How to Choose a Survival Knife

Can you recommend a particular knife model or manufacturer that I should look into? Your suggestions are great, I just don't know where to find such a knife.

Brian, some of the better survival knife makes include the Sog knives, Becker, and Fallkniven line. There are many more to choose from, with these knives you are on the right track.

From what I understand Becker Knives discontinued production. Such an excellent survival blade, made to cut anything. The BK10 and BK10 are two of my favorites.

What to look for in a survival knife depends upon how you plan to use it. What is the survival environment you are likely to find yourself in? Also you need to select a survival knife that conforms to your local knife laws.

Some good survival knife choices include the Fallkniven knives. Additional selections could be chosen from the Gerber knives and Tom Browns Tracker.

Brian, Check out rangerknives.com Justin makes some awsome blades that are the answer to the BK models, & the price on his knives are GREAT !

I consider a large knife is best, but should be used with 1 or 2 smaller knives for the delicate jobs. I prefer the becker bk 7,a swiss army farmer, and a camillis heat combination.

Except for getting lost in the woods a few times, I have never been in a true survival situation (thank God). But the knife that has worked best for me is the old style Gerber River Runner knife. It is an all steel skeleton knife with a half serrated blade. I have used it as a camping knife, dive knife, and around the house. The serrated edge cuts through nylon line and plastic with ease. Its only drawback is the clip sheath.

I am aware of the serrated vs plain smooth edged blade, but the Gerber LMF II has both. In short I am torn betwenn the LMF II or the Gerber Gator model 1, Which would you purchase?

Survival Topics - Hi Nick, thank you for reading Survival Topics.  Both Gerber knives are excellent and either would be a good addition to your survival gear.  Serrated edges have their place, especially if you may be cutting man-made materials.

Personally I prefer fixed blade survival knives like the Gerber LMF II since they have no working parts that can fail and do not require unfolding for quick use.  However many others prefer folding knives which are just as useful.

As with most things, your choice of survival knives will depend upon many factors and the knife that is best suited for you may be different than the one chosen by someone else.

I seeing a trend toward smaller blade length choices. I am a fan of Becker knives; especially the Brute,which i have used for many years. Also I use the ColdSteel Trailmaster bowie, the Coldsteel Ghurka Khukri and the Coldsteel LTC Khukri.

Your knife is your main survival tool and I prefer enough blade to do the job because a big blade can do everything a small blade can do but not vise versa. This is coming from over 25 years experience in real survival situations. Try making a shelter in inclement weather with a 6 inch blade with dark closing in. Compare the time with a 9.5 inch to 12 inch survival blade.

I'll take any of my 4 choices along with my multi-tool anyday. To me it's just more practical to carry a knife that can handle all chores. Maybe it's not for everybody but it's my personal preference.

For those of you choosing a small fixed blade as your primary survival knife and considering carrying a machete,the new Gerber gator machete is a very effective machete,it's actually the first truly functional sawback machete I've tested,

The spine of the blade has a very aggressive sawback and from testing performs flawlessy on hardwood when chopping is not feasible. They're made from high carbon steel and have a very forgiving grip that is large enough to apply 2 handed swings if needed.

The ColdSteel models include the Latin machete and khukri models. The standard and the magnum are very effective and made of 1050 to 1055 carbonsteel.  These blades take a extremely good edge and maintain it.  I also like the ontario mil-spec machete which is a great performer  Just a thought for those of you choosing 4 to 6 inch survival blades.

I have a knife that I have been using for 25 years and it is a Parker Imai copy of a Buck Master survival knife (Hollow Handled Rambo type) and it has a 9 1/2 blade. This knife has served me in the jungles of Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Columbia as well a Bosnia and now Afghanistan. This Parker Imai knife has saved my life and has been through hell and back and still holds an edge like no other being a surgical stainless steel blade. It's cut- banding strap, vines, tree's, cans, meat, and the blade is a quarter inch thick serrated clip tip, saw back, I carry this kinfe where ever I go and trust it 100% with my life.  I just wish Parker Imai was still in buisness cause it cost me $19.00 brand new at a flea market in Florida.

Some practical blades to look at in Gossman knives, Ontario Knives RAT, or RAT cutlery RC series.

What do you think of the Ka-bar D2 Impact knife as a survival knife? This page helps choose a survival knife, thank you very much!

