What qualities do you look for in a survival/combat knife?

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Xime97 · Answer

this answer is dependent on a number of variables. Is it one I am going to wear regularly? Or am I going to hang it up and pull it out every once in a while, like for canping or hunting? Or am I going to put it into my B.O.B. (bug-out-bag)? What do I want to use it for primarily? Questions and intents like that will vary widely between what kind of blade I personally will buy for usability. I do occasionally by a cool looking knife, but that for collection purposes then actual use in those cases.
Now, that being said, there are a few criteria I go with that will at least get me a start. Is it a fixed blade, or a pocket knife? I dislike pocket knives. They typically do not last very long with me. So I if I’m going to buy a knife for use, it’s going to be a fixed blade, preferably a full tang if I can.
Secondly, if it is a fixed blade, is the handle solid or hollow? A lot of “survival” knives these days tout their hollow handle to hold small stuff like fishing line or matches. Don’t buy them. The blade is not going to stay on the handle for any length of time in an actual survival scenario. They’re cool, but not very practical.
Third, how do they feel? Most stores that sell blades will let you hold a knife. I can like a knife because of how cool it is, but if it doesn’t feel right in my hand, then it’s not worth it to me. I like a knife I can hold and use comfortably. For me personally that’s usually something a bit heavier and thicker, preferably with the center of balance either right in front of the handle or a little farther forward. A friend of mine prefers a lighter knife, even if it’s the same length as one of mine.
Lastly is going to be cost. I can find the perfect knife that I could use all day every day, but if I can’t afford it, then I’m SOL. I’ll either settle for something a little worse but is still comfortable, or save up. But I also do not typically like buying knives over $80. There’s a few exceptions, but typically I feel anything more than that is overpriced. Again, though, that’s just me.
Again, this is all my personal preferences, but hopefully that helps.

Cora · Answer

I see “Combat” and “Survival” as two different categories that often intersect. In a combat knife I am generally looking for a Stabby McStaberson. Because thrusting is far more effective than cutting in most combat situations. This has been born out in the large arc of the history of blade development globally and in modern testing. Something like a Fairbairn-Sykes Cammando Dagger, a Rondel, or a Dirk is close to my ideal for a combat knife. If it can stab and probe I’m happy.
Where survival blades are concerned, I am a lot more particular about specific features. I like a drop point with a false edge. The drop point bring the tip on an otherwise cut centric knife into the center line of the blade. A false edge changes the tip geometry to make it more complex in it’s cross section. This makes the tip stronger against bending or snapping. This makes it better for drilling holes and notching.
I also like a smooth edge as apposed to serrated. And I like that edge to have a belly towards the tip. The ability to pulls a blade through a cut cleaning is necessary for gutting and skinning. Serration can screw this up and a belly helps angle a blade out of a cut and finish the cut with the tip.
Some flexibility in the blade is desirable.. If I need something rigid that can chop than what I actually need is a hatchet. Flexibility helps a lot more in dozens of small tasks.
A very flat, smooth spine that is very squared (not rounded or beveled) is a must. These can be used for striking for sparks and for doing things like peel roots and bark or cleaning left over bits of flesh off a cured hide.
A guard is not always necessary. If the handle has a barrel shape a bolster will do. If it does have a guard, then I also want it to have a ricasso with a finger scoop, so I can finger the guard if necessary. But a do like a solid and hefty butt cap. That said the balance should be more towards the tip.
Generally speaking Ontario Old Hickory Kitchen knife tend to make great bush craft/survival knives. At least they serve as a good base for one. Many Survivalists will grab these up from yard sales and flea markets and modify them to their liking. One things that is generally liked about them is that they have medium flexibility due to the steel quality, treatment and dimensions with low twist and low friction through cutting due to the many small and shallow fullers that often run the length and breadth of the blades.

