With the increasing interest in knives among us I have been often asked, how to choose a good survival knife while going out on a trek or camping....
With a wide variety of such knives available, I thought it best to search for this information and here's what I came up with. I do hope this will be of some use in deciding your choice.
How to choose The Best Survival Knife
https://www.knife-depot.com/learn/best-survival-knife/
Fixed Knives vs. Folding Knives
Good survival knives have one thing in common - they're all fixed blades. The reasoning behind this is simple - a fixed-blade knife has no moving parts and is less likely to break. A folder, on the other hand, cannot withstand stronger force and will succumb to pressure by breaking.
Most outdoorsmen will take along two knives, one fixed-blade knife and one folding knife for smaller tasks. But first and foremost, you should focus on a dedicated survival knife.
What's the Ideal Survival Knife Blade Length?
The blade length of a survival knife can range anywhere from four inches to a hefty eight inches. However the ideal length should be somewhere between four and six inches for the blade and it's mainly a matter of preference. While a shorter blade can give you more flexibility to do smaller tasks, a longer blade will give more power and durability for accomplishing heftier deeds.
Straight vs. Serrated
The deciding factor on the perfect survival knife is whether the blade should be straight or serrated. Serrations come in handy when you're cutting rope and doing other tasks, but it's very difficult to sharpen, especially if you're out in the wild.
A fully-serrated edge shouldn't ever be used because a straight edge will be a must in nearly any situation. That's why a partially-serrated blade or a fully straight-edge blade should be your only two options. Simply put, a straight edge is cleaner, easier to sharpen, and doesn't have some of the limitations imposed by serrations, but again, it will depend on your comfort level with the knife and what you plan to do with it.
Top 5 Survival Knives
1. FALLKNIVEN A1 Survival Knife
These knives are the best of the best as they put tender care into every knife they make. It’s 11 inches of pure mastery and boasts a 6.3-inch blade made from laminated VG-10 steel. For extra strength and durability, the handle is made from Kraton and the sheath is made from Zytel. The major downside of this fine blade is the price -- but its’ well worth it for hard-core survivalists.
2. COLD STEEL SRK Survival Knife
With this knife simplicity is the key to its success. It is a high-quality knife that's designed to withstand tons of abuse when you're out in the elements. The blade is six inches long and features a plain edge with a clip point. Reasonably priced, the Cold Steel, is an all-around fantastic survival knife that won't let you down.
3. KA-BAR Becker Companion Survival Knife
This fixed blade knife is one of the most popular among survival knives. The 5.5 blade is made from 1095 Cro-Van steel and features a plain edge with a drop point. At 500gms this is one of the heaviest survival knives, but its weight can be used to your advantage during more labor-intensive jobs.
4. GERBER LMF II Survival Knife
This partially serrated blade is 4.84 inches long and is made from 420HC stainless steel, which is resistant to rust. While a lot of attention gets paid to the blade itself, the unsung hero of the knife is its Kraton handle which feels extremely comfortable in your hand and even features a window breaker on the end for urban survival.
5. ESEE-6 Survival Knife
For survival situations, nothing can beat the ESEE-6, which has the perfect weight, balance and purpose. The overall length is a bit long at 11.75 inches because it boasts the longest blade that puts all its effort on making it completely functional for the outdoors with its comfortable and curvaceous grip that fits perfectly in any hand.
Briha
