nope...just the pride of ownership)*!



The moral of the story is:  To each his own. No need to be a hater.  Everything I qualified with in my first and second post was strewn with "IMHO"s for a reason.  Just my .02 ;-)

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## Sarge47

> The moral of the story is:  To each his own. No need to be a hater.  Everything I qualified with in my first and second post was strewn with "IMHO"s for a reason.  Just my .02 ;-)


Not hatin, dawg.  Yes it is my opinion.  And FYI Buck has weathered the jungles of Vietnam strapped onto our boys fighting over there without any problems.  For $1000 you'd better be proud, as well as have a good paying job! :Stick Out Tongue:   I can get a better deal at Bailey Knives & even get Bear's signature to boot, which'll probably run the value down :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  Anyway, Strider, the Wolf who started this thread, stated he was looking for a knife in the $100 range, so that's what I recommended, & I did say the quality went up the further up the money tree you went, remember?  Now for the kicker.  I can get a Kabar fighting knife for around 50 bucks.  If I go through 19 of 'em I'm still money ahead of what you paid for yours.  Please tell me one thing that your knife can do that a Buck, Kabar, or any of the good-quality lower-cost knives can't do? :Confused: 

p.s.:  It could be worse, though, you could be a "Cubs" fan as well!

----------


## ZTGuy

> Not hatin, dawg.  Yes it is my opinion.  And FYI Buck has weathered the jungles of Vietnam strapped onto our boys fighting over there without any problems.  For $1000 you'd better be proud, as well as have a good paying job!  I can get a better deal at Bailey Knives & even get Bear's signature to boot, which'll probably run the value down Anyway, Strider, the Wolf who started this thread, stated he was looking for a knife in the $100 range, so that's what I recommended, & I did say the quality went up the further up the money tree you went, remember?  Now for the kicker.  I can get a Kabar fighting knife for around 50 bucks.  If I go through 19 of 'em I'm still money ahead of what you paid for yours.  Please tell me one thing that your knife can do that a Buck, Kabar, or any of the good-quality lower-cost knives can't do?
> 
> p.s.:  It could be worse, though, you could be a "Cubs" fan as well!


No prob, bro.  I just got my hackles up because I simply extolled the virtues of one knife brand, while simultaneously NOT bashing any other brand (my personal policy- if I don't like it, I try to keep it to myself), and then felt like I was taking incoming mortar rounds for my personal decision.  I have had, carried, been issued, and collected knives since I was a kid...Bucks, SAKs, Case, Ka-Bar, pretty much everything there is maybe barring a couple.  It is based on many years of unintentional product evaluation through hard use that I arrived at my own decision that the hardest jobs- involving anything from twisting torque type use, chopping, cutting, to even prying if absolutely necessary, were handled better by my Strider knives than any of my other knives.  Now I'm not bashing the other brands.....many have served me well and admirably.  I simply feel much more confident with a tool that I pretty much know will handle the job.  Hell, if our USMC SOCOM/MARSOC grunts contracted Strider to make their combat folders (the Strider model SMF Generation 2 actually has a National Stock Number -NSN), I'd say that speaks to their quality a little bit better than little ole me ;-)  Of course, YMMV.   Out

P.S.  And yes, Sarge.....my heart truly goes out to Cubs fans, for I know their pain.  I guess the goat's curse has a little more juice than the Bambino!!!

----------


## Sarge47

> No prob, bro.  I just got my hackles up because I simply extolled the virtues of one knife brand, while simultaneously NOT bashing any other brand (my personal policy- if I don't like it, I try to keep it to myself), and then felt like I was taking incoming mortar rounds for my personal decision.  I have had, carried, been issued, and collected knives since I was a kid...Bucks, SAKs, Case, Ka-Bar, pretty much everything there is maybe barring a couple.  It is based on many years of unintentional product evaluation through hard use that I arrived at my own decision that the hardest jobs- involving anything from twisting torque type use, chopping, cutting, to even prying if absolutely necessary, were handled better by my Strider knives than any of my other knives.  Now I'm not bashing the other brands.....many have served me well and admirably.  I simply feel much more confident with a tool that I pretty much know will handle the job.  Hell, if our USMC SOCOM/MARSOC grunts contracted Strider to make their combat folders (the Strider model SMF Generation 2 actually has a National Stock Number -NSN), I'd say that speaks to their quality a little bit better than little ole me ;-)  Of course, YMMV.   Out
> 
> P.S.  And yes, Sarge.....my heart truly goes out to Cubs fans, for I know their pain.  I guess the goat's curse has a little more juice than the Bambino!!!


Someone asked me once what I thought about the Cubs and I said "I have two options for you, take your pick....CUBS either stands for 'Can't Understand Baseball Strategy', or 'Completely Useless By September'"  Needless to say, I didn't win too many people over.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  

As far as knives go, I believe that Strider brand is obviously a great product.  So's the M1 Abrahms Tank, but I don't expect to buy one of those anytime soon either. :Big Grin:    For what you paid for that knife It has to be very, very strong.  My point simply is this, unless someone's really loaded they aren't going to want to put that money into a custom knife.  Even if I was loaded I wouldn't do it.  Now the Busse Battle mistress....well...;>)  

I just found out today that Savage-Stevens is only making their high end Model 24 Over & Under.  I can get one for around $600.  I told the person in charge of sales that the gun was way overpriced and I wouldn't pay that kind of $$ out.  Didn't make a friend there either.

One thing you gotta know about me, I'm Irish-German, and we Irish discuss things oft-times in a loud, highly agitated manner, but it isn't a put-down.  That simply means that we respect you and your opinions.  If we didn't we wouldn't bother talking to you at all. :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):    I Told a guy once that I was Irish-German and he said "Does that mean that half of you wants to take over the world but the other half is too drunk to do it?  I'd a hit him, but I was laughing too hard! :Big Grin:

----------


## ZTGuy

> Someone asked me once what I thought about the Cubs and I said "I have two options for you, take your pick....CUBS either stands for 'Can't Understand Baseball Strategy', or 'Completely Useless By September'"  Needless to say, I didn't win too many people over.  
> 
> As far as knives go, I believe that Strider brand is obviously a great product.  So's the M1 Abrahms Tank, but I don't expect to buy one of those anytime soon either.   For what you paid for that knife It has to be very, very strong.  My point simply is this, unless someone's really loaded they aren't going to want to put that money into a custom knife.  Even if I was loaded I wouldn't do it.  Now the Busse Battle mistress....well...;>)  
> 
> I just found out today that Savage-Stevens is only making their high end Model 24 Over & Under.  I can get one for around $600.  I told the person in charge of sales that the gun was way overpriced and I wouldn't pay that kind of $$ out.  Didn't make a friend there either.
> 
> One thing you gotta know about me, I'm Irish-German, and we Irish discuss things oft-times in a loud, highly agitated manner, but it isn't a put-down.  That simply means that we respect you and your opinions.  If we didn't we wouldn't bother talking to you at all.   I Told a guy once that I was Irish-German and he said "Does that mean that half of you wants to take over the world but the other half is too drunk to do it?  I'd a hit him, but I was laughing too hard!



It's all good, brother.......Just to clarify, some of the knives I have (mostly my high-end expensive ones like the one I referrenced earlier) are collector pieces....I'm an incurable collector.  Although they would be quite capable, they just don't see much, if any, use.  The others are my users, and USE them hard I do.  I am by no means rich....you might say that I often have Champagne taste, but only beer money (which is funny, 'cause I don't drink....I hope that doesn't offend your Irish, or your German side, Sarge ;-).  Good luck to you and your Cubbys.  I know how hard it is to stay true to "your team" during the thin years, but you never know when that break out season will happen; BTW, I was a Ryne Sandberg fan as a kid!

----------


## Sarge47

> It's all good, brother.......Just to clarify, some of the knives I have (mostly my high-end expensive ones like the one I referrenced earlier) are collector pieces....I'm an incurable collector.  Although they would be quite capable, they just don't see much, if any, use.  The others are my users, and USE them hard I do.  I am by no means rich....you might say that I often have Champagne taste, but only beer money (which is funny, 'cause I don't drink....I hope that doesn't offend your Irish, or your German side, Sarge ;-).  Good luck to you and your Cubbys.  I know how hard it is to stay true to "your team" during the thin years, but you never know when that break out season will happen; BTW, I was a Ryne Sandberg fan as a kid!


I'm not much of a baseball fan, but if I were I'd be partial to the Braves!  To be fair, they did pick up some great former Cubs players. :Big Grin:  

And if you read an earlier post of mine you'd know I don't drink either, or smoke, etc..  But I do love the outdoors.  I also understand collections; and I agree with you.  Taking an expensive knife out in the woods may not be the brightest thing to do, huh? :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  

Right now I've added the new Kabar Bull Dozier($70 + S. & H.) to my consideration list.  Ironically, I could buy the RTAK-II, the RAT-7, the Gerber LMF-II, the aforementioned Kabar, and still pay out less than half what that Strider cost you.  Also, you gotta admit, Buck Knives has a great warranty!

BTW, can you post a pic of your Strider so we can all see what a 1K knife looks like? :EEK!:

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## ZTGuy

> BTW, can you post a pic of your Strider so we can all see what a 1K knife looks like?


Sure thing pal! 
 The first two are of the crown jewel Strider in my collection, it's the model Mick Strider Custom RCC Framelock with a "Nightmare" grind Tanto Recurve blade (the second pic is taken from the website of the company where I bought it-True North Knives---second to none!!).  The fram is solid Titanium with G10 inlays, and the blade is CPM S30V steel.  The next three are of my "field use" knife.....with this I've pryed doors open and cut sapplings down!!!  It's made of what they call a "3/4" grind, full tang CPM S30V steel, with G10 slab handles......built pretty much like the Abrahms tank you referrenced in one of your last posts!

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## ZTGuy

Here are two more, the first showing the top of the blade and the "blood groove", and the second showing the underside with a view of the full length tang.  The thing in the background is the Kydex sheath that I wear on my belt.  BTW, I apologize for the grainy pics.....it's too late for me to dig around for the digi-cam, so I used my cell phone-  adapt, improvise, and overcome I guess .

I also want to offer my apologies to Strider (the one who initiated this thread, not the knifemaker) for hijacking his thread to do a sermon on the knives that bear his screen name.  I guess that's the Italian in me getting all overzealous and boistrous!!!  See Sarge, we both have quirks attributable to our ethnicity ;-)

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## Sarge47

> Sure thing pal! 
>  The first two are of the crown jewel Strider in my collection, it's the model Mick Strider Custom RCC Framelock with a "Nightmare" grind Tanto Recurve blade (the second pic is taken from the website of the company where I bought it-True North Knives---second to none!!).  The fram is solid Titanium with G10 inlays, and the blade is CPM S30V steel.  The next three are of my "field use" knife.....with this I've pryed doors open and cut sapplings down!!!  It's made of what they call a "3/4" grind, full tang CPM S30V steel, with G10 slab handles......built pretty much like the Abrahms tank you referrenced in one of your last posts!


No offense dawg, I'm sure that the knife you're showing me is of top quality, the best steel, and superior craftsmanship.  However my Buck Lumina LED (folder) will do the same thing that one will do, and that is :  cut!  Also Buck has a lifetime guarantee if the blade should ever break.  I would also agree with Volwest about what type of knife should be used in the field.  Of course you have also mentioned Benchmade and Kershaw as well so I'm sure you wouldn't risk the Strider knife in an outdoor situation if you could help it.  Lose it and....well, who wants to see a grown man cry? :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):   BTW, I have a watch you might be interested in....... :Big Grin:

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## ZTGuy

> No offense dawg, I'm sure that the knife you're showing me is of top quality, the best steel, and superior craftsmanship.  However my Buck Lumina LED (folder) will do the same thing that one will do, and that is :  cut!  Also Buck has a lifetime guarantee if the blade should ever break  *(If you read my earlier post carefully, so does Strider- no questions asked, no matter what- I doubt Buck's is as inclusive)*.  I would also agree with Volwest about what type of knife should be used in the field *(Oh, that's right, it momentarily escaped me that I should have adhered to what type of knife you and volwest decree should be used in the field, 'cause you're consummate authorities, have endless field experience, and are obviously right.........right???). * Of course you have also mentioned Benchmade and Kershaw as well so I'm sure you wouldn't risk the Strider knife in an outdoor situation if you could help it *(Wrong again, captain- I think that's your third strike!!!!...Don't be so quick to assume- you know the old addage, don't ya?). * Lose it and....well, who wants to see a grown man cry?  BTW, I have a watch you might be interested in (If it's a Breitling, thanks but I already have one- I hope that doesn't draw more fire 'cause it cost more than $30).......



Volwest..........HUH????  Your response makes little sense, and what I was able to decipher was full of assumptions, conjecture, and and general drivel. * "Require alot of maintenance"*????  Huh? * "Stare at it all day long"*??? What?   *"Dainty and pretty"*????  Dude, You so painfully obviously have not idea even WHAT a Strider knife is, do you.......your ignorance speaks volumes on this.

Sarge.....you ask me to post pics, and you still $#it on me.  The addage is usually true that people tend to hate, criticize, or scorn what they cannot have or afford.  BTW, I use the knives (aside from the collector piece) ALL the time......on duty and off.  You all should write reviews on knives and outdoor gear....you *obviously* have the field experience.    Ya'll are some opinionated M.F.s

FWIW- not ONCE did I ever criticize, putdown, or (if I _DID_ have a comment) do *anything* but praise any other knife brand, or any brand of gear for that matter, in my short time here........I guess it's just a little quirk I have called courtesy.

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## owl_girl

> The addage is usually true that people tend to hate, criticize, or scorn what they cannot have or afford.


I dont think they Hate or scorn the knife just the price tag.

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## ZTGuy

> In the end, to each his own.



Yup.......

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## ZTGuy

> lolll
> 
> Since you call me dude, i will do the same.
> 
> Dude, i was not talking about Strider knives in particular. But, you seem pretty defensive about it all...i wonder why...
> You talk about assumptions, and yet you do the same thing.
> 
> I didn't mean to talk about your girlfriend that way *(I'd prefer you not talk about my girlfriend at all since I'M MARRIED    just kidding- about the g/f that is, I really am happily married)...*but i was just voicing my opinion on what a knife shouldn't be...My view on this is personal, and in the end, knives are a touchy subject i guess...lol
> 
> ...


To each his own indeed.  I'm not trying to persuade anyone toward my line of thinking, and I'm not a Strider salesman, I just expect to get the same amount of courtesy with respect to my OPINIONS and tastes as that which I give.  Take care.  
P.S.  Sorry you took offense to the "dude" comment......it was not meant disrespectfully.

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## Fog_Harbor

I'm not even sure I should give my opinion after all that.  I stick with Ka Bar for the most part.  I think I'll leave it at that.

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## ZTGuy

> I'm not even sure I should give my opinion after all that.  I stick with Ka Bar for the most part.  I think I'll leave it at that.


Hi F.H.  Ka Bar makes an excellent product.  I have a few in the fold.

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## Sarge47

> Hi F.H.  Ka Bar makes an excellent product.  I have a few in the fold.


See...I knew you weren't a "numpty". :Big Grin:    Actually Owl Girl hit it right on the nose, it's not the knife, it's the price. :EEK!:  Don't worry Sox-Man, I'm not gettin' up in your face about all this, not with all the knives you carry.  Take your Hummer of a knife afield if you want, and if you lose it you'll simply bless the person who finds it. :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):    I fully realize that a custom hand-made knife is always going to carry a hefty price tag, and I'm not going to pay it, even if I did have the $$$, which I don't.  I'm sending my "Colt Jungle Commander" back to A.G. Russell for a full refund of $50 because I'm dissatisfied with the steel quality.(420) I'm gonna use the cash to buy the Ka-Bar Bull Dozier.   I found a place that sells them for $65. (www.tomarskabars.com).   If I were to buy a custom, hand-made knife & price was no object, I would look seriously into Busse or Bailey, I think their knives look really cool. :Cool:

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## ZTGuy

The Ka Bar Bull Dozier is an AWESOME knife......so is pretty much anything from Busse....Good luck Sarge.

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## Sarge47

> The Ka Bar Bull Dozier is an AWESOME knife......so is pretty much anything from Busse....Good luck Sarge.


I'm glad you reccommend the Ka-Bar Bull Dozier.  This Dozier cat must be a great knife-maker from what I hear!  As for Busse, I would probably buy Ontario 1st; just can't see spending that much green on a single blade...but then that's me, maybe I'm part Scot! :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## FVR

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Need I say more.

Guess I will.  Here is one of three Caveman Kabars.  Just sent #3 out.
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## ZTGuy

> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
> 
> Need I say more.
> 
> Guess I will.  Here is one of three Caveman Kabars.  Just sent #3 out.
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.



Very nice.............love the old skool stuff.  Outstanding blades!

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## carcajou garou

Strider you can't go wrong with Buck knives as with many other name brand makers also, so handle/use as many as you can and let the feel in your hand be your guide. Try to start with a blade lenght of 4-6" and get good with it use it a lot. Not all knives will be the best at all jobs, certain blade styles excel at certain functions, with experience you will be able to judge better, I like the Buck #105 cost effective not overly large but will do a passle of work.
Enjoy the experience. :Wink:

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## HOP

i think that the best choice for a knife is one of reputable quality with good warrenty then you pick one they offer that seems to fit your needs and functions well to include your ability to sharpen it then use it to its capabilitys. I have many knifes big and small but find myself returning to a couple most of the time that do what I need relialably.

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## magiclight

are the SOG Seal Pup knifes really any good ?

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## Fog_Harbor

> I'm glad you reccommend the Ka-Bar Bull Dozier.  This Dozier cat must be a great knife-maker from what I hear!  As for Busse, I would probably buy Ontario 1st; just can't see spending that much green on a single blade...but then that's me, maybe I'm part Scot!


I'm German Eng-ScIrish.

I Have folders for my mini kit, but do you REALLY recommend then for field use?  I mean one small pin failure, and you're pounding stones!

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## spiritman

> I Have folders for my mini kit, but do you REALLY recommend then for field use?  I mean one small pin failure, and you're pounding stones!


I recommend having both if my opinion counts for anything. I mostly use a folding knife unless I have to do some chopping, then I use my fixed blade. Other than that it can handle everything. Because they are so useful and so many ppl are interested in knives, engineering keeps getting better.

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## Sarge47

> I recommend having both if my opinion counts for anything. I mostly use a folding knife unless I have to do some chopping, then I use my fixed blade. Other than that it can handle everything. Because they are so useful and so many ppl are interested in knives, engineering keeps getting better.


I'm going to agree with SM here.  Some survival books talk about having a folder out in the field for fine work like whittling, fashioning snare triggers, etc.  I agree with Foggy about fixed blades being surperior than folders for exactly the same reason he says.  However, experts like Bob Newman, Dr. Ron Hood, and J. Wyne Fears, recommend carrying both.  Good call SM. :Wink:

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## eddiec

I use Leatherman knives now, but when I was a medic, I used primarily Spyderco blades. They are tough, simple, and hold an edge pretty well. (I'll be waiting for that endorsement check from the Spyderco Co. any day now...)

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## James_G

CRKT M16-14T = The absolute best knife that I have ever owned 

I have carried it wile traveling and working all around the world, in the Jungle in Indonesia in Iraq and everywhere in between. I have abused it like no other knife that I have owned and it is the ONLY knife that I have never broken 

I would never carry another brand of folding knife

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## kufitar

You might want to check out Scandinavian puukko knives... simple and practical tools and really meant for heavy use! Here's a good information page about different styles and maker's.  

http://finnish-puukko.blogspot.com/

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## survivalhike

Other than the Leatherman brand of multi-tools, which have something for every situation, a good straight blade knife is essential.  I don't know why people think that they need to pay $100+ for a good knife when they can get a K-Bar knife.  I bought my K-Bar from GI Joes online shop and paid about $50 for it.  My friends in the Army and Marines used that knife on a daily basis for everything like pounding in stakes, cutting rope, prying lids off of ammo cans, and occasionally killing enemy soldiers.  These knives have a true "to hell and back" reliability, and won't cost you an arm and a leg.  At the local gun show out here, the K-Bar demo is amazing.  They first show you how the knife is so sharp that it can cut through a piece of paper cleanly.  Then they take the same knife to the hood of a car and stab right through it about 20+ times.  Then they go right back to the paper and it cuts just as cleanly.  They repeat this demo with the same K-Bar all day long.  When I showed my friends my k-bar I would do the "shaving" demo on my left hand.  I finally stopped doing the demo because I didn't have any hair left on my hand or the lower half of my forearm.  Finally, if the USMC and the USAF trust their soldiers lives to a particular knife...I think I will too.

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## Nomad

I have to say imo brand name means little to me, what type of steel used is very important. Most brand names use good steel, theres only a few types typically used for knives. you'll have to look them up. My personal fav is a Bear & sons folding hunter i use for gen purpose chores. Then theres my KA-BAR skinning knife i only use for well, skinning. It's size and shape fit my hand  like a glove, holds a great edge too. Both cost a little over $50.00 wouldn't trade them for anything else!

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## Samaritan

Try the Randall Made Knives "Attack-Survival" or the "Astro."  I have owned the Attack-Survival model since about 1978 and it has absorbed an enormous of abuse.  It has helped me out of more than one tight spot and never missed a beat.  It is heavily built,  very well made and nearly unbreakable as is the Astro Model.
  Good Luck !

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## U.S.Marine2111

I know this post is a little old but I ran across a site I thought was relevant: http://www.knifetests.com/page6.html  That link is for a torture test of a KBar, so far very impressive, but I'm only about 7 minutes into the video and there has only been one hardcorps test so far.  There are four or five vids demonstrating the beating the Kbar receives, however as I'm in Iraq at present it takes a substantial amount of time to download them in their entirity, so I can't give you much info on the Kbar at this time.  This site also thrases other brands of knives as well.

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## U.S.Marine2111

Just got a couple more minutes into the Kbar thrashing, and it bent at the tang, but this was after it already split a 4x4 down the length.  The bend occured on the second time through the 4x4, the knife was struck with a large piece of wood several times to drive it through the 4x4, still impressed.  How many people use their knives like that?

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## RobertRogers

What do you think makes for a good knife?

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## Sarge47

> What do you think makes for a good knife?


I think we've already done a couple of threads on this topic, but again I'll say that quality, durability, and price do it for me. :Cool:

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## FVR

Kabar, need I say more.

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## survivalhike

> Kabar, need I say more.


I agree.  You can beat the tar out of it and if by some chance it ever breaks you can replace it for $50.

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## U.S.Marine2111

Ka Bar!  http://www.knifetests.com/page6.html  Look at the beating this guy gives a Ka Bar, it would constitute abuse in my book, but it takes a lot of abuse before it finally fails.  Most people will not have to use their Ka Bar at the extremes demonstrated in the video, but it is nice to know it will hold up to a lot.  You can get a Ka Bar for around $50 if you shop around a bit.  Are there better knives out there, yes, does anybody really need a knife that costs $300+, no, absolutly not.  If you go to various forums you're going to have people preaching the greatness of Strider, Becker, LaRue, Chris Reeves, the list goes on and on.  These knives are absolutly great, at least from most of the reviews and testomonials, but I can't see spending $300 on a knife that will be spend most of it's time opening MRE's and cutting minor vegetation or things of that nature.  But hey, if you've got the money and spending $300 on a knife gets your rocks off, run with it.

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## Rbrownkatz

Frank,
I bought two LMF II's here
http://www.rockynational.com/search.aspx?d=1 
for $39.95 each without sheaths. I made my own. My wife and I will try them out next month during seven days on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. We also each have a Buck. I've had mine 34 years. Great knife but I wanted a fixed blade also. I'll let you know how we like the Gerbers.

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## FVR

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Two favorites.

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## HOP

For the K-Bar fans there is good news IMHO that Becker knives are going to be made by k-bar after Camilus closed down . Beckers are heavy rugged knives and I think this is a win, win , win for Becker , ka-bar and us.

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## WildGoth

here use this old post of mine http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...read.php?t=146

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## MCBushbaby

Cold Steel SRK (get the old CarbonV version, the new one is stainless)

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## STB

Hey
HOpefully someone sees this. I found this knife, and it looks pretty good to me but i dont know that much about knives. Wondering what you guys thought of it, and if there are betetr ones out there that are cheaper or around the same price. 
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-12-ARMADA-HU...QQcmdZViewItem

Thoughts great appreciated.

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## WildGoth

seems ok but try to stay away from ebay for knives you want to know how it feels to your hands so try and get something you can get a feel of beforehand

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## Sarge47

> Hey
> HOpefully someone sees this. I found this knife, and it looks pretty good to me but i dont know that much about knives. Wondering what you guys thought of it, and if there are betetr ones out there that are cheaper or around the same price. 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-12-ARMADA-HU...QQcmdZViewItem
> 
> Thoughts great appreciated.


The e-bay ad claims the Rockwell Hardness is 54/58 and that the blade is of high carbon steel.  I found the same knife at the same price here:

http://www.redsoldier.com/FURY-12-AR...2&category=259

The ad says the knife is a Chinese import and I don't recognize the brand.  I would be wary since it 's an unknown and the price is so low.  A good quality knife is going to cost a bit more than that.  Check out this Ka-bar.  I've recently bought one and love it.

http://www.tomarskabars.com/1275_INFO.html

  This is the lowest price I could find and S & H is about half of what the e-bay seller is asking.  That's my .02 worth. :Cool:

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## warrigal

G'day fellas, New here ( I guess the post count would give that away) I'm into knives a bit.
Stb That knife your looking at is a copy of an Aitor "oso negro"
Take this link to a legit version. I haven't used this seller I just googled up the image.
There are a lot of Aitor copies floating around ebay of late. If you can find Aitor it self they are excelent knives I had one similar to the one pictured years ago and it served me well. The only thing I would say is sometimes the suffer from an overdose of machismo and the "look "can comprimise on the function.
Personally I would look to a seperate blade to saw althought the Sog Revolver seems to be better than most I have Gerber sportsman saw for sawing. And more knives than I know what to do with.
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Here are some mid sized users all about the five inch blade length
1.Cold Steel master hunter good really good just the edge grind was a little thickfor my preference.
2. ontario USAF survival knife hard to beat for the money.
3.Germaneye brand copy of a Puma White hunter.
4. Martinii of Finland excelent blade steel very comfortable.
5.Buck Nighthawk Most comfy of those there very solid. Lives in the grab bag in the 4x4.
6 Drop point hunter by Toni Guido. Really does need some work
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Saws
1.Opinel Hard to beat for the price.
2.Gerber sportsman. interchangable blades light and cuts like a demon.
3. Buck most comfortable to use but can't change the blades.
How is that for a start? 
Carl

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## Sarge47

> G'day fellas, New here ( I guess the post count would give that away) I'm into knives a bit.
> Stb That knife your looking at is a copy of an Aitor "oso negro"
> Take this link to a legit version. I haven't used this seller I just googled up the image.
> There are a lot of Aitor copies floating around ebay of late. If you can find Aitor it self they are excelent knives I had one similar to the one pictured years ago and it served me well. The only thing I would say is sometimes the suffer from an overdose of machismo and the "look "can comprimise on the function.
> Personally I would look to a seperate blade to saw althought the Sog Revolver seems to be better than most I have Gerber sportsman saw for sawing. And more knives than I know what to do with.
>  Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
> Here are some mid sized users all about the five inch blade length
> 1.Cold Steel master hunter good really good just the edge grind was a little thickfor my preference.
> 2. ontario USAF survival knife hard to beat for the money.
> ...


Welcome, now go to the introductions forum and introduce yourself properly.

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## STB

What about toms Browns tracker knife? Its crazy expensive, but seems to have alot to it.and thats what were looking for, a knife that will do everything. Well not everything, but alot. And the high carbon is nice.  So if you have to bring out one knife, what would it be?
And thanks for the info on the other knife, it was very useful.

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## MCBushbaby

> What about toms Browns tracker knife? Its crazy expensive, but seems to have alot to it.and thats what were looking for, a knife that will do everything. Well not everything, but alot. And the high carbon is nice.  So if you have to bring out one knife, what would it be?
> And thanks for the info on the other knife, it was very useful.


The TB Tracker is a bit overrated, in my humble opinion.  It's basically a $300-something hatchet/knife with some modifications (baton, wire breaker).  I never had a need for a wire breaker in the bush, nor do I find a big different between knives with a baton indent vs a straight back.  If I feel the need to chop wood I usually bring a hatchet or fold saw but I could see how a large chop knife would be useful.  But one thing I completely disagree with is the shape of the handle and their advertisement of "three ways to hold the knife,"  aimed at a knife-specific application, hybrid, and hatchet-use...  I just feel that I could do the same hand positions on a plain handle.  Just my two cents.

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## warrigal

Survival knives are designed for people who's normal day to day activites don't involve a knife. A bush pilot or travelling sales man for eg. A hunter or fisherman is gunna have a knife on him anyway. $US300 dollars will buy you a good knife and heap of other "last ditch" gear A quick google just showed up a Buck night hawk for $US50 and a CS Master hunter for $US130.
You might well save on weight by having one knife instead of the knife, saw, axe combo but IMO  you can really make yourself a lot of work. And if you loose it.. well.
Yes you could do all the jobs required with a one off like the tracker but I'll bet you could do it faster neater and more efficently with the the three piece combo I'm pushing. add a Multi tool and your laughing.
Carl
P.S. The comment about survival knives should be quailfied that a survival knife is a tool suitable to do all things required to survive for a couple days till the fluro orange rescue Gods turn up. But not really the tool you want for extended trips because so many jobs will be so much harder without the right tool.

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## Sarge47

> Survival knives are designed for people who's normal day to day activites don't involve a knife. A bush pilot or travelling sales man for eg. A hunter or fisherman is gunna have a knife on him anyway. $US300 dollars will buy you a good knife and heap of other "last ditch" gear A quick google just showed up a Buck night hawk for $US50 and a CS Master hunter for $US130.
> You might well save on weight by having one knife instead of the knife, saw, axe combo but IMO  you can really make yourself a lot of work. And if you loose it.. well.
> Yes you could do all the jobs required with a one off like the tracker but I'll bet you could do it faster neater and more efficently with the the three piece combo I'm pushing. add a Multi tool and your laughing.
> Carl


...a knife no higher priced than $110 myself.  My Ka-bar Bull Dozier retails for around $115 but I bought if for around $73 including the S. & H.

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## GrayWolf

My best friend gave me a Spyderco paramilitary knife for a wedding gift this summer. Said it was the one they (Marines) were carrying with them overseas. Spyderco.com seems to have a pretty wide selection in varying prices. May be worth checking out. I believe they resharpen for free also; if that interests you.

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## STB

Hey, it's the other guy in STB, my name's Charles and his is Andrew. I'll put Charles as the title of my posts from now on just to clear up any confusion. We're good friends and it just seemed easier this way since we're both interested in survival information.
__________________________________________
http://www.knife-depot.com/knife-16021.html

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That knife appears to be higher quality than the last one Andrew posted. Smith and Westen is a little more reputable than a no-name Chinese company. 

I quote; a "...drop point hunting knife is an excellent design for the big game hunter. This design generally features a robust, curved blade of relatively thick steel. These features allow the user to cut the skin off the animal using the entire edge of the knife, rather than just the point. This allows for quick skinning and very little damage to the meat. The design of the drop point, also allows for other field cleaning tasks such as gutting and the splitting of the rib cage and pelvis, although a saw or hatchet is the preferred tool for the latter t[w]o tasks."

Big game, skinning with the whole blade, such a knife would be useful, and at around 50$, I'd say a pretty good deal, but I'm just learning, so lemme know what you think.

Charles.

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## ATough

Kabars are the only knifes for me. they last long stay sharp and can be sharpened easilly.

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## warrigal

I have a Spyderco endura I can't kill an excellent bit of kit I have got ten times my money out of.
If you are only gunna buy one thing from Spyderco get the 204 sharpmaker the best general purpose sharpener on the planet ( Yes that may be a bold statement but I'll stand behind it)
I sharpen from 3/4inch ( 19mm) Buck  ultra light to my hand forged machete. Vege peelers and my axes. My party trick at work while doing the speil about the 204 is to grab a piece of photocopy paper and slice a fillet out of the paper.
Carl
Ok. off topic, sorry.

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## warrigal

I belive carbon or high end stainless. ( next knife is a Falkniven f1 High end stainless vg10)
a strong point, don't want it to break  off.
tacky handle wth no sharp corners.
square spine for batoning or sparking.
no serrations.
solid pomel for crushing.
half guard.
Convex grind.
high fifty's rockwell.
'5 to 6 inch blade.
3/16th or 1/4 inch thick.
secure sheath.
Hows that for a wish list?
Carl.

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## Sarge47

> Hey, it's the other guy in STB, my name's Charles and his is Andrew. I'll put Charles as the title of my posts from now on just to clear up any confusion. We're good friends and it just seemed easier this way since we're both interested in survival information.
> __________________________________________
> http://www.knife-depot.com/knife-16021.html
> 
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
> 
> That knife appears to be higher quality than the last one Andrew posted. Smith and Westen is a little more reputable than a no-name Chinese company. 
> 
> I quote; a "...drop point hunting knife is an excellent design for the big game hunter. This design generally features a robust, curved blade of relatively thick steel. These features allow the user to cut the skin off the animal using the entire edge of the knife, rather than just the point. This allows for quick skinning and very little damage to the meat. The design of the drop point, also allows for other field cleaning tasks such as gutting and the splitting of the rib cage and pelvis, although a saw or hatchet is the preferred tool for the latter t[w]o tasks."
> ...


Check this out!

http://www.tomarskabars.com/1275_INFO.html

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## Sarge47

Gotta tell this, can't help it as it doesn't pertain to survival in the least.  Many years ago, back when this Hippie dude who looked like me and stole my idenity was married to his 1st wife, there were two children involved, a boy and a girl. When the boy was 4 yrs old mama up & split to Oklahoma with the kids and dad hadn't heard hardly squat from his oldest son in a loooonnnng time!  (That being me of course.)  Two weeks ago I got a call from him saying he was coming up from Oklahoma to apologize to me for his rudeness.  A week ago he came up and we spent 2 days together.  He'll soon be 38, is 6'4" tall, weighs 300 lbs. and is an ex-Marine who survived the Gulf war as he was over there.  I couldn't help it brother/sister wolves.  I had to give him something to show him how proud I was of him so my original USMC Ka-bar is now his.  What can I say?

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## warrigal

I do love happy endings.
Carl

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## MCBushbaby

> I belive carbon or high end stainless. ( next knife is a Falkniven f1 High end stainless vg10)
> a strong point, don't want it to break  off.
> tacky handle wth no sharp corners.
> square spine for batoning or sparking.
> no serrations.
> solid pomel for crushing.
> half guard.
> Convex grind.
> high fifty's rockwell.
> ...


If you can find the discontinued cold steel srk (carbon V steel), you've hit every point on your wish list.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7eKteLdRvKE (neat video)
http://www.swiatnozy.com.pl/index.ph...=102&Itemid=65
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## warrigal

Sorry guys I'm not looking for a suggestions I was answering the question.
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1.Smith and Wesson ( US made not China)
2.customised Buck 147
3.Cold Steel Recon scout
4.Al-Mar pentegon
5.Aristocrate wraith.
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A annerverisary pressy from my wife 9years ago A next Gen Ka-Bar. beside my belt survival pack. If any ones interested I'll post some more picks and a break down of contents.
Carl

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## RobertRogers

Its obvious people love their knives!  I like my sog - lightweight, rust proof in my wet neck of the woods.

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## HOP

I have to say if I found the perfect knife I would be unhappy as I so enjoy searching for and trying out many diferent knives . I would hate to go to my knife magizines and see page after page of the same knife. It would be like finding the perfect dog, I think they are all great.

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## trax

> Gotta tell this, can't help it as it doesn't pertain to survival in the least.  Many years ago, back when this Hippie dude who looked like me and stole my idenity was married to his 1st wife, there were two children involved, a boy and a girl. When the boy was 4 yrs old mama up & split to Oklahoma with the kids and dad hadn't heard hardly squat from his oldest son in a loooonnnng time!  (That being me of course.)  Two weeks ago I got a call from him saying he was coming up from Oklahoma to apologize to me for his rudeness.  A week ago he came up and we spent 2 days together.  He'll soon be 38, is 6'4" tall, weighs 300 lbs. and is an ex-Marine who survived the Gulf war as he was over there.  I couldn't help it brother/sister wolves.  I had to give him something to show him how proud I was of him so my original USMC Ka-bar is now his.  What can I say?


That's awesome Sarge

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## lumpy

This is kinda off topic.I've been searching for a small pocket knife for my son for his birthday.I wanted to get him an Uncle Henry, only because that is what I started with.That was a no-go,because I discovered that their made in China these days.
Well,I was at Wally World today an I saw a Buck that was what I'd been looking for(375 Duece).I got it home and discovered in very small print that it was made in China.Buck Knives made in China!! I never would have thunk such a thing.How long has this been going on?Is nothing sacred?

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## warrigal

White mountain kit
The belt pouch has a broad ( nearly full width) velco tab on the back so it will sit on either a thin or even military width belt securely. Although when I first got it it was stiched at the bottom. So it had to be slid on to the belt but I cut the stiching on that. The pot is the smaller of the two "dixies" issued to Australian troops made from quiet thick alloy The pot fills the full pouch and all the contents you can see fit inside the dixie) .
In the front pocket are tea and sugar bags, Some Nylon cord (10ft) 2mm elrid cord (30ft) some iodine wipes,and some bandaids.
Some cut up rubber tubing ( fire helper), a pencil sharpener ( the best tinder maker ever) A tool logic ice card. 10 ft of twisted brass wire, A 4 part roll of tripwire.
Compass a mirrored Silva (Ranger 27?)
A roll of trip wire. a compressed chux cloth.
Commando wire saw, an Australian Army match box, 8 normal matches 4 windproof in a watertight container with a striking pad on the out side
Small Gerber ezy out
Swiss tech pliers
Wire saw
and a full 100mt roll of dental floss ( gotta stick that in a bag before it unravels)
a spliter probe,
small fishing kit ( line flys hooks sinkers swivels razor blade bait) in a film canister.
Swedish folding cup, Swedish fire steel, Gerber ezyout and inova 24/7
Lipbalm and two tampons, Prinstone tech eclipse II led torch ( but I really want another Petzl E+lite for that)
A partially unfolded myla survival bag slips in behind the dixe and Victoriox pen sharpener just about does it.
There is room for some stock cubes and other small stuff but I learnt the hard way not to put the stock cubes in whist in storage. If they leak it is a concentrated salt solution and any thing that can rust, will. There are more photos just say the word and I'll soak up the bandwidth.

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Carl
P.S. Lumpy. I think most knife manufactors are getting some done in China Notthe top end obviously but remember that during times of peak demand even Randall was geting Solingen blades ( Long way from Solingen to Peking though), The Spyderco bird line. CRKT Gerber, Cold steel( I think well Taiwan at least) And Buck It is the only  way to compete. They may not bragg about the ones being made in China but their websites are jumping up and down about The one still being made in the US. So it not to hard to work out which is which.

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## HOP

Lumpy there are still some great pocket knives out there you just have to look closely. I give all my grandchildren a Victoronox swiss army knife when they are 8 good quality and a lot of choices.

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## Beo

I'm interested, but I gotta say my Tracker 2 knife by Tom Brown is great, and sorry Sarge the other knife I pick is Army/Air Force Survival knife. The drop point knife with damascus blade that I have is nice but so pretty I don't wanna hurt it  :Smile:

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## corndog-44

I went through a couple of knife threads here and I must have missed any talk about broken knives.

No matter how high a quality knife you have, there might be one flaw or void in that blade, somewhere. A broken knife in the backwoods... What would you do with that broken knife? Could you utilize it if it were broken? What about the knife section that broke off?

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## HOP

Look on the bright side if you can us bothe pieces you got two knives  all is not lost as a prison guard I have seen knives made out of every concivable materal a broken knife is stil a short knife

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## warrigal

I don't dispute that any knife could break but I think it might also depend on you being aware of what they are designed to do. I won't dig with a knife. Use it to sharpen a stick to dig with but not dig with a knife. If I think I might be digging but don't need a shovel I have a cheap 1/4 inch chisel I carry for that.
I don't do the one knife does everything trick. I'm doing some pics for another forum stuff carved with just one knife ( nothing fancy "just having a go") I'd be finished if I allowed myself to use a saw.
Right tool for the job.
Carl

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## RobertRogers

Yes, treat your tools with respect.  But a busted knife is still useable, either grind down the remaining blade or attach the broken piece to a new homemade handle.

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## corndog-44

If I was in the deep woods and have to deal with a broken knife there's a few things I would do. With the broken tip I could make a hoko-type knife. With a primitive blacksmithing set-up I could make a new knife point. Need to make a bellow and I could use an axe or a hatchet for a hammer. If I didn't have these there's always the old trusty rock. A grinder could be a sandstone. The sharpening stone I would already have.

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## Nativedude

I too respect my knife. I use it only for what it was intended. I simply do not throw, dig, or pry with it. I have been using the same knife for the last 28 years in the woods.

If you do encounter a broken knife, you could make a serviceable cutting tool from a rock, piece of obsidian, broken glass, metal, etc. There are many options to having a broken knife.

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## Beo

I got several knives, the thing I believe is to use your tools for what they are intended for, don't dig or hammer with a knife (some people hammer with pommel) unless the pommel is made for that like my army/air force survival knife. I would attach a small handle to the broken portion to use as small utility camp knife, and once out of the woods I'd grind the blade down and try to fix the broke knife as best could, although since getting out of the army I have never broken a knife and only did that once in the army.

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## trax

Part of the blade still intact you can still use it as a cutting tool. a broken piece of blade can be converted into a servicable spear point. If you have the time and the inclination you can re-shape what's left of the blade that's attached,put at least something of a point back on it. At worst, it's now a small digging tool. (shrugs) best thing is still don't break it in the first place though, lol, but like you said, anything can be flawed.

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## carcajou garou

The broken blade can also be inset to branch/stick and used in the hoko knife style.

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## Sarge47

I'm not grinding down any part of it.  !st off for that to happen it would have to happen to either my Ka-Bar "Bull" Dozier or My Buck General.  I always carry my "back-up" blades, a Buck Vanguard with rubber handle, and my Folding Buck LED Lumina.  The only way a knife of mine will break is if there's a manufacturer's defect in them because, like most of you, I don't use a knife for anything but what it's made for.  Both the Ka-Bar & the Buck have Lifetime Warranties against manufacturer's defects, so I'd just send the broke knife back when I got home.

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## explodingearth

i need to buy a good long lasting knife that wont break or rust on me. what should i look for in metal type? stainless steel? anyone suggest some dependable models?

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## trax

Plenty's been posted already, go through the older knife postings and if you can't decide then ask. But warning, a hundred different preferences will lead to a hundred different answers, lol

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## Beo

I have several but I always go with my Army/Air Farce Survival Knife and honing stone, I also have the Tracker 2, but one of my favorites is a simple hand made trapper (skinning knife) with curly maple handle.
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One of my favorites that I take always.  :Big Grin:  But I think it all comes down to individual choice.  :Big Grin:

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## trax

What's the blade size on the one in the pic Beo? Double e...ya might want to look for something just like that.

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## Beo

Hand forged 3" blade with Hard Maple handle.6" overall length. Some file work on the blade dress's it up.

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## explodingearth

which one you think?

www.tomarskabars.com/1275_INFO.html
www.tomarskabars.com/1282_INFO.html
www.tomarskabars.com/1464_INFO.html

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## Beo

1st one, or send me $40 bucks and I'll make you one like in the pick, no s**t.
Perfect knife in my opinion.

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## trax

> which one you think?
> 
> www.tomarskabars.com/1275_INFO.html
> www.tomarskabars.com/1282_INFO.html
> www.tomarskabars.com/1464_INFO.html


first one, I'm not a big fan of those little serrations if you have cleaning and gutting to do that the second and third ones have.

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## Sarge47

> which one you think?
> 
> www.tomarskabars.com/1275_INFO.html
> www.tomarskabars.com/1282_INFO.html
> www.tomarskabars.com/1464_INFO.html


Man, you got taste!  I just recently bought the Ka-Bar "Bull" Dozier" and love it!  What's more, I bought it from Tomar's Ka-Bars and got the lowest price I could find as a result!

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## explodingearth

just bought this, http://www.impactguns.com/store/medi...r/kab_1212.jpg

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## marberry

if you want quality for cheep (not fighting knives) buy a buck folder , if you want the next step up buy an alpha hunter, or if you want a fixed blade the 110 special is a timeless classic , i carry a 7" nighthawk and a alpha hunter folding edition but thats just personal preference. bowies and combat knives are a big no-no for outdoors work, if your carrying a hatchet dont bother with machetes but iv found my cold steel kukuri magnum to work great chopping wood or clearing brush alike

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## Beo

I frigg'n hate K-bar knives... stupid junk crap pig stickers... lol  :Big Grin:  Go traditional boy!!!

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## Beo

Hey Smok welcome back... do not leave this forum.

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## jose lobo

i would like to share things that i have learned my 16 year though out the world.
live and hunting with the natives, in many regions.  
 i have change my beliefs on many thing. knifes as well.
i only using a 25' machete,($5) for everything,, i mean everything.. from cutting down a tree, axing firewood, shaving the hair off and skinning a wild borer,  
 i have learn a way to sharpen a machete sharper than a new buck out of the display window,,( i can go into detail if you would like to learn the technique)

because of it flexibility and thinness, it can be sharpen like a razor,,
the way you bend it, while using a special file they call a leama, 

it has become one of the best things i have learn down here, and i would love to sharer it with you all...

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## Sarge47

> i would like to share things that i have learned my 16 year though out the world.
> live and hunting with the natives, in many regions.  
>  i have change my beliefs on many thing. knifes as well.
> i only using a 25' machete,($5) for everything,, i mean everything.. from cutting down a tree, axing firewood, shaving the hair off and skinning a wild borer,  
>  i have learn a way to sharpen a machete sharper than a new buck out of the display window,,( i can go into detail if you would like to learn the technique)
> 
> because of it flexibility and thinness, it can be sharpen like a razor,,
> the way you bend it, while using a special file they call a leama, 
> 
> it has become one of the best things i have learn down here, and i would love to sharer it with you all...


I find that highly interesting amigo, please share that here, perfect spot for it.

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## Beo

Don't believe it.

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## explodingearth

yea i need to know how to sharpen my machete  and new kabar

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## Beo

ditch the machete its a waste, dude.

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## explodingearth

yea right look what he just said lol how about i not be such a pussy and multiply my outdoor abilities by learning to carry a little weight?

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## marberry

i carry a cold steel kukuri magnum machete and have since ditched my hatchet , using a machete for skinning is just stupid , but try a machete you might like it , its all a matter of preference

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## explodingearth

i dont see why using anything that can get the skin off for skinning is stupid. kukri shape is best why?

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## marberry

it has great weight balance for chopping firewood , and i think it looks cool lol

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## jose lobo

ok... here we go,, i would not have believed it myself, being from your world,
but first i must say , i don't lie! 
 my machete is sharper than anything you all got.
and when i dull it down, i can sharpen it right back 
up to 2 foot razor blade in about 5 minutes. 

the most important thing is getting the file(about 6 inches) ready,, that is very important,, you must grind the file to become a very sharp knife itself on one side,   
then  you sick the tip of the machete into a tree or something that can hold it good,,
then with your knee or with just pressure you bend the machete into a semi arch. not quite a half moon..  then with the file you scrape the metal down off the blade.
 about 1 inch on both sides , the full length,, as you scrap, little spiral sliver of shiny machete metal  fall all over the place.
i have sharpen knifes, my whole life, and this blew me away.. i will never go back,,

I can send you all a video is you tell me how you would like me to post it.. 
it is worth learning,, 
also, we are killing a pig this weekend, and i can send you a video of us shaving it's hair, and chopping it up,and yes all with a machete!

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## FVR

Lobo,

A month back, I would not have believe ya, but while doing a boring permangenate injection, I decided to do a little work on my machete in the truck.

Clamped it down on a table and took a file to it.  First one side, then the other.  Then I took my diamond course stone to it, wearing leather gloves of course.  What good that would have done as when I got done the machete was razor sharp.

Fine files are what I always use to sharpen my knives followed by stone and a leather strap aka my buckskinning belt.

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## jose lobo

i love knifes, of all sizes, and styles,  and i still do,,please dont get me wrong, but
after hanging out with these people of the machete, i have learned may things.
 i came with all these high tec blades, and these guys put me, and my knifes to shame,, i had a knife for skinning, and gutting, and one for the joints,and a saw for bone...  

i would really like to post a video,, what is the best way?? can we do it on this sight?

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## jose lobo

the one thing that is had to explain,, is it is not like you taking a stone to your knife,,,
this style is not like that at all... this is taking the metal down on the first inch of the blade( the full distance) to a paper thin, blade,, it is not like sharing  you buck, and just sanding down the edge,,( this is like making one full inch of your knife ( most knifes are not even an inch wide)  thin as a razor as well as sharp as one. 

its amazing, that i was once so think headed that i would not believe anything new,,eather.. i guess it just take time tell you realize that the world is full of things to learn.

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## MedicineWolf

Sorry mr. lobo but up here in Montana your machete is pretty useless, I've tracked and hunted most of the northern US and up into Canada for over ternty years and never needed a machete, maybe in the jungles of Costa Rica you need it. There's nothing in the wilderness that I can't handle with my knife, and any blade over 6 maybe 7 inches is useless for skinning North American game.

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## jose lobo

medicine wolf,,
 I understand there are many ways to skin a cat! 
 I am not telling everyone to though your bucks out, but, i am just sharing something i have learn,  (and i can never unlearn it!)  Is that not what this sight is about??? 

As i came from Colorado, and lived in BC spending many year doing, what you are doing now!
  Then traveled the world looking at new ways of doing things. opening my mind to new ways, and learning thing that are not in any book, for culture that have been doing it forever.   
  Please, share something that i dont know, with me, and i will be impressed with you. 
and I am sure there are many things, my friend. please share! 

as far as knifes go, there are only a few country's in the world that think a 4 inch knife is more than a toy, or a kitchen utensil.  sorry to say.

I still own a nice collection of knifes from the, good old north,, I just don't use them much anymore.

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## marberry

in the north east manitoba wilderness a machete is a necessity , same as north west BC . tons of places in canada where using a machete makes traveling through the bush much easier.

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## FVR

Ya know, really don't give a crap what ya'll carry, as long as you know how to use what you "do" carry.

Nothing worse than a boot greenhorn (Lt.) with a big knife who does not know how to use it.  Bowies have their place, as do machettes and skinning knives.

For skinning, I'm sticking with my chert and obsidian tools.

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## Rob

Responding to the original post I would recomend a good carbon steel over stainless steel. looks more rustic and can be used with flint and native cherts to spark a fire.

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## Sarge47

> Responding to the original post I would recomend a good carbon steel over stainless steel. looks more rustic and can be used with flint and native cherts to spark a fire.


Carbon steel rusts a lot easier than Stainless Steel and should be used only in "dry" areas. :Cool:

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## Sarge47

> Lobo,
> 
> A month back, I would not have believe ya, but while doing a boring permangenate injection, I decided to do a little work on my machete in the truck.
> 
> Clamped it down on a table and took a file to it.  First one side, then the other.  Then I took my diamond course stone to it, wearing leather gloves of course.  What good that would have done as when I got done the machete was razor sharp.
> 
> Fine files are what I always use to sharpen my knives followed by stone and a leather strap aka my buckskinning belt.


In one of my older Boy Scout Field Book's, they show how to use the file method on an axe to make it razor sharp. :EEK!:

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## Rob

If you take care of your cabon knives they will last you a life time. Ive had mine for many years it is just part of your routine to check and take care of all of your equipment.

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## FVR

People pass up sharpening with file, don't know why.  They are great, but you can ruin a blade if you don't know what you're doing.

I sharpen by basic metal broadheads with a file, finish off with a leather strapping.

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## MedicineWolf

Didn't mean to offend anyone, yeah Lobo this forum is about sharing info and I was trained since I was a young kid by my grandfather and his friends how to live off the land like my forefathers, the army taught me a little but not everything now I live up in northern Montana in my own handmade A-frame cabin, hunt for my food (not saying I don't go to the store) and fish using the tools of my heritage. So I know my way around the forests just a little, I just never seen no need for machete even in Panama I used my knife..

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## FVR

I see there are are a few people here that have been down to Fort Sherman.

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## MedicineWolf

Yup, but Sherman and Fort Amador were turned over to Panama in 1999.

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## FVR

Yeh.  2006 the USMC opened Jungle Warfare Training in Oki.


I went through Ft. Sherman back in 84.  I hated it and loved it at the same time.

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## Nativedude

This is the knife I have been carrying for the last 35 years. Got it from my Grandpa when I was 8 years old. It's a Schrade, with a 4" blade, leather handle, and it has a high carbon steel blade. It holds an edge excellently and is easy to re-sharpen.

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## scabbyota

What length fix blade knife do you prefer ? 5 1/4 inch is my favorite for all around use.

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## Nativedude

I have a Schrade fixed blade with a 4" blade. It's 8.5" o.a.l. I have been using it, in the woods, for the last 35 years. It has a high carbon steel blade that sharpens easily and holds its edge beautifully!  :Wink:

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## MedicineWolf

That is all a matter of choice, as I prefer a 4inch patch knife, but a good of 6 to 8 inches knife along with it, alot of people I know say anything over 6in. is a waste of blade. I disagree as it all depends on the situation and what you prefer. I carry a 4in. patch knife and an 8in. hunter, mine were handmade one by a friend and one I ordered. I believe in spending the money on the knife as it is the single most important survival item you need.

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## HOP

For me a 5" blade in a fixed blade and 4" lock back but I like big knifes just that smaller blades are more useful for most task . If a person had to use a knife for defense 7" might be nice. Most knives that are described  for bushcraft are about 4" If I am planing to cut saplings for shelter frames a 9" chopper is what I like. I find Swiss Army Knives indespencible as well. I would say a Nesmuk but am in the process of modifying a old hickory into one now and will see.

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## SemperParatus

> I believe in spending the money on the knife as it is the single most important survival item you need.


I somewhat agree and somewhat disagree. The word "item" is the basis for agreement as that eliminates knowledge as an option. Once a friend of mine (Creek/Cherokee/Scotch Irish) made a simple demonstration to me with a couple of rocks. He struck one against the other a single blow and knocked off a sliver. He then picked up the sliver and proceeded to easily shave hair on his arm with it. When I thought of the countless hours I'd spent trying to get that kind of an edge on a knife blade, I knew I had what Dr. Phil calls an "Aha moment". I'm never without knives but I also know now that if I ever am, I'll be ok. Knives are easy. Just ask any inmate.

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## carcajou garou

I use a 4" blade in most applications, backed up with my "go to" knife with a 7" blade. I also carry a 'hawk or a small ax.

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## MedicineWolf

> I use a 4" blade in most applications, backed up with my "go to" knife with a 7" blade. I also carry a 'hawk or a small ax.



Like your style  :Big Grin:

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## explodingearth

inmates dont make knives they make shanks. simple stabbing instruments. you rarely see any blades in prison with a sharp edge other that the razor slashers but they steal the razorz

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## explodingearth

small axe vs. machete

which would you all say is best? i think that a machete can serve all the same uses as an axe and has a longer reach

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## carcajou garou

It all depends on what you want to do, and even more so your ability with either.
Being limited to only one I would defer to my small ax or "hawk. They are very sharp and with handle removed can be used like a palm knife (ULU)

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## HOP

> inmates dont make knives they make shanks. simple stabbing instruments. you rarely see any blades in prison with a sharp edge other that the razor slashers but they steal the razorz


I had a co-worker stabbed in the liver with a paper clip he almost didnt make it to surgery , it is not so much what you got but how you aply what you got I have seen a fair stabbing weapon made from a styrofoam cup melted down and I have seen straight up knives coming out of the shop they are al caled shanks but come in many forms.