Anna · Answer

First, combat/fighting knife varies and isn’t first choice for defense. Most general terms of a “combat” knife would be like a Kabar in my mind. A survival knife is the tool to help you survive, and do the tasks needed. I’ll give my list, some extras and why I have these things as a general purpose knife for austere conditions. Your area, needs and use will vary but these are the must for my list when building or buying a knife for less than ideal conditions. Survival varies widely depending ln environment and season as well.
My needs, my environment would be below. —
Fixed blade, full tang, roughly 3/16″ thick blade. Coated (Cerakote) high carbon steel like 1095, 80Crv2, 52100 or high end stainless steel like S30v, 154CM, or AEB-L. Stay away from 440 stainless as it has lower hardness needed for edge retention.
My personal choice for an austere use, things went bad and I only have one knife to rely on. (Which I wouldn’t, survival 2 is 1, 1 is none should really be considered- I’ll expand on that below)
Full Tang, fixed blade, around 3/16″ thick
8-10″ overall length min. 4-6″ blade
Plain edge, non serrated blade (easier to maintain edge in the field)
Drop point or clip point design.
Textured G10 or Micarta scales/handles. Micarta stays grippy when wet.Canvas micarta works well for hard use, wet and austere environments. Scales should be Bolted, pinned or flared tube rivet. This locks your handles solidly to your knife, it won’t fail during hard use.
Made with High quality steel as mentioned above (Rockwell HRC 58-61~)
Full flat grind, scandi grind, or partial flat grind bevel. Around a 20-25° bevel of the primary edge. Small choil in blade to make sharpening easier. Especially in the field.
Coating like Cerakote to protect from corrosion. Also this can reduce glare. A satin or mirror finish will do the same but less than ideal for combat environments.
Lanyard tube for cordage attachment. Ideally attach a hi-viz paracord with glow ring or pull tab for finding a dropped knife.
Aggressive thumb jimping, while not needed it makes a more solid grip with gloves or wet environments.
Exposed pommel for striking or blunt hammering, not needed but iy isn’t a bad thing to have if you need to break something or hammer in trap pieces.
Sheath- High quality sheath, ideally at least .080-.093 Kydex or Boltron thermoplastic sheath. Solid locking of knife in sheath. Pouch attachment option. Pics below.
Quality hardware to solidly attach to belt, bag or vest. (Discreet Carry Concepts Clips, TechLok, Molle lock, Malice clip, Fomi clip, etc.)
Enough holes/eyelets to attach a pouch, wrap in cord or tie vital gear to the sheath if needed.
For the whole package, my personal primary survival/combat knife would be a 9-10″ overall, around a 3-5″ blade, plain edge, partial flat grind, or scandi grind, Textured G10 or Canvas micarta scales G-flex epoxy attachement with flared tube rivets or pins and lanyard tube. Exposed pommel for blunt strikes. Black, OD green or FDE Cerakote finish, Kydex sheath to match my environment if needed. 2nd lock/strap to make sure knife cannot be removed by someone else or knocked loose in dense environment. Additional holes/eyelets added to attach a pouch for basic needs or easily removed. Integrated Firesteel holder attached to the sheath held on by shockcord and friction fit. That is what my go to knife would be with Leatherman backup.
For a pouch this is something when on a day hike or if this is your primary blade for your backpack for a worst case scenario. It is a small pouch that will fit on the outside of your sheath or even a Kydex molded layer to hold additional gear. Molded kydex will limit what equipment is able to be swapped.

What qualities do you look for in a survival/combat knife?

For the pouch contents and sheath. Wrap the sheath in 20-25′ of 550 cord, now attach the pouch. Inside you want a means to create fire, stay warm/dry, build shelter, treat water, and a form of light.
-Light my fire brand,Firesteel with small pill fob filled with vaseline soaked cotton balls.
-PotableAqua tablets w/collapsible Platypus bottle
-SOL Space blanket
-Small keychain flashlight
All these items can be used pretty easily for basic survival needs.

