By far the most important survival item you can have with you is a good survival knife. It is very tough to create a sharp cutting edge that is strong enough to deal with survival tasks and made completely of natural materials. You can try flint napping to put a sharp edge on a stone, but you must have exactly the right types of rocks. It also takes years and years of practice with this skill to be able to sharpen a stone without breaking it. Having this sharp cutting edge is vital for survival tasks, so you have to have a good survival knife in your bug out bag.
A good survival knife should be able to start a fire, cut cordage, baton firewood, clean trapped or hunted animals, help with building shelters, clean fish, help you with self-defense, and sharpen and carve wood. You can wield a knife in your hand, or you can attach it to a pole to make a spear. However, the wrong knife will make life much more difficult. A knife that is too big will not work well with finer work like carving and cleaning game. A small knife will not be able to handle the tough tasks like batoning firewood. In addition, a folding blade knife has a safety that could fail allowing the blade to close on your hand. If a blade is not forged well and becomes brittle, the blade could break causing you to cut yourself. Over the years I have tracked down the best possible knives for my bug out bag.
For my first survival challenge, I purchased a hunting knife with a gut hook online. I liked the design of the blade for skinning game, and the price was relatively low. When I received it, the construction seemed solid and it fit well in my hand. However, I noticed that just the action of cutting cordage was enough to dull the blade quickly. I shot two deer during deer season that year, and I tried to use this knife to skin and quarter them. However, the blade kept getting dull to the point that I had to sharpen the blade every few minutes. It took me hours and hours to get done working on my deer which was completely unacceptable.
I started looking up information on blade steel types. It turns out that the blade I bought was forged with a steel that is average at best. It is designed to be flexible, to be strong, and to sharpen easily. However, it has a reputation of not holding an edge well. I started looking for a new knife that would be comprised of a higher quality steel that would hold an edge better. I narrowed down the steel type that I wanted and searched for it online. Most of the knives made of this steel work custom forged and quite pricey. Finally, I landed on a Buck knife that was ideal. However, it was roughly four times the price of the first knife. When the knife showed up, I was very impressed. The handle was the perfect size, and the blade was just right. The gut hook was super sharp and cut cordage like butter. If it held an edge, this knife would be perfect.
The following deer season I bagged a buck and used the knife to process the deer. While skinning the deer, the hide rolled off with ease. Cutting through meat to get down to the joints and cut the ligaments was a breeze. I was able to process the entire deer in about a half hour versus the hours that I would have burned with my old knife. I did not have to sharpen the blade through the entire process. I have now had this knife for several years and have only sharpened it twice. It holds an edge significantly better than the first knife. In this article, I will cover differences in size, design, blade shape, steel type, and ergonomics so you can make a good decision selecting a survival knife.
Knife Size and Design
The size of the knife you select is very important. For a survival knife, you need to find a blade size that can handle any survival task you might need to complete. Sizes can range from a swiss army knife with a two -inch blade to a machete with a 30-inch blade. Neither of these blades is a good fit for a survival knife. You will want something in the middle that can handle both fine work and tough jobs. My favorite survival knife has a 10-inch blade. This knife works well for gutting fish, carving wood, self-defense, cutting cordage, and batoning firewood. You can even go as small as a six-inch blade when selecting a survival knife, but anything shorter would not be able to handle all of the survival tasks needed. If you take your time and pick the blade size that best fits your needs, it will be your best friend in a survival scenario.
For the design of the knife, there are two options to consider. Many people like folding blade knives because they fold up into a small package that fits in your pocket or clips on your belt. However, it is very tough to find a folding blade knife with a blade at least six inches long. Unfortunately, folding blade knives also have moving parts that can break or bend. There is usually a safety feature that is designed to lock the blade in place when in use. This can fail which would allow the blade to close on your fingers. I had this problem with one of my folding blade knives, but I was able to catch it before being injured. Folding blade knives also have a joint between the blade and the handle. The bolt in the joint can come loose allowing the blade to wiggle back and forth. This makes it very difficult and unsafe to use. Folding blade knives are not ideal for survival.