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## Sarge47

> That is all a matter of choice, as I prefer a 4inch patch knife, but a good of 6 to 8 inches knife along with it, alot of people I know say anything over 6in. is a waste of blade. I disagree as it all depends on the situation and what you prefer. I carry a 4in. patch knife and an 8in. hunter, mine were handmade one by a friend and one I ordered. I believe in spending the money on the knife as it is the single most important survival item you need.


Gotta agree here with MW.  It's all what the individual wants.  Some folks get by with one blade, and some of those are 4" or so long and some a lot longer.  I have a Buck Folder with a 2 1/2" blade, a Buck Vanguard with a 4" blade, a Buck general with a 7" Blade, and my Ka-Bar Bull-Dozier with a 7" Blade.  I'd use any of the fixed blades in any situation not requiring fine work.  Instead of a machete I'd go with Ontario knive's R-TAK-II with it's 10" Blade,backed up, perhaps with their RAT-7 with D-2 steel.  If I want another 4" fixed blade knife for a good Survival knife I'd look into Gerber's "LMF-II"  although I hear the "Mora knife" is pretty good with the same size blade. :Cool:

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## dilligaf2u2

I carry a Frost Mora EDC. It is a good knife. I prefer a 4 to 6 inch knife. My go to knife was a M7 Bennett till I changed the handle. I started caring the Frost about a year ago and put the M7 on my pack for field use only. 

I have a Buck Light for my folder. I also have several types of SAK's. 

The right tool for the job. 

Don

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## sh4d0wm4573ri7

Have several lengths styles and makes depends on the job at hand

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## jose lobo

hey there,
i spoke of the 20 inches machete last week, and i would like to share, a couple clips with you.. about how you can sharpen a machete because of the fact that you can bend it, and get it very thin ,,,, making it razor sharp....  lot of the trick too, is the file,

like i said, against all the harsh works against the machete,,,,  i am not saying to thought your bucks away... im just saying to try out new ideas.

if i could have only one tool out there in the bush,, for the rest of my life,,,, it would be a 20' machete.
 this video is hard to see ,, but there are little shavings of metal coming up on every stroke of file,,,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTX6laT6k9c

granted this is a banana plant, and can be cut with a machete, but this is 8 inche at the bottom, and it must be sharp to thought it in one hit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N74dHf2ACXs


if anyone would like more explanations, on this techniques.  let me know.

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## Beo

If I could have one tool out in the bush for the rest of my life it would be Jose Lobo to do all the work  :Big Grin:  jk great video dude, thanks.

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## Ole WV Coot

I am never without my Swiss Army knife and my SOG folder. I carry an EK that will hold anyone's attention. I have a couple of versions of the Hideaway knife and ALWALYS have a Beretta 45 handy ( with a carry permit of course ). I do have a machete on my ATV. Also a Buck and Gerber in a fender bag. I tend to stay away from metal detectors.

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## Beo

Ole WV Coot, what Ek knife do you have?

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## Ole WV Coot

The one I carry has the blade of a Mod 3, (edge & 1/2). Made in Richmond, VA a little after 1982. Has a straight guard and replaced handles which are Walnut with common brass rivits. Four digit #. I don't remember if I put the straight guard on or not. I must have cut back the handles some since I now have a one inch extended tang.

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## jose lobo

hey there,
i spoke of the 20 inches machete last week, and i would like to share, a couple clips with you.. about how you can sharpen a machete because of the fact that you can bend it, and get it very thin ,,,, making it razor sharp.... lot of the trick too, is the file,

like i said, against all the harsh works against the machete,,,, i am not saying to thought your bucks away... im just saying to try out new ideas.

if i could have only one tool out there in the bush,, for the rest of my life,,,, it would be a 20' machete.
this video is hard to see ,, but there are little shavings of metal coming up on every stroke of file,,,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTX6laT6k9c

granted this is a banana plant, and can be cut with a machete, but this is 8 inche at the bottom, and it must be sharp to thought it in one hit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N74dHf2ACXs


if anyone would like more explanations, on this techniques. let me know.

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## Nativedude

A knife, like a car or truck, is a personal choice. I have been all over the world with my 4" Schrade; All 50 states in the U.S., Australia, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Mexico, Yukon Territory, B.C., New Foundland, etc. I have used it in boreal forests, deserts, jungles, arctic terrain, etc. It has done everything I have ever needed it to do.

I see people carrying knives with blades as big 13" and machetes as big as 40" (o.a.l.) If that's what they choose, so be it!

My knife is 8 1/4" o.a.l., is all I need, and I don't get hassled when I carry it in urban areas (other than in CA) and I don't go there!

I have even packed it in my check-in luggage when traveling, post 9/11, and have never had any trouble.

When people ask me what I think is the best knife, I reply; *The best knife for "me" is my Schrade. . . .The best knife for "you", is what ever you like and feels comfortable for you to handle and use. Knowing how to use a knife is the #1 priority.*  :Big Grin:

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## HOP

> This is the knife I have been carrying for the last 35 years. Got it from my Grandpa when I was 8 years old. It's a Schrade, with a 4" blade, leather handle, and it has a high carbon steel blade. It holds an edge excellently and is easy to re-sharpen.


Man that yellow tape makes me think you have studied the 98.6 methods by Cody Lungren

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## explodingearth

if you think about it 911 actually helped the us. what are the chances of something like that happening again they showed us our security flaws. funny thing is thats how it goes in the US nothing is ever improved witohut hundreds of people dying first. NEVEr any proactive measures being taken

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## MedicineWolf

The chances are moderate to high that it will happen again, don't fool yourself.

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## marberry

considering the usa did it themselves , the chances are extremely high , soon as they find lots of oil in africa the usa will be there with the exact same reason.

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## owl_girl

The government gained a lot of power from 911. How would you convince people to give up more of their freedoms to gain a titer grip around them? Convince them that there is a threat and that they need your protection. Its a very effective strategy, Hitler used it.

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## Nativedude

> Man that yellow tape makes me think you have studied the 98.6 methods by Cody Lungren


The tape is not because of Cody Lundin, it is because, in the past, I have dropped my knife in the woods, especially in the fall, and it has taken valuable time to find it in amongst the leaves, brown grass, dirt, etc. I learned many years ago to mark the "dark" colored tools in my shoulder bag. I also use it a teaching guide for my students.

I never quite understood why anyone would buy and carry "camouflage" knives, binos, etc. with them? I know quite a few people who have lost these things simply by dropping them, and then they are not able to find them.

My knife is my most important tool when I'm in the bush and I value its worth.  :Smile: 

*On a second note;* MedicineWolf is right. The chances of another attack are high! We the sheeple are to lazy and oblivious to the obvious!!

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## HOP

Ge native dude thats the same reason that Cody marks his stuff with bright tape , go figure. The Security measures of the patriot act steming from 9/11 have not stopped or detered and teroist acts that we know of but gives false hope to many.

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## FVR

The idea of camo is a marketing scheme played on the consumer by the likes of Bass Pro and many other mega outdoorsy stores.

It is more of a fashion statement now days than any thing else.  Yeh, you think you are invisable to the animals, wow.  Many hundreds of years have gone by, with many animals hunted and taken without the use of camo and carbon based non scent clothing.

Chaching............they gotcha by the drawers on this one.

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## Tactical Tom

Ok guys -n- gals , I'm new to this forum but not to the outdoors. I carry 2 knives w/me at all times (Buck/Stryder 889 & SAK Soldier) & when I go into the bush I also have on my belt a BK-10 & Gerber multi-tool. On my day pack I have a CS kukri machete :Big Grin:  A good knife is priceless when your out w/ mothernature :Wink:  . To tell you the best to buy would only be my .02 , You need to go out & check out several different brands & models to see what fits our needs best. Good luck !

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## woodwose

Hose Lobo, I saw your film on youtube. I like that. I have a machete and will sharpen it (if I can bend it) like that. I believe that you must be prepared when going into any wilderness area. If I am heading to an area that a machete is a good choice, I will take my machete. If I go into areas where a machete is not as practical, I will not take it. 

Different knives for different purposes... some for multi-purposes. I carry a Camilus 'pilot' survival knife myself because it is practical and easy to handle for most of the purposes I use it for. If I am to do other types of work with a knife that needs to be a different type, I'll use that. Common Sense. Use what is useful to you I say and thank you for sharing that information on the machete.

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## HOP

I like them Beckers i have tried to buy, trade or what ever for a BK5 Magnum Camp Knife but unless K-Bar starts to make them for Becker I am stuck out. I have a few Busse Combats I enjoy very much and really enjoy the SOG revolver as well . I have a beat up pited from rust and needing a handle Cammilus USMC that the piting is really bad but I can't seem to put it dawn I have desided to cary it any wayu 1095 steel going to put a rawhide handle on it . Some one gave me the knife in the condition and I concider it a treasure and it sure gets sharp pits and al.

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## Tactical Tom

I like to carry a couple of different knives w/me :Big Grin:  
I can't go out the door without my SAK Soldier & either my Buck/Stryder 889 SBMF or my Spyderco Wegner. As for a fixed blade I have been packing a 5 1/2" blade (BK10) but now I'm going to pack a 7" (BK7) a little more chopping power. I also like to carry on my pack a CS kukri machete.

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## Rick

Re: Semper's reference to the sharp rock. I saw a documentary a while back that compared a flint edge to a scalpel. (I hope I get this right on the numbers). They said the scalpel had a 7mm edge and the flint's was 3mm. Much sharper. I was a bit surprised. 

Re: Hop's paperclip story. An old weapon that was used by ladies were long hat pins for the very reason he outlined.

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## FVR

Here are my two favorites.

Beo will like these.

You can shave with either.



http://Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

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## corndog-44

It is traditionally believed that the giving of a knife as a gift to a friend will cut or sever the relationship. To avoid such ill luck, the receiver should give a coin in return so as to "pay" for the gift. It is common to include a penny, often taped to the blade, with a knife given as a gift which the receiver is to return as "payment."

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## stompk

"The Edge" sure was a good movie :-)

<wink>

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## Rick

It is bad luck to close a pocket knife unless you were the one who opened it.

Knife falls, gentleman calls;
Fork falls, lady calls;
Spoon falls, baby calls.

It's bad luck to cross knives while seated at a table.

I'd really be interested in any superstitions that Sri Lanka might have regarding knives.

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## kid_couteau

I have read that in some Polynesian areas if someone wants to see your knife you lay it on the ground and let them pick it up.  Because to hand it to them is a challenge to a duel.

Kid

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## WildGoth

so uh does that mean that we should add a penny to the knife being passed around

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## Nativedude

> so uh does that mean that we should add a penny to the knife being passed around


The tradition should be carried on!  :Wink:

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## Jay

In SL there are a couple of superstitons about knives, and these are practiced mostly by the older folks in the rural areas. (off the beaten track..so to speak)

You do not hand a knife or any other cutting implement to someone....you place it beside him and let him pick it up.

Any cutting impliment used for hunting or defense is always stored above head hight..(in the eves of the house above the doorframe or even hidden in the thach. (I'm inclined to beleive this was a commonsense thing to prevent children getting their hands on them and doing themselves an injury)  It is paticularly true for swords. they are always placed above head height.

one should not sharpen a knife after dark.  (I dont know why)

Apart from that I really dont know much about it.  I'm due to start a new project in mid-january after the rains.  I'll ask around.

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## Beo

I don't believe in superstition, one makes his own luck by his knowledge and skills, I do practice handing a knife to someone handle first.

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## Rick

....he said as he rubbed his rabbit's foot and tossed salt across his shoulder. :Big Grin:

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## trax

> In SL there are a couple of superstitons about knives, and these are practiced mostly by the older folks in the rural areas. (off the beaten track..so to speak)
> 
> You do not hand a knife or any other cutting implement to someone....you place it beside him and let him pick it up.
> 
> Any cutting impliment used for hunting or defense is always stored above head hight..(in the eves of the house above the doorframe or even hidden in the thach. (I'm inclined to beleive this was a commonsense thing to prevent children getting their hands on them and doing themselves an injury)  It is paticularly true for swords. they are always placed above head height.
> 
> one should not sharpen a knife after dark.  (I dont know why)
> 
> Apart from that I really dont know much about it.  I'm due to start a new project in mid-january after the rains.  I'll ask around.


All of those so called superstitions make sense. If you set the knife down and let the other person pick it up, reduces risk of gettting cut.

If you store the knives up high, reduces the risk of little children injuring themselves.

Sharpening a knife after dark is a bad idea if you're living by candle or lamplight, you could slice your own thumb off if it suddenly goes dark.

Superstitions and traditions often have such common sense beginnings that it's laughable. I heard a story about a lady who as a child used to watch her mother bake the Easter ham and every year her mother would whack a big chunk of the end of the ham before putting it in the pan. So when she grew up, she did the same thing. Her husband was watching her one year and asked her why she chopped one end off the ham like that and she replied "that's how I was taught to do it" But it started bothering her so she called her mom and asked her why she did it all those years. Her mom responded, "because the pan was too small for the meat."

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## FVR

If you play with the knife, you're gonna get cut.

Oh, that's not superstition, just fact.

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## Gray Wolf

> I do practice handing a knife to someone handle first.


Beowulf, you are a trusting soul!  I did that once with a brand new hunting knife, my friend was so enthused he grabbed it fast and pulled it sideways.... MEDIC  :EEK!:

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## Rick

Anyone ever play mumbly peg? Root! Root!

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## Nativedude

> Anyone ever play mumbly peg? Root! Root!


Huh???   :Confused:  I've never heard of it?!

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## Rick

Oh, Native Dude. Have I got a game for you. It's a series of knife drops and throws ending in the loser having to dig a piece of wood out of the ground like a pig. There are all sorts of variations and scoring but here's a link to a pretty good explanation. 

http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/games...mumbly_peg.htm

Our games were never this elaborate. They never went as long as the article describes. But we started out the same way and had several of the same ways of dropping a knife. 

We played this quite a bit as a kid. I came up with a dirty face on more than one occasion. When we played, the winner would ask, "Do you want me to drive it in with two hits with my eyes open or three with 'em closed?" I always took the closed method and hoped to high heaven he missed every time. :Big Grin:

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## Beo

Played a couple times i the Army, not since. And I only hand my knife to people I trust, not just anyone and then its sheathed when I do.

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## Rick

Oh, I haven't played in years. 100 or so anyway. Great game for a bunch of kids.

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## Gray Wolf

Has anyone ever used The Ritter RSK Mk3 fixed blade, or the RSK Mk1 folder? What was your opinion as far as quality vs cost?

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## RobertRogers

Expensive but well made.

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## bladefrenzy

I have heard, but don't know how true it is.  Some over our Vietnam Vets may know (Beerrunner where ya at?) that Turkish soldiers can't draw their knife without drawing blood, so if removing it from the sheath say even for sharpening the must at least make a small nick on themselves.  Another vet told me that one.  Kinda makes sense seeing how hard core the Turkish soldiers are. But who knows if it's a real tradition or superstition ?

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## Lupo

What is a great overall survival knife? Something not to pricey.

Also, what purposes does a knife offer in the world of survival?


~Lupo

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## Tony uk

A great survival knife is the Coldsteel Bushman or the Ka-Bar USMC 

The knife is one of the most important tools for survival, from making a shelter to getting food and firelighting you shiuld never got anywhere in the wilds without a decent blade

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## Sarge47

Lupo, you're 14 years old, right?  So what we adults would use may not be what your parents would allow.  What experience have you had with knives?  Do you own any right now?  Remember, a knife is not a toy and can cut you as well as anything else. :Cool:

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## Sarge47

Lupo, there's been many threads posted on knives; here's one of them:

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...read.php?t=956

You need to start going through the various forums and check out all the threads relating to what your looking for instead of having us try and repeat it all here.  I'll post more if/when I find them, OK? :Cool:

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## MCBushbaby

Technically, any knife is a good survival knife so long as you know how to use it.  That means don't try to pry with a thin knife like the Bushman and don't try to fillet using the thick SRK.  Don't try to baton using a fillet knife and don't try to do serious work using your little Swiss Army multitool.  I for one have a modified hacksaw blade in my survival tin which serves as steel for flint striking, wire cutting (duh), and the back is stone-honed to razor sharpness for multipurpose use.  I also carry the semi-expensive Cold Steel CarbonV SRK and a $20 Winchester multitool from Walmart.  My housemate and outdoor enthusiast friend found an old carbon steel kitchen knife in our basement workshop and uses that alongside his SRK.  Many people here use a Mora for its quality craftsmanship and edge-holding qualities.  Others use a machete or Tom Brown Tracker for its ruggedness and hacking/batoning ability.

While any knife can be used for a variety of purposes, make sure your knife suits the needs of your region.  If you're in the jungle, a small knife and a machete might be better than a multitool and a 6" belt knife.  Likewise if you're in the boreal forest, you'd probably want a thicker knife than a filleter, although you can still get along with it.

Since, according a previous response, you are 14 I'm going to assume you're not going to spend more than a week along in the bush so I'd say just pick up an el-cheapo Walmart-brand fixed blade.  Take care of it and e sure to realize its weaknesses over brand name knives, and it'll serve you for years.

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## Sarge47

Good advice from Mitch, but get your parents permission 1st, OK?  I'm going to be re-editing this post by adding threads on knives so keep referring back to it, OK?  Here's the next one:

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...read.php?t=517  :Cool: 

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...read.php?t=146

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...hread.php?t=93

That should hold you for awhile.

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## Lupo

> Lupo, you're 14 years old, right?  So what we adults would use may not be what your parents would allow.  What experience have you had with knives?  Do you own any right now?  Remember, a knife is not a toy and can cut you as well as anything else.


They dont care bout me using knifes, long as I dont lose any fingers. I use them when me and my dad go hunting.

I think Im going to go with the Ka-bar USMC fullsize serrated knife. Thank you all for your inquires.

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## Sarge47

> They dont care bout me using knifes, long as I dont lose any fingers. I use them when me and my dad go hunting.
> 
> I think Im going to go with the Ka-bar USMC fullsize serrated knife. Thank you all for your inquires.


Now don't I feel like the fool!  I thought you were serious when you asked our advice!  If you already made up your mind then why did you bother? :Confused: 
1st of all the Full-sized Ka-bar USMC knife is designed  by weight and length to be handled by a grown man who's been combat trained.  It's no knife to be placed in the hands of a 14 year-old.  As a matter-of-fact, here in America you have to be at least 16 to buy a knife.  I would never allow my son to have that kind of a blade at your age.
2nd, I find it hard to believe that your parents would be that neglectful in watching out for their son who could do serious damage to himself with such a weapon, and that's exactly what it is, a weapon, not a survival knife.
3rd, if you studied the threads I posted you've seen that the experts here don't have much use for the serrated blade.  Do me a favor and don't ask me for anymore advice unless you're going to listen, OK? :Cool:

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## Lupo

> Now don't I feel like the fool!  I thought you were serious when you asked our advice!  If you already made up your mind then why did you bother?
> 1st of all the Full-sized Ka-bar USMC knife is designed  by weight and length to be handled by a grown man who's been combat trained.  It's no knife to be placed in the hands of a 14 year-old.  As a matter-of-fact, here in America you have to be at least 16 to buy a knife.  I would never allow my son to have that kind of a blade at your age.
> 2nd, I find it hard to believe that your parents would be that neglectful in watching out for their son who could do serious damage to himself with such a weapon, and that's exactly what it is, a weapon, not a survival knife.
> 3rd, if you studied the threads I posted you've seen that the experts here don't have much use for the serrated blade.  Do me a favor and don't ask me for anymore advice unless you're going to listen, OK?




I didn't want to go with the walmart type knife that someone recommended because, I just don't like walmart for some reason. And Tony UK recommended the Ka-Bar USMC so i looked into that and I liked it. So maybe i wont go with the serrated edge one. I am responsible enough to handle a knife properly sir. I understand that it is something to be treated with respect. And as for my parents, they trust me with a firearm, I after all took the class and passed. So why wouldn't they trust me with a knife. You make me seem like some stupid 14 year who is in the dark.

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## Sarge47

> I didn't want to go with the walmart type knife that someone recommended because, I just don't like walmart for some reason. And Tony UK recommended the Ka-Bar USMC so i looked into that and I liked it. So maybe i wont go with the serrated edge one. I am responsible enough to handle a knife properly sir. I understand that it is something to be treated with respect. And as for my parents, they trust me with a firearm, I after all took the class and passed. So why wouldn't they trust me with a knife. You make me seem like some stupid 14 year who is in the dark.


Let's you & me clear the air on something right now, you're the one making yourself sound stupid!  Tony UK is 20 years old and lives in Scotland.  You say that you know how to treat a knife with respect and I believe you, but you're just not listening to the more experienced hands here.  It's alright, you're going to do what you want anyway so don't bother  asking me my advice in the future if you're not serious about listening.  Wal-Mart also sells "Buck" Knives and I bought the Buck Special there for $35 and gave it to my son...when he reached the age of 21!  Prior to that he carried the Victorionox Swiss Army Knife. (Folder).  Being stupid is not listening to proper advice no matter how old you are.  Being wise means you listen and follow the more experienced here.  In my profession I work constantly with kids of all ages as a I drive both Transit and School Buses.  I don't think you're stupid, just wrong.  That's my opinion and do with it what you will. :Cool:

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## Lupo

Well, I did not know he was the age of 20. I wouldnt know where to find that out even. He was not the only person who recommended it, I followed your first link and found a lot of Ka-bar lovers. As well with the second. So I thought that it could have been the way to go... guess I was wrong.

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## Sarge47

> Well, I did not know he was the age of 20. I wouldn't know where to find that out even. He was not the only person who recommended it, I followed your first link and found a lot of Ka-bar lovers. As well with the second. So I thought that it could have been the way to go... guess I was wrong.


Listen, sorry if I'm a bit grumpy, but we get some real winners here from time to time and I didn't mean to take it out on you.  Awhile back a couple of guys in their mid 20's tried to impress us here by telling us they were going out into the Manitoba, Canada wilderness during early winter for 30 days with nothing more than their knives and the clothes on their backs.  We argued with them, begged, did everything we could think of to get them to reconsider, they didn't budge.  They lasted 13 days and came home hungry, cold, and wet.  I guess that's what I was re-acting to and I apologize if i came on strong.

  I do understand you wanting a knife, so lets you & I talk about that for a minute.  Are you looking for a knife just for Survival or for other things like hunting & fishing as well?  I'd always prefer a "fixed-blade" over a folder if I were to only carry one, however I'd carry one of each at least; but then I'm 60 years old too.  Rick suggested a Survival book by Cody Lundin titled:  "98.6 Degrees:  The Art Of Keeping Your A*S alive!"  Not only is it a great book on Wilderness Survival, Cody has even responded back to this forum via e-mail to answer a question that Rick had about his book.  He has a web-site
regarding his Survival School as well as some gear he offers for sale.  It is his "PROFESSIONAL" opinion that the "Mora" knife is one of the best all-around" Survival knives made and he sells them from his web-site for around $20 ea.
I will admit that I don't own one at the present time but probably will pick one up in the future based on what others on this forum have said about them.  If you want to see one Cody's Web-site is www.alssadventures.com.  this may not be what you want, but I do recommend a "fixed-blade" knife with a good quality steel with a Rockwell Hardness rating between 52-54 and a "full-tang" construction.  (Forget the "Rambo" hollow-handle jobs.)  In you're case I think that a 4" blade is great for survival, hunting and fishing.  I have a Buck Vanguard that has a rubberized handle that I love and it has a "drop-point" 4" blade.  If you go any longer than that I'd say no more than 5" for now.    Ka-Bar makes them a bit shorter, check these out if you like the brand.

http://www.tomarskabars.com/ShortKabarFighters.html

Whatever you do, don't rush into a knife purchase until you've thought it all through, ok? :Wink:

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## Beo

What a trade of words between you two  :Big Grin:  First off let me say that Lupo was very respectful through the whole conversation and that shows maturity (lets not get mad because he doesn't agree with our opinion), second I (and this is my opinion and you can get mad I could care less) don't think he's too young for a K-bar or a full size bowie if that is what he chooses, his parents (father most likely) must have taught him since they go hunting together, I taught my son from the age of 7 how to use a knife the proper way and at 9 gave hm his first one and at age fourteen taught him knife fighting techniques-skinning-throwing-and other skills, Lupo didn't come here to ask for our permission he came asking for a good knife. So I say the K-bar is a good choice but not mine. I prefer a plain basic knife like this:
Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
And I also carry a small patch knife. These are just my personal choices. 
Good luck Lupo and choose your knives wisely.
Beo,

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## Sarge47

I apologized to young Lupo, alright?  However as responsible adults we need to be careful in how we advise under-age minors,and as a law-enforcement officer I believe that you know that, right?  I have no real idea what Lupo's situation is so I'm going to err on the side of caution.  I do know that if my son was 14 and I found out that a bunch of "Survival" type adults were advising what I moght consider "weapons" I would remove him/her from this site.  Also we get a lot of young ones asking our advice only to go ahead and do what they want to do anyway.  Lupo did show maturity when he admitted that he may have been wrong and that says a lot to me, ok? :Cool:

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## Beo

Relax bro, I didn't mean to upset you or anyone else. I know you apoligized and I think it was unwarrented for you to think you should have, I personally thik what you said was great. But I'd give advise because if they are gonna and really wanna do it anyway then at least they might do it correctly and not wrong. And I think you did a good job of setting boundries for him as is your job as an adult and our moderator.
And this thread should be spelled: Knives not knifes  :Big Grin:  And is Beu a poke at PU? lol... jk

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## Tony uk

lol Beowulf  :Smile:  

Can i ask a smaller Q well this topic is changeing, Has anyone ever tryed the A-Frame shelter ? , If so can they suggest a good method of thatching it, I was going to put moss from bottom to top then cover with braches, But any of you guys have a better way ?

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## Sarge47

> Relax bro, I didn't mean to upset you or anyone else. I know you apoligized and I think it was unwarrented for you to think you should have, I personally thik what you said was great. But I'd give advise because if they are gonna and really wanna do it anyway then at least they might do it correctly and not wrong. And I think you did a good job of setting boundries for him as is your job as an adult and our moderator.
> And this thread should be spelled: Knives not knifes  And is Beu a poke at PU? lol... jk


The typo regarding your name...oops.  I apologized for my tone, not my viewpoint.  Since Lupo admitted his humanity in the fact that he does not know more than ya'all, I wish to keep the doors of dialouge open.  I also understand your point on "if they're going to do it anyway, teach them right and I really can't find an opposing answer for that except to say that Survival is "life or death", not some game we see on the Discovery Channel.  When "Newbys" come to us claiming they want to learn then it becomes our responsibility, by virtue of offering them our advice, to teach them correctly, especially if they're a minor.  I'm not to sure if that refutes your statement or strengthens it, however.  I also liked another post of yours elsewhere on the "Rambo" thing.  Hollywood has, in my opinion, screwed the image of "Survival" up for anyone not knowing how it's supposed to be done.  The truth of the matter is that everything we see on the screen has been scripted.  In a real situation the script's been thrown out the window!  In his introdution Lupo admitted to two things, his age and his lack of knowledge in the area of Survival; then, like others before him jump right into "Knife choice".  I don't think that's what he should be thinking about at all at this point; perhaps learning 1st aid.  There is so much going through my head on this right now that I don't know if I can get it all down.  So prepare for my next Thread:  "The Wolf-Pack" Survival School!"  :Cool:

----------


## Lupo

First Aid sounds hard. Would you recommend for me to bring a first aid kit into the woods or read a book and look for some fancy healing leaves or something like that.

----------


## Sarge47

> First Aid sounds hard. Would you recommend for me to bring a first aid kit into the woods or read a book and look for some fancy healing leaves or something like that.


I need to know 1st where abouts do you live, 2nd get into a program like the Boy Scouts or go to a chapter of the Red Cross and get some training.  You need to know what to do BEFORE you get equipment as this will give you an idea of which equipment you will need and which you won't. :Cool:

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## Rick

Lupo - First aid is something you can benefit from your entire life no matter where you are. Check with your local hospital or Red Cross chapter and see if they offer a combined first aid, CPR, AED class. I just went out to my local hospital's home page and they offer: 

Adult, Infant and Child CPR and AED Training for $45.00

Not only will you have some good sound general knowledge of first aid to take to the field with you but you'll also have that same knowledge should one of your parents or a sibling have an accident, choke, have a heart attack, break a bone, etc. And yes, you should have a good first aid kit with you at all times.

----------


## MCBushbaby

I stopped about halfway down this long list of responses since my last post so I apologize in advance if you buried the hatchet.

Without a long-winded thesis:
1) The responsibility of how a child interacts with a knife, firearm, etc. lies, and always shall, with the parent.  Even if Johnny Johnson, age 7, asks what should he consider to buy if he's getting into surviving, we as survival experts, NOT PARENTS, should do all we can to point him in the right direction.  We should only consider his location, size (includes age I guess) and activities when recommending the proper knife.  Let the parents worry about him purchasing and using the knife, it's at their discretion after all.

2) Lupo, don't get a giant KaBar.  I have a Cold Steel SRK with a 6" blade and at times I'd rather opt for a 4 or 5".  I can't imagine how a 7" would work for anything but batoning and Croc Dundee-style encounters.  Remember, survival is not just who has the biggest knife.  You need to do everything from carving a makeshift bowl to gutting a squirrel to cutting saplings.  I did a review of the Bushman (with a similarly long and massive blade) and I couldn't find a use for it other than to cut and hack.  It won't serve you very well in the bush in the long term.

3) Don't get serrated edges.  There is no point.  Not only are they next to impossible to sharpen (and impossible to while in the bush), they don't provide any reasonable effect other than looks.  Again, Croc Dundee encounters.

----------


## MCBushbaby

On a side note, Mors Kochanski (the most significant boreal forest survival expert in N America) says to only use a knife who's blade is only as long as your palm is wide.  Likewise for the handle.  He says it offers better control and a multitude of uses as compared with something smaller or larger.  He also recommends no top or side guard on the knife, which allows you to move your hand up on the blade for more delicate work without having to navigate the guard.  Bottom is still important as it prevents slips onto the edge.

----------


## sh4d0wm4573ri7

a good survival knife is one that you like made out of quality materials and able to do a multitude of tasks. As for age restriction that is obviously your parents decision , I have a 24 yr old boy a 14 year old boy and a 7 year old girl all of whom are accomplished rifle shooters and all but my daughter are very profficient with knife use . My daughter became a crack shot with a 22 at the ripe old age of 5 both boys have had their own knives and multitools since they were like 12 age is no way to gauge responsability it's a mere guideline my choice in survival knives : I own several , my favorites are the sog seal pup and the srk v carbon however I probably have about 30 different knives I like

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## Sarge47

> On a side note, Mors Kochanski (the most significant boreal forest survival expert in N America) says to only use a knife who's blade is only as long as your palm is wide.  Likewise for the handle.  He says it offers better control and a multitude of uses as compared with something smaller or larger.  He also recommends no top or side guard on the knife, which allows you to move your hand up on the blade for more delicate work without having to navigate the guard.  Bottom is still important as it prevents slips onto the edge.


Both posts were great advice, and yes, we buried the hatchet! :Big Grin:   I like Mors Kochanski and Cody Lundin seems to promote him as well.  If you go to Cody's Web-site and click on the "store" icon you can see 2 different styles of Swedish Mora knives for $20 each.  You can get up to two knives with an additional $5 shipping & handling.  I like the one with the "rubberized" handle and will probably add it to my collection later. :Cool:

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## Sarge47

Rick that is great!  You certainly are a man of many resources!  I really like that "Flame Orange" one.  It would be a lot harder to lose than the others! :Cool:

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## Rick

I actually did a post then deleted it. So I've put it back. Here's a link to Swedish knives that are pretty inexpensive. I think these are the same on Cody's page.

http://www.swedishknives.com/760craft.htm#The%20Clipper

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## Tony uk

I thought Sarge was talking to thin air there :P

Thanks Rick Yo Da Man  :Big Grin:

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## Nativedude

Here is a link to Frost knives. The Mora S1 is an excellent survival/outdoors knife. I have a couple of them and I really like them.   :Wink: 

http://www.swedishknives.com/760craf...20Mora%20Knife

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## Nativedude

> Oh, Native Dude. Have I got a game for you. It's a series of knife drops and throws ending in the loser having to dig a piece of wood out of the ground like a pig. There are all sorts of variations and scoring but here's a link to a pretty good explanation. 
> 
> http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/games...mumbly_peg.htm
> 
> Our games were never this elaborate. They never went as long as the article describes. But we started out the same way and had several of the same ways of dropping a knife. 
> 
> We played this quite a bit as a kid. I came up with a dirty face on more than one occasion. When we played, the winner would ask, "Do you want me to drive it in with two hits with my eyes open or three with 'em closed?" I always took the closed method and hoped to high heaven he missed every time.


Sounds like fun. . .uhhhhhh. . .yeah!!??  :Confused:   :EEK!:

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## Rick

Well! If the little kid in you was alive and well a little face digging would be just the thing!

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## Borelli

Today i learned that the only knife if any that shold be taken to a beach is a fixed blade...never take a folder



i look forward to this one being a good thread for all of us.

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## canid

when i was about 4-5 l learned the hard way that a liner-lock folder can not [safely] be used to hold the bottom corner of an out-building door open in order to reach my hand inside. do not ask how this came up, i was four or five. all i can say is that what seemed like a good idea at the time left me with a scar most of the way around one of my fingers.

i wonder if my parents should have sued the manufacturer for not properly warning that the lock was not designed to actualy lock the blade open safely..?

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## MCBushbaby

What not to do with knifes....

stab a baby?

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## Rick

Mitch - Come here. (puts arm around shoulder and speaks in soft voice). Technically, that's correct but really, and I can't emphasis this enough. Really whacked out. 

What not do do with knives...

Place them in your pocket before closing them. (It's a superstition or something about bad luck).

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## canid

while it can be tempting, it should be common knowledge not to walk with a sheath knife in hand when it could just as well be resheathed and withdrawn as needed. simple safe practice that can avoid a lot of accidents some people think would never happen. i see too much of that.

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## tipacanoe

Another thing not to do, is carry a fixed blade in the sheath, inside your open jacket while ice fishing.  It's a long way down to the bottom of a 70' deep lake.  The knife still there and it's a nice one.

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## canid

ouch. Long Lake, Mi has one of my leatherman's

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## FVR

While stripping deer leg sinew, put the knife down.

Unless you like an "ice pick"  oh I mean "a knife in the forehead."

Close call.

----------


## flandersander

How would you go about stripping deer leg sinew? Because i shot 3 deer this fall and wanted to try ussing sinew for a bowstring or fishing line and couldn't figure out how to turn the sinew into little fibers.

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## FVR

Flandersander,

Break off the deer legs at the knees.  You want the achilles tendon.  Most times hunters who like to hang their deer from the hind legs, stick a stick between the tendons and the bone.

Quick cut through that soft skin, take the knife and pointing it away from you, slice as far as you can closest to the bone.  Your knife will slowly gravitate up towards the skin.  Turn leg around and do the same going the other way.  

Pull the skin off the tendon, wala, you have deer leg sinew.  Do not salt, stick out in the sun for a few days, in the cold or flies will leave you a present.  Let it dry out.

12 sets of legs, wow, and Canadian deer, usually large, you have some good sinew.

You can also get back sinew, however I have not collected my own yet.  Give me a minute and I will find you a link.


Going to take a little longer than I thought.

What you do, when you take the meat of the back of the deer, the white stuff you usually cut off, don't cut it, pull it the full length of the meat.  It's tough, let dry same as the leg sinew.

I pref. using deer / elk (awsome) leg sinew for the backs of bows.  I like the long thick strands (I keep them thick) of back sinew for hafting knife blades, hatchet heads, sewing, and the bigger projects.  Back would be good for bowstrings as it's alot longer.

You can get 15 to 20" back sinew real easy, leg is usuall max at 12", unless it's elk (awsome.)


After the sinew is dried, give me a shout and I'll go through how to pound off the shell, and start pulling apart.  Ahhhh, just told ya.  Use a wooden mallet to pound it, this breaks it down and then pull, pull, and pull.  You can even if your fingers last, pull the shell apart as I have done in the past.

Earlier today, I was downstairs taking a tally of how much I have left.  Few years back, during hunting season, I collected 300 deerlegs from the local processor.

It's a great trade item.

If you don't use your legs, let me know, I'll trade you something.  

Random legs are fine, but when you make a bow, and the components have meaning, the bow has medicine.

----------


## carcajou garou

Use the knife as a pry bar, most knives will fail either by breaking or bending (bending is better) I carry a small 8" flat pry bar as part of my repair kit.

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## Nativedude

. . .Pick your nose or clean your ears with a Kukuri!!  :EEK!:

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## Rick

Pick someone elses nose or clean their ears with a Kukuri!! :EEK!:

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## Nativedude

. . .OUCH!!   :EEK!: 

LMAO!!!   :Big Grin:   :Big Grin:

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## Nativedude

> Well! If the little kid in you was alive and well a little face digging would be just the thing!


There is only one place I like to go digging -- uhhh -- actually I should say -- exploring with my face. . . :Big Grin:   :Wink:

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## Rick

It's a punny world isn't it?

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## Rick

I just ran across this superstition. Never use a knife or scissors on New Years Day or you'll cut off your good fortune. What timing!

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## nell67

> There is only one place I like to go digging -- uhhh -- actually I should say -- exploring with my face. . .


In a chocolate pie,eh Native Dude? :EEK!:

----------


## Nativedude

> In a chocolate pie,eh Native Dude?


"Y" pie. . .LMAO!!   :Big Grin:

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## nell67

TISK TISK... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Bladesypher

Coming onto the subject of First aid, could anyone recommend sites to me for it? I can properly dress a wound, address a broken limb and I know the basics of CPR... anything else I could go over? Any sites to look at?
Cheers.

----------


## Rick

You bet. Contact your local hospital or Red Cross and see if they offer a combination course for First Aid, Adult and Child CPR and AED training. The class is pretty common and runs around $45.00 US. 

You can check out this site for a bunch of information on this subject including a number of links for online information and training. 

http://safezonellc.com/personalzone1_3.html

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## Bladesypher

I purchased a knife a month or so back, it has no brand but has served me extremely well. Its a 4" blade with a full tang and natural birch handle. It has no brand so it was only about $25 but its serrated, easy to handle and manageable, it cuts wood pretty damn well too. So I recommend something like that for your first knife. You could try something cheap yet effective such as this? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BN-Lock-Knife-Silver-Blade_W0QQitemZ150200167992QQihZ005QQcategoryZ7204  8QQcmdZViewItem
Its a lock blade so it wont close on your fingers. Ah well... my suggestion  :Wink:

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## Rick

Hey, Blade, the item is no longer on there.

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## Beo

Again knives are open to each individuals taste, and Rick is correct, and Mitch loved the post it was great. Does that sound wierd? What I just said. Dunno, anyway Lupo should get training from a school or as Sarge said the Boy Scouts, problem I had with the scouts is I didn't want all junk that comes with th Scouts just the wilderness survival, I just wanted to go out and learn it but I am from a different age group then Lupo so I think today the Scouts is a good bet. Since Lupo's father taught him hunting I (shouldn't do this) assume he can teach him some woodsy craft also, but then again he is here asking so I answered my own question didn't I. Lupo don't go by my knife, when in the wilds of the North American forests I travel really light and keep moving, but then again I have a number years experience doing this and the military taught me a crap load too. there should be groups in your area that get together and do camping and survival try looking them up as these are great resources for learning just like this forum is a really good one.
Beo,

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## Beo

That is this forum and site... wilderness-survival.net is the number site on the internet and is actually rated number one for wilderness survival and preparedness. Just wanted to put that out there.

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## Tony uk

> That is this forum and site... wilderness-survival.net is the number site on the internet and is actually rated number one for wilderness survival and preparedness. Just wanted to put that out there.


We should all get a bottle of bubbily to celebrate  :Big Grin:  

For my first knife i had a small one with a 10cm blade which served me really well, i carry a small folder with about the same blade size and i use it for more jobs than my larger knife

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## MCBushbaby

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

http://www.swblades.com/bllisukn15in.html

While it looks "cool" or "badass", this knife is possibly the worst example of a survival knife I could find.  16" stainless steel blade, hollow handle, giant serrations... can't think of anything more useless if you're fighting for your life against nature.

First things to look for when passing a "survival knife" off as a fake:

1) Length of Blade.  Many manufacturers put gigantical blades on their knives so it looks more "survival-oriented".  Do not be fooled.  Anything greater than 7" that is not labeled a machete or kukri is useless.  Bowies are made for fighting, swords are made for dueling... not surviving.
2) Serrations are stupid.  Now, small kitchen-knife-type serrations like you see on some Ka-Bars aren't as bad as the ones on the knife above, but let's look at what serrations are for:  Cutting by ripping.  This is great on hard-crusted bread that you don't want to smush with a flat-edge, but in the bush there is no reason for serrations.  Cutting wood?  There are better ways to cut wood than with your knife.  And how are you going to resharpen your serrated edges in the bush?  Nope, eventually it'll become a smooth-ridged fish-scaler at best.
3) Hollow handles are for idiots.  Not only do hollow handles usually mean it's not a full tang construction, but you'll probably get a knife where the blade is attached to the handle by a bolt or rivets.  It'll break as soon as you whack something.  Manufacturers will try to pack survival amenities into the handle such as a compass, matches, etc but you'll be sacrificing your only major tool for a simple carrying vessel.
4) Stainless steel and 'made in china'.  DO NOT BUY STAINLESS STEEL KNIVES MADE IN CHINA.  China has a notoriously bad reputation for inferior knife steel.  Most of your kitchen knives are made in china and dull within a couple uses.  They are soft and hardly hold an edge.  Yes there are some exceptions but you're not going to find an exception on a $15 "ultimate survival knife" package.  Likewise, it's very hard to strike a spark off stainless vs carbon steel.


So while you are looking around for a survival knife, you can knock off at least half the results of your google searches if they look like the one above.

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## Tony uk

I was wondering why this site has that kinfe on it, i think that it would improve the site if we advertised a better knife.

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## Sarge47

But I wanna be RAMBO!!!! :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):    NOT!!!

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## mbarnatl

But Sarge... it will go good with your RR survival necklace! :Big Grin:

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## Sarge47

> But Sarge... it will go good with your RR survival necklace!


...Didn't think of that, but you're right of course.... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## Tony uk

Whats wrong with rambo, its because hes planning to outlive the 2nd iceage isnt it  :Stick Out Tongue: 

That would be a good thing to try when camping, Ramboing for a day  :Big Grin: 

"hey babey like my 10" knife, i can cut down small trees with this thing"

----------


## Smok

:EEK!:   Can you believe Rambo has a new movie coming out   :Big Grin:

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## Ole WV Coot

Oh GREAT !!! I sure can relate to a strong, cool, tough lady-killer my age. It's about time we had a realistic movie for a change. Wonder if I can get a senior discount on tickets? :Big Grin:  I may get a good discount if everyone at the "home" goes on the courtesy bus. :Smile:

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## Borelli

ontario cutlery make some good knives do a search engine on them

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## Sarge47

> ontario cutlery make some good knives do a search engine on them


Ontario's been mentioned many times, but their knives are pretty expensive for the modest budget.  The young man in question is only 14, that's why I was not reccommending certain products! :Cool:

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## Borelli

> Ontario's been mentioned many times, but their knives are pretty expensive for the modest budget.  The young man in question is only 14, that's why I was not reccommending certain products!



they are not too expensive....only if you consider 30 to 40 $ expesive for the SP2 AIR FORCE SURVIVAL MODEL with full tang construction to be expensive expecially when it has a flame retardant KYDEX handle, the knife includes one heck of a sheath on it.  

If your looking for expensive knifes BENCHMADE is where to look

besides the point, the kid already made up his mind, i just wanted to add some good brands to the table

But yes some parents are just not too worried that their kid likes knifes....i know mine arent freaking out about it but that is because they know i take every precausion needed when handling a sharp knife.  but then again i am a bit older than the young man that you where arguing with earlier in the thread.

but it is good that you express conscern for the fellow wolf pack members Sarge, i can respect you for that.

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## Rick

Let's do this. I'll make the movie and the money and you all can say what you want about me. Sly (that's what I call him when we're bumming around on the slopes in the Italian Alps). Anyway, Sly has done pretty good with those movies. Show me da money! You know what they say about a man with a big knife...you can be certain he has a big sheath. :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Sarge47

> Let's do this. I'll make the movie and the money and you all can say what you want about me. Sly (that's what I call him when we're bumming around on the slopes in the Italian Alps). Anyway, Sly has done pretty good with those movies. Show me da money! You know what they say about a man with a big knife...you can be certain he has a big sheath.


I hear this knife is so big he has a Humvee in the handle!  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  Also in May Indiana Jones is back on another adventure!  It's the time of the sequels.  In the next Rambo flick, Rambo V, I hear he has to rescue his fellow Nursing home residents from the bad food served in the cafeteria! :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Rick

You are so bad..........

----------


## Sarge47

It might be best here if I explain myself a bit better.  When I lived out in Colorado about 20 years back I went out to an area used my gun-owners to test-fire and sight-in their rifles, handguns, etc.  A vehicle pulled up and a fellow got out with his 6 year old son, whom he then handed a 30-06 rifle to hold for him while he got more stuff out of the vehicle. :EEK!:   He was teaching his young-un how to shoot.  I was very impressed with the dicipline of the young boy as he held the rifle steady, shoulder rest on the ground, barrel pointing straight up, with his hand no where near the trigger, but holding it firmly by the front rest.  Regardless, I would never tell anybody that it's okay for a 6-year old to be handed a real fire-arm, unloaded or not; that's not my place.  The same is true with knives, especially ones with long blades.  As my Blog states; I "err on the side of caution", and I'm always cautious when advising someone else's kid.  Can you say "LAWSUIT"!  How about "LIABILITY"!  And finally, "PROSECUTION"!  In my years working in the insurance field I can tell you that I've seen many cases go to court where the defendent had the law on their side, but lost anyway!  We need to be very careful when advising anyone who's underage on anything that could get them hurt!  Just my couple of pennies. :Cool:

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## Rick

I just bought a Spyderco Flatbyrd. Does anyone have one or the older Spydercard? If so, what do you think of it? 

http://spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=256

----------


## Bladesypher

> I just bought a Spyderco Flatbyrd. Does anyone have one or the older Spydercard? If so, what do you think of it? 
> 
> http://spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=256


I don't care much for knife with short thick blade and metal handles. It depends on what you need it for. I prefer a traditional birch handle with a 4"-5" blade with just over an inch thickness. It suits my needs for pretty much all survival or  bushcraft tasks and it can be held on my person at all times in a sheath. I think the Spyderco would be good as a back-up light-weight knife for any jobs it would come in handy though. And its small so it's easy to carry. If I was to choose between the 4" birch handled blade I and the spyderco I would pick the birch handle one. just a personal preference. But I guess using a Spyderco has its advantages.
http://spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=168 looks nice.
What were you planning on using it for?  :Smile:

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## Rick

I was planning to carry it in my wallet. If it turns out to be a little too thick then I'll drop it in my smaller survival kit. This isn't for a main knife.

----------


## Bladesypher

> I was planning to carry it in my wallet. If it turns out to be a little too thick then I'll drop it in my smaller survival kit. This isn't for a main knife.


Ah good. I dont think using only a knife like that would work out too well even for a week of light-weight camping.

What do you guys prefer? A metal handle or a natural handle eg: Antler/Horn/Wood.

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## Tony uk

I needed rescueing from plane food they serve on Easy Jet  :Frown:   Where was rambo then :@

Chinese knife steel is probily only a misture of lead and antifreeze

----------


## Tony uk

I like a metal or rubber non-slip handel best but Wood handels are great also.

If you where looking to put something in your wallet try the Swiss Card

http://www.minitools.co.uk/index.htm...inox/index.htm

I dont carry one but it looks to be handey as a tool to have

----------


## Sarge47

> I like a metal or rubber non-slip handel best but Wood handels are great also.
> 
> If you where looking to put something in your wallet try the Swiss Card
> 
> http://www.minitools.co.uk/index.htm...inox/index.htm
> 
> I dont carry one but it looks to be handey as a tool to have


I've had a "Swiss Card" for years now and keep it in my "Altoids tin" survival kit. :Cool:

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## Rick

Handles don't bother me one way or the other as long as they aren't square or have sharp corners on them. That can wear on your hand pretty quick. Rounded handles in just about any material is okay.

I poured through Build the Perfect Survival Kit and the author has a mini mini survival kit that he carries in his front pocket. He has a photon light, a whistle, a metal match and striker,  a metal tube to carry fire starter and a mini multi tool on it. I thought that was pretty cool but the multi tool with everything else was a bit much for me in my front pocket, especially if it's the wifey and I going out to dinner. I didn't want any good lookin' (fill in your favorite hair color) walking up to me asking, "If that your survival kit or are you just glad to see me?" A guy could get into trouble, you know. Anywho, I opted for the Spyderco just because of the size.

----------


## RobertRogers

Agreed it is NOT

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## Tony uk

Why does everyone always pick on blonde people ?

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## Rick

Is that better?

----------


## mbarnatl

Has anyone used a Hoffman Harpoon or Hoffman Harpoon XL. When I was looking through McCann's store I noticed it.

----------


## Rick

Crazy! I was looking at those earlier today. Wicked looking. I don't own any and I don't think I would ever use them. If I were to make a spear it would be out of split wood for fishing or just sharp for jabbing.

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## Tony uk

> Is that better?


Lol Rick  :Stick Out Tongue:  

Your like the site Billy Conely  :Big Grin:

----------


## mbarnatl

That is what I said. I found McCann's site today and was going through the products he stands behind from his book. I don't remember this being in his book... so it kind of made me think why he is selling it in his store. I know he likes multi-use items... here is part of the description from the page: 
*It is useful as a small knife, or as a spear/harpoon.  Designed to be attached to a shaft, it is traction coated 1095 carbon steel with a full tang.  The handle is wrapped with OD green parachute cord, which can be used to attach it to a shaft.*

----------


## Gray Wolf

> What is a great overall survival knife? Something not to pricey.
> ~Lupo


Lupo, a great knife, that won the Backpacker awards is the SOG Seal Pup FP3.
It has a 4" AUS 8 SS blade with a Kraton Handle and is lite (4.0 oz). It has as all SOG knives have, a LIFE Time Guarantee. You can find it on the Net for less than $40. It lists for a lot more ($60+). The nylon sheath has a multi- carry system. 

Field Pup FP-3
The Field Pup is a beautiful knife with its high gloss satin finish, typically found only on expensive knives. It's the right size and weight, suitable for a variety of outdoor sporting tasks. It's comfortable to use with its slightly yielding Kraton molded handle that form fits the full tang blade. SOG's trademarked finger grips are combined with aggressive thumb notches on the back of the blade, making the Field Pup a real working knife. The blade is also protected by a nylon sheath.

The Field Pup is seen in the Prepared to Survive DVD, produced by Lifeview Outdoors. SOG was please to be a part of the production of this essential resource.

Blade Length  4"
Overall Length 	8.5"
Weight 	4.0 oz.
Edge 	Straight
Steel 	AUS 8
Handle 	Kraton
Finish 	Satin
Sheath 	Nylon

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## Sarge47

AUS 8 is a very good quality steel, could you post a link Grey Wolf? :Confused:

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## Gray Wolf

For you Sarge..... sure.

This is one of the best prices for the SOG FIELD PUP FP3  $32.47 (but check around), this one charges $7.95 (pretty standard) for  shipping.

http://www.waltherprecision.com/item...OG_Knives.aspx

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## Sarge47

> For you Sarge..... sure.
> 
> This is one of the best prices for the SOG FIELD PUP FP3  $32.47 (but check around), this one charges $7.95 (pretty standard) for  shipping.
> 
> http://www.waltherprecision.com/item...OG_Knives.aspx


It looks like a good investment for a survival knife, but not "sexy" enough for the "Know-nothing Nimrods" we get on here.  Seems like the 1st question out of their mouths is about knife selection and they dash right off towards the big ones.  oh well, I think it'd be a great knife for a Survival kit, meets all my criteria! :Cool:

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## carpet_ninja

thanks for this thread, i needed something like this.

oh, and i got a fire steel its one of those swiss light my fire army grade ones that last for 12000 strokes

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## Rick

> On a side note, Mors Kochanski (the most significant boreal forest survival expert in N America) says to only use a knife who's blade is only as long as your palm is wide. Likewise for the handle. He says it offers better control and a multitude of uses as compared with something smaller or larger. He also recommends no top or side guard on the knife, which allows you to move your hand up on the blade for more delicate work without having to navigate the guard. Bottom is still important as it prevents slips onto the edge.


This might be a good spot to repeat Mitch's info about knife size. Good stuff, Mitch.

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## Gray Wolf

Here is another review about the SOG Field Pup FP3 from Outdoors Magazine.

http://outdoors-magazine.com/spip.php?article200

Depending on where you buy it, some come with a black nylon sheath with snap-closure, protective insert, and extra outer pocket for carrying a whetstone, small map, multi-tool, or compass. Others sell it with a sturdy leather/Kydex sheath.

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## The Koda

What do you look for in a high quality knife?  What characteristics are necessary?

----------


## Rick

See this thread: 

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...survival+knife

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## MCBushbaby

1.  carbon steel
2.  full tang construction
3.  underside guard
4.  within the 4-6" blade length range
5.  NO serrations or hollow handle

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## Sarge47

Are we doing this AGAIN? :Confused:   What's wrong with the other ten threads on the same subject? :Cool:

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## MCBushbaby

Came across this knife in a google search.  Aside from being made of Aus 8 stainless (as opposed to good ol' carbon steel), this knife looks great!  Should be among the top 5 for people considering their first survival knife.

4 3/4" blade
underside guard
about 1/6" thick blade
lightweight
SOG brand

http://www.bestknives.com/sogresere.html
http://www.britishblades.com/home/ar...showarticle=55

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## Sarge47

Don't knock the Aus 8 SS, okay?  My Ka-bar uses it! :Cool:

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## WildGoth

looking in a store that had a few knifes and looked in the survival knife section and saw a incrediabley small knife i mean the size of a double aa battery does anyone know the purpose of a knife this small i mean really

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## MCBushbaby

probably to add to an emergency kit or a "pen knife" just for cheap, light, easy.  I've seen a small switchblade knife, that was a giveaway at some advertising convention, in an emergency kit.

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## Sarge47

My "Swiss Army Card" has a very small knife blade on it, but it could be of some use in an emergency. :Cool:

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## Rick

I have several pen knives. My Old Timer goes everywhere with me and it isn't much larger than a AA battery. A good utility knife for opening packages, cutting string and the 1001 other uses is just good to have around even if it isn't a survival situation.

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## Rick

That's one that is discussed in Build the Perfect Survival Kit. He considers it an important multi-use tool.

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## RobertRogers

I'm not too keen on those little saws, rather prefer a simple fixed.

----------


## RobertRogers

Yep, they have their places.  Even a small one can be just what you need when there is nothing else available.

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## Sarge47

I agree RR, Right On!

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## RobertRogers

Serrations can have their place, though.

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## Sarge47

> Serrations can have their place, though.


We don't need another thread on this topic, it's been done to death! :Cool:

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## Rick

Why don't you move it to one of the other threads. In fact, consolidating them might not be a bad idea.

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## Sarge47

> Why don't you move it to one of the other threads. In fact, consolidating them might not be a bad idea.


I seem to be having a problem doing that. :Confused:

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## Rick

In the admin section click Threads and Post then Move. You'll have a menu to select the post. The move button is at the bottom. Or.... just delete the whole thread. There really isn't much in it that needs to be moved.

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## Rick

Mitch posted a nice write up on it. "It's a bit shorter than a Lapplander but I never found that to be a problem."

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## Sarge47

Okay, I just merged 5 knife threads and will be adding the newest one to it
1  I'm getting the hang of it! :Big Grin:

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## Sarge47

I've got it!  Just figured it out! :Big Grin:

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## Robbie Roberson

Hello, I never did see the rules of this forum so I hope I don't break one on my first post.  :Embarrassment: 

            The SOG Hunter Revolver is my baby  :Stick Out Tongue: .........I carry it every where and it has performed some pretty amazing things for me in the last four years since it came out.