Please remember, the size of your knife should be reflective of your environment. In the Northwest and Southeast U.S.A. you may be better served with both, A large and small blade.  If you are in a jungle environment a machete is very important.  In a desert a small knife(4-6 inch blade) will serve you better than a machete.

So look at the environment you are in and choose what is best for you.  After all a man can never have too many knives, flashlights, fishing poles or survival tools.

What do you think of military survival knives like the Gerber LMF series or the Ontario ASEK? Would they be as good for wilderness survival or are they geared more towards combat situations?

Survival Topics - Matt, both these blades are excellent and will serve you well as survival knives.  Often military knives are a little on the large size for general all around survival blades, but these two are well within the realm of good dependable survival knives.

Has anyone had any experience with glock's knives? apparently they are used by Austrian Special Forces.

I see my earlier knife comments are no longer here. Do they drop off after others add theirs due to space?

Survival Topics - Wayne, you have knife comments in the articles "Best Survival Tool" and "Survivormans Knife'.  Are these the blade comments you are seeking?

I'm in the market for a new survival knife.  What's you take on the Gerber LMF II and Prodigy, the RAT4. the Ka-Bar Impact and the Benchmade Rant? Which of those would you select and why?

Survival Topics - these are all excellent knives and you would do well to use any of them.  Without knowing your specific needs it is impossible to say which are right for you.  Any Survival Topics readers have preferences?  Go ahead and post them here!

It's a good information about survival knives. Between the author' ideas and the reader comments, I learned a great deal of selecting a knife.

My question is what your rate on a double smooth edged blade Exporer knife with full metal tang and two slaps. It was a little shock for me that my knife is not one of the top. Please anyone can rate the Exporer knife?

What is a good survival folding knife?

You seem to dis like "big knives" but a larger "rambo knife" caried with a smaller knife is very helpful for survival.

A great knife is the CRKT first strike knife. It has a 5.5" blade, tanto style plain blade 1/4" thick all around and is wrapped in rayskin and hardened cloth on the handle. This knife is the best knife I have ever needed to use in my survival arsenal, and relatively cheap (70-90$). I would highly recommend it for survival use. the CRKT sheath is kydex moulded, with many loop holes on the sides to accompany 550 paracord, another great friend for the survival enthusiast!

Any good quality knife can be a "survival knife" when it is what you have when duty calls. It seems that many guys are wanting someone to tell them what knife to carry when there is an obvious lack of experience in using a knife in the first place. Learning to use a knife is more important than a brand name or even design. I have talked to guys who refuse to take instruction, assuming that a knife is a simple tool and it's use requires no skill or practice. But much effort is wasted by the inexperienced (just look around at a Boy Scout camp). Stay away from gimmicks and novelties. One of the reasons good knives cost more than bad knives is the attention given to how the blade is heat treated. This, more than the type of steel, is most important. If you ever expect there is a chance your life will depend on the retail choices you make, spend the money to get the quality. If you are stranded and starving to death on a mountain face with razor sharp $300 knife on your hip, at least thats not the knife's fault. It's a lot smarter than thinking how stupid your knife purchase was while freezing to death trying to build a shelter with the pieces of a broken $30 knife. You will never emerge out of danger wishing you had the cheaper equipment. If your life is worth anything to you, the other survival gear in your pack or pocket deserves just as much consideration.

Double edged knives can be good for survival if the blade is thick enough and my prefered brand of knife is microtech they are very expensive military grade knives.

I think the best survival knife is JK Ericsons carbon steel mora from Sweden

I seeing a trend toward smaller blade length choices. I am a fan of Becker knives; especially the Brute,which I have used for many years. Also I use the ColdSteel Trailmaster bowie, the Coldsteel Ghurka Khukri and the Coldsteel LTC Khukri.

Your knife is your main survival tool and I prefer enough blade to do the job because a big blade can do everything a small blade can do but not vise versa. This is coming from over 25 years experience in real survival situations. Try making a shelter in inclement weather with a 6 inch blade with dark closing in. Compare the time with a 10 to 12-inch survival blade.

I must say that I only half agree with the survival knifes to avoid section while it is true that some of the needs in a true life or death survivla situation are too delicate for large knives. However there are generaly ways to get around that and, about them being hard to control that is not true.  Size and weight are a matter of preferance. With proper time spent getting used to a blade you can preform jobs as finite as temporary surgery that would generaly be done with a scaple or razor pen knife.

