Posted: 10/29/2008 5:34:19 PM EDT
| which website has the best selection of fxed blade survival knifes? If you could only have one fixed blade...what would it be? |
| Randall Made are probably the best made knives, I have several, but if you don't have 5 or 6 years to wait, or 4-5 hundred+ to purchase from a dealer, get a Fallkniven, don't mess around with rats or other rodent shit knives. The A1, S1, or F1 depending on the size you need, will do you nicely. Look at their site for the destruction testing they did. I have the S1, kinda the middle size and it's perfect, then call up Sullivan's Leather in Tampa for a super nice sheath, Sullivan's is the sole makerof sheaths for Randall by the way, nice people. |
If you are on a budget, the Buck Nighthawk can be had for around $40 from walmart. I have read(on the internet, so it must be true ) that they are a pretty decent blade. Having just been in a situation that required a fixed blade knife, I recommend getting something very decent at the least. I also haven't heard any bad things about the Bark River bravo 1. (I am thinking about getting one of these myself.)
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Since we're talking about hard to get, my knife is cooler than your knife type stuff....go to the EE or Ebay and look for a Becker/Camillus. For around 100.00 you can have one kick ass knife that will outlast you and your kids. I have the BK-7 and the small one..I forgot the name of it. The small one is the most useful to me. They don't make Becker's any more, so you have to hunt one down. I really like them. For a true "survival" ....you can only take one....we're heading for the hills to live in the F'in boonies knife....the Becker Matchax. It's based on the Kukri design and kicks ass. I don't have one, but I'm not heading for the hills. For general camp use, the small Becker Campanion(I think thats the name of it) knife is the best. The BK-7 is much bigger, I have one but never use it. Hope this helps, and very little offence to the zillion dollar knife guys.
-Green. |
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which website has the best selection of fxed blade survival knifes? If you could only have one fixed blade...what would it be? Different things appeal to different people and a good survival fixed blade to me for just one is about a 5 inch blade that works great for all the common cutting and cleaning tasks. That one knife for me is my Benchmade Nimravus. It's just a great knife for so much. 
For a dealer with great service and a good selection take a look at KnifeCenter.com. KnifeCenter.com |
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which website has the best selection of fxed blade survival knifes? If you could only have one fixed blade...what would it be? Just one fixed blade? A short machete, something like this 
or this 
Add a good pocket knife and you have everything covered. FerFAL |
| I have an Ontario pilot survival knife that's pretty good and was inexpensive. What are you looking for in a "survival knife"? Personally, I think 95% of what you need a camp knife to do (i.e., cut things) can be accomplished with a cheap kitchen knife. It won't split wood but you shouldn't be using a knife for that task anyway. |
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The best "ONE" knife for general-purpose survival is in my opinion the Swamp Rat Ratweiler Chopper, AKA the "Chopweiler". They are not currently available at Swamp Rat (only limited runs are made, and they are snapped up immediately when available), but you can find them frequently on the secondary market. The best selection of these and other Busse products are found at www.bladeforums.com . Look in the "exchange" under "production knives for sale: individual". Then click on the link near the top that says "Busse/Swamprat/Scrapyard knives for sale". That will take you to a dedicated section for these knives. Then just look for a Chopweiler. There were a couple there and available when I looked this morning.
These are not cheap, but they will last several lifetimes of severe abuse. Unlike Randall or other semi-custom knives, Swamp Rat, Busse (the parent company) and Scrap Yard knives are made to be USED, not stuck in a safe and admired from time to time. Do a Google search on the Chopweiler and you will see some of the tales of its exploits. A truly incredible knife, and well worth the money. Its also a great investment that will never lose value no matter how hard you use it. Even well-used ones will be selling for $40-$50 more than they originally cost new. Mint ones will run another $40-$50 higher. Expect to pay around $250 to $300 for the knife, but if you want the best, you best expect to pay for it. |
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I'm watching this Ebay auction. I already have one of these knives (Browning Field Duty Extreme X5) and love it. American-made quality (TOPS knives) at a great price. I have two Browning FDX knives and they are my favorites (over my Cold Steel, Benchmade, and Kabar fixed blade survival-type knives).