            Thanks guys for the kind words and mentions of the SOG Revolver knife.

            Mitch.chesney, I really like your blog !

             Robbie Roberson. :Wink:

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## MCBushbaby

Thanks Robbie.  Always enjoy to hear from people who read it.

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## Proud American

Alrighty, every one says that knifes are all opinions and everyone has theres, but what knife does that guy use? So I did an hour long search and compiled a list, this is no where complete but I tried to get info. Bassicly this list is to help those of us who have been through these knife post one toooooo many time(not me reffering to). So basicly the hope I have for this list is look at the list, find the person that you think knows somthin and see what hes got. also look at some of the oter knies out there. If I Screwed up please tell me and if you want to add your humble opinion do so. Drum roll please!

Remy: Ka –Bar and Ontario Rat
Beowulf: Home made knives, has no problem with machine made knives though.
NorthWindTrails: Ka-Bar, and second choice A 4-1/2 inch full tang fixed blade sheath knife of good carbon steel
Sarge47: Buck Vangaurd, likes it because it better then Ka-Bar cause of its better size makes it more practical. Still likes the Ka-Bar and the Rat-7 cause they are 
good quality knives. No problem with the Buck Vangaurd 119/120.
List of knives Sarge wants as of 12-28-2007
1.) A very good quality "Ghurka" knife.
 2.) Gerber LMF II 
 3.) Swedish Mora knife
 4.) Camillus Air Force Survival knife.
 5.) Ontario's RAT 7, preferably with D2 steel.
 6.) Ontario's R--Tac II.
Robbie Roberson: best survival knife the one you have!
Scott: Likes a moderate size blade of 4-4.5in. Baught a Buck 119, thought it was to large for his taste at 6in. Lives the Vanguard.
FVR: Ka-Bar, Marine pride loves it, does a lot of things with it.
NativeDude: likes Frost Mora Model S1, cause of its small size and that it holds its balde well.
Fog Harbor: Ka-Bar Kukri, heavy enoughf to use as a hatchet.
Volwest: Machete.
Robneville73: Ka-Bar Kukri, use as a machete but thinks more versatile, also uses it as a large fixed balde cause of its light weight.
Kufitar; As a Scandinavian likes a puukko knife.
Marcraft: has a kuukuri machete
Flandersander: Ka-Bar 12’ machete.
Kid: aitor jungle king 2, but its hard to find, so look for Sper-X-suvivor( when googled did not find it but found jungle king)
LarryB: carries CASE 223-5 Belt knife, SAK, and a Buck lock-back folder.
Yooper14: (Only post) likes fixed blade 41/2in. likes Swiss Mora
Woodland: Spyderco Delica
Danoon: Kershaw D2, and a Ka-Bar
HOP: 2 Bushman Knives, 
Woodwose: ‘pilot’ survivlal knife, 6 in blade made by Camillus.
Smok: Cold Steele Bushman
Dilligaf2u2: Frost Mora
Rick: pocket knife, ancient Japanese full tang, and khurki(modified)


OBTW I gleened this info from your post guys it should be accurate(hopefully)

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## Nativedude

Drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. . .rump. . .  .ump!! Nice work Proud!!  :Wink: 

Your info about my knife preference is correct!!   :Cool:

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## Proud American

Thanks, would you add anything to your list

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## Nativedude

> Thanks, would you add anything to your list


My Schrade knife was my main knife for 28 years, but they no longer make it so I retired it last year. It is now my back-up knife. Same size as my Mora. It's made of 1095 high carbon steel and hold an edge  very well!

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## Sarge47

I have the Buck Vanguard as a ""Back-up" Knife, my favorite is my Ka-Bar "Bull-Dozier".

http://www.tomarskabars.com/1275_INFO.html

My post on the Vanguard was giving it the "props" I felt that it deserved.  I also own a Buck 120/General.  It's a bit longer than the 119 and you can only buy it, as far as I know, from Cabela's. :Cool:   That's for the Record, but great job, Proud, it must of took you awhile to compile all that info. :EEK!:

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## WildGoth

my knife buck all the way current knife short nighthawk http://www.buckknives.com/catalog/detail/430/234

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## Smok

That took you some time to do But that is not my main  knifes . I feel honored just to be named in the pack

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## Robbie Roberson

The best survival knife is the one you have with you.

         I always have my SOG Hunter Revolver.

         I put a link but removed it because it might be considered advertising since I invented it........(smile)


         Robbie Roberson.

----------


## Rick

Nice job, Proud. Looks like Ka-Bar might have a slight edge (no pun intended this time) but there are all makes and models listed.

----------


## Proud American

Smok i got your knife post i think in a post about axes or somthin.

Nice knife Sarge, i am lookin to buy a knife( hence the search)

robie you said that before, also showing us your knife I dont think would be breaking rules as your not selling them. Beowulf shows his knifes that are homemade by friends. Meaning id love to see your knife! Send me it in a pm if thats okay?

----------


## Proud American

Alrighty Ive made this list a blog and have edited it with your updates. Now it will be easy to refrence new people to the list also you can pm me if you want to update the blog

----------


## Robbie Roberson

I really should not post a link since it could be considered advertising in my situation. 



           Robbie Roberson. :Wink:

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## Proud American

Well now I see why you hesitated your knife is a full blown by able product! Im inpressed but yeah that is against the rules but I asked. Im inpressed though still.

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## Robbie Roberson

Lets get back to the topic. (grin) I carry two types of knives for survival (for now), a folder and a straight.
The folder is a CRKT m-16 and the straight is a SOG Hunter Revolver.

        Robbie Roberson.

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## FVR

Actually, I have 4 preferred knives;  Kabar MKII, New Gen. Kabar, a homemade Bowie that is basically a Kabar with an antler handle and the last is my pioneer knife.  It's a large steak knife made out of an old file.

First Pic, Beo style knives.http://Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

Then the Kabars.http://Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.


All 4 of them, at 15 paces can hit the bull and all are kept shaving sharp.  But hey, I don't shave.

I am very comfy with large knives.

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## Aurelius95

FVR-  Happy Birthday!  By the way, I like the steak knife!  Nicely done.

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## FVR

Thanks.  I did not make that steak knife, mine did not turn out as purty, but I use it often at work.

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## Sam

Isn't the best knife the one you have at the time?  :Wink:

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## Sam

Can we skip the Poli-sci, conspiracy stuff here. Please

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## Sam

Take the best advice, find what fits your hands, and needs. The rest is experience.

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## canid

exactly. the good advice that keeps getting swept under the rug in this thread.

the ultimate knife is the one that allows you to do, with _your_ hands _what you actually need to do_ with a knife.

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## Assassin Pilot

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

I got this as a Birthday gift when I was like.... 8? I barely actually use it, it's more of a "show" knife than anything (its very very sharp, but I prefer keeping it on my counter so when my friends come over they can be amazed  :Big Grin:  )

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## Smok

Assassin Pilot... Do you know the history of that knife ??

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## Kemperor

My bladed gear, for now anyways, consists of a Cold Steel Magnum Khukri, a Frost fixed blade (not sure what model, but it's full tang and has a finger ring built into the blade at the base of the handle. Rather nice and very sturdy), a cheaper skinner with similar ring, and a small hunting knife. I'm not sure what brand, they're pretty cheap and made from so tough of steel that they're hard to keep sharp. So, those two will be replaced.

What I'm going to be adding to my gear is a pair of Valiant Co. Golok Kembars that fit into the same sheath with one another(like butterfly swords), a Cold Steel SK-5 Gurkha Khukri, a Cold Steel Bird and Trout knife to replace my cheap skinner, a Cold Steel Finn Bear, a Finn Wolf(new for 2008) One of which will replace my cheap hunter, then the other for backup. Then I'll cap it all off with a Cold Steel Rajah folder(also new for 2008) which is a khukri folder.

I'm quite a fan of Cold Steel, if you aren't able to tell. I'd also like to mention that they now make "Survival" sheaths for their Latin style machetes, which would fit any other brands machete of the same shape as long as the blades are 18" or 24"  I'm a pretty fit individual, and if I'm going out anywhere, my tools are the most important to me, so the added weight from carrying 8-10 blades is not a hassle for me. Shoot, I'm only 23.

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## Assassin Pilot

> Assassin Pilot... Do you know the history of that knife ??


No I do not. Please do tell. I thought it was just any regular Marttiini knife that my grandma got me. No one told me it was special  :EEK!: 

EDIT:
it is this knife btw: http://www.marttiini.fi/puukot/shop/...asp?ContID=224

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## Beo

Right on about my style of knife, FVR those knives rock, don't forget I go nowhere without my hawk either.  :Big Grin:  And there is none up on the knife preference of Traxx.
Ahh FVR wanna sell the top one  :Big Grin:

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## hermitman

Im in between knives right now latley I have been using my colt commbat commander.

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## Smok

AP ...That is not what I meant by history . I meant the Puukot as that is what the knife is called and it has quite a history and you being from Finland I would thank you of all of us on here would now about it . But I am sorry that you do not , they're some great story's

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## Beo

Here try this.
http://www.puukkoknife.com/
Here's a tid bit on them.
Puukkojunkkari (name for 19th century thugs in South Ostrobothnia) is a family business in Finland's "puukko making capitol", Kauhava. They take a great pride of their name and honor Ostrobothnia's long history of knife making. The Finnish sheath-knife and its use were traditionally associated with the customs of communities. It became almost a national symbol during the Second World War, when the knife industry flourished. The Härmä (South Ostrobothnian) puukko knife is an important element of local history. The Härmä knife was associated with the history of the "häjyt" or "puukkojunkkarit" (troublemakers) of Härmä, knife fights and the heyday of knife-bearing thugs around the middle of the 19th century. During its history, the Härmä knife has evolved from a utility knife to a gift item and collectible. Its reputation has partly been maintained by the symbolic values attached to it. The Härmä knife was once regarded as the weapon of the häjyt, but also as a symbol of the home region and the spirit of South Ostrobothnia. Today It is the hunting and carving knife of choice for many Finns in this historic area. South Ostrobothnians are still known of their self-motivation, pride and self-determination along with their craftsmanship. Leuku is a Finnish word for a knife used mostly by Lapland (Northern Finland) people, Sámi. It is a very versatile knife, developed from the needs of the reindeer herder-lifestyle of the Sámi people. They are all-purpose knives rather than woodworking knives. The handles are typical of those used in the far North. They provide a solid grip for the draw strokes that are favored where the hands are often gloved, or stiff with cold. The wide flat pommel allows the use of the second hand to apply force to the point. The sheaths take almost the entire handle, which is a reflection of how serious a lost leuku can be in the wilderness.

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## Smok

In World War II the Germans leaned to fear the knife as will.. A small group of men cross country skied I do not know how many miles and killed many Germans with just the Pukka ..I wish I could remember more of the story but I was schooled in the USA so that is all you get

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## RobertRogers

Yes indeed, very good selections

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## Assassin Pilot

Wow, I never knew about the history of the knife like that. I knew knives were used in Finland a lot during WWII, but I didn't know that they were used as a primary weapon. I've heard stories of people using molotov-cocktails to stop tanks and shotguns as sniper rifles, but never of people using the knife to kill.

btw guys, "puukko" means "knife" in Finnish. People don't associate it w/ any brand (just like how Americans no longer associate "band-aid" with the brand). Yeah

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## Rick

Okay, I'm confused again. Finland sided with the Germans in WWII. They fought WITH the axis against Russia in the Continuation War (their term not mine). Are you talking about Lapland? The Lapland War only lasted 7 months during late 44, early 45.

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## trax

Equally confused...is this thread about knives? Cuz I was just wondering if anyone heard from kid coteau lately...that guy had some pretty kick a@@ knives and a few new people have been asking....

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## Assassin Pilot

> Okay, I'm confused again. Finland sided with the Germans in WWII. They fought WITH the axis against Russia in the Continuation War (their term not mine). Are you talking about Lapland? The Lapland War only lasted 7 months during late 44, early 45.


There were 3 wars Finland was in during WWII:
1st Winter War (finn vs ussr)
2nd Constitutional War (finn + nazi vs ussr)
3rd Lapland War (finn vs nazi)

So Finland fought on all sides at one point, including the neutral side  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## trax

must be a real bi*ch fighting on the neutral side...threaten everyone equally? beat yourself up?...how does that work?

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## Assassin Pilot

Well I don't mean literally fighting, but I mean basically saying "whoever enters this country gets F'ed in the A"

----------


## chopp29

Anyone who knows what they are talking about will tell you that a good survival knife is the single most important peice of survival gear you can purchase. Although the knife you bought looks nice it would not be a knife that I would have purchased. Like many other things the more you pay the better you will get. Out of any peice of survival gear that you buy, I would suggest you spend the most on a good survival knife, and if you are on a budget, then I suggest you save untill you can afford a good knife. There are many good knives out there. I just purchased a Buck Strider Solution model 888 for $230. It is a very strong solid knife. Another good knife is the RAT-5. RAT makes numerous models. Also keep in mind that you dont want anything to big. 4 to 6 inches is the perfect blade length. You also want to make sure your knife has whats called a full tang. This basically means that the blade and handle is one solid peice and the blabe is not attached to the handle. With a full tang, if your handle ever breaks, the knife is still useable, you can wrap twine, are tape around the tang. And with this said you also want to stay away from knives with hollow handles. As far as blades go,there are two main types of steel used in making high quality survival knives:

Stainless Steel knife blades are rust resistant and work especially well in wet environments. They require less care than the carbon steel knives. Drawbacks to using stainless steel in knives is that they tend to be more expensive, are more difficult to sharpen, and may not hold an edge as well.
Carbon Steel knife blades will rust if not used regularly or coated. Many feel carbon bladed knives hold an edge better than their stainless steel counterparts. I also suggest to stick to a plain edge, serrations are harder to sharpen in a survival situation, where as a plain edge can be sharpened if need be on a stone are peice of concrete. Some other good canidates are the Buck 119 Special (which is only about $50), the SOG knives are good, the Buck Night Hawk and there are many many more. But like I said before, my top 2 favs are the Buck Strider Solution, and the RAT-5. Incase you are anyone else is wondering I am new to this forum, but have been using knives for many years. I have been in the Army for 9 years, and I am an avid outdoorsman and survivalist. Hope this helps out. Good luck and have fun!

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## Rick

Sorry, Chop, I don't agree on your price = quality theory. Do a search on here and you'll find a LOT of excellent knives that are very inexpensive. You can pick up a Frost Knife by Mora for less than $20 bucks and you couldn't find a much better knife. The same is true with other survival gear. I just paid less than $2.00 for my metal match and the list goes on. If you like those knives then more power to you. But $230 will buy my pack and gear and all of it will be high quality.

----------


## chopp29

Everyone is entitled tp there opinion. An this particular post as far as money equals quality I stated was for the knife. I agree with you as far as there is plenty of other gear out there as far as packs and flashlights etc, that you can get for bargin deals. And I didnt say that the only good knives are $230. I simply stated and feel strongly from experiance that when buying a knife, being that it is the most important peice of survival gear you will ever own, that the more you spend, the higher quality you will get. The Buck Solution was my personal preference, but as you stated there are less expensive options out there. When it comes down to it, its what ever the individual feels comfortable with.

----------


## Ole WV Coot

I can't pass this one up. That knife is a piece of junk for anything except maybe throwing. It's being sold for it's "MEAN" appearance and you can't buy a decent piece of steel for $10. I know my opinion don't mean much but like the ole saying " To each his own said the Farmer as he kissed his pig" buy whatever turns you on and what works for you. I have several knives and three goodies from that little skirmish in the '60s, EK edge & 1/2, USMC K-Bar and Gerber Mark I. Two fighters and the K-Bar for everything else. But I ALWAYS carry a SAK & a SOG Flash II. Save your money and look for a name brand for utility with about a 4"blade. Like I said, I don't think you've handled enough steel yet.

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## pgvoutdoors

Maxam Knives are cheap collectible knives, Not work knives.  Sorry.  Luckily you can find many good knives at reasonable prices out there.  Good Luck....

----------


## Rick

Chop - Now don't take offense. I did say you were entitled to your opinion. Whatever works for you, works. I just don't want some of the younger or less experienced folks on here to think they have to pay top dollar for good steel. That's all. Everyone on here believes it's the second most important thing you can have (your brain is number one) but we're in your corner on the equipment part. 

Here's another post on knives and Mitch did a great write up. 

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ead.php?t=1430

That's the way it works around here. If folks don't agree they say so. You should have seen them jump on me about the twinkie survival food.......

----------


## Beo

I have to agree with OleWVCoot on this one, as I read a review on that knife and it said: 
There is a problem with the deep checkering on the grip as it is easily contaminated with food and can be difficult to clean, it does however give a very secure grip even when lubricated with fats and oils. *For carving woods*, the thin edge of the Solution readily makes deep slices and is easily controlable to allow shallow shaping cuts. It was also used for light batoning and it worked ok however the boxy handle was very uncomfortable and vibrations from impacts made heavy batoning quickly nonfunctional. 
On harder woods there were durability issues. The solution was chopped into 5/8" thick birch, and torqued to the side which left a huge piece of the edge in the wood. This was repeated breaking out another large pice. The penetration into the wood was fairly low, as the handle ergonomic issues prevented serious swings. For similar reasoning it wasn't heavy torque, just wrist rotation. The Solution was then batoned into a spruce log and walked on. with 1.5" of the blade in the wood it easily took 200 lbs on the handle. However a light pop from a hammer to loosen it and the blade broke in half and another piece broke out of the edge up by the handle, not in the impact area, just from the vibration in the blade. Cutting a variety of light materials like bubble wrap, plastics, paper and fabrics, the Solution was very efficient as these materials are too flimsy to exert any pressure on a blade so as long as it is sharp it will cut that class of material well. However on thick cardboard and other binding materials the blade would wedge readily due to the sabre grind, on such materials a higher grind would be more efficient, however it still outperforms blades like the Camp Tramp which while having a higher grind has a thicker edge. 
The Solution was used to dig a hole in rocky soil large enough to fit a one gallon bucket. The edge chipped readily in rock contacts, about 0.5 millimeters deep, three large visible chips, the tip also fractured, lost about a millimeter. No fine cutting ability was left on the edge used to dig, the Solution could not even score ropes for example. This was semi-stressful digging, initially using the knife as pick and shovel, but as the hole progressed more as a pick with the off hand removing the debris. It was not going really light trying to concentrate impacts on the spine, which make it easy on the knife but hard on the user, but nor was it raising the knife up and slamming it hard like a pick, it was more poking than actual stabbing as would be done with an actual pick. 
It took 10 minutes to fully resharpen the blade. The edge was reset with an x-coarse waterstone (7.5 minutes), then honed on a 1000 and then microbeveled on a Sharpmaker to a hair popping level of sharpness. The chips were not removed, this would have lost too much metal, the rest of the edge was just brought back to full sharpness. The tip was also still damaged, penetration was 58 +/- 5 on phonebook, less than half of optimal. It would require the removal another half a millimeter of edge to bring the tip back in line, too much material wasted, it would be more sensible to sweep the edge up. 
Much of the promotion for this knife is centered on extreme toughness "where failure is not an option", however this really isn't a sharpened prybar kind of knife. The blade steel, ATS-34, is a high carbon, high alloy stainless steel, and is uniformly heat treated 59-61 HRC. The steel has good corrosion resistance, high abrasion resistance, high strength, however low ductility and low impact toughness. It is difficult to bend but will snap under a low flex, and will deform very little before it chips. The the Solution has a decently thin and acute edge and thus cuts well for shallow work, it compares for example to some of the better Spyderco folders in this regard. However the efficient cutting edge also leads to a low durablity, combined with the brittle steel leads to chipping readily on significant impacts and blowouts of the primary grind possible even in moderate wood working. *This is more of a skinner than a tactical utility blade.* 
Source: Blade Magazine 
You pay $230 for that... pfffffft please. No thanks I'll keep my handmade hunter its tested, tried, and proven.
Beo,

----------


## Rick

PGV - I'm confused. Where did Maxam come in?

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## Beo

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut I still say knife choice is all the individual preference of the person. What works for me might not be what most want, but I do say spending $230 on a knife is ridonkuless.

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## Tony uk

The coldsteel bushman is only about 29.99 (On their site, still got p&p.....) and it is one the the best survival knifes made for that price, For a knife that i would use i would look to spend Max 70 to 80 on one, any higher and it a waste of good money for other gear 

Mora knifes are the cheapest ones ive seen, But for their price they last for years with no ill-faults, Im sure there is a link on this site

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## jimkho

If your really want one knife to depend upon it's th eTom Brown Tracker (got mine from TOPS knives) in my opinion.  A little heavy but it can do a lot of things well.

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## Rick

Hey, jimkho. Care to go over to the introductions page and introduce yourself? Thanks.

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## jimkho

You mean your mother hasn't told you about me yet?

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## Tony uk

> You mean your mother hasn't told you about me yet?


I hope your jokeing jimkho, Because that wasnt very funny

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## Rick

Okay....No, But I'll be sure to ask her, though. The rest of the folks on here might like to know something about you.

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## chopp29

hey Rick and everyone else no offense taken at all, Like I said Im new to the whole forum thing and just by reading all yall post I can tell yall are some pretty good guys. I do agree that a younger guy starting out on a budget does not need to go out and buy a $230. But like you said to each his own. Me personally I have the money, I have everything else I need for now anyway, And the Buck solution Is a very solid knife. I know alot of people had somehting to say about me spending $230 on a knife when there are ones for $20. But can anyone out there honestly tell me that if you were dropped off in the middle of no mans land with nothing but a knife, and you had a choice to pick from a well made quality $230 knife are a $20 knife, which would you trust with your life......Thats all I was saying

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## Rick

Well, I've made no secret of it. I carry a cheap Japanese stainless for a lot of years. It works, that's all I care about. I love it even if it is ugly.

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## Ole WV Coot

I have dropped more than a few dollars on knives that were only good to clean my nails with. I bought whole display cases years ago of Case XX in and around DC. Some hardware stores I had to pay half in advance to get them to take all the XX knives out of their case and replace them with the same knife that had the USA on them. They thought I wasn't all there, but try buying those mint XX Case stags now. Buy what you like, I like a good knife and have lots that never have or will be used or sharpened. :Big Grin:  :Big Grin:

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## Rick

Hey, Chopp - No offense taken. You can buy whatever makes your heart happy. I've worked with guys just like you. They would rather drop 200 bucks on a knife that breath for ten more minutes (well, almost). That's what made them happy. Same for guns. My wife's cousin's husband (I sure hope I got that right) has a complete arsenal. Literally anything and everything you could ever imagine from muzzle loader to single shot to semi to full auto. Sniper rifles across the board including a .50. Walking into his "safe room" is like walking into some weapons museum. Tens of thousands of dollars of guns (maybe more, I don't know). I don't understand that either but it makes him happy and his wife doesn't care so who I am to harp?

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## Beo

Chopps, never worry bro, we rant and rage on here all the time, but we're still e-friends. And every opinion is important and needed as thats what keeps us so strong pulling people to the site and teaching and learning. Personally I think knife choice is a personal preference by each individual. I have spent some bucks on some knives, traded and swapped some knives, and even been at shooting matches for knives. Some I use some I don't. Peronal choice bro. As long as you like it and are comfortable with it then by all means carry it.

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## chopp29

I agree you guys rock...........

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## Lost Lebowski

There are a lot of crappy knives listed here. I have read and researched as much as I could about meatallurgy, steels, and bladesmithing. (yeah I'm OCD)Also I have used, really used, dozens of different blades. Here are my 2 cents...
Serrated blades are best for marine aplications such as diving or sea kyaking where cutting cord, rope and monofilaments are a must
For Bushcraft serrated blades suck
Learning to properly sharpen a blade is easy
Buy a tiny diamond/ceramic wet stone
knives marketed as "Survival knives" are ****. (Hollow handle types)
No serious hunter or suvivalist carries a Bowie knife
A fixed blade between 3.5-4.5 inches is the most useful
Buy only full tang knives
Blade thickness should be a minimum of 3/16"
Handle material musn't become slippery when wet
No double edged blades..safety and for batoning
440c ss is for marine aplications
Cowry X is the best blade steel in human history RC hardness = 64!
Laminated VG 10 RC ~60is the less expensive alternative, plaine VG 10 RC 58-59next then D2 tool steel and 1080 tool steel

And Finally FallKniven makes the best production knives in the world. The F1 with micarta handle is the best knife I have ever owned and I own several expensive custom knives. It's totally hand made and perfectly balanced and only Fallkniven makes laminateds VG-10

We shed light it's up to others to listen

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## Lost Lebowski

P.S. I also Always bring a small SAK like the victorinox climber for the tools and as a back up...almost no added weight. 

Everyone has there own preferences but my bullets are the basics for choosing your primary sharp.

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## Beo

And those are your chpoices, having been a Ranger in the military and hunting since I was sperm cell I tend to disagree with you on that, and you cannot tell anyone what is best but what is your choice. Your thoughts and opinions are welcome here but they are just that, your choices, thoughts, and opinions. Do not make me give you to Remy to play with, he would eat you alive.
Now be a good newbie and go say hi in the introductions section.

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## Lost Lebowski

I can do that. I would add though, while these are my opinions, they are also the consensus opinion of MOST of what you will find on this subject online and with survival schools. "survival knives" like the Rambo knife are fine if you are military. Military survival knives must double as a weapon. Finally ANY knife will do in a survival situation, but, this is not all subjective for instance... a curved or sheep foot serrated blade is best for cutting rope or cord...this is fact and any head to head comparison will always prove this, Laminated VG 10 has chemical and physical properties that have proven superior to 440c, Sandvik, etc in the lab wether or not small theoretical advantages translate to improved performance is debatable of course. If you'd like to carry a rambo sword in the field feel free to do so. I will introduce myself as suggested. I maybe a "newbie" to you,  but not to our nations wilderness.

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## Rick

And that's what a newby is. Someone new to the forum.

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## Lost Lebowski

I submit! I'm a Newbie. Or Nubile if you prefer! LOL

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## Rick

Okay - nubile - of girls or women who are eligible to marry. Sexually mature and attractive. Is that what you meant?

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## nell67

LMAO !!!!!!! Rick,that was my thinking too,unless there is a new dictionary out there we dont know about??? :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## Rick

Just trying to understand, that's all. Nothing offensive meant.

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## Sam

Hey Remy, no K-BAR?  :Wink:  I thought all of old devil-dogs owned them?

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## marberry

third from the right ... what is that ? i Must Have One!!

anyway heres all the ones i could find right now.

http://i31.piczo.com/view/3/b/7/u/8/...535_5190_7.jpg

by the way how do you post pictures ? when i try all it posts is a link

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## Sam

> third from the right ... what is that ? i Must Have One!!


 I don't know the name, but I think it is made in India. My friend has one. I am not sure if they are still made. I will take a look at his copy, but I don't think it has a company name.  :Confused:

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## marberry

looks kinda like a ruko doesnt it?....

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## Sam

> 3rd from the right is a custom knife brought back from the Philippines...so is the 4th.


 Remy, the third knife from the right is very similar to a friends knife.

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## Rick

Sam, it's a Chinese knife the Filipino's sell to tourists as hand made.......Just joking Remy. Just joking.  :Big Grin:

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## Sarge47

1st just let me say that anybody who says their lives are going to depend on the price tag of a knife is wrong! True, their are, hopefully, better quality materials and craftmanship going into one of those high-priced jobs, at least there better be.  But if price is the criteria then maybe we all ought to order "Grylli Vanilli's" knife for $700!  :EEK!:  Awhile back we had a member, I think his screen name was "Tarheel Fan" who boasted paying $1500 for a custom-made knife & then tried to convince the rest of us that his knife was superior to any others on the market!  If you look at Remy's pics on his knives you'll see Ontario's RAT-7 model; it retails for a little over $100 with the 1080 Carbon steel and a bit more with D-2.  That about as high as I would go for a knife, and it and Ka-bar, which retails for around $50 are very dependable blades! However, both Mors Kochanski & Cody Lundin get by in their Survival Schools with a $20 Mora knife!  Go figure!  So, Chopp and Lost Lebowski, I'm not "dissing" your opinions, but I disagree with them as any knife can save your life as long as it's taken care of and not abused.  BTW, if you're interested, Cold Steel sells a great Kukri machete for about 5k, is that in your ballpark? :Confused:

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## trax

> No serious hunter or suvivalist carries a Bowie knife
> We shed light it's up to others to listen


I have a hard time hearing light being shed, what an eye opener. There's these two Indian guys I know up in northern Manitoba. Their family's have been counting on their hunting skills for as many years as I've known them, which is about 30. I better tell them that no serious hunter carries a Bowie knife, so that they can either realize that they are not serious hunters or go out and get new knives.

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## marberry

i like my buck  folding alpha hunter way more then my machette, im also a fan of the nighthawks handle design. the machette is very nice though... and i recently put a spear point on the kukuri it looks awesome now, i like to have one heavy blade for clearing bush and cutting wood , one small one for skinning and cutting, and a medium one that looks cool on the front of my belt lol.

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## warrigal

Remy I think that third from the right knife look pretty close to an interpretation of the Rambo Three knife
The three Rambo knives decending 1,2 and 3
http://www.buck-184.com/images/rambo_knives_01a.jpg

Bushcraft knives Center bottom is a custom from Stewart Townsend here in Australia.
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Some perfectly capable mid sized blades
Cold steel Master hunter
Ontario USAF survival
Carl Scheilper version of the Puma White hunter
Martinii condor
Buck Nighthawk
Toni Guido handmade
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Slightly bigger
Smith and Wesson when they still made their own ( not China)
Buck 124 ( re-handled)
Cold steel recon scout
Al Mar UMK
Aristocrate Wraith
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So my opinion. There are some cheap good quaility knives But their not made in China India taiwan or Japan for that Matter.
Mora knives ( Mora is actually a city but most the brands are marked as such as well eg: Frost or Martinii)
Victoriox including their trade range ( Meat industry range)
Big and cheap it had wanna be a Machette or I would think I was gunna get bit by poor quality.
Cheap knives are consumables. So cheap you buy half a dozen and stash them all over the place if one breaks you throw it and pick up another. When I  spend good money  I expect performance. I expect it to keep cutting and cutting. By that I infer right tool for the job I'm don't dig with my knives I use the knife to sharpen a chisel point on a branch to dig with. I dont cut wire or batton it with a rock. That is just dumb If my life was on the line who cares. But until them I'll use knives for cutting. 
If you havent had the oppertunity to use a really good knife try it balance. edge geometry, and edge life all comes together in a good knife.
I had a bloke come into work and told me his mate made him a knife at mates-rates ( cheaper for a friend) for $500 I laughed. 
$500 is a lot to pay for a homemade knife that dosen't have girl in a Bikini to carry it for you.
If you want a laugh at knife prices look at 
http://www.bayleyknife.com/bear.htm
or
at 295 ponds sterling
http://www.raymears.com/getimg.cfm?i...e_with_Box.jpg
Carl

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## marberry

anyone know where i can get a rambo 3 ? i love the handle design

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## crashdive123

Warrigal:  Nice collection, and well said.

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## Rick

Here you go, Marcraft: 

http://www.swordsdirect.com/rambo_knives.html

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## warrigal

Unless a Rambo knife was made was made by Jimmy Lile or Gil Hibben ( Not United under Hibbens signature) I wouldn't want to rely on it when the my little world goes pear shaped.
 If your buying it to have one, well cool. I would't buy one for hard core use is what I'm saying. 
I'm pretty sure my Ontario rat 3 in D2  will cut through the 420j used in those production knives without to much trouble.
Fallkniven uses 420j as the SOFT stuff either side of their vg10 centers in their laminate blades.
Don't forget those knives were made with three lots of input. Stallone, Lile or Hibben's and the director and guess who get the final word.
Carl

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## Tony uk

The rambo knifes are psycological weapons  :Smile:

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## Aurelius95

I was on a website looking for a camping knife and came across this quote, "As of 2004 Schrade Knives are made in China with the same quality and care that goes into making world's finest pocket knives, lock backs, fixed blades, cutlery for the outdoor and hunting markets and multi-tools."  

I had never heard of Schrade before today, and I'll never know more about them!

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## Rick

Schrade has been around for a long time. Personally, I don't care who makes my knife as long as it works when I want it to and the way I want it to. The Chinese have been making quality swords for much longer than Americans have been....well, American. 

I remember in the late 50's and early 60's when Japan started shipping transistor radios and other novelty items to this country. Made in Japan was synonymous with junk. Look at them today. China is the Japan of yesterday. The difference is it won't take them as long to come around to the quality products we see from Japan.

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## Aurelius95

You are correct Rick, if it's quality, does it matter who makes it?  Not to me.  However, there have been certain cases where quality is overlooked to make a quick buck, or yen, or whatever. There was a town in Japan that changed it's name to "Usa" in the 1950's so that the unsuspecting American wouldn't notice the difference when looking at the label. 

I guess each consumer needs to be ardent about knowing the quality of the product they purchase, regardless of where it comes from.  I think the history of the US shows that "we" haven't always been concerned about the welfare of the user/consumer.  Thanks for making me think about my remarks.

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## Rick

I had forgotten about the USA in Japan (he chuckled as he wrote). You bet we do it. New and Improved? what does that mean? The old version was basically bad?

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## RangerXanatos

I would suggest a multi-tool if it's going to fit in a coffee can.  The blade for whatever reasons for cutting, the saw for cutting small trees for shelter, and the scissors are very handy when it comes to make the intital cuts on game.  If you want a small fixed blade, I would suggest a mora.  I have a couple and I love them.

For something bigger, I would suggest a KaBar or a BK-7 since I've used both and would feel comfortable with them.  Something even bigger, but heavier and more expensive, a HI khukuri will do very well.  But with these bigger blades, I would also reccomend somethjing smalll to go along with them.

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## Tahyo

Just ordered this knife last night.  It's a Roselli  R100.  I need another knife like a hole in the head, but after looking at this one for the past few weeks, I weakened.  I'm not big on the sheath and may replace it.

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## Tactical Tom

I got out today & tried out my new Khukuri ( Jungle Model from KhukuriHouse)
This thing is AWSOME for a 10" blade, It made short,effortless work of forearm sized trees  :Big Grin:  The only complaint I have is the handle is made small & I don't care much for the sheath but I makedo for now .
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## Tony uk

Very nice blade  :Big Grin:

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## tipacanoe

I was on the Marlin firearms website, and they have a very good to the hand folding knife , and the blade can be changed out for a small saw.  The original price was 50 dollars, the close out is $10.  Just thought you all might like to know, says quanities are limited.  I bought two and gave one to a friend.  It may not be the best knife in the world but well worth the price today.

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## Rick

Thanks, tipacanoe. Here's the link:

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Store/...tegory=Knives&

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## warrigal

Aurellius, Shrade made a number of sub brands "Old Timer", "Uncle Henry".
The Old timer series were probably front runners in this country with Vic SAKs for  top branded sales for a long time. OT's were the knife of choice for our stockman ( your cowboys) The old timers when made in the States had carbon steel blades, the new Chinese ones have stainless blades. I fervently belive you have to spend a lot more money on stainless to get the same cutting performance as a carbon steel. Have a look between the price on a Frost 860clipper in carbon and in stainless.
 I am a knife enthusast so rust from neglect isn't gunna happen, discolouration from use is perfectly acceptable.
The boy ( he is three in Aug.) has a Old timer packed in grease for his 18th birthday and if it turns out he isn't good to his mother it'll go on ebay. I had one but lost it I actually heard it drop out of my pocket but didn't recognise the sound. Bugger.

RangerXanatos, If I could only have one knife it would be a multitool I prefer the Swiss tool from Victorinox. I have four Leathermen, two Gerber, a Keshaw and a SOG but it is the Swiss tool I carry all the time. Solid, reliable and a good cross section of tools. The Vic saw is one of the best.
 Before there is a riot. Tim Leatherman deserves a Noble peace prize for coming up with the concept of the folding plier multitol BUT his design team needs six years in a Nth Korean Gaol for mucking around with the design. The Origninal PST was groundbreaking the ( Now discontiued) Supertol is my backup tool in the BOB's. The Wave was a great Idea but whats with the Charge?????? kick?????core?????fuse?????
Tahyo I have been watching Roselli's for quiet a while but every time I have the disposable funds close I get an offer I can't refuse. One day.
I got a Bark River Knife and Tool Aurora last year and I am vey very impressed with it, as a bushcraft/ Survival knife. 
The middle one in this pic is a PSK and it has become my EDC I love it Both the leather and Kydex sheaths are for it.
 Smallest is a Micro Slither
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Carl

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## Rick

Man, do I agree on the Old Timer. I've carried one for so many years I don't even remember where I got it. It's in my pocket every day regardless of what I wear.

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## Alpine_Sapper

> Man, do I agree on the Old Timer. I've carried one for so many years I don't even remember where I got it. It's in my pocket every day regardless of what I wear.


My mom has the "Old Timer" my grandfather had. When he passed the blade was probably half the width it used to be from being sharpened so many times. Still carried it though. I remember the old guys in my family when I was a kid always asking me before I left the house "Gotcher britches on?".  The first time I was like "wtf?" and then I realized what they were talking about. Personally, as an e.d.c. I like the CRKT folders, specifically the M-16 Titanium, but that's just my preference.

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## parmerp

how to make a survival kit well to make a survival kit you well need a con or pouch now you need matches a knife fishing line and weight and hooks poncho or garbage bag and a birthday cancle and rope and a tiny mag light flash light and alumnum foil thet pack it all up.

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## crashdive123

Very insightful parmerp - how 'bout heading over to the introduction section to tell us a bit about yourself.  You can find it here http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...splay.php?f=14

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## Ole WV Coot

Nessmuk style blades just moved up on my list. I have the ole USMC K-bar from '65. The John Ek that I bought back then and just about a bushel of Case, Hen & Rooster etc. The old couple of fixed blades I don't use anymore so when my Buck skinner hid itself I made my first Nessmuk style. It works so well I made another smaller one and they are great. You can't play Rambo with them but if you just want to slice something the extra hard blades are skinny and and brittle, just like a cutthroat razor. Anyone besides me tried that style blade and what are your opinions on it?

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## Arkansas_Ranger

since it's a coffee can...stick a roll of toilet paper, seal it up, and you're set.  it's the only thing, IMO, that you can't fake in the wild.   :Wink:

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## Tony uk

> since it's a coffee can...stick a roll of toilet paper, seal it up, and you're set. it's the only thing, IMO, that you can't fake in the wild.


Im going to take that as a challenge  :Stick Out Tongue:

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## DOGMAN

I am very fond of my Green River knife for a basic utility knife.  I find leathermen (multi-tools) to be overkill for a survival tool in the kind of survival situations I get myself into. But, I do use them as a general camp tool when I am guiding. The pliers I use the most. I have never had a multi-tool that I haven't broken at least one of the tools on.  THat is why I like the tradional Green River knife, you can use it for all kinds of stuff it was never designed to do, and it is damn near impossible to break.  It makes for a good skinning knife (although there are defiently much better) you can use it to split wood, the list goes on and on....just a great basic item!

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## Blood Groove

Oh man that's the real thing! I have a Kukri, but it's made by Ka-bar, and it's less traditional.

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## Loftyjr

> Recently I purchased a knife from Maxam. I haven't gotten it yet, so I'm still waiting for it. Here's the knife:
> http://www.ckbproducts.com/product_i...oducts_id/1327
> Great website btw.
> 
> Anywho, I was just wondering what everyone's thoughts were. Good knife? Bad knife? 
> 
> While we're on the subject, I also would like to know what you all look for in a good knife.


I like it but me i like black knifes

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## Rick

What does the color have to do with the quality?

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## klkak

> What does the color have to do with the quality?


"""Nothing""" However, I like shiney knives. They are easier to find if you lay it down. But hey I'm not a Ninja Assasian or a Tacticle Tom who sneaks around in the dark and needs a knife that dont reflect. :Big Grin:

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## Alpine_Sapper

That's what they make black 550 cord for. Has to match the ninja pajamas, ya know. Keeps you from loosing the knife, shiny or black.

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## klkak

I have dummy cords on alot of the stuff I carry, however it is a pain alot of times to use a knife that is tied to your belt.

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## Ole WV Coot

If that link is right you ain't gonna get much for under $10. Go buy an Old Hickory just about anywhere under $10 and you will get a much better knife. If you can't make a sheath out of leather wrap the blade with cardboard and wrap with duct tape. That's my opinion only.

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## carpet_ninja

http://www.victorinox.ch/index.cfm?s...age=182&lang=E

i might get one for messing around, how would it be for making small things out of wood?

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## Rick

Any backup knife is good. I'm not especially keen on the saw blade but that's just my opinion. Victorinox makes good knives.

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## Tony uk

> Any backup knife is good. I'm not especially keen on the saw blade but that's just my opinion. Victorinox makes good knives.


I have their Spartan model, Exellent tool  :Smile:

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## carpet_ninja

actually ive been thinking, what would be a good main knife, nothing to dangerous, holds an edge well and has the best sized blade for doing general survivaly stuff

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## crashdive123

> actually ive been thinking, what would be a good main knife, nothing to dangerous, holds an edge well and has the best sized blade for doing general survivaly stuff


Goodness!  What are you trying to do, start a food fight? :Big Grin:  :Big Grin:  :EEK!:  :Big Grin:   Take a look through this thread and you'll see a huge selection to choose from.  Everybody has their opinion about knives.  Some of the members have done a real nice job of comparing materials and styles.  Just read away.......although you will probably get a few suggestions.

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## carpet_ninja

thanks, ill have a look around

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## carpet_ninja

whats the sog seal pup elite like for making things

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## crashdive123

It's a good knife IMO but probably not that great for making a locomotive engine. :Big Grin:   What are you trying to make.

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## dragonchi

Hey Larry...Hello from a fellow Canuck...Nope your not weird I enjoy/love to have a wide selection of knives with me at any one time....for various reasons.
My friends do not get it but that is okay....

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## carpet_ninja

wooden things, and wilderness survivaly stuff

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## Arkansas_Ranger

That's a knife.  

http://youtube.com/watch?v=yTUr0yQJBOA

I don't know why it had subtitles...

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## Icemancometh

Ontario Rat-3 makes a great backup knife.  Won't be taking down a tree with it, but it is perfect for woodcraft and the like.

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## dragonjimm

now for my two cents.  the best knife for survival is the one you have with you when you need it ...cant remember where i heard that but it holds some truth. 

i carry a leatherman wave ever where i can. A cold steel thrower makes a good knife cheap and stout. as does a cold steel bushman. several moras and spec plus  Ontarios current big knife is a Ontario spec plus quartermaster. a 18 inch machete and a gerber bush hokk. while i prefer small fixed blade knifes over folders i manageto  still pack a queen two blade trapper,a large case sod buster along with a old case mako and a 60's camillus scout folder from time to time.

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## julian

I've been struggling with choosing between a rat-5 and rat-7 knife (1095 and serrated). The only reason I've been considering the bigger 7 is because I always aim for simplicity and would like to avoid carrying a hatchet or saw (when I'm backpacking/wandering in the woods/etc) if at all possible. Any opinions on which may be a better choice for me? Also, I'd love to go D2, but I've heard it's not a good idea for a blade over 5" that may see rough use.

Thanks for any opinions you all care to offer.
-Julian

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## crashdive123

Julian - it really boils down to personal preference and what you are comfortable with.  For me, I do not like to rely on just one knife when wandering about.  Just like with fire starting methods, I like to carry several back ups.  There is a statement (not mine) that I agree with - to a point.  A large knife can do everything a small knife can do, but a small knife can't do everything a large knife can do.

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## Rick

Forget the serrations for cutting. A small backpacking saw will do far more than a serrated knife in far less the amount of time. Something like the Gerber backpacking saw is great. I've started carrying one with me and it has made a huge difference.

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## julian

Thanks for the info guys.
Rick: That's a good point about the serrated blade. If I need a serrated blade, I carry a little gerber folder with a serrated edge on it so I think I'm going to end up going for the non-serrated rat-7 with 1095 steel. 
The rat-5 looks really good too, but I think that extra blade length will come in handy for splitting firewood. Not planning on splitting any big logs, but I like the idea of having a little more exposed steel to pound so I'm not putting too much stress on the tip. If any of you see in flaws in my logic, please let me know! I'm likely going to be ordering one after I come back from some backcountry camping this weekend.

-Julian

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## Rick

As Crash would say, "If it works for you, it works for me."

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## lastboyscout

Cold .
Steel makes several models and they are great. coldsteel.com
Their are only three problems with the traditional Kukri.
Blade,handle and sheath.
Most handals are small and slick.
Blades are not of the best metal and rust easy.
The sheath is poor leather and will rot and does not carry well.
But in spite of that they work great. They have been taken into the modern age by some makers.

I use a Cold Steel light kukri and love it. I Glued a leatherman tool and a sharpening rod pouch onto the sheath.

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## Rick

lastboyscout - A lot of us have converted ours and there are a number of posts on it. You can view the conversion at: 

http://www.m4040.com/Survival/Ghurka...dification.htm

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## RBB

A friend picked up the middle blade in the photo below from a pawn shop near where a Ghurka regiment was stationed in England.  He sold it to me for $8.00.  It has a wonderful balance and exceptional workmanship.  I'm sorry the photo is not a close up, as the Kukri is a work of art.  It has been dated to the 1700s.

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## crashdive123

The M40 site is what I've used to modify mine.
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## Beo

RBB,
Wanna sell the top long knife? 
The last knife is actually a plug bayonet but works great for a survival knife, all look old but in good shape and would fetch a great price but I'd hang onto them (except for selling me the top one :Big Grin:

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## Ameriborn

I know how everyone loves the Leatherman multi-tools. (I do myself) However, I was wondering if anyone has ever used any of the knives? I am looking to getting one of the hunting knives, however I wasn't sure if it was worth it. 

has anyone ever used any of the hunting knives? They are listed on the site, if you don't know what I am talking about. Please let me know, thanks.

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## crashdive123

Welcome to the forum Ameriborn - How about heading over to the introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself.  You can find it here http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...splay.php?f=14

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## NS0201

I ain't no marine or survivalist but a 13 year old hunter/outdoorsman. I carry a leather all the time and of course I use it as a backup in the woods with my primary knife the survival knife I will be getting.

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## Rick

Oh, man. What is it I say here? Oh, yeah. 

As Crash would say, "If it works for you, it works for me."

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## lastboyscout

cool guys I have not scene that mod. I am not that handy so would never do that on my own. But more power to you guys. Love to see what others did to their gear. I carried mine in South Africa for over a month and loved it. 

Thanks for the welcome here.
I am an FNG here.

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## Rick

Here's a couple that I did.

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## NS0201

I use my leatherman all the time when camping and everything but for long hikes I keep my survival knife as primary and the leathermen as backup :Smile: 

For survival I dont own one but want to buy this one:

I used to use a pocket knife but i cased it as it's my grandfathers...

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## Rick

Depends on the job.

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## crashdive123

What knife do I prefer?  Gosh, so many to choose from.  Hmmmm.  I'll give it some thought.

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## crashdive123

Nice job.  What did you use to cover the sheaths (under the para cord)?  Mine is an old duffle bag then coated with spray on plastisol.

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## Rick

I made the sheaths out of 1/4 inch plywood and routed about 1/16 out of both sides to fit the blades, leaving a drain hole in the bottom. I painted the plywood with waterproof paint in a dark green and covered the outside with Cordura fabric from: 

http://www.americanhomeandhabitat.co...c%20FCP100.htm

I think that is the moss color if I remember correctly. 

I sewed one piece of cloth, inside out, to make the cover. So there is one seam running down one edge of the scabbard. 

I used Chicago screws to hold everything together and did glue the fabric in a couple of spots. 

On the front and back I doubled a strip of fabric and sewed a couple of loops to fit Alice clips. That's what holds the cases on and what I use to attach the knife to my pack.

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## Rick

Looking at the colors on that site, it was probably celery. Been a while. I still have some of the material tucked away.

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## Jericho117

Yeah it depends on the job. For walking around I carry a small swiss army knife for any job. But in the woods you need something tougher, and I carry my Buck knife. I prefer fixed blades with some serrated edge

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## Ole WV Coot

Whatever I have at the time. I generally make my own, can't get what I like without paying a small fortune.

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## Rick

Jericho - I thought you were a primitive weapons guy. You don't carry knapped knives?

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## Jericho117

No im not too primitive, only to a certain point. I tried making a flint knife, I ordered about 3 pounds of heat treated flint on 3riversarchery.com, but I failed to get a perfect sharp edge. So I use modern knives. But I do make hunting tools, fish hooks, and all sorts of other things the primitive way. I mean I have to have some sense of modern life or I would be consisdered an outcast.

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## Beo

Nice work Twinkie.

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## Rick

You might be anyway with that signature. :Big Grin:

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## Sunshine

I love my SAK "Explorer".  I find that I use the large blade on it more than any other blade I own.  

I also have a nice Finnish knife that a friend gave me for my birthday.  I use it for bigger jobs.

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## Jericho117

that used to be my motto for xbox live but now its "bob saggat". I guess your right i am an outcast.

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## Beo

I prefer a good knife but this has been covered sooooooooooooooo much I'll let you read it elsewhere.

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## crehberg

I prefer a pocket knife.....can't do as much damage with it.   :Smile:

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## Gray Wolf

I prefer a sharp knife that holds an edge well and is easy to sharpen.....

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## Beo

One that cuts things.

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## trax

Depends on my wardrobe. I try to act toward knives the way a lot of women do with their shoes, one for whatever outfit I happen to have on. Since about 95% of the time that involves jeans or khakis, it ain't that tough, but one should  maintain a fashion sense. Takes me a longer time to get ready when I'm leaving the house in the morning because I'll narrow it down to about a half dozen, but then it's like ....decisions decisions....what to do...

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## Gray Wolf

> One that cuts things.


Gees Beo, what more do you want  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

Oh the future ain't what it used to be........  :Big Grin:

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## Beo

Good sharp knife... deep forested mountains... cabin in said mountains... ahhh life would be good.

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## Beo

God I almost had that dream with a job in Montana. Blaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Women first the apple and now where I live.

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## NS0201

`I mean for general everyday use.

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## Beo

Actually I don't use a 14 inch knife, the standard blade I use is about eight inches inches in length. But its an older style with a wood handle. No saw back or serated edges, just a plain knife made to handle everyday camp chores.
Wood handle wire wrapped, holds a great edge.

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## dragonjimm

every day use is my leatherman wave  or a ryan plan b or a mora or a crkt kiss tanto  
or a buck folder or a queen two blade depends on what i pick up that morning

@beo...i've looked at that knife is this one you own and carry and would you recommend it to any one? inquiring minds need to know.

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## RangerXanatos

Everyday use for me is a Bryd CaraCara or a KaBar Dozier.
In the woods, it's a HI Khukuri or a Mora...

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## NS0201

This is the knife I want to buy...http://budk.com/sw-combat-survival/p...WHRTDR/c/6065/

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## Bdog

Seal pup Elite.

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## 1stcavmp77

since you already have a multi-tool then you've got a pocket knife right there. what i prefer for a survival knife is a fixed blade knife with a minimum of a 4 inch blade (preferably bigger) something that can do at the minimum some chopping so that you can use it to build a shelter and also some carving to make tent stakes or traps and snares. everything i've heard about kukri knives for survival has said that they are outstanding and i am planning on getting one myself. coldsteel makes one for about $20.00 so it wont break the bank. also if you want to see a vid review of some different multitools from sog and gerber go to youtube and look up wildernessoutfittersarchery. that guy has a lot of great info about wilderness survival and does great product reviews. 


> semper peradus

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## 1stcavmp77

from everything i hear and the videos i've seen you cant go wrong with a tom brown tracker knife or a good kukri knife. both great for chopping and carving which is what you need to build a decent shelter or snares and traps. you really should check out this guys videos wildernessoutfittersarchery.com he's a primitive skill instructor and avid bowhunter plus he's a former amry ranger.

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## Sarge47

Gee...another "Newbie" hits us with the "knife" question! :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):   Well, NS, I've answered that question enough.  Go check out the "sticky" on "Survival/Survival Knives." :Cool: 

Beo: (Crocodile Dundee voice)  "Now that's a knoif, mate!" :Big Grin:

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## crashdive123

I don't know Sarge - it gives me an opportunity to show of my Rambo Super Deer Slayer Delux with Laser/Holo Sight/Scope/Tac Light.  I mean, how can you go wrong with a set-up like this.

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## Rick

Man! I have a Bear Gryllis knife just like that! I got a great deal on it. Only $12,000.00!

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## sobeit

> lastboyscout - A lot of us have converted ours and there are a number of posts on it. You can view the conversion at: 
> 
> http://www.m4040.com/Survival/Ghurka...dification.htm


I have a cold steal and an old Ghurka Khukri and after seeing that conversion I want to do one myself

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## NS0201

> Gee...another "Newbie" hits us with the "knife" question!  Well, NS, I've answered that question enough.  Go check out the "sticky" on "Survival/Survival Knives."
> 
> Beo: (Crocodile Dundee voice)  "Now that's a knoif, mate!"


Sorry man I just had to ask... And I guess it's what all newbies ask. But everyone's got to start somewhere

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## crashdive123

NS - no worries.  The question does come up alot.  Check out this thread.  http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ead.php?t=1297

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## Chicago Dan

My preferred, as in favorite is a 6in fixed blade(full tang, leather wrap, solid butt). I don't know the manufacture because its not stamped but it is at least 60 years old. I guess part of the reason it is my favorite is because it was one of my fathers hunting knifes but also because it's just a darn good knife.

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## Blood Groove

Well whenever I go out anywhere I take my Gerber EVO with me. I mean there's nothing amazing about it, but it's all metal, which I like the feel of, it's light, sharp, fold out nice and fast, but it doesn't come out when I don't want it to, and it doesn't attract a lot of attention. Which is really nice today where everywhere you go people are paranoid about anything sharp. But my real favorite is my USMC Ka-bar. The handle's very darkened from use, and (Very regrettably) the tip was broken, and is not what it used to be. But it's still holding strong. I sharpened the false edge on the back of the blade too. It's pretty sharp, but since I did it myself it's far from professional.

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## Blood Groove

Crash Dive, what's the name of the real knife under all that crazy hardware up there? I don't recognize it.

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## crashdive123

> Crash Dive, what's the name of the real knife under all that crazy hardware up there? I don't recognize it.


Some POS "survival knife" that I happened to pick up at a gun show.  The guy selling them thought I was really interested in it (I wasn't - just curious).  I think it had a price tag of $30 or $40 on it.  When I told the guy that I would never own a knife like that - he said make me an offer - I jokingly say $5.  So there I was, the proud new owner of a "survival knife".  I doubt this will ever see the woods (learned not to say never at that gun show).

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## Sarge47

Durn your hide, Crash; now every "Know nothing Newbie" is gonna want one of them toys!  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  (psst:  Is that knife a Ka-bar model?)

Blood Grove:  check out these Blogs of mine...1st:  Pop Quiz, Part 2; and "For the Newbies, Part 2.  Next I just re-posted those two Survival stories there so you can read those as well.  Now, here's the thing.  I don't see some nice, cool-looking knife & immediately think:  "Ooooh!   Ahhhh!  (way over-emphasizing, patronizing, condenscending tone) That's a great knife for SUR-VIVE-ALLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  Instead I choose a knife for different chores, like chopping, cutting, witiling, etc..  The truth is that in any real Wilderness Survival situation, any knife is better than no knife at all.  I pick knives that have the best quality for what I can afford and would never pay over $120 for one.  Others might/will, but that's their choice.  I used to own the USMC Ka-Bar but recently was reunited with a Son I hadn't seen since he was 4 yrs. old who'd served in the Marines during the Gulf WAR; so I made a present of it for him.  Read through all the posts & Blogs & you'll see what I've liked in the past. :Cool:

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## Ameriborn

Hey, does this knife look like it would be a good knife to you guys?  Ebay Auction 

I am thinking about getting something like it. Just wondering your opinions.