**Aside from the above items, even on a day hike you should have basic first aid kit, flashlight or headlamp, snacks and water bottle.** Along with telling someone location planned and estimated time to be back.
2 is one, 1 is none when your life depends on it.
Now to the 2 is 1 in survival/combat/rescue mindset. If you lose or break one you are now having to fashion a less effective knife that will be more difficult to use.
For a suvival combat knife it is important to have not only a larger fixed blade knife, but also a having a backup knife. This could be a smaller fixed blade, folding knife or my personal 2nd tier knife setup is a Leatherman multitool. The leatherman allows for minor repairs to gear, twisting or cutting wire. This is pliers/wire cutter/stripper, screwdrivers, serrated sheepsfoot blade, plain edge blade, can opener, saw, punch or awl, also lanyard ring to attach to your gear. These tools are locking. Adding a few pieces of glow/reflective tape is ideal.
Even a small fixed blade or folder will work but for fullfilling the 2 is 1 rule, ideally a Leatherman to cover your lighter work. Also if you lose your primary blade crossing a creek or something you will at least have some edged tool on body. Ideally attached to you via cord, and then in a pocket. Same as a small fixed or folding blade.
Just something smaller for basics like gutting a fish, cutting cord, fluffing fire sticks, and more detail work. Using a 10″ knife, even choked up grip will be more difficult to use for fine detail cutting. Smaller knife is a good idea as a backup.

Chicago Cutlery Belden 15 Piece Premium Kitchen Knife

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Alexandra98 · Answer

For survival, I’d look for a knife with a clip capable of securely holding the credit card that would get me outta there. For combat, how about a knife with a tube handle and trigger mechanism capable of firing a shotgun shell? That way you’d have a decent chance of prevailing against one foe before the others kill you.
I mean, really, is anyone these days planning to try to survive in some combat zone with a knife? Isn’t this a movie script?
But if the question is serious, I’d go with a machete. It’s already the all-in-one survival tool in much of the world and is a nasty weapon in the hands of an angry adversary. If combat is especially important, I might choose a tomahawk instead. That’s a wicked weapon capable of multiple other uses, just a little more hassle to carry. Machetes have sheaths that attach to your belt and can be carried easily.

Rylee · Answer

One thing that I want in a knife is a decent thickness for my blade. If a blade is too thin it easily will break under stress associated with work or fighting.
I want a decent length, not some super long or short sword kind of thing, sort of like a good combat knife. Kabar makes some pretty good knives. I’ve been looking at their Becker knives for my next survival knife of choice. This is a photo of what I mean:

The blade is about 5.25 inches long and it has a full tang running the whole length of the knife.

Spring Assisted Knife – Pocket Folding Knife – Military Style

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Josie97 · Answer

These are two totally different purposes.
But some things in common are a full tang and fixed blade design. Smooth rather than serrated edge.
For a survival knife, you want only one edge because you don’t want to lose the ability to press the spine of the blade, which is important for tasks like carving and whittling tools. You also want a more sturdy design because the knife is more of a utilitarian tool in this role.
For a combat knife, you can consider two edges. You will want a more pronounced point because thrusting is a really major avenue of attack that is effective at hurting your enemy. You may also need to pay more attention to balance and weight because a heavy and poorly balanced knife could slow down your movement when it matters the most. Also, length really helps your reach when in combat so that’s more important than for a survival knife.

Camila · Answer

That is pretty much 2 different knives.
One that I have for combat is the Kabar. Fixed blade, with a handguard and a fuller, along with a very sharp tip and a sharp cutting edge, with a pommel to ensure that the knife doesn’t slip out of my hand. It has a leather-wrapped handle for a sure grip, and the handguard makes sure that my hand doesn’t slip up on the blade.
While I was in San Francisco, after I retired, I had long hair and a beard. I had a backpack, sleeping bag, and some comfortable hiking boots. And a Kabar.
One night, I was standing at one end of the Golden Gate bridge. I was about to hike across the US, catching rides once in a while, too.
A car with 4 young Army guys pulled up and climbed out. I knew that they were Army because of the decal on the windshield and their haircuts.
They made some disparaging remarks about hippies and so on, as they moved up on me.
My back was to the wall, at the end of the bridge. I shucked the pack and sleeping bag, and I pulled out my Kabar and my survival knife, one in either hand, from their sheaths. I said, “It’s a beautiful night to die, gentlemen. I am ready to go. Shall we dance?”
My statement wasn’t planned. I just said what popped into my head. I really didn’t want to go to jail but at the time, I was just trying to give them time to think about what might happen to them and to me if this went any further.
I guess that they realized that they had to get back to wherever they were based for whatever reason because they all got back into the car and left me alone.
I suppose that they were rather new to the Army because really, no NCO would have been cocky enough to try to beat on a ‘hippy’. Even though I was 41 at the time, and retired from the service, I was still ready for them, or as ready as I could be.
Plus, I didn’t see any knives appear in their hands.
OK, for a survival knife, I would go for a knife like John Rambo carried in the movie First Blood, only a bit shorter. A combination of a knife with a saw blade, a compass on the backend, and some matches, a sewing kit, and a bit of fishing line, and some fishing hooks. At least that is what I had at the time. of my ambling across the US.
If the same thing happened to me as what had occurred so long ago, with me living in Missouri, I would just pull out my Colt 1911a1 .45 pistol and things would probably go the same way as it did, back then.
Survival is survival when push comes to shove.
Now you have me wondering. How can I fashion a bayonet for my .45?

