The fewer moving parts mean a more durable knife for the long haul. This knife could last you multiple lifetimes. The handle is made from wood. The blade is made of 420HC steel. The blade is finished from SK-5 carbon steel mirror. There are a ton of different variations in these two categories, but in general, you want to look for something that has good edge retention, rust/corrosion resistance, and is easy to re-sharpen. If someone is trying to sell you a blade that looks like it came straight out of a Rambo movie, RUN! Maybe even a good Spartan…from Spartan Blades!!! I have no other words. A prepper in Alaska preps differently than a prepper in NYC does (at least we’d hope). I did, however, place my favorite fixed blade survival knife at the top. In my opinion, that’s the sign of power. This KA-BAR knife is sleek, practical, and one of the highest quality options on the market. You can get survival knives that have whistles, fire starters, LED lights and even survival guides included on them. But if you are choosing between two closely compared fixed blade knives, you might allow a sheath to make the difference. The MOVA-58 is a well-known model to all knife enthusiasts – pricey but well-designed and highly functional, this would be one of the currently best survival knives that your money can buy. And if you are someone who hates the big brand feeling of Bear’s knife, then you can’t lose with this Ka-Bar. The ESEE 6 Fixed Blade Knife is an excellent all around knife that can be used in both urban and wilderness settings. Its a great filet knife. Yes, most non-full-tang knives have sturdy handles, but nothing is stronger than blade steel. Bring one along whenever you camp, trek, or push for the summit. The Condor Tool and Knife Huron comes with a great 100% leather sheath (probably the best sheath you will find on my fixed blade survival knives list, to be honest). They are nostalgic pieces more than functional. The Bear Grylls Ultimate Pro is listed at $71. It’s designed to be used in the wilderness, and has three distinct blade sections designed for chopping, carving, and sawing. It’s made with 1095 carbon steel and … The term “survival knife” is an often confused, misunderstood term. Full tang means the knife’s actual steel blade runs through the handle. Don’t fall for the hollow handle blades that are often marketed as survival tools. It’s a fixed blade knife that’s a real workhorse. But these items should come second to the quality of the blade and handle. A touch more pricey, but not so much so that the economical shopper shouldn’t consider adding it to their survival knife collection or even purchasing it as their main knife. Buck Knives is one of the few survival knife companies to guarantee their products for a lifetime. PrepForThat’s Editor and lead writer for political, survival, and weather categories. A sheath, for example, that’s MOLLE capable might help you decide. The grip is secure and comfy and feels safe in the hand. But now, I know that it is! If you have a bug out bag (and damn, you should), you could always stow that piece as a second addition, rather than an included addition on the survival knife. Their knives are commonly “out of stock” due to supply and demand issues. The knife is designed to smash, bash, pry, chisel, hammer and cut. The fixed blade’s length is 2.2 inches. This knife is a classic military style knife. Urban Survival & Wilderness Survival are two very different things. Here are some we like: The USMC KA-BAR is a knife that has withstood the test of time. Outstanding balance and highly reviewed. Sure, it is better to have a small axe for many of those tasks, but the fact is, the Bushcrafter 162 fixed blade can get a lot of jobs done that fall off the survival knife spectrum. The blade on the Buck Model 119 Special comes sharp out of the box. Modern folding blades from companies like Emerson are powerful and durable, but they still aren’t the best for survival. The overall knife length is 7.5 inches. In a survival situation, the last thing you want to worry about is a broken knife. Originally adopted into use by the United States Marine Corps in 1942 — then known as the 1219C2 combat knife — The USMC Mark 2 Combat knife is probably one of the best-known survival knives on the market. The 162 Bushcraft Knife is Benchmade’s first foray into the Bushcraft world. It comes at a higher price, but you are paying for S30V stainless steel, a beautiful handle, and a full-tang survival knife experience. Ka-Bar is a big top-quality knife maker. Keeping up with prepper news means staying prepared. However, this powdered coating tends to last longer than most in its class (and beyond its class). I’d say that makes it a good knife to use on a hunting excursion as well as meet your basic survival needs. 4 Fallkniven A1 Fine Edge Fixed Blade Knife – Best VG10 Steel Survival Knife Fallkniven is perhaps one of the best name brands when it comes to the realm of survival knives. As someone who has worked in knife shops, made knives and done so much research its disgusting, I have to say that your list has too many Ka-Bar knives, and by too many, I mean any at all. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Spear-Point: The spear-point is pretty self-explanatory in that it’s a knife blade designed to mimic the attributes you’d expect to find on a spear. Survival knives are without question, an essential prepper item. Folding knives begin to expose themselves as weaker considerations when confronted with a variety of other survival needs, such as cutting down trees, pummeling rocks, and skinning animals for survival food. It has a classic, old school western look to it. It should be able to chop down trees of around 3-inch girth or more to build a temporary shelter unit. This is the knife I personally carry, and it’s the most badass blade I’ve ever strapped to my hip. Make sure the handle is built for such activity. Wait, no, that’s not it at all, it really depends on how you plan to use it! 6 Masalong Outdoor Survival Claw Tactical Knife – Best Fixed Blade Survival Knife. Homeschool: Taking your Child’s Education Off The Grid! If you love the knife, don’t worry about this. This knife is essentially what I’d call, “not a thing of beauty.” It’s rather ugly. They are also fully made in the USA. Many cheaper survival knife handles are made of synthetic materials that feel cheap and eventually can break down. However, I’m not sure this should be your priority survival knife attribute. The second thing to stay away from is folding knives or multi-tools. Wood and metal handles are often used for strength and durability. Being able to filet a fish, cut rope, slice rubber, carve wood or even cut through cloth may be necessary for survival situations. But some of that is excusable due to “survival,” as a general rule, is a subjective concept. The same thing goes for a safety whistle. Buck Knives retreating