I would like to disagree with your optimum blade length of a survival knife, because for hundreds of years true survivor's used large axes and knives which were the knife of choice ranging from ten inches to a foot in length. On top of this they actually survived unlike your surviving which is more like a form of camping. True survival is using what you have to survive at the time of an accident or emergency, not planning ahead for a camping trip.

Survival Topics - everybody has their own opinions about ideal knives, and I gave mine based upon real wilderness survival experience.  There is are differences between the smaller "wilderness survival" blades and large "battle" blades.  While a hefty Bowie knife, for example, would be ideal at the Alamo in 1836 it may not be as useful for gutting out a small brook trout or crafting a wooden spoon.  In addition, carrying all one's gear on foot means weight and bulk of equipment are an issue; with this in mind compromises are typcially made.  A 4 to 6-inch blade can be used for a wide variety of purposes, is relatively small and light, and would still be useful at the Alamo in 1836

The bottom line remains, as always, carry what you feel best meets your individual needs.

I am currently looking for a fixed survival knife and I thank you for this site. I have read many of the other comments and have decided to go with my first choice of a Gerber LMF II, I have the folding Gerber Gator and also the Gerber multi tool. I have been very happy with both for the last 10+ years of carring them. Thanks again for this site.

From large knives like Rambo or crocodile dundee to something smaller its said to be better off, it actually depends on the country or region your in.The right tool for the job.

I think you've made some excellent points here, especially talking about the conservative blade length, and the advantage of carrying a few specialized tools. I've had to rely on my survival bundle quite a few times in a variety of environments (desert, high-altitude, rainforest), and in most situations, the majority of my blade work was best done with a smaller blade.

In most cases, I usually carry the Cold Steel Kukri for any major chopping and trail clearance, and a SOG Powerlock multitool for a few specific tasks, and I've tried carrying a SaberCut saw though I never found it to be necessary. My primary knife is a SOG SEAL Pup. Very light, strong, and durable beyond my most extreme expectations, and possibly the most comfortable knife to use over an extended period of time. Sure comfort isn't the most important thing, but you appreciate the differences in ergonomics when you can hack away all afternoon and still be able to hold your rations the next morning...

I've seen a lot of people asking about the Gerber LMF II. I have a friend who bought one from my recommendation and has been forever grateful. A bit to remember about this knife if your considering buying it is that it was designed to be an Air Force survival knife. Most of the time Air Force survival knife is meant to be sitting in a cockpit (or a car) and not carried. In other words for its size this is a heavy knife. If you are looking for a knife to have in your car in case of breaking down in the middle of nowhere then this is the knife you want. The Gerber LMF II  can break windows cut through seat belts with ease and is just all around useful.

I have been considering the airman survival knife short 5 and a half inch blade saw back carbob steel.  How do I tell the differance between a true airforce knife and a cheap knock off?  The knife has all the things you talk about I think it is good choice in a survival knife.

Survival Topics - in general, any true US Military knife is likely to be of good quality and reliable for field use.  Purchase your knife from trusted sources.

I am suprised that Cold Steel has no mention here. The Bushman knife, which has a built-in pocket for survival necessities, and the SRK knife, which has incredible balance and edge-holding capabilities, are both incredible survival knives.

I own several Cold Steel knives, and will continue buying and using them.

What about ka-bar fighting knives? The ka-bar is a versatile and reliable blade.

SURVIVAL KNIVES FOR LARGE HANDS? This website and this article, in particular, have been fantastic resources. Thank you. Noting one major premise here, that a truly usable blade should not be overly large, what would be some reputable knives that have a larger handle without having a huge Rambo blade?

I'm merely 6'3" tall (short by NBA standards), but when I grip an Ontario #499 USAF tactical survival knife tightly (cited because it is not expensive, has a long record, and is likely to be widely known), the heel of my palm extends well past the end of the handle. HUGE usability issue. Manufacturers often cite handle length, but nearly never cite true grip length, which is often less. The only knife I can find, thus far, that might provide sufficient grip for me in this size class would be the Ritter MK3. That has a handle length of 4.6", and at least one customer praises it from a large-handed perspective. It's also in cxcess of $150 USD.

Yes - the Gerber LMF II has a handle length of 5.75", but just by looking at it, anyone can see that this is not the true grip length. The gripping portion of the handle has to be much less.

So what would experts recommend for large-handed outdoors people? Should we stick with a blade under 7" in length, no matter the implications with the handle? Or should we embrace a slightly larger blade than recommended in this article, in order to get a sufficiently large handle?

