OK first post so be gentle on me. I'm in the market for a knife for my BOB. Currently have a good folding knife, filet knife and 2 multi-tools. Been thinking about either adding a K-Bar or USAF Survival knife. Budget around $50.00 Suggestions and or thoughts please.
I am no great knife specialist, so take this for what it's worth. The K-bar and it's equals always struck me as impractically large for carry, tho' I'll concede the usefulness in camp. For carry, light and fast, a fixed blade similar to a diver's knife in size and weight makes better sense to me. YMMV, and there will be other opinions coming --
The Becker is a very good fixed blade knife in your price range. http://www.forthehunt.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=59348350 The Spyderco Endura is also in your range. I love mine. http://www.forthehunt.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=58872264 Cliff Stamp tests both of these. http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/knives/reviews.html
Good suggestions and Cliff tests knives pretty thoroughly.... Are you looking for a certain length?.... What do you think you will be using it for mostly?.... I noticed you have folders and multi-tools... and a filet knife... so doing some fishing?.... Only reason I ask is because it may make some sense to think about what you have already in your bag and round out the gaps with a good tool that will fill the gaps and meet your needs.... Possibly a small axe, a good medium or small machete etc.... maybe something to think about and they fit your budget... might be able to get both.... JMHO... Consider what the good folks here offer... they've all good experience and great suggestions....
I have the filet knife in there because it's a spare on from my tackle box. Have a small axe in there too, cheap coleman one but better than nothing I guess. Just looking for some suggestions (good ones so far) about something a bit heavier than what I already have.
I tend to gravitate towards indestructable in my tools. While you can do just fine with a lot less for most circumstances, I'd not want to trust my life to a $50 knife. A knife in backcountry trails on your off road trips will more likely be used as a pry bar than a Skinning knife. Just my .02
91G, The question is what you envision doing with the knife. Are you chopping thru the Amazon jungle? Building a shelter in Eastern hardwoods? Beheading and skinning a boar down south? Defending your life? Each task could be performed by almost any knife. However, certain knives lend themselves better to specific tasks. What ever you decide that the purpose of this blade is will help you decide what to get. You have listed 4-5 blades (filet, folder, multitool x2, hatchet) that each have limitations as well as strengths. Figure out what you would use each of them for, that in turn can show you where any holes may be in your collection. 4-5 blades is a lot to carry in a BOB so try and figure out if you could get a blade that would serve more than one function. For instance, my backpacking load consists of a gerber hatchet (doubles as a hammer), an Al Mar Operator (primary knife), and a gerber multitool (tool box for what I may need to fix and the folding blade I reserve for food prep). Thats 3 tools that pretty much cover what I need to do. Sit down and make a list of what you want this knife to do. Form follows function and your money will be better spent by thinking this through. Most of the options listed above will probably fit your needs, but it would be a shame to blow 50.00 on a blade that you find to be something that doesn't fit the bill. Learn from our mistakes, unless you just need an excuse to start collecting knives . Just my .02 phishi
A lot of good points made above especialy regarding that the intended uses of the knife would weigh a LOT on what would be the best and also that while you CAN use a 3" folder to whittle your way through limbs to make a shelter or to butcher a cow or most any thing else and you CAN use a machetee to cut up your meal or trim a loose string, each blade has things it is best for. Personaly I consider a blade to be one of my most basic needs along with fire and light and I tend to believe in redundency for the escentials. Since most any blade can be pressed into service to fill the role of another though what I keep in my BOB is a 4" Winchester tactical folder, a Buck trail boss (good fixed blade that runs around $40 and I have used to butcher SEVERAL critters as well as skinning them and MANY other jobs) which is big enouph to not be to tiny to be practical for many jobs but still not to big to do fine for skinning squirls or cutting food, then I have a Stihl hatchet (made by Fiskar) that will take care of any truely heavy cutting. I also carry a small dimond dust whet stone in my BOB and another in my pocket at all times along with my Gerber folder and Case 3 blade pocket knife. The K-bar from all I have heard of them, would be fine but so would a lot of others. Just make sure it is a good solid knife that will hold an edge, is comfortable in your hand and is solidly built.
I posted a thread on this a while back. You can find it here: http://survivalmonkey.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56&highlight=ultimate+survival+knife
I am sure I am in the extreme minority on this but . I got over the cool knife syndrome a LOOOONG time ago . When I was younger I use to carry a K-Bar knockoff , you with the serrated top and fising line and compass , then a buddy of mine gave me a nice Buck Special "which is Bucks answer to the Bowie knife" as a gift and I wandered around hunting with that monster . Now I carry a quality pocket knife and have thought about upgrading to a simple but rugged Buck Vanguard with a rubber handle http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...ode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=+Buck+knives&noImage=0 I have never been in survival situation but it would seem to me that the ability to carry it comfortably should be a requirement of any out door knife and any bigger than a 4 or so inch blade will dig into you ever time you sit with it . After all it is a knife not a chain saw or a brush hog , or even a machete or a prey bar , hammer etc. etc. . My opinion is to buy a quality KNIFE and other tools you may need in as compact of designs you can find such as a folding shovel . Here is a site that might help you make equipment selections . http://www.equipped.com/toc.htm
I've got a Ka-Bar and honestly I don't see the point. These blades are meant for hand-to-hand fighting with men, and aren't practical for much utility beyond that. For the big pack knife, I'm thinking either a machete or a tomahawk (traditional, with removable head) would be more practical.
There is some good discussion on BOBs and edged tools here... http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=692 Check out some of the questions on knives... good discussion and analysis from a forum dedicated to both production and custom knives.... You can also go to your favorite maker or manufacturer to check out their latest and discussions.... or just browse around and do some searches on knives you are interested in.... good discussion and values under "Makers"..... for those looking at how knives are made and some awesome makers and some good deals on a custom knife.... Cliff Stamp and others who test and use their tools post regularly on the threads as well.... There are alot of ways to go... depending on your budget, situation and configuration.... Hope this helps....
I would have been surprised if you didn't have one. I reground mine on a slackbelt, got rid of the two tapers, the convex taper will cut much better than it ever did.
Some good suggestions and questions. Intended purpose of knife is for mostly outdoor/camping general purpose. Just a decent one to have in my BOB. Would like one that keeps and edge is is pretty sturdy.
I have used a Cold Steel SRK for many years. Very durable and holds a good edge. I just got a Gerber LMF and I really like it too. Can't wait to try it out.