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=110303521663 |
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If you want to really lean what a good knife is you have to see what it can take. Most knives that you think are the greatest turn out to be junk. BUT….You can learn what the best is, http://www.knifetests.com/ Busses  TRUE, TRUE!!!! The ONLY knives that have been able to survive the original destruction tests were Bussekins. One Busse, and a ScrapYard (Swamp Rat is a level under Busse, but a level above ScrapYard, so though not tested yet by Noss, the outcome is not in question). ALL others failed at some point or another. He was finally able to break the Busse and the ScrapYard, but he had to go to additional measures to do so....measures that would NEVER be seen in real life. POUNDED THROUGH HEAVY MILD STEEL TUBING USING A SLEDGEHAMMER???!!!!!! More than once??!!!!! Try THAT with your Randall!!!! And Swamp Rat has videos of the Ratweiler chopping through curbs and cinderblocks without receiving ANY blade damage. Then the same blade is put in a vise and (with a LONG cheater bar) bent to around a 40% and it springs back without taking a set or breaking. Again, try that with a Randall, Ferman, or other high-end knife. I agree that the absolute top steel is Busse's INFI, and I have a Busse Hell Razor that will NEVER leave my posession, but for a user I still prefer the Chopweiler. I wonder if Noss would be willing to see if a Busse can chop through a Randall! 
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Well, the other side of the coin (ie cheaper), I have used Buck Knives for all my life. Buck 119 or 120 for fixed. Col. Nick Rowe (RIP) suggested that the best survival knife was a lock back folder. He used a Buck 110. That always stuck with me. He had a rock in his pocket that he took out and touched up the blade before filleting a perch. I still have a 110 but I used my 120 for most trips. Bucks keep an edge but are not to hard to keep sharp. They have not chopped any concrete blocks but I haven't found any of those where I backpacked.  I also don't plan to get in any knife fights. Mr Glock prefers a gunfight to a knife fight
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Well, the other side of the coin (ie cheaper), I have used Buck Knives for all my life. Buck 119 or 120 for fixed. Col. Nick Rowe (RIP) suggested that the best survival knife was a lock back folder. He used a Buck 110. That always stuck with me. He had a rock in his pocket that he took out and touched up the blade before filleting a perch. I still have a 110 but I used my 120 for most trips. Bucks keep an edge but are not to hard to keep sharp. They have not chopped any concrete blocks but I haven't found any of those where I backpacked. I also don't plan to get in any knife fights. Mr Glock prefers a gunfight to a knife fightLately I have been playing with different knives.... I have an interesting one or two finally, but for a long time I kept coming back to the Woodsman or the General. They are still high on my list of favorites... and for the price you cant beat them! |
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I never intend to whittle concrete and any idiot that does shoulda probably spent the money they spent on that knife to buy medication.
It depends on what "survival" means to you. is it a knife you use to chop through a taxi cab and kill MZB's, or a knife for food procurement, field craft, and camp cooking? I have quite a few "survival knives". I never go out with just one. Why would you? My "Bush" knives that I trust. My 1918 Bolo in a uberspecial survival kit sheath. (all real men should have one) 
Of course, my full loadout is this plus a medium fixed blade. 
The IMO, ideal fixed blade. A Guy Stainthorpe "Bushcrafter" 
When I go out in the bush, the bushcrafter and SAK are on me and the rest is in the pack. |
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the busse and reeves and many other mentioned are absolutelly great knives, but in all reality a $50ish kabar will do just about everything that most of them will and without the $. i've made quite a few decent blades over the years by reworking everythign from broken machetes, rail road spikes, files, saw mill blades, old or broken axe hammer maul and other tool heads, and many other things.
i'm just saying a good blade dosen't have to cost an arm and a leg even if it is capable of removing both... speaking of removing limbs, here's a pic of a rather large knife i fashioned a while back. 