I find that the usmc issue kabar is an excellent survival knife.

I am a pilot by profession so i get thrown into all sorts of climates with little time to prepare.  I was wondering if anyone has heard of damascus metal and if it would be recomended for survival situations.  Or would you recomend a 1095 carbon steel or an s30v with a high vandium content?  From what I hear damascus is very sharp with great edge retension, being able to cut through rock and cheaper knives.

The "ideal survival knife" issue is something I've been studying for a long time along with a variety of other survival topics and I've found that there simply is NOT an "ideal survival knife". I live in a heavily woodland area (Southern Indiana) dotted by agricultural fields, lakes, streams and rivers. I've found that a person really needs three knives!

1. Small Swiss Army Knife or Multi-Tool. I prefer the Swiss Army because a lightweight model can be had with everything a Multi-Tool has EXCEPT the pliers, which I never use. I prefer the Victorinox Hiker because it has two blades, saw, screw-drivers, tweezers (amazingly useful), etc. I wear this light knife around my neck with a firesteel on 550 ParaCord 24/7. This is the knife I use the most (daily stuff). My "honorable mention" SAK knife would be a Wenger Highlander (but it lacks the saw).
2. Mid-Size Fixed Blade. I have several good examples in my survival arsenal, but generally speaking I like a 5" to 5-1/2" full tang blade. My favorite three are the Gerber LMF II (I had an Original Gerber LMF and didn't like it as much), Buck Vanguard, and Buck SHORT Nighthawk. The Bucks have a lower grade sheath, but you can buy GREAT kydex replacements for around $25-30. This is my "general use" knife.  I've cut the wings off of doves, gutted, skinned, etc with these "field grade" types. I recently bought a Benchmade Fixed Griptilian with the Combo Edge, but didn't try it out because the blade seemed REALLY thin. ANYONE HAVE A THOUGHT ABOUT THIS KNIFE (Fixed Griptilian)?
3. Large Fixed Blade. This is the least useful in non-shelter building or fire-wood gathering chores, but are OUTSTANDING at the 2nd most important survival issue which is SHELTER and WARMTH. Besides dehydration what kills more people in nature?. "exposure" (ie hypothermia). These knives are brutes with thick (1/4" preferred) full tang blades. I've used several of these, but really like Becker's BK7 (I know the BK7 doesn't have a 1/4" thick blade, but it excels at chopping anyway - I wanted a BK9, but it was unobtainable when they were in business and now non-existent). I've looked at Cold Steel's Trail Master, but didn't care for it as much. This is one category that I'm still looking for the "perfect" fit. Ideally this would be a 7 to 9" (prefer the 9") x 1/4" thick blade with a drop-point or tanto blade.

Things I have found that don't work well:

1. Clip-Point blades - they are too weak at the tip.
2. Folding saws - the 7 to 8" cutting surface means a lot of expended energy and bloody knuckles (as you bang your hand into what you're cutting thru due to the short blade)
3. Liner Lock Knives - SCARY!
4. Most bayonets. These are designed for thrust-penetration and don't typically hold up well for other uses. Also, militaries put very low priority on this type of equipment so you can imagine how the quality of steel will be. I've heard decent things about the AK wire-cutter bayonets and the USGI M9. Why buy a bayonet when there are "purpose built" outdoor survival knife options?

A few "honorable mention" knives that don't fit into my "three categories" but I've found to be very useful / high quality are:

1. Gerber Gator
2. Gerber Gator Serrator
3. Henckles Game Shears - these are great for cleaning game (cutting off wings, feet, heads, tails, cubing meat, etc) and other obvious "camp chores". How many times do you grab a knife at home in the kitchen to open a package, or other common chore? We also go for our scissors.
4. Machette - Southern Indiana has crazy brush.

I'm looking for a quality folding knife to be used for self defense purposes.  Any suggestions? I have no idea who makes a quality folding knife.

As long as it's a sharp fixed blade knife and depending on size.  Pocket or lock blades are fine but not for outdoor survival.

I just recently purchest a Lifesaving Knife,HK-887.  It has a stainless steel blade and holds a good edge. The knife has a seven inch blade and a 5-inch handle.  The handle has a beveled grip with rubber rings.  The spine has sawback on it.  There is also a serrated edge on the drop point.  This knife is from an army surplus store and cost $30.00.  Also there is a compass in the handleand weights about 3 pounds.