Naruto · Answer

Two vastly different things.
Survival, I want heft, a realiable edge, thick blade that will have resilience to being used to chop, a drop point but not too long or sharp (ie brittle) and a nice thick grip. A pommel can be nice depending on how it’s integrated. Some of the ones with saw teeth incorporated can be okay, but most have a tendency to just break. I want a nice flat section on the back I can use with a ferro rod. A hole in the base of the grip allowing for rope or string to be tied to it. A hint of a gut hook on the drop point for starting skinning. I currently use a Cold Steel fixed 8″ blade for this role (I forget the model name).
Combat, I want something small, easily concealed and fast to deploy. My current last-ditch blade I carry on duty is a karambit-style but it’s actually a tanto point dagger instead of a hook knife. It has great retention due to the ring, good stability, and can be utilized easily in either hand, tip up or down. The blade is just long enough to reach vital components but not so long as to disrupt normal movement. It also comes with a full sized steel trainer, so you can actually train with the right shape and weight knife. A knife for defense can be sharper, however there is always a tradeoff with durability. I like to get them to just where I can shave. The point shouldn’t be too long and narrow but you want to have enough to easily stab. This isn’t a sword fight so a cross guard is pretty much just for show, but some form of retention, like a finger ring or grip that gets wider/has a pommel, combined with an extremely aggressive rough texture is critical (blood is an unbelievable lubricant). It comes with a kydex sheath with an extremely robust set of clips and the ability to reverse them for different carry methods: I prefer this to pocket carry for a defensive knife because it allows me to carry it midline. The knife is discreet and well contained but extremely fast to access with either hand and deploy. I currently employ the Crane TEC Tempest (tanto) for this role.

Amara129 · Answer

Good quality metal, a good grip, and a profile that can hold an edge.

Alaia · Answer

A proper fixed blade, with a tang thru handle construction, made from a solid steel alloy.

Skylar · Answer

When Rambo pulled out his big knife with saw teeth on the spine and a hollow handle filled with lots of goodies, he opened a real can of worms. Even Buck Knives was drawn into the madness. They produced the Buckmaster 184, supposedly the ultimate survival knife. A foot long, 7 1/2 inch blade, 1/4 inch thick, and even with a hollow handle, weighed a hefty pound and a half. Out of production for many years, they still command high prices for their collector value.
I mention the 184 to contrast it to the style of knives now popular with outdoor survivalists, though I disagree with some of them. The saw teeth are virtually useless and more detrimental than helpful. Hollow handles jeopardize the strength of the knife (even the great 184 went through some major changes in how the handle was attached) and there really isn’t enough room inside for much more than matches.
The first category is Bushcraft. They tend to be much smaller and lighter – 4–5 inch blade, weighing from just a few ounces for the featherweight Mora to about 3/4 pound (at the heavy end of the spectrum) Gerber LMFII for example. Them come the big, bad “survival knives”, those designed to handle the worst situations imaginable, often including defense. There are, as always, crossover, all-purpose, utility knives. I find it interesting the mil-spec “ka-bar” is classified by the USMC as the Mk2 Fighting or Combat Knife and the USN catalogs the same knife as the Mk2 Utility Knife.
Which brings to point that there is no fine line between survival and combat knives (unless speaking of knives like the Gerber Mark2, Fairbairn Sykes, or V-42 which are pretty useless for utility needs). A quality knife will feature good steel (many options)that is tough and will retain an edge without being brittle or too hard to sharpen. It will feature either a full tang or hidden tang ( partial tangs are not strong enough). Blade style is optional, drop points are okay, but I’d prefer a clip point with a sharpened swage. It offers a very sharp point for making holes, piercing, or stabbing, as well as a secondary edge that can come in handy. Blade length between 5 and 10 inches. Shorter blades have limitations when it comes to defense and heavy camp work. Longer blades are heavy, awkward, and unsuited for smaller, delicate tasks. Here are some I consider suitable.