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## dragonjimm

@ameriborn...yes and no....yes i think it would for a variety of reasons...no it has too many moving parts and the sheath is little skimpy makes it to easy to lose you're knife if the strap fails.

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## Ameriborn

It wouldn't be my main knife. (Which is a buck knife) However, I see what you mean on the parts thing. The good thing is they are all attached to it. Except the sharpener, but I pry wouldn't use the one it comes with anyway.

I am still not sure I am going to get it. However, I do see what you mean about the sheath. Hmm..

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## dragonjimm

those cold steel machetes are not worth the money i had one and warped the thing first day out.. best bet for a kukri is a military issue or go with a ontario 12 inch machete


heres the one i warped
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## crashdive123

dragonjimm - just use it for cutting around corners. :Big Grin:

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## Seppo Karhu

I too plan to do the M4040 conversion on mine.

Got two small corn bread loaf pans from W*mart that make perfect containers for the kit itself.

The Ghurka is the next best thing to a swedish brush axe for cutting small shrubs, boughs and trees for a shelter.

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## Blood Groove

I'll check those out. About knives though, I don't buy the cool-looking ones or the cheap ones. I always do tons or research on them before I buy them, and like you, I have different knives for different jobs. I use a Ka-BAr Kukri for the heavy chopping, a USMC ka-bar for all purpose camp knife, or whatever, and I got a Mora S-1 for the little jobs. Those are just my favorites, but I have many more. I've never bought a knife for over 100$ though. I'll be sure to look at those blogs they sound interesting.

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## Blood Groove

> Some POS "survival knife" that I happened to pick up at a gun show.  The guy selling them thought I was really interested in it (I wasn't - just curious).  I think it had a price tag of $30 or $40 on it.  When I told the guy that I would never own a knife like that - he said make me an offer - I jokingly say $5.  So there I was, the proud new owner of a "survival knife".  I doubt this will ever see the woods (learned not to say never at that gun show).


Wow I can't believe that you got that knife for only 5$! But that's probably what it was worth in the first place, and he was trying to rip someone of though. I can't stand those cheap chinese survival knives.

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## dragonjimm

oh their good for shims or wedges. some of them will do for chisel if you have a big enough hammer :Big Grin:

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## Bdog

> Man! I have a Bear Gryllis knife just like that! I got a great deal on it. Only $12,000.00!


No No No a butter knife he used to smear jelly on a roll while staying at a resort while filming.

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## Rick

Hey, I didn't say he used it. He just put his name on it and sold it for mega bucks. I'm still waiting for the tell tale signs that the knives he uses on the show are actually rubber knives.

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## Sarge47

> I'll check those out. About knives though, I don't buy the cool-looking ones or the cheap ones. I always do tons or research on them before I buy them, and like you, I have different knives for different jobs. I use a Ka-BAr Kukri for the heavy chopping, a USMC ka-bar for all purpose camp knife, or whatever, and I got a Mora S-1 for the little jobs. Those are just my favorites, but I have many more. I've never bought a knife for over 100$ though. I'll be sure to look at those blogs they sound interesting.


Your knife choices are wise ones; those are quality knives, IMHO.  I've had my eye on the Ka-Bar Kukri for awhile now.  I miss my USMC Ka-Bar but this was my 1st son & I'm just so da*ned proud of him!  Anyway, I also own the Ka-Bar "Bull-Dozier", which is my favorite "long-blade" knife for the moment. Also own the Buck "General" which is a bit longer than the "Special".

BTW, the only knives, at this time, that I'd pay the maximum amount I mentioned would be either of two of Ontario's knives:  The RAT-7 in D-2 steel, &/or the RTAC II with it's 10 inch blade.(shrug) :Cool:

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## crashdive123

If you've got any gun or knife shows in your area you might be able to find an old K Bar.  Had one in town last week end.  Saturday picked up a few "experienced" knives and some blanks.  Thought some more and went back Sunday.  Ended up with eleven in total - one of em is an ooooold smaller K-Bar with a 4" blade - needs some work, but for $4 couldn't pass it up.

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## FVR

I'm not picky, Kabars, Caveman Kabars, longhunters, bowies, a piece of chert, a bamboo split, you get the idea.

Honestly, what do you really need a knife for, other than confidence?

Given the choice of a knife or a wool blanket, wool blanket hands down.

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## Blood Groove

> Your knife choices are wise ones; those are quality knives, IMHO.  I've had my eye on the Ka-Bar Kukri for awhile now.  I miss my USMC Ka-Bar but this was my 1st son & I'm just so da*ned proud of him!  Anyway, I also own the Ka-Bar "Bull-Dozier", which is my favorite "long-blade" knife for the moment. Also own the Buck "General" which is a bit longer than the "Special".
> 
> BTW, the only knives, at this time, that I'd pay the maximum amount I mentioned would be either of two of Ontario's knives:  The RAT-7 in D-2 steel, &/or the RTAC II with it's 10 inch blade.(shrug)


The Ka-bar Kukri is a truly great knife, if you can call it that, It's great for use as a machete. The design and weight of the blade make it perfect for heavy hacking. I've used it to cut down 6 inch diameter trees, and my arm doesn't get tired at all. You you can basically use your wrist to do all the cutting. PLus this thing makes even the most awkward cutting angles. I've had to cut a small branch with the knife upside down, and with a backhand type swing, but it cut perfectly. And it stays very sharp. It's not too expensive either. Also, if you need it to clear brush, it does that the best. It's so easy to clear trails, or camping areas. I was also looking at an Ontario RAT knife, but they're out of my price range. I've read about the Fallkniven F-1, and that really looks good, but again it's out of my price range. Apperently it's the sweedish airforce survival knife.

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## Blood Groove

> If you've got any gun or knife shows in your area you might be able to find an old K Bar.  Had one in town last week end.  Saturday picked up a few "experienced" knives and some blanks.  Thought some more and went back Sunday.  Ended up with eleven in total - one of em is an ooooold smaller K-Bar with a 4" blade - needs some work, but for $4 couldn't pass it up.


Holy cow! I'd give anything to get that Ka-bar!! I'm pretty sure that it's the Ka-bar Commando, a really old ka-bar, and they stopped making it a while ago. I'm not sure how much that knife is really worth, but 4$ sounds like the steal of the century. Man what's with you and great prices at gunshows!?

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## sobeit

For every day carry I have one of the following on me, a Bench Made nimbus folder, a Spider Co a Cold Steal Voyager police, Columba River M16 a smaller one, a Scrade peanut. Leatherman, or a Kershaw Chive. When I am in the woods I have one of the previous listed and my SRK or my Cold Steal Kukri. But I thank i need a Swiss Champ.

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## crashdive123

> Holy cow! I'd give anything to get that Ka-bar!! I'm pretty sure that it's the Ka-bar Commando, a really old ka-bar, and they stopped making it a while ago. I'm not sure how much that knife is really worth, but 4$ sounds like the steal of the century. Man what's with you and great prices at gunshows!?


I'm cheap.  Last weekend I looked for beat up old knives.  There's one guy that I've talked to before that takes some in trade or picks them up at yard sales, fixes them up and sells them.  I happened to catch him when he had quite a few on hand.  The K-Bar and several antler handle knives.  All with high carbon content, all need work.  Also picked up several blanks and handles just to see what I could do with them.  But remember the key......I'm cheap.

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## sixgun

I have many knives ka-bar, spyderco, CRKT, cammilus, cold steel and benchmade, even a marbles, but I always use my mora in the woods I love those knives its one of the few things which break my golden rule (you get what you pay for) these things are made of a laminated steel simular to a traditionally made katana, soft core metal wraped in a hard metal, strengh and flexabilty the best of both worlds, they found an inexpensive way to make this metal, so many people love these knives, try one and let me know what you think I have four.

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## Sarge47

My father-in-law's got you beat, Crash.  Before he retired he worked  as a farm-hand.  One day he was working a field and found a really old Ka-bar buried in the dirt.  The leather-washer handle was gone so he replaced it & now it sits in a place of honor in his stand he built for his knife collection.  He also has a WWI fighting knife he rebuilt around the "Brass-Knuckle handle.  I did find a  Ka-Bar fighting knife with 7 inch blade, brand new in the box for $45 but it has the Army logo on the blade, so I'm not sure how bad I want it. :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

Yo "Six-Gun"!  Are ALL Mora knives built with that laminated steel?  What brands are yours? :Confused:

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## Sarge47

Here's the Ka-Bar I carry in the field at this time.

http://www.tomarskabars.com/1275_INFO.html  :Cool:

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## crashdive123

Yep - hard to beat found and free.  K-Bar Bull Dozier is a mighty fine blade.

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## Rick

> Honestly, what do you really need a knife for, other than confidence?


That's sort of my philosophy, too I guess. That's why my everyday carry is an Old Timer pocket knife. It's a bad boy when it comes to cardboard boxes, packing tape and envelopes.

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## h8mtv

I carry a RAT3-D2 by Ontario, I also keep a CS SRK (CV) in the gear.

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## crashdive123

*The original question on the thread was What knife do you prefer?.....I prefer options.*

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## Rick

Never run with those in your pocket and be very very careful when you sit down.

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## crashdive123

Yeah - kind of learned that from Beo.  Where is Trooper anyway?  A'int buying at his mom's and no computer.

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## Rick

That's Beo's story isn't it. I suspect foul play. I sure hope he isn't tied in his bedroom with Mexican finger locks to keep him off the keyboard.

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## crashdive123

Probably testing the new SRT police issue gear.

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## NS0201

Jesus christ!!! If  the goverment come at you at least you will be prepared to go on the run.

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## crashdive123

:Big Grin: You should see the gun collection. :Big Grin:

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## Blood Groove

> I'm cheap.  Last weekend I looked for beat up old knives.  There's one guy that I've talked to before that takes some in trade or picks them up at yard sales, fixes them up and sells them.  I happened to catch him when he had quite a few on hand.  The K-Bar and several antler handle knives.  All with high carbon content, all need work.  Also picked up several blanks and handles just to see what I could do with them.  But remember the key......I'm cheap.


CHEAP, there's something I can relate to. My Brother's are always calling me cheap, but I prefer to think of it as conservative. I mean, just because I get food off the dollar menue at wendys, and make gifts for birthdays, doesn't make me cheap. Besides, making somehting is much more special than buying somehting. Anyone can go to a store and buy something, but if I carve something that takes time and skill. But everyone calls me cheap. The only money I spend is at this little Military surplus store. Hey is that kukri you have on top in your picture a real ghurka kukri from Nepal?

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## crashdive123

Yes it is.  Well I think it is.

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## Rick

It's a real Florida Kurhki now.

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## Blood Groove

Do you ever use that kukri, or is it more of a collectable?

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## crashdive123

I use it.  When I first got it (yep - you guessed it) at one of the shows in town, I put an edge on it and then went out and purposely abused it cutting back brush, limbs, fallen dead wood just to see how it held up.  Held up just fine.  Not a bad tool for under $20 (think I payed about $12 but can't remember).

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## Blood Groove

:EEK!:  holy cow!! I can't believe you got it for that cheap. This is really impressive. The last gun show I went to didn't have any good knives, just old beat up bayonets.

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## crashdive123

Cheaper Than Dirt has one that looks similar (don't know if it is) for under $10.  Don't know what shipping costs are or the quality of the material.

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## Sarge47

Is that "Ebony Handled" Buck-Knife the "General" or the "Special"? :Confused:   the only place I could find the "General was at Cabela's. :Cool:

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## Sarge47

> holy cow!! I can't believe you got it for that cheap. This is really impressive. The last gun show I went to didn't have any good knives, just old beat up bayonets.


That's 'cause Crash got their 1st! :Big Grin:

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## crashdive123

> Is that "Ebony Handled" Buck-Knife the "General" or the "Special"?  the only place I could find the "General was at Cabela's.


It's the 119, courtesy of Wal Mart. :Big Grin:

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## Blood Groove

> Cheaper Than Dirt has one that looks similar (don't know if it is) for under $10.  Don't know what shipping costs are or the quality of the material.


I've looked at that one in cheaper than dirt, but I get a gut feeling it's not quality. I'm sure the one you get at the gun show is much better. My brother got me a cheap kukri from some catalogue, and it was really bad. Stainless steel blade, printed china right on it. The handle was two cheap pieces of metal stuck together, and I doubt that the tang went even half way down inside the handle. Of course I acted like I loved it...I mean it's my brother!

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## NS0201

> You should see the gun collection.


Post it!!!

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## crashdive123

> Post it!!!


There's about 6 or 8 of em on here someplace.  I'll get some of the others up eventually.

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## crashdive123

Here's a few of the hand guns - post #58.  http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ager#post43531

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## Ole WV Coot

I just gave up and started making my own. I get what I want. They are sharp and pointy and I can lose as many as I want. Haven't tried a folder yet and probably won't, too much trouble. If you have the steel, plasma cutter, belt grinder, angle grinder and forge handy ain't nothing to it. Really all you need is a dremel tool, a couple of big files,vice, torch or make a little forge and just make users you can surprise yourself. I have a decent workshop about 100yds away from the house and everything I need so it's kinda easy for me.

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## Tactical Tom

I love my KNIVES  :Big Grin:   Well it depends on what 'm doing for the day.
This is my New EDC (Fathers Day Gift) Along with this knife I always have my Vic. SAK soldier ! - Spyderco Endura waved -
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Here is my short hike (couple of hours) - ColdSteel ProLite/Ontario RAT3/Vic. SAK. Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

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## crashdive123

Tactical Tom - looking at the time stamp on your post - what did you do?  Stay up all night to open your Father's Day gift at the stroke of midnight? :Big Grin:  :Big Grin:  :Big Grin:

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## Rick

Someone was into the presents early, I bet.

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## Chiefman

I prefer my Leatherman day to day and on hiking and hunting trips I take my Seal Elite and Seal Pup Elite knives.

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## Tactical Tom

> Cold .
> Steel makes several models and they are great. coldsteel.com
> Their are only three problems with the traditional Kukri.
> Blade,handle and sheath.
> Most handals are small and slick.
> Blades are not of the best metal and rust easy.
> The sheath is poor leather and will rot and does not carry well.
> But in spite of that they work great. They have been taken into the modern age by some makers.
> 
> I use a Cold Steel light kukri and love it. I Glued a leatherman tool and a sharpening rod pouch onto the sheath.


Problems ? 
1 - blade ? The blade is made from a HD truck leaf spring = High Carbon Rolled Steel 
+ Easy to resharpen & holds a good edge after use  
+ Very Tough Material
- Will Rust if not taken care of ( oil regulary)
2- Handles - Yes the Handles are a little small but the Jungle Model has a rough finish on the handle so it's not so slick !
3- Sheath - SUCKS  :Stick Out Tongue: 
The coldSteel model is 1/4" thick blade - The Jungl Model from Nepal has a 3/8" Blade  :EEK!:  = BEAST !

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## Rick

> Got two small corn bread loaf pans from W*mart that make perfect containers for the kit itself.


That part I didn't do on mine. I looked at it and just wasn't satisfied with it. Instead, I chose to go with Pelican 1010. You could also use an Ottor Box 3250. It's about the same size. I think S3 also makes crushproof/waterproof cases. I wanted something that would keep the contents dry and safe no matter what.

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## Ole WV Coot

Guess I will have to get one and give it a try. I've never used or even held one, I still use the old `60s USA Ontario and I guess I need to retire it.

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## yukon55

i got two knives i use for survival one is a gerber  obsidian,and a remington f,a,s,t.

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## Rick

I carry three knives on me. None are for survival. I don't plan to be in that type of situation. :Embarrassment:

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## crashdive123

I carry --- well you've seen the pictures.

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## danmc

I carry a cold steel master hunter in the woods.  The blade is maybe a tad larger than what I really wanted but so far I've been pretty happy with it.  It is a thick enough blade that I don't think I'm going to hurt it by using it to split smaller logs.  Being able to split a smallish log means being able to make a hearth aka fireboard, although thats really not my goto fire source.  The drop point blade, for me at least, seems to work well.

Rick said something about those gerber saws, I have to agree.  I don't always carry mine, but it works like a champ.  If I'm planning on doing anything where i need to cross cut a branch or smaller log, then I always take it.

Despite that fact that the knife thats in my pocket right now has a serrated section, I prefer a straight edge.  I worry about bending/breaking a serration and I'm not convinced its that much use to me.

One thing I did modify on my master hunter though is I took a file and rounded the back side edges a bit.  Before that I found that they were sharp enough that pushing on them with your thumb became painful pretty quickly.

Quite a number of other knives I looked at before I settled on this one had blades I liked but the back of the handle looked like it could become uncomfortable after extended use in some situations.  Thats probably the final thing that steered me to this choice.

I'll note that this particular knife was right at the top end of my budget so I only looked at mass produced knives.  Besides I'll only cry some instead of a lot if I break it or somehow lose it.  Some of those customs are so pretty I might have a hard time using them how I want to.

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## RangerXanatos

> those cold steel machetes are not worth the money i had one and warped the thing first day out..


I have the latin 24" blade CS machete.  Mine is warped WAAAAY out of shape.  I still use it, but I can tell that it doesn't perform nearly as well as it used to.

If I plan on going out with the intent of heavy chopping, I carry a HI kuhkuri.  A .5" piece of leaf spring is not going to bend or break on you.   :Wink:   Otherwise, I carry a CS True Flight Thrower (which I have split 2x4's with) or the ever so popular Mora.  Any one of these I would feel comfortable using to find my way back to civilization if the need ever arised.  But each knife has it's pros and cons.  Just depends on which you feel would do the best for you.

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## tonester

i just got a RAT RC-4. its awesome. the edge is razor sharp and the grip is very comfortable. and i think the price is amazing. RAT cutlery also has a no questions asked warranty...so if ANYTHING were to happen to my knife they replace it for free!

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## Rick

Yeah, the price is amazing. $161 on the RAT Cutlery page. $80-$90 elsewhere. That's amazingly high in my book.

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## tonester

> Yeah, the price is amazing. $161 on the RAT Cutlery page. $80-$90 elsewhere. That's amazingly high in my book.


yah its a bit pricey if you get it straight from RAT. i got mine from knifesupply for about 90$. the knife also comes with a nice kydex sheath with molle locks. i think all that for under 100 bucks is a deal.

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## Rick

I'm all for that 78 cent knife that someone posted a couple of days ago. $90 is like a magnet in my pocket when it comes to buying knives. I couldn't pry it out.

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## skunkkiller

you can always make a knife from flint  if you need one but I wouldn't 90 bucks for any knife.The knife I carry the blade I found on the side of the road one day took it home put nice antler but handle on it made a sheath and there i go nice knife stays sharp and always carry a wetstone just in case it needs sharpening all for alittle work but to me it was more like fun.

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## Deer Sniper

> Recently I purchased a knife from Maxam. I haven't gotten it yet, so I'm still waiting for it. Here's the knife:
> http://www.ckbproducts.com/product_i...oducts_id/1327
> Great website btw.
> 
> Anywho, I was just wondering what everyone's thoughts were. Good knife? Bad knife? 
> 
> While we're on the subject, I also would like to know what you all look for in a good knife.


IMO , I look for a knife that is 440 stainless or good carbon steel. 440 is preferable to me. Tang through construction is imperative! Well secured micarta scales or a cord wrap is preferable to a molded over handle to me. I like a length of 10" to 15" overall. A big knife will chop and make small cuts but a small knife wont chop effectively. Also blade width is important 1/4" to 3/8" seems good, much less than 1/4" is too thin. Blade shape is simple personal preference, Bowie, Kukri, Bolo, Waidblatt, are all good.

The main problem I have with the knife you purchased is that I do not know how well the handle is secured. It may be solid. I just cannot tell. Otherwise the blade design while somewhat odd looking, appears adequate for both cutting and chopping. For the price, I would say if you like it, take it out in the woods and beat the snot out of some dead fall. if the knife handles it and the handle doesnt loosen up then you got a knife. If it does loosen up or you find some other problem, toss it or give it to your nephew or something.  :Smile: 

Remember that the knife prefered by many if not most outdoorsmen ( Native Americans, Cowboys, Trappers, Buffalow Hunters, etc. )in the 1800's was a 8" to 10" Green River butcher knife. Still available today, and found in the knife block of many chiefs and in the drawr of many home kitchens. And these guys knew what a survival knife was if anyone did! Look arround in some yard sales, I bet you can find one for under $5 if you want one. I have.

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## Deer Sniper

> I ain't no marine or survivalist but a 13 year old hunter/outdoorsman. I carry a leather all the time and of course I use it as a backup in the woods with my primary knife the survival knife I will be getting.


Ive gutted more than one deer with my leatherman. And cut a few briars loose with it too, among other things.

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## Tactical Tom

Get yourself a Frosts Mora ! I like the Clipper model w/ carbon blade, They are Awsome for the $ ( around $10.00 ) Also you'll need a small stone to keep things sharp  :Wink:  With a Mora & a good machete you can do pretty much anything in the bush ! 
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This is my 12" ontario Machete & Frosts Mora Clipper combo !

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## brassdropper

New here, great thread.   I have carried a Kabar fixed blade in the woods for years... It looks like hell, but works as good as it did 20 years ago when I bought it...used.   
I also use a buck BKS 119, but I dont punish it like the kabar...  

Hope its ok for me to post a link to my favorite survival knives page:
best-survival-knife  There is a section at the bottom to add your own knife.

I love ontario stuff, the RAT-7 is on the list, and I also like the 499 survival knife:

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## trax

Well that's a darn fine knife for pretty much any occassion brassdropper and welcome to the forum. I for one am glad you're enjoying it and we certainly look forward to your input. Maybe, when you have time, stop by the introduction section and let us know a bit about yourself, your outdoor interests and experience, what sort of environment you generally practice your outdoor skills in, that sort of thing. But most of all...welcome  :Smile:  You'll find the wolfpack to be a funloving, whacky bunch of kids...

(how was that, boss? did I sound sincere? is this thing still on? Oh s*it...)

naw seriously, welcome in brassdropper.

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## Gray Wolf

WoW...... I'm in shock  :Big Grin: 

And welcome brassdropper, and please do as the man says and go over to the intro and tell us about yourself.

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## danmc

It has yet to be woods tested but I found this at a local junk/antique shop for not too much.

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the blade is 5/32" thick so along the spine it is fairly hefty.  It does have a slight hollow grind to it so we'll see how well it holds up to rough (ab)use.  The knife fits my hand fairly well and the handle looks nice although I noticed that the brass on the front of the handle is sized differently on the left and right sides of the blade.  I did use it for some wood work and it still sliced printer paper with no tearing.  

So far the biggest problem is no sheath.  Guess I've got yet another project.

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## Gray Wolf

> It has yet to be woods tested but I found this at a local junk/antique shop for not too much.
> the blade is 5/32" thick so along the spine it is fairly hefty.  It does have a slight hollow grind to it so we'll see how well it holds up to rough (ab)use.


What is stamped on the blade, I couldn't make it out?

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## danmc

> What is stamped on the blade, I couldn't make it out?


one side says "EXPLORER ZZ" and the other "440 C STAINLESS JAPAN"

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## Rick

I've got an old (30+ years) Japanese stainless and love it.

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## Capt.Canuck

> I've got an old (30+ years) Japanese stainless and love it.


Yep, the Japanese have been making superior steel for over 1000 years.  They know their stuff.

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## danmc

and here is my first try at a knife sheath.  

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I more or less followed the instructions I found at http://beknivessite2.homestead.com/pouchsheath.html  Any mistakes are mine.  Next time I'm going to make the belt loop take a wider belt and I may make it be part of the same piece of leather instead of being stitched on.  I'm also going to keep a paper tracing of the leather too to make it easier to come up with an incremental change to the design.  Still I'm fairly happy with my first leather project.  Plus I can actually use the knife now that I have a way to carry it.

-Dan

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## Gray Wolf

Dan, can you post a pic with the knife in the sheath?

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## nell67

nice work dan.

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## crashdive123

Good job Dan.

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## Ole WV Coot

That sure beats my first. I like the pouch type myself. I couldn't tell if you put a welt in or not. Anyway it looks good to me.

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## danmc

> Dan, can you post a pic with the knife in the sheath?


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## danmc

> That sure beats my first. I like the pouch type myself. I couldn't tell if you put a welt in or not. Anyway it looks good to me.


yes, I did put a welt in.

-Dan

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## crashdive123

Just in case anybody bought one of these back in the 1980's I apologize in advance for laughing.  I don't recall ever seeing the commercial on TV, but was LMAO when I saw the You Tube vid.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gj9CMvwfv4

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## Rick

I was browsing some antique shops last week-end and found a Kershaw Black Horse in 440 stainless for $15. No sheath but it still found a home.

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## Gray Wolf

Love those small antique shops, At yard sales I'll always ask the person if they have any old knives or old rifles for sale that they were afraid to put out. Like that saying "One mans junk is another mans treasure".

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## Ole WV Coot

I usually find old saw blades, files and old truck springs, always can make something sharp and pointy for nothing. I get cherry, maple really any hardwood scraps to use as handles and any junk brass especially welding rods for pins. Forget guns or old knives around here. The people know way too much about them to get a decent price.

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## Rick

I also found a corn knife in one but the goober wanted $45 for it and the scales were loose. I'd forgotten all about corn knives. Ace hardware has them plenty cheap on their web site. 

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(kf...aspx?SKU=70954

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## nell67

> Just in case anybody bought one of these back in the 1980's I apologize in advance for laughing. I don't recall ever seeing the commercial on TV, but was LMAO when I saw the You Tube vid. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gj9CMvwfv4


Crash,my son just bought one of those crappy things last week for $8. :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## Gray Wolf

> I usually find old saw blades, files and old truck springs.


This just reminded me that kid hasn't stopped in here since the end of January.
I liked his knives...

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## Ole WV Coot

> This just reminded me that kid hasn't stopped in here since the end of January.
> I liked his knives...



I have seen him a couple of times on other knife forums. He lives in Caribou, ME last I heard. I have loads of friends and relatives (my Swedish side) in the area. He used old saw blades from local sawmills once. I don't know of any in that area. He was all over outdoor forums to advertise same as here. He did nice work.

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## nell67

When was the last time you saw him Coot? Last I heard,he was pretty bad sick,was wondering how he was doing.

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## Ole WV Coot

I didn't know that Nell. He did have a site online a month or so ago. He uses the same material that I do so I was interested in his work and Caribou, ME is very familiar to me, saw it mentioned on his site. Mom's family came from Sweden and settled a few miles out, I try to go there often. His online site is still active. I searched Kid Couteau and got a bunch of hits.

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## nell67

Coot,my bad,it was another member who was ill.

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## tonester

for those of you that have carbon steel blades, what do you guys use to keep them from rusting?

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## crashdive123

> for those of you that have carbon steel blades, what do you guys use to keep them from rusting?


I use a spray coating/lubricant called Strike Force.  Spray it on and then wipe it off after a few minutes.  Works fantastic.  I've also used it on wearpons and garden tools.  Things just will not rust after being coated with this.

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## tonester

thanks crashdive. would i be able to pick some up like at a wallmart?

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## crashdive123

The only place I've seen it is at local gun shows.  I'll grab a can and see if there is any ordering info on it and send you a pm.

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## crashdive123

I got the name of the product wrong - it's Strike Hold.  They do have a web site.  http://www.strike-hold.com/

Another thing to consider (and cheaper too) is - a lot of people use vegetable oil or olive oil to protect their carbon steel blades from rusting.

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## Fargus

> for those of you that have carbon steel blades, what do you guys use to keep them from rusting?


I use a product called Weapon Shield, mainly used as a CLP for my firearms. Works well on knives also. Zero rust in a fairly moist climate.

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## Ryleyboy

what do you think would be the best knife to make a spear with?

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## Sarge47

> what do you think would be the best knife to make a spear with?


A sharp one!  It's not the knife, just the person using it, ok? :Cool:

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## Ryleyboy

ok.. //.. ..

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## Sarge47

> ok.. //.. ..


You're 13 years old & your asking all kinds of questions that any Tenderfoot Boy Scout knows the answer to.  You're showing up in different threads, asking redundant questions which tells me that, like most kids your age, you really hate homework.  The problem is that Survival is one area where doing your homework is essential!  There is a term for people who don't do their homework:  "F.I.T.W.D!" (Found In The Woods Dead!)

  If you have a question about knives go to the "Survival Knife" Sticky.  If you have a question about shelters enter the word "shelters" bracketed in the quotation marks just like I've shown you, then click on search.  Better yet, go to the homepage of this site & start reading the copy of the US Army Survival Manual that's sitting there for anybody to use.

What experience have you had with knives?  Do you own any right now?  Are you allowed to use them or not?  To make a spear all you need is a long tree branch about an inch & a half in diameter & 4 to 6 feet long, preferably straight; then take any sharp knife (Even a kitchen knife, or a pocket knife will work.) and whittle a point on one end, making sure you don't cut yourself, or gut yourself, in the process.  Then you just need to learn how to harden the point by heat-treating it in a fire.  For all this info you just need to do a search on the word "Spear", or "making a Spear".

However, please make sure that your parents are aware of what you are doing at all times, that info could save your life. :Cool:

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## Sam Reeves

Why are y'all picking on some thirteen year old kid?  :Mad:

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## Sarge47

> Why are y'all picking on some thirteen year old kid?


Butt out Sam! :Mad:   If you don't like it here you don't need to stay!  The young man is going to learn properly if he wants to survive, ok?  Anymore flaming on the mods & you'll be gone!  I've had your nonsense up to here!  Oh, BTW, you're not 13 are you? :Mad:

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## Sam Reeves

> Butt out Sam!  If you don't like here you don't need to stay!  The young man is going to learn properly if he wants to survive, ok?  Anymore flaming on the mods & you'll be gone!  I've had your nonsense up to here!  Oh, BTW, you're not 13 are you?


Ban me you cyber cop.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

It's disgusting the way y'all beat up the new guys. He's a kid. Just a kid. You don't ever need to scream at a kid to get him to understand. I reckon y'all justify this behavior in the name of "education", you bunch of commies. 

This is y'all natural dispostion anyway since the 'Wolf Pack" is really just a bunch of half breed mutts anyway. 

Here's what I think about politics:

[http://www.****************

BTW, ********** has more hardcore survivalist, some with just as much military training as the best here. 

And here is what I think of y'all:

http://www.******************

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## Sarge47

> Ban me you cyber cop.


As per your request; BTW, I didn't know he was 13 until he mentioned his age in another thread, but that doesn't give anyone the right to be disrespectful.  And no one's "beating up" on him by being firm.  Also, we're not yelling, but being assertive.  'bye. :Cool:

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## sh4d0wm4573ri7

These are the knives I currently choose as my favorites lol 
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## sh4d0wm4573ri7

The one I trully rely on? My Sog and my srk carbon and soon a mora crafstmen 740 carbon to test lol

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## Ole WV Coot

You're getting as bad as some of us. Nasty habit but I have had it a long long time. Just wait until your biggest decision before you leave the house is which knives to take. Yep you're a knife addict just like me.

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## Ryleyboy

sarge- i have lots of knifes but most of them need to be sharpened.. and yes im allowed to use them.. .. and i will try that search thing now considering that i just found it.

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## Sarge47

> sarge- i have lots of knifes but most of them need to be sharpened.. and yes im allowed to use them.. .. and i will try that search thing now considering that i just found it.


Very good, when you get the hang of the search feature. also check on "knife sharpening".  It may help. :Cool:

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## Ryleyboy

ok.. thanks

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## Bibow

my favorite is the buck pathfinder in my opinion the only thing better  is a finnish puuko but i haven't been able to get my hands on one yet.

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## crashdive123

So how do you know it's better?

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## Bibow

ok maybe that didn't come out right the only thing i think could be better is the puukko. i heard there very good and they look pretty nice to.but the pathfinder is a great knife for everything.

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## crashdive123

Ah don't worry about it Bibow I was just having a little fun.  If you like the knife, that's all that matters.  As the saying goes - if it works for you, then it works for me.

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## Rick

Still, that was a pretty good laugh. I've been guilty of the, "dang, that didn't come out right" syndrome myself a time or three.

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## Bibow

ya gotta hate when that happens

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## Catfish

:Smile:   What's also frustrating is when you spend ages composing a beautiful post, with well thought out and insightful comments, then sit back to wait on the applause.  Only to find people arguing with you, and responding to opinions you didn't express.  

What?  What are they talking about?  I didn't say that, I said...well, let me take a look and see what I _did_ say.  Here it is, I said...oh.  Well, that's not what I _meant_.   :Big Grin:

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## crashdive123

People here arguing?  Say it ain't so.

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## crashdive123

OK Catfish - here ya go.

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## Rick

That's not true, Catfish. You can't go off like that and make some accusation against the forum and.....just kidding.

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## Catfish

What are you talking about?  That's not what I _meant_!  Hang on, let me go see what I wrote.  Oh.

 :Big Grin:

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## davef

I'm new to this forum, and thought I'd show my little collection.

My collection
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In addition to these, I have a fold down Swede Saw.

At the top is my new $9.00 Fiskars
Left hand side:Swamp Rat RatweilerSog Daggert IIFallkniven A1Rat Tak D2Koster BushcraftGolok PetokBenchmade 710 D2Leatherman
Middle:Schrade Little FingerLeatherman Charge
Right Side:Becker BK9Swamp Rat RatmanduScrapyard S6Scrapyard DMDCKoster NessmukNick Allen NWA 5"Busse Active DutySwamprat Hairy CarrySpyderco GuntingSpyderco Delica

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## Rick

Hey, you're all right. I'll take the Rat. You don't have to wrap it or anything just drop it in a box. And thanks!!!

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## crashdive123

Nice collection.  Thanks for letting us take a look.

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## davef

My every day carry knife alternates between the BM710 and the Spyderco 
Delica with the Leatherman c303 in there sometimes.  
(The green handled knife is a Bram Frank Lapu Lapu Corto)

Leatherman Charge (top)Benchmade 710 (middle left)Leatherman c303 (bottom right)Spyderco Delica (bottom left

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What I use the most:
Becker BK9 (top right)Scrapyard Scrapper 6 (top left under Fiskars)Koster Bushcraft (3rd down on right)Leatherman ChargeNick Allen NWA 5" (under the Leatherman Charge)

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----------


## flandersander

I was thinking of getting some woodworking knives. Anybody have some? I was thinking "crooked" knife. Not sure if thats what its called, but its for carving out the concave in something like a bowl. Anybody reccomend a good set?

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## Proud American

> Just in case anybody bought one of these back in the 1980's I apologize in advance for laughing.  I don't recall ever seeing the commercial on TV, but was LMAO when I saw the You Tube vid.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gj9CMvwfv4


O that was Priceless the "best selling knife we ever sold" :Big Grin:  :Big Grin:  :Big Grin:  :Big Grin: 

O I have a knife blog so if you want somthin to be put on there or want to look at it. This is just a remminder that its there. :Smile:

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## Deer Sniper

> Depends on my wardrobe. I try to act toward knives the way a lot of women do with their shoes, one for whatever outfit I happen to have on. Since about 95% of the time that involves jeans or khakis, it ain't that tough, but one should maintain a fashion sense. Takes me a longer time to get ready when I'm leaving the house in the morning because I'll narrow it down to about a half dozen, but then it's like ....decisions decisions....what to do...


Oh thank God im not the only one!!!!!

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## RangerXanatos

Wow!  You have a little fortune right there in steel.

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## Gray Wolf

Nice collection Dave!

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## davef

Thanks for the comments everyone.
Lots of research went into the collecting.  I learned early on, to ask 
questions, and to listen to the advice of those who know.  
That and being lucky to get some good deals has allowed me to score some 
good knives.

Now, I have to figure out which ones to put into my kit.
I've been trying to go by the rule of 3's, but when it comes to knives, it's 
pretty difficult.  I like them all, too much  :Smile: 

In addition to the collection of knifes, I've got one of those break down 
Swede Saws to add into the mix somewhere.

For the kit I'm putting together, I'm thinking:  
Saw (the breakdown Swede, or a folding Buck or Gerbers pruning type saw)
Chopper (Hatchet or Chopping knife)
Medium size knife (General duty)
Small knife and/or Leatherman

Being new to this, any and all suggestions are welcome.
Critique and commentary will get a guaranteed read.

I'm going to be posting pictures of my kit, such as it is, in a separate post, 
sometime this weekend for everyone to check out and give suggestions on.

Thanks again for the comments on my small knife collection.

Cheers.
Dave

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## crashdive123

As far as which to chose to put in your kit - just remember that the knives are tools (it's been said elsewhere and many times).  Choose the right tools for the jobs that you may need to do out of your kit (sounds like that's what you're doing).

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## Ole WV Coot

Koster Nessmuk without a doubt. Just my personal opinion but you wouldn't believe the uses and punishment mine take. I don't plan on chopping with one, have other things for that.

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## Atomic

I carry a lighter and a pocket knife with me at all times. Just a "what if" kind of thing mostly but they are both still tools I do use a lot. Anyway if I were going out in the woods for a camping trip or just to test my skills I'd take that and a larger fixed blade. It's just smart.

The real question is: Machete or hatchet? I say a machete is very useful and could be used to take down small trees or cut up fallen wood for fire but since we already have a large fixed blade a hatchet would be better. Hammer on one end and bone breaking tree cutting blade on the other.

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## danmc

> I carry a lighter and a pocket knife with me at all times.


I almost always carry a pocket knife with me.  A big exception is if I visit a school where there are often times zero tolerance "do not pass go, go directly to jail for a long time" laws in place.  Wonder how many folks have violated that by leaving some fishing stuff with a fillet knife as part of it in the trunk.

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## RobertRogers

Ask 1000 guys about knives and expect 2000 answers.  Likely more.

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## Blood Groove

IMO you can get just about the same ammout of cutting power with a good kukri as you can witha  machete. PLus they're smaller and fit on your belt. There wicked effective, and you really get a deep appreciation for them when you read about their history. FOr a chopper I'll almost always recommend a kukri, but that's just because they've worked so well for me. I'm getting a new one from Nepal, but it takes FOREVER to ship it.

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## SurvivalkitsUSA

There sure are a lot of post here, but I will have to say, CRKT is the Best!  I love to collect them.  I want to get as many as I can.

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## Blood Groove

CRKT seems to make good knives. I've been looking at the First Strike for a long time. I like the Japanese style they use, I'm just not too sure about the steel. I'ts 440 A. I've read some negative stuff about that steel, but I have to think that if they used it in that knife it'd have to work well. I don't acatually won one of their knives though.

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## HaroldB

A knife for survival means your life, buy the BEST you can afford.  Benchmade, RAT survival or Falkniven all make great sheath knives.

A smaller super-sharp folder is very useful, like Spyderco's Caly Jr or Sage too.

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## sgtdraino

> CRKT seems to make good knives.


CRKT are widely regarded to have very high quality products. However, for reasons I can't quite put my finger on, I have never really cared for *any* of their designs. Esthetically and ergonomically, they just don't do it for me.

On the off-chance someone on here isn't aware of it, you should totally check out this site:

http://www.knifetests.com/

This guy perferms a "Destruction Test" on a bunch of different knives (some expensive, some not) reputed to be "tough." The tests start low key, then get progressively more and more extreme until the knife is finally destroyed. To the point where he is hammering them into concrete blocks or metal pipes, or putting the blade in a clamp and bouncing up and down on the handle with his entire body. You can watch videos of the whole thing. Results can sometimes be pretty surprising.

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## h8mtv

> CRKT are widely regarded to have very high quality products. However, for reasons I can't quite put my finger on, I have never really cared for *any* of their designs. Esthetically and ergonomically, they just don't do it for me.
> 
> On the off-chance someone on here isn't aware of it, you should totally check out this site:
> 
> http://www.knifetests.com/
> 
> This guy perferms a "Destruction Test" on a bunch of different knives (some expensive, some not) reputed to be "tough." The tests start low key, then get progressively more and more extreme until the knife is finally destroyed. To the point where he is hammering them into concrete blocks or metal pipes, or putting the blade in a clamp and bouncing up and down on the handle with his entire body. You can watch videos of the whole thing. Results can sometimes be pretty surprising.


CRKT is not crap, but they do not make a great knife. They make good knives. 

I carry a RAT-3D2 in my daily carry backpack. Once they are available I plan to buy an Izula neck knife and have a leather pouch type sheath made for belt carry. 

Dare I say "the cats meow"?
http://www.ratcutlery.com/neck_knife.htm

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## tonester

> CRKT is not crap, but they do not make a great knife. They make good knives. 
> 
> I carry a RAT-3D2 in my daily carry backpack. Once they are available I plan to buy an Izula neck knife and have a leather pouch type sheath made for belt carry. 
> 
> Dare I say "the cats meow"?
> http://www.ratcutlery.com/neck_knife.htm


i actually emailed jeff randall a couple of days ago about when the izula was gonna be available, he said in about another six weeks. ive been waiting for this knife for so long!

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## huntermj

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
If the image thingy works you can see my first attempt to make a knife. It is .225 thick and i used 440c steel. i based it on Tom Brows design. It works great at building shelters and fire bow kits, so it does what i need it to do. A friend of mine has the Tom Brown knife and the back is not a saw, the holes on the back are supposed to be for snapping wire. he says it does not do that so well but at least it makes the knife look cool. If the image thingy does not work then this was just a test, pay no attention this was just a test, just a test.

Well i did manage to put the picture of the knife in my avatar somehow. It would mot upload to either my album or as an attachment.

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## tsitenha

The same as a previous poster:
I use my knife to cut with and use a hatchet to do the chopping work
I carry at the least 3 knives a folder, a 4" fixed blade and a 7" fixed blade with a hatchet in the pack or across my lower back.

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## Blood Groove

> CRKT are widely regarded to have very high quality products. However, for reasons I can't quite put my finger on, I have never really cared for *any* of their designs. Esthetically and ergonomically, they just don't do it for me.
> 
> On the off-chance someone on here isn't aware of it, you should totally check out this site:
> 
> http://www.knifetests.com/
> 
> This guy perferms a "Destruction Test" on a bunch of different knives (some expensive, some not) reputed to be "tough." The tests start low key, then get progressively more and more extreme until the knife is finally destroyed. To the point where he is hammering them into concrete blocks or metal pipes, or putting the blade in a clamp and bouncing up and down on the handle with his entire body. You can watch videos of the whole thing. Results can sometimes be pretty surprising.


I've heared of  the destruction test sire, but seeing as I have dial-up internet, I can never really watch the videos. I saw that the Ka-bar got a low rating (and I worship the Ka-bar) so that depressed me, adn I really didn't want to go back. But I'd like to watch some of the videos and stuff. HOw do they get expensive knives and ruin them adn still be able to sleep at night!!!!!??????

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## Blood Groove

> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
> If the image thingy works you can see my first attempt to make a knife. It is .225 thick and i used 440c steel. i based it on Tom Brows design. It works great at building shelters and fire bow kits, so it does what i need it to do. A friend of mine has the Tom Brown knife and the back is not a saw, the holes on the back are supposed to be for snapping wire. he says it does not do that so well but at least it makes the knife look cool. If the image thingy does not work then this was just a test, pay no attention this was just a test, just a test.
> 
> Well i did manage to put the picture of the knife in my avatar somehow. It would mot upload to either my album or as an attachment.


Wait a second you made that knife that's the picture for your avatar???

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## SARKY

Since you already have a folder, I would reccomend 2 fixed blade knives. The first is the Swedish Mora and the second is the Cold Steel Pendelton hunter. I've used both of these knives and they work quite well.As for sharpening, I carry a Lansky dual sided folding sharpener. It has 2 different grits and they are diamond embedded so they will last a long time.

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## huntermj

It took a while to grind out the shape on the bench grinder, used a belt sander for the bevel. had it hardened and tempered by a company near me and back to the belt sander for polishing. it really does chop like a son of a gun. i still carry a frost for more delicate jobs.
Jim

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## Blood Groove

> It took a while to grind out the shape on the bench grinder, used a belt sander for the bevel. had it hardened and tempered by a company near me and back to the belt sander for polishing. it really does chop like a son of a gun. i still carry a frost for more delicate jobs.
> Jim


Wow it's a nice looking knife. Did you forge it, or is it more of a ground knife?

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## erunkiswldrnssurvival

these are two "survival Knives" that nature provides....

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

And also...

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

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## Blood Groove

What the heck is that second ''survival knife''?

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## Ameriborn

It has likely already been covered in this topic, and I will look when I am done with this post. However, I will ask anyway.

Has anyone had any experience with the Cheaper Than Dirt Rough Use Knives? I saw the destruction tests right after they were put on the page, and was wondering what any of you thought about them.

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## sgtdraino

> I've heared of  the destruction test sire, but seeing as I have dial-up internet, I can never really watch the videos.


Aww, you should go to a library or something. Those videos are great!




> I saw that the Ka-bar got a low rating (and I worship the Ka-bar) so that depressed me, adn I really didn't want to go back.


The Ka-Bar Heavy Bowie got a pretty decent rating (4 Swords). It is surprising how quickly some of the expensive blades fail, and how well some of the cheap blades last (like the Cold Steel Kukri and the CTD Rough Use).




> But I'd like to watch some of the videos and stuff. HOw do they get expensive knives and ruin them adn still be able to sleep at night!!!!!??????


lol. I dunno, man! The guy doesn't seem like he's rich. Maybe people donate them. I think with some of them he attempts to get a replacement through the warranty. Then I guess he can always sell the replacement and recoup.




> Has anyone had any experience with the Cheaper Than Dirt Rough Use Knives? I saw the destruction tests right after they were put on the page, and was wondering what any of you thought about them.


I do not have any experience, but looking at the 22 customer reviews on the Cheaper Than Dirt website, it sounds like you really can't go wrong for the price.

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## crashdive123

In this thread http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ght=knifetests there is a discussion about the knife test site that you may find interesting.

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## Blood Groove

sgt draino
Well I was mostly talking about the Usmc Ka-bar, it like only got three swords or something. I saw the video at school, adn it likiemd like the tang broke in half or something. Maybe they had a deffective Ka-bar that's what I keep telling myself. I do think that they get donations becuase the one video I did watch at school, the guy said that they just got a knife in the mail and he didn't know what knife it was going to be. So I bet they do get donations.

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## klkak

I was checking out my local news on the web and I came across this link about knives.
http://community.adn.com/adn/node/131146

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## Ameriborn

> I do not have any experience, but looking at the 22 customer reviews on the Cheaper Than Dirt website, it sounds like you really can't go wrong for the price.


Yea, I thought about that as well. I was just hoping some people here may have some more info, and I didn't wanna start ANOTHER knife thread. 

Anyway, after reading through that site Crash posted, I've decided that I will be getting each person of my family a CTD RUK for Christmas, and Myself all 3 of them  :Smile: 

Thanks for posting that, Crash, I really appreciate it.

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## Ameriborn

I have been looking around the net recently about the Scrapyard scrapper 6 knife, and I can't seem to find a place to buy it. Are they not being made anymore? I had a $300 dollar spending limit for Christmas, but because of the CTD RUK I am going to try and find a Scrapyard Scrapper 6, however they are .. nowhere (for me, at least) to be found. Any help here would be welcome. Thanks.

If you haven't seen it before, here is the official site. (Although I can't find anywhere on here to buy the knife.) http://www.scrapyardknives.com/knives.htm

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## crashdive123

On the contact page of the site you listed there are some email contacts, but after reading the two paragraphs above the email adresses (to use their language) I don't think I'd buy anything from them - ever.

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## yukon55

http://www.majorsurplus.com/Glacier-...3313C2003.aspx
i used this knife for every thing till i dropped it into a lake  :Frown:

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## BenG2813

What about the Tom Brown Jr. knife.  I heard that was the mac daddy of Knifes.

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## Ameriborn

Crash - The reason that is there is because people believe that Scrap yard and Busse are the same company. And, though they are the same team, so to say, they aren't the same company.
Also, I have been talking with a member of them and they likely won't have any more Scrapper 6's for a long while. Oh well. Heres to hoping I can find one cheap on blade forums >.>

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## crashdive123

Oh I got that, but to say hey thanks for visiting our website where we posted some pictures of some nice knives that you may want to buy.......but if you ever ask us about them we will ban you.......just seems kind of odd that's all.

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## Ameriborn

It said that? I didn't see it. Oh well, I should pay more attention to detail  :Smile: 

Well, I will be sure to let y'all know of the next knife I buy. Should be sometime around likely before Christmas. (Because I am saving all the extra money I get for a new rifle)

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## chiye tanka

I've got 2 Busse's and love them but they can be azzzz. I e-mailed Scrapyard a few months ago and still haven't recieved a reply. (holding breath & turning blue)

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## Gray Wolf

> I've got 2 Busse's and love them but they can be azzzz. I e-mailed Scrapyard a few months ago and still haven't recieved a reply. (holding breath & turning blue)


Read Scrapyard's warning! The brothers had split up and now each have their own businesses, that are not connected in any way. You have helped me so PM me with what the problems you're having, and I might be able to help you resolve them. Unfortunately people don't understand whats going on with them.
They're good people with good products.

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## chiye tanka

GW, sent the PM.

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## Rick

Uh, wouldn't it be easier if they just put an explanation on their web page instead of coming across so customer unfriendly? A simple explanation would have done it.

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## Fletcher

> Uh, wouldn't it be easier if they just put an explanation on their web page instead of coming across so customer unfriendly? A simple explanation would have done it.


Well that would be EZ

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## Gray Wolf

Patti did post this is on their site:

DO NOT CALL THE BUSSE SHOP for any questions, comments, or inquiries concerning SCRAP YARD KNIFE CO. They are not us and we are not them. All questions must be forwarded in the form of emails. Emails will be responded to within 48 hours. We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason whatsoever.

If you call the Busse Shop regarding SCRAP YARD KNIFE CO., we will NOT sell to you . . .ever! It is that simple and there are NO exceptions. We have an agreement with Busse Combat and any violation of this could end in us losing our contract.

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## Gray Wolf

This is on their homepage:

http://www.scrapyardknives.com/intro.htm

An introduction by Patricia Busse:

My husband Dan worked in his brother Jerry’s small custom knife shop from 1982 - 1986, where he learned to appreciate the simplistic beauty of a high performance, competition grade knife. The guys in the shop used to call him “Dan The Hack” because his fit and finish were secondary concerns as he only cared about blade performance and little else. . . His philosophy was simple, if it didn’t affect the performance of the knife, he didn’t bother spending any time on it. So, his knives were a whole lotta ugly in the looks department with their simple handles and full-height flat ground blades, but their performance was simply amazing. He worked primarily with tool steels and had a strong attachment to the outrageous toughness of the shock and spring steel grades. He used a lot of 5160, A-2, D-2, 0-1, and other popular steels of the time until he stumbled upon S-7 shock steel. He simply could not get over the toughness of this steel and finally settled on this grade for his big fixed blades that would be called upon to stand up to ridiculous amounts of abuse and hard use. His love affair with spring and shock steels began way back then and has continued through to this day.

Over the past 20 years he has longed to return to his first love of making knives. And for nearly 25 years, scrap piles of unused steel and handle material have been building up in the Busse knife shop. Dan is a firm believer in the “waste not, want not” school of thought and it is this belief and desire that has coursed him back into what is now known as The Scrap Yard Knife Company. Through months of ”dumpster diving” and warehouse digging at the Busse Knife compound, Dan and I have secured literally tons of the finest tool steels available and other supplies that will allow us to bring a line of high performance American made blades to the market place at very affordable prices.

Enjoy your visit to our website and we look forward to assisting you in your quest for the ultimate knife.

Patti Busse

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## madsurvivor2006

get a good fixed blade that will fit in your can. I think bark river or blindhorse knive will be two of the best for what your looking to do.

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## crashdive123

Cool, I'll look at those madsurvivor2006.  In the meantime, how about heading on over to the introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself.

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## madsurvivor2006

tell me how id be glad to

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## crashdive123

It's toward the bottom of the Wilderness Survival Forum page, just above Blogs.  Here's a link to make it easier.  http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...splay.php?f=14

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## madsurvivor2006

ok thanks im going there now

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## crashdive123

I checked out the Blindhorse knives - like the Bush Craft Knife.  Some of them were a bit pricy for me, but they looked like good knives.  Same with the Bark Rive Knives - they look great, but it's a little scarey with no prices listed.

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## madsurvivor2006

when it comes to a knife that you have to save you or some one with you buy the best that you can afford, then you have piece of mind that it will be reliable.

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## chiye tanka

Crash, most of bark river's knives are around $100.00 and up. I have a link for a company but I'll have to get it to you tomorrow.

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## erunkiswldrnssurvival

My personal favorite is Solengen knives, made in germany, they are forged from the finest quality german steel.they range from the 100's also.

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## crashdive123

I've already looked at their site.  Looks like some nice knives.  Just a little spendy for me.  But thanks.  I've got a couple of different knives and they seem to serve me pretty well.

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## Blood Groove

I'd like to try a Nessmuk style knife. I don't know what the weird designe is for. I'm sure people here have read that book Woodcraft and Camping by "Nessmuk"

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## Ole WV Coot

> I'd like to try a Nessmuk style knife. I don't know what the weird designe is for. I'm sure people here have read that book Woodcraft and Camping by "Nessmuk"


Here are a couple I made for my grandson. That's the style I like, fits the hand, slices well, good skinner. It is not an axe or saw just a good style blade. If you want you can modify an Old Hickory skinner and for under $10 you can make one. I make my own because none are available except custom. The blade ain't "mean" looking, just works great.

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## nell67

Very nice Coot!

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## Gray Wolf

As I said when I first saw them, "they're a work of art"! 

Coot what kind of steel did you use?

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## Riverrat

Very nice job...really nice shape. When I get the shop up and finished, will have to try to make a knife, be completely off track for me, never worked with metal before.

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## chiye tanka

Very nice work Coot.

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## Blood Groove

Coot, that looks just like the one in the book. That's so cool. I read this artical on the internet of custom made ones, and yours look just as good. I like the sheaths especially. So what is the "hump-back" used for. I mean what would Nessmuk have wanted a hump on the back of his knife

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## Ole WV Coot

> As I said when I first saw them, "they're a work of art"! 
> 
> Coot what kind of steel did you use?


I appreciate that. Those are made from a 10" carbide tipped saw blade, full tang. Handles are hardwood. Maple on the larger one and cherry on the small. I used 1/2" flooring scraps. Pins are brass welding rod, thong hole on the larger is a 22mag case. I cut the blades out with a Dremel tool, heated to cherry red and cooled slowly,drilled the holes on the drill press, removed stock with a belt sander, then smoothed with a large mill file. Reheated to non magnetic, quenched in 10W30, cleaned and reheated about 3/4" of edge with a torch. Edge quenched in water, kept the blade pretty cool while heating the edge. Went by color and had a decent edge line. After epoxy and brass shaped the handles with sandpaper and used a tomato to coat the blade except for the edge. Next day I cleaned them up a bit, sewed sheaths and that's it. Not complicated at all. I use a forge sometimes but for this type of blade this is faster and quicker. If you don't heat up the saw blade you can draw file it to shape and it will have a decent holding edge. Those are strong, working knives and nothing really fancy except the tomato acid to kinda age and dull the top of the blade. :Smile:

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## Ole WV Coot

Blood Groove, the hump works like a good skinner, keeping the guts from getting cut. If you read the dimensions on the knife the blade is thin, but not flexible. Sears carried a small double bit axe and a good pocket knife. The knife isn't too big yet not too small and can be used around camp, kitchen or in the field. It ain't a true fighter, skinner or "survival" type, but I personally use one most every day and even banged one thru a treated 2X4 with a hammer and didn't hurt the edge but put a few dents in the back. They are tools I make and use. I have a few scattered around I didn't bother to clean but they do their job.

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## Gray Wolf

> I appreciate that. Those are made from a 10" carbide tipped saw blade, full tang. Handles are hardwood. Maple on the larger one and cherry on the small. I used 1/2" flooring scraps. Pins are brass welding rod, thong hole on the larger is a 22mag case. I cut the blades out with a Dremel tool.