not quite a kukri, not quite a beaver tail machete, i reworked a "corn knife" into this blade for a buddy of mine for christmas lastyear( he was anticipating making a return trip to brazil to spend some time with a family he'd lived with for a while after finishing highschool). After reshaping the blade and handle with a 4" angle grinder, a pedestal grinding wheel, and a good bit a work with different files, i then heated and quenched the blade(usually if just carbon i would have used old motor oil but this time just water), then heat treated to a medium-hard temper, then passed on to another buddy of mine who works for a place specialising in powdercoating, and had the whole thing done a in a really durable o.d. green finish, i then para-cord wrapped the handle, and included a lanyard. i just borrowed it back from my friend so i could take a pic and post in the "show us your homemade gear" thread. i need to find a good source of large heavy thickness leather so i can make my buddy a sheath for it also. anyone know of a good source of leather? anyway my point is you don't need to spend a lot to get a quality blade... |
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The combat aspect of knives is way overhyped. Getting in a knife fight is an almost guarenteed trip to the hospital, won or lose. Challenge is we don't have a hospital in our SHTF scenarios.
Even in the worse combat environ you can dream up: knives are always gonna be 90% tool (like you guys  , ya fucking tools) and 10% A WEAPON.
You have a better chance of being murdered by a knife then rifle. Search FBI Uniform Crime and you'll know. iKnives are for cuttting things. They seperate matter. ETA- I'm stupid |
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Well, the other side of the coin (ie cheaper), I have used Buck Knives for all my life. Buck 119 or 120 for fixed. Col. Nick Rowe (RIP) suggested that the best survival knife was a lock back folder. He used a Buck 110. That always stuck with me. He had a rock in his pocket that he took out and touched up the blade before filleting a perch. I still have a 110 but I used my 120 for most trips. Bucks DONT keep an edge but are not to hard to keep sharp. They have not chopped any concrete blocks but I haven't found any of those where I backpacked. I also don't plan to get in any knife fights. Mr Glock prefers a gunfight to a knife fightfixed it for you. dont get me wrong. I have a freind who used to work there when they where still in San Diego and they make nice knives. but holding an edge is something they dont do well. |
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Nice bolo, you kinda kukri-fied it. I bet that's a choppin' sum'bitch. Wanna trade mine for yours. Do a bit of a writeup, and return them? I'm game. were you intending this for me? if so i'd definatelly be game, but as i said it was a gift for a freind, just borrowed it back this week to take a pic so i could post in the "show us" thread... i've been thinking about making up a couple more though, have to see how time goes, i have another corn knife or two laying around, but don't get out to my folks much wich is where all of my and my fathers tools are. could be a good project though, just talked to my buddy who does the powder coating the other day, and he said he could still get them coated for free for me... yeah it is a choppin' sum bitch. my buddy whom i gave it too is a great guy but a bit mischeavious(half punch drunken MMA fighting, bouncer and college student, he's really a great guy but sometimes like a gigantic 6y/o , sometime i feel like a big brother to a special needs kid, he knows this and we cynically even laugh at it sometimes. [if you ever see this drew you know i love ya buddy]).