Morgan · Answer

Thanks for the A2A. Even though I'm late to the reply party.  Two things I'll put out, up front.  1. As already said, a survival knife and a combat knife are generally two very different things. 2. I don't believe in a “combat knife.”   An all around “survival knife' needs to be sturdy or beefy. This thing needs to not break. If it breaks while you're using it to chop you may be screwed. It needs to be capable of multiple tasks. Or, better yet, you need to carry a few survival blades for various tasks.  Chopping: Heavy full tang blade. Thick spine so I can batton with it. Handle shaped so that my grip doesn't tear my hands up. A lanyard hole so I don't lose it. Or I have an axe.  Skinning/Feathering/Fine Cuts: I need a handle I can put my thumb along for fine control. A gut hook would be nice. Now here's where we run into problems. A sharpened blade has qualities. A chopper needs a slightly thicker sturdier angle. Still sharp but it needs to push and move material. A fine cut knife needs a slimmer shaper way less sturdy blade. It needs to part material as I slide it. These two grinds sort of battle.  For “survival” I would probably want an axe and a smaller manageable blade for fine work.  But if I could only have one knife I would probably go with either a Tom Brown Tracker T3 or a Ka-Bar BK3 Companion. If I'm in an urban environment then a good diving knife or a multi tool.  2. Combat Knives.  I don't believe in combat knives. I believe in weapons with the knife being my desperate last resort. When I carried a sidearm and did more LE style work I carried an almost hidden karambit at all times. It was never to fight with. It's primary duty was to cut straps. As I was more likely to have to cut myself or someone else out of a seatbelt and I wanted that curved blade to safely cut that strap. It's secondary last ditch use was if I was struggling with someone and they had a hand on my firearm or my firearm hand. My retention holster kept them from taking it, but they could clamp down on my hand. At which point I could pull my karambit with my support hand, slide it across their hand, kick them back, and draw my pistol. See? My knife is just to get to my pistol.  So, to me, there is no combat knife. There is a last ditch “uh oh' knife.  I do carry a k...

Hadley · Answer

A good combat/survival knife has two features: you can operate it with one hand and the blade does not close on your fingers. I prefer full tang knives with blades between 3–5 inches.

Daisy · Answer

So I look for a blade with a 28 degree grind on the edge, the typical length I go for is 8 inch clade with a 6 inch handle. I want my blade to be about a 1/4 inch wide and 2 inches deep.

Hadley · Answer

Good question.
Ease of carry or concealment coupled with ease of draw/use.
Full tang, fixed blade of decent thickness (enough that it won’t break, but not enough to make the weight awkward)
Material. Lots of great advancements in forging that allow for really durable weapons that hold a good edge.

Liliana · Answer

Light and strong with good balance. Also need a good blade that will hold an edge. My go to it the standard k bar

Everleigh · Answer

Size, metal composition (blade material), blade style, and handle material (type/composition), type of tang (typically, full tang is better), and certainly price.

Reagan · Answer

Well I’m not sure I’m qualified in re combat knives, if I had my druthers in a knife fight I’d prefer a fire arm first and a 32” long stick second.
for survival I guess I’d opt for the CRKT M21 I carry everyday because I’m familiar with it. Little footnote, I’ve got a friend who is a retired thoracic surgeon who suggests that in the wilderness it is best to use the shortest knife possible so that if you stick your self you won’t stick too deep- I’ve know him to filed dress deer and antelope with a scalpel.

Hailey · Answer

Blade at least 4” long,  Fixed blade,  Secure sheaf  hold an edge but strong enough for light chopping.  secure non slip handle.  Non-serrated blade.

Ayla · Answer

Is the blade sturdy? Can it both hold an edge and be easily sharpened? Will it stay in the sheath and be quickly removed from the sheath? A good all around affordable knife for camping or hunting is the Gerber Strongarm. For a bad situation, the Boker Applegate Fairbairn will do, although people still swear by the Gerber Mark II.