process is actually quite innovative. I’m a big believer in owning two survival knives (I will explain why below) as well as one EDC, or “everyday carry” knife. The fixed blade’s length is 4.5 inches. The rest are great survival knives and would certainly get the job done. We cover alternative health, financial, political, and survival news. The best fixed-blade knives that sit near the intersection of utility and survival. I hope this helped any first-time survival knife buyers or preppers that are interested in survival knives in general. As you can see from the picture above, the design of this blade sets it apart from most of the other knives on the list. 420HC is stainless steel that provides good corrosion resistance, with easy sharping and medium edge retention. Some example of popular blade steel properties: From bone to composite materials, there are hundreds of different handle materials to choose from. As a second option, folding knives are great for survival equipment carry. With that in mind, we wanted to share our real-world experience with our readers and take a deep-dive analysis into what you should be looking for when selecting a knife. Ka-Bar is no longer a quality product, and have been left in the dust by ESEE, Ontario, Bark River, Cold Steel and a dozen other companies. The Gerber 31-003941 Ultimate Fixed Blade Survival Knife is loaded with handy features and innovations, including a firestarter, a pommel, an integrated blade sharpener, and a whistle lanyard. A fixed blade survival knife is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a high-quality knife loaded with survival features. First, this isn’t a movie. You just have to decide if the design is for you. It does not allow you to baton at all, the belly of the blade is nearly impossible to sharpen with a field sharpener. Another premium, higher dollar knife experience but worth every cent. The handle has a pommel at the base of the handle. The StrongArm fixed blade knife boasts a comfortable and tough glass-filled nylon handle with a rubber overmold, a 4.8″ drop point 420HC steel blade (known for its exceptional durability), and it comes with a MOLLE-compatible sheath for modular attachment. Also, make darn sure you have a bug out bag essentials. The best materials for a survival knife handle are typically made from your modern synthetics – Kraton (a synthetic rubber polymer), Micarta, G-10, GRN/FRN (glass/fiber reinforced nylon with brands like Zytel or Valox), or even just dense rubber. There are plenty of survival fire starters available for pretty inexpensive prices. It is marketed as a corrosion resistant knife that has a super secure and safe grip. This knife is a perfect gift for someone special. The handle might be safe (super important) but it sure is ugly. Survival Gear, Survival Knives And in the end, I don’t care if it is marketed to a mainstream crowd, when you compare this knife to others, you see it is clearly a top rated fixed blade survival knife. With a range of costs and a multitude of specifications to consider, such a manly endeavor is most certainly one that presents challenges. I’m not sure you should make this a priority either, but only you know what makes you comfortable. It may sound like a weird question, but if you’ve spent more than five minutes trying to find one you know, it’s a question that must be addressed. But you need a sharp pointed edge, or it drastically reduces the effect. The handle is incredibly comfortable to hold, its made from a Cape water buffalo’s horn. KA-BAR will hardly ever let a prepper down. Your email address will not be published. Ethan Becker of BK&T and John Benner of TDI teamed up to make this urban Tac Tool that is popular with rescue workers, special response teams, and military operators. If you are looking for a bushcraft knife to add to your supplies, then look no further than the TOPS Knives Fieldcraft B.O.B. The knife is wide, thick, and can really take a beating. When it comes to survival knives, you really do get what you pay for. The ESEE 6P has a fixed blade and polymer molded sheath. It weighs in at about 2.8 ounces. It has a very traditional knife design. But it is not going to be a great option for a hunting or fishing expedition, though it definitely passes my prepper website test. A survival knife should be able to both kill an animal as well as skin one and create edible, safe-to-eat food supply. You can also check out the best survival knives general page, which is more of a general knife review post. Read my Zero Tolerance 0180 Hinderer Fieldtac G10 Knife review to learn more about this fixed blade. Your Knife: a Multipurpose Survival Tool. I’m not one that buys flexible blade knives. And you aren’t really paying much less (if you are at all). Types of people and various locations expose the uniqueness of survival needs. 3. Have a SHTF plan? 2. When you need a good knife for hunting, fishing, or camping, these types can accommodate you quite nicely, especially after you learn … Being prepared is a premeditated act. Many folding knives have powerful blade edges and sturdy builds. But if the blade is too small, you might rule out chopping down a smaller tree. Rubber, Micarta and textured handles provide a better grip in wet conditions. Let’s see how good it really is! Updated: October 16, 2019. That’s a recipe for an accident. It makes the knife super powerful from point of strike to end of handle. The only downside is that if and when the powdered coating wears down on certain parts of the blade due to use, your blade might rust if you don’t apply a little oil touch up. It’s a good option for someone who wants to spend less than they would with the two higher end fixed blades above. This is a stainless steel blade that’s pretty darn rugged. The Ka-Bar Becker BK2 happens to have amassed quite a cult following, it is an incredibly popular fixed blade survival knife and also well-reviewed knife for this very reason. Stainless steel blade is known for its exceptional durability for a … The knife can be utilized for everything from batoning, chopping and skinning game in the wild, to traditional utility or self-defense purposes in an urban setting. Zero Tolerance is a superior knife maker. The KA-BAR Globetrotter fixed blade weighs in about 3 ounces heavier (12 ounces) than the Buffalo Horn Skinner reviewed above (9.6 ounces). When reading survival knife reviews, pay attention to the analysis involving “grip.” The grip you get on the handle matters for both function and safety. You can’t go wrong with KA-BAR as a knife brand. You could fish with that. It provides extra strength to the entire knife. And you should be able to hammer or pummel, into wood or stones. Its a big seller and tons of satisfied customers. I comment you can read my SOG SEAL Pup Elite knife review for more information more relevant to an survival! 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