Coot, I like how you used scraps, brass welding rod, and a shell case. There was no problems cutting the saw blade with a Dremel tool? Did you cut the blade and tang to almost the final shape with the Dremel?  Also it's very deceiving how the saw blade looks so thick. Thanks for sharing your tips!  :Wink:

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## Ole WV Coot

> Coot, I like how you used scraps, brass welding rod, and a shell case. There was no problems cutting the saw blade with a Dremel tool? Did you cut the blade and tang to almost the final shape with the Dremel?  Also it's very deceiving how the saw blade looks so thick. Thanks for sharing your tips!


The full thickness of a saw blade is plenty for a knife and the Dremel cuts very well even if it takes a couple of discs for each blade. With a good, long file draw filing removes lots of metal quickly with very good control. I cut within an 1/8" of my line and if necessary it is easily smoothed. A 10" carbide tip saw blade steel is decent as is because only the tips have been changed. The brass pins are almost decorative because 2ton epoxy would hold very well, I sometimes drill a few more holes than necessary to give the epoxy more "bite". I think you could make a knife like I do without any problem. If I can give any help just let me know. :Smile:

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## Gray Wolf

Thanks Coot, which # Dremel disc (Cut-off Wheel) are you using?

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## Fletcher

Thas ts good work VW Coot.  Can a lawn mower blade be used for knife makeing?

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## crashdive123

> Can a lawn mower blade be used for knife makeing?


Yep.......

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## ATough

I have taken a shine, to the Smith and Wesson baby SWAT knife. and its only $30.

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## Fletcher

> Yep.......


Thanks.........no really I mean it!!

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## crashdive123

Just think of it as a leaf spring that somebody put a bit of an edge on.

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## Blood Groove

> Blood Groove, the hump works like a good skinner, keeping the guts from getting cut. If you read the dimensions on the knife the blade is thin, but not flexible. Sears carried a small double bit axe and a good pocket knife. The knife isn't too big yet not too small and can be used around camp, kitchen or in the field. It ain't a true fighter, skinner or "survival" type, but I personally use one most every day and even banged one thru a treated 2X4 with a hammer and didn't hurt the edge but put a few dents in the back. They are tools I make and use. I have a few scattered around I didn't bother to clean but they do their job.


Ahh so that hump keeps the guts and stuff out fo the way so their not punctured when skinning. OK that makes sence. Well I'm really impressed with them.

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## tonester

did some hiking over the weekend and took my Breeden knives with me. i made some fuzz sticks and split some logs that were 4 to 5 inches thick with ease.

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## Wild Wolf

Hi all, I've read the entire thread and if I missed it, so sorry.
Here is a site I've found in the past couple of weeks.

http://www.khukurihouseonline.com/

Quotes from the site;

"Kukri/khukuri house of Nepal owned and run by ex-Gurkha army officer. 


 Kukris/khukuris made in Eastern part of Nepal by ex-Gurkha armory specialist. 


 Gurkha knife/knives and original kukris/khukuris inspected, admired and recommended by Gurkha VCs. VCs visit the Kukri/Khukuri House. "

I don't own anything of theirs yet but am looking at their military line.

Some here have expressed an interest in this type knife, so there they are.

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## crashdive123

> Hi all, I've read the entire thread


Whew!  You must have been reading a while. :Big Grin:  :Wink:

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## RangerXanatos

What I've heard about Kukri House is that their products they are decent but you might as well buy from Himalayan Imports for around the same price because of the shipping.
http://www.himalayan-imports.com/
The price that you see is the price that you pay.  Everything is hand made out of a leaf spring.  And the have the best warranty on a knife that I've ever seen.  Check out the "Chiruwa Ang Khola."  *Break or bend* it and get *2* free!

If I can get the time to charge up my camera, I'll post a picture of my CAK khuk.

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## crashdive123

RX - they like nice and all, but I'll stick with the under $20 ones that I have.

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## RangerXanatos

I completely understand.  My machete sees a whole lots more use than it does.  But it is something that would rely on to not break when even being abused.

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## RangerXanatos

Side view of my CAK khukuri.

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.


Notice the thickness and the full tang.

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Daniel

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## trax

wehehehelll, like the man said, "got knife?"

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## chiye tanka

According to Madison Parker's site, the knife the SEAL's are being issued for jungle survival is the Cold Steel Kukri. 
I guess if it's good enough for them, it must work well for survival.

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## crashdive123

This isn't to dispute any claims about gear issued to Navy Seals, but one of the boats I was on did Seal and Special Forces insertions - they got pretty much anything they wanted.

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## chiye tanka

He77, I hope so!

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## Blood Groove

kukri House is amazing!! I got the Genuine Gurkha kukri (It's the one they issue to the Gurkhas) And it's great quality. All hand forged, genuine water buffalo horn handle, 1095 high carbon spring steel. It's amazing the work they do, and how in expensive they are, even with the amazing materials and quality. The spine of the blade is increadibly thick like the one shown above. They've got the chopping power of a much larger machete, but are smalled and really easy to wield especially in close spaces. The come amazingly sharp. The only knife I have sharper than that kukri is my brand new recon tanto, or my sweedish mora.

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## Blood Groove

But...the downside was that comming straight from nepal, it took a 5 weeks to get here. That was kind of annoying.

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## Gray Wolf

I couldn't resist, today I bought a Brand New "WAYNE JARRETT CUSTOM HAND MADE JK HUNTER KNIFE"

Specifications:
Full Length 9.25"
Blade Length 4 1/2" Flat Grind for smooth cutting stroke
Blade Material 1095 High Carbon Steel Differentially Heat Treated with Spectacular Hamon Line
Handle Material Professionally Stabilized tiger maple with amazing color
Custom Hand Made Leather sheath made by Jarrett.
Nice file work on spine!

A $250 knife for $90!  :EEK!:   :Big Grin:   :Big Grin: 

And now I get to really test a expensive knife out in the field!!! It says it's guaranteed for as long as he's alive.  :Big Grin:  

(For those who do not know what a Hamon Line is from: During the Differential Heat Treatment, a special clay mixture is put on the blade, it's put thicker on the top, and then gets thinner towards the cutting edge so parts of the blade cool differently.)

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## crashdive123

Nice looking knife.  The scales are great.

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## chiye tanka

That's a fine piece of steel you stole there.

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## Wild Wolf

I have seen and read and heard opinions expressed that the perfect survival blade is:
Non bowie type,
4 to 5 inches in length,
No hand guard.
Even Field and Stream has a test that follows this methodology.

To each his own. I offer this web site under the blades page as food for thought. 
http://www.sererescuesog.addr.com/USRSOG-Blades.htm

This site is oriented toward SERE Skills but it is survival.
Examination of the Frontier and Mountain Men all had larger knives as well as smaller and tomahawks. I watched my father clean, skin and cut up my first deer kill. The second on was mine to complete.
No one blade can do it and one large and smaller may be a better solution. 

Like I said food for thought and to each his own.

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## crashdive123

Good info.  Thanks.

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## Blood Groove

I really liked reading what they had to say about knives, that was very interesting.

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## chiye tanka

Yep, good stuff. I love my CS knives, they've never let me down.

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## Blood Groove

Cold Steel is great. I have a bushman and a Recon tanto. The bushman is so cool how it can be a spear, it works extremely well. I got the Tanto for a great deal of 50 dollars. So Chiye tanka what cold steel knives do you have? I'd love to have one of their more expensive knives, but they get pretty pricey for me.

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## Blood Groove

Hey for anyone who's interested pictures of the knife I made are finally up on my Forging a Knife thread in the making stuff section. You should take a look.

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## chiye tanka

BG, you asked for it: 2 Trail Masters, 2 Recon Scouts, 2 SRK's, Recon Tanto, Master Hunter, Bush Ranger, 2 Voyagers tanto point, 1 Voyager clip point, Kobun, awe he//, I can't remember them all. I'm trying to photo my collection for the knife nutz group. Should be done in a couple days, then you can just see them.
I did just get the Pocket Bushman the other day. Haven't gotten to use it yet though.

My name is Chiye Tanka and I have a knife problem! :Big Grin:

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## Ameriborn

Is the regular bushman the one you can make a spear out of? If I remember correctly, it is, and for the price range, I hear they are really good knives for survival purposes, as it can be easily made into a spear.

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## S.E.R.E Guy

Well since you said you carry a leatherman thats a good little folder because you can use it for skinning anything. So you might as well carry both, I have used the       Gerber LMF which is a very good knife but the Cold Steel Scout is a very good fixed blade. But I would be sure to have a sharpening stone too, but then you could always make one out in the woods

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## Blood Groove

> BG, you asked for it: 2 Trail Masters, 2 Recon Scouts, 2 SRK's, Recon Tanto, Master Hunter, Bush Ranger, 2 Voyagers tanto point, 1 Voyager clip point, Kobun, awe he//, I can't remember them all. I'm trying to photo my collection for the knife nutz group. Should be done in a couple days, then you can just see them.
> I did just get the Pocket Bushman the other day. Haven't gotten to use it yet though.
> 
> My name is Chiye Tanka and I have a knife problem!


WOW!!!!!!!!!!! :EEK!:  That is totally amazing! Man TWO trail masters and recon scouts AND SRK's??? That's just out of this world! Why did you get two and not just one? The Recon scout is just like a smaller version of the Trail master right? Voyagers are great pocket knives. The cold steel guys do pull-ups on them to test the locking mechanism. Wow that's so cool how many knifes you have. OK here's a tough question....which one's your favorite? :Confused:

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## Blood Groove

> Is the regular bushman the one you can make a spear out of? If I remember correctly, it is, and for the price range, I hear they are really good knives for survival purposes, as it can be easily made into a spear.


Yeah you can make a very very effective spear out of the bushman, and it throws great. That really is an amazing survival knife and you just can't beat teh price on it either.

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## tonester

i dont own any knives from coldsteel yet. i really like the master hunter and the pendleton. you guys got any suggestions?

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## chiye tanka

I'd say the SRK. I skinned six deer and a moose before I had to sharpen it. That's why I have 2 of those models. CS stopped making them from Carbon V, so I bought extras in case something ever happened to one of them.
I love guns and knives, but sooner or later, you run out of ammo.

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## Blood Groove

Yeah I would have chosen the SRK too. It's more utilitarian than the Recon tanto IMO. I wanted an SRK, but I got a great deal onthe Recon tanto that I couldn't pass up, so I got the tanto. The only thing I wish is that the Srk and Recon tanto had a metal guard, adn some kind of butt cap like the Ka-bar has.

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## chiye tanka

Bussee, Scrap Yard, Tops, they're all great knives.
Tone, I agree with BG, if you're going with CS, the SRK's the way to go.
If price is not an issue, look at some custom knives.

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## firesage

I post rarely, if ever on this site but I feel as If I can provide some insight here.  You really need to decide what task your using your knife for.  As strictly a survival knife your Leather man will do nicely. That being said it will not chop or dig or trim limbs with any speed for this you will need a fixed blade to do most of the heavy lifting. I would recommend the Kukri.

The kukri (Devanāgarī: खुकुरी)(also sometimes spelled khukri or khukuri) is a curved Nepalese knife used as both tool and weapon. It is also a part of the regimental weaponry and heraldry of Gurkha fighters. It is known to many people as simply the "Gurkha Blade" or "Gurkha Knife". Also widely used in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand state of India, where it is called Kaanta or Dafya (in Kumaoni). 

  I taught wilderness survival In Mt,  I was out for 4 months.  If I could only one thing with me it would be my Kukri. It can do it all.

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## chiye tanka

Firesage thanks for the info. How bout you head over to the intros and tell us about yourself.

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## AVENGED

I Have A 942 Benchmade Folding Knife I Bring.  But The Best Fix Blade Knife I've Ever Has Was My Grandfather's Ka Bar From WWII Era.  Its Wooden Handle Is Worn To Fit Your Hand Very Nicely.  Its Heaver Than Most I've Had, But Holds An Edge Better Than Other's I've Owned.

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## tonester

i love benchmade. i carry a griptillian every where i go.

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## AVENGED

I Have Never Found A Knife That Feels The Same As It Did The Day I Bought It.  Plus I'm The Best Person To Sharpen A Knife, So I Just Send Them In With $5 And They Look Them Over For Damage And Usually Fix It For Free And Then They Sharpen It.  Can't Say Any Bad Things About Them.

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## HOP

Here are some medium sized blades 4-5" that would get the job done (I stil like big blades as well). The Top left in photo is a Becker campanion(there is a new one out from K-bar called champion)  right is SOG revolver with saw bottom left is Buck 880 the only folder I would concider taking solo and botom is a Cold Steel Master Hunter in carbon v. Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

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## RangerXanatos

How do you like the Sog Revolver?  I'm kinda weary of it out in the field since it folds.

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## HOP

Ranger x it rotates not folds and the release is flush with the handle . It appears safe enough to me the blade or saw rotates up out of the handle so preasure on the cuting edge would only reinforce the stability of the blade.

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## RangerXanatos

So would you be afraid of the pin that it rotates upon popping out?

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## crashdive123

I believe that one of our members designed it and holds the patent on the Seal Revolver.

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## HOP

I do not fear the knife it is at least as strong as any folding knife out there. If the pin did drop out or some other phenomenan the blade would probably fal prey to gravity and stay in the sheath or hit the ground.

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## tonester

hey HOP that becker campanion looks really nice!

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## HOP

Tonester  it is one of the old ones made bt Camilus for Becker they don't make them anymore . K-bar is making the Becker design now and they are caling the one that looks like the campanion the champion and they are out along with a becker necker as well.
Is that a RAT Cutlery RC-4 in you avatar?

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## AVENGED

I Was Looking At Getting The Benchmade NRA Hunter's Pack.  Has Anyone Used It?  I'm Curious As To How Well It Works.

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## HOP

I have heard god things about the Benchmade NRA stuf on a knife forum I go to . I have one benchmade knife it is a folder the Presedio and it is of top quality. Some of the guys on bladeforums can be a little snobish about knives but they are quite knowledgeable about the uses of a knife and this one gets good marks.

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## nell67

> I believe that one of our members designed it and holds the patent on the Seal Revolver.


You are correct crash,that would be Robbie Roberson.

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## tonester

> Tonester  it is one of the old ones made bt Camilus for Becker they don't make them anymore . K-bar is making the Becker design now and they are caling the one that looks like the campanion the champion and they are out along with a becker necker as well.
> Is that a RAT Cutlery RC-4 in you avatar?


yah its a rc-4. i own one and i love it. i also got a leather sharpshooter sheath for it. ive seen the new becker necker, but ive been looking everywhere for the new becker champion and i cant find one. do you know where i can find one?

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## chiye tanka

Love that Becker, wish I still had mine.

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## HOP

> yah its a rc-4. i own one and i love it. i also got a leather sharpshooter sheath for it. ive seen the new becker necker, but ive been looking everywhere for the new becker champion and i cant find one. do you know where i can find one?


Try knifecenter.com they ofer them as a new item they have corected the name spelling from champion to campanion. They are $65 and some change .

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## Badawg

I have had a Ka-Bar model for a couple of years and am very happy with the durability of the knife itself. The scabbard on the other hand is complete trash... Starting a new one in the shop this week. I have some HDPE that I am going to attempt to use.

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## Blood Groove

Hey you got yours from Kukri house, that's where I got my Gurkah kukri. It is amazing, I think that all the stuff they make there at KUkri House, is very very high quality and utilitarian. I love my kukri, it's my favorite knife.

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## bulrush

Could someone please tell me what the weird notch on the blade, near the handle, is for? Is it for striking flints to make fire?

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## tonester

> Could someone please tell me what the weird notch on the blade, near the handle, is for? Is it for striking flints to make fire?


haha i was thinking the same thing. every time i see one i always wonder why that is there.

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## RangerXanatos

I understand that perhaps no one really knows though there are some good suggestions.

Some say the first person to make the type of knife used it as a signature.
Some say it is a mark of one of their Gods.
Some say it's a point for blood to run off so it won't make the handle slippery since it's also designed for use as a weapon.
Some say it's all of the above, though I lean toward the last reasoning.

Daniel.

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## Ole WV Coot

Nepalese kukris after 1800 will always have a notch or kauri commonly referred to as a cho cut into the blade directly in front of the grip and bolster. The kauri is greatly disputed as to its necessity: Is it a practical design to catch and neutralize and enemy’s blade or a Hindu religious symbol representing male or female organs, or does it represent the sacred cow’s hoof? Many Indian and very early Nepalese versions will not have this notch nor will some later military kukris. Kamis would display their skill by forming this small part of the blade into designs and even fleur de lys or other floriate shapes. Now that sure clears it up don't it?

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## BaerClaw

was wondering if anyone has made one of these small knives and if you feel like they would be adequate in an emergency kit.  i like it and i think it's a clever idea just don't know how it would do.  it would make a good knife for a kit.  here's the link sorry if this has been covered but i couldn't find anything on it.

http://www.m4040.com/Survival/10_Cen...ival_Knife.htm

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## crashdive123

Yep - I've made about a dozen or so of them.  How about dropping by the introduction section when you get a chance and tell us a bit about yourself.  Thanks.

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## Gray Wolf

I've made quite a few of them. Made all different types of modifications using the basic design. One mod is great for spear fishing. Many thanks to M4040 for lots of great ideas.

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## Rick

There used to be a nifty little knife called the Christy Knife company out of Ohio. Unfortunately, the old man recently passed away and the son is in the process of relocating the shop or something. I spoke with the mom a couple of months ago and she said they hoped to be producing them again "soon" (whatever that means). 

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

As for the hacksaw knife, just follow M40s directions. If you don't have a belt sander use a dremel tool or even a file.

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## BaerClaw

> Yep - I've made about a dozen or so of them.  How about dropping by the introduction section when you get a chance and tell us a bit about yourself.  Thanks.


ok will do.

also thanks every one ill put it on the to do list as soon as i get access to a grinder.

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## Reiver

Yep, M4040 is a very good 'knifeologist' (is that a word?). I used his instructions to modify my khukri - what a good field knife!  His site is definitely worth a good look over.

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## chiye tanka

Just a little FYI, the becker companion is back. My knife guy got 2 in on Fri, runs around $70.00.

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## HOP

C T I have one of the old Beckers made by Camillus I had 2 but gave one to a local solider headed in harms way.
I did buy one of the Laminated Becker neckers, had an old on but lost it on the hiking trail. I went to order a new carbon Becker necker but they are back ordered right now.
I really admire the Becker Magnum Camp Knife but Ethan Becker say it most likely will not be reproduced due to lack of popularity.

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## chiye tanka

HOP, my knife guy's got 2 of the becker neckers in both steels. If you'd like his info, PM me.

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## samfranklin

What I usually carry is a small tobacco tin survival kit and for a knife another pouch with a multi tool and a 3" flick survival knife that I got in a set!

Good Luck

Sam

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## crashdive123

Again with the tobacco tin.  How about going on over to the introduction section and tell us about it.

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## Rick

See? It's the roll you own kind for sure.

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## HOP

Thanks C T but I ordered a carbon steel necker and a RAT RC6 today  and a Cold Steel folding Bushman. (got a Little carried away).

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## HOP

Here are some inexpensive Knives from Sweden On the left is Hulafors and the right are some Moras. The top mora is about my favorite knife it is laminated. The bottom mora is the most useful to me it is laminated as well.Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

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## tonester

i love moras. i have three. they are very inexpensive so i dont feel bad when i abuse them haha. all of my moras are carbon steel.

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## tonester

new knives from breeden!

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## crashdive123

Nice looking knives.

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## Pict

*Survival Knives*

In my reasoning a Survival Knife is a resource to get you through a Survival Situation.  All else has failed for some reason and I have to fall back on the contents of my head and the items on my person to stay alive until I can get to safety.   The survival knife is the last line of defense.

The very idea of a survival kit located on the sheath  knife is that the knife is the most basic piece of gear and stays belted on during any wilderness activity.  It cannot fall out of a pocket and is unlikely to be left behind by accident.  It is unlikely to be lost overboard or swept away when crossing a river.  If a person needs to exit a burning vehicle the kit goes with him while the pack may be lost. 

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Placing survival items on a knife sheath also presupposes that the normal items carried in the pack cover any foreseeable needs and that nothing in the knife kit should have to be used under normal circumstances, other than the knife itself.  They are limited to the items necessary to spend a night or two in the wilderness and signal for help with no other resources other than the contents of the knife kit.  The items in the kit must be capable of getting wet and must not degrade with time.   

*Knife Choices*

Over the years I have been through a constant evolution in terms of what blade occupied this role.  For many years I carried a Ka-Bar or the Air Force Survival Knife set up as a kit knife.  In both cases I covered the sheaths with a rubber sleeve of some sort and put the kit contents under the sleeve.  This system worked very well as long as I paid attention to the condition of the rubber.

Upon arrival in Brazil it quickly became apparent that I would have to carry a machete at all times.   The most effective combination here is a machete and a small fixed blade.   For a long time I carried the AFSK kit knife in this role.  Upon further evaluation I decided that if for some reason I lost the machete that the AFSK would be inadequate by itself.   Most often I leave my machete attached to my pack and if it were lost I would be in trouble.

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The Ka-Bar was too light for much of the chopping tasks encountered here.  I decided that my survival knife needed to be capable of chopping and clearing trail if it was the only tool I had.  I finally settled on the Becker BK-7 and Livesay NRGS neck knife as the tools that always stay on my person in the bush.

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I think ideally the kit should be built around a machete but I know myself in that I dont like having anything that large attached to me in the bush.  The BK-7 kit is about as much as I tolerate.  I have a tendency to put my machete on my belt when traveling in heavy brush because the machete is in and out of its sheath often enough to warrant having it on the belt.   If I run into the occasional snag I have found the BK-7 to be effective in cutting myself free but it is much harder to swing it constantly like a machete.

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Likewise I vastly prefer the machete for clearing campsites and constructing shelters.  The BK-7 can do these things as well but it is more work.  I can live with this limitation because I can live with the BK-7 on my belt at all times.  I know my habits enough to know that if I am in the bush with only a machete and small fixed blade that the small blade will be on my person and the machete attached to the pack 90% of the time.   Im much less likely to lose the BK-7 and it works well enough for a survival situation if thats all I have.



*BK-7 Kit Knife*

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*HANDLE CONTENTS*  The handle scales of the knife can be removed to reveal two small hollow cavities.  These are removed with a small hex-wrench and filled with a fishing/trapping kit: line, sinkers, hooks, wire.
*
SHEATH CONTENTS*  The sheath has a pouch that fits an Altoids tin and there is room below it to attach items with a rubber sleeve.   Paracord is attached to the leg tie at bottom of the sheath and the wrist lanyard hole on the handle of the knife.
*
KNIFE SHARPENER*
	- US Army ceramic stone, Tied on, rides under velcro strap on top of Altoids tin

*FIRE*  The kit has both tinder and an initiator that are impervious to the elements.
-	Sparklite fire starter, tin
-	Sparklite tinder, 4, tin
-	BSA Hotspark, in pouch alongside tin
-	Straw of treated cotton, spare straw in tin
-	Strike anywhere matches, waterproof, 6, under rubber sleeve
-	Birthday Candles, 3, under rubber sleeve
-	Rubber ranger bands, excellent fire-starters, various locations

*WATER*  The knife contains both a water container and treatment method.
-	5 liter galão de Emergêcia, rolled tightly under rubber sleeve below pouch
-	Potassium Permanganate, 20mg, tin

*SHELTER*  The shelter provisions are intended to make the construction of an expedient shelter easier, not necessarily to compose a shelter.  There are three components, water/wind proofing, heat proofing, and cordage.  In practicality only a space blanket will fit on the sheath, attached by wide black rubber bands below the pouch. The space blanket is waterproof/windproof and will trap body heat.   The duct tape is used to seal leaks and join seams.  The space blanket and rolled water carrier is no more bulky than the pouch and Altoids tin above them.

-	Space Blanket, under rubber sleeve
-	Para cord, 7 strand, 2 meters attached as leg tie
-	Duct tape, 1 meter, wrapped around space blanket
-	Heavy needle and #4 waxed line for clothing repairs, tin

*SIGNALS*
-	Starflash mirror, tin 
-	ACR Whistle, under rubber sleeve on back of sheath
-	Inova Night Vision Red LED light, tin on braided neck cord
-	Other signal methods include space blanket as reflector/marker, and fire/smoke
-	Night signal reflector on back of medallion compass

*NAVIGATION*
	-  Medallion type liquid filled compass with braided #4 waxed-line neck cord, tin

*LIGHT*
-	Inova Night Vison Red LED light
-	3 Birthday Candles
-	Fire
*MEDICAL* 
	-     Moleskin, inside bottom of tin
-    10 Ibuprophen, tin
-	Salt, tin
-	Potassium Permanganate, tin
-	Sterile Scalpel Blade, tin
-	Single edge razor blade, tin 

*Braided neck cord*  The compass, Inova LED, ACR whistle, and Starflash mirror are to be attached to the neck cord and worn around the neck at all times during a survival situation.  This leaves the compass readily available for navigation.  It also leaves the day/night signal capability instantly accessible during the emergency.

*BK-7 Kit Camp*

With only the contents of this kit I would have the means to construct an improvised shelter and be able to wrap up in the space blanket inside it.  I would have a fire and five liters of treated water, with salt to aid re-hydration in Brazils extreme heat.  The signals group allows for some sort of signal capability, active and  passive with sight and sound, day or night.   If I had to walk out I would have a compass and foot care.   I chose the Ibuprofen, as it is both a painkiller and anti-inflammatory.  I believe the items in this kit will aid in actual survival and are not there just because they are nifty and small.

The other item that I always have belted on at all times is a US Army canteen with steel cup and stove sleeve.  The pouch on the canteen carries two bottles of Potable Aqua, a yellow mini-bic lighter, and a small foil packet of KMnO4 as a back-up water purification system.  Most of the time I also have my Recta DP-2 compass and a bottle of Bens 100 in a pocket along with some snack food items.

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Mac

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## tim

very very very COOL

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## Sam

Very nice. I have the Bk air crew knife (5& half inch blade) Very sturdy knife.
I have seen the Bk knives refinished in Blaze orange, hard to loose the knife that way.
-Sam

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## rebel

Nice.  Thanks for the pics too.  It's a well thought and experienced set-up.

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## chiye tanka

Pict, love your set-up, and great pics.

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## Sarge47

Like most great products it would seem that the BK-7 knife is no longer available.

http://www.survivaltopics.com/surviv...r-bk7-knife/:(

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## RangerXanatos

It is available.  They are now made by KaBar.  Here is a link to one.  There are other places that have them in stock...

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/st...l.html?s=KABK7

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## chiye tanka

Yep! My knife guy has them on order. He's got both neckers, companion, and the entry tool. I've heard that they won't be making the camp knife though.

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## Blood Groove

Wow that's quite impressive. IT must have taken a lot of planning and experience to come up with those few and totally necessasry items!

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## Runs With Beer

> Knives are basically up to pers. preference.  Some like them fancy, some like them bowie style and then there are the military styles.
> 
> I've gone through the phases like most.  The big bowie was very attractive but just heavy and really a pain to use.  Never been much on the fancy knives and most military styles are for killing rather than survival.
> 
> In the USMC many Marines I was with carried the Gerber dagger style, awsome knife but in the jungle it was worthless.  Then there were the officers who carried the larger bowies, showoffs.  I stuck to the good ol Kabar MKII.  The knife blade was packerized and was a bit more flexible than the standard black finished brittle blades.
> 
> Nowdays I always carry a Gerber folder with the serrated about 2" back of the blade folder.  Nice grip, on the belt will usually find the new model Kabar.  Unless I'm doing a period trek then it's this old Union cutlery folder and a slightly larger steak knife made from an old file.
> 
> Either way, there is always a large palm piece of flint and a small hooked piece of flint that works much better than knives for skinning game.
> ...


YOU have to love the Kabar!

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## primeelite

I have been out camping with someone who had one of these before. It seemed to work a lot better than I thought but still it can't hold up against a good survival knife. But yeah if someone is on a budget or especially needs a backup knife to throw in their backpack before they head out its not bad.

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## FVR

I have a few old sawzaw blades, a bit heftier than hacksaw blades.  May just take one to the grinder this week.

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## Dragonfyre

Pretty nifty little knife. I like to carry knives in my pack, on my person....basically my thought is, one is good but more is better. I feel the same way with firestarters too!

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## canid

hey, not too bad. i've since started using small reciprocating saw bladed to make wood-carving knives and gouges.

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## tfisher

I used to make these when I was a kid(yes it has been awhile) and my parents would not let me have a knife. we made several and would hide them in the woods next to a river so we could go fishing when we skipped school.

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## doug1980

I just made one tonight.  Was a bit harder than I thought.  Might of helped if I had the right tools for the job though.

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## sgtdraino

Looks pretty neat. I just have one question...

If you lash it to a pole with some string, wouldn't the saw teeth cut the string?

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## crashdive123

> Looks pretty neat. I just have one question...
> 
> If you lash it to a pole with some string, wouldn't the saw teeth cut the string?


Probably not, since it would be rigid and not moving back and forth (sawing) across your bindings.  If you are concerned though, there are several things you can do.  When you make one grind a portion of the saw edge so that it is smooth.  Attach scales to it (I use duct tape).  But, I don't think it would be a problem leaving it alone.

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## Ameriborn

RAT cutlery makes some beautiful blades, as you all likely know. 

I was just wondering, do any of you think they will have an RC-7 soon? Of course, I mean after the Izula hype is down, and the RC-5 SERE is out.

I mean, RC-3, RC-4, RC-5 SERE, RC-6 .. what is next an RC-7? Or and RC-2?

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

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## Leighman

Hey, all.

New to this site (great info, BTW) but a veteran knife user/collector.
While we all have a personal preference as to what we like/dislike in a field knife (fixed and folder) I wanted to share some of my "less than stellar" performers over the last 10-15 years.

Please note, this is not intended to bash ANY company/manufacturer's products, just my own experiences.

Fixed blade:
Ontario Spec-Plus Bolo knife (no longer made). Rubber handle, razor sharp out of the box, so-so quality leather and thin cordura sheath. While clearing very light brush the blade chipped after striking a 2-2 1/2 inch green sapling. The chip itself was rather large (half the diameter of a dime and about 3 inches from the tip) and the exposed steel (1095, I think) looked very sintered and grainy. Poor heat treat? Ontario replaced it free of charge (kudos to them). The replacement was no better with similar (but smaller) chipping to the edge.

Buck dive type knife (cannot recall model) but it was copied after a custom maker's design. Full-tang, black plastic scales, kydex sheath. Top of blade featured a chisel type grind (dull) that was about useless. The blunt pointed blade had partial serrations and was very, very difficult to sharpen (Lansky). overall, too beefy and specialized for outdoor applications (at least for me).

Early production CS (Carbon V) Recon Tanto. Loved that darn thing but batoning very seasoned oak (using a small log as the baton, no hammer or hatchet) resulted in a wicked failure; 1 1/2+ inch of the tip snapped clean off! The weather was extremely cold (-5) but still I expected more. I did not contact CS over the matter.

Folders:
Emerson tanto type blade (not sure of the model). Liner lock failed while cutting through frozen garden hose. Luckily I was wearing heavy duty gloves but with the twisting motion I may have somehow disengaged the liner lock but could not figure out how (?).

Gerber Paraframe. While in the closed position I easily nicked my finger while retrieving it from my pocket. Cutouts in the frame was just plain poorly designed.

Buck Odyssy (tip up carry) would open in pocket enough to injure your fingers upon removal.

S&W...owned one, I'll say no more just poor workmanship overall.

Benchmade D2 Griptilian (from Cabela's). Loved this one but experienced blade edge chipping while cutting off the thin aluminum foil on the tops of wine bottles. 

Again, not bashing any company just my 0.02 worth with a few of the many knives I've owned/used.

Comments welcomed.

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## MCBushbaby

Anything of those knives in the "camping" aisle, wrapped in that plastic stuff.  I bought a couple because they were only a dollar each.  While they are great to completely wreck on the trail, the screw holding the folding blade to the handle is loose from day one.  I made one into a fixed blade by epoxying the crap outta that screw, and the others I had to continually tighten on the trail.

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## chiye tanka

I've carried CS knives for years, while I've never had a problem, the cold COULD have been the contributing factor there. I contacted Mission knives once and spoke with someone (can't remember name) who told me that most knives become very brittle in extreme cold weather. Thus the reason they offer their knives in titanium, which does not have that problem. Just a little FYI.

----------


## klkak

[QUOTE=Leighman;88983]Early production CS (Carbon V) Recon Tanto. Loved that darn thing but batoning very seasoned oak (using a small log as the baton, no hammer or hatchet) resulted in a wicked failure; 1 1/2+ inch of the tip snapped clean off! The weather was extremely cold (-5) but still I expected more. I did not contact CS over the matter.

I doubt that -5 temp would have caused the steel to fail. -50 might have.  Sounds like your knife just had a poorly tempered blade.  Although batoning is an excepted practice I am willing to bet that the manufacture does not recommend it.  

I can honestly say that I have never subjected a knife to batoning.  Grandpa taught me to always use the right tool for the job.

----------


## Blood Groove

Although batoning is an excepted practice I am willing to bet that the manufacture does not recommend it.  

I can honestly say that I have never subjected a knife to batoning.  Grandpa taught me to always use the right tool for the job.[/QUOTE]

For any other knife company I'd agree with you. But Cold Steel really prides there knives on the toughness and they say you can return a blade no matter what with a recipt of purchase. I mean they released a vidio, Solid Proof of them beating the crap out of there knives, stabbing through car doors, and all there other tests, adn they show that they hold up great to it. So in this paticular case, with a Cold Steel knife, I don't think that they'd really mind. I am suprised that the Recon Tanto Broke like that though. There must have been some factory error, becuase I've heared nothing but good things about this knife until now.

----------


## Ole WV Coot

I have a bunch, use a few especially a SAK and carry a SOG Flash II for "emergencies" but I started making my own several years ago and actually have made better working knives from old saw blades and not that hard to get what you want. I have found the quality of the old name brands going downhill over the years myself.

----------


## Leighman

I'm not a CS "hater" and I used to really like their knives back in the day (early 1980's) when they offered all of 5-6 different products. They were definitely of excellent quality then but IMO, more than a little hype these days.

I've seen all their videos and was not really impressed only because ANY decently made fixed blade (of comparable length/thickness, of course) should be able to pass all of these tests.

Fortunately, there are comparable offerings these days that are superior to many CS products and in a similar price range (RAT Cutlery for example).

----------


## Leighman

[QUOTE=klkak;89013I can honestly say that I have never subjected a knife to batoning.  Grandpa taught me to always use the right tool for the job.[/QUOTE]

Agreed, a knife doesn't take the place of an axe/hatchet (and the skill associated with using either).

That said, when I take my 2 children hiking to my favorite "fishing hole" for the day, an axe is not on the list of gear and a small fixed blade is the heaviest item I really want to pack.

To date, a convexed Dumpster Mutt has been worth its weight in gold and is currently my "always" fixed blade outdoor knife.

I have also had VERY good experiences with Ontario's RTAK and RAT Cutlery's RAT-3.

----------


## Blood Groove

> I'm not a CS "hater" and I used to really like their knives back in the day (early 1980's) when they offered all of 5-6 different products. They were definitely of excellent quality then but IMO, more than a little hype these days.
> 
> I've seen all their videos and was not really impressed only because ANY decently made fixed blade (of comparable length/thickness, of course) should be able to pass all of these tests.
> 
> Fortunately, there are comparable offerings these days that are superior to many CS products and in a similar price range (RAT Cutlery for example).


I respectfully disagree that. I do agree that any knife should be able to cut para-cord and things like that, that's just a matter of sharpness, but when they repeatedly run the knives through car doors, and the tips show no signs of damage, I think that's something that most knives cannot do. They also cut copper tube over and over with one part of the Recon tanto (Carbon V) and then the guy shaves his arm with the same part of the knife he was cutting the tube with. They also chop a silver dollar in half and the blade again shows no sign of damage. Now When they stick the knife into the boards and then put all there weight on it, I can see another full tang knife standing up to the abuse just as well, but the knife flex tests are amazing. The Cold Steel Tanto was flexible enough to double over on itself withough breaking! I think that Cold Steel knives are very very high quality knives. I've also heard that RAT knives are high quality, but I've never seen them tested or handled them.

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## tonester

i think rat cutlery and coldsteel are both great knife companies. i have a rc4 and srk and love them both.

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## catfish10101

I will probably get skinned for this but........
Those cheap, almost disposable knives do have a place in our lives!!
I first learned this lesson as a youngster fishing off a pier at my grandfather's place in Grand Isle, Louisiana.
After losing about 3 $20.00 Buck Knives (I was only a kid). I started keeping a couple junk knives in my tackle box. Then found myself looking for them for other reasons. Now, I keep several cheap folding knives in my vehicle, tackle box, boat, and car.
Nothing wrong with having a good knlfe at the ready, but having some cheap ones for use over water, or for abusing, is definitly worth the few bucks you will pay for them.

----------


## klkak

> For any other knife company I'd agree with you. But Cold Steel really prides there knives on the toughness and they say you can return a blade no matter what with a receipt of purchase. I mean they released a video, Solid Proof of them beating the crap out of there knives, stabbing through car doors, and all there other tests, and they show that they hold up great to it. So in this particular case, with a Cold Steel knife, I don't think that they'd really mind. I am surprised that the Recon Tanto Broke like that though. There must have been some factory error, because I've heard nothing but good things about this knife until now.


I sent an email to Cold Steel asking them what they thought of the practice of batoning.  The following is the reply I just received from them.




> -----Original Message-----
> From:[mailto:defendercadre@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 3:34 PM
> To: customerservice@coldsteel.com
> Subject: Broken blade
> 
> I am wondering.  Do you at Cold Steel recommend the practice of batoning a
> knife blade through a piece of wood?  I have never done it but have seen it
> done both in person and on T.V.  I think this would be hazardous to the
> ...


Reply from Cold Steel:




> No it is not safe or recommended. Even though the Cold Steel is built strong you could still break the blade or chip part of the blade or worse, chip a piece of the blade off and have it shoot into your eye!
> 
> In a survival situation, would be the only time I would baton a
> knife into wood.
> 
> Have a good day!


So why take to chance of ruining a good knife.  Use the right tool for the job. A knife is meant for cutting.  A machette, hatchet or axe is used for chopping wood.

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## BigB

I have used many knives to baton with and learned a few things along the way.  Most knife makers will tell you that their knives will never chip on wood, that being said, most times when a blade chips during battoning, it happens on the last cut through the wood when the knife sometimes goes into the ground and hits rocks.  Also, never hit the knife with anything but wood, that might be obvious but I've seen guys do it with hammers and chipped the hell out of a good knife.
            Now I wouldnt say it works as good as an ax, but to me its easier to carry a folding saw and a knife in the woods rather than an ax.
Anyway, i guess my point is that there is nothing wrong with battoning through wood, just be smart about it.

----------


## Leighman

> So why take to chance of ruining a good knife.  Use the right tool for the job. A knife is meant for cutting.  A machette, hatchet or axe is used for chopping wood.


Agreed. 

However there are a number of quality fixed blades out there that will stand up to the rigors of of any number of unexpected outdoor situations to include batoning and things you wouldn't normally subject a knife to. 

Of course, no single cutting tool is the end-all-be-all but when space/weight is at a premium I try to choose a blade that is versatile enough to cover more than just cutting.

To date, I have had excellent success (batoning, chopping, digging, etc) with a Gerber LMF II, RAT, Ontario RTAK series, Bark River, and Scrapyard knives.  

Blood Groove, as a "knife nut" I appreciate spirited and good natured debate and while I respect your opinion on CS's proof videos I can't help but find them to be more of a marketing tool than anything else. Of cdourse, I expect nothing less form any company wanting to sell any product.

----------


## Leighman

Back on topic....

I would like to hear of any similar experiences by members who have used their blades only to find out they didn't measure up (for whatever reason).

----------


## Jericho117

So im asking my father or mother for a USMC Ka-bar knife, 7 inch blade, leather handle, plain edge non-serrated. I actually have a few questions about this tool. First, I wanted to know if the knife had a full tang, or at least a 3/4 tang, becuase I plan on it being able to take quite a beating when im in the forest. Also, I wanted to know if all USMC leather handle knives are the same, in terms of the blade coatings and how the tang is placed in ( I have seen a ka-bar leather handle knife with a handle that was off centered and above the blade). And lastly, say a ka-bar knife was purchased from Cabelas.com, will it come in the box that has blueprints of the knife itself? Thanks for your time. And also, how heavy is this knife?

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## Ole WV Coot

http://www.usmilitaryknives.com/ka-bar.htm Copy and paste this link.

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## FVR

Kabar info.

They are full tang knives.

They do take a beating.

The leather handles last if you take care of them.

The New Age Kabars are just as tough as the old Kabars, IMHO the keep a better edge.

But, all Kabars are not equal.

Since you are in Va. Beach, if you want to go the old route, get to one of the Army Navy stores around the base and look for a MKII.  Again, IMHO, they are the best Kabars ever made, but nowdays, they will cost you and they will be used.

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

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## Jericho117

Cool, thanks. I will check out that store.

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## crashdive123

If your folks are buy it for you, most Navy Exchanges carry them.

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## Gray Wolf

Jericho, why do you want a 7" blade? But if you're fixed on a 7 incher, then take a look at the BK7 now called the KABAR Becker - Combat Utility Knife, 7" Carbon Steel Blade. It has a full tang and you can put a fishing kit (or whatever) in the handle. This knife is well known for it's toughness. If I remember right, search one of Mac's posts for more details and pic's.

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/st...l.html?s=KABK7


Found it for you, it's post 824 here (screen name ("Pict") http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...t=1297&page=42

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## klkak

I truly hope that all the folk who think batoning is a safe and practical practice never find themselves breaking their blade.

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## Jericho117

That ka-bar Becker knife looks pretty good, but for some reason im just liking the leather handled ka-bar knife better. Im not one to care about looks much but I just have to many knives with handles like that. The only reason I want a 7 inch blade is just for two reasons- one is the fact that there are a lot of "security" problems in my area, and a 7 inch blade is more intimidating to threats. Also I need a knife that will act as a draw knife for tillering the belly on my bows, because I can grab the other end of the knife with cloth and just use it so. I could have gotten away with a 5 incher knife, it's just I needed to feel what it's like to use a seven incher. How would a full tang allow room for small fishing and survival equipment, that is wierd but cool.

----------


## Jericho117

I was thinking about conditioning the leather handle with neats-foot oil from a couple deer hooves I have stashed away, would that be effective?

----------


## Jericho117

I have seen one in NEX stores, but it has the "iraqi freedom" inscribed into the knife near the blood grove, if all else fails, I will check it out.

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## Gray Wolf

Take a look at the picture, you just unscrew the sides and there are small hollowed out sections.

----------


## Leighman

> I truly hope that all the folk who think batoning is a safe and practical practice never find themselves breaking their blade.


"Safe" is somewhat subjective if you are referring to the personal injury associated with batoning.

More than once, I have sent small shards of steel flying from a steel/iron wedge (using the flat of a splitting maul) while attempting to separate seasoned hickory. This has long been considered common practice and before the advent of gas/diesel splitters it was the ONLY practice. Of course, eye protection is prudent any time the steel meets wood. 

From a strictly "practical" standpoint, I would not tempt sacrificing the integrity (much less advocate) the integrity of my "lone" fixed blade while batoning when the use of a simple saw blade (i.e. Leatherman Wave, Victorinox, etc) would accomplish much of the same and with much fewer calories spent!

That said, there are manufacturers whose blades I would not hesitate to push to extremes. Busse/Scrapyard/Swamprat being three whose heat treat/blade steel being as tough as anything I've encountered in 30+ years of knife using. 

klkak, I am not arguing that a knife (ANY knife of any steel by any maker) can take the place of an axe, hatchet, or machete. You win that debate hands down and I am in full agreement with you on that matter.

My argument is that if a person is forced to rely on "only" one fixed blade knife for something more than slicing chores and bushcraft, the blade that he/she chooses best have a darned good track record for being durable. 

In my own experience, Cold Steel hasn't been one of 'em (I've owned/used 7-8 of them over the years, both fixed & folders) and the reason I mentioned my Recon Tanto's shortcomings (and other knives marketed by other companies) in my original posting. 

CS produces some "decent" knives but I don't feel they are as durable/dependable as many like-priced competitors out there. 

Heck, I'm no "steel junkie"' and I could not tell you the difference between 1095 and SR-77 (until it comes to sharpening, perhaps) but I know what has worked for me and what has not.

I do enjoy "knife debate" and as a "Noob" my intentions are not to offend anyone here. I hope to stay around long enough to learn a lot and maybe contribute a little.  :Wink:

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## klkak

As I said.  Use the right tool for the job.

If you advocate anything else then you are not showing good judgment.

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## Ole WV Coot

Had mine since 1965 and I don't think I could replace it or my EK purchased at the same time and both well used for their intended purpose.

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## Bladesypher

Is it just me or do they look painful to use? if you put pressure on the spine wont the hacksaw edge just cut into you?  :Confused:

----------


## crashdive123

It's not gonna help out for big cutting tasks, but does a pretty good job for smaller chores.  I put duct tape scales on mine to prevent injuries like you are talking about.

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## doug1980

I used some of the 550 cordage to wrap around the handle.

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## Leighman

> As I said.  Use the right tool for the job.
> 
> If you advocate anything else then you are not showing good judgment.


OK then, we'll hopefully agree to disagree.

I've humped the boonies (for both Uncle Same and for my own enjoyment) and guess what? Sometimes "you get what you get and you don't throw a fit."

In a "perfect world" you can pack a hatchet, an axe, a machete, a kukri, a golok...maybe even a chainsaw if you choose.

Unfortunately, every single trek into the boonies does not afford itself such a luxury and you may be forced to use whatever gear (i.e. a simple knife) you have at the time. 

In those instances you must rely on tested gear to get you through whatever Mother Nature throws your way. 

What I'm "advocating" is quality and tested gear, nothing more and nothing less. If, at the time your best tool is a simple knife, than anything less than the most durable knife you can afford shows a major lack of good judgement.

If simple "good judgement" played a part in every aspect of our lives, not many of us would dare leave the comfort of our cozy warm homes, would we?

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## Bladesypher

both are good ideas. I just ordered 100m of 550 paracord off the net, so I guess the second method will be more convenient if I make one  :Stick Out Tongue:

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## larmus

got mine from my uncle, he used his in northern NY in the mountains during hunting season. nice blade, a little pitted from age but holds an edge like none other... the handle had loosend so i added another leather circle and it tightened up the grip... one of my main carry knives for my gear...

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## klkak

Everything you say on here is read by thousands of people.  Some of them don't know any better, so they take what you say literally.  The information you provide must be sound.  If not, it could at the least discourage someone.  At the worst it could get them hurt or killed.  That's not what we're here for.

So what I'm asking is not to encourage using anything other then the correct tool for the job.  Teach the right way the first time, every time.  Let the less knowledgeable folks figure out the shortcuts on their own.

You know what I'm saying is right, so any further argument on your part is a sign of immaturity.

----------


## Beans

I was issued my K-BAR IN 1961.  A lot of knives can do *some things* better then a K-BAR.

However A K-BAR does everything "Good Enough"

Remember that  a K-Bar *style* knife is not a K-BAR

Anything that lists/uses the word, 'TYPE' or STYLE" is *just a copy* and usually does not meet the orginial specs.

ONTARIO and  CAMILLUS also made *issued knives* that were clones of the K-Bar.  They are just as good and meet orginial specs.

----------


## Sarge47

> I was issued my K-BAR IN 1961.  A lot of knives can do *some things* better then a K-BAR.
> 
> However A K-BAR does everything "Good Enough"
> 
> Remember that  a K-Bar *style* knife is not a K-BAR
> 
> Anything that lists/uses the word, 'TYPE' or STYLE" is *just a copy* and usually does not meet the orginial specs.
> 
> ONTARIO and  CAMILLUS also made *issued knives* that were clones of the K-Bar.  They are just as good and meet orginial specs.


Great info!  So's how about hiking over to the "intro" section & enlightening the rest of us as to who you are, experience, etc.?  Sounds like it could be interesting! :Big Grin:  :Cool:

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## Beans

> Great info! So's how about hiking over to the "intro" section & enlightening the rest of us as to who you are, experience, etc.? Sounds like it could be interesting!


AS you requested, it is done.

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## Jericho117

Is the tang on the Ka-bar leather handled small or big enough to were I can put on a makeshift handle if it breaks?

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## Ole WV Coot

Since I can break the handle out of a crowbar and I travel long range on an ATV I carry the right tool for the purpose intended. Now at home and make my own knives anyway I always have a few blades I have banged with a hammer, rock or club and broke a few. None of these blades are polished or even a good handle, but they last. "Pat Pat on Back" but I wouldn't brag about the temper.

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## Ole WV Coot

> hey, not too bad. i've since started using small reciprocating saw bladed to make wood-carving knives and gouges.


Think I posted somewhere before. Buy cut nails different sizes and drive into a dowel or homemade handle and shape on grinder keeping cool with water. Those nails are tempered and will hold a good edge for knives or chisels even gouges for wood carving. I use them for carving.

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## crashdive123

> Think I posted somewhere before. Buy cut nails different sizes and drive into a dowel or homemade handle and shape on grinder keeping cool with water. Those nails are tempered and will hold a good edge for knives or chisels even gouges for wood carving. I use them for carving.


I've taken your advice, and they work as advertised.  Thanks.

----------


## Blood Groove

> I sent an email to Cold Steel asking them what they thought of the practice of batoning.  The following is the reply I just received from them.
> 
> 
> 
> Reply from Cold Steel:
> 
> 
> 
> So why take to chance of ruining a good knife.  Use the right tool for the job. A knife is meant for cutting.  A machette, hatchet or axe is used for chopping wood.


WOW! Man that really comes as a suprise to me. I guess they don't recomend it, although tehy kind of controdict themselves by running the knives through doors, and chopping 2x4s in their video.  Well even thought they don't reccomend batoning, I know that their knives could stand up to it. I agree in having the right tool for the job ,as you said, but when you don't have the right tool, and the job's still there you can use your knife :Big Grin:

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## MCBushbaby

I batonned ironwood, pine, maple, oak (I think), and various other trees native to the great lakes area and never once was I worried about any park of my SRK breaking.  I'm sure their email was just to prevent liability.  If they said, "Yea, go ahead and whack away!  We gaurantee that blade won't break and smack you in the eyeeeohhhhcrap!"  *lawsuit*

----------


## Blood Groove

> I batonned ironwood, pine, maple, oak (I think), and various other trees native to the great lakes area and never once was I worried about any park of my SRK breaking.  I'm sure their email was just to prevent liability.  If they said, "Yea, go ahead and whack away!  We gaurantee that blade won't break and smack you in the eyeeeohhhhcrap!"  *lawsuit*


That's kind of what I was thinking. Especially when they said a part of the balde could hit you in the eye. Lol

----------


## Blood Groove

No, the tang on the Ka-bar is what they call a stick tang, which means that the blade kind of bottle-necks into a smaller stick of metal once it enters the handle. The tang is only about 6/16th of an inch wide and 3/16ths of an inch thick. It's quite small, That's why if a Ka-bar Breaks (and it won't unless you intensly abuse it) it'll break at the Blade/ handle junction. But the probability of you having to replace the handle is very low IMO. I've done everything with my Ka-bar. Hammering tent spikes, breaking glass, pounding nails, batoning and lots of throwing. These are all things that would loosen the handles on lower quaility knives, but the Ka-bar holds up amazingly to all this. My handle isn't the least bit loose. And as for your question about the box with the blue-prints on it. I'm quite sure that if you buy it from Cabellas it will come with that box. Indact I'm really really amost positive. I know that mine came with the box, and I'm pretty sure I got it from Cabellas. The Ka-bar is an amazing knife for all applications, and I'm sure that you will be very pleased with one.

----------


## Gray Wolf

I use the tool rubber dip (for handles), 2 t0 3 dips where you want the handle, works great.

----------


## crashdive123

> I use the tool rubber dip (for handles), 2 t0 3 dips where you want the handle, works great.


I forgot all about tool dip.  I have a couple of cans laying around - thanks.

----------


## Leighman

> You know what I'm saying is right, so any further argument on your part is a sign of immaturity.


It is not a matter of being "right." 
You simply have a different opinion. 

A failure to discuss the possibilites than one might NOT have the correct "tool for the job" in EVERY single wilderness/survival scenario is a sign of immaturity. 

I am glad you are prepared for every possible emergency there is. I am not and the reason I posted my own non-scientific experiences in the first place.  

Did you even read my posts?

I did not advocate anyone run outside and begin batoning wood! 
I DID advocate that if forced to rely on ONE knife (not a hatchet, not an axe, not a machete...) that it be exceptionally durable and sturdy.

Back on topic, once again and I won't mention the "B" word.

Anyone out there have any blades that didn't make the cut (so to speak)?

----------


## Leighman

> That's kind of what I was thinking. Especially when they said a part of the balde could hit you in the eye. Lol


Surprisingly (in today's lawsuit-crazed society), there are a few knife manufacturers that offer to repair and/or replace their knives "no matter what!"

From what I've read, the Gerber LMF II has been really shining in the Sand Box and has taken on a multitude of combat-oriented tasks (hammering, prying, and cutting things a little harder than wood) with no failures.

I guess when the bullets are flying, the "right tool for the job" is the one you have at the time, huh?  :Wink:

----------


## MCBushbaby

I can vouch for Gerber.  Friend and I jabbed, pried and tore a softball-sized burl from a pine tree's root using a gerber folder.  Only bent it a little bit when we were getting disgusted at the holding power of that damn wart

----------


## Ole WV Coot

> Surprisingly (in today's lawsuit-crazed society), there are a few knife manufacturers that offer to repair and/or replace their knives "no matter what!"
> 
> From what I've read, the Gerber LMF II has been really shining in the Sand Box and has taken on a multitude of combat-oriented tasks (hammering, prying, and cutting things a little harder than wood) with no failures.
> 
> I guess when the bullets are flying, the "right tool for the job" is the one you have at the time, huh?


You've got that right. When I was a kid everyone carried a Case XX pocket knife and except for youngsters nobody bothered carrying a fixed blade. You did everything that swam, walked or flew with one pocket knife that lasted for many years, sharpened until the blades were gone. The only fixed blades were Old Hickory butcher knives always sharpened well.

----------


## Leighman

Gerber knives are definitely a "mixed" bag as some are very good while others (usually the China made imports) can be iffy at best.

Their LMF II is quite stout but a bit heavier than I prefer for woods carry.
The sheath is equally as solid and the retention is very secure.

Some folks don't like serrations (me included) but overall, I would rate the knife's durability as a 8.5 or 9 (scale of 1-10).

For the asking price, it's a heck of a heavy-duty knife.

----------


## Leighman

> When I was a kid everyone carried a Case XX pocket knife



I recall mine was a Buck 3-bladed stockman type....it went everywhere I went, including school (in those days)! 

Then one year my uncle (living in Eurpoe at the time) sent me my first Victorinox Swiss Armk Knife; a "Huntsman" model. The saw blade was the envy of all my friends.

Talk about sharpening a blade until there was nothing left!!!  :Big Grin:

----------


## Leighman

One I forgot....an early production Schrade Extreme Survival fixed blade design. The saw teeth on the spine were pretty useless and the blade appeared to be little more than a polished/chromed bayonet (i.e. M7).
the butt end incorporated a horrid claw hammer and the "survival" sheath was flimsily made. Not one my better purchases.

----------


## Leighman

Check out www.knifetests.com
Keep in mind, this guy takes things to extremes with regard to "abuse."

----------


## Jericho117

Thanks for all the info. guys. I just wanted to learn some things from people with hands-on experience with knives.

----------


## tonester

before i really knew anything about good knives, i went to big5 and bought a smith and wesson folder for like 50$. i thought it was the coolest knife. a week later the stupid thing started falling apart! the screws that held the pocket clip on all fell off, the locking mechanism started getting weak and there started to be a lot of blade play, and the blade didnt stay sharp very long. thats what got me into learning about good knife makers...i dont want to be carrying a crappy knife that can fall apart at any moment while im on the job.