The Yarborough 5.5 should be added to the list of survival knifes, made by Chris Reeves. I've owned one for many years. It's one really tough knife.

The Yarborough 5.5 should be added to the list of survival knifes, made by Chris Reeves. I've owned this tough knife for many years.

I have enjoyed a combo of a Khukri, Buck 110 converted to Switchblade, and a utility knife with plenty of light weight replacement blades that do re-hone or sharpen very well!

I do like the Ka-Bars. The Buck 119's 420 HC has better rust resistance than the 1095, which if I have no oil for the blade it can be a Bee with an Itch at times to keep rust free at the edges.

Have you ever heard of a knive called Lifesaver Knive 7788?  I found this blade in an army surplus store.  It has an serrated drop point and more serrated edge on the spine.  It has a hollow stainless steal handle that I keep a small Bic Lighter in.  I think that the lighter was a good idea to have with a knife.

I have a remington hunter fixed blade knife and a buck protege.  These knives have done great work, but my friend just got a like a colt scout hunter knife for 20 dollars. Does anyone know if this is a good knife?

The best survival knife you can get is probably the Fallkniven F1 or A1.

The Becker line is back in partial production from KaBar. You can find the BK2 Campanion, BK3 Tactool, and BK11 Necker available as well as the BK7 and BK9.  Glad they are back!

Some folks may also want to look at the RAT Cutlery brand, they are a little bit more expensive than some other knives like the Beckers, but they are very good quality, and they guys stand behind their product.

Survival Topics - this is indeed great news, John.  I hope the quality remains high.

I own many knives. If I had to have just one with me for survival, it'd probably be the original Gerber LMF that Bought it years ago and still never used. Brand new condition. Just read one old blog complimenting it. Don't see it for sale anywhere anymore. Why was it replaced by the LMF 2 and what' are your thoughts on the original Gerber LMF?

Ron, I enjoyed reading your article on survival knives and I thought that I would mention my favorite that I have that you may want to check out. It is Gerber's LMF II A.S.E.K. Survival Knife.After you read about it, I think that you will agree that it is a nice knife.

Check out the line of Ontario RATs I use 2 of these. For my big knife the ontario rat 2 micarta slab handles 3/16 of an inch thick and a little over 16 inches long. The other is the RAT 5 its a little over 10 inches long and I think its around 1/8 of an inch thick it also has micarta slab handels. One complements the other.

i found that my choice of the ww2 ka-bar is suited to most any use except the most delicate tasks that require a very fine touch that can be achieved with alomst any quality pocket knife such as a three bladed version from buck or schrade

Choosing a knife is a very personal thing. When it comes to a survival knife it is also a very important thing.

While I agree with most comments about a 3 knife system, the idea of this article is 'If I only had one knife in my survival gear, what should I buy?' By all means, if you have the space to carry 2 or 3 knives it will make life easier for you. I do have one suggestion however - Unless you are in a jungle or brush, rather than the third knife (which should be a machette), a small axe, hatchet or adze will prove to be much more useful for heavy cutting tasks and usually has the advantage of having a hammer head on the back of it.

When selecting a medium survival knife you should consider the following:

