Sidearms & Scatterguns Need advice on a fixed blade for a bug out bag.

[300ATT]

I was at Cabela's last night shopping for a fixed blade w/polymer sheath for a bugout bag. I was looking at the Kbars they had on display and SOG knives and just about left the store with a SOG Tech Bowie and realize that I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to choosing a fixed blade. I know enough about precision rifles to "buy once cry once" but have not a clue about fixed blade knives.

It occurred to me at that moment I would be remiss if I did not reach out to the vast collective wisdom of the SH membership.

I would rather spend $300 on one knife for the rest of my life than $150 multiple times trying to figure it out.

So if you could only take one fixed blade knife with you as part of your (20-25lbs) bugout kit that you keep in the trunk what would it be?

some have told me good hatchet/small axe with a folder others say you need at least a 10" blade some have said tomahawk ... and so it goes.

Purpose of kit - weathering over (roughing it) for up to 5 days/nights. Will also take this in the plane when flying over mountains or rough terrain.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience!

 

[diverdon]

When I was in the service SOG was pretty good knives. Recently I got one from GovX and it was Chinese crap. https://www.smkw.com/knives?cat=81&product_list_order=price_desc
I see a few here beetwen $100 and $500 that I would like to have. Particularly the Dawsons.

 

[JFR]

Gerber LMF???

JFR

 

[Son of Dorn]

British Army Type D survival knife. Can get a newer one from Sheffield here: https://www.sheffieldknives.co.uk/acatalog/3-89.html (also available with a wooden handle but I'd suggest replacing the scales with G10 composite material) or a copy of the original from here: http://www.macdonaldarms.com/armoury/forsale.php (might have trouble contacting them, though). For an alternative sheath, I doubt it would be very difficult or expensive to have a Kydex one made.

 

[Bandit31]

An ESEE 3. Spend the extra $50 over the Ontario Rat. ESEE has a no BS lifetime warranty. Mine also feels real nice with G10 scales.

Myself along with a few buddies keep Gerber Lmf’s in our vehicles and have beat the absolute shit out of them and they keep hustling.

Last, Boker Coye Ridgeback. I’ve had it for awhile and it seems like it has a lot of potential, especially for a small knife.

 

[JFR]

Oh. I like ESEE, too.

JFR

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

These are in service in many places.

 

[ShtrRdy]

I've been following the Gray Bearded Green Beret YouTube channel and he covers bushcraft and what you need to survive. One of his favorite fixed blade knifes is the Morakniv Garberg Black Carbon. It has some unique features such as the ability to start a fire if you only have use of one arm & hand using a Ferro rod. Or if you just have the knife you can find a flint stone and get sparks off the knife to start a fire.

 

[W54/XM-388]

Dawson makes a good line of knives that are excellent knives for survival kits or daily carry.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

Old Hickory

• 7″ Cleaver
• 8″ Slicer
• 7″ Butcher Knife
• 6″ Household Knife
• 4″ Paring Knife
• 3 1/4″ Paring Knife
• Double edge pig sticker
• Skinning knife

SOG SCUBA/DEMO

• SCUBA/DEMO

Total about $200

 

[Sutherlandsd]

Esee great choice but the 4 is the sweet spot not the three.

If your gonna wear it on your hip then the three can be debated. Four is much more usable.

Look also at the tops Bob or the bark river bravo

 

[Sutherlandsd]

Gerber lmf stays in my truck the lack of a full Tang makes me hesitant to put it in a bug out bag.

 

[pmclaine]

I could find lots to like on this page.

Hunting knives Archives - Fällkniven

www.fallkniven.com

For most useful I prefer a OAl of no greater than 8.5 inches.

I have longer knives, KABar class, and they are useful but they also hang like swords when you wear them on a belt.

 

[_Windrider_]

Cant say enough about the Bradford Guardians. Excellent knives.

 

[Country]

I could find lots to like on this page.

Hunting knives Archives - Fällkniven

www.fallkniven.com

For most useful I prefer a OAl of no greater than 8.5 inches.

I have longer knives, KABar class, and they are useful but they also hang like swords when you wear them on a belt.

I love my Ka-Bar warthog original style . The short stout blade makes carring it a breeze even on the front pack strap and it's almost indestructible . Skins , and dresses game well and as a camp knife you can do anything you need to do . Probably the strongest blade available at the time and maybe still is . Also love my KA-Bar cutlass machete .

 

[pmclaine]

I love my Ka-Bar warthog original style . The short stout blade makes carring it a breeze even on the front pack strap and it's almost indestructible . Skins , and dresses game well and as a camp knife you can do anything you need to do . Probably the strongest blade available at the time and maybe still is . Also love my KA-Bar cutlass machete .