----------


## klkak

Do as you choose.

----------


## Blood Groove

> Surprisingly (in today's lawsuit-crazed society), there are a few knife manufacturers that offer to repair and/or replace their knives "no matter what!"
> 
> From what I've read, the Gerber LMF II has been really shining in the Sand Box and has taken on a multitude of combat-oriented tasks (hammering, prying, and cutting things a little harder than wood) with no failures.
> 
> I guess when the bullets are flying, the "right tool for the job" is the one you have at the time, huh?


Yes I'd definitely agree with you there. I'd really like to have an LMF II they do look amazing. The most interresting thing about the knife I think is how it's insulated from electricity. I heared a story about a guy who cut through the hot-wires of a building and was fine doing it! But I've also heared that the handle wears out though. I've never had any experience using the 12C27 steel it's made of, but it's supposed to be good.

----------


## doug1980

I bought the 6" SRK knife in Kuwait on my way to Iraq in 2007.  Didn't use it much but when it was strapped to my leg the TCN's (Third Country Nationals) seen it they said it was intimidating.  So it served that purpose at least.

----------


## Jericho117

Iv'e just learned a bit about stick tangs on knives. Is the stick tang a single component or piece, or a bunch of collpsable pieces fit together?

----------


## Jericho117

ONE MORE question, I just need to know this. Is the Ka-bar knife a single piece of metal from tip to butt cap? No glues or anything, just one piece? I know that it is full tang but I have little experience with knives and I was a bit confused as to if the ka-bar was one single piece, even with the stick tang.

----------


## Leighman

> Yes I'd definitely agree with you there. I'd really like to have an LMF II they do look amazing. The most interresting thing about the knife I think is how it's insulated from electricity. I heared a story about a guy who cut through the hot-wires of a building and was fine doing it! But I've also heared that the handle wears out though. I've never had any experience using the 12C27 steel it's made of, but it's supposed to be good.


The previosuly mentioned site(www.knifetests.com) puts a Gerber LMF II to the test and it performed quite well. 

Again, this fellow ("Noss") completely destroys the knives and while not really a scientific approach, he shows how much abuse certain types of knives can withstand before they eventually fail.

Oddly enough (or not), some very very inexpensive knives have outperformed some of the higher end versions (i.e. Chris Reeves).

----------


## backtobasics

> Check out www.knifetests.com
> Keep in mind, this guy takes things to extremes with regard to "abuse."



Cool site. I was surprised to see how well the USAF pilot knife did, thats the knife i use. It out did the USMC Ka-Bar.

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## Leighman

> before i really knew anything about good knives, i went to big5 and bought a smith and wesson folder for like 50$. i thought it was the coolest knife. a week later the stupid thing started falling apart! the screws that held the pocket clip on all fell off, the locking mechanism started getting weak and there started to be a lot of blade play, and the blade didnt stay sharp very long. thats what got me into learning about good knife makers...i dont want to be carrying a crappy knife that can fall apart at any moment while im on the job.


Same here with S&W. Fortunately, I learned early on (before sinking too much $$$ into my hobby) that the majority of knives made by gun manufacturers should generally be avoided. 

Of course, there are always exceptions, such as Glock's field knife. It's not the sharpest out of the box but for $30 it's not too bad, either. Definitely makes for a good trunk or "second" knife.

IIC, some H&K-marked folders were made by Benchmade. Tough to go wrong there, as well.

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## Beans

> ONE MORE question, I just need to know this. Is the Ka-bar knife a single piece of metal from tip to butt cap? No glues or anything, just one piece? I know that it is full tang but I have little experience with knives and I was a bit confused as to if the ka-bar was one single piece, even with the stick tang.


http://www.geocities.com/heartland/6350/kbar.htm


The leather handle of the KA-BAR Fighting Knife is formed by stacking 22 slotted genuine cowhide leather discs over the rectangular tang and then compressing them under great pressure to turn the discs into a solid unit - so solid in fact, it resists absorbing moisture or contamination of any kind and is highly shock proof. With the leather discs in place and still under pressure they are locked together by topping them off with a 3/8" solid steel pommel pinned right through the tang from side to side. With this accomplished the knife is assembled into one virtually indestructible piece and ready for the finishing operations of adding five grooves around the handle for a comfortable, slip resistant grip, polishing the leather and finally hand sharpening and honing the blade to a razor edge. The finished knife is then a truly battle-ready KA-BAR.




> Is the tang on the Ka-bar leather handled small or big enough to were I can put on a makeshift handle if it breaks?


Break a Ka-Bar???  You must be a *VERY* manly man to break a Ka-Bar.

I have dug foxholes, broken banding staps on pallets of C -rations, ammo and other gear, broken the wire on cases of C-rations, open C-rations cans, built shelters, pounded tent pegs. skinned and cleaned animals & fish, Cut comm wire, built snares and fish traps and I haven't broken mine yet.  It need sharpened several times but Broken  Not yet.

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## Leighman

> Iv'e just learned a bit about stick tangs on knives. Is the stick tang a single component or piece, or a bunch of collpsable pieces fit together?


I think it is one-piece, just not near the width of the blade itself.

If you look closely at the butt/pommel, you will se the rectangular size of the tang (pretty small). You can also see where it is "pinned" if looking on the rounded side of the butt itself.

While Ka-bar's have a rich & deserved combat history, I think knife making has evolved so much since WWII (i.e. blade steels, thicker tangs, grinds, handle composition, etc) that they may be a bit outdated to some.

That said, I've never been able to "kill" a Ka-bar and once a proper convex edge is added, they make for a good all-around slicer and a so-so chopper.

I say "so-so chopper" only because thel overall weight of the knife limits the amout of the blade's chopping efficiency; that's probably why Uncle Sam issued an Ontario made machete!  :Wink:

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## Leighman

> Coll site. I was surprised to see how well the USAF pilot knife did, thats the knife i use. It out did the USMC Ka-Bar.


That and the fact that "some" $20 Chinese imports outperformed some very high-end blades! 

Of course, there are many "kinfe snobs" out there (just like "gun snobs" in the shooting community) who bash the guy's techniques but it's interesting to see how certain brands/models hold up (and don't) when it comes to complete & total destruction.

Lastly, better HIS knives than MINE!  :Big Grin:

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## Pal334

My best knifes:  Got a USAF Survival Knife issued by the Air Force while in Thailand in the early70's http://www.bestglide.com/AF_Survival_Knife_Info.html) and it served with me up to a year ago, in the humid jungles, the big sand box and everywhere in between. It is beat up, chipped but retains its edge and is easily sharpened . Not bad for a 30 plus year old knife. It now resides on my "love me wall" in my den.  My constant companion for at least as long has been my pocket knife, a two bladed Barlow brand, the blade is somewhat thinned by years of sharpening, one of the handle pieces is broken, but it is still ticking. It has been used as a screw driver, can opener, gaping spark plugs and even occasionally as a pocket knife  :Smile: Here is a site for the type, of course mine is US made, not China as indicated in the site http://www.knifecountryusa.com/store...e-handles.html

I just try to keep things simple :Big Grin:

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## nell67

Sharp looking knife you have there PAL.

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## Pal334

> Cool site. I was surprised to see how well the USAF pilot knife did, thats the knife i use. It out did the USMC Ka-Bar.


I just wrote a little on the forum "_Not So Good Knives_" About the USAF knife, have had one for 30 plus years and all good experiences.

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## Jericho117

That is very reassuring.

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## Pal334

Nell: Just wish mine were still that "purty". But they have aged gracefully (like me  :EEK!: )

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## nell67

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,eh Pal? And since you be-holding that knife,it's beautiful right? :Smile:

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## Pal334

Well put.  I "beholding" them forever

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## FVR

Along with Bean's chores with his Kabar, mine doubled as a diving knife, has chiselled scallops off rocks, chopped wood like an ax, has won one knife throwing contest, and has never let me down.  I bought it from a Navy guy when I was 13 years old.

The only reason I do not use it anymore, it's a collectors item now and I want to hand it down to my son.  The knife accompanied me through my early hunting years, my USMC years, it has been around the world, wet in the Atlantic, Pacific, swamps of Panama, and the waters off Oki.

Hands down, you can not go wrong.

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## Ole WV Coot

FVR is right on. I guess the AF knife is ok, I have one and don't care for it, personal preference. I have an Ontario style Kabar and it bent easily at the guard. My retired Kabar is 45yrs old and is like a razor including the false edge. It has saved my bacon and helped fry it. The only treatment the leather handle has had is sweat, dirt and a little blood and I know it's a compromise and not a fighter, but nobody told me so it worked fine, not as good as my EK fighter, also 45yrs old and retired but it just feels right in my hand and never let me down.

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## backtobasics

I've never owned a Ka-Bar and many here swear by them. They are good looking knives. I'll probably end up getting one. One more knife can't hurt, right? I just never thought i needed a knife with a blade over 5 inches, but hay, I'll give it a try. Maybe I'm missing out on something.

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## Leighman

> I've never owned a Ka-Bar and many here swear by them. They are good looking knives. I'll probably end up getting one. One more knife can't hurt, right? I just never thought i needed a knife with a blade over 5 inches, but hay, I'll give it a try. Maybe I'm missing out on something.


The "Next Generation" Ka-Bars are not as traditional in appearance as the orginal leather handle/1095 carbon steel versions but have some features that some prefer. 

A single guard is the best improvement I've seen. if you ain't goin' toe-to-toe with the enemy in a knife fight, the top part of the guard is pretty useless and many fans of the Ka-Bar simply grind off the top guard.

The butt/pommel (while still flat) has a lanyard hole (important to some, not so much to others). 

Some type of black semi-hard rubber Kraton type handle as opposed to the leather washers.  

Partially serrated (and plain) blade styles are available. 

Some type of stainless blade (440A?). I'll take to easy-to-sharpen 1095 any day.

Sheath options of leather, thermopalstic kydex type, and nylon. The Nylon is made by Eagle (I think) and VERY well constructed.

There may be a few more minor differences but these readily came to mind.

Having owned and used both I would take the original Ka-Bar and just upgrade to a better quality sheath/scabbard for it.

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## Gray Wolf

On the www.knifetests.com, The Scrap Yard Knife Company's "Scrapper 6" (with a 6 1/2" blade) had the highest rating of all the knives tested! (only $99.95) It's a Busse brother knife Company. Below is the info.

Scrapper 6

The Scrapper 6 serves as the debut model of the Scrap Yard line. It features SR-77 steel, which is a slightly modified version of S-7 tool steel hardened to 57-59 Rc. S-7 is commonly used in jackhammer bits and is well known for its enormous toughness. Through the use of deep cryogenics and our proprietary heat-treating protocol we are able to wring the maximum performance out of this incredibly tough tool steel.
Cost $99.95

The Scrapper 6 features a 6 1/2" long blade and near full-length tang construction. The end of the tang is less than 1/4" from the butt of the handle. The thicker than 1/4" blade (.275" thick) features a full-height flat ground bevel with a convex edge adding to the strength and cutting power of this abuse loving American made blade. The exclusive, non-hygroscopic Resiprene C handles have been proven in the harshest combat conditions around the globe. With an overall length of 11 1/2" the Scrapper 6 is the perfect sized blade for day campers, combat professionals, and those who choose to venture into the uncharted wilderness.

No detail has been overlooked in the construction and design of the Scrapper 6. These details include all radiused corners at the blade handle juncture, which, although covered by the handle and unseen by the user/abuser, greatly increases the overall strength of the Scrapper 6 at the point where most other knives can fail under extreme conditions. Other details include a radiused "plunge" at the beginning of the blade bevel and a generous sized choil for ease of choking up on the blade. The choil also facilitates ease of re-sharpening along the entire edge without bumping into the plunge of the bevel. The black coating is both non-reflective and protective against the elements.

The Scrapper 6 is built like a tank and is far tougher than most every other blade on the market today.

Specs at a glance:

Steel: SR-77
Hardness: 58 - 60 Rc
Handle: Resiprene C
Thickness: .275 (Between 1/4" & 5/16")
Blade Length: 6.5"
Overall Length: 11.5"

It's a great knife for THAT price!
http://www.scrapyardknives.com/intro.htm

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## Leighman

ANY knife made by Busse/Scrapyard/Swamprat will outperform just about any production knife out there, not my opinion but a generally recognized fact; hence their fierce and loyal following.

I have the Scrapyard "Dumpster Mutt" (blade a bit shorter than a Scapper, also in SR-77) and have found it be as durable (if not more so) than the majority of the higher end production knives on the market.

Good or bad, there is somewhat of a cult following and finding one available for the MSRP can be tricky at times as the company produces certain models in small batches.

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## SARKY

I've had my dads Ka-Bar for some 40 years now and it isn't a bad knife but knives have come a long way since the Ka-bars were designed. I also had 20 years in the military carrying a pilots knife either in my SV-2 (avaitors survival vest) or in the field as a survival instructor. I found it so wanting that I carried a Benchmade Bushmaster in my SV-2 as well as the pilots knife. I wound up trading the pilots knife for a mora knife. I think I got the better part of that deal. As to the Ka-Bar's tang, I'm not sure if it is one piece, but most rod tang knives have the tang welded to the blade. The Ka-Bar falls into the general catagory of Bowie as far as blade design. It was designed to do everything good enough (from fight to survival) . If i wanted a fighting knife (I don't know why I would, there are no winners in a knife fight, only 2 badly bleeding losers) there are plenty knives designed for that. If you want a utilitarian (survival)knife there are plenty of those on the market. Decide what you really need or want the knife to do for you and then decide.

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## Tuckahoe

Just so you will know there are bunches of knock off copies around most surplus stores.

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## chiye tanka

GW, we've got to get together so I can get a couple of those knives.

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## Gray Wolf

You're right, with everything that's gone on the past month, I forgot.... sorry  :Embarrassment:

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## Leighman

> Just so you will know there are bunches of knock off copies around most surplus stores.


Luckily, copies are pretty easy to spot.
The Marine combat knife is currently made by Ka-Bar, Ontario, Camillus (presently out of business), and some by Case (base of blade is marked).

If by chance, you happen to "find" a Ka-Bar marked on the crossguard (blade side and marked either Ka-Bar or Camillus, designated as USN, MK II), snatch it up as these are THE real deal from WWII and somewhat collectable.

Many of the WWII origianls (specifically Camillus) came with a gray plastic/fiber scabbard (looks like a bayonet sheath) with metal throat and gray canvas belt hanger.   

The USAF/USN Pilot's Survival Knife is presently made by Ontario (possibly older ones by Camillus) and the manufacturer/production date (or date of gov contract) is marked in very small letters/numbers on the flat of the pommel nutt.

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## hoosierarcher

> Could someone please tell me what the weird notch on the blade, near the handle, is for? Is it for striking flints to make fire?


A Gurkha Soldier has an avowed spiritual connection to his kukri. A combat kukri is NEVER to be drawn from the sheath except to draw blood. If a Gurkha draws his kukri and then does not draw the blood of an enemy he must draw his own blood with it that "weird notch on the blade" is there so he can puncture his own thumb and "feed" his kukri enough blood that it will not curse him.

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## MCBushbaby

Can you squash a blood-bloated mosquito with your kukri?  Would that satisfy it's metalic bloodlust?

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## chiangmaimav

A very nice kukri. I had an old one I bought in a street market which although cheap lasted quite a long time despite rough usage. It is difficult here to obtain custom made high quality knives due to high shipping costs and customs regulations. However, parangs and kukri-style knives are very, very popular here and many local blacksmiths make them and they are very cheap so I just replace them when they wear out.

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## crashdive123

> A Gurkha Soldier has an avowed spiritual connection to his kukri. A combat kukri is NEVER to be drawn from the sheath except to draw blood. If a Gurkha draws his kukri and then does not draw the blood of an enemy he must draw his own blood with it that "weird notch on the blade" is there so he can puncture his own thumb and "feed" his kukri enough blood that it will not curse him.


Have never heard or read of the "must draw blood" explanation before.  Not disputing it, just have never read or heard of it.  Most explanations that I have researched are similar to this one.  

From Khukrihouse online:




> The most appealing and distinctive part of the khukuri is the notch or “Cho” cut into the blade directly in front of the grip and the bolster. The Cho or “Kaudi” in Nepalese that separates the khukuri from the world of knives arouses much interest because of its unique shape and utility objectives. Practically the notch works as a blood dipper to prevent the blood or fluid from going towards the handle so that firm grip can be maintained throughout the execution and also as a stopper to stop Chakmak (sharpener) from reaching the handle area when sharpening while running down the edge of the khukuri blade. Similarly the notch also has religious significance as it signifies the Hindu fertility symbol (OM) and represents the sacred cow’s hoof (as cow is worshipped in Nepal).It is also believed to have been developed as a device for catching and neutralizing an enemy blade in close combat. However, myths like notch being a target device to capture an enemy’s sight within it and hurl the blade like a boomera ng to snick of his head is not true as khukuri is never thrown. As well the notch being a can opener or rest curvature for index finger of the using hand while slicing are all fictitious. The first khukuri blade ever known to the modern mankind had the Cho and some drawings found in an Indian temple around 600AD also depict it in the blade. Almost all khukuri that originated in the past had the legendary notch and even the modern ones continue to carry this distinctive tradition.

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## sgtdraino

> The New Age Kabars are just as tough as the old Kabars, IMHO the keep a better edge.
> 
> But, all Kabars are not equal.





> Luckily, copies are pretty easy to spot.
> The Marine combat knife is currently made by Ka-Bar, Ontario, Camillus (presently out of business), and some by Case (base of blade is marked).
> 
> If by chance, you happen to "find" a Ka-Bar marked on the crossguard (blade side and marked either Ka-Bar or Camillus, designated as USN, MK II), snatch it up as these are THE real deal from WWII and somewhat collectable.


With Kabars currently being made by several different companies, which of the current-production ones do you think comes closest to meeting or exceding the quality of the original Mk II?

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## Leighman

> With Kabars currently being made by several different companies, which of the current-production ones do you think comes closest to meeting or exceding the quality of the original Mk II?


In comparison (WW II era USN MK II Camillus vs current Ka-Bar) it is pretty much of a toss up.

The old Camillus' blade/guard/butt appears to be parkerzied while the newer Ka-bar seems more of a painted/baked-on black finish.

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## Pal334

Here is a pic of my efforts to date. 
The one at the top is a fine toothed hacksaw blade. Teeth are small, so I blunted them a bit and left in place. I have roughed in a edge with my bench grinder. Later I will use fine sand paper on my sander and see how the edge  comes up. I have used three coats of the rubber handle stuff.  Looks like it will be a handy little thing.
The middle one is a work in process, it is a sawz all blade, (a Rescue blade) so is a bit larger and and thicker than my other used sawz all blades. I left the blade shape basicaly the same as the original blade,I drilled on extra hole near the tang for fitting some sort of handle. Again, I just rounded over the the saw teeth.
While I was puttering around looking for more old blades, I found the blade holder that is at the bottom of the picture. I am going to experiment with other hack saw blades using this as the handle. Seems it would be a quick expedient blade holder.

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## klkak

A couple years ago I retired my issue K-Bar and bought one of the new K-Bar D-2 extreme.  Probably the last K-Bar I'll ever need.

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## Sarge47

I was very surprised to see that the "Cheaper Than Dirt Hard-Use Knife did so well on Knife Tests "knife test"!  (4.5)  The knife sells for about 10 bucks but is made with 440 steel.  There's 3 different blade types & it's your choice!  According to the "users reviews" they were mixed with the majority in favor of the knife as a good "stand-by".  If all you can afford is $10 then this might be a pretty good choice for an outdoor knife, unless you prefer the Mora. :Cool:   If you can afford more I'd still suggest a Buck, Gerber, or Ka-Bar, in the lower-price range. :Cool:

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## hoosierarcher

I think If I made one I'd grind down the teeth of the saw at least in the handle area. This reminded me of something a friend of mine does. He gets old industrial bandsaw blades out of the shop dumpsters and stamps trade point broadheads out of them. They rockwell test about 62C or so and hold an edge like a shark tooth when sharpened on a japanese water stone.  I think I'll try making some of these and sell them on eBay for .99 or so.

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## SARKY

Has anyone checked out the ColdSteel seconds shop? Go to the Cold Steel web site and then find their seconds shop... some really good deals can be had there.

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## davef

> Jericho, why do you want a 7" blade? But if you're fixed on a 7 incher, then take a look at the BK7 now called the KABAR Becker - Combat Utility Knife, 7" Carbon Steel Blade. It has a full tang and you can put a fishing kit (or whatever) in the handle. This knife is well known for it's toughness. If I remember right, search one of Mac's posts for more details and pic's.




Gray Wolf, those new Beckers are phenominal!
Ethan Becker just snagged a sub forum over on the Bladeforums site.  
Lots of great posts in it.  Lots of great pictures too.


Jericho, you should have a knife like this.  It's a beast!
This is my Becker BK9.  Have had it for a number of years now.  
It's as tough as nails this one.
Great knife.

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

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## davef

> The Scrapper 6 serves as the debut model of the Scrap Yard line. It features SR-77 steel, which is a slightly modified version of S-7 tool steel hardened to 57-59 Rc. S-7 is commonly used in jackhammer bits and is well known for its enormous toughness. Through the use of deep cryogenics and our proprietary heat-treating protocol we are able to wring the maximum performance out of this incredibly tough tool steel.
> Cost $99.95


They ain't $99.95 anymore.  You can't order them from the company as they
only do limited runs.  Their latest was a 7 inch version of the 
Scrapper 6 called Son of Dogfather.  I was lucky to get one, and should
have it around the first week of January.

Regarding the costs, the Scrapper can only be obtained now through the 
secondary markets, and they fetch a premium price.  I paid almost $200.00
for mine.
Here it is with relatives (Ratweiler, Scrapper, Ratmandu, Scrapyard DMDC,
Swamprat HCLE, and Busse AD)
Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

Also, a picture of the SOD that I have coming
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## Sarge47

1st, since this thread has gone way "off-topic" & over into a general knife discussion it has been moved to the appropriate "sticky".

2nd, Anybody who's read anything I've written on my knife suggestions may remember these:

My 3 requirements for a good outdoor "fixed-blade" knife:

     1.)  It must have a "full-tang."

     2.)  It must have a "Rockwell-hardness" rating between 56 to 58.

     3.)  It must never exceed $120 in price...& that price will mean it's a fan-
            tastic price!

In other words, I don't care how good the knife is reputed to be, $200 is way out of line, IMO :EEK!: .  If I was going to shell out big bucks for a knife I'd think about the Bear Grylls Bailey Knife! :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):   The bottom line is that any good quality knife can get you buy if you treat it like any other quality tool...with tender loving care.  Note that even the Old Coot STILL has his original Ka-Bar! :Big Grin:  :Cool:

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## davef

> 1.)  It must have a "full-tang."
> 
>      2.)  It must have a "Rockwell-hardness" rating between 56 to 58.
> 
>      3.)  It must never exceed $120 in price...& that price will mean it's a fan-
>             tastic price!
> 
> In other words, I don't care how good the knife is reputed to be, $200 is way out of line, IMO.  If I was going to shell out big bucks for a knife I'd think about the Bear Grylls Bailey Knife!  The bottom line is that any good quality knife can get you buy if you treat it like any other quality tool...with tender loving care.  Note that even the Old Coot STILL has his original Ka-Bar!


The reason that it cost almost $200 is because I live in Canada, and had to
pay the exchange on both the knife and the bloody shipping.  If I'd been 
living in the U.S., I would have gotten it for far less.  Kinda hard to swallow
my country's dollar being worth only $0.73 USD (at the time I bought it).

My SOD from Scrapyard Knife Works, only cost $119 USD and I bought it 
when our dollar was worth more than the US dollar.  Better price  :Smile: 

A $50.00 Ka-Bar in the U.S. will run between $110 and $130 here.  Thats
more than double the cost just because I live in Canada.  And we're just
talking the very basic, cheapest Ka-Bar that I could find.  If I wanted to get
something better, then we're talking a whole lot more.

For you, the Ka-Bar knife is a durable, do everything, inexpensive knife.  
It may be all that, but as far as inexpensive goes, here where I live that 
just ain't the case.

Just a note, my Becker BK9 cost me $35.00 + 8.00 shipping when I bought 
it 4 years ago.

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## Cleankill47

I have the Cold Steel kukri machete, and I have to say, it is an extremely good blade for the money. The handle is molded, and the sheath is very durable, although I have to say I would like a more convenient type of sheath.

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## Sarge47

Freakin' Customs sucks!  :EEK!:  Sorry to hear that Dave, what a total bummer! :Mad:  :Frown:  :Cool:

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## Pal334

I just blunted the teeth on the rubber handled blade to possibly give a gripping surface when in use , will have to see how that works out. The liquid rubber seems to have given good coverage over the teeth in the handle area. Now if I were to such a blade with larger teeth, then I agree further grinding would probably be needed. The beauty of this process is that you literaly are only investing time, since you ae using scraps. Now I have one more container to collect stuff (discarded blades) in    :Smile:  for future projects

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## Leighman

> My 3 requirements for a good outdoor "fixed-blade" knife:
> 
>      1.)  It must have a "full-tang."
> 
>      2.)  It must have a "Rockwell-hardness" rating between 56 to 58.
> 
>      3.)  It must never exceed $120 in price...& that price will mean it's a fan-
>             tastic price!
> :


From the above criteria, I would think Becker (now marketed through Ka-Bar), Ontario RTAK/RAT, and RAT Cutlery should all fill the bill.

I presently own and use all of the above brands and have had ZERO issues with any of them.

Some folks are into the latest "wonder steels" but a properly heat treated 1095 carbon blade will take care of just about any outdoor task you ask of it.

1095 may be less than corrosion resistant but with minimal care this is pretty much a non-issue to me.

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## Leighman

> I have the Cold Steel kukri machete, and I have to say, it is an extremely good blade for the money. The handle is molded, and the sheath is very durable, although I have to say I would like a more convenient type of sheath.


Ditto to the CS kukri except that my sheath has not held up too well. 
Once properly sharpened, mine has easily cut through the thin nylon material while sheathing/unsheathing. You are right, the "side opening" sheath is less than convenient.

Custom kydex is nice but can be pricey for this sized blade.

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## davef

> Freakin' Customs sucks!  Sorry to hear that Dave, what a total bummer!


Tell me about it  :Frown: 

Just to get my facts straight on the shipping charges, I went to the
website and double checked.    
Apparently I got the shiping and handling pricing wrong.  
I said that a Ka-Bar 1217 USMC listed at $49.99 with $25.90 s&h.
It should be a Ka-Bar 1217 USMC listed at $49.99 with *$31.90 s&h*.
I was too low on the shipping charges.

The end result is that if I want to get a Ka-Bar (locally or off internet), I'm
looking at shelling out between $110 and $130 for the knife.
To be honest, while the knife looks good, I'd much rather have a Becker
or a Scrapyard knife.  
Since Becker is now being made by Ka-Bar, that would be the best of both
worlds.  I love my BK9 and have pounded on that thing like you wouldn't
believe and haven't been able to damage it.  

Cheers

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## Leighman

Nice collection of Busse, dogs, and rats you have there, davef!

Exchange rates aside, you are 100% on the manner in which folks snatch up the newest Busse/Busse-kin models. While prices may not double overnight, it's darn close to it!

The only reason I bought a Scrapyard Dumpspter Mutt (Summer 2008) was the fact that it was only $100 (NIB) delivered w/custom kydex. Glad I did as this is one tough blade!

Like with any hobby or sport, people have a difference of opinions regarding just how much they will spend on this or that.

That said, my own limit for a fixed blade knife is right around $100 max.

Like most people, I don't have $$$ to burn but I also want something sturdy & reliable. 

Thankfully, in today's marketplace you can easily find well-made "slicers and choppers" in the sub $100 price range.

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## davef

> Nice collection of Busse, dogs, and rats you have there, davef!
> Exchange rates aside, you are 100% on the manner in which folks snatch up the newest Busse/Busse-kin models. While prices may not double overnight, it's darn close to it!
> The only reason I bought a Scrapyard Dumpspter Mutt (Summer 2008) was the fact that it was only $100 (NIB) delivered w/custom kydex. Glad I did as this is one tough blade!
> Like most people, I don't have $$$ to burn but I also want something sturdy & reliable.


I went in with a friend on that DMDC deal and we got 4 of them (2 each)
for a very decent price like you said.  I kept one and sold the other to a
friend for what it cost me.  So far, he's used it to skin a deer and a moose. 
He loves it.
The Busse / Bussekin knives are a hot commodity.  Besides being tough as
blazes, they have a 100% lifetime warranty, no questions asked.  Can't beat
that for backing up your knives.  
Plus, you can use them and if you decide to get rid of them, you can 
always get back what you paid for them, usually more even though they're used.

My brother, his son and I cut down and limbed 3, 20 foot tall, 4-5 inch 
diameter trees in their  back yard this fall, and only used a buck saw, my 
Ratweiler, and Scrapper6.  The blades didn't even get dull.  All I did was use 
soapy warm water to clean the sap and stuff off of the blades after we 
were done.
My SOD should be here next week, and I'm sure looking forward to that 
one.   It'll be a keeper for sure.

I've had the good fortune to own some very good knives.  Pretty soon 
though, I'm going to have to narrow things down to 2 or 3 and sell off the rest.

Cheers

----------


## AKOutlander

Hey there,

First post on these forums and I have to say I have heard some good advice.  I have spent a lot of time in the Alaska bush, which is way off the grid.  I have used both small and large knives and both have their place.  

Any knife over $100 is too expensive for my taste, however to each his/her own.  The knives I own have served me well.  One thing I would recommend for anyone purchasing a new knife is to test it.  Take it on some short day hikes and put it through some tests.  

The other comment I would like to make is for those posting pictures of their so-called "tried and true" hunting/survival knife.  If your knife still has the black teflon coating on it then it is not something you can truly call a reliable knife, nor make a recommendation regarding its abilities.

----------


## crashdive123

Hey there AKOutlander - welcome.  When you get a chance head on over to the introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself.  Thanks.

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## crashdive123

More spam - will they never learn?

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## AKOutlander

.....the days of troublesome scaling, cutting and gutting are over, because Super Bass-o-Matic '76 is the tool that lets you use the bass with no fish waste, and without scaling, cutting or gutting.

Super Bass-o-Matic '76 - you'll never have to scale, cut or gut again! 

Sorry, I could not resist.

----------


## crashdive123

> .....the days of troublesome scaling, cutting and gutting are over, because Super Bass-o-Matic '76 is the tool that lets you use the bass with no fish waste, and without scaling, cutting or gutting.
> 
> Super Bass-o-Matic '76 - you'll never have to scale, cut or gut again! 
> 
> Sorry, I could not resist.


Ah - then you may enjoy my Rambo Super Deer Slayer Delux with Laser/Holo Sight/Scope/Tac Light in post 569 of this thread

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## Sarge47

Kiss the Spammer goodbye, yer 'ole resident Curmudgeon nailed his hide to the barn! :Mad:

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## crashdive123

Thanks Sarge.

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## Sarge47

> Thanks Sarge.


...no problemo...now where can I get one of those fancy Rambo knives you keep talking about? :Confused:  :Big Grin:  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  :Cool:

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## crashdive123

Sell you one for $675......a bargain compared to Bear's.

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## Sarge47

> Sell you one for $675......a bargain compared to Bear's.


Now that's a deal!  I'll take two!  Do you take checks? :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## AKOutlander

Add a watertight container fer me snuff, a grunt tube, and the pocket fisherman and you just might have the greatest invention of all time.

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## crashdive123

> Add a watertight container fer me snuff, a grunt tube, and the pocket fisherman and you just might have the greatest invention of all time.


Should have shown the pics of the hollow handle. :Big Grin:

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## hoosierarcher

As far as taking something with you to sharpen your knives check these out. Three grits from medium to extra fine and they will fit in a Fisherman's Friend cough drop tin kit.http://www.smkw.com/webapp/eCommerce...Cat=96&SKU=D3F

----------


## Brazito

I have a bowie wrapped with paracord.

http://www.ekknife.com/knives.html

I keep it in the top right drawer of my survival desk, LOL :Big Grin: 
I have several knives/multi-tools. What I carry is dictated by what I'm doing and where I'm going. Now if only I were better at sharpening.

----------


## Blood Groove

> The previosuly mentioned site(www.knifetests.com) puts a Gerber LMF II to the test and it performed quite well. 
> 
> Again, this fellow ("Noss") completely destroys the knives and while not really a scientific approach, he shows how much abuse certain types of knives can withstand before they eventually fail.
> 
> Oddly enough (or not), some very very inexpensive knives have outperformed some of the higher end versions (i.e. Chris Reeves).


Yeah I was very surprised that a Chris Reeves knife got a poor rating when I was at the site. It kind of dissapoints me that ceap knives get good ratings some times. Like the Cheaper than Dirt Rough use knife, got a pretty good rating. Better than the Ka-bar  :Frown:  But that really doesn't tell how good the knives are, jsut how much abuse they can take.

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## Leighman

> But that really doesn't tell how good the knives are, jsut how much abuse they can take.


I agree 100% but it is interesting to watch just "how much" abuse many of these blades take before complete failure. I have 4-5 of the better knives he has destroyed and while some have easily failed "his" tests, I still use them in the field with confidence and without worry.

That said, my Scrapyard Dumpster Mutt comes as close to "bulletproof" as any I own.

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## Blood Groove

Yeah well I use the Ka-bar like crazy without worrying about it breaking or anything, but in his tests it broke rather early on. It is neet so see just how tough a knife is though. Especially those Busse knives. They take one heck of a beating. It's like an advertisement for those knives. Hey I have a question about those, maybe you know it. What's the difference between Swamp Rat knives and the Busse knives. Is Swamp Rat just a less expensive version of those Busse knives?

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## tonester

i heard that swamp rat and scrapyard knives are kinda like the left over blanks and scraps from the busse factory.

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## Blood Groove

> i heard that swamp rat and scrapyard knives are kinda like the left over blanks and scraps from the busse factory.


oh really? So they're kind of like Busse 2nds? Well that's kind of cool, I'd buy one of them over a Busse, just because of the price difference.

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## Leighman

> oh really? So they're kind of like Busse 2nds? Well that's kind of cool, I'd buy one of them over a Busse, just because of the price difference.


No "seconds" of any sort to be sure, they are excellent blades and the prices they command (outside and most times ABOVE MSRP) speaks for itself. 

There is almost a cult following with these "Bussekin" knives and that is not a slur, just the way it is (check out what the discontinued models are selling for on Ebay). 

Example: How many knife companies can actually sell a knife without even offering a sheath and have no complaints from its customers?   

I think the two companies morphed from Busse and early on they made knives/handles that were left over from (possibly discontinued) Busse offerings.

Swamprat/Scrapyard blades are 100% new and many designs/blade steels are separate from what Busse currently produces. No less tough, just different models.

Less expensive than Busse? Definitely. Lesser quality? Hardly.

To get the full history, I would check out both Swamprat/Scrapyard website/forums for details.

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## Blood Groove

> No "seconds" of any sort to be sure, they are excellent blades and the prices they command (outside and most times ABOVE MSRP) speaks for itself. 
> 
> There is almost a cult following with these "Bussekin" knives and that is not a slur, just the way it is (check out what the discontinued models are selling for on Ebay). 
> 
> Example: How many knife companies can actually sell a knife without even offering a sheath and have no complaints from its customers?   
> 
> I think the two companies morphed from Busse and early on they made knives/handles that were left over from (possibly discontinued) Busse offerings.
> 
> Swamprat/Scrapyard blades are 100% new and many designs/blade steels are separate from what Busse currently produces. No less tough, just different models.
> ...


Busse really doesn't sell sheath with their knives? Wow. Well I have to start looking into swamp rat knives. I should get one. Heck if they're the same quality as a Busse and a cheaper price, I'd be crazy not to get one.

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## chiye tanka

BG, talk to Gray Wolf, he knows a lot about Swamp Rat knives.
Busse does have links to sheath makers on their site. I went with Okaden.

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## Leighman

> Busse really doesn't sell sheath with their knives? Wow.


Some Busse/Scrapyard/Swamprat models actually do come with a sheath but a lot of folks seem to go the custom route (leather and kydex).

Custom leather rigs can me made pretty stout these days but I prefer kydex for its durability and the minimal care that is required.

My Dumpster Mutt has a 5-ich blade that is right around .285 in thickness. Once the edge has been properly convexed, there are few outdoor tasks (big & small) that this knife cannot accomplish.

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## sniperfx

i have been in the market for a survival knife, such as a kbar, but dont want to spend alot. any thoughts on the matter?

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## Pict

www.ragweedforge.com

Look up the Frost's and KJ Eriksons Mora knives.  I am partial to the 780 Triflex Craftsman and for around $10 you can't go wrong with anything on those pages.  If you are really looking for a solid "user" knife for the bush pick one up and you will be happy.

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

I got turned on to Mora's a number of years ago and have almost 20 of them now.  I always take one along to the bush no matter what else I carry and they get more actual use than any other blade I take out there aside from my machetes.  They are the most bang for the buck in the knife world.  Mac

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## Tracker

Stay away from bad brand names, carolina, winchester,... and dont go for anything like a military knife, they are one of the worst kinds of knives in a survival situation. (the knife in first blood) 

But here are some things to consider 
Weight
length 
tang 
# of uses

I would recommend something like a Gerber, buck, they have good steel and are very practical. Do you want fixed blade or a spring?   

Also do you want to hunt with it? If so you may want one that you can throw or that is large.

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## tonester

i agree with pict, mora knives are very good for the price. if you want to spend some more money i would go with a ka-bar

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## huntermj

> www.ragweedforge.com
> 
> Look up the Frost's and KJ Eriksons Mora knives. I am partial to the 780 Triflex Craftsman and for around $10 you can't go wrong with anything on those pages. If you are really looking for a solid "user" knife for the bush pick one up and you will be happy.
> 
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
> 
> I got turned on to Mora's a number of years ago and have almost 20 of them now. I always take one along to the bush no matter what else I carry and they get more actual use than any other blade I take out there aside from my machetes. They are the most bang for the buck in the knife world. Mac


 

I have that very knife. Have had it for a few years now, holds a good edge and its the one i use for everything. Its a good all around knife. The sheave is now wrapped in snare wire, fishing line, masons line and sisal twine along with a mini fire steel and fish hooks and finally a lanyard with a small compass. No ones going to ow and ohh over it but its what works for me.

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## klkak

Just go buy a knife that you like and use it.  If it don't work for you then put it away and buy another one and try it.  Keep it up until you find the knife that is best for you.

While you are at it, take a look at this thread.  This subject has been covered in depth.
http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ead.php?t=1297

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## crashdive123

Was going to give this one a day or two then move it.

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## klkak

Personally I don't like Mora knives.  Every one I've owned has broken just back of the hilt where to tang ends.  This has always happened in very cold weather but it still happened.  Therefore I will never own another one.

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## trax

These words from a man who lives where it's a hundred below in the good weather...hmmmm.... :Big Grin: ...gotta agree with your first post, though. I think for everyone here, any knife *you have on you* is a survival knife. When I was a kid, we managed pretty good out in the bush with some cheapa$$ed knives because that was all we could afford. Learn how to sharpen a knife if you don't know how, a small sharpening stone isn't going to make some huge weight difference to how much you're packing if you're out hiking somewhere and a dull knife is...a metal stick.

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## crashdive123

Did the metal break, or the epoxy (or whatever is used) give in the extreme cold?

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## klkak

> These words from a man who lives where it's a hundred below in the good weather...hmmmm.......gotta agree with your first post, though. I think for everyone here, any knife *you have on you* is a survival knife. When I was a kid, we managed pretty good out in the bush with some cheapa$$ed knives because that was all we could afford. Learn how to sharpen a knife if you don't know how, a small sharpening stone isn't going to make some huge weight difference to how much you're packing if you're out hiking somewhere and a dull knife is...a metal stick.


Trax, I still have my first survival knife (a Barlow 2 bladed folder).  I think my mom may have paid a dollar for it if that.  It has good high carbon steel in the blade.  I made it work cause it was all I had.  When I was about ten I started also carrying a 6 or 7" butcher knife with me.  It was better for gutting and skinning deer with.  My Grandfather had made it from a crosscut saw blade. I wish I still had that one.

I now have a few very high quality knives so I don't have to mess around with cheap knives any more.

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## klkak

> Did the metal break, or the epoxy (or whatever is used) give in the extreme cold?


No the metal did not break. The handle its self would crack or the glue would crack and the blade would come loose.

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## Leighman

> Did the metal break, or the epoxy (or whatever is used) give in the extreme cold?


I've seen Moras under x-ray and the tang portion is pretty thin and somewhat short. Also, I do not know how they are encased within the plastic handles as they are absent of any pins. 

The Mora 2000 appears to have to most substantial tang of them all.

I have 3-4 Moras and I like their lightweight and lack of expense but I consider them for cutting & slicing chores only. 

For hacking/chopping/batoning I prefer a stiffer and thicker blade (RAT/Ontario/Scrapyard/Swamprat/Busse).

While a machete and/or camp axe is desireable, my own "carry always" kit (Blackhawk E&E bag) doesn't allow for the added weight or bulk of longer cutting/chopping tools.  

Knives are as personal ( if not more so) than guns; you will get 1000 opinions. 

That said, just about any Busse/Scrapyard/Swamprat is bulletproof. Not hype, just a simple fact. of couse, not everyone wants to fork over 100+ bucks for an outdoors blade.

For under $100, Onratio's RAT series are very tough and easy to sharpen in the field (1095 carbon).

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## Leighman

> i have been in the market for a survival knife, such as a kbar, but dont want to spend alot. any thoughts on the matter?


While I am frugal as the next guy, I have learned to not scrimp on quality outdoor gear, ESPECIALLY knives. Right up there with your fire-making skills/tools is the ability to have a cutting tool that will not let you down!

You may want to check out Becker knives (now marketed by Ka-Bar). They are quite sturdy and very well constructed. 

Many folks love the Ka-Bar/Pilot's Survival Knife (made under contract by Ontario/Camillus/Ka-Bar/Case/etc). 

While they both have a rich history with our Armed Forces there are much better all-pupose field knives available in today's marketplace.

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## Pict

Klak,

I can see how a Mora could fail like that.  I haven't had any cold cracking problems in Brazil!  I didn't say they were the end all in knives but they are a good place to start for 95% of bush knife needs.  They are the Bic lighter of knives.  A Bic is GTG for 95% of what you need to light on fire.  Mac

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## Sarge47

1st, I just moved your thread to the right place; it wasn't even in the right forum, & it's also in the "Knife Sticky".  

2nd, You just asked a loaded question; 50 people will give you 50 different answers.  So what you do is fill in the following blanks.  AGE._____, $$____,
& Favorite brands____________.  The reason I asked you age is I don't remember if you've posted it or not, but a knife I might reccommend to a teen might be a bit different than for an adult.  Also, some states have age restrictions for knife purchases.

3rd, Cody Lundin also endorses the Mora knife.  Stay out of Alaska, the artic, or you freezer & you should be alright. :Cool:

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## crashdive123

Sniperfx - in the introduction you did, you said: 


> my friends and i go out for days with just the essentials and live off the land


  What kind of knife are you using now (if that is one of the essentials you take with you)?

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## Sarge47

> Sniperfx - in the introduction you did, you said:   What kind of knife are you using now (if that is one of the essentials you take with you)?


Good question, Crash; I just checked Mr. Fix's intro & he sounded like he was more experienced than I see here.  Obviously never in the military or he would already have a preference.  I'm guessing teens to early 20's or, if older, a very sheltered lifestyle...but then that's just me. :Big Grin:

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## Nativedude

> Eagle wrote: *Hello Everyone,
> 
> I too have a survival kit problem. I have a master list that would probably fit into a small day pack. Lately though I have been developing a kit in a coffee can. I can describe it later if anyone is interested but on to my problem. It is what type of knife/tool should I put in the kit. I own a leatherman Wave that I carry all the time (even to church) and I have both wenger and victornx SAK(Both carry tidentical gear. Large lock blade, wood saw, philips and flathead drivers, awl). What are some of your opinions out there? Folding vs fixed? Multi tool (leatherman) vs Knife (SAK)?*


I have used all of the knives that you described in your post. While they do all work, personally, I prefer a fixed blade knife over a folder. My favorite is the Swiss Mora S1 knife. I was introduced to this knife by Mors Kochanski.

It is small enough to carry anywhere without freaking people out, yet it is an incredibly strong and versatile knife. And I've used mine in Alaska in -40 degree weather and I've had no problem with it. The Mora SI is the best of the Mora line-up. All the others, IMHO, are not worth the $$.

*Here's what mine looks like:*
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Been using it for about 8 years now. . .LOVE IT!!!  :Big Grin:

----------


## klkak

> I have used all of the knives that you described in your post. While they do all work, personally, I prefer a fixed blade knife over a folder. My favorite is the Swiss Mora S1 knife. I was introduced to this knife by Mors Kochanski.
> 
> It is small enough to carry anywhere without freaking people out, yet it is an incredibly strong and versatile knife. And I've used mine in Alaska in -40 degree weather and I've had no problem with it. The Mora SI is the best of the Mora line-up. All the others, IMHO, are not worth the $$.
> 
> *Here's what mine looks like:*
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
> 
> Been using it for about 8 years now. . .LOVE IT!!!


It appears that knife has a wood handle.  I imagine it will handle the cold better then the plastic handled ones I have used and eventually broke.

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## rebel

> I have used all of the knives that you described in your post. While they do all work, personally, I prefer a fixed blade knife over a folder. My favorite is the Swiss Mora S1 knife. I was introduced to this knife by Mors Kochanski.
> 
> It is small enough to carry anywhere without freaking people out, yet it is an incredibly strong and versatile knife. And I've used mine in Alaska in -40 degree weather and I've had no problem with it. The Mora SI is the best of the Mora line-up. All the others, IMHO, are not worth the $$.
> 
> *Here's what mine looks like:*
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
> 
> Been using it for about 8 years now. . .LOVE IT!!!



Is that the stainless or high carbon model?

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## Nativedude

My Mora is the laminated blade model.

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## Vikrod

> http://www.coldsteel.com/fixed-blades-bushman.html VERY GOOD BLADE HERE <-- iwould recommend it if you dont have anything else you were already going to get.


Yes, I have used the Cold Steel "Bushman" for about a year, and it is the best survival knife you can buy for the money. It's only about $20.00 but will perform as well as any knife in the $1-200 range. It also comes with a sheath that has a pouch big enough to put a survival kit in. Also, the handle is hollow and a Swedish Firesteel fits perfectly in the handle without falling out or risk of damage. If you want proof of the Bushman's strength, watch the destruction test on www.knifetests.com

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## crashdive123

Vikrod, how about slicing on over to the Introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself.  Thanks.

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## vthompson

To me, you should have a good fixed blade knife to keep in your kit for a number of reasons. It should be big and heavy enough to chop and split wood with and a number of other reasons.
My favorite knife is the Gerber LMF II A.S.E.K. Survival knife. These knives are awsome and they will take a lot of abuse from you. You can find them on the internet for $60.00 and they are worth every penny of it. Just my 2 cent's worth.

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## joeblkwolf

i have alot of knives tried, and tested alot outdoors even expensive ones, last year i got a frost hedgehog, heavy blade, good design, hasn't let me down yet, for uder 20 dollers, i love it, just pass'n on info for those that dont like to spend alot
http://www.eknifeworks.com/webapp/eC...og&SKU=FRC033B

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## crashdive123

> i have alot of knives tried, and tested alot outdoors even expensive ones, last year i got a frost hedgehog, heavy blade, good design, hasn't let me down yet, for uder 20 dollers, i love it, just pass'n on info for those that dont like to spend alot
> http://www.eknifeworks.com/webapp/eC...og&SKU=FRC033B


Thanks Joeblkwolf - you probably know this already, but for anybody that doesn't....Frost Cutlery (maker of knife in the link) and Frosts (maker of the S1 Mora that is often talked about) are two very different companies.

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## Deer Sniper

Here is a 1985 Air Force pilot survival I have had since 86 ( Camillus Cutlery ) I have tried to kill. I have abused that knife with abandon, but it wont die.  :Smile: 

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Here is that knife with two others.

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I prefer the $5.95 s.m.k.w. I wrapped its scaleless grip with 550 cord. The other knife at the top is a Randall 14.

----------


## SARKY

> Here is a 1985 Air Force pilot survival I have had since 86 ( Camillus Cutlery ) I have tried to kill ( If you dont believe be, look at it. the knife but it wont die. 
> 
> http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...o/100_2959.jpg
> 
> Here is that knife with two others.
> 
> http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...o/100_2957.jpg
> 
> I prefer the $5.95 s.m.k.w. I wrapped its scaleless grip with 550 cord. The other knife at the top is a Randall 14.


If you only knew how many of those we went through in the 5 years I was instructing at SERE School! Either the tip would snap or the blade would snap at the hilt.

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## chiye tanka

D.S. what is the bottom knife?

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## Deer Sniper

> D.S. what is the bottom knife?


The knife on the bottom is a 440s blade with guard but no scales which I purchased at the Smokey Mountain Knife Works store years ago for $5.95. They had this blade in there catalog for years. It was just sitting in my case doing nothing so about two weeks ago I drilled a lanyard hole in the rear of the tang and wrapped the handle with 550 cord in a Japanese style pattern. The knife is obviously a second and has a very, very slight ( almost unnoticeable ) bend to the right, but is completely functional and I can tell it will become one of my favorites. The next project will be a sheath for this knife. Large, solid survival knife for less than $10. You cant beat that with a stick!

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## Deer Sniper

> If you only knew how many of those we went through in the 5 years I was instructing at SERE School! Either the tip would snap or the blade would snap at the hilt.


Do you know if the Ontario Cutlery spec+ version with the molded handle is any better? I have thought about buying one for my collection.

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## jawilliams0425

Hello everyone, this is my first post.  I carry a fixed blade knife and a folder when I am out.  To me you can't beat a buck 110 folder and for a fixed blade the jokers wild.  Some people baton with their knife and some use is as a knife.  I do carry a folding saw with me.  But that is my two cents.

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## crashdive123

Jawilliams0425 - why not make it a full nickle and head on over to the Introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself.  Thanks.

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## Ken

> Jawilliams0425 - why not make it a full nickle and head on over to the Introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself.  Thanks.


Ha!  He logged out.  Betcha' he'd have done an intro if *I* asked, Bugboy.  :Lol:

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## Deer Sniper

Here is the rest of my fixed blade collection.

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## crashdive123

Those'll work.

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## Deer Sniper

I have to admit, I like having options. lol  :Smile: 

Every knife in that pic except for the navy mk 3 I aquired for under $20.  :Smile:

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## Deer Sniper

Hey! Does anyone know where I can get a replacement retainer for that Eternal dive knife? You used to be able to pick one up in any dive shop, but no one seems to Carry them any more. The knife is still in production. By Valor now. They didn't even change the box. Another cool note about that knife- You used to get a G.I. Joe sized copy with the Frogman G.I.Joe back in the 70's. I guess I'm showing my age lol.  :Smile:

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## crashdive123

Garage sales, flea markets (but you will probably get a knife with it an have the same dilema)  Somebody posted, and there are a few good videos on youtube about making your own kydex sheaths - could probably do something similar with plastic.

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## Gray Wolf

Interesting verity!

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## Deer Sniper

> Interesting verity!


Most were just pieces that struck my fancy at the moment that I purchased them. The Randall was offered to me at a unbelievable deal ( $45 and the Isotoner driving gloves I was wearing at the moment ), The diving knives were for a specific purpose ( I scuba dive ), and the Schrade Walden skinner was my Grandfathers.  :Smile:

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## Deer Sniper

> Garage sales, flea markets (but you will probably get a knife with it an have the same dilema) Somebody posted, and there are a few good videos on youtube about making your own kydex sheaths - could probably do something similar with plastic.


I have a new in box Valor incarnation of this knife I have never used. For $14.95 I bought another to keep in storage in case the knife was discontinued and my current one was broken etc. I think you are right about making a kydex sheath for it. I have been reading up on it and it seems easy to do though I haven't tried yet. When I do I will post pics.

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## crashdive123

Looking forward to them.

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## chiangmaimav

Does anyone know about USA Saber knives? I saw one here in a military surplus store. It has about a 4 inch blade. Most knives here of supposed named brands are counterfeit, but I think this one may be genuine. It is fairly cheap and is nice looking survival knife.

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## crashdive123

If you are talking about one of these while they look interesting I do not think they are probably considered a "good" knife.  Their own description says decent quality.  But hey, for less than 8 bucks.....

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## chiangmaimav

Crashdive  Thanks for photos, but the one for sale here is much smaller and has about a 4 inch blade and what looks like a rosewood handle.

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## crashdive123

If you like it, and since it costs under $10 what could you be out?  Other than the $10.

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## Deer Sniper

> Does anyone know about USA Saber knives? I saw one here in a military surplus store. It has about a 4 inch blade. Most knives here of supposed named brands are counterfeit, but I think this one may be genuine. It is fairly cheap and is nice looking survival knife.


Those are in the S.M.K.W. catalog all the time. I am sure that they are made in Asia somewhere so that one could easily be for real.

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## tonester

i got a surprise package in the mail yesterday. long story short, my birthday is 2/03/09 and my girlfriend got me a knife from Scrap Yard for my bday! and even better its the limited edition Muk with serial# 203 which is my bday! shes  so amazing. this knife is really nice. the curves on the knife are beautiful and it balances in the hand very nice. its very sharp and probably has the most comfortable handle ive held. ill post some pics of it soon.

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## crashdive123

She sounds like a keeper.  I'd hang onto the girlfriend too.

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## chiye tanka

That's great, can't wait to see the pics.

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## Blood Groove

Scrap yard knives are great. I'd like to get one sometime. Man that serial # Birthday thing is pure genius. That's awsome!

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## crashdive123

> Scrap yard knives are great. I'd like to get one sometime. Man that serial # Birthday thing is pure genius. That's awsome!


First step is to find out if Tonestar's girlfriend has a friend. :Smile:

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## tonester

> First step is to find out if Tonestar's girlfriend has a friend.


haha, yup shes has friends...if you live in southern cali let me know and maybe we can arrange something haha

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## crashdive123

Somebody wanted to see the mods I did to my kukri (I based them on the info from the M40 site).  The second pic shows the contents of the fire kit attached to the sheath.

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## Ken

Nice work, Crash!  I guess you're the Modifying Moderator!   :Innocent:

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## crashdive123

That was my first attempt.  I don't care for the way the sheath came out (Rick did one that looks like it came out better)  I just picked up another kukri - I'll try something a little different this time.

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## tonester

heres a pic of the scrap yard muk.

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## crashdive123

Hey Tonester - if you ever decide that you don't want to keep her around, let me know ----- the knife, not the girl friend. :Smile:

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## Rick

Yeah, I built a kurki and a machete using M40s instructions.

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## RangerXanatos

Where at did yall get those khuks and are they decent quality?

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## Rick

RX - It's been so long, I don't remember. You can check out M40s reviews though. 

http://www.m4040.com/Knifemaking/REVIEWS/BladeEvals.htm

I'll look around and see if I can figured out where I ordered it. Yeah, it's good quality. I don't have any trouble with it at all. I got it pretty cheap, too. So even if I were to break it I won't be out much.

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## crashdive123

I picked them up at a local gun show.  You couldn't hurt or break these if you tried - and yeah, they're a bit heavy.  I've got a couple of others that look good, but are of lesser quality.

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## RangerXanatos

Ok, thanks!

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## crashdive123

RX - judging from the thickness of the blades (stamped India) I'd say they started out life as a truck leaf spring.

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## RangerXanatos

Ok.  I read elsewhere that the place he got his modified khukuri from was no good.  Just wanted to be sure.