The ideal survival knife will have a fixed blade. The blade will be permanently extended for use and stored in a sheath instead of folding. This type of knife has no moving parts, so you do not need to worry about problems associated with them. With fixed blade knives, there are three types of tangs. First, you have partial tang knives. These knives have a tang that only extends about half way down the handle. This can allow the handle to break in your hand which can be dangerous. The two better options are full exposed tang and full hidden tang. The full exposed tang has a tang that extends to the end of the handle. It has two pieces of wood or other handle material attached with pins, epoxy, or both. A full hidden tang knife still has a tang that extends to the end of the handle. However, it is hidden inside one solid piece of handle material. Both of these are strong designs for a survival knife.
Ergonomics
It is vital that your survival knife fits well in your hand and will not roll or slip out. If you have to constantly readjust your grip, you will not be very productive. A good grip is accomplished by having the right shape and size to your handle. If a handle is too short it could slip out of your hand. If it is too long it might dig into your wrist. If it is too squared you will not get a good grip. If it is too rounded it will roll in your hand when you strike something. Finger grooves are always better than a flat profile as they will keep your grip more secure. The handle material and finish is also important. A smooth material can be slippery if wet, but a rough surface will allow for a good grip.
Metal Type
As stated previously, the steel type that you select is very important when it comes to the strength, durability, and edge retention of your knife. If blade metal is softer, the edge will chip and roll when you strike an object. If the blade material is harder, it could be brittle and snap instead of flexing like a softer metal would. The right type of steel will hold an edge and last for decades, while the wrong type of steel will be ineffective, unsafe, or both. Take the time to select the steel type that is best for your needs. If you rush through this process, you will likely end up buying a replacement before too long like I did. Good steel is more expensive, but it is worth every penny. Getting a knife custom forged by a local blacksmith is the best way to get exactly what you want. You can pick the blade shape, the blade length, the handle design, the handle material, and the steel to be forged. A good blacksmith can also make suggestions to help with these decisions. Blacksmiths typically take the time to do it right with every knife they forge, so you should get a blade that will last a lifetime.
Here are some higher quality steel types to consider:
5160 STEEL –This is also called, “Spring Steel” The material of this 5160 Steel is flexible therefore giving it excellent shock absorbing qualities. It also makes it resistant to shattering. The 5160 is very durable. To increase its performance, it is recommended to harden it.
13C26 SANDVIK –The 13C26 Sandvik has superior edge retention and hardness. This allows for increased strength and resistance to wear. The 13C26 is very difficult to re-sharpen.
420HC STEEL – The 420HC is the middle-of-the-road steel. It has great wear-resistance due to the high carbon alloys. The chromium stainless steel allows for corrosion resistance. The blade is easy to re-sharpen and will not rust.
S30V STEEL –This steel contains carbon, Chromium, Molybdenum and Vanadium. It is one of the top-of-the-line blades and is made in America. It has great edge retention and is durable as well as resistant to corrosion. Although it is difficult to re-sharpen, the blade lasts a lifetime.
154CM STEEL -This steel is a great choice if you want good edge retention and corrosion resistance.
Blade Shapes
There are dozens of different blade shapes available, and each is designed for a different function. Some are best for skinning game, while others are best for boning and skinning fish. Some are ideal for blazing trails in dense brush, while others are ideal for limbing poles. Some are good for self-defense, while others are designed for batoning wood. Each shape will have it’s specialty, but the best survival knife will cover all of your survival needs. Here are some examples of potential survival knives:
Machete – The machete is often used in the jungle for cutting brush, vines, and other vegetation. It can be used to chop bamboo or other soft wood as well. Machetes are great for self-defense as the blade is typically two to three feet long giving the user a long reach. The blade is two to three inches across at the tickets point with a rounded or flat end, so it is a slasher and not a stabber. Machetes are full tang and often have a wooden handle. The blade is large enough that you cannot do ay fine work, but it really gets the job done with larger tasks. It is also long enough that most people carry the machete on a sheath on their belt instead of in their pack.
Kukuri – The kukuri is a Nepalese blade that was first introduced to the Nepalese army. It has a long thick blade like a machete but has an aggressive curve towards the sharpened side of the blade. It dips in and the curved out wide before swinging back to the point making it great for skinning animals. The curve helps the blade catch brush well, so it can be a good slasher. Kukuris typically and a blade that is one to two feet long and two to three inches across at the thickest point. Shorter kukuris are ideal survival knives as they can handle both fine work and chopping, but long kukuris are used more like machetes. This blade is one of the most commonly knives used for survival.