I like Ka-Bar, my mention was in regards to the USMC Fighting Knife Ka-Bar.

Great knife but it can be a bit unwieldy at 12 inches OAl.

 

[Country]

Ka-Bar Heavy-Duty Warthog Black 1085 Carbon Steel Fixed Knife w/ Sheath 1278 | eBay

Ka-Bar Heavy-Duty Warthog Black 1085 Carbon Steel Fixed Knife with Sheath 12 1/4" overall. 6 1/2" black finish 1085 carbon steel wide design blade. Grooved black Kraton handles. Lanyard hole. Black Cordura and leather belt sheath.

www.ebay.com.au

 

[Faronth]

If you are truly into buy once cry once, then pretty much anything from this guy:

https://chrisreeve.com/

More specifically for a fixed blade I like the Pacific, you won’t regret it.

https://chrisreeve.com/collections/fixed-blades-1

HTH

 

[Country]

A bug out knife needs to be fairly compact , super strong , be flexible at skinning , butchering and cheap as it lays around in the bag , you can also have a spare hidden at a cache site . You can split shingles with a Ka -Bar warthog and a rock .

 

[Alabusa]

Mora Knives they are cheap in price only. Swiss made, scandi grind, full tang blades. No need in spending a fortune on a big out blade.

 

[nockhunter]

You probably don't want a carbon steel knife for a bugout bag. It will be all rusty before you use it. You could get an ESEE4 stainless version (440c), if you like that style of knife. There are a tons of good-great knives of various corrosion resistant steels. S30v, 440c, n690, CPM3V, ATS34, 154cm, AEBL, 420hc........ All have good and not so good qualities for a bugout knife, and can be cheap to very expensive.

 

[Centuriator]

I've got a PX listing on a razor sharp, easy to carry, awesome fixed blade for sale here, a SOG Survival knife.

Click here.

 

[sea2summit]

ESEE is my go to. I've got expensive knives but the ESEEs are taking over all the chores from hunting bag to EDC on the fixed blade size. Because it's high carbon you do need to watch the exposed edge, if you're storing it for a while I would give it a coat of foodsafe grease (I like bacon) to protect it.

 

[pmclaine]

If you are truly into buy once cry once, then pretty much anything from this guy:

https://chrisreeve.com/

More specifically for a fixed blade I like the Pacific, you won’t regret it.

https://chrisreeve.com/collections/fixed-blades-1

HTH

Pacific and Green Beret have great blade profiles.

Doesnt anyone besides me feel the desire to have a pommel cap at the rear of the knife for light hammering duties?

Not a side loading hammer but a cap over the full tang for seat a proud nail, maybe punching in a small stake to hold down your shooting mat, maybe crush a skull in time of need like everyone fantasizes they will some day do.

Full tang is nice but it kind of irks me when the end real estate is not taken advantage of.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

Bark River are kit knife bullshit.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

The Green Beret knife will break in half the first time you whack it with something. It's a wall hangar. You guys need to stick with rifles. Except those Scandinavia knives.

 

[Sutherlandsd]

Bark River are kit knife bullshit.

What the f#ck does that mean. I have several bark river knives, a Canadian special that has skinned pretty much a zoo full of animals has been beat on batoned on dug holes cut everything imaginable and still pretty much looks good enough to hang on a wall.

Its not what I would choose for a bug out bag but they are exceptional knives.

The Mora knives are great for $13 knives, I'm not going to put my life on one though. Stop watching YouTube and go outside.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

Kit knives and the owner knows it.

 

[Sutherlandsd]

Well it's a hell of a kit knife then. No problems with any of them I've owned and used (my knives get used).

 

[Sutherlandsd]

Not too sidetrack... The answer to the op is to find what feels comfortable in your price range and use it, get comfortable with it so when you need it you can use it effectively.

Imo the answer is the esee 4, the three is too little and has a shitty plastic sheath, the five is ridiculously thick, the six is to big and hard to control, the laser strike is a good option but I don't like the handle. They have an exceptional warranty and all are around $100

But find what you like knives are very personal choices.

 

[300ATT]

Folks,

I really appreciate the feedback - definitely not trolling here. I know so little about this that I was surprised that knives with hollow handles have not shown up - you know the ones that you can place matches in ... is that a gimmick?

Second its like asking what's the end-all, do-it all bug-out precision rifle ... like asking if you have to bug out with one rifle what would it be? ... I have been working on that one for the last 18 years and after many custom built rifles am down to a a light 18" .308 (AI mag fed, carbon manners with a proof barrel which may end up as a 6.5 Creed or a Knight's Armament LRP with a 2x10 nightforce on it) ... still haven't decided.