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## lsutigers1010

hey guys here are some pics of my knives 

scrap yard sod
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brkt fox river 
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ontario rtak 2
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sod&busse nmsfno 
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opinel #8 rocking a new pitina 
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my newely modded ontario air force survival knife 
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fiskars 14in hatchet 
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only 20 chops per side 
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well thats it for now more later

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## Rick

Welcome to the forum. Nice pics. Why not chop and slice your way over to the Introduction section and tells about yourself. 

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...splay.php?f=14

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## Ameriborn

Hey Lsutiger1010 - Random from the chat  :Smile: 

Are you going to be trying to get the new offering from Busse? The Killa Zilla? Or are you waiting for the next Scrap Yard?

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## lsutigers1010

> Hey Lsutiger1010 - Random from the chat 
> 
> Are you going to be trying to get the new offering from Busse? The Killa Zilla? Or are you waiting for the next Scrap Yard?


i wish but it is not in a 13 year old budget

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## Deer Sniper

Hey lsutiger! How did you do the patina on the Opinel? That looks way cool!!!! Almost looks like a blotch camo.

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## Ameriborn

> i wish but it is not in a 13 year old budget


You got the NMSFNO  :Smile: 

I can't get it either, so no hard feelings there. 

I think my RC 5 and my custom Koyote will more than suffice.

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## lsutigers1010

> Hey lsutiger! How did you do the patina on the Opinel? That looks way cool!!!! Almost looks like a blotch camo.


i used mustard & white vingar

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## lsutigers1010

> You got the NMSFNO 
> 
> I can't get it either, so no hard feelings there. 
> 
> I think my RC 5 and my custom Koyote will more than suffice.


yea i got my nmsfno thanks to some christmass money i like the look of the rc-5 i want on bad

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## NCO

Nice to have some finnish quality tools out here! (that fiskars axe)
I usually handel pretty much everything with my fathers old "puukko". Local traditional knife. It is simple, easy to keep sharp and almost unbreacable. What else you can hope for. I can do everything from choping firewood to skinning game with it. And getting wood splinter _(I don't know the proper word for a tiny bit of wood that usually ends up in your hand and is pain in the butt to get out)_ out my hand.

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## crashdive123

> And getting wood splinter (I don't know the proper word for a tiny bit of wood that usually ends up in your hand and is pain in the butt to get out) out my hand.


You got it right.

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## Rick

You got ALL of it right. It is a pain.

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## NCO

Nice to know that not everything goes bad...

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## Goloth

I've seen a lot of amazing knives over the years, I'll tell you what you obviously don't want, I mean, anybody who actually plans on surviving would know this I'd hope.  What you don't want is an overly sized massive 'Rambo Knife' as they say.  I will say, STAY AWAY, from anything with a blade longer than "8 1/2 inches.  I bought a knife just today, Beautiful knife, made of 440 steel, which is a good important thing you also may want to look at for a knife, 420 steel tends to shatter and isn't the best idea if you plan on surviving in a rocky wilderness however, 440 steel is much harder and probably won't shatter and you won't have to repair it as often  :Smash: , there's lots of different grain and quality steel in 440 and 420, but the 440 is harder and more heavy duty, The knife I bought is pictured here, *http://www.knifesearch.com/images/8838bb.jpg* Beautiful, amazingly graceful survival knife, however, It *IS* mainly for looks, if you want an awesome survival knife though, I would go with something similar to that, big blades take too much time, and aren't very good for cutting things and constructing things.  The problem with most survival knives is that they aren't the sturdiest things on earth sadly, the pin that locks them into the hollow handle, if knocked loose pretty much makes you fail right there.  However, I would purchase a knife like the one I bought for a few reasons, the serration on the top is *EXTREMELY* important, you need to be able to cut things.  The blade itself is fit enough for cutting small saplings, or maybe in defense of an animal attack, (now mind you, I don't expect to be fending off a bear, that would just be suicide.  Unless you're bear grylls.  naw just kidding.)  But seriously, take a look at EVERY aspect of the knives you plan to buy people, if not, then you could end up with a piece of trash in a harsh situation.   :Cool2:

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## Ken

> I've seen a lot of amazing knives over the years, I'll tell you what you obviously don't want....


Hey, Goloth!  Why not cut your way over to an Introductions Thread and tell us a bit about yourself? http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...splay.php?f=14

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## crashdive123

Goloth - you and I must have a different idea of what constitutes a big blade.  Oh yeah, and what Ken said.  Oh - and - are you associated with knifesearch?

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## Goloth

No, I'm not, I just decided to buy that knife yesterday, I've got a couple survival knives, but I thought I was in need of a new one, I currently only have two survival knives, three foot long kunai knives, my katana, and my bamboo carved longbow, so I wanted a knew knife.  Why did you want to know crash?

and @ Ken alright man, I'll hop on over there.

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## crashdive123

> No, I'm not, I just decided to buy that knife yesterday, I've got a couple survival knives, but I thought I was in need of a new one, I currently only have two survival knives, three foot long kunai knives, my katana, and my bamboo carved longbow, so I wanted a knew knife.  Why did you want to know crash?
> 
> and @ Ken alright man, I'll hop on over there.


I consider any blade over about 4 inches to be a big blade.  But hey, that's just me.  As to the question about the site, just checking, as you cannot post links to your own site unless they're in your signature.

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## Goloth

Really?  I consider anything above eight because most of the blades I currently own are around six inches to a foot probably.  I mean don't get me wrong, there's a lot of good knives out there that are smaller, when I was shopping for knives the other day I came across a beautiful survival knife, but the make was an extremely expensive company, the maker was SOG and the knife model was called 'Tigershark' Beautiful knife, but expensive as hell!

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## crashdive123

I'm not saying that I don't have large knives, just defining what a large knife is to me.  For most wilderness chores a 3-1/2" or 4" blade is fine for me.  I rarely only carry one, and usually have a saw and hatchet.

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## danmc

> But seriously, take a look at EVERY aspect of the knives you plan to buy people, if not, then you could end up with a piece of trash in a harsh situation.


I'd add the note that I think it's important to give your gear a workout in nicely controlled circumstances.  For example, sit out on your patio and do some bushcraft stuff with your knife and see how it performs.  If it breaks, well, go inside and take a nap on the couch or whatever instead of being out in the woods thinking "now what".  Sort of like using the grill in your drive way to figure out that the sparker at the bottom of those plastic match boxes is for sparking with steel and not striking a match!

-Dan

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## Goloth

> I'd add the note that I think it's important to give your gear a workout in nicely controlled circumstances.  For example, sit out on your patio and do some bushcraft stuff with your knife and see how it performs.  If it breaks, well, go inside and take a nap on the couch or whatever instead of being out in the woods thinking "now what".  Sort of like using the grill in your drive way to figure out that the sparker at the bottom of those plastic match boxes is for sparking with steel and not striking a match! -


I agree 150% on that man.  Great input.  By the way... as long as I'm here, does anybody want to tell me if they think this knife was well worth the purchase?  I know about blades, but I don't know everything, so anybody's input would be very appreciated.  Thank you  :Big Grin:  - The link, if you did not read my post above, is http://www.knifesearch.com/images/8838bb.jpg
if you want a link to the actual web page that it is on so you can review the details, it's this one 
http://www.knifesearch.com/php/knife...urvival&page=6
It's the second knife down, has some details on the make etc.

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## tennecedar

*What you don't want is an overly sized massive 'Rambo Knife'* 

That's exactly what the knife in that link is! A cheap copy of the original movie knife actually. Google Rambo Knife and see what comes up. Go back to the start of this thread and invest some time. I promise it will be worth it.

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## crashdive123

You've already bought it, so it really doesn't matter what I think....but since you asked.  I think it is one of thos POS hollow handled knives that aren't worth more than about $5 or $10 bucks.  You did ask.

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## Ken

> By the way... as long as I'm here, does anybody want to tell me if they think this knife was well worth the purchase?


It cost you what, $15.95?  That's like 3 Venti Ultra Supremo Fair Trade Mocha Java Caramel Sugar Free Gluten Free Lactose Free Extra Shot Lattes at Starbucks.  Which would you rather have?  Pretend it's a computer printer.  When it breaks next week, just toss it.

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## RangerXanatos

I personally wouldn't trust it.  I would get a more known name like Ka-Bar that wouldn't bust the bank.

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## Goloth

> *What you don't want is an overly sized massive 'Rambo Knife'* 
> 
> That's exactly what the knife in that link is! A cheap copy of the original movie knife actually. Google Rambo Knife and see what comes up. Go back to the start of this thread and invest some time. I promise it will be worth it.


I'm well aware of what the 'Rambo Knife' looks like, however, this is a very different knife, for a few reasons, the knife itself is made of a much harder steel, (fit for survival purposes), then the 'replica' failure knives, the knife Rambo uses, is also approximately a foot long blade.  However, as I said, I enjoy your opinions on it.  @ ken, I'd much rather have a knife then coffee. lol

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## crashdive123

> I'm well aware of what the 'Rambo Knife' looks like, however, this is a very different knife, for a few reasons, the knife itself is made of a much harder steel, (fit for survival purposes), then the 'replica' failure knives, the knife Rambo uses, is also approximately a foot long blade.  However, as I said, I enjoy your opinions on it.  @ ken, I'd much rather have a knife then coffee. lol


How good do you think that knife would be a generating a spark with a piece of flint?

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## Ken

> ken, I'd much rather have a knife then coffee. lol


No difference.  You'd p*ss through both of them in about the same amount of time.

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## Goloth

> How good do you think that knife would be a generating a spark with a piece of flint?


AHA! I have already given this thought, and I will buy a set of flint from my local army surplus store, which is small 'nough to fit in the hollowed handle.  :Big Grin:

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## crashdive123

> AHA! I have already given this thought, and I will buy a set of flint from my local army surplus store, which is small 'nough to fit in the hollowed handle.


What will you use to strike that flint in order to make a spark?  The back edge of the knife?

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## RangerXanatos

I don't think that it being 440 steel is going to be all that great for survival unless it is of thick stock.  Atleast 1/4" if it's going to be that long.  And a hollow handle means that it will probably break where the blade meets the handle.  At $16 dollars, you're going to get a $16 dollar knife.

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## Goloth

> What will you use to strike that flint in order to make a spark?  The back edge of the knife?


Okay, you got me... lol I give up.

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## tennecedar

*I'm well aware of what the 'Rambo Knife' looks like, however, this is a very different knife, for a few reasons, the knife itself is made of a much harder steel, (fit for survival purposes), then the 'replica' failure knives, the knife Rambo uses, is also approximately a foot long blade.* 

Here the real rambo knives from the first three movies. Look real close then look at yours.

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## crashdive123

> Okay, you got me... lol I give up.


Well, you talk about this great *survival* knife.  In your first post you said that the hollow handled knives were weak, and you were right.  You also said that it was made from 440 stainless (I have several of that same material).  In another thread you said you hope to go into the wilderness with just a knife someday (after you learn a bit more).  That might be a great adventure for you, and I wish you luck.  In the things that you learn, you will probably find that 440 stainless and flint do not do a good job at making a spark.  The knife you bought, although cool looking, is not a great knife in my opinion.  Please hang around the forum, there is probably a lot you can learn.  I know there is a lot I can learn as well.

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## Goloth

> *I'm well aware of what the 'Rambo Knife' looks like, however, this is a very different knife, for a few reasons, the knife itself is made of a much harder steel, (fit for survival purposes), then the 'replica' failure knives, the knife Rambo uses, is also approximately a foot long blade.* 
> 
> Here the real rambo knives from the first three movies. Look real close then look at yours.


Beautiful knives... shame they probably aren't any good anymore.  Yeah, I know, mine looks like the knife from FB part two, which really doesn't matter much to me.  I think it could last me in a survival situation, however, I ALWAYS have a backup plan.  So either way, it's a nice knife to have in my own opinion.

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## Goloth

> Well, you talk about this great *survival* knife.  In your first post you said that the hollow handled knives were weak, and you were right.  You also said that it was made from 440 stainless (I have several of that same material).  In another thread you said you hope to go into the wilderness with just a knife someday (after you learn a bit more).  That might be a great adventure for you, and I wish you luck.  In the things that you learn, you will probably find that 440 stainless and flint do not do a good job at making a spark.  The knife you bought, although cool looking, is not a great knife in my opinion.  Please hang around the forum, there is probably a lot you can learn.  I know there is a lot I can learn as well.


I will for sure, thank you.

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## tennecedar

I truly hope it serves you for years. Again, please go thru this thread and do some research. Don't take everything everybody has to say as the definitive truth. Look it up online or at the library. You be the judge. The men and women that have posted here have spent years if not decades gaining hands on experience. Knowledge is the only thing that will keep you alive in survival situation. Yours or your rescuers. All the nifty gadgets in the world mean squat without knowing how to use them and knowing they will do the job.

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## Ken

*Klkak's Signature

1. If it's in your kit and you don't know how to use it....It's useless.
2. If you can't reach your kit when you need it....Its useless.*

Every word is true.

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## Gray Wolf

> *Klkak's Signature
> 
> 1. If it's in your kit and you don't know how to use it....It's useless.
> 2. If you can't reach your kit when you need it....Its useless.*
> 
> *Every word is true.*


Amen! A lesson for all! For the new an old members...

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## Goloth

I wasn't going to say anything about this, however I was thinking about the army surplus store here and it popped into my head, about the 15 dollar for a 15 dollar knife thing, in other words (you get what you pay for) and what came to mind is, when you got a site that sells that many different kinds of knives, they usually get 80% of them on surplus, so they sell them for *WAY LESS*then the knives would be otherwise.  Just a thought, but that's about it for me for tonight.

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## crashdive123

Goloth - you do not have to spend a lot of money for a good knife that you can rely on.  In this link The top two knives are not expensive, but are very good quality knives.  Another thing to remember is that just because a knife costs a lot does not make it a good knife.

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## Kemperor

I got a pretty decent Frosts of Mora knife for only $10. High carbon, red handle so I cna find it if I drop it. SHARP!

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## Ameriborn

You asked what we think, and I agree with Crash. It will break under any kind of hard use right where the handle meets the balde, due to there being no to tang. A hollow handle is a horrible knife, unless it is one solid piece of steel. (Cold Steel Bushman, Schrade Extreme Survival, CRK)

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## Rick

I wouldn't stake my life on the knife. But! If you like it then it's okay. Are there better knives out there. Yes. Are there better knives to be used for survival? Yes again. It's not something I'd carry, which is why I don't own one. But I don't have anything against hollow handled knives. As long as you understand the place where the tube and the blade are connected is a weak point then have fun. 

Had you taken the time to read the thread you would have known what most think of that knife. But you didn't. You were quick to post something you were proud of then not particularly appreciative of the comments you received even though you asked for them. 

Take a moment and read some of the threads. Take the time to educate yourself. That's what they are here for. That's what we are here for.

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## Goloth

> You asked what we think, and I agree with Crash. It will break under any kind of hard use right where the handle meets the balde, due to there being no to tang. A hollow handle is a horrible knife, unless it is one solid piece of steel. (Cold Steel Bushman, Schrade Extreme Survival, CRK)


I said hollow-handle, but most survival knives made like that are half-tang my friend.

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## Rick

Exactly his point. That's why they break there. His post was valid.

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## crashdive123

> I said hollow-handle, but most survival knives made like that are half-tang my friend.


...and with that, you just proved his point (or at least agreed with him).  As Rick said - that's exactly the point.  Here's a definition on tang that is applicable here:  


> Tang: is the part of the knife blade that extends into the handle. The strongest knives are fixed blade knives with a full tang that extends down the entire handle to the pommel. Half tang knives are cheaper and more likely to break under stress.

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## tennecedar

Golath, here's the site of a knife maker that produces quality hollow handle knives.
Check out what goes into making that design work and what steels are used. Then after you see the quality look at the price tags. I'm a metal fabricator. The tool steel/knife steel good knives are made from cost more than your knife did. Blank stock pieces. If you consider the time involved in polishing, assembling, sharpening, then packaging your knife and the labor costs involved, how much is the metal worth?

http://www.chrisreeve.com/

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## Rick

You all can bark about "quality" knives at $300-400 all you want. I will never own a knife that costs that much. In my mind, that's just nuts. I can own 10 or more good quality knives for that much. Quick, crab a paper bag! I'm hyperventilating.

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## tennecedar

I'm only talking about that specific design. I received one as a gift. that's the ONLY reason i have one. My day to day woods knife varies between a 50 year old Marble's or one of the other dozen's of knives I've picked up here and there. Mostly used knives and all under fifty bucks.

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## danmc

> You all can bark about "quality" knives at $300-400 all you want. I will never own a knife that costs that much. In my mind, that's just nuts. I can own 10 or more good quality knives for that much. Quick, crab a paper bag! I'm hyperventilating.


I saw a review a year or two back for some titanium fishing pliers.  They were in that price range ($300-$400).  I'm thinking "yeah, I'll take those in a boat".  A $10 pair that won't make me cry if I drop them in the lake is much better for me.

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## loki

> I think the best survival knife is a fixed blade, about 4 1/2".  If you're in a survival situation, you don't need a philips screwdriver and a pair of scissors...you need a blade that will handle all you can throw at it.  I really like the Swiss Mora knives.  They are super durable, keep a great edge, and are cheap.  #1 survival knife, in my humble opinion!


This kind of depend on if you are surviving in an urban or wilderness setting. In an urban area a set of screwdrives and set of scissors might come in very handy such as opening some covers to get to an electrical panel to reroute power, or using the scissors to cut away clothing from an injured person. True a knife could be used to do that but the scissors dont require the force needed from a knife with the upward motion and there is less of a chance of a accidental puncture with scissors on an injured person.

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## crashdive123

Good points Loki - How about heading over to the Introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself.  Thanks.  You can find it here http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...splay.php?f=14

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## loki

> The glock knifes are great, the handels and scaberd are made from the same pastic as their pistoles. It holds a good edge and they are cheap.


I too own a glock knife and while I think that it does ok at holding an edge I do think that the blade profile is to thick for most average chores such as cleaning fish and basic food prep. Try cleaning a hand size brim with it and you will learn to hate the knife.

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## loki

> I'm just wondering... out of everyone here, what do you think is the best brand of knife? I already have several, mostly buck knives...  I've heard leatherman is good... is that true?


I personally don't think any one brand is the best. Different knives for different applications and all makers have their ups and downs. I have over 20 knives from at least 8 different makers and I like them all for different things.

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## lucznik

> ...you will probably find that 440 stainless and flint do not do a good job at making a spark.


 Why do you think this?  I have a few different knives of 440 stainless.  I have experienced no problem getting a nice shower of sparks from them and a FireSteel.




> I think the best survival knife is a fixed blade, about 4 1/2". If you're in a survival situation, you don't need a philips screwdriver and a pair of scissors...


  While I think I understand the point you are making, I'm not sure I totally agree with this.  Of all the tools on my SAK (a Victorinox Fieldmaster), the scissors get the most used - even when camping/hiking/"surviving."  It is actually amazing just how useful they are.

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## lucznik

> You all can bark about "quality" knives at $300-400 all you want. I will never own a knife that costs that much. In my mind, that's just nuts. I can own 10 or more good quality knives for that much. Quick, crab a paper bag! I'm hyperventilating.



With this I totally agree .  My most expensive knife (a rosewood handled Buck Alpha Hunter) retailed at about $70  (I paid $45). Most of my knives were considerably less expensive. I have yet to find anyone who could do anything more with their "quality," $300+ knives.  In fact, most of these guys that I have met do such a poor job of keeping their knives properly sharpened that they couldn't do half of what I could.  

As my dad likes to say, "you could ride bare-a$$ed to Boston on that blade!"

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## crashdive123

> Why do you think this?  I have a few different knives of 440 stainless.  I have experienced no problem getting a nice shower of sparks from them and a FireSteel.


Make you a deal.  You go to the introduction section and tell us a little about yourself - wilderness experience, general age, general location, etc. and I'll answer your question.

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## lucznik

> Make you a deal.  You go to the introduction section and tell us a little about yourself - wilderness experience, general age, general location, etc. and I'll answer your question.


 Do you know how much typing that requires??


O.K. done.

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## crashdive123

I guess it's time for me to pay up.  Nice intro by the way.


> Why do you think this? I have a few different knives of 440 stainless. I have experienced no problem getting a nice shower of sparks from them and a FireSteel.


  If you are getting a nice shower of sparks using your firesteel and a knife, I doubt that blade is made of 440 stainless steel.  Stainless steel and a ferrocium rod will not produce a shower of sparks.  Without getting too technical, stainless does not have the material in it to make it happen, while carbon steel does.  There is also a high carbon stainless steel available.  While 440 stainless does have a higher carbon content than some other stainless varieties, and you can get some sparks - a high carbon content blade (like 1095 carbon steel) will produce much more.  Try this - use the back of your 440 stainless knife against your firesteel, and then use the back of a hacksaw blade.  You should see a huge difference.  If the knife you are using is producing a "shower of sparks" then my guess is that it isn't 440 stainless.

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## tennecedar

> With this I totally agree .  My most expensive knife (a rosewood handled Buck Alpha Hunter) retailed at about $70  (I paid $45). Most of my knives were considerably less expensive. I have yet to find anyone who could do anything more with their "quality," $300+ knives.  In fact, most of these guys that I have met do such a poor job of keeping their knives properly sharpened that they couldn't do half of what I could.  
> 
> As my dad likes to say, "you could ride bare-a$$ed to Boston on that blade!"


Since you mentioned the Alpha, here's mine. Oh, by the way mine's plenty sharp. All my knives will shave ya.

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## lucznik

> I guess it's time for me to pay up.  Nice intro by the way.  If you are getting a nice shower of sparks using your firesteel and a knife, I doubt that blade is made of 440 stainless steel.  Stainless steel and a ferrocium rod will not produce a shower of sparks.  Without getting too technical, stainless does not have the material in it to make it happen, while carbon steel does.  There is also a high carbon stainless steel available.  While 440 stainless does have a higher carbon content than some other stainless varieties, and you can get some sparks - a high carbon content blade (like 1095 carbon steel) will produce much more.  Try this - use the back of your 440 stainless knife against your firesteel, and then use the back of a hacksaw blade.  You should see a huge difference.  If the knife you are using is producing a "shower of sparks" then my guess is that it isn't 440 stainless.


I'm using two knives to test this.  The first is a the little green handled lockback that I recieved as a door prize at the Ducks Unlimited banquet.  It has "440 STAINLESS" laser engraved on the side of the blade.  The second is the little all-stainless skeletonized knife which has "STAINLESS STEEL 440" stamped into the side of the blade.  I am using a FireSteel from www.firesteels.com.   I get a similar amount of sparks from the knives as I get from the FireSteel Striker that came with the FireSteel. I suppose it is possible that both of these knives *could* be mis-marked, though I would be a bit surprised.

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I think the critical matter is the sharpness of the back edge.  If it is rounded at all, it doesn't want to work.  But as long as it has a good, flat edge you can get sparks pretty easily.

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## lucznik

> Since you mentioned the Alpha, here's mine. Oh, by the way mine's plenty sharp. All my knives will shave ya.


Very nice.  Here is mine.  Actually, I have another as well.  It is the rubber handled one like yours, only mine has the guthook - which, incidentally, I really don't like. 

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Since we've been discussing getting sparks from a knife I will throw in here that the one problem I have had with this particular Alpha Hunter is the fact that the back edge of the blade has been quite well rounded.  As a result, I cannot get sparks using this knife unless I use the actual blade - which I am loathe to do.   This isn't a huge problem as the striker that came with my FireSteel is always attached to it, but I would like for this utility to be part of my knife's abilities.  My rubber-handled Alpha Hunter does not have this same rounding of the back edge and so I can get sparks from it just fine.  

When I get a chance I will probably try to file down a small portion of the back edge to get a area conducive to spark throwing as otherwise this is my favorite knife.

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## Sarge47

> I'm using two knives to test this.  The first is a the little green handled lockback that I recieved as a door prize at the Ducks Unlimited banquet.  It has "440 STAINLESS" laser engraved on the side of the blade.  The second is the little all-stainless skeletonized knife which has "STAINLESS STEEL 440" stamped into the side of the blade.  I am using a FireSteel from www.firesteels.com.   I get a similar amount of sparks from the knives as I get from the FireSteel Striker that came with the FireSteel. I suppose it is possible that both of these knives *could* be mis-marked, though I would be a bit surprised.
> 
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
> 
> I think the critical matter is the sharpness of the back edge.  If it is rounded at all, it doesn't want to work.  But as long as it has a good, flat edge you can get sparks pretty easily.


What make is the smaller knife, Luc., & where is it made?  Some companies, like Buck for instance, add carbonto the stainless steel, which is why Buck advertises their steel as 420HC; the initials stand for the added carbon content. :Cool2:

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## lucznik

The short answer is - I don't know.

The Ducks Unlimited knife has "PRC" (I'm guessing People's Republic of China) laser engraved on the opposite side of the blade.  The belt/pocket clip also has the brand name "GunHunter" in the plastic.

The smaller knife was purchased in an auto parts store in Salt Lake City, Utah about 8 or so years ago.  It has no brand name nor does it have a "made in ___" stamp anywhere on it.

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## Alpine_Sapper

> When I get a chance I will probably try to file down a small portion of the back edge to get a area conducive to spark throwing as otherwise this is my favorite knife.


Why not just try a different area of the knife, such as the flat area between the lanyard hole at the back of the handle and the grooves on the back?

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## lucznik

> Why not just try a different area of the knife, such as the flat area between the lanyard hole at the back of the handle and the grooves on the back?


  Good suggestion, but I already have.  

In fact, I've tried using every part of this knife.  The blade works great, but I'm not keen on damaging the blade in that way.   All the remaining edges on the knife have been very nicely rounded, which makes the knife look great and even feel better in the hand, but which also makes it impossible to get any sparks.

BTW, when I went home for lunch (I live right across the street from my hospital) I found another knife that is labeled as 440 Steel.  This one is a First Production Run, Taylor Cutlery, Smith&Wesson "ExtremeOps" tactical folder.  I tried it and it too is able to produce a good quantity of sparks from the FireSteel. 

I know that you need high carbon steel to get sparks from a traditional flint and steel rig like those used by Mountain Man reenactors.  However, in this case, it is the flint that is actually shaving tiny particles off the steel and igniting them by friction. It is the exact opposite with modern Metal Matches, Swedish Firesteels, and the like. The blade is shaving small bits off the "flint" and igniting them into sparks.  Those sparks are also much hotter than the sparks from the traditional flint and steel set.

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## NCO

> I got a pretty decent Frosts of Mora knife for only $10. High carbon, red handle so I cna find it if I drop it. SHARP!


I would toss the Mora out to the trash can at sight. Mora has one big issue, and that is that the core of the blade is MUCH harder than the outer layers, meaning it is sharp AT FIRST and stays sharp, AT FIRST, but after couble of sharpenings you'll notice that the soft outer layers are wearing down MUCH faster than the hard core. This results you having over extended "edge" of the knife(junk) and it wont cut nearly as well as it used to. Mora is ment to be a disposable and cheap tool, not a knife.

If you want a really good fixed blade knife go with one of these:

Marttiini Big Game Martef:
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Marttiini Skinner Martef:
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Iisakki Järvenpää Koira(Hound):
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This next one is so old that it deasn't even have any fancy name (couldn't find one), but it is also made by Iisakki Järvenpää:
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## lucznik

NCO, 

Like Kemperor, I also had one of those $10.00, red-handled Moras.  However, I too through it out, though not for the reasons you gave.  I just found that my hand slipped on the minimalist handle too much which caused me to almost slice off a finger.

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## loki

i like the martini big game martef

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## crashdive123

Lucznik - all I can say about the sparks you are throwing off with your knife and flint is that if it works for you, then it works for me.  I'll venture a guess though, that if you try a high carbon content metal against it, like a hacksaw blade (flat edge) you will see a difference.

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## NCO

> NCO, 
> 
> Like Kemperor, I also had one of those $10.00, red-handled Moras.  However, I too through it out, though not for the reasons you gave.  I just found that my hand slipped on the minimalist handle too much which caused me to almost slice off a finger.


You pay $10.00 for a Mora.... I bought one for 2,40e... That is like $5.00...
"The slipping is not the knife's fault, it's the user's" -My dad used to say this to me when I was a kid and tried to learn to use puukko properly. I think I was like three or four years old when I got my first puukko... OH, those innocent times...  :Angel:

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## Rick

NCO, I think you described the laminated blade. Mora also makes Stainless, Carbon steel and Triflex. I do agree with you, however, that Mora is a tool. All knives are tools. I wouldn't try to judge it against a Ka-Bar for example. They are meant to fill different niches. 

Your Marttiini costs eight times as much so I would expect it to be eight times better. :Whistling:

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## lucznik

> Lucznik - all I can say about the sparks you are throwing off with your knife and flint is that if it works for you, then it works for me.  I'll venture a guess though, that if you try a high carbon content metal against it, like a hacksaw blade (flat edge) you will see a difference.


I'll try that at my first opportunity.

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## Ameriborn

I know some people who have sharpened a Mora plenty of times and they are still as sharp as ever. Moras are great items, and if you want to dispose of them, send them my way, I will be more than happy  :Big Grin:

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## Alpine_Sapper

> "The slipping is not the knife's fault, it's the user's" -My dad used to say this to me when I was a kid and tried to learn to use puukko properly.


Sure, the slipping may be the users fault, not the knife's, but, if it had a proper handle, it wouldn't be an issue. So, who's fault is it? The manufacturer. Doesn't mean I'm going to by a $10 knife that will cause me to slice my hand open, when i can pay $10 for one that has a proper guard.

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## Rick

Like everything else, it depends on the model. Some Moras have single and double guards, some don't have any.

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## crashdive123

They do sell the little red handled Mora with a double finger guard for about three bucks more.

*Edit:* Yep, what he said.

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## Alpine_Sapper

sure. I'm not adverse to the mora, I just don't really like knives without guards. Just my preference.

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## Rick

I'm the same. I have this premonition of my hand sliding across that razor steel. Just me but....ouch!

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## Ken

A few years back, the small supermarket down the street had some really fresh oysters just come in.  I had 'em wrap up about two dozen and then realized that I hadn't used or even seen my oyster knife in years.  The store had a few cheap ones on the rack, so I tossed one in the cart.  The owner, a friend of mine, laughed and told me to be careful 'cause they were sharp.  Of course, I had to respond that I had shucked thousands of clams, scallops and oysters over the years without a nick on me.  When I got home, I pulled the knife out of the plastic and cardboard package and realized just what a cheap piece of junk it was.  No big deal, right?  On my first oyster, I sliced a nice chunk right off of one of my fingers.  Took about two months for that piece to fill back in.  Only then did I return to that store........ :Blushing:

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## Rick

Seems like I posted this before but...I had a buddy that was sitting on top of an empty 50 gallon drum. He had a straight blade in a sheath on his hip. He messed around until he turned the barrel over. He fell backwards, the knife fell out of the sheath and landed on the ground point up.  he ran it into his thigh. It wasn't protuding through but it had poked a hole in the top and was still in the back of his thigh to the hilt. He turned out okay with some clean up and stitches but you just never know.

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## Ken

We should start a thread showing our battle scars.  I've got more stitches in me than a patchwork quilt.  If I could only figure out how to use that new camera.  No worries.  I'll ask one of the kids to teach me - or to take the pics for me.    Next, how do I post those FULL SIZED pics instead of those crappy little boxes?  I've read the instructions posted here, but I'm slipping toward the age where technology is passing me up.

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## Rick

No thanks. There's parts of me that even I won't look at.

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## RangerXanatos

> We should start a thread showing our battle scars.  I've got more stitches in me than a patchwork quilt.  If I could only figure out how to use that new camera.  No worries.  I'll ask one of the kids to teach me - or to take the pics for me.    Next, how do I post those FULL SIZED pics instead of those crappy little boxes?  I've read the instructions posted here, but I'm slipping toward the age where technology is passing me up.


If you are easily disturbed by blood, skip this post.
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On Christmas afternoon, my friend was struck by stupid and I had to take him to the ER.  He decided to swing a machete the wrong direction on a fallen tree we had already chopped up and proceeded to cut himself right below the knee. 
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The reason it looks so bloody right there is because we had to walk up a steep hill and to the house.  Part of the way was driven in a truck but the part we had to walk was about 1/5 of a mile.


The wound.

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Getting the stitches.

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And all 5 stitches.
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A careless mistake can befall us all

Daniel

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## CanSurviveIt

My belief is that you need two knives. One, a folding knife that stays in your pocket. This is used for emergencies, and for eating etc and as a skinning knife. The second, is a good sheath knife. It should be a fairly thick blade, should be a 5" or longer blade and hold a good edge. This is your working blade. It is used with a "wood hammer" (tree branch) to split wood, chop down smaller tree's, cut kindling, skin animals, basically, it is a do all knife. Most people buy a knife that has a thinner blade, and this is a mistake. Also, avoid saw back knives. They tend to "hang up" when stuck into things and are difficult to remove. And as noted, if you have a thick bladed knife, you can use it to chop or whittle thru neede items rather than trying to saw with a poor quality saw edge.

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## crashdive123

Hey CanSurviveIt - I believe you forgot an introduction.  You can find it here http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...splay.php?f=14

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## Rick

My belief is you could cut your way over to the Introductions section and tell us a bit about yourself. 

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...splay.php?f=14

Oh, as for the knives, if that's what you like, then fine.

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## Rick

We posted together.

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## crashdive123

Great minds think alike.

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## miaborris19

If you found yourself in a survival situation, which blade/s would you want with you?

To those who already have these, which have you found the best, most reliable and most durable? Please don't point me to a Rambo special off ebay which falls apart in 5 minutes.

I suppose we could look at axes/machetes as well as knives,a young tree takes a while to hack down with even the best hunting knife!

I'm guessing most would idealy want about 3 with them. Axe/machete for the big stuff, decent large knife capable of skinning and stuff and a smaller blade for the more menial blade tasks.

Any recommendations? 


[URL="http://******************[/URL]

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## Rick

Which one would I want? The one I have with me. 

You can't post your link in the body of your message. I assume you are affiliated with them. 

In any case, why not cut yourself a path to our Introduction section and tells us something about yourself? 

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...splay.php?f=14

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## NCO

> NCO, I think you described the laminated blade. Mora also makes Stainless, Carbon steel and Triflex. I do agree with you, however, that Mora is a tool. All knives are tools. I wouldn't try to judge it against a Ka-Bar for example. They are meant to fill different niches.


I cannot claim that I have tried out every type of mora there is. I even suspect that they sell some models there that arn't sold here, cause their bad reputation in finland.
For that every knife is a tool I must disagree. Most Finns(those living in rural areas) view a good puukko like Japanese view a katana. It is more than just a tool. Like katana is more than just a weapon. Puukko is still just piece of steel and wood bond together, but also something else. A very good puukko can be two - three generations old, keeping its edge and moving from father to son. Puukko is the ultimate tool, (the ultimate weapon as well) the only tool that you can trust 100%.

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## Rick

> Sweden(I'm not rasist, but I don't generally like them, or more spesificly their culture...)


You wouldn't be just a tad bit prejudice, would you? Mora=Sweden, Puuko=Finland. :Innocent: 

Oh, well. You like Puuko, the next guy likes Ka-Bar and Rambo likes...well...Rambo knives.

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## NCO

> You wouldn't be just a tad bit prejudice, would you? Mora=Sweden, Puuko=Finland.
> 
> Oh, well. You like Puuko, the next guy likes Ka-Bar and Rambo likes...well...Rambo knives.



Of course I am prejudice(like 96% of us), thats the whole point! :Tongue Smilie: 

My heart is breaking! You misspelled the holy puuKKo!!! :Smash:

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## crashdive123

> *NCO said:* For that every knife is a tool I must disagree.


and then  


> *NCO said:*  Puukko is the ultimate tool


  Are you starting to argue with yourself or is it that some tools are better than others?

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## NCO

You must give me that I don't have the neccesary vocabularity to properly express myself. I'm not writing in my native language. As I said, it is not JUST a tool...

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## tennecedar

*Puukko is the ultimate tool, (the ultimate weapon as well) the only tool that you can trust 100%.*



I was in the butcher shop the other day picking up a few things. Above the cutting table was a rack with 20-30 knives in it. It seamed some had similar designs but no two were identical. This shop is a second generation establishment. They know their business well. It seams to me if a butcher would have so many blades just for cutting meats, there is no holy grail, do everything perfectly, wonder knife. Most any cutting chore can be accomplished with nearly any blade. Some perform better than others. If there were one knife in the world that performed every task perfectly, there wouldn't be so many knife companies. I choose to carry more than one. Sometimes as many as four. All for a different use.

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## NCO

It is not so much about the knife, but the user. Of cource certain designs work better in certain situations. The puukko is almost an institution in finland. What I described you earlier is the deeper meaning the puukko has to most finns. I do not claim that it would actually preform any better at given tasks than another knife, just that it is generally concidered as supreme form of knife, in finland. Remember that in addition to personal differences, I also live in complately different culture and thus see certain things from very different point of view. When I write here I try to be as general as possible in order to avoid misunderstandings, but sometimes the basic nature of a finn kicks in...

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## Rick

NCO, you do just fine for not using your native language. You should read my Finnish. What am I saying? You couldn't read my Finnish. No one could.

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## RangerXanatos

> This next one is so old that it deasn't even have any fancy name (couldn't find one), but it is also made by Iisakki Järvenpää:
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Looks kinda like one of mine.

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There's some etching on the blade but I can't read it.

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## loki

> www.ragweedforge.com
> 
> Look up the Frost's and KJ Eriksons Mora knives.  I am partial to the 780 Triflex Craftsman and for around $10 you can't go wrong with anything on those pages.  If you are really looking for a solid "user" knife for the bush pick one up and you will be happy.
> 
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
> 
> I got turned on to Mora's a number of years ago and have almost 20 of them now.  I always take one along to the bush no matter what else I carry and they get more actual use than any other blade I take out there aside from my machetes.  They are the most bang for the buck in the knife world.  Mac


I actually own three moras a clipper in carbon and a swedish army knife and morakniv scout in stainless. I like them all with the clipper being my favorite. I use them a lot around the house and in the kitchen but none have seen any real hard use. How do these knives hold up over a period of time. I read somewhere else that these knives were meant to be disposable and the more you sharpen the less they will hold an edge. I do not have any of the laminated versions so maybe that does not apply to me because I have actually seen the opposite at least with my clipper. When I first got it came shaving sharp but it would not hold an edge to save its life, I was almost ready to discard when I came across an article saying you had to get down to the good metal. After a few more shapenings I did notice an increase in edge retention. While it is no super steel by far I find for utility and kitchen work cutting up meat and vegetable it works great. I just wondered what kind of life expectancy should I get out of one if I chose to use it in a wilderness camping setting.

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## loki

> Really?  I consider anything above eight because most of the blades I currently own are around six inches to a foot probably.  I mean don't get me wrong, there's a lot of good knives out there that are smaller, when I was shopping for knives the other day I came across a beautiful survival knife, but the make was an extremely expensive company, the maker was SOG and the knife model was called 'Tigershark' Beautiful knife, but expensive as hell!


Well you think that is big try me being at work one day and I wipped out my trusty SAK trekker with the locking blade and a clients response was wow thats a big knife. I was really surprised and while perfectly legal in my area I decided to put it up and try to change the subject. People who are afraid of knives tend to blow citings way out of porportion when they want to. I was just amazed at what people are afraid or think is a large knife sometime. I have even had people say man what are you doing with that rambo knife it I take out my CRKT M16-13M to cut some rope.

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## NCO

> When I first got it came shaving sharp but it would not hold an edge to save its life, I was almost ready to discard when I came across an article saying you had to get down to the good metal. After a few more shapenings I did notice an increase in edge retention.


That is exactly how it works. That is also the mai flaw of the knife. In time you'll notice that the harder core metal will not wear evenly with the outer soft metal. This will result you having a knife that is sharpened to wrong angle and thus not working as id should. You can save the situation by filing down the hard metel, but it is very time consuming and carefull work.




> I just wondered what kind of life expectancy should I get out of one if I chose to use it in a wilderness camping setting.


I would give it two to four years until what I described above will prove an issue.


EDIT: 


> There's some etching on the blade but I can't read it.


Nice puukko you got there! Whats on the blade, can't say. I don't think it is finnish, thats for sure. "Tuuihava": Thats what it looks like to me.

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## Gray Wolf

> Looks kinda like one of mine.
> 
> There's some etching on the blade but I can't read it.


RX, where did you find that Puukko?

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## Ameriborn

If you go to BF you will see that Moras are being batoned, and put through paces like a regular knife. Some people have sharpened them a tremendous amount of times and they work just fine. They are not "Cheap" in quality, at all. They out-perform many knives at 5 even ten times the cost.

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## RangerXanatos

> RX, where did you find that Puukko?


It was a gift to me that came from my grandmother that said some one else in the family gave to her a long time ago.  She said it came from Alaska and was well over 50 years old.  Don't know how much truth is in all of that though...

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## Goloth

> Well you think that is big try me being at work one day and I wipped out my trusty SAK trekker with the locking blade and a clients response was wow thats a big knife. I was really surprised and while perfectly legal in my area I decided to put it up and try to change the subject. People who are afraid of knives tend to blow citings way out of porportion when they want to. I was just amazed at what people are afraid or think is a large knife sometime. I have even had people say man what are you doing with that rambo knife it I take out my CRKT M16-13M to cut some rope.


I live in Phoenix, Arizona.  So most of the people here carry some sort of weapon anyway, not a lot of us are too intimidated by knives, unless you're around a person who's a bit crazy at times, such as myself.  I mean, guns are legal to carry here, without a permit, as long as they're in a holster, so as you can imagine, there are a lot of people who carry that kind of stuff 'round.  That SAK knife, I looked it up, only looks around five to six inches at the most, good looking knife though I will say, but that's kinda sad that people got freaked out by it.

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## Sam

> I cannot claim that I have tried out every type of mora there is. I even suspect that they sell some models there that arn't sold here, cause their bad reputation in finland.
> For that every knife is a tool I must disagree. Most Finns(those living in rural areas) view a good puukko like Japanese view a katana. It is more than just a tool. Like katana is more than just a weapon. Puukko is still just piece of steel and wood bond together, but also something else. A very good puukko can be two - three generations old, keeping its edge and moving from father to son. Puukko is the ultimate tool, (the ultimate weapon as well) the only tool that you can trust 100%.


 There are several cultures that value one form of blade or another. I personally 
like the Becker BK-10 air crew knife. I own several different knives and I seem to lean toward the bowie style blades.
-Sam

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## tonester

i have a few leather sheaths that i really like. i was wondering what is a good way to keep them in top condition? is there any kind of oil or treatment that you guys recommend?

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## crashdive123

> i have a few leather sheaths that i really like. i was wondering what is a good way to keep them in top condition? is there any kind of oil or treatment that you guys recommend?


I use a light coating of neatsfoot oil.  Just be careful not to use too much or do it too often - leather will become very soft if you do.

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## Rick

About the only thing I use on leather is Nikwax or Granger's leather conditioner.

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## tonester

thanks guys. would i be able to pick any of that stuff up at home depot or walmart?

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## crashdive123

I get mine at sporting goods stores.  I use the same stuff that I used to condition a baseball glove - many years ago.

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## Rick

You won't find Nikwax or Grangers at Home Depot and I've never looked at Wally World. You can buy either one on line at just about any outdoor shop. REI, Altrec, Marmot Mountain, just to name a few.

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## graffixx808

hmmm-  i've had the gerber lmf asek-2 for about 7 months now    sweet as hell.   but if you can't afford that  try it's little brother-  the gerber prodigy   nice knife also.   i've never had any problems with gerber knives.some have i guees. the first knife i mentioned is i think the perfect "survival" knife.  and get a good multi-tool to go qwith it-- you will be set..

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## kx250kev

Have one of the original Becker Combat Bowie's and love it!  Incredible chopping power.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/VAL737-1.html
Also have the BK-7, nice.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/58638-1.html
Glad Becker is back in business!  I HIGHLY recommend both these full tang knives, but for rounding up fire wood, the Combat Bowie wins every time.  Made in the USA too!

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## pocomoonskyeyes

Boy when you asked that question it sure was a doozy,everyone has their opinion you would've got less replies if you had asked "how to cook a steak" LOL A good quality knife is my reply. although I would have to go with FVR on the Ka-Bar, I used it in the military and for price/quality/dependability it is hard to beat when it comes to fixed blades.I have used a case stockman to skin and gut a deer so know that for that small is sometimes better. but for the butchering the Ka-Bar works well.
think of what use(s) a knife will be used for, and what style would suit the task(s) at hand.After that is considered go for the best quality you can REASONABLY afford.Why spend $100 when $50 is just as good if not as pretty and flashy. Today a lot of knives are like fishing lures they catch the money better than the fish.LOL

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## skully

A multi-bladed penknife is useful,but if you can carry only one knife choose somthing stronger, a general purpose blade that will do all likely tasks efficiently and comfortably, from cutting trees to skinnig animals and preparing food. some have built in compasses or hollow handles for carrying a kit, but any advantages are offset by the fact that such handles may break or the compass lose its accuracy. An ideal knife is the parang these knifes have three different edges the last 5 cm of the blabe is good for skining, the middle 15 cm of the blade is good for heavy duty work such as chopping, and the lower 10 cm of the blade near the handle is good for carving and delicate work. The curved blade enables maximum effort to be applied when cutting timber and the blade arrives before the knuckles, offering protection. the sheath must have positive fastenings to keep the blade secure and also a loop for fixing to a belt some sheathes have a pocket on the front for a sharpining stone.

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## Rick

Oh, please!! Let's not get started on the perfect knife again. We've been through this a zillion times. There is NO perfect knife. Try the Search button, Skully. There are so many threads on knives. Try this thread. It runs on forever.

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ead.php?t=1297

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## crashdive123

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## Rick

Yeah, that's the one!!

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## skully

Oh, please!! Let's not get started on the perfect knife again. We've been through this a zillion times. There is NO perfect knife. Try the Search button, Skully. There are so many threads on knives. Try this thread. It runs on forever.

I did not say anywhere in that post about perfect knifes im giving my experinced opinion on knifes thats all.

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## Rick

I understand that and I'm glad your opinion is experienced. All I'm suggesting is you try doing a search on a subject before you post on it. We've had extremely long threads on knives. Everyone has a differing opinion on them. And if you're going to post someone else's words, please be so kind as to give them credit. Otherwise it's called plagiarism!!!! 

I'm sure John Wiseman would appreciate being credited for his work....

http://books.google.com/books?id=YJ7...age&q=&f=false

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## pocomoonskyeyes

I have the answer for the perfect knife!!!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
 The one that works best for you!!!   :Innocent:  :clap:

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## skully

[QUOTE=Rick;143273]I understand that and I'm glad your opinion is experienced. All I'm suggesting is you try doing a search on a subject before you post on it. We've had extremely long threads on knives. Everyone has a differing opinion on them. And if you're going to post someone else's words, please be so kind as to give them credit. Otherwise it's called plagiarism!!!! 

I'm sure John Wiseman would appreciate being credited for his work....

Look i was trained by british special forces (sas) they follow this book in alot of situations i was handed this book when i completed my advanced training I agree with you when you say everyone has a different opinion my opinion just happens to be the same as john "lofty" wiseman but those writings are his and i apoligize for anyone i angerd.

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## pocomoonskyeyes

Oh it's alright Skully, it's just that everyone that has been here for a while has seen some of this stuff said over and over and over again.That's why Rick suggested going and doing a search. I've only been here a month or so and it's about the 3rd or 4th time this kinda' thing has popped up. I was just TRYING to be funny so don't take offense with what I said please. My personal opinion on knives (nobody asked me) is that a knife is a TOOL and just as I wouldn't trust a mechanic who was going to fix my car wit two crescent wrenches,(It can probably be done) as being knowledgable. I don't place too much emphasis on the Perfect knife ideology, Every knife has a purpose and was designed for that purpose. I would think a surgeon trying to perform surgery with a 12" bowie was an idiot,and the same for a camper trying to chop a log with a scalpel.  Most everyone here has been here longer than I, so if I've heard it 3-4 times imagine how many times They have heard it. Relax your in good company here. Sit down have a cup of tea or coffee and check out the site is all they are really trying to say.

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## Ken

I have a question. Can anyone recommend the best spoon?  :Innocent: 



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## pocomoonskyeyes

The one that fits your mouth? :Innocent: 

Ok 2D2K THERE'S YOUR SET UP YOU OWE ME ONE!!!

 Ken you left the barn door open on that one, sorry :Blushing:

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## crashdive123

Skully, you didn't anger anybody.  Having experience with a tool and passing along a review of that tool is great, and everybody appreciates the sharing of that experience.  Where the rub sometimes comes in is when people are quoting words from another source and leading viewers to think that they are their words.  I'm not doubting your experience, but your words might lend a little more credibility to your position if they were yours and not quoted from a book or website.  I would love to hear about your experiences with this tool.  What you personally liked about it, any drawbacks, etc.  Your experience and reviews of performance probably were not identical to John Wiseman.  We now know his views, what about yours?

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## Ken

> The one that fits your mouth?
> 
> Ok 2D2K THERE'S YOUR SET UP YOU OWE ME ONE!!!
> 
> Ken you left the barn door open on that one, sorry


Nice, 2dumb would have just walked by and not even noticed.

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## Rick

Crash covered the points. It's easy to claim to be a survival expert. Anyone can do it. Even me. But when you post someone else's write up verbatim it leads the reader to believe you just might be a 14 year old trying to look cool....or rad....or whatever it is these days. Whether you are a survival expert or not isn't for me to question. Frankly, I could care less, but your credibility is tainted when you start posting that way.

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## skully

Skully, you didn't anger anybody.  Having experience with a tool and passing along a review of that tool is great, and everybody appreciates the sharing of that experience.  Where the rub sometimes comes in is when people are quoting words from another source and leading viewers to think that they are their words.  I'm not doubting your experience, but your words might lend a little more credibility to your position if they were yours and not quoted from a book or website.  I would love to hear about your experiences with this tool.  What you personally liked about it, any drawbacks, etc.  Your experience and reviews of performance probably were not identical to John Wiseman.  We now know his views, what about yours?

my experiences have left me with one less finger I was attempting to cut a orange in half but was talking to someone at the time and not paying attetion i cut 3 quaters of my left index finger off i was rushed to hospitol but they said that my detached finger was dead and they could not do anything

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## Ken

> Skully, you didn't anger anybody. Having experience with a tool and passing along a review of that tool is great, and everybody appreciates the sharing of that experience. Where the rub sometimes comes in is when people are quoting words from another source and leading viewers to think that they are their words. I'm not doubting your experience, but your words might lend a little more credibility to your position if they were yours and not quoted from a book or website. I would love to hear about your experiences with this tool. What you personally liked about it, any drawbacks, etc. Your experience and reviews of performance probably were not identical to John Wiseman. We now know his views, what about yours?
> 
> my experiences have left me with one less finger I was attempting to cut a orange in half but was talking to someone at the time and not paying attetion i cut 3 quaters of my left index finger off i was rushed to hospitol but they said that my detached finger was dead and they could not do anything


 
Really?  Honest?   :Innocent:

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## Rick

Okay. Enough. This is such BS! I'm calling you out, son. High noon on the streets. I sure hope you're a faster draw than me but the undertaker is already measuring you up. 

1. What outfit did you serve with in SAS? I'd like to know the time frame as well. Only a slug or a little kid would profess to be ex military when he wasn't. Totally bad form! 

2.Were you high at the time you cut your finger off. 'Cause the pain usually prevents me from cutting all the way through the bone. Part way, maybe. But never all the way. 

3. You must have waited an awfully long time to get to the hospital for your finger to die like that. You know, they can transplant your big toe onto your finger, now. 

4. Can you say poser?

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## Ken

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## skully

1. What outfit did you serve with in SAS? I'd like to know the time frame as well. Only a slug or a little kid would profess to be ex military when he wasn't. Totally bad form!.
Ok first of all i did not say i served in the military my dad and 2 uncles served in the military i have been trained by them since i was 9 
                                                                                                       2.Were you high at the time you cut your finger off. 'Cause the pain usually prevents me from cutting all the way through the bone. Part way, maybe. But never all the way. 
I applyed full pressure on the slice when i did that 
                                                                                                       3. You must have waited an awfully long time to get to the hospital for your finger to die like that. You know, they can transplant your big toe onto your finger, now. 
I live in swanview the closest hospital is in the city wich is a day away
4. Can you say poser? POSER?

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## Ken

> 1. What outfit did you serve with in SAS? I'd like to know the time frame as well. Only a slug or a little kid would profess to be ex military when he wasn't. Totally bad form!.
> Ok first of all i did say i served in the military my dad and 2 uncles served in the military i have been trained by them since i was 9 
> 2.Were you high at the time you cut your finger off. 'Cause the pain usually prevents me from cutting all the way through the bone. Part way, maybe. But never all the way. 
> I applyed full pressure on the slice when i did that 
> 3. You must have waited an awfully long time to get to the hospital for your finger to die like that. You know, they can transplant your big toe onto your finger, now. 
> I live in swanview the closest hospital is in the city wich is a day away
> 4. Can you say poser? POSER?


*User Control Panel. Edit Ignore List........*  :Sneaky2:

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## Rick

The most important thing about telling a lie is remembering you told it. Go back and read your answer in post 8. Naw, I'll save you the trouble. 




> Look i was trained by british special forces (sas) they follow this book in alot of situations i was handed this book when i completed my advanced training


So now we know you're a kid. Stop trying to impress. It really isn't necessary. Just read through the posts and try to learn something. Then, maybe, with a lot of experience, you'll become a survival expert.

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## Ken

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## tonester

> I have a question. Can anyone recommend the best spoon? 
> 
> 
> 
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.


lol, good stuff

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## SARKY

My name for people like this is "Turd Burglar", as they will take others people work (good or bad) and claim it for their own.

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## pocomoonskyeyes

> Well Ken, I don't care what anyone says ...HONESTY is the best policy. Some may have Noticed that I'm on here a lot. Well truth is I lost my job due to MY doing something stupid at work. My unemployment benefits were denied as a result,but I appealed. When I had my hearing I told the truth,the whole truth and nothing but the truth ... Believe it or not it worked!!! The referee decided that even though I had done something stupid, and admitted it, my employer had slightly exaggerated the circumstances AND that I shouldn't have been fired in the first place!! So I get my benefits anyway. Now rumor has it (and that's all it is, is RUMOR) that the supervisor responsible may be in a little trouble himself because of this, and it was overheard that they may EVEN offer me my job back! We'll see. I'm not counting on it though.


 Hey skully this is something I wrote in another thread just take a look at it and see if it can help you out any. Seems like folks are getting a little hot about it. and in reality it ain't worth it you can confess if it applies to you and we can all go from there,OK?

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## Jonesy

What pisses me off is the limited time I have to read the forums during my lunch break and then half way through the thread it turns out to be a "poser" or other useless A$$ Hat.

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## Sarge47

Attention troops, private Skully's very well-written, "expert, knife thread has been moved to it's proper place; over to the Survival knife "sticky"!  Why, you ask?  Simple, because we don't have a "Numpty" sticky...or one for horse-poop! (no smilies for BS.)   :knight:   :Sneaky2:   :Cool2:

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## finallyME

Man...61 pages for a knife question.  It took me a while to get through them all.  Ok, so I actually only read about 1/4.   :Offtopic:  :airhorn:  :Offtopic: 
 :Taz:  :Tank:  :Banana:  :Gunsmilie:  :rambo:  :Surrender:   :saberbattle:  :drunk: 
 :Censored:  :6:  :hammer:  :fishface:  :chair:  :band: 

Alright, I am done.  I really don't have anything to add.  Just saying it took me awhile to read it all.

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## 2dumb2kwit

> The one that fits your mouth?
> 
> Ok 2D2K THERE'S YOUR SET UP YOU OWE ME ONE!!!
> 
>  Ken you left the barn door open on that one, sorry


 I got here, a little late......well....how about this? :Innocent:

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## youbroughtfood...?

as i am no expert on metals but im in the market for a couple good blades to put in the pack. saw this one in cheaper than dirt, any comments?
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/VAL730-1.html

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## crashdive123

It's a solid beast.  Becker makes good stuff.  Not really my cup of tea, but if it's the kind of tool you want........