1. Price - cost and quality are generally proportional to each other when it comes to knives, to a point. While you occasionally do see some great value Chineese blades (and I must admit that their quality is generally improving), you should aim to spend between 50 - 200$ on a good knife that won't let you down. A survival knife shouldn't be so expensive that you're afraid to scratch it.
2. Construction - A good knife must be of the full or thin tang construction. avoid rat's tail and partial tang knives. Anything where the blade has been welded to the handle is a disaster waiting to happen.
3. Blade material - Go for either a quality stainless steel or a high carbon steel. As stated, stainless is easier to maintain and therefore probably more useful to most people.
4. Blade profile - There are almost as many blade profiles as there are knives, but for a survival knife you want something that is strong and useful. to that end avoid anything 'fancy'. Spear and drop point blades are some of the strongest profiles around, while some clip points (bowie style) aren't too bad, although they can tend to break at the tip from heavy use. Some people swear by the tanto styles. A survival blade should be both thick (4mm minimum, 5-6 is even better) and wide. it should maintain as much of it's thickness as possible towards the tip. Double edged knives look cool, and with propper training are excellent for fighting, but are dangerous in inexperienced hands, difficult to use, unsuited to heavy cutting and aren't too durable. They are best avoided in survival situations.
5. Length - 4-6" is a good size for a general survival knife. Bigger is not always better. This is, however a very personal part of the choice. When you go shopping, see how it feels and handles. As long as you don't let your ego get in the way, you will know what the right size is for you when you see it.
6. Edge type - Fine (plain), serrated or combination? all have their merrits, but for a good all-around perfomer a combo edge is a good choice.
7. Handle - A survival knife should be comfortable to hold, fit your hand well, have a good cross gaurd to prevent your hand slipping on to the blade and it should maintain a good grip when wet, hot, cold, muddy, bloodied, etc. Textured rubbers, leather washers and chord wraps are all good. The rubbers are very easy to maintain and durable.
8. Weight - A good survival knife should have a reasonable amount of weight to it, but shouldn't be overly heavy either. The right weight will feel right when you hold it.
9. Features - Some survival knives have extra features built in to them, such as glass breakers, wire cutters, bottle openers and so on. As long as these don't detract from the basic utility and safety of the knife they should be considered when shopping around.
10. Sheath - Almost as important as the knife itself, a sheath should be strong, durable and useful. It should fit your belt or preferred carry method and retain the knife well until you want to remove it, at which point it should be easy to do so one handed. Leather and cordura type sheaths are ok, but for safety they should be lined with a sturdy plastic. An enturely plastic sheath is a much better choice. Some sheaths have pockets on them for sharpening stones or multi tools. These are handy.
11. Appearance - A good survival knife should look the part without being over the top or drawing unwanted attention. Function should follow form a little on this one as it primarily is a tool, but quality workmanship and materials will have it looking good. Avoid the 'bling' where possible.

I use to have a victorinox swiss army tinker. I have used many cheap knives since then but the one i've come to rely on now is the buck juno you can purchase it fo  under $17.00. The buck juno knive is resonably priced and I've had mine for a month now and it hasn't failed me yet

The "saw back" was never designed for sawing wood

Cold Steel: Master Hunter, I've cut a 2x4 in half with this.

Recommendation's for a good survival knife include the Gerber LMF II A.S.E.K. Survival knife. I bought myself one back in the summer, and I just love it.

Many good knives out in this world. Bottom line is knowing how to use what you have. I carry a good old USMC K-Bar. The key is I know how to use it. We have all heard of the fools that can buy any thing they want but they can't use it or maintain an edge to save their life. And Yes it is a great idea to have a good quality pocket knife for back up. Semper Fi

The best knife in my opinion is the 15 inch jeep knife. The Jeep knife has a hollow handle that has a waterproof container that contains, three matches, fishing line, two hooks, weight, and flint. The blade is black with stainless steel and has a saw edge on the top.  The sheath has a pouch with a whet stone and the blade has a lanyard.

What is the best tip choice on a knife spear, tanto etc?

Two of the best knives are the Al Mar 'Shiva' and Al Mar 'SERE Operator'

I think this is a great article and will help anyone find a good survival knife. I personally think you need to see what you are doing to decide what knife is the best knife to take when going out. When i'm hiking or hunting i take my ka-bar usmc 5.5 inch straight blade. Not to heavy or bulky, but if i get lost will help me for days. If i'm going in the jungle or hunting in unfamiliar area i have a becker bk1 brute. This is a little heavier, but if out their for a long time will do better. Also, i think the stainless blades look better, but i feel are a lot, whole lot, hard to sharpen

The Bark River Bravo-1 is worth a mention. This knife was recently chosen out of many others by USMC Recon Unit as the best 'survival' type knife - not to be used as a fighting knife but as a pure survival knife.

We become mountain men each summer and camp out at 10,500 in Colorado for 30 days living in tents. We carry each day a large 9" camp knife, a all purpose 6"knife, one small shealth knive, a folder, and a belt ax. We ride horse back each day. We use all these blades each day and they are made of D2 steel and made by Murr Knives. Knives are the most important items we carry while living in the wilderness.

I'm a big fan of neck knives. By wearing it around my neck on my [Canadian] dog tags, I can take it with me anywhere. I can go for a short hike through the bush from camp to the swim rock with only my swim suit and a towel and .neck knife around my neck. I can wear it to church under my suit. I can wear it to work under my uniform. I also have the ability to adapt it to my ruck, my tac vest, belt, etc.