Billhook – This is a very strange looking blade, and I am guessing you have probably never seen one. Billhooks are very hard to find and most often have to be forged by a blacksmith. Their shape makes them ideal for homesteading, and they are great with cutting brush, reeds, and tall grasses. The bulk of the blade is about three inches across and a bit over a foot long. It has a chopping edge on one side and a hooked blade at the end of the other side. This allows you to use it for chopping poles, batoning firewood, clearing brush, and limbing poles. It is in no way designed for detailed work and is too big for a sheath. It is also tough to fit in a pack, so this is more designed for work around the homestead.
Camp Knife/Chopper – The camp knife has a blade between eight and 14 inches long and one to two inches across. It has a thicker spine so it is perfect for chopping and batoning firewood. Camp knives are normally full tang with a drop point that makes them as good for stabbing as they are for slashing. The blade is very durable, and a good camp knife will last a lifetime. It is short enough that typically you can do finer work like carving as well as the bigger jobs. This is my preference for a survival knife, and I take mine with me on every survival challenge.
Skinner with Gut Hook – This knife is the design of both of the gut hook knives I mentioned above. The blade is typically three to four inches long and about an inch across. There is an aggressively rounded cutting edge that is ideal for skinning animals, but the blade is small enough to work on squirrels and rabbits as well. The gut hook is perfect to help cut the hide off of limbs or open up the chest cavity to remove the organs. These knives can be used for batoning small pieces of firewood, but it is better for fine work. I always carry a skinner with a gut hook when hunting.
Filet Knife – The filet knife has a long and flexible blade that is anywhere from six to 10 inches long and about ½ to ¾ of an inch across. It is designed to be incredibly flexible so that you can easily run the blade between the meat and the skin of a fish. However, this same flexibility make it tough to use a filet knife for anything else. Some filet knives are made with multiple functions. I own a filet knife with a sheath that opens into pliers to hold the tail while skinning. There is a sharpening stone on the side of the sheath, and the blade extends out to filet larger fish.
Karambit Knife – The Karambit is a combat knife. It can be used for other functions, but the shape of the blade makes it difficult. It has a blade that curves towards the sharpened side, but instead of curving back to a point it comes to a point in the original curve. It is a slashing blade that is typically held backhand and often has a ring at the end of the handle to secure the blade with a finger. You can then punch an attacker with the knife in your hand, and slash at the same time. This blade is ideal for attacking the abdomen and neck of an attacker.
Bowie Knife – The bowie knife was first used by Jim Bowie who died at the battle of the Alamo. It was remade famous by being used in the Rambo series. The blade of a bowie knife can be six to 10 inches long with a saw-toothed spine. This knife was designed as a fighting and combat knife, but it works well for most survival tasks. Survivalists love this blade.
Ka-Bar Knife – The Ka-Bar is the blade issued to soldier in the US military. The blade is strong, but also slightly flexible. It has a simple drop point, and the blade is about an inch across and four to six inches long. Many Ka-Bar knives have a few inches of the spine of the blade sharpened to improve its combat functionality. This blade is perfect for both slashing and stabbing. It is also perfect for just about every survival task. It is a favorite of survivalists, especially if they are retired military. It is also the blade type used for bayonets.
And the Winner?
Any of these blades could be helpful with survival, but only a handful will cover all of the functions needed. The designs most often selected by survivalists are the camp knife, the Ka-Bar, the kukuri, and the bowie knife. They can all get the job done when they need to be tough, but they all can work for finer work as well. The one I feel is the most functional in the wilderness is the camp knife. The thickness of the blade makes it more durable. I feel that this makes is more reliable than the other options. However, any of these four designs could be a good fit. Try out several and decide which one best fits your needs for survival. It is important that you find a blade with which you will be completely comfortable.
Ryan Dotson is a survivalist, writer, photographer and prepper. Mr. Dotson was raised in the Ozark Mountains. His interest in survivalism began with the Boy Scouts. His father, uncle and grandfather continued to teach him how to hunt and fish. Currently living in Mid-Missouri, Mr. Dotson has begun to write about his experiences of survival here at SurvivalistWarrior.com.