anyway, i wish i had the pics he showed me of the couch he didn't want anymore the lasttime he moved out of a college apt., the thing was totally eviscerated, and in one place damn near hacked in-two... |
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Knife Works
this is where i get all of my knives now. great prices and outstanding selection. as for model, I suggest a Cold Steel SRK, a RAT 3/4/5/7, or a standard Ka-bar. They all work out great. My next knife will be a Fallkniven A1. |
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RAT-7. Great for the money paid. I agree its a well built knife... but I dont like it at all otherwise. Thats one I will be selling as soon as I get my self organized. I'd like to know your thoughts on the RAT 7, as it's one I've considered geting. |
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I never intend to whittle concrete and any idiot that does shoulda probably spent the money they spent on that knife to buy medication. Agreed that anyone that intentionally whittles concrete should have their head examined. The point of the demonstration was to highlight the toughness of the knife, and its resistance to UNINTENTIONAL damage as well as its ability to take on extraordinary tasks in extraordinary situations. You may not be chopping concrete, but you MAY accidently hit a rock while chopping wood. With most knifes, that would mean a damaged or even broken blade, but not with any of the Busse products. Worst case is you mearly strop the edge with a ceramic or steel rod to straighten the edge back out, and go back to work. Need to dig out a pine knot, or drill out a piece of wood, or dig up edible tubers? You can do these things with a Busse, Swamp Rat, or Scrap Yard without ANY worry about breaking the tip off the knife or chipping the edge....not so with your standard production knives. Have a rock or log pin your arm or leg? The fact that your knife can function as a prybar WITHOUT BREAKING may just save your arm or leg, if not your life. Busse products have a PROVEN ability to withstand this type of abuse without damage. Your lesser knives will almost assuredly bend or break in a similiar situation. The fact that you can chop through a car door hinge with a Busse product, or hammer one through a piece of steel tubing, or pry up rocks and logs doesn't mean that is what you intend to do with the knife! It simply implies the logic that if it can handle THAT degree of abuse, then you can certainly count on it to perform normal uses expected to be encountered in everyday use or in a true survival situation. I take survival equipment seriously. This isn't a game to me, because my job and my passtimes tend to take me into places where I can suddenly find myself in a genuine "situation". I can't take a chance on my knife not being up to whatever tasks the situation demands. THAT'S the criteria for a survival knife in MY book. And if it someday means I have to cut my way out of an overturned car or bus, then I KNOW my knife is up to the task, and will still be useable for other tasks afterwards. This actually happened to a friend of mine, where his Swamp Rat Camp Trap was used to cut and pry a hole through a car door to allow him and his friend to escape an overturned, crushed, and crumpled 4x4 that he had rolled off a cliff as he was attempting to climb it.....it saved his life. I seriously doubt a lesser knife would have done the job, and where this happened he would not have been found for days or weeks. In fact his companion, who was not familiar with Swamp Rat knives at the time, was deathly afraid that the knife would break before they were able to cut their way out of the vehicle. He too now has one in each vehicle he owns. You may be willing to stake your life on something less than the best, but not me. I don't take a casual approach to my equipment. I don't limit the possibilities to the usual applications. If I can expand my options, then I multiply my odds of survival, and isn't THAT what it's all about....improving your odds? Sure a KaBar or Buck or other "store brand" knife will do for most of the common tasks you would demand of a knife. Guess what! A Busse/Swamp Rat/ScrapYard will do these things too, in ADDITION to the more extraordinary feats that are beyond the ability of the lesser knives. Others may be willing to settle for stuff that is good enough for "most" situations, but I'm kinda fond of living, so I figure another $100-$150 spent on a critical piece of equipment in order to gain an edge (like that...edge!! ) is a good investment towards keeping me around. It's a value judgement we each have to make. I've made mine.
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which website has the best selection of fxed blade survival knifes? If you could only have one fixed blade...what would it be? Try Oso Grande, New Graham Knives and One Stop Knife Shop (1sks) If I could only have one fixed blade, it would be this one: 
I own several high quality fixed blades, but this Bill Buxton 52100 EDC is my favorite. ETA - I tried to link to all three stores, but couldn't get the last one to work. Every time I edited my post to fix it, the system FUBARed not only that link, but the others as well. The changes to the site suck. |
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If you are on a budget, the Buck Nighthawk can be had for around $40 from walmart. I have read(on the internet, so it must be true ) that they are a pretty decent blade. Having just been in a situation that required a fixed blade knife, I recommend getting something very decent at the least. I also haven't heard any bad things about the Bark River bravo 1. (I am thinking about getting one of these myself.)And this situation was...? It may help someone decide on a fixed blade. Michael |
