For the sake of discussion, I think most here would agree that a fixed blade will always trump a folding knife for serious use. However, folders are often more frequently carried due to their “folding” nature for compact/pocket carry and oftentimes out of habit due to legal restrictions. So, for this discussion, push fixed blades (including axes, saws, and tomahawks) to the back of your mind despite how difficult that may be

Could you survive with minimal gear and a folding knife; the type you EDC every day? I know some carry a pocket folder and even a multitool. Some carry a slip-joint folder, others carry a Swiss Army Knife. I know several "seasoned" gentlemen that religiously carry their Buck 110 in a belt pouch. Yes, some, including me, carry a fixed blade as part of my EDC, but I’ll avoid that for the sake of assessing the actual use of a folder for “survival”. I’m not sure why, but I’m really intrigued with this exercise. I remember many years ago the now defunct “Tactical Knives” magazine did an article doing exactly that…a guy used a Benchmade AFCK as his only cutting tool to build a shelter, prep and process wood for a fire, process some meat, and make some other tools, etc. Also, the late Ron Hood, an advocate for the larger survival fixed blades, said he was never without his trusty Victorinox SAK, the Rucksack model (with locking blade).

I’m unfortunately not in a position where I can run out and test my skills over the weekend, but for the sake of argument, focus on your immediate area during the normal backpacking/day-hiking season. Could you do the necessary functions needed from a cutting tool with just your EDC folder? I would opine that you could, but requiring different techniques, more patience, and of course less efficiency Following that Tactical Knives article, I did go out and build a debris hut with my folder (it was a Benchmade/Emerson CQC-7). I recall using saplings for the frame and thinking a Swiss Army Knife (or multitool) saw would have been much easier. It did take much longer, but still feasible.

Now, I know a few might say they EDC two Cold Steel Rajah knives (folding kukri), but for the rest of us mere mortals, how comfortable are you with your EDC folders if pressed into a situation of having to “survive” a short time during your typical backpacking season (if a remote enough area exists) with only minimal equipment? Your knife should be able to help with shelter, preparing a fire and processing firewood; on the more “extreme” side, making cordage, making other tools such as a spoon, wooden bowl, fire-bow and drill, manufacture traps/snares, processing small game and fish, etc. Most are what I would consider “bushcraft” tasks, but is your current EDC tool(s) up to the challenge and are you confident they could handle the tasks...or do you even care? Granted, this is more of an academic and personal assessment exercise, but I would like to do a couple days with a very minimal kit where my tools are mostly what I would consider as part of my on-person EDC. I have some heavy duty folding knives that don’t get much more than minor cutting chores, so it would be good to see how they perform outside of the typical EDC working-world.

I do try to always EDC a multitool (either a Leatherman Sidekick or Victorinox Spirit), and my “EDC” is usually two different folders where one is a heavy-duty folder (I'm actually carrying four different folders right now along with a multitool). It would be interesting to see how much a folder can accomplish in such an environment (given of course a few other critical items such as a fire starter, appropriate clothing, water bottle/metal cup, etc.).

Given the size of some folders, skill plays a much bigger role in using such a small blade with the inherent weakness all folders have. Is your non-fixed blade EDC up to the challenge and are you comfortable with the size and design if pressed into such a situation? Or is this whole question pointless and stupid? (I have thick skin, you won't hurt my feelings...)

ROCK6

Grayman Satu.  Probably the beefiest folder I have ever handled.  I think that knife would be more than enough for your criteria.

Actually, I think I will buy one and put it to the test.

DPX HEST-F. Made by lion steel. .2" D-2 titanium frame lock with the ability to lock the frame in place.

I wouldn't hesitate to go into the woods with my Benchmade Adamas.  As far as folders go it's pretty beefy and has handled anything I've thrown it so far.

That' interesting.  I have a mono-frame from LionSteel and it also has the ability to lock the locking-bar.  I'm awaiting a Chinese tank called the Xio Alpha Mark 1 (yeah, stupid name), and it has the option of a separate locking pin much like the Extrema Ratio RAO.



I'm not overly fond of chunky tanto knives, but that's exactly what this is: Knife testing

I'm awaiting both the Xio folder and Cold Steel's 4-Max.  The 4-Max seems more utilitarian in a very robust design, I just don't know how "EDC-able" it is.  Let's face it, most folders that could hold up to most outdoors needs aren't often carried as EDC blades.  That's the challenge.

Ironically, I have the Adamas Auto and it fires like it's a hyper crack addict.  The handle is the beefiest I've seen on a folder in relation to the blade, but I do like the blade profile.  I haven't checked, but I'm assuming the folding version has a slightly slimmer handle.  The auto handle is actually too big for me to pocket carry (and I've carried some large folders); it does come with a belt pouch which is nice.

A few I've carried as EDC that I'm pretty confident with if they were pressed into such a need:

Spyderco Military and Para Military; Manix, older Chinook, 100-Pacer
Emerson CQC8 and CQC10, as well as the CQC12 frame-lock
ZT 0630, and ZT 0909
Benchmade Rukus. Bedlam, Adamas (auto), Loco, older AFCK, and the 710 Axis
Some of the Cold Steel Tri-Ad locking folders
Hogue X5
LionSteel SR-11A
Some nicer end blades that I'm confident in...Hinderer and Sebenza

There's other, but the above have all been carried and used.  I'm pretty confident they could hold up to various tasks in such a setting as described above.

A special notice to multitools and SAKs.  I just don't EDC a SAK much unless I'm already in the outdoors, but I like the Farmer Alox models as well as the older Rucksack and newer Trekker models.  As for multitools, the two most common on my person have been the Leatherman Wingman (or Sidekick) with the pocket clip, or the Victorinox Spirit in a BFG Ten Speed slim belt pouch (which is simply an excellent pouch to carry a mag or multitool).