On the high end there is something like this: https://www.randallknives.com/knives/model-17-astro/ and then there is the K-bar which seems to be made for chopping wood (At least you don't mind whacking it on the rocks as much).

I am probably making this too hard and will end up owning at least as many fixed blade knives as precision rifles in search of the perfect bug-out knife, maybe twice as many (they are cheaper) ... I just hope this is not as addicting ... but the learning journey is really fun. Thanks for the jumpstart.

 

[pmclaine]

You certainly cant go wrong with a Randall.

If you post a Want to Buy there are members that will have some Randalls to sell.

You seem to be just doing your due diligence asking what is out there.

Knives, like rifles, are kind of a personal thing.

You will get all sorts of answers and everyones own personal preference is going to be presented to you as the "absolute best" with no ther alternative to be considered.

 

[pmclaine]

Kind of liking this little guy.

or if more modern materials call you....

Too bad the EPA has made it more profitable to epoxy coat the blades rather than Parkerize them like in days of old.

Maybe Im just nostalgic for he days when sailors would wear something like this to get through their work day and they didnt have to sign them out of the amrs room and the Chiefs didnt expect they would cut themselves or a shipmate so they required nanny state rules to "disarm" them.

Take a half inch from the blade and a half inch from the handle it might be perfect.

 

[W54/XM-388]

The Green Beret knife will break in half the first time you whack it with something. It's a wall hangar. You guys need to stick with rifles. Except those Scandinavia knives.

There are various trade offs depending on what you want in a knife.
Some of the super hard wonder steels hold a sharp edge for a very long time, but when they go dull, you won't be sharpening them easily with something in your bag.

Other steels can be brittle when hit on the side, others (like most of the Dawson ones), can be bent 45 degrees or more and spring right back into place.

You have to decide what you want.

In my case I like something that I can sharpen easily and is very difficult to break.

 

[W54/XM-388]

Folks,
I really appreciate the feedback - definitely not trolling here. I know so little about this that I was surprised that knives with hollow handles have not shown up - you know the ones that you can place matches in ... is that a gimmick?

I'd suggest staying away from them, I'm sure there are some that might do it right, but I would bet most of them are kind of the equivalent of the Chinese made Bear Grylls $19.99 ultimate survival kit you get at Walmart.

You would be better off having the fire making stuff in a pouch made as part of the sheath

I am probably making this too hard and will end up owning at least as many fixed blade knives as precision rifles in search of the perfect bug-out knife, maybe twice as many (they are cheaper) ... I just hope this is not as addicting ... but the learning journey is really fun. Thanks for the jumpstart.

You'll probably find that you need more than 1 knife depending on what the need is. You may decide to have more than one handy and grab the one that meets the situation and leave the others if you need to lighten up the load. Much like rifles, it depends on what the threat / situation is.

 

[300ATT]

I like something that is easy to sharpen ... got this in the bag:

Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener | Cabela's

Buy the Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener and more quality Fishing, Hunting and Outdoor gear at Bass Pro Shops.

www.cabelas.com

 

[pmclaine]

I like something that is easy to sharpen ... got this in the bag:

Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener | Cabela's

Buy the Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener and more quality Fishing, Hunting and Outdoor gear at Bass Pro Shops.

www.cabelas.com

Got one of those from Benchmade.

They really are handy. Like that they even include a leather strop station.

I asked my old school barber what he did with his old strops that he used to have attached to his chair and if he would want to sell me one.

He ended up giving me a nice leather strop, oddly made in the CCCP. Probably the only thing imported into the US that was worth a shit from them.

Since getting it frequent rides on the leather is all thats needed to keep my always carried but never really beaten knives nicely honed.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

I'm just fucking around. Bark is okay they just have too many models. In fact if a production knife company is constantly changing there line up than they are struggling to compete. There are just certain designs that have stood the test of time. And they are all well known.

 

[strikeeagle1]

I like the Chris Reeves variants. Shown are the Green Beret 5.5", the Neil Roberts, the Aviator (hollow handle for small kit). The Benchmade with the thumb control release (NSN) is really nice, also HK tactical is worthy. Shown in use with some of my soft / hard case packages and inventory list. Proper vintage SOG as well.

 

[strikeeagle1]

and a few more...forgot about the OKC (Ontario Knife Co.) Ranger Series, micarta grips and it's built like a tank;not expensive ($100)!

 

[300ATT]

Sweet! Really appreciate the insights ... have learned a lot in just one day.

 

[Kansas_Born]

Has anyone used the abraham and Moses knives? https://abeandmoe.com/am-knives.html

 

[bourbonbent]

Depends on how you use a knife honestly. Some people are extremely abusive and use knives for things knives are not suited to doing. Others baby them and never even want to scratch them.