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I never intend to whittle concrete and any idiot that does shoulda probably spent the money they spent on that knife to buy medication. Agreed that anyone that intentionally whittles concrete should have their head examined. The point of the demonstration was to highlight the toughness of the knife, and its resistance to UNINTENTIONAL damage as well as its ability to take on extraordinary tasks in extraordinary situations. You may not be chopping concrete, but you MAY accidently hit a rock while chopping wood. With most knifes, that would mean a damaged or even broken blade, but not with any of the Busse products. Worst case is you mearly strop the edge with a ceramic or steel rod to straighten the edge back out, and go back to work. Need to dig out a pine knot, or drill out a piece of wood, or dig up edible tubers? You can do these things with a Busse, Swamp Rat, or Scrap Yard without ANY worry about breaking the tip off the knife or chipping the edge....not so with your standard production knives. Have a rock or log pin your arm or leg? The fact that your knife can function as a prybar WITHOUT BREAKING may just save your arm or leg, if not your life. Busse products have a PROVEN ability to withstand this type of abuse without damage. Your lesser knives will almost assuredly bend or break in a similiar situation. The fact that you can chop through a car door hinge with a Busse product, or hammer one through a piece of steel tubing, or pry up rocks and logs doesn't mean that is what you intend to do with the knife! It simply implies the logic that if it can handle THAT degree of abuse, then you can certainly count on it to perform normal uses expected to be encountered in everyday use or in a true survival situation. I take survival equipment seriously. This isn't a game to me, because my job and my passtimes tend to take me into places where I can suddenly find myself in a genuine "situation". I can't take a chance on my knife not being up to whatever tasks the situation demands. THAT'S the criteria for a survival knife in MY book. And if it someday means I have to cut my way out of an overturned car or bus, then I KNOW my knife is up to the task, and will still be useable for other tasks afterwards. This actually happened to a friend of mine, where his Swamp Rat Camp Trap was used to cut and pry a hole through a car door to allow him and his friend to escape an overturned, crushed, and crumpled 4x4 that he had rolled off a cliff as he was attempting to climb it.....it saved his life. I seriously doubt a lesser knife would have done the job, and where this happened he would not have been found for days or weeks. In fact his companion, who was not familiar with Swamp Rat knives at the time, was deathly afraid that the knife would break before they were able to cut their way out of the vehicle. He too now has one in each vehicle he owns. You may be willing to stake your life on something less than the best, but not me. I don't take a casual approach to my equipment. I don't limit the possibilities to the usual applications. If I can expand my options, then I multiply my odds of survival, and isn't THAT what it's all about....improving your odds? Sure a KaBar or Buck or other "store brand" knife will do for most of the common tasks you would demand of a knife. Guess what! A Busse/Swamp Rat/ScrapYard will do these things too, in ADDITION to the more extraordinary feats that are beyond the ability of the lesser knives. Others may be willing to settle for stuff that is good enough for "most" situations, but I'm kinda fond of living, so I figure another $100-$150 spent on a critical piece of equipment in order to gain an edge (like that...edge!! ) is a good investment towards keeping me around. It's a value judgement we each have to make. I've made mine.
I see what you are saying, I really do. I'd like to see something you have made, in the woods, with your Busse. Like a snare, wooden spoon, a chair, etc. I like Busse's big blades, they are great camp knives and they could take the place of my bolo. I acrtually have an assortment of large fixed blades and most fit in that sheath so they are interchangable. My Stainthorpe Bushcrafter is not a "lesser" knife by any means. it costs what a Busse costs, it's just more suited to bushcraft than any Busse I'm seen or handled. Many knives will do what we, in the SF here, require in a knife. There is no "right knife" for everyone. There is the "right knife" for every individual. I think skill is far more important than the blade selection. |
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I like the ontario RTAK and the rest of the RAT line. I'm also partial to my SOG seal pup. Cold steel knives are ok too but often need to be reground. Take a look at knife outletr some good deals. http://www.knifeoutlet.com/
If you've go the coin Randall knives are the best and can be had without the wait. www.agrussell.com/category.asp?c=2537&bhcd2=1225552101 
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If you are on a budget, the Buck Nighthawk can be had for around $40 from walmart. I have read(on the internet, so it must be true ) that they are a pretty decent blade. Having just been in a situation that required a fixed blade knife, I recommend getting something very decent at the least. I also haven't heard any bad things about the Bark River bravo 1. (I am thinking about getting one of these myself.)And this situation was...? It may help someone decide on a fixed blade. Michael This |