MOSSY OAK 14-inch Bowie Knife, Full-tang Fixed Blade Wood

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Abigail · Answer

In a combat knife I just want it to be pointy enough to put it inside someone without breaking.
As for survival. First and foremost it has to be able to handle abuse. Edge retention and durability are the main factors, secondly it has to be able to do everything from skinning game to cutting and carving timber or even digging.
I’d be paying extra attention to blades with thick spines in case I had to hammer the spine to split timber.
A full tang handle for extra strength.
Other than that I think everything else comes down to personal choice.

Autumn · Answer

One that I can use. One that’ll I’ll keep with me. It’s not the knife you think. Most people get what we call a greenhorn knife. A marine style Ka-bar knife. Full tang. 14 inches in total length. Hard sheath. Looks cool on pictures.
But you get annoying carrying it so you won’t bring it with you.
a survival knife is as simple as a leather man with a few features.
Of just a pocket knife. A regular 2 – 3 inch knife you always have in your pocket.

Madeline · Answer

Sharp, strong and easy to replace. Over the counter common is good. In a pinch any 8 inch chef knife with a wide blade will do. Marine Combat knives and the Current Marine Bayonet are good. For small ones some of the over the counter Gerber’s and Smith and Wesson knives are cheap enough to not worry about loosing one. More important is knowing how to use them to do whatever tasks come to hand when things are pushing towards out of control.

Forged Viking Knives, Husk Chef Knife Butcher Knives Handmade Fishing

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Mary · Answer

Fixed blade, full tang and good quality steel. I’ve had the same Ka-bar for almost 20 years now; I can’t recommend it enough. They make them in several blade lengths and styles, and most are under or around the $100 mark. They also have a really sweet kukri that I love.
I’m sure there’s all kinds of fancy knives out there; but I prefer things that do their job well at a practical cost.

Myna · Answer

Durability and adaptability.  As far as specifics , what type of survival?  Urban, woodland,cold weather etc. No one knife covers them all.

Parker · Answer

A USMC Ka-bar. It’s done the job since the early 1940s. Alternatively, a Buck No. 120 but I’d make my own sheath instead of the one Buck furnishes.
The Brits use the Fairbairn-Sykes No. 3, but it’s a killing knife, not a survival type. If you’re slitting throats, you can’t do better; it’s a bit light for survival-type chores. It too has done the job since the 1940s, and done it well. It epitomises what my oldest friend’s dad — a retired British officer with over 40 years service to King and country — once told us: “Vedettes [that’s sentries in Brit speak] are for the garrotte.” And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why crossing the Brits in a bit of a mood is a really poor idea.

Lilybelle · Answer

I prefer a fixed blade knife with a non-serrated blade side, and a saw on the spine. I also prefer a rubber handle. A 6″ to 8″ blade feels the best in my hand. As far as brand, I’ve never had a Gerber I didn’t like.

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admin1997 · Answer

I grew very fond of the Ka-Bar while in Vietnam; so fond I bought one when I returned to the real world. 50 plus years later, I still have it.
When in questionable forested areas, my 12 gauge and Ka-Bar are with me.
Other essentials you might want if you are out for more than just a stroll (the order of importance is variable) are 1) more than just one canteen of water, 2) hand axe 3) additional MREs 4) first aide kit (add some fishing line fish hooks needle and thread into a basic kit) 5) water purifier (kit, straw etc.) 6) large poncho (these things are basically mobile tents) 7) never forget to have a compass with you when away from paved and marked streets.
Always practice situational awareness, you just might be somethings prey.

Mia · Answer

Multi- purpose, and strength of the metal i.e. tungsten, steel( preferably (Chromoly). easy to handle, and most importantly a fish line inside handle.

Aubrey · Answer

A survival knife is not a combat knife. An example of a survival knife is an ESEE-5. It’s big, heavy, durable and tough. An example of a combat knife is a Fairbairn–Sykes dagger which is light and fast. Trying to make a compromise knife is exactly that. A K-BAR for instance isn’t really light and fast or really tough.
I would look for a semi stainless blade like D2 in a 4” length saber ground and 1/8” thickness. Moderate weight and full tang. Check out the LT Wright GNS. it will serve you better in the long run than some goofy survival knife.