I beat the sweet hell out of them. Often.

For large blades, stainless is not ideal. High carbon tool steels don’t rust when you maintain them. A coat of oil is easy. Staining is a different matter, as is material transfer from hard impacts.

I typically carry a large knife, a folder, and something in between. If I’m expecting to be anywhere hairy, it’s gonna be a big knife.

Regardless of size, heat treat is the most important thing in a knife. Perfectly heat treated 1095 will outperform poorly heat treated 3V. Perfectly heat treated Vanadis 4 Extra will outperform just about anything on earth, but will you notice the difference in use?

This is the one I usually carry into the woods, made it about a year ago.

The stains on the blade are from cutting down hickory trees and fun stuff like that. The blade is 11” long Crucible L6 steel, color case hardened 8620 steel fittings, and northern curly ash handle scales mortised and corby bolted to the tang. Overall length is 16”.

 

[Sutherlandsd]

That's a beauty

 

[GONE BAD]

If for bugout why not this? M7

 

[strikeeagle1]

The SOG's are nice IF you can get one online from the early run of quality control. The standard SOG SEAL is a big knife that takes up a lot of real estate in / on your kit. I think the SEAL PUP models are better proportioned. Shown compared. Also Chris Reeve Aviator hollow fixed blade with sheath.

 

[Bama Fan]

Folks,

I really appreciate the feedback - definitely not trolling here. I know so little about this that I was surprised that knives with hollow handles have not shown up - you know the ones that you can place matches in ... is that a gimmick?

Second its like asking what's the end-all, do-it all bug-out precision rifle ... like asking if you have to bug out with one rifle what would it be? ... I have been working on that one for the last 18 years and after many custom built rifles am down to a a light 18" .308 (AI mag fed, carbon manners with a proof barrel which may end up as a 6.5 Creed or a Knight's Armament LRP with a 2x10 nightforce on it) ... still haven't decided.

On the high end there is something like this: https://www.randallknives.com/knives/model-17-astro/ and then there is the K-bar which seems to be made for chopping wood (At least you don't mind whacking it on the rocks as much).

I am probably making this too hard and will end up owning at least as many fixed blade knives as precision rifles in search of the perfect bug-out knife, maybe twice as many (they are cheaper) ... I just hope this is not as addicting ... but the learning journey is really fun. Thanks for the jumpstart.

I carry a Randall 14 in Stainless in my bug out kit. I am a big fan of Randalls. If you want one contact a factory authorized dealer such as Clinton Knives. Mitchell Harrison is also another good source. If you order it factory direct, you are looking at a minimum of a five year wait. I just got a letter from Randall telling me that the 1-8 I ordered that was scheduled to be shipped in December will be delayed by 7 months. I ordered the knife in mid-2015.

 

[Gil P.]

Don't buy a kabar, don't buy anything made by a gun company.
If it's something you will keep in your truck /bag for months or years, get a Mora Garberg stainless. They are affordable enough so you can buy another garberg in carbon or stainless, and practice using it while the other one stays ready in your truck.

 

[Country]

You probably don't want a carbon steel knife for a bugout bag. It will be all rusty before you use it. You could get an ESEE4 stainless version (440c), if you like that style of knife. There are a tons of good-great knives of various corrosion resistant steels. S30v, 440c, n690, CPM3V, ATS34, 154cm, AEBL, 420hc........ All have good and not so good qualities for a bugout knife, and can be cheap to very expensive.

That's not correct for a KA-Bar they have coated blades and all you need is a thin smear of grease along the thin edge . The carbon steel heat treated and tempered blade is twice a strong as any thin SS blade . Don't buy the serrated blade model . Mine 30 years old now and it's only ever got a small amount of rust right on the edge from wet jungle conditions but sharpens right off . SS is fine in a pocket knife or protected work knife but as a survival knife where it may be put to really hard use carbon steel is way better .
I have seen lesser knives broken in the bush they were mistreating the knife but a Warthog you can miss treat it something severe and it wont break . You can still buy them there's a few left .

 

[Country]

Don't buy a kabar, don't buy anything made by a gun company.
If it's something you will keep in your truck /bag for months or years, get a Mora Garberg stainless. They are affordable enough so you can buy another garberg in carbon or stainless, and practice using it while the other one stays ready in your truck.

Ka-Bar have been making knives since before most of us were born . They were ok for the US Navy and Marines . There is way too many back yard knife makers now that put down traditional factory knife makers . Just because it's got some fancy design does not mean it's any better and sometimes their heat treating is crap .
Mora are good knives I used to have a laminated blade Mora years ago but in a bending test the Mora will snap way before the Warthog .