I wore a Carson F4 neck knife for the longest time, until I finally broke it...pushing its limits. I just picked up a TOPS Baghdad box cutter. That is a heavy duty knife! Somewhat heavier than my old carson, but not uncomfortable around my neck as an everyday carry. It is not quite 5" long overall, but it's 1/4" think with a small slightly-less-than 3" blade.

TOPS also makes the Tom Brown Tracker. I am now sold on TOPS knives and wouldn't hesitate to go back.  I also have my issue Gerber multi-tool, and my Russel Grohmann survival knife which is a good Canadian hunting knife!

Take a look at the Microtech Currahee and the configurations. This is an excellent knife, and I would recommend it above all of the ones listed above.

I haven't heard anything about the Smith & Wesson search & rescue CKSUR2 knifes. The knife has a narrow tang and is about 5 3/4" inches long and 6/32" thick.

What do you think about the following choices for a survival knife: SOG Field Pup, Gerber Big Rock, Buck Vanguard 692 BK

What do you think is a better survival knife?, Fallkniven F1 or S1, i like the drop point blade on the F1, but i like the longer blade on the S1

I see a lot of "money" issues. Cost is not the issue its what is this going to be used for. I have a Chris Reeves Jeriboum. A little long but an exellent tool for what its designed to do. Some people wouldent spend that kind of money. Also I think that in a survival situation you need a fixed blade and a multi-tool or a multi-bladed knife for small work

How about a ka-bar survival knife?

I think the Gerber Prodigy will also make an excellent Survival knife. It is very close to the LMF II but a little smaller and lighter. I don't like the serrated part myself but if it looses it's edge you can get them professionally sharpened or a professional sharpening service can make a strait edge out of it.

Even know that you mentioned alot of servival knives, the two that i have used are really good knives, they are the Gerber Big Rock and LMF II, even know my main nife is the KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion. the other two knives are really good in comparison to the type of knife one should use. I would value your opinion on the two metioned knives as well.

I purchased three knives in the past year for hiking/outdoor/survival purposes:

Benchmade Gryptillian (551?) folder: Used when I hike in "public" places because it is unobtrusive. I found the serrations shortened the cutting surface available to me without giving me greater utility. The subdued coating provides additional water and salt resistance and I use it in marine conditions. But expect the coating to wear with normal use. A well made knife, but I found I wanted a fixed blade with a full tang for greater robustness.

Benchmade Gryptillian (151?) fixed: I like the shape, weight, and size. The integrated finger guard gave me greater confidence as a beginner. The sheath is high quality and gives several carry options. I felt that the handle was a little thin for my hands. I decided that the blade was too thin for my taste. The metal is high quality, but I wanted a thicker blade to help stand up to batoning and heavy (mis)use.

Fallkniven F1: This is my favorite by far. A much heavier knife than the others, it has a thicker blade. It lends itself well to batoning and to producing sparks with a firesteel. There is no exposed metal on the handle, which is good for cold climates. I like the balance of the knife in my hand immensely. With the kydex sheath, it is compact and I can dangle it from my waist when I carry a pack. The convex grind provides strength and I am supremely confident in the blade. Be aware that sharpening the convex blade is a bit more involved than other grinds. I use a mousepad with automotive sandpaper and a strop to produce a wonderfully sharp edge. The Fallkniven F1 is the knife I rely on when I am outdoors.

what about the SP19 Taskforce by Ontario Knives?

like others have said about southern indiana it can be an extreme jungle in the summer, will have to go for three knives 5 inch fixed blade, 18 inch machete and ax if their is a tool out their that can function as an ax and machete i have yet to see it, have cut tons of brush with a machete, felled trees bucked tons of limbs with an ax and bucthered tons of game with a schrade sharp finger. tons of experience.

I love the seal pup (SOG),sealteam, and the tigershark. The coldsteel fix blades is exellent as well. Everybody adress what kind of knife is the best, but no one adress the challenge on how to sharpen your knive in the field. A dull knive is worth nothing. What type of sharpening equipment and method, for when you are in the field do you guys recommend.

i've had and used many knives over the years for all sorts of activities, ranging from hiking - camping - hunting - fishing and on active duty while in the infantry.  The most reliable, functional and best value for money by far has been a traditional KA-Bar, i've used it for countless tasks including clearing undergrowth, hamming in tent pegs and nails to digging. Its not fancy But it gets the job done.

This guide has been very helpful to me. I am thinking about getting a ka bar knife the blade is 7". Do you think it is too long?