Three necessary knives?

[mdauben]

I was going to bring up the "Nessmuk Trio" but ArfinGreebly beat me to it! I think its a pretty good selection for most wilderness living scenarios. Personally, I would not put too much emphasis on a Fighting Knife in my survival planning, even in a SHTF scenario. As romantic as the notion of facing a life or death situation with naked steel might be, rifles, shotguns and pistols are all much better choices for offensive/defensive work.

All that said, here's my personal selection of 3-4 "knives".

1. Sturdy Folder - I chose one of the SAK with locking main blades, although there are many choices in this area. It would be hard to argue against the Buck 110 for example or a number of Spyderco or Benchmade products with 3-4 inch locking blades.
2. Medium Fixed Blade - Its really hard to go wrong with one of the Mora knives for this choice. Other possible choices would include the ESEE-4, or a good scandinavian puukko
3. Large Fixed Blade (Optional) - If I decided to include one of these, the ESEE Junglas might be my choice. The Kershaw Outcast, Ontario SP53, a scandinavian leuku or a medium sized Kukri would be other good options.
4. Axe or Machete - I don't really care for hatchets, so if I'm humping it I would go with a small axe with a 17-22 inch handle like the Gransfors Hunters Axe or the Wetterlings Large Hunting Axe. If I was facing an area with lots of smaller trees and underbrush (second growth forest or wetlands), I might go with a machete like the Ontario Military Machete or one of Condor's many styles of traditional machete.

 

[JimStC]

100% agree with mdauben's catagories.

1. Sturdy folder: Benchmade 9100 (have carried one for a very long time)
2. Medium fixed blade: Bark River Bravo 1 or a Ka Bar BK 7 or D2
3. Large fixed blade: Ka Bar Cutlass 1248 (actually a small machete, 11" blade)
4. Axe or machete: Ontario machete,18" blade (but then again if I was walking I would go with the ax because of the overlap with the 1248. Ax yet to be determined but probably a Gränsfors Bruks medium size

 

[riomedinamike]

1. 4" folding everyday, everywhere carry. My choice is a CRKT Crawford Kasper

2. Large fixed blade, either the Cold Steel SRK or Recon Scout.

3. Any Leatherman with a saw blade.

4. Machete, Cold Steel 19-21" Latin version with Sheath. If you choose an axe, I would pick a Gransfors Bruks small forest axe.

 

[Coyote3855]

1. Spyderco Endura
2. Buck 119
3. Leatherman Blast
4. Woodman's Pal

 

[Brian Williams]

For me here in Cambodia, big stickers are out of the question. In Phnom Penh, I carry(SMALL) a Case 279 pen knife with a small blade and nail file, (MEDIUM)a Swiss army knife or Stockman or Canoe (LARGE)Sodbuster, Slimline Trapper, Case Backpocket occasionally either my SamOwens 3 Finger or my Breed 3 Finger.
I have a couple of Hatchets and a couple of Spiked hammers for hard core whoopin'
I am looking for a good deal on a