Faith97 · Answer

There is such thing as one perfect knife, I I tend to carry several knives on me when I go out. I’m older now so I don’t get out so much as I once did.
However I carry a large heavy bladed knife for processing wood, digging and building a shelter, it’s a substitute for an axe, because they can be heavy. Next is a camping knife and that one if for doing smaller jobes like skinning animals or processing edibles., no chopping required.
Then I have several cheap folders on me, usually cheap, usually from Walmart. Back when I was a teen I was at a flea market and came across a deal on small folders in stainless steel from a company called Sharp with a leather molded case. They were $4.99 each and I mad a deal with the cheops owner and bought 25 for an even $100.. I actually still have several of them tucked away, They are cheap, disposable and work like a charm for small tasks and loose one and pick up another, one breaks grab another.
I do carry a couple Tee handled fighters of my own making nice heavy Tee handle with a eight inch long tapered triangular shaped blade. Slam right through a skull like it’s nothing. But those are in case I run out of bullets in my sidearm.
Yeah, I’m a bit over prepared but I have never had the need to survive due to not being prepared, so? Call it what you will. The guys I have had to help save had much of nothing and were well on their way to dying because they were just gonna take a little hike.

Rylee · Answer

Honestly, WTF is a “combat knife”? You don’t bring a knife to a combat. You bring a gun. Or you take one from the enemy if you don’t have one, or better, you hide, or even mo better, you don’t go there. Yes, an enraged Gurkha with a Kukri in the overhead chop position is nightmarishly formidable but I am not going to grapple with him. I am going to shoot him probably multiple times before I have even fully processed the threat. I fully understand how dangerous a man with a knife COULD be, and a real professional has a deeper understanding of this and will react faster than me. You are probably not what one would reasonably call a warrior or you would not be asking that question, so you stand even less chance, no matter WHAT knife you use. Bring knife to gun fight, you lose. Badly. Forget about “combat knife”. Amuse and entertain yourself with stories of men standing against impossible odds with their blades, and prevailing. And yeah some of them are true. You won’t like the percentages though, if you crunch the numbers.
A survival knife is a knife that might help you to survive. Survive… where? Under what conditions? In arctic snow pack you might want a machete or cane knife or similar, to cut blocks of snow for an igloo. In a coastal marsh or swamp, corrosion resistance might be very important. In woodlands a serrated or sawtooth spine for use in making neat sawn cuts in limbs and branches might be a nice feature. A hollow handle full of emergency fishing gear could be handy, but maybe not so much in a desert, where your primary concern is getting water, not ge…

Charlie · Answer

A combat knife and a survival knife have different requirements. For a combat knife you could do worse than the Sykes Fairbairn commando dagger. Designed and built by two men who knew hand to hand and knife combat learned on the back streets of Hong Kong. Look it up online. A survival knife is whatever you happen to have, or whatever is available when you find yourself in a survival situation. If you want a working knife, Swiss army penknife or a leatherman for small stuff and a Khukri or machete for cutting wood for shelter or firewood.

Forged Viking Knives, Husk Chef Knife Butcher Knives Handmade Fishing

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Alisa1993 · Answer

Simple and sturdy. A survival knife needs to be versatile and durable, most importantly. My bug out bag knife is the US Marine Corps issued Ontario bayonet.

Skylar · Answer

Get a heavy, 7+ inch knife. I recommend a bowie knife. The key thing about survival knifes are versatility. That means you should throw thin, short, and flip knifes off your list. Weight is important for survival knives because it allows you to gather resources efficiently without much use of stamina and weight usually accompanies durability. A bowie knife has practically been molded for survival and combat in mind so its the go to knife for survival/combat situations.

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Rylee · Answer

Durable blade of about 5 inches handle that will take abuse (G-10, carbon fiber) handle, drop point, no serrations, stainless steel like a 154 CM for overall toughness and edge retention.

What qualities do you look for in a survival/combat knife?

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What are some Swiss knife variants or analogs that include flashlight, lighter and a compass in addition to the standard set of tools?

Have the “Jagdkommando” knives ever been used by the military (or LE though I can’t figure out what can they used them for)? Are they s