Once you start dipping into more common "gentlemen's" folders, you really start to loose size, mass, and maybe a little strength.  Having been playing with a few Benchmade knives recently such as the Bugout, 943 Osborne, and the Emissary...all are nice, but would be hard pressed for some touch chores as their blades are pretty thin (except maybe the Emissary, it's a pretty robust blade and design).  These are the size of folders where I really miss a fixed blade.  Some of the other heavy-duty EDC folders I'm more confident in pressing them into several tasks that I would easily choose a fixed blade for when purposely outdoors.

ROCK6

Benchmade Adamas +1

While I haven't been in a life or death survival situation with my folder, I guess I would feel comfortable with either my Buck 110 or Gerber folder.  
I've got an Old Timer that is functional too.

I've backpacked, hiked, hunted and fished with folders.  
In reality cleaned more fish n game including deer with a small clip point Barlow style Boker.
I've always had a larger folder on me - either the older style lock back or in later years either an inexpensive Smith n Wesson or my Kershaw Blur.

I have more confidence in the older hunter lockbacks but they're not as quick to deploying you have you hands full.  
If you're going to do heavy batoning, eventually your folder will loosen up.
But in years of construction, farm work, hunting and camping I have probably batoned wood once - maybe twice.  And that was for kindling.
So I haven't seen a task a good folding hunter won't handle.  Except deploying very quickly.
Lately I've been carrying my leatherman skeletool with its external blade.

One thing I do like about the Auto Adamas is that the safety mechanism can lock the Axis lock in place open or closed.  With rolling locks like the Axis, the lock springs are parallel with the blade and hard impacts can make the lock fail (of course, I haven't been able to make it happen yet); the lock keeps the locking mechanism in place even if the springs fail or give during a hard impact.  If anything, the Axis locks on the Adamas are some of the strongest and with the ambidextrous mechanism and two springs, it's a good fail safe.

I'm intrigued by Hogue's plunger locking mechanism.  While it also uses spring tension, the spring is pushing the locking mechanism perpendicular to the blade, not parallel.  From a physics standpoint, it would require impacts laterally to potentially disengage; however for normal vertical uses, the lock is quite reliable.

Of course you have your various liner locks, frame locks, compression locks; and lock-backs where knives with Cold Steel's Tri-Ad lock or Spyderco's (Tatanka) variation are pretty robust.  I'm pretty hesitant on most liner locks but there are some I've used and trust (Spyderco, ZT, Emerson).  The same goes for most frame locks.

ROCK6

The Adamas looks great.  Now I'm going to have to pick one of those up.

I'm carrying my Auto Adamas right now.  It's a compact/beefy knife.  The handle is pretty large relative to the blade and it's thick (0.73" thick...although it really only looks like it's about half an inch with crooked eyes and ruler).  Still, it carries well and I like the deep-pocket clip.  The damn firing mechanism is off the charts and is one of the few that rivals Protech.  It launches with authority and if you're not holding on, it will jump out of your hand.  Jury is still out, it is growing on me, but it doesn't get into the rotation too often.  No doubt the auto or manual is a stout folding design with a lot of beef put into the construction and blade.

ROCK6

My 570 Presidio II is a large folder wanting to be a small fixed blade.

If I had to beat on it hard I think it could take the abuse. And it offers a lot of traction

Demko's Tri-AD lock that is used by Cold Steel and Demko Knives is the strongest lock in the folder world. That would be a good place to start.

S/F

Al

If I can’t bring my Busse/ kin knives, and can only bring one folder, it will be the Buck/Tops CSAR-T.
I’ve actually, tested and batoned wood with it. While batoning I used a piece of 2x4 to beat on it, but it ended up beating the 2x4 instead. The downside is that it’s hefty, heavy and Robust. (Which to some is also a positive).

I actually think that is the knife the guy on YouTube used to cut an 8” tree down.  He just did light tapping all around it; took forever, but the knife was perfectly fine after felling the tree.

This looks to be the case for much of the testing.  I have the Cold Steel 4-Max, which is a large knife by itself, but the lock is quite robust.

The TOPS made Buck CSAR is a good addition to the club.

If you have the time, BladeHQ did some lock strength testing with just Spyderco knives, but they included several lock types.  Their previous testing used static, hanging weight; this test use a dynamic/winch load method to test the locks.  The lock-back never failed; the blade broke.  The liner locks “failed” first, but it was interesting to see that they didn’t fail to where they closed on the hand, the liner lock simply folded and jammed the blade open.  It’s an interesting test, but much of the force used on knives is actually against the back-stop pin (or bar), and of course the weakest link is the pivot area where lateral pressure stresses the frame and pivot.



I’m finding the majority of modern, quality locking folders are far stronger than they get credit.  One common failing is actually the handle materials.  If the folder doesn’t have a steel liner, it’s show to be more prone to failure under hard stresses.  I haven’t been able to see much with the use of G10, but all the other FRN-type synthetic handles are softer.  Also, much of the aluminum handles (without stainless spacers) are softer.  Still, it would take severe abuse to defeat a lock with vertical pressure.

I do wonder about some of the spring-assisted locking mechanisms (Axis, rolling lock, ball-bearing locks, compression locks, plunge-locks, etc.).  I’ve never had a spring failure to date and my oldest is from REKAT (before Benchmade introduced their Axis lock).  Still, in an environment with a lot of corrosive salt water and humidity, I worry about premature failure.  Lock-backs, frame locks, compression locks, and liner locks all seem simpler for field use.  More of an academic contemplation than real-world use, but it does make me think about long-term field use with a folder…

ROCK6