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## Sarge47

> as i am no expert on metals but im in the market for a couple good blades to put in the pack. saw this one in cheaper than dirt, any comments?
> http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/VAL730-1.html


Seems a bit pricey, check out the same blade here:  http://www.tomarskabars.com/BK-3_INFO.html  :Cool2:

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## tonester

i got a becker bk-7 a few weeks ago and that this is a beast. the sheath isnt all that great but its usable. anything becker makes is awesome.

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## youbroughtfood...?

the bk-3 is a bit less and about identical. good looking out and thanks for the help guys. and this may be objective but what is the best steel/material that a blade should be constructed of. ive seen earlier posts saying carbon steel?

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

Carbon Steel

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## crashdive123

> the bk-3 is a bit less and about identical. good looking out and thanks for the help guys. and this may be objective but what is the best steel/material that a blade should be constructed of. ive seen earlier posts saying carbon steel?


A lot of it will depend on the environment that I'm in.  While I'm out in the woods, I like a carbon steel blade as CS said.  Fairly easy to sharpen, can use it with your ferrocium (fire steel) or natural flint to make a spark.  An extremely wet environment - Stainless has some advantages - although with proper care, the carbon steel is managable.

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## Sarge47

If you're in a wet/damp environment D-2 steel is stainless & will resist rust better than the 1095 Carbon or the 440 Carbon.  It also is stronger so it holds an edge longer, the downside is that it's harder to sharpen and costs more.   :Cool2:

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## panch0

There is a knifemaker iI know about and he makes knives out of A2 toolsteel and they are tough knives from what I have heard. They are called Horton Knives and the motto is "built for bad times. They look tough too. A2 is a good steel and is supposed to be a little more rust resistant than d2. D2 is some good tough stuff though.

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## tonester

> There is a knifemaker iI know about and he makes knives out of A2 toolsteel and they are tough knives from what I have heard. They are called Horton Knives and the motto is "built for bad times. They look tough too. A2 is a good steel and is supposed to be a little more rust resistant than d2. D2 is some good tough stuff though.


i saw his knives on knifeforums. they look really tough. the only ones i saw were a wharncliff design. does he have a website or anything pancho?

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## panch0

I sent you a pm with a link.

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## Survival Guy 10

just to start off i beat the #@*$ out of my knives i had a buck nighthawk the longest one it was great for the money i payed about 65 for it and it was great until it came out of the sheath soo now i have a ka bar united states marine core edition it is great i know i use my knives to cut down trees big ones i used that ka bar to split a hickory stick to do that i had to beat the knife with a hammer it is holding up great

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## crashdive123

> just to start off .....


Actually, starting off  here with an Introduction would be more appropriate.

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## Rick

YBF - You can check prices of just about anything at The Find. Just type in what you want and it will give you a list of stores and the prices they charge for that product. 

http://www.thefind.com

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## old soldier

I use the Case knife with sheath on the bottom all the time hunting and in the woods, it's the 3rd sheath,for almost 50 yrs and carry the jack knife just below the green handled one all the time plus use it on rabbits and squirrels


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## Ole WV Coot

This is my personal opinion only. Any combination tool is a little of this, little of that and a whole lot of nothing. I have never seen a combination tool that will do the work of separate tools. Want a knife? Get a good one. Need to chop get a hatchet. In other words the right tool for the job, don't like combinations.

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## Eu_citzen

When out in the woods, which I am often as a prospector I always carry 2 knives.
One large for tasks where the smaller ones are to slow or out of some other reason not suitable. 

And one smaller for finer tasks where the larger is to cumbersome to use.

A pocket knife like the swiss army knife is good as a smaller addition.
As my large knife I use a kukri, excellent cutting/chopping power.
See below. 
http://eucitzen.bilddagboken.se/p/sh...3&directlink=1

I must admit having a weakness for larger knives, not for show off but I just like 'em. 
Otherwise I like Linton knives to.

Heres another shot of the Kurki:
http://eucitzen.bilddagboken.se/p/sh...6&directlink=1

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## crashdive123

Hey Eu - how about slicing your way on over to the Introduction and tell us a bit about yourself.  Thanks.  http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...splay.php?f=14

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## Eu_citzen

> Hey Eu - how about slicing your way on over to the Introduction and tell us a bit about yourself.  Thanks.  http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...splay.php?f=14


I was working on it before but a "time out" occurred. Sheesh. :Smash: 
Damn! Forgot that me was baking.. I'll re-write it soon.

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## Stony

I said it before and I say it again:
nothing beats a Victorinox Back-Packer lock blade.

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## sthrnstrong

> just to start off i beat the #@*$ out of my knives i had a buck nighthawk the longest one it was great for the money i payed about 65 for it and it was great until it came out of the sheath soo now i have a ka bar united states marine core edition it is great i know i use my knives to cut down trees big ones i used that ka bar to split a hickory stick to do that i had to beat the knife with a hammer it is holding up great



Might be just me, but I do find it offensive when someone doesn't spell "United States Marine Corps" correctly. But hey thats just me being a Marine. Semper Fi

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## RangerXanatos

> Might be just me, but I do find it offensive when someone doesn't spell "United States Marine Corps" correctly. But hey thats just me being a Marine. Semper Fi


Sorry, you feel offended.  But please keep in mind that he is 13.

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## sthrnstrong

LOL. Guess I really need to start checking profiles before I speak.

Btw. RangerXantos whereabouts are in NE Georgia. I around Forsyth for about 15yrs. Got a bunch of buddies around Winder area.

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## RangerXanatos

> LOL. Guess I really need to start checking profiles before I speak.
> 
> Btw. RangerXantos whereabouts are in NE Georgia. I around Forsyth for about 15yrs. Got a bunch of buddies around Winder area.


The way he tries, I think it would be easy to confuse him with someone older.  

I'm a little North East from Winder in Elberton.  I spend a lot of time in Athens, Hartwell, Lavonia, and a couple of places in South Carolina that border Georgia.  So I see a lot of cars with a Winder tag.

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## Dross

OK SO until the knife making chops have come of age, I am in the market for a new Bushcraft/Trail knife.  The budget is a problem. I'm broke and baby food takes priority over knives (thought the wife got me a new Machete for Christmas YAY!!!)
       I need a camp and trail knife, so a lot of wood use, no skinning, but plenty of splitting small kindling. I really like the Ray Mears style of bushcraft knives, I just can't pay the price. anyone know of something in the family at least. I've thought about puukkos and Mora's (can't beat the price) but I want a full tang, not a stick tang.  I want to try and stay under $50.oo 
 Any suggestions?

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## crashdive123

For that money there are more choices than you can shake a leather sheath at.  Pawn shops, yard sales, gun shows can all be sources of experienced knives.  Walmart has several that fit your criteria.  There are some very good knives that can be had for under $50.

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## tonester

i would check out Cold Steel. they a variety of blades to choose from all at different prices. i have the SRK which is a really tough blade and comes with a great sheath all for around 60-70$ if you look good.

another bang for the buck knife would be a ka-bar. i bought two for my brothers both under 50$. those are some hard working blades and they too come with good sheaths.

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## Dross

Ok so I've been doing some home work towards what I need and want, found a couple in my price range,  D2 tool steel or Damascus. I've read that Damascus is really just two blended tool steels, so as for the steel does anyone have an opinoin in this case?

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## crashdive123

Damascus steel, when welded (heated in forge, and beat into one piece) properly can be very tough.  Done improperly it can fall apart, break, etc.  There is a guy in the knife club that I joined that makes damascus steel.  Some members have said the quality is lacking.  I belive that many (not all) that purchase a damasucs steel knife are reluctant to  use it and would rather display it.

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## pocomoonskyeyes

I have a Damascus steel knife,which I used to carry all the time. It is a very tough little knife. That was my problem it was too small for most of the uses I would need it for in the bush.I have folders that have larger blades. I replaced it with an excellent little O-1 carbon steel knife,that is a very good knife.
 Really it is all a matter of preference, There is no such thing as a "Perfect knife",it is as elusive as a Unicorn. Each knife has it's benefits and it's downfalls,due to design or composition of materials. My suggestion would be to go with a medium size knife of proven design and materials.

Damascus is tough, it is beautiful,it is hard,it combines the properties of two steels and can be one of the best knives you will ever own.... If it is properly made. However you could also find a knife made from a single type of steel that will perform as well,without the price tag that comes along with Damascus. Really the choice is yours. Find some info on the different types of knife steels,and go with what suits your needs/preferences,in a proven design.

 I know this sounds like a "Cop-out" answer. But really it is the best advice that I can give you on the selection of any knife you ever look at. Choose a steel that's properties suit your needs, in a proven design.

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## Fisherman Dylan

I plan on getting a new knife since the one I have is a bit to big and cluncky to use all that well (10" blade). I would like to stay fairly low price as well since I dont have a steady income. Anyone?

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## huntermj

:eyepoke:  OH Brother!

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## Sarge47

This is a joke, right?  If not, you just crossed over into "Numpty" land!  

 :Death:   :Oops:   :Thumbdown:   :Thumbdown:   :Thumbdown:   :Thumbdown:   :Thumbdown:   :Cool2:

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## Alaskan Survivalist

> I plan on getting a new knife since the one I have is a bit to big and cluncky to use all that well (10" blade). I would like to stay fairly low price as well since I dont have a steady income. Anyone?


Just grind 5 inches off the end of the knife you have.

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## Justin Case

> *Just in case anybody bought one* of these back in the 1980's I apologize in advance for laughing.  I don't recall ever seeing the commercial on TV, but was LMAO when I saw the You Tube vid.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gj9CMvwfv4


LOL,,,,  I still Have one of those,,,,,,,,,,  someplace ,, ??     My aunt bought my Cousin and I each one for Christmas,,,,,  LOL   

I know this is an old thread,  I just wanted to tell Crash Thanks for bringing a fond memory back to me,,,     :Smile:   :Smile:  

Funny,  you started out your post *"just in case"*   lol

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## Sarge47

Check 'em out:

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ead.php?t=8322 

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/blog.php?b=47

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/blog.php?b=29

'Nuff said!   :Cool2:

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## Rick

The one you have.

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## Ken

> ....... you just crossed over into "Numpty" land!


This is your Numpty Land prize!

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## Justin Case

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## Sarge47

Your not going to get your 500 points this way; okay, for low cost go to Safe zone & check out these Mora Knives.  They're very good & low cost.  Read Klkak's praise report on the Mora Survival knife 2000!

http://www.safezonellc.com/mora2000.html

http://www.safezonellc.com/kevin.html

This is the one I bought from Safe Zone:

http://www.safezonellc.com/mora746.html

There are many more models to choose from, but the 2000 is obviously a great one for the money!   :Cool2:

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## canid

only the knife you have with you in an emergency is a survival knife.

the important considerations when selecting any knife are it's materials, it's suitability for the tasks you intend to use it for [e.g. if you need a camp knife capable of chopping detail, big and clunky might be just the thing], and your aptitude in using it. anything else a manufacturer calls it, or claims about it are pretty much irrelevant, unless you are concerned about collectability/resale value, etc.

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## Justin Case

> Your not going to get your 500 points this way; okay, for low cost go to Safe zone & check out these Mora Knives.  They're very good & low cost.  Read Klkak's praise report on the Mora Survival knife 2000!
> 
> http://www.safezonellc.com/mora2000.html
> 
> http://www.safezonellc.com/kevin.html
> 
> This is the one I bought from Safe Zone:
> 
> http://www.safezonellc.com/mora746.html
> ...


Hi Sarge,,  I like that on in the first link,,  question,   How are the sheathes ?  are they pretty durable ?

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## Sarge47

> Hi Sarge,,  I like that on in the first link,,  question,   How are the sheathes ?  are they pretty durable ?


They're pretty good.  You need to do a search for Klkak's "Praise Report" as he did several threads.  Really good info!   :Cool2:

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## Justin Case

> They're pretty good.  You need to do a search for Klkak's "Praise Report" as he did several threads.  Really good info!


Ok,,  I just looked at the review on Ricks Homepage,,  Didnt talk about the sheath,,  Ill search .  :Wink:    Thanks !

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## pocomoonskyeyes

For an honest and straightforward answer. There is no such thing as "the best Survival knife" It is as mythological as a Unicorn. Instead I would suggest what some other "long term survivors" used, namely the Mountain Men. If it were possible they would have a "layering" of blades.

 A "Layering of Blades"  To me means knives that overlap in size and use. Say for them it was something like a Jack Knife,Patch Knife,Skinning knife, And a larger blade, like a Hudson Bay knife,Bowie Knife or some such. 

Using knives available today, the choices are very Varied.but to try and follow this train of thought, I'll tell you what I have that I consider "Overlapping Knives" although I use more than they did.
1) Swiss Army Knife
2) Mora
3) A Nessie (Nessmuk pattern)
4) a "Bowie" Knife
5) An Ontario 12" Machete

My Nessie and Bowie are approximately the Same size. However the Bowie is slightly longer, and considerably thicker, Also the blade grinds are different. VERY different. These are the only ones that you won't be able to find pictures of by doing a "Google" Search. Because I made them.

 So to give you an idea of the difference:

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 I also have a few others that I can "swap out" as my mood or needs dictate.

But honestly the true answer to your question is one of two possible answers:
1) There is no single "Perfect Survival knife".
2) The one you have with you when you need it.

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## Rick

Justin - I'm not at all certain there is a "good" commercial sheath these days. Even high dollar, big name knives have gone to flimsy nylon sheaths that aren't worth the match it would take to burn 'em. Just my opinion. 

The Mora sheaths are plastic. At least the majority of them are. I think they are better than some of the nylon sheaths that are being sold today but not as good as a nice leather sheath or even a Kydex sheath. Still, they do the job they were designed for and I think very durable for the money. Again, just my opinion.

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## Sarge47

> Ok,,  I just looked at the review on Ricks Homepage,,  Didnt talk about the sheath,,  Ill search .    Thanks !



http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ead.php?t=9653


http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...port+mora+2000  :Cool2:

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## Justin Case

Ok, Thanks,,  now that you mention it, I have a Dive tool (knife) with a plastic sheath ,  (forgot about it  :Blushing: )  but its a good sheath  :Wink:

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## Justin Case

> http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ead.php?t=9653
> 
> 
> http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...port+mora+2000


Great !   Thanks Sarge  :Wink:    I LIKE the look of the 2000,,   interesting grind ,,,

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## FVR

For all those tenderfeet out thar, get  yourself a real life KABAR or a home made Bowie and be done with it.

What's the best knife, that's like asking what's the best BEER?  What's the best TRUCK?  What's the best CAR?

Are brunettes better than blondes?  Are blondes better than redheads? 


Tell ya what, go to a yard sale or a flea market and pick up a $5.00 butcher knife.

Guess what ya got?

The best survival knife.

This idea about survival going hand in hand with quality knives is a joke.  Okay, you're in a survival situation, you have not knife, just roll over because you're going to die, no knife, YOU will die.

Now, me and a few others, no knife, no problem.  Because a knife does not equal life but rather a false sense of security.

Think I will go play with some rocks.

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## Rick

Frank is one of the few guys I know that can easily kill Wild Turkey without a knife. Or any other weapon for that matter.

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## Justin Case

Yeah,,  Hell Bite their head off !     LOL   just joking   :clap:

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## huntermj

Red heads are the best.  :Innocent:

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## crashdive123

> LOL,,,,  I still Have one of those,,,,,,,,,,  someplace ,, ??     My aunt bought my Cousin and I each one for Christmas,,,,,  LOL   
> 
> I know this is an old thread,  I just wanted to tell Crash Thanks for bringing a fond memory back to me,,,      
> 
> Funny,  you started out your post *"just in case"*   lol


I knew you'd be along - I'm psychot...........um - I knew you'd  be along.

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## Alaskan Survivalist

I prefer cheap beer.

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## huntermj

redheads and cheep beer, cant go wrong  :Tongue Smilie:

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## BENESSE

Knife _bait_ proves irresistible.
Gotta love this crowd. :Smile:

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## welderguy

> Frank is one of the few guys I know that can easily kill Wild Turkey without a knife. Or any other weapon for that matter.


 thats a good thing he does that without a weapon would hate to see him get hurt after finishing off the wild turkey

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## klkak

> Frank is one of the few guys I know that can easily kill Wild Turkey without a knife. Or any other weapon for that matter.


Franks gonna make some lucky woman a fine mountain man one day. :clap:  :Innocent:

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## klkak

I'm kinda partial to brunettes and Alaskan Amber.

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## welderguy

> Red heads are the best.


  I just got rid of one so I am in debate over this one.

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## huntermj

in truth, im a new englander. i like auburn and long trail.

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## welderguy

I think Im going to try bald, and md 20/20 this go round

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## huntermj

Wait, what was this thread about?

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## BENESSE

> I think Im going to try bald, and md 20/20 this go round


Certainly less competition with that choice.
Smart thinking.

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## crashdive123

> Wait, what was this thread about?


I don't think I want to know.

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## welderguy

Ok to get back on topic Here it is hands down the worlds best survival knife.

 And if you want to showoff how skilled a survivalist you are youll get one of the shovels to match

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## hunter63

> Ok to get back on topic Here it is hands down the worlds best survival knife.
> 
>  And if you want to showoff how skilled a survivalist you are youll get one of the shovels to match


No, No, No, not one of those!
I have one of THESE and it The Greatest Knife in the WORLD!
and under $10 bucks!


http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90714

(actually I do have one, got it as a door prize at a Sportsman Dinner, LOL)

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## Justin Case

> No, No, No, not one of those!
> I have one of THESE and it The Greatest Knife in the WORLD!
> and under $10 bucks!
> 
> 
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90714
> 
> (actually I do have one, got it as a door prize at a Sportsman Dinner, LOL)


Hey That looks a lot like the Buckmaster I used to have , (before it got ripped off  :Sneaky2: )      anyway,,  Is it any good Hunter ?

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## welderguy

> No, No, No, not one of those!
> I have one of THESE and it The Greatest Knife in the WORLD!
> and under $10 bucks!
> 
> 
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90714
> 
> (actually I do have one, got it as a door prize at a Sportsman Dinner, LOL)


 Ok but does it have a matching shovel Huh ? :Cool2:

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## huntermj

No, No , No
this is the best survival knife ever.

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## crashdive123

> No, No , No
> this is the best survival knife ever.


I've got a pretty good imagination, but..................

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## huntermj

What, you couldnt see the picture i had trouble posting?

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## crashdive123

Ah - got it now.  Yep - I remember seeing that knife before and would agree that it is a might fine one at that.  Glad to see you got the buckskin package.

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## hunter63

> Hey That looks a lot like the Buckmaster I used to have , (before it got ripped off )      anyway,,  Is it any good Hunter ?


No, not really, oh wait, ya there, pretty good, thats the ticket, you betcha, I'll sell it to ya for say $30 bucks?




> Ok but does it have a matching shovel Huh ?


No, you win, it got no shovel............




> No, No , No
> this is the best survival knife ever.


Yo, there, nice hide, what are you gonna chop with that little thing, LOL

I wear it around to scare off the sheeple, gotta wear a head band with it though.

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## huntermj

yup, got the package. And will start a new thread when ready to make some mocks. But i want to get it right, an animal gave its life for this and i want to honer that by doing it right. Aggg i need to upload the ispell thing. Again

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## hunter63

Yo, Hmj, found the pattern for the high top moc's.
You intersted?
PM Me

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## huntermj

Of course.  and thank you

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## randyt

i prefer cheap redheads and if i'm going to drink beer i'll drink pabst.

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## welderguy

> i prefer cheap redheads and if i'm going to drink beer i'll drink pabst.


 Damn you know my ex then dont ya.

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## randyt

nope, nope, nope, i stay away from wives and ex-wives, it's a whole lot safer.

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## FVR

I put on the mocs, sneak up around the bush, aha!   there is that Wild Turkey.  As I slowly move in for the kill, I don't need no stinkin knife, bow, or gun.  As I slowly sneak up on the Turkey, watching, always watching for the hen bird that may make alot of racket.

Slowly, all of a sudden, swish... my hand is around the neck of the Turkey.  Constantly looking and listening for the hen bird or the little chicks that keep running around.

I reach up...ready to twist the neck of that Wild Turkey...Aw Crap.  I've been busted by the hen bird, the chicks saw me.

Maaa....Daddy's opening that bottle again.


Ah, another day, another hunt.

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## Pict

The word for knife in Portuguese is "Faca".  I teach it as an acrostic for selecting a knife.

F - Forte (strong)
A - Amolada (sharp)
C - Curto (short)
A - Aqui (here, as in the knife you have with you)

Beyond that just make sure it looks like a knife.  

Point, edge, handle, sheath.  No need to complicate things.

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## Tripwire

Rambo said this is a good one

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Doubles as a cleaver, camp axe, tomahawk, and can opener

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## justin_baker

Needs to be moderately sized. Needs to be able to chop decent size wood, down a tree if you absolutley have to, and be small enough to do any light task.
This is a good choice, 
http://www.amazon.com/Gerber-22-0158.../dp/B000VL4G30
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Its build like a tank, has decent edge retention, weighted and sized perfectly as a lightweight trekking knife with plenty of firepower.

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## Rick

This is a typical..."What's the best survival knife?" .....thread. Enjoying seeing one crop up now and then. Mostly "then", however.

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## welderguy

> This is a typical..."What's the best survival knife?" .....thread. Enjoying seeing one crop up now and then. Mostly "then", however.


  Did you enjoy this one Rick?

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## Fisherman Dylan

I like the knife in your fist post sarge and can anybody say derailed? XD

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## Sarge47

> I like the knife in your fist post sarge and can anybody say derailed? XD


My "fist" post?   :Confused1:   Oh, you mean this one?    :Death:   This is why school is so important, you *must* learn how to spell!   :Cool2:  The adults that mis-spell on here are no longer in school, so they can't help it!   :Innocent:

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## hunter63

> My "fist" post?    Oh, you mean this one?     This is why school is so important, you *must* learn how to spell!   The adults that mis-spell on here are no longer in school, so they can't help it!


And with out a "spellchecker", like working with out a net........used to be real important?
Sarge, you are showing your/our age, LOL., pet peeve of mine as well.

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## Fisherman Dylan

I was talking about the mora 200 and my bad about the spelling. I didn't realize that my keyboards batteries were dying and sometime the keys wouldn't work. I now have new batteries tho ^__^

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## trax

Man, you were doing so well RD, then  you had to go ask that question. Read what FVR had to say about knives, he's right, but I'll qualify it with you're still better off with one than without. Whatever knife you have with you, know what _you can do with it before you head out_ and that's going to be your survival knife. Think in these terms: if you're in a situation in the wilderness where just your own survival (getting out of that situation) is your only concern, did you have the good sense to bring a knife to begin with? If you answered yes, good on ya', if no, then you have hopefully taken some time to learn how to survive without a knife.

(ah ha! he responded, thank you Trax)

...and if you really want to go shopping for a knife, check out klkak's reviews on the mora.

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## Sarge47

> I was talking about the mora 200 and my bad about the spelling. I didn't realize that my keyboards batteries were dying and sometime the keys wouldn't work. I now have new batteries tho ^__^


Must be working off of a laptop.  And it's Mora 2000, not 200.  Trax is right, read the reviews using the links I posted earlier.  Here's why we hate that question around here; if you ask it you'll get over a hundred different answers because everybody has their faves!  Many will cost a lot more than you will have the loot for.  Many will not be right for you.  That's why I listed the Mora knives.  They get the job done at a reasonable cost & if you add that long-bladed knife then you're pretty well equipped for anything.  Also, there is no "one, perfect, survival knife."  No "one size fits all."  I have several knives & I bought them because I liked the way they looked.  Like FVR, I believe it was, said:  You can get by with a butcher knife if you had to.  For awhile Bear Grylls tried to sell a custom made knife from Baileys in the UK with a 4" blade...The cost was over $700.  I don't think he sold very many.   :Cool2:

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## crashdive123

For me - it's not that I mind the question - it's that there is no correct answer.  By the way - what do you mean by the term "survival knife"?

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## Sourdough

> For me - it's not that I mind the question - it's that there is no correct answer.  By the way - what do you mean by the term "survival knife"?



Perhaps you are onto something, Crash. Maybe the problem is what it is called. I have about 60 to 80 knives, but I do not own a survival knife. But then I also have NO survival gear/equipment, nor any survival skills.

Maybe we should BAN the words: "Survival Knife", and substitute: "reachable sharp tool". Or "RST" Now I have a RST under the seat of my Snow Machine. I have a RST in the grain barn for cutting feedbags, and bailing-twine. I generally have a RST on my belt.

Hey: Sarge why not BAN the word Survival knife....... :clap:  :clap:

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## BENESSE

> Perhaps you are onto something, Crash. Maybe the problem is what it is called. I have about 60 to 80 knives, but I do not own a survival knife. But then I also have NO survival gear/equipment, nor any survival skills.


I agree.
The idea of any _one_ thing being a "Survival X" is totally simplistic and can be misleading if taken literally.
And some of the younger folks just might take it that way.

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## Rick

Then again...there are some items that are generally geared toward that very thing. SPOT, 36 hour candles, Quikclot, water straws, etc. There's nothing wrong with the word or the concept. There are situations when it's quite practical. Any knife you use in a survival situation would, in fact, be a "survival" knife.

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## BENESSE

> Then again...there are some items that are generally geared toward that very thing. SPOT, 36 hour candles, Quikclot, water straws, etc. There's nothing wrong with the word or the concept. There are situations when it's quite practical. *Any knife you use in a survival situation would, in fact, be a "survival" knife.*


But then why label it as such?
IMO it dilutes the concept.

Q: What's the best survival knife?
A: The one that helps you survive

End of discussion

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## Fisherman Dylan

I now understand. And he probably didnt sell any of his knifes.

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## Sourdough

Rick, by discouraging the use of the Words like "Survival Knife", we reinforce, and hammer the idea that anything "reachable and sharp", even a sharp rock, or broken glass is a tool.

This Forum could lead the paradigm shift, we could change the probability of the survival of one human life, by teaching the world to not think in terms of a word tool for a set application, but that any"thing" reachable is a tool. We really could do this.

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## Rick

> But then why label it as such?
> IMO it dilutes the concept.


Well, you're entitled to your opinion as frivolous as it appears to be. And you can hang on to it if you don't mind being wrong. 

(snort, chuckle)

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## Rick

Pardigm shift? This forum? Well, yea...nah. Have you seen the quality of folks around here? Some of 'em are lucky if they can shift a 3 speed.

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## Justin Case

On a Whim, I just looked up "Survival Knife" on Wikipedia,   It is really kind of Interesting and gives examples and Origins   :Wink:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survival_knife

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## Sourdough

So is a "So Called" Survival Knife, still a survival knife if you can't quite reach it.....? or is it a piece of unless shinny metal........?

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## hunter63

> Pardigm shift? This forum? Well, yea...nah. Have you seen the quality of folks around here? Some of 'em are lucky if they can shift a 3 speed.


Wow, man, a shift?, far out, man, haven't been in a shift for a spell, just look out the corners of you eyes you will see "Stuff", man.

Seriously now, we all need to get our knife preferences out there, so the younger generation can learn, like, right?
So like whats the deal? 
I think we should schedule a "Survival Knife" discussion once a month, just "because"?

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## Rick

Sourdough - I agree with you. Like Kevin says, "If you can't reach your kit when you need it....Its useless." I feel the same way about whatever you need when you need it. If that knife (or whatever) is lost and unreachable then it's a "Could Have Been Survival Knife".

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## crashdive123

I was actually being serious when I asked young Ranger Dylan what he meant when he used the term survival knife.  I don't know if he uses it as a term for his "go to" knife, or just the latest fad expression.  

This forum isn't too bad when it comes to using the term survival.  Most have a pretty level headed idea of what it is, and will guide those with a romanticized view of the term to some state of reality.  If that doesn't work, we just send Sarge after them.

On other forums (I know - I was shocked as well to find out they existed) the term survival is thrown around like candy.  In those cases, it's meaningless - just a bad plot line in a B movie.  So much of this annoyance comes from marketing.  Products like Survival Seed Bank, Survival Food, Survival Knives, Survival Guns, Survival ad nauseum just dilute the actual meaning and play on peoples fears to market their products.

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## hunter63

Crash I have to agree with you.
The terms are thrown around, a lot, with no clue of actual usage other than a few movies and TV shows.
My "go to" knife and if I had a choice of ONE knife it would be a Swiss Army Knife, then add to that as needed.

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## Justin Case

not me,,  I want the Rambo super deluxe with optional luggage rack and off road lights  :Wink:

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## RangerXanatos

My "survival" knife that I feel like I would want most as if I were going to be thrown into a survival situation changes.  Sometimes I'd want my kuhkuri, other times my BK-2, one of my moras, swiss army knife, multi-tool, and sometimes I even feel like I would prefer with my Opinel.  But if I was given the opportunity, I'd take them ALL.  Like others have said, there is no right answer to this question.  Just different people's opinions.

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## FVR

Ah Ha!  The question is not what knife, but how many do you carry?

So, how many do YOU carry?

I've always got the bowie, then there is the pocket Gerber, in my possibles bag is an old Union Cutlery 5" folder, on the strap is a striker knife with a 3.5" blade.  Deeper in the bag are a variety of trade points rough sharpened, then there is the hand ax in the back pocket of the bag.

If I'm not going prim. then there will be a Leatherman on the belt, oh and if I have my bow with the modern homemade quiver then there is the Gerber Gator in it's case on the side of that.

Then there are a few misc. flint or chert tools that stay in the bottom of the bag for skinning critters.

Sometimes I substitute the bowie with the hawk.

Oh, I forgot, in the woods I always carry my pioneer style home made file knife.  It's the workhorse.

And if you've been here long enough, ya know I like to throw knives.  All my knives are throwable and if you are within 20 yards you could look like a pin cushion.


But if I had to take one and only one knife, it would be the sparker knife.  3.5" of blade is enough and it throws sparks with most rocks.

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## finallyME

> Ah Ha!  The question is not what knife, but how many do you carry?
> 
> So, how many do YOU carry?


2 to 3.  I always have the multitool, and the Mora.  Sometimes I bring the SRk along for fun.  He gets lonely at home sometimes.

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## finallyME

> I think we should schedule a "Survival Knife" discussion once a month, just "because"?


Or....we could all just write up a pre-answer to the question and save it.  When someone asks the question again, cut and paste.  :Innocent:

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## hunter63

> Or....we could all just write up a pre-answer to the question and save it.  When someone asks the question again, cut and paste.


What would the fun in that?
It is kinda fun seeing what different people come up with, and the different uses.
I even picked up a couple of Opinel, after seeing them here, cool little knife.

Most of my time is either hunting, camping primitive, working in the brush, clearing, cutting, etc.
So I do have a variety of different "tools" to do what ever job is at hand.

Anyway, I guess a standard list would help out if asked the dreaded question, "Which Knife is the Best?"

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## Stargazer

> Have you seen the quality of folks around here? Some of 'em are lucky if they can shift a 3 speed.


Do they even make a 3 speed any more.Boy Rick you sure are showing your age buddy.

Two feet and 3 pedals.What more is there to say.

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## survivalpro#4

i would take one of your sak there light weight and there easy to fit in tightly packed areas like your kit.

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## survivalpro#4

i want to geta fixed blade survival knife thats not to big or not to small and not to expensive like $80

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## crashdive123

> i want to geta fixed blade survival knife thats not to big or not to small and not to expensive like $80


OK - a couple of questions for your first, so I can tailor my answer for you.
1.  How old are you?
2.  What do you want to use it for (types of tasks you want to do with it)?
3.  What experience do you have with a fixed blade knife?

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## pocomoonskyeyes

First let me warn you. You are going to get 100 different responses from 100 different people. Some are even going to say "Oh NO!! Not THAT question again!!"

 Mora's are good, most knives that have a blade from 4-6 inches are going to be pretty good, depending on the design, thickness, and Grind.

Personally (JUST MY OPINION), I prefer a fixed blade,full tang knife, that is made from a Good Quality steel. It would have a point that could be used for tight spots and easily sharpened. Some prefer stainless, I prefer High Carbon steel. Really it is hard to beat a Mora for value and price. For $80 you could buy 5 or 6 and have some pretty good knives. If you broke one,so what, you still have several more.

Still just my opinion, but knives are like wrenches,screwdrivers or any other tool. Some are Specialty use, some are general use. I would rather "layer" my knife choices so that use and size somewhat "overlap". Example: Swiss Army Knife (SAK), Liner lock @8-9 inches Over all Length(OAL) Good sheath knife about 9-10 inches OAL, small Machete in the 12 inch blade range, Hatchet, Tomahawk, or small Camp axe. Add to that a chisel, and saw and you have all the woods cutting tools you would need to do a LOT with. Using saw,chisel, and knife you can Craft all sorts of things. Traps, furniture, Shelters......

The best thing to do is ask YOURSELF "what uses will I put it to?" Then go from there.

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## Sarge47

*ARGHHHHHHHHH!!!

I give up!  (Walks away shaking head.)      
*

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## survivalpro#4

i am 13 so i dont want a big knife that i cant controll i just want one to carry with me when i go build shelters behind my house and just survival and i have very little experiance

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## lucznik

O.K.  I don't mean this to be insulting but...

At 13 y.o. and with "very little experience," I'm not sure a fixed-blade knife is a good choice.    The Boy Scouts of America limits knives carried by their young men (ranging in ages from 11 to 18) to folding knives and I think there is a fair amount of good logic behind their rule.  I know that my oldest (12 y.o. in June) isn't allowed to have a fixed-blade knife unless I'm right there with him, but he does have and carries most places his own pocketknife (as does my 9 y.o.). 

A good Swiss Army Knife would have all the tools you need for "building shelters and just survival," can be easily had in lock-back configurations if so desired, and would, in general (and of course IMO), be a wiser choice for someone as young as you.

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## Camp10

> i am 13 so i dont want a big knife that i cant controll i just want one to carry with me when i go build shelters behind my house and just survival and i have very little experiance


Then you should perhaps ask your parents what knife they might let you have.

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## Sarge47

> i am 13 so i dont want a big knife that i cant controll i just want one to carry with me when i go build shelters behind my house and just survival and i have very little experiance


If you're 13 join the Boy Scouts & get advice from them!  Your screen name says "survivalpro #4" (what happened to the 1st 3 'survialpros? :Innocent: ) This implies that you already know the answer to that question.  most retailers in my state will not sell a knife to anybody under 18, so you might have to have a parent order it for you.  However, & this is the only advice  you're going to get from me on this subject, check out the Survival Mora 2000 on The "Safe Zone" thread I posted.  It's about 30 bucks.  If that's to much check out the cheaper ones, they're all great starter knives that won't break the bank!   :Cool2:

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## survivalpro#4

the first three were before me and my parents are fine with it i asked them

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## Sarge47

> the first three were before me and my parents are fine with it i asked them


Then they'll need to order for you; again, I strongly suggest "Safe Zone" as Rick takes good care of the membership when they order from him!  Psssst! (whispering) he's also a Scoutmaster, so keep the prior BSA history on the QT!  :Sneaky2:

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## survivalpro#4

im not going to get the knife right now i was just wondering what were good brands to get i dont need any more knives

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## crashdive123

Thanks for answering the questions I asked SP#4.  I think the suggestion of a small folder like the Swiss Army Knife is a good one.  Depending on which one you get there are many other useful tools on it that will do everything you have indicated that you want to do.  What every you do - do it with your parents.  That is really important.  Scouting is a good program for many young men.  Talk to your parents about that too.  Obviously things like this are going to require the involvement of your parents.  Remember - it's really important.

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## survivalpro#4

i know my dad is strict about that and i under stand it and i already have a sak

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## roar-k

Start with a SAK and go from there.  Every boy should have a SAK while they are growing up.  SAKs can be used outdoors or for EDC.

I still have all 3 that were given to me while growing up.

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## Camp10

I would pick the RAT-5 in 1095 steel.  It might be a challenge finding it under $80 but it is a good knife...for something made in a factory. :Innocent:

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## Sarge47

...with Camp 10.  This is the kind of stuff that I was afraid would happen.  a 13 year old should NEVER carry a large fixed-blade.  You're SAK is perfect for now.  Later on you could check into a Mora, preferably the Survival 2000, but you can also get a good one for half of what they cost.  A RAT-5 is no knife for a 13 year-old to be playing around with!  :Cool2:

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## roar-k

> ...with Camp 10.  This is the kind of stuff that I was afraid would happen.  a 13 year old should NEVER carry a large fixed-blade.  You're SAK is perfect for now.  Later on you could check into a Mora, preferably the Survival 2000, but you can also get a good one for half of what they cost.  A RAT-5 is no knife for a 13 year-old to be playing around with!


+1 to that.  I had my SAK from the time I was 5 - 14 and then my grandfather gave me an old pilot survival knife.  He told me since I was able to keep my SAK in good repair I could have it.  Then about 2yrs. later my godfather gave me the KA-BAR he used while he was a marine.


survivalpro start out with something you know you will use and become acquainted with.  Then down the road find something with a little more heft if you wish, but I would advise to still keep your SAK around or at least a good pocket knife.  While I love my RC-4, most chores I can accomplish with a small folder or fixed blade.

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## Pict

I suggest we make this and a few other topics a sticky.  It's not that the topic gets done to death, it is a primary topic of concern for guys like this who are just starting out.  While I understand the frustration it can be avoided by having a distillation of the best info collected in one location that we can point people to, sort of a FAQ section.

Everybody started out somewhere and I know I bought a lot of knives and have seen my students buy all sorts of crap before they learn what to look for.

In answer to the OP.  If you really are wanting to get into a fixed blade knife for wilderness survival and bushcraft then I suggest you start with a Mora and learn how to sharpen.  It will do you no good to buy an expensive blade if you don't know how to get it back to a razor edge.  As your ability to sharpen increases then you may want to invest in a better knife with better steel etc.  Unless you can sharpen well you won't know the difference between 1095, A2, D2, O1 etc, you will just sharpen your expensive knife poorly.

I have been involved with wilderness survival and bushcraft for the past 30 years and when I run my survival course here in Brazil we use the $10 Mora and the $6 Tramontina machete.  That is where I start new students.  Once they learn serious knife skills they can go on to purchase more expensive knives.  I also have other more expensive knives including a $200 Skookum bushtool, it is a fantastic knife.  You will get 80% of that fantastic knife function with a $10 Mora. 

Start with a carbon steel Mora and buy sharpening stones with it.  You are learning to use a system not just a knife. Mac

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## Camp10

> ...with Camp 10.  This is the kind of stuff that I was afraid would happen.  a 13 year old should NEVER carry a large fixed-blade.  You're SAK is perfect for now.  Later on you could check into a Mora, preferably the Survival 2000, but you can also get a good one for half of what they cost.  A RAT-5 is no knife for a 13 year-old to be playing around with!


A Mora has a 4 1/2" blade and the RAT-5 has a 5".  I cant see how a kid can "play" with one but not the other. :Sneaky2:   The RAT will keep its edge far longer (a dull knife is more dangerous...right?)

He said his parents were okay with him owning a fixed blade knife.  I offered no advice until he posted that.  I have never seen a SAK with a fixed blade so I dont know how that might help him in his hunt for a fixed blade.  Plus, he had posted this prior to my answer: 

Quote:survivalpro#4 im not going to get the knife right now i was just wondering what were* good brands to get i dont need any more knives * 

Tell me how I steered him wrong.

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## Sarge47

> A Mora has a 4 1/2" blade and the RAT-5 has a 5".  I cant see how a kid can "play" with one but not the other.  The RAT will keep its edge far longer (a dull knife is more dangerous...right?)
> 
> He said his parents were okay with him owning a fixed blade knife.  I offered no advice until he posted that.  I have never seen a SAK with a fixed blade so I dont know how that might help him in his hunt for a fixed blade.  Plus, he had posted this prior to my answer: 
> 
> Quote:survivalpro#4 im not going to get the knife right now i was just wondering what were* good brands to get i dont need any more knives * 
> 
> Tell me how I steered him wrong.


1st of all the kid's 13, we don't know for sure if his dad IS okay with it.  2nd the knife will be at least pretty close to 90 bucks with S & H; & the young man said LOW price, remember?  (I wouldn't pay that much for a knife & I'm a lot older, BTW) If the kid loses it he's out a lot of cash.  3rd, the handle of the RAT 5 will fit a man's hand a lot better than that of a child (yes, that's what he is.) & is probably heavier than a Mora.  I'm thinking something light-weight that won't break the bank...IF, & only IF the kid is really looking into getting a fixed blade with parental approval as they're the ones who are going to have to order it.  Even then I'm hesitant because of liability issues.  Remember the give-away back-pack that was originally offered to any new member UNDER 18; then changed to over 18?  That was one of the reasons why the giver decided to change the age limit.  In dealing with minors you need to be very careful these days.   :Cool2:

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## SARKY

If your parents are OK with it and perhaps do a little adult supervision after you get it, I would recommend a RAT RC-5/SERE. It will take a heck of a batonig to damage the blade. So just save up your pennies ubtil you can afford one.

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## Sarge47

> If your parents are OK with it and perhaps do a little adult supervision after you get it, I would recommend a RAT RC-5/SERE. It will take a heck of a batonig to damage the blade. So just save up your pennies ubtil you can afford one.


Stay away from batoning altogether!  It can get you injured really bad!  If you're going to chop anything use the right tool for the job.  I carry a small, lightweight "Backpacker's" hand axe made by Buck.  Get back into Scouts & learn the right way, even if you have to find a different troop!  I do agree with Sarky on saving your pennies, by then you should be a lot older.  :Sneaky2: 

And if you need other Brand names there's Gerber, Buck, Kershaw, Cold Steel, Ka-bar, Becker, yada, yada, yada..... :Innocent:

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## jc1234

well in the 54 pages of replies, Im sure Im just repeating whats been said, but Im stuck at home with a cast on and bored...so Im replying lol.

I find that a 1/4" thick blade of well tempered carbon or stainless steel (pick your poison) is my magic number.  it can provide lateral stability if needed, I can pry with it, I can do almost anything with it, never having to worry about it snapping and injuring myself, never being afraid to use it when I need it because I know its up to the task.  There are really strong specialty steels, but they generally bend instead of break...I dont want the blade to bend or break...hence my 1/4" thick requirement.  

 I feel a big knife can do everything a small one can, but not the other way around.  Although if you just use your knife for cutting and thats it, a smaller blade will be just fine I suppose.  I like a blade 8 - 12" long with 1 - 3" of serrations towards the rear of the blade.  They work great for some tasks and they wont get in the way of slashing or cutting tasks with that much knife in front of them.  I like a wider blade for a nice belly.  full tang is a must for me and removable scales (those are the only things that need replacing on a well made knife in my non professional opinion).  

Im currently have an 11" blade custom made for me with every feature Ive decided I needed over the years, but nothing is wrong with a middle of the road factory made knife...Ive used them for over 20 years, again for me...thickness of the blade above all else will get you through the day, I just felt it was time to get exactly what I wanted and I happened know know a great bladesmith who specializes in utility / survival type knives was more than willing to take on the task.

As far as the 13 year old who wants a knife.  I think a fixed blade is a better idea than a folder.  I seem to recall that most injuries Ive seen in kids and teens with knives have been them closing a folder on a finger accidentally, even with the new lock blades.  I also think that kids tend to play with folders like a toy when bored, but fixed blades are just tools (even if they are "cool" looking) and not treated as much as a thing to play with when bored....but I have limited experience.

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## KurtistheTurtle

before i get on topic i just want to say i love this thread so much. 68 pages of talk about knives. i am so glad something like this exists




> Needs to be moderately sized. Needs to be able to chop decent size wood, down a tree if you absolutley have to, and be small enough to do any light task.
> This is a good choice, 
> http://www.amazon.com/Gerber-22-0158.../dp/B000VL4G30
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
> Its build like a tank, has decent edge retention, weighted and sized perfectly as a lightweight trekking knife with plenty of firepower.


just bought it for some work this month. hope it works!

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## NCO

I will comment about Boy Scouts rule about no fixed blades for young guys. Are they idiots?(said with a humongous grin)

I got my first knife when I was 2 years old. It was a fixed blade age old puukko. So dull that the backside was probably sharper than the blade, for obvious safety reasons. Having it familiarized me with the knife.  When I was around 5yo I had a sharp knife and I was busy making willow whistles and sharp sticks.

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## Sarge47

> I will comment about Boy Scouts rule about no fixed blades for young guys. Are they idiots?(said with a humongous grin)
> 
> I got my first knife when I was 2 years old. It was a fixed blade age old puukko. So dull that the backside was probably sharper than the blade, for obvious safety reasons. Having it familiarized me with the knife.  When I was around 5yo I had a sharp knife and I was busy making willow whistles and sharp sticks.


*"**I will comment about Boy Scouts rule about no fixed blades for young  guys. Are they idiots?(said with a humongous grin)" * For the most part, many are.  Also there's the problem with liability here as our country is "sue-happy!"  Remember, "Be Prepared," & that includes avoiding law suits because little Johnny played Numpty & cut the crap out of his hand.

*" got my first knife when I was 2 years old. It was a fixed blade age  old puukko. So dull that the backside was probably sharper than the  blade, for obvious safety reasons. Having it familiarized me with the  knife.  When I was around 5yo I had a sharp knife and I was busy making  willow whistles and sharp sticks."  That's what we call being "the exception."  Today, here in America, if a parent gave a 2 year old child a knife they would soon be arrested for "Child Endangerment," among other charges & have that child removed from their care.  Sounds harsh, I know, but it is what it is. *

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## NCO

Now that's some big font!

I understand the liability and cultural difference, and I do not, in any shape or form, encourage anyone to act against the rules and laws of your country or club.

I just every now and then forget that in most western world some of the customs we have are so alien.

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

> Now that's some big font!
> 
> I understand the liability and cultural difference, and I do not, in any shape or form, encourage anyone to act against the rules and laws of your country or club.
> 
> I just every now and then forget that in most western world some of the customs we have are so alien.


Let me help clear this up! The rearing of a child is the responsibility of the parent no matter where you are at! Teaching a very young child to use a knife is not reckless endangerment of a child in America. Failure to supervise and parent the child is. My daughter uses and carries a knife at home and on outings and when preparing food all under my watchful eye. There has not been one scratch on her. Cultural difference maybe...but that difference exists inside of the US and your country. You have city slickers and you have the good ole boys! My daughter is also taught the proper handling and use of firearms. Both began being taught at birth!

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

> *"**I will comment about Boy Scouts rule about no fixed blades for young  guys. Are they idiots?(said with a humongous grin)" * For the most part, many are.  Also there's the problem with liability here as our country is "sue-happy!"  Remember, "Be Prepared," & that includes avoiding law suits because little Johnny played Numpty & cut the crap out of his hand.
> 
> *" got my first knife when I was 2 years old. It was a fixed blade age  old puukko. So dull that the backside was probably sharper than the  blade, for obvious safety reasons. Having it familiarized me with the  knife.  When I was around 5yo I had a sharp knife and I was busy making  willow whistles and sharp sticks."  That's what we call being "the exception."  Today, here in America, if a parent gave a 2 year old child a knife they would soon be arrested for "Child Endangerment," among other charges & have that child removed from their care.  Sounds harsh, I know, but it is what it is. *


As an American parent I don't agree with the reckless endangerment of a child statement about America. But, then I don't think you meant it the way I read it.

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## Spectre1

I've found I can get a large knife to do small jobs, but a small knife to do a big job is another story.

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## TheWoodsman

I just ordered a Fallkniven F1 but want another knife becuase who dosen't and i caeme across a company named Cold Steel and they make good knives it seems. Was wondering what knives you all reccomend and if you have tired any from Cold Steel?

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## Alaskan Survivalist

> I just ordered a Fallkniven F1 but want another knife becuase who dosen't and i caeme across a company named Cold Steel and they make good knives it seems. Was wondering what knives you all reccomend and if you have tired any from Cold Steel?


Ha, Ha!!! That's a good one! Have you ever read this forum?

BTW, Don't know who you are but welcome.

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## Old GI

What???  I don't recall any forum participants voicing an opinion on knives.  Where would they be? :Oops:

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## welderguy

> I just ordered a Fallkniven F1 but want another knife becuase who dosen't and i caeme across a company named Cold Steel and they make good knives it seems. Was wondering what knives you all reccomend and if you have tired any from Cold Steel?


 Cold steel knives are good they seem to hold up well I have a couple and I like them. 
 Just a friendly suggestion, the forum is full of knife reviews take a few minutes and browse the forum you may find some info your looking for.

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## Sarge47

Don't see an intro & there's no profile on you in your user profile.  :Thumbdown:   Intro 1st, info 2nd, fair enough?

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## crashdive123

Cold Stell makes some OK knives.  There really is a lot to choose from.  Your intended use and personal preference will determine what is best for you.  Even in the Cold Steel line, you have quite a few choices.

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## Camp10

> What???  I don't recall any forum participants voicing an opinion on knives.  Where would they be?


I once voiced an opinion about a knife....I just keep it to myself now.

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## Rick

It would be helpful if you guys could tell me the best all around survival knife. I've been thinking about going to the woods with one.

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## Camp10

> It would be helpful if you guys could tell me the best all around survival knife. I've been thinking about going to the woods with one.


This one! :No:  :Yes:  :Innocent: 

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

Yeah, I own one but it isnt what you think...I found it in the garage when I bought the place.  I just dragged it in for this picture...honest!

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## Rick

That's exactly what I was hoping to take to the woods with me. It doesn't happen to have a compass in the handle to does it? That would be swell if it does. I like the pop bottle opener. I usually carry a couple of sodas with me when I hike.

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## crashdive123

Well, there's always the Rambo Super Deer Slayer Delux with Laser/Holo Sight/Scope/Tac Light.

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## BENESSE

> It would be helpful if you guys could tell me the best all around survival knife. I've been thinking about going to the woods with one.


You can't go wrong with a #1 choice of those who like it best.  :Sneaky2:

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## Rick

Wow! If that thing just had Crashcarta handles I would so be like in the woods looking for a bear.

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## Camp10

> That's exactly what I was hoping to take to the woods with me. It doesn't happen to have a compass in the handle to does it? That would be swell if it does. I like the pop bottle opener. I usually carry a couple of sodas with me when I hike.


Oh, you know it has the compass!  You can also see that the buyer ordered the camo version instead of a lesser knife made in black...yup, this thing would get you deep into .......the woods?

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## Rick

> You can also see that the buyer ordered the camo version


(Wink) The buyer.....yeah.

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## Camp10

> (Wink) The buyer.....yeah.


Yeah, the buyer...I was way to young to buy a knife when these things were new! :Innocent:

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## Winter

I should just save to notepad this answer.


I have my knife selection and you have yours. What I have works for me in the bush. (I got pictures)

If your knife works for you, GREAT.

If you show a pic of your new knife and tell me it's the best knife ever,; you should do pushups.

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## Rick

At this stage in life pushups are pretty easy. My fingers just barely touch the floor. I only have to roll back and forth a little. Imagine an exercise ball and you'll have the idea.

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## Sarge47

I suggest a good Mora knife.... :Devil:

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## GLOCKMASTER

I purchased this Bark River Bravo-1 a few months ago.  So far it seems well made and the sheath is made of kydex with a fire steel carry loop mounted on the side. Here is a quick picture that I took in the backyard right after it arrived. I will get some more pictures posted as soon as I can get it to the field.

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## crashdive123

Good looking knife.

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## Rick

I see they've started using Crashcarta for their scales.

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## kyratshooter

> I should just save to notepad this answer.
> 
> 
> I have my knife selection and you have yours. What I have works for me in the bush. (I got pictures)
> 
> If your knife works for you, GREAT.
> 
> If you show a pic of your new knife and tell me it's the best knife ever,; you should do pushups.


But what if your knife does not work for you, and you just don't know the difference due to never having the perfect knife, like we do?

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## Sarge47

> I purchased this Bark River Bravo-1 a few months ago.  So far it seems well made and the sheath is made of kydex with a fire steel carry loop mounted on the side. Here is a quick picture that I took in the backyard right after it arrived. I will get some more pictures posted as soon as I can get it to the field.
> 
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.


 Well let's see if it passes my "3 absolutes" test:

1.)  Great quality steel...CHECK!

2.)  RH 54 to 58...CHECK!

3.)  Priced under a hundred bucks!...NO!  

Pretty knife...pretty expensive that is, I can buy three or four Becker's for the price of one of those.     :Thumbdown:   :Cool2:

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## GLOCKMASTER

> Well let's see if it passes my "3 absolutes" test:
> 
> 1.)  Great quality steel...CHECK!
> 
> 2.)  RH 54 to 58...CHECK!
> 
> 3.)  Priced under a hundred bucks!...NO!  
> 
> Pretty knife...pretty expensive that is, I can buy three or four Becker's for the price of one of those.


Well since this one doesn't pass your "3" absolutes test I will see if I can snap a few pictures to post of my old K-Bar that I carried when I was in the Corps. That should pass. :Tt2:

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## Rick

Yeah, that one just cost 4 years.

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## Sarge47

Better yet, I could buy 5 or 6 of these!  I got one and this is my favorite!

http://www.safezonellc.com/mora2000.html  :Tt2:

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## Highhawk1948

There is a lot to say on this topic but I'll just suggest that you get you a good american made knife,  "orginal american made" Old Timer sheath knife, a Puukko knife is good, the bush type mora knives are good, plenty of good knives.  Buy a solid knife.  I have been in the woods all of my life and have made a career in the woods and have used many knives.  My choice of knives is Randall Made Knives, out of Orlando Florida. Yes they are expensive, but they are the best and they have a model for whatever you are looking for.  But you don't have to spend a lot of money.  The Kabar is a good example.  Mora and Puukka are very resonable.  I have also used Buck, Case, and Old Timer.   Get a good knife, keep it sharp and don't use it for things that it is not intended for.  (  I have never had to "baton"!) Good Luck,



Ride, Shoot Straight, Speak the Truth.

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## Lamewolf

> Hello Everyone,
> 
> I too have a survival kit problem. I have a master list that would probably fit into a small day pack. Lately though I have been developing a kit in a coffee can. I can describe it later if anyone is interested but on to my problem. It is what type of knife/tool should I put in the kit. I own a leatherman Wave that I carry all the time (even to church) and I have both wenger and victornx SAK(Both carry tidentical gear. Large lock blade, wood saw, philips and flathead drivers, awl). What are some of your opinions out there? Folding vs fixed? Multi tool (leatherman) vs Knife (SAK)?


For years I have seen and heard folks talking about their survival kits and when you look at them, you would think they are packing for a month long vacation.  A survival kit should be designed so that it is compact enough to have with you at all times just in case you need it unexpectedly, not as big as a backpack or even a "coffee can"  Nothing wrong with using a backpack or coffee can as long as you plan on it being with you everywhere you go, but what happens when you are at church or somewhere else that you simply won't take them along with you.  Design your kit small enough so that it can go anywhere with you.  In your kit you need a means to make fire - ferro rod, or butane lighter (notice I didn't say "BIC"), and some tinder such as vaseline soaked cotton balls wrapped in aluminum foil, water purification tablets and a means to collect water such as a non lubricated condom or foldable pouch such as a heavy duty ziplock bag. Shelter such as a space blanket or plastic sheet, or a large contractor sized garbage bag.  A small fishing kit with a few assorted hooks, splitshot sinkers, fishing line, flies, and a small jig (twigs can be used as a bobber). 4 feet or so of snare wire.  Extras can include sewing needles and thread (I prefer dental floss), a small LED light small enough to hang on your keychain, some hard candy or sugar packets.  And last but not least a good knife.  My kit contains an ESEE Izula which is a small fixed blade knife that is very high quality and guaranteed for life.  The Izula is about 6 inches long with a blade slightly less than 3 inches long and made of 1095 carbon steel.  All of this can fit in a small pouch that will fit on my belt or in a jacket pocket and be with me everywhere I go just in case.  I too have backpack kits and various other larger kits, but they go with me only when I can take them.  The small kit allows me to have a kit all the time.

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