Bring up the topic of what makes the best survival and/or hunting knife, and you will get opinions! But the survival knife topic begs to be explored. Of all the tools needed to ensure your survival in an emergency wilderness situation, a good knife would have to be ranked number one. So let the debate begin!
Ever wonder what to do with that hole in the knife handle, or the split ring on your pocket knife? Combine these with a piece of cord to make your knife safer. by Leon Pantenburg Use paracord and the hole in the handle to make a knife safer and easy to keep track of.
I traveled much of the rapids in a life jacket. Our canoe and gear was rolling and sliding through Clarno Rapids on the John Day River and headed for the Columbia River.
My wife and I had managed to dump the canoe at the head of the rapids. We were both OK, and it was not a survival situation. But I re-learned a lesson: You keep whatever equipment is secured to you. You lose what isn't.
Among the survival tools that went into the drink was my Mora knife. It had been riding in the standard plastic sheath on my belt, which works fine until I was tumbled through whitewater.
Later, I got another Mora 860, drilled a hole at the end of the handle, and secured the knife to the sheath with a piece of paracord. Problem solved.
Today, many knives are coming with a hole in the handle. But I don't see a lot of people taking advantage of them. All you have to do is make a lanyard out of a piece of fluorescent, reflective paracord, and you immediately make your knife safer.
Here's five reasons why you should: Secure against loss: The thought of a razor-sharp knife churning around loose in the whitewater near me encouraged thoughts of a solution. Since most Moras have a partial tang which ends midway through the handle, drilling a hole was simple. Then, tying the knife to the sheath was easy. Safety when processing a large animal: While field dressing a large game animal, there comes a time when you'll reach inside the cavity to cut the esophagus so the intestines can be pulled out. This is a messy, bloody situation, which makes a knife handle slippery. You really don't want your hand to slip down the handle onto the blade.
]This Bark River Aurora bushcraft knife will be easier to see with the fluorescent, reflective paracord attached to the handle.
Or suppose a lengthy fish-cleaning session is going on. As your knife dulls, the handle will probably get slippery from the slimes, scales, blood and guts. All it takes is an inattentive instant to hurt yourself.
A lanyard around your wrist or hand can prevent this. Hand-to-hand combat: The rarest of all combat scenarios is where people square off with pointy, edged weapons to try and kill each other. (Another definition of "hand-to-hand" is "out of ammo.") Unless you believe the "Walking Dead" scenario is possible, this potential is not even on most people's radar.
But sabers and other sharp weapons have traditionally had some way to secure the weapon, so it doesn't get wrested away in battle. If a fighting knife is in your future, consider how you will hang on to it during a struggle. Safety while using: If you're using the knife in deep snow, or where there is the potential for dropping it in water or mud, tie a longer cord to the lanyard. Then tie the cord to your belt or run it through a button hole. That could save losing your best survival tool. The bright flagging attached to the handle lanyard can help you keep track of the machete in deep snow or jungle. Greater visibility: Put your knife down while doing some task, and you may lose it. Or forget where you put it. The easy solution is to get a knife with a high visibility handle.
I usually tie a piece of fluorescent flagging to the handle of my machete when making igloos or snow shelters. The flagging will flutter with the wind and mark the machete location.
Using the hole in the handle certainly isn't rocket science. And running paracord through that hole to secure the knife is not a new idea. But if this prevents loss of your only survival tool, you'll be pleased you did it. Please click here to check out and subscribe to the SurvivalCommonSense.com YouTube channel, and hereto sign up for our weekly email update - thanks!
A fillet knife is a specialty tool for filleting fish. Here is how to choose one that will fit your needs. by Leon Pantenburg
After a few weeks on the Mississippi River, my gear was pared and refined for lean, efficient cruising. (To read the story of my end-to-end Mississippi River canoe trip, click on Canoe Voyage.) All the extra fishing gear I didn't need was sent home. The Forschner six-inch boning knife (top) with a flexible blade is a fine tool for filleting fish; the Cutco shown below it has a seven-to-nine inch adjustable blade. (Pantenburg photo)
I carried two knives for the rest of the six-month journey: a Buck folding hunting knife rode in a sheath on my belt and a filleting knife was in my tackle box.
The Buck handled everything from spreading peanut butter to cutting apples to beheading fish.
My fillet knife was a Fisckar with a six-inch blade. It worked very well for filleting pan-sized fish and was used at least once a day to prepare whatever fish I caught.
A good specialty knife makes filleting fish easy. Picking the right one is not that hard.
To start with, a fillet knife is a specialized tool, featuring a flexible, thin blade and it wouldn't be my first choice as an all-around survival knife. The long, thin blade that makes it good for filleting means it won't be the best choice for skinning big game animals. The fillet blade would also not hold up well under prolonged use for whittling, batoning wood or every day cutting chores.
Here's what to look for in a good fillet knife: Flexible blade: The blade needs to be sharp, but flexible, so it moves easily around bones. But it needs enough backbone, so it can cut through small bones, such as those pesky "Y" bones in northern pike. Non-slip handle: A smushy, easy-to-grab handle that doesn't get slippery is a really good idea for safety. Once some fish guts or slime get on the knife, you don't want the handle to be hard to hold. Easy to sharpen:A fillet knife will get used for a lot of cutting, and will have lots of opportunities to get dull. The steel
This Mora cleaned this limit of trout and was shaving sharp at the end of the job. The soft, non-slip handle was safe to use, even when covered with slime, scales and fish guts.
needs to hold an edge well, but still be easy to sharpen. While I generally prefer carbon steel because it's easier to sharpen, stainless may be a good choice in a blade that will be constantly exposed to blood, fish scales and water. Appropriate blade length: Lengths of blade, IMO, should match the size of the fish. A five-inch is about the minimum for smaller panfish, and I like a six-to-seven inch for medium fish, and a nine-inch for steelhead, salmon and larger saltwater fish.
My six-inch Forschner boning knife is a first cousin to a fillet knife, and I use mine a lot for fish filleting. The Forcshner is designed for meat cutting, but the only difference I can see is that the boning blade is a little less flexible than that of a filleting blade.
Like all survival tools, the one that you like best and that you can use most safely, is your best choice!
A well-designed knife with inferior steel in the blade is a waste of money. Worse, it could break or fail when you need it most. Before you buy anything, consider the steel in the blade. Here are some steels in knives I have used and trust.
by Leon Pantenburg
The most important aspect of a survival knife, IMO, is the quality of steel in the blade.
A good blade steel will stay sharp, but be easy to resharpen. It will hold its edge throughout a variety of tasks it may be called upon to do, ranging from cutting rope, whittling sticks, cleaning fish or small game etc. During rough tasks, it won't break, provided reasonable care it taken.
Long before I saw the steel characteristics list below, I had opinions on blade steel. Based on field use and experience I gravitated toward certain knife brands. There are many excellent knives on the market, and I can't test them all. But these have worked well for me, primarily because of the excellent quality blades. This Mora is an incredibly useful knife in a multitude of tasks. (Pantenburg photo)
Mora: This small, inexpensive knife is a workhorse. One of my hunting buddies got a Mora 840 and started using it. He has other, excellent hunting knives, but so far he has field dressed three deer and an elk with his Mora. He claims he doesn't have to re-sharpen the Mora when working on a carcass. Many Mora-brand blades are UHB-20C carbon steel. PUMA: One of my favorite small game knives is the PUMA stockman pocket knife. The knife carries easily in a pocket while bird or waterfowl hunting, and the blade designs are just what you need for field dressing small animals. Another nice aspect is that with three blades, you can switch out as soon as one blade starts to get dull. Here are three of my favorite small games knives, From top: Opinel, a vintage Imperial fish knife, and the Puma stockman. (Pantenburg photo)
The steel used to make PUMA German knives, according to the company brochure, is the "best knife steel in the world." The proper amount of carbon makes a knife easy to sharpen and hold a cutting edge, but it also allows a knife to rust more easily unless other trace elements are added to protect oxidation.
In the 440C steel, about 1% carbon is added for a great edge and about 17% chromium to maintain the temper but inhibit rust, according to PUMA. About 0.35% Silicon is also added to the base alloy to deoxidize the steel and further stabilize the blade. Additionally, other trace elements such as manganese, phosphorus, sulfur, and molybdenum are added to increase the ability of the steel to form an edge and hold it once formed. These trace elements cause the molecules to align more evenly when cooling to give better structural strength and consistency. This Cold Steel SRK has served me well for more than 20 years. (Pantenburg photo)
Cold Steel: My SRK shows wear, but it is still going strong after more than 20 years of constant use. At one point, I field dressed three deer without resharpening it.
I also really like the Master Hunter. A couple years ago, I deliberately used it for all my cutting tasks on an elk hunt. For the finale, the Master Hunter was used to skin a cow elk. During this hunt, the knife was used extensively, and didn't need re-sharpening.
My old SRK has COLD STEEL CARBON V MADE IN USA stamped on the blade, but today's SRK includes steel of VG-1 San Mai IIIAUS 8A.
I bought my Buck folder in 1976, and used it for years before replacing it with a Cold Steel SRK.
Buck: I bought my first Buck folder new for $25 on August 31, 1976, at the Ace Hardware Store in Lovell, Wyoming. I used it extensively until I opted for a rigid blade and bought my SRK in 1991. That Buck was my everyday carry knife on my six-month, end-t0-end Mississippi River canoe voyage. The blades held a great edge, despite being used for virtually everything a canoe knife can be used for.
Buck’s standard blade material, according to the Buck Company, is 420HC because it combines "excellent wear resistance of high carbon alloys with the corrosion resistance of chromium stainless steels." An exclusive heat-treat process for superior corrosion resistance, the company claims, creates "excellent tensile strength, hardness and wear resistance." 420HC Steel is a High Carbon (HC) version of standard 420 martensitic stainless steels, Buck says, which means they can be can be hardened to a Rockwell hardness of Rc 5. Boker: Boker is a commercial manufacturer and distributor of knives, based in Solingen, Germany, however they've long had production facilities outside of Germany. The knifes they sell in America are made in Denver, Colorado.
My dad got the classic Canoe pattern Boker for Christmas on year. It went right into his pocket and to work as a farmer/carpenter's knife. The Boker held up extremely well to all the use and abuse. While the blades showed extensive wear from sharpening, there was no potential for failure. Dad lost the knife one fall while we were picking corn.
Boker uses many different materials in its blades, so before you buy, check out the specs.
Here is "the tip of the iceberg" of knife steels, posted by Steven on Linked In.
154 CM: Carbon 1.05 %; Manganese 0.5%; Chromium 14%. A high carbon alloy, a very hard steel, first used for knifes in 1972. Used for combat knives by companies like Gerber and Benchmade.
420: Carbon 0.15%-0.6%; 1% Manganese; 12-14% Chromium. An inexpensive steel, but hard steel. 420HC: Carbon 0.5-0.7%; Manganese 0.35-0.9%; Chromium 13.5%. A popular, hard steel. Used by companies like Gerber and Buck knives.
440A: Carbon 0.60-0.75%; Manganese 1.0%; Chromium 16.0-18.0%. High carbon, hard steel. Used by SOG for their SEAL 2000.
440B: Carbon 0.75-0.95%; Manganese 1.0%; Chromium 16-18%. Used by Randall Knives. 440C: Carbon 0.95 - 1.20%; Manganese 0.40%; Chromium 17.0%; Vanadium 0.50%; Molybdenum 0.50%. One of the most popular knife steels in the world. Hard, durable, and easy to work with. Used in the SOG Bowie knife.
ATS34: Carbon 1.05%; Manganese 0.4%; Chromium 14.0%. A Japanese version of 154 CM, a hard steel that is used by Spyderco, Buck, and Gerber knives.
AUS-8: Carbon 0.7-0.8%; Manganese 1.0%; Chromium 13.0-14.5%; Nickel 0.5%; Vanadium 0.1-0.25%; Molybdenum 0.1 - 0.3%. A hard steel used by many custom knifemakers and companies like Spyderco, SOG, and Kershaw among others.
CPM-S30V (Also called S30V): Carbon 1.45%; Chromium 14%; Molybdenum 2%; Vanadium 4%. A high wear, durable, hard steel, excellent for knives. Used by Spyderco, Lone Wolf, and Benchmade.
CPM440V: Carbon 2.15%; Manganese 0.4%; Chromium 17%; Vanadium 5.5%; Molybdenum 0.4%. An extremely hard, high carbon steel. Used for Kershaw folding knives, like the Ken Onion designed Boa knives.
D-2: Carbon 1.5%; Molybdenum 1%; Chromium 12%Vanadium 1%. A stain-resistant, but not quite stainless, tool steel, used in knife making by Bob Dozier, Benchmade, and Ka-Bar knives. Has good edge retention, but needs to be cleaned frequently so it does not rust. Damascus Steel: A legendary steel used by Muslim people against Europeans during the Crusades. It was said to be much stronger, flexible, and sharper than European steel. The process for making it was lost. Many people have experimented with recreating Damascus steel, notably Bill Moran.
M-2: Carbon 0.85%; Tungsten 6.35%; Molybdenum 5.0%; Chromium 4.0%; Vanadium 2%. A good steel used in kitchen knives and folding knives. A high-speed steel, meaning it is resistant to high temperatures and will maintain its edge even when extremely hot.
M-4: Carbon 1.3%; Tungsten 6.35%; Molybdenum 5.0%; Chromium 4.0%; Vanadium 4%. Much like M-2 in its heat resistance, but with a higher carbon that makes it more difficult to sharpen or work. Makes an excellent knife blade.
O-1: Carbon .85-1%; Manganese 1-1.4%; Chromium 0.4-0.6%; Vanadium 0.3%. A very popular, easy to tool, high carbon steel. One of the most popular knife steels for beginning knifesmiths.
Sandvic 12C27: Carbon 0.6%; Manganese 0.35%; Chromium 14.0%. A Swedish steel, very popular because it has few impurities.
Stainless steel: A steel that has a high chromium content to prevent rust. Because knives need high carbon to remain sharp, a stainless steel for knives is just rust resistant, not completely rust proof.
Titanium: A lightweight, hard metal used for knife handles and parts. It does not have good edge retention, so it does not typically make good blades. Because of its resilience against harsh elements, it is used frequently for diving knives.
I bought this knife, received no compensation for doing this review, and am not associated in any form with "Survivorman." Here is a review of the Les Stroud Arctic Survival Knife. by Leon Pantenburg
When
it comes to survival shows, it seems like viewers all have a favorite.
While I appreciate a good adventure tale as much as the next person, I
don't care for Hollywood sensationalization passed off as valid survival
techniques. Subsequently, I don't regularly watch any of the survival
productions.
Les Stroud S.K. Arctic survival knife
But
I get questions about the gear. People want info before investing in
products, particularly those based, in part, on an actor's celebrity. So I tested the Les Stroud Arctic survival knife. Read the review and see the video.
I bought this knife. I received no compensation for writing this review. I have avoided reviewing any Bear Grylls survival gear. I think Bear does crazy, foolhardy things on his show in the name of entertainment and sensationalism, and that somebody will die or get seriously injured following his example. by Leon Pantenburg
But somebody is buying his line of survival products. In 2011 the Ultimate was the best-selling knife in the world. Gerber now makes the Ultimate Knife with a fine-edge from the top of the handle to the tip of the blade. There were some issues with the first series that came out two years ago, but the upgraded Ultimate model has apparently dealt with them.
The Bear Grylls Ultimate survival Knife
I have received several requests asking for opinions about the new knife. So here we go. On first blush, the knife has some features I like, such as the full-tang, five-inch drop point blade, a soft, easy to grip handle, and a ferrocerrium rod that fits in the sheath. It has a bright orange trim on the handle, which is important on a survival knife. People concerned with concealment can always cover the orange with camouflage duct tape. Knife Features:
High Carbon Stainless Steel Drop Point Blade. Gone are the serrations. People either love or hate serrated edges, and I hate them. IMO, serrations are a specialty edge that most people won't need or use. When they dull, sharpening serrations takes skill and a specialized tool.
Ergonomic Textured Rubber Grip - Maximizes comfort and reduces slippage. Thanks goodness, there was no hollow handle full of junk! A non-slip handle is a requirement for a knife that will be used in hunting or survival situations. Dress out a big game animal, and you will inevitably get blood and other fluids on the handle. If your hand slips onto the blade, it could be really, really bad.
Stainless Steel Pommel - At base of handle for hammering. In some 40 years of kicking around the backcounty, I have never had occasion to pound on something with the pommel of a knife. Pick up a rock or stick to do any hammering. Don't risk your knife.
Emergency Whistle - Integrated into lanyard cord. This is loud and handy, as it should be. I always carry a couple of whistles, and this feature is valuable.
Sheath Features:
Fire Starter - Ferrocerium rod locks into sheath, striker notch incorporated into back of knife blade. This is a good addition to any survival knife system.
Land to air rescue instructions - These are things you should learn or already know. Having a reminder along on the back of the sheath is not a bad idea.
Diamond Sharpener - Integrated into sheath for on-the-go sharpening.
Priorities of Survival - Pocket guide contains Bear’s survival essentials.
My standards for knife evaluation are based on use, not abuse. Try hard enough and you can break anything, and I’m not sure what that necessarily proves. So essentially, all the knives I evaluate start out in the kitchen. They are used at every opportunity, to see how the blade works for different common tasks. Also, I’ll find some lengthy cutting job, such as slicing prime rib thin, to test the handle design. The Ultimate came out of the box sharp enough to shave hair.
So the testing began.
I chopped some carrots and cut up and disjointed a chicken, and sliced some steak. No problem, and it held its edge. The handle is comfortable and non-slip. Then I cut up some corrugated cardboard, one of the most abrasive and knife-dulling materials imaginable. The edge held up OK. I cut the cardboard until the blade lost its razor edge, then touched it up with a butcher's steel. A few swipes restored the blade to its former sharpness.
Next, I whittled on a hard, old pine stick until the knife started to get hard to use. It didn't take long for the edge to lose its sharpness. IMO, it dulled too easily, which would indicate an inferior or too-soft steel.
Then I tried the ferrocerium rod with the specially-ground part of the blade. Ignition sparks were quick and sure. The ferro rod is top quality, and it throws a hot spark.
There is a diamond sharpener on the back of the sheath. It works fine, but most people probably don't have the skill to use such a sharpener.
I didn't like the sheath. The carrying loops on the back are too small for most belts, and it doesn't look particularly sturdy. The plastic part of the sheath appeared well-designed - all it needs is a better holder or platform.
I designed this prototype Jim Grenfell hollow handle survival knife. It has a five-inch drop point blade. (Pantenburg photo)
Survival instructions: These are a collection of myths and misinformation. Some of the skills shown are way beyond a beginner to imtermediate's skill levels, and trying to learn and implement some of them during a survival situation is a recipe for disaster.
Overall, I'm lukewarm about this knife. It relies too heavily on Bear Gryll's celebrity and too little on sound design and quality. While it's not a bad knife, it is just not a very good knife or something I would stake my safety on.
I won't buy another Ultimate. But I would suggest this to Gerber: Take your knife design, leave the handle as it is, and put some good steel in the blade. Keep the plastic part of the sheath, with the ferro rod, and attach it to a better platform that allows for comfortable carry. Get rid of the diamond sharpener.
Stay with Bear for the PR and advertising aspect - he is fooling millions of people with his survival shenanigans and you are benefiting too. But dump the "Priorites of Survival" tips and get an expert, such as Peter Kummerfeldt, to write something practical.
Do some tweaking - then you will have a quality product you can be proud of.
(Check out "The Best Survival Knife?" blog by clicking here!)
What qualities need to be included the best survival/hunting knife is the topic of endless discussion. But maybe the conversation should start with the attributes you don't want. Here are some suggestions. by Leon Pantenburg
My preferences in survival/hunting knives are based on experience, personal prejudices and use in the field. So when readers ask which style knife I prefer, it's sometimes easier to point out what I don't want.
This Cold Steel SRK is my choice for a survival knife.
But for the sake of definition, I'm going to call a survival/hunting knife the one knife you would take along in your daypack on a hunt. That knife would be able to handle whatever survival tasks came up, as well as process a big game animal in the field. If you're choosing a survival/hunting knife, here are some things to avoid: Folding blade: I carry a couple of folding knives on a daily basis, and I love pocket knives of all sizes, shapes and configurations. But the weak point in any folder is the hinge, and that is the place it is most likely to break. The hinge is also an expensive part to make, so in less-expensive folders, that means quality will have to be compromised somewhere else.
Any folder has the potential to fold the blade on a finger. A lock blade won't guarantee safety. Several years ago, a local Boy Scout cut his finger severely when the lock on his blade failed. This won't happen with a rigid blade. Also, when you're using a knife for cooking, you don't want a folder because of the potential for food debris to get in the handle and joints of the hinge.
For years, I carried a Buck folding hunting knife, and still like it very much. But I wouldn't consider any folder a survival knife. Gut hook: The only value of a gut hook, IMO, is to make a couple of incisions down the belly when gutting a big game animal. Those specialized cuts are not worth having a gut hook for. The hook looks awful, will catch on things, may snag your clothing or possibly cut you. It eliminates the ability to apply pressure on the top of the knife.
A gut hook can be used for some skinning, but it requires a specialized file or tool to sharpen it. It you must have a gut hook, get one designed specifically for gutting and skinning, such as a Wyoming Knife with replaceable blades. Serrated edge: Another specialized grind that isn't that useful. If you're doing a lot of cutting of weeds, fibers etc, there might be some benefit to a serrated edge. I've heard some law enforcement officers and military folks like a serrated edge for cutting through zip-ties used as handcuffs. But generally, the serrations will dull fairly easily, and require a specialized tool and some expertise to restore sharpness. Hollow handle: The 1980s Rambo movies, starring a steroid-infused, testosterone-exuding Sylvester Stallone, started the whole hollow-handle Bowie-type survival knife cult. Rambo, according to the “First Blood” scriptwriters, could apparently pack anything he needed for wilderness or urban survival in the hollow handle of his knife/sword. As the Rambo movies progressed, the knives got bigger.
In the real world, I don't see any point in a knife with a hollow handle. The miniscule storage space gained from the hollow is not worth compromising the tang in the handle. (Beside - just what would you put in that space? Here's some thoughts - check out what to put in your hollow handle knife.) Blade saw edge:You've all seen the survival knives with the saw grind on the back of the blade opposite the edge.
C.T. Fischer four-inch Bushcraft Knife
Most of those saws are worthless. For a saw to cut and clean itself, the points have to be alternately offset of each other. That means the points protrude past the edge of the steel. This would cause the blade to catch on the sheath. Also, unless the blade is really long, you'd get a tiny, inches-long stroke. Even if the saw blade was sharp, and cut and cleaned itself, it would take a long time to cut through anything. Blade too long: For decades, I have handled my big game processing chores with a variety of butcher tools with blades ranging in length from three to 10 inches. Each tool has a specialized task, and it performs that job very well. But the knife I carry hunting will have a four-to-six-inch blade. It will be used for gutting the animal in the field, skinning and quartering the carcass.
So what do I use? A Cold Steel Master Hunter is a really good choice as a hunting knife. My Cold Steel SRK is my pick for a survival knife. My C.T. Fischer four-inch Bushcraft knife is probably the most versatile, rugged knife I own. Because of its light weight, small size and comfortable handle, I tend to include it in my pack on most outings.
Those are my choices and my thoughts.
You can skin and field dress squirrels, rabbits, upland game and smaller animals with many different styles of knives. Here's how to pick one that can do the job well for you, while not breaking the budget. by Leon Pantenburg
Click here to buy survival kits
cardboard sheath 40-some years ago. The blade is quite usable and the sheath still does its job very well! Nostalgia aside, it never worked all that well for small game cleaning. (Pantenburg photos)[/caption]
Generally speaking, when it comes to processing small game, smaller is better. A large Bowie-style knife is worthless for this task, and it only takes one session with your large survival knife to prove that. Likewise, the wide, stubby blades of a big game skinning knife won't work all that well either.
During my formative years of small game hunting in central Iowa, I was enamored with the concept of a large hunting knife with a sheath. I couldn't find one I could afford, so that lead, at age 13, to my first foray into knife-making.
After a lot of grinding and work, I made a clip point hunting knife with a six-inch blade. I didn't have any leather, so a temporary sheath was made out of cardboard and tape. Today, 40-some years later, that combo resides in my gun cabinet.
Though the blade held an edge well, it didn't take me long to realize it was too big for much besides stabbing bears and hand-to-hand combat. It was also bulky and heavy, and was hard to carry. I habitually carried a pocket knife, as all farmboys did, and ended up using it for all my small game work. A standard middle-sized Stockman with a clip, a sheep's foot and a spey blade was all I ever needed until I took up big game hunting.
Before buying anything, here are some attributes to look for in a small game knife: Ease of sharpening: In Iowa, the daily bag limit for rabbits was 10, and many times, my hunting buddies and I would limit out. The same thing could happen with pheasants or quail. A successful hunt could mean a long processing session. A three-bladed pocket knife was a good tool choice, because when one blade got dull, I could switch to another. But no matter what knife you choose, it needs to be easy to sharpen and must hold an edge well.
[caption id="attachment_13137" align="alignright" width="300"] (From top) the Opinel, Imperial fish knife and Puma Bird Hunter could all serve as small game knives.[/caption]
Easy to carry: When small game hunting, I like to field dress the animal as soon as it is killed. That means the knife must be at hand, and easy to get to and use. In small game animals, there isn't all that much skinning involved. You pull the hide off rabbits and squirrels and most other animals under about 10 pounds, so a skinning-style blade is not necessary. I also prefer to stop sometime about mid-day and skin and completely takes care of the carcass. Then it is placed in a cloth or culinary plastic bag, such as rice comes in, and cooled. Comfortable handle: Many smaller pocket or rigid-blade knives don't have very ergonomic handles. Especially in a pocket knife, the handles tend to be thin and slim for easy carry in a pocket. I like a bigger handle for a work knife, and many of the pretty, good looking handles on smaller knives won't be comfortable to use for extended periods of time.
Here are some of my favorite small game knives: Pocket knife: I've already stated my affection for pocketknives, but don't, on principle, like a folding blade for hunting purposes because of the potential for folding the
[caption id="attachment_13133" align="alignleft" width="180"] My Puma Bird Hunter, (top) resembles my Dad's Sullivan pocket knife. Dad carried that Sullivan for years as his everyday, do-everything knife.[/caption]
blade onto a finger. I also don't like how blood, guts, fur and feathers can gunk up the hinge, or get in the space where the folded blade resides. If your knife is intended to be an all-purpose tool, it could end up being very unsanitary for cooking.
That said, I frequently carry my three-blade Puma Bird Hunter small game hunting, because it is so handy and the steel holds an edge so well. Sometimes, I'll take a lockblade Buck Lite, because it is really lightweight and holds an edge well. Opinel: Made in France, the Opinel is an inexpensive, wooden-handled folder with a twist-lock blade. That makes it, IMO, the safest lockblade on the market. It comes in several sizes, but my favorite, and the one I use the most, is the three-inch blade model. The drop blade point and belly on the blade makes it a useful tool.
Mora: My go-to "survival" knife is a Mora-style knife with a three-to-four-inch blade. I like one with a soft, smushy handle, though that isn't a deal breaker. Since I usually wear vinyl gloves when handling butchering tasks, I don't tend to get slippery hands.
A Mora-style knife is inexpensive. Since there is no hinge to pay for, the manufacturing investment is in the blade. I have several Mora-styles I
The C.T. Fischer Bushcraft is my pet custom knife, but the J. Marttiini utility knife below it is equally useful on small game.
regularly use, but the Finnish Janne Marttiini utility knife is a favorite. With a 3.75-inch blade and a large orange handle, the Marttiini cuts well, and will be easy to find if dropped. C.T. Fischer Full-Tang Bushcraft knife: Everybody who likes knives should have a couple nice ones. I treated myself last year to a four-inch, full tang Bushcraft, and have no regrets. I love the knife and in addition to being a wonderful small game hunting knife, it also is my all-around tool that goes in my daypack. The steel is superb and the handle is incredibly well-fitting for my large (glove size) hands.
When it comes to processing small game, there is a wide assortment of choices. When you get right down to it, an Exacto knife with interchangeable blades could serve you very well. Or you could use a Stanley utility knife from Walmart.
But what fun would that be, and how would you be able to justify shopping for and buying another knife?
Make your knife choices based on the kinds of game you anticipate harvesting, the conditions you will hunt under and what you like. Then you can't go wrong.
There are knives you need and knives you want. My latest four-inch bushcraft knife acquisition from C.T. Fischer fits both categories! (Disclaimer: C.T. Fischer knives are advertised on this website, after the products first passed a rigorous testing process. The following review is my opinion and had no prior input, feedback or editing by C.T. Fischer Knives. Check out the video review below.) by Leon Pantenburg
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Last year, I tested the C.T. Fischer Nessmuk knife, and liked it so much I got one of his four-inch Bushcraft knives. I haven't needed a knife in many years, but the Fischer's catalog photos showed a knife I really wanted.
It all has to do with feel.
I hunt squirrels, rabbits and other small game with Annabelle, a handmade .40 caliber flintlock muzzle loading Pennsylvania rifle. Annabelle has a custom-made, gorgeous curly maple, full length stock.
In 2003, the late Jim Grenfell made me a tomahawk, with a curly maple handle to match. All I needed was the right knife, and I would have the quintessential eastern long hunter setup.
I saw the knife I was looking for in the C.T. Fischer catalog. C.T. Fischer Knives are based in Elk City, Idaho, and knifemaker Christopher T. Fischer hand makes his cutlery one item at a time. The knife I wanted was the four-inch, full tang Bushcraft knife, and it bore a striking resemblance to a Mora. The knife handle could be made of a variety of different materials.
Yes, he had some curly maple, Fischer said, and a deal was struck. The waiting list for Fischer knives can be a few weeks or months, and finally, my Bushcraft knife arrived. I immediately took out the rifle and tomahawk, and the knife matched almost exactly.
The handle fits like it was made for my hand, and the finish, wood fit and shape of the blade were just what I was looking for. But I won't carry any piece of equipment that hasn't been proven, so I started testing it.
The quality of Fischer's steel was a given after I wrung out the Nessmuk, so I didn't do any outright abuse to the Bushcraft knife.
Fischer handmakes a variety of knives made out of used circular saw blades that formerly saw duty in a lumber mill. Fischer knives are shaped by grinding, and he didn't do any additional tempering on my Nessmuk. Since last year, though, Fischer has perfected a new heat treating method that he claims makes the steel even better for blades. My knife testing is a lengthy process. All of them start out in the kitchen. The knife is used at every opportunity, to evaluate how the blade and handle work for different common tasks. Then, I'll find some lengthy cutting job, to test the handle design. I cleaned a few fish, peeled some potatoes and carved some meat. The knife did just fine, even though it wasn't the best for all those tasks.
The Bushcraft knife comes with a custom leather sheath.
Once the knife passed the kitchen test, it went outdoors. I didn't baton (pound the knife through a piece of firewood to make kindling) with it. I don't believe this test proves much about blade quality. With the right technique and piece of wood, you can split kindling with a butter knife.
But I did I cut up a bunch of jute twine, cut up a bunch of cardboard (which is a real test of edge-holding), and whittled a bunch of sticks for starting fires. Since hunting season isn't for several months, I had to postpone actual hunting field use.
The blade held its edge, though the cardboard finally dulled it. A few swipes with my butchering steel returned it to shaving sharp. The Bushcraft knife comes with a Scandinavian bevel edge to it, so sharpening is a snap.
Mostly what I did though, was carry it on a daily basis. The sheath is a fine piece of leatherwork, and secures the knife well. The only addition I made was to put a brass D-ring in the belt loop, so I could attach the knife to a belt key holder or the outside of my pack.
The Bushcraft also rode to the office in my briefcase, where it was used for letter opening, slicing bagels and spreading peanut butter. In the field and in the office, the Bushcraft did every task required of it.
The four-inch Bushcraft retails for $199, which I think is a steal for a product hand-made by an American craftsman. While you can buy cheaper, mass-produced knives, it would be hard to find a better one than the four-inch Bushcraft.
Look at it this way: Every cutlery enthusiast can afford a few nice knives, the ones that you enjoy looking at as well as using. The good knives will last forever and be passed down to kids and grandchildren.
And speaking of good knives, the Fischer catalog has a five-inch or six-inch drop point Bushcraft knife that would look really nice with my .50 caliber Lyman Great Plains rifle. I made two Great Plains rifles from kits in 1982, kept one, and gave the other to my brother, Mike, as a high school graduation present. We will hunt elk with those rifles in Idaho in November and one of those larger Bushcraft knives would really look good with my rifle and powder horn... For more information and to view the C.T. Fischer knives website, click here. For more information about survival and backcountry knives, click here!
If you love cutlery and are interested in wilderness survival, the best survival knife debate is a fascinating topic. And like most enthusiasts, discussing the topic of "What is the best survival knife?" is as much fun as shopping for a new blade. Land navigation expert Blake Miller recently attended a Search and Rescue conference and talked to some experts about what knives to carry in the wilderness. This is the first in a series.
by Blake Miller
This Busse Combat Knife is the choice of one survival expert.
I was fascinated listening to John C’s backcountry survival presentation at the 2012 Washington Search and Rescue (SAR) conference. John is a 19-year veteran of wilderness SAR. He is also a county Emergency Management Coordinator in Washington.
With his backcountry experience and knowledge, he is the absolute right person to discuss wilderness survival.
Key to his discussion of SAR tools, fire starting and building an emergency shelter was his selection of knives. He carried a full tang, fixed blade knife in his SAR pack.
After his presentation I sat down with John to discuss why his primary choice was a fixed blade rather than a folding knife. He told me that the hinge point of a folder was its weakest point and not something he would compromise on.
His choice for a survival knife is a stout knife made by the Busse Combat Knife Company. His knife’s blade body is thick, just under a quarter inch; the tang itself is impressive. The knife had an approximately eight- inch blade. Sturdiness and versatility came to mind when looking at this tool. It’s not a fine bladed scalpel but rather a strong knife that will do the job shaping boughs or batoning firewood. It is a utilitarian, multipurpose part of his kit.
John’s is a quality knife and not a trendy looking bowie knife with engraving and inscription. The only designs etched onto the blade were the wear patterns from years of hard and demanding work.
His selection of manufactures included the Busse Combat Knife Company, Swamp Rat and Scrap Yard; all names new to me.
He did caution that using a large knife takes experience and extra caution.
John’s choice may not be for everyone but is based on years in the wilderness and experience. Blake Millerhas made a career out of staying found and knowing where he is at all times. His formal navigation training began when he joined the U.S. Navy in 1973. He served as an officer aboard several Navy ships over his
Blake Miller
twenty-year career; many of those tours included the duty of Navigator. Blake began working with satellite navigation systems at sea in 1976, culminating with the then-new satellite positioning systems aboard the Battleship WISCONSIN in early 1990. In 1998, Blake started Outdoor Quest, a business dedicated to backcountry navigation and wilderness survival. Blake has taught classes to wild land firefighters, state agency staffs, Search and Rescue team members, hunters, hikers, skiers, fishermen and equestrians. He regularly teaches classes through the Community Education programs at Central Oregon (Bend) and Chemeketa (Salem, OR) Community Colleges. As a volunteer, Blake teaches navigation and survival classes to students in the local school districts, and conservation groups. He is a member of a Search and Rescue team. If you have any questions about land navigation or wilderness survival, you can contact Blake through SurvivalCommonSense.com@gmail.com, or you can go to his website.
Contact Information:
Website: www.outdoorquest.biz
Blog: outdoorquest.blogspot.com
Phone: 541-280-0573
Email: outdrquest@aol.com To hear the Blake Miller interview about choosing a magnetic compass and GPS on SurvivalCommonSense.com Radio, click here.
There is a lot to like about Swiss Army knives, and for decades I have carried some variation. Here are my favorites.
by Leon Pantenburg
While I wouldn't recommend a Swiss Army knife as the only choice for a survival knife, there are sound reasons for including one in your short list of survival tools.
Convenience: If a survival tool is convenient and easy to carry, it will get taken along. The best survival tool in the world is useless unless it's available when needed.
The Classic
It's Handy: My tiny Classic model is so small as to be completely unobtrusive. But it has a small knife blade, and several tools such as a tweezers, scissors and nail file I wouldn't want to be without. There are also all sorts of options, such as LED lights, flash drives and ink pens to make your knife choice perfect for what you need.
Low Price: You can spend a lot on a Swiss Army knife, but IMO, you'll end up with a bunch of unnecessary options. Decide what your knife needs are, and you can find the correct combination.
Quality: For a reasonably-priced knife, the Swiss Army has good stainless steel blades, and well-made hinges. Chances are you'll never wear one out. If you do, the knife has a lifetime guarantee, and you'll get a no-questions-asked replacement.
Classic: This is the smallest model, and it fits on a keychain very nicely. I was given my first Classic as a performance award at the company I worked for, and initially wondered what good it would be. Later, I wondered how I ever got along without it. (To read my review of the Classic, click here.)
The Classic has the one-and-one-half inch blade that is adequate for most everyday tasks, such as cutting string or opening mail. This lets you save your other, bigger blades for more important work. The tweezers are excellent, and the nail file will be used more than you can imagine. I usually grind the tip of the nail file to fit my glasses hinge screw, which gives you another incredibly useful tool. All my survival kits include a Classic.
Tinker: A Tinker and a Classic are part of my wardrobe. Unless I'm going to a courtroom or some other restricted area, I have this duo with me. My current Tinker was given to me by the late Jim Grenfell, who carried my particular knife for years. The slim, two-layer width makes it comfortable to carry in a pocket. My son also carries a Tinker every day.
The basic Tinker generally retails for under $20, and is an incredibly useful combination, with everything you'll typically need and nothing you don't. (Here is a great deal on a Tinker/Classic combo.)
The Hunter
Deluxe Tinker: I bought this knife years ago as a backpacking knife, thinking I would use the scissors and pliers frequently. This knife went along on a nine-day Boundary Waters canoe trip, and it did everything I needed a knife to do.
In several instances, the pliers were used to remove hooks from sharp toothed fish. The scissors is also useful for such things as cutting moleskin or duct tape, and this model is a good choice for a backpacker.
What I don't like about the Deluxe Tinker the four-layer width, which makes it somewhat bulky. It is not comfortable to carry in a pocket (for me), so mine generally rides in a belt pouch. This is a great all-around knife for most outdoor activities. Hunter: My wife bought the first Hunter model in the family prior to a canoe trip in the Boundary Waters. Except for the corkscrew, I like the knife very much. It has a large, 3-1/4- inch locking drop point blade, which makes it a viable tool for field dressing big game animals. It also has a superb saw, which is quite capable of cutting through a whitetail deer pelvis or femur.
Several years ago, I flew to Mississippi for a deer/small game hunt. Since baggage space was limited, I took my Cold Steel SRK for deer, and the Swiss Army Huntsman for small game. Both did their jobs very well.
My only change would be to replace the corkscrew with a Phillips head screwdriver. My wife, on the other hand, has a somewhat different philosophy about outdoor camping and cuisine and would never give up her corkscrew!
Workchamp: I have never owned one of these, and questioned the need for owning something with all those do-dads. But that was before I interviewed a member of the Idaho National Guard after his deployment to Desert Storm in 1990. The soldier's brother handed him a Workchamp as he was boarding the plane for Kuwait.
The soldier attached the knife to a lanyard on his belt, and his whole squad used it constantly for a multitude of tasks. The pliers were in great demand, according to the guardsman, for removing cans of boiling water from their tiny backpacking stove.
The Workchamp showed some wear, but the lanyard and belt pouch kept it from getting lost or disappearing. Most, if not all, of the tools were used regularly, the soldier told me, because they were moving constantly, and didn't have the room or space to carry much else beside food, weapons and water.
Today, that knife is undoubtedly a cherished family heirloom.
That is what most people find out about their Swiss Army knives. It is quite possible to bond with your Swiss Army knife, especially after a history of faithful service.
That's what I find with my Tinker. Jim Grenfell used it for years, it was passed on to me, and unless I lose it, that knife will be passed on again.
Until then, I'm sure Jim's Tinker will continue to serve me well!
Randy Yow, of La Pine, OR spends his time doing what most big game hunters can only dream about. As host of the popular ” on the pursuit channel, Randy is in the field about 60 days a year, pursuing different species of big game in several western states. In any given year, Yow’s group may harvest bighorn sheep, bears, deer, elk and antelope.
So what is the best backcountry knife if you’re going to be hunting big game in remote, hard to access areas? If weight is an issue, what is the best choice in this critical survival/hunting tool? Here is what an expert chooses!
So you’ve decided what fixed-blade knife to include in an emergency survival kit or Bug Out Bag.
But how will you safely carry it? Where is the best place to wear that knife on your belt? And what things should you look for in a sheath to make sure the knife isn’t lost?
Unfortunately, some fine knifes come with mediocre to poor sheaths. In some cases, these sheaths can be dangerous to the user!
Outdoorsman and knifemaker C.T. Fischer explains the best ways to carry your fixed-blade knife, and things to look for in a sheath.
Sometimes a knife just looks right, and that's what drew my eye to an ad for a "Nessmuk" knife. It looked like a quality workhorse.
For a little background here, George Washington Sears, 1821-1890, is better known by his pen name of "Nessmuk". He wrote one of the first wilderness survival books, "Woodcraft," in 1884 and was a regular contributor to "Forest and Stream Magazine."
Sears had strong opinions about survival gear, and designed several pieces, including the "Nessmuk" knife.
So when I saw a Nessmuk-style knife advertised by C.T. Fischer Knives, based in Elk City, Idaho, I just had to try one out . I got one from Fischer, and put the knife through its paces.
Here's my thoughts on the Nessmuk after testing it: click here to read the review!
This is the new, wildly-popular Bear Grylls knife. How good is it?
Editor's Note: I have been meaning to review the new Gerber Bear Grylls survival knife, because questions have been coming in about it from readers.
I'll say this right up front: I don't like what Bear Grylls does on his TV shows. In my opinion, Bear is a charlatan and a fraud and a foolhardy thrillseeker who is a BAD example (in the wilderness) for people honestly seeking survival knowledge.
But there is no denying Bear's popularity, and that fact that his signature knives made by Gerber, are selling very well. My first impression, without actually handling one, is that the knife appears to have a good design. But I couldn't quite bring myself to buy one.
I was saved from testing this knife by Jarhead Survivor from the excellent SHTF (Sewage Hits The Fan) blog. Jarhead did a comprehensive, and I believe, fair review of the Bear Grylls survival knife.
Here's Jarhead: A couple of weeks ago I bought a Gerber Bear Grylls survival knife to try out. To be honest, I’d never seen the guy’s show, so I watched part of an episode on Youtube to see what it was about. If he really did half the crazy stuff in a real emergency survival situation that he does on his show he’d be dead inside a week. Not that he doesn’t know his stuff, but the things these shows do for high ratings would get most people killed.
To read the rest of the story, click here!
From left, a folder, a Fiskar sliding blade, and a double-edged Pac-Saw Wyo.
Cutting tools, in all of their variations, have been an integral part of my life. In my world the term “cutting tool” encompasses knives, saws and shears. It does not include axes and here’s why. Nobody knows how to use them safely anymore!
I have never found myself handicapped because I chose to carry a saw rather than an axe. There are many saws available some of which are very useful and others not so much. Let’s take a look at a variety of them starting with the least useful.
This machete cost $3 at a gunshow, and is a valuable survival tool!
I’m not a fan of large survival knives, simply because they are generally too big and bulky for many of the tasks associated with wilderness survival. But I carry a machete in my car survival kit, and there are some tasks that a machete is ideally suited for. If you think one of those big South American knives is only good in the jungle or rain forests, think again!
Click on Do you need a machete? to learn more.
Axe or saw? Which one will be the best choice for your survival kit?
We'll assume you already have the survival knife and basic Ten Essentials, and are assembling the rest of the tools needed for a portable survival kit. Do you need to add a hatchet, axe or a saw?
It depends.
Some might call this collection a "Bug Out Bag," or something along those lines. Or you may be a backpacker, hunter or fisherman who needs a light, easy-to-carry wood cutting device.
A hunter may be looking for a tool that can cut wood and that will also be useful in quartering and field dressing a big game animal. Choice of tools is important, because there isn't much space, and you need to keep the weight down.
Click on hatchet, axe or saw to help you decide which tool will best suit your needs!
This Bark River Aurora bushcraft knife will be easier to see with the fluorescent, reflective paracord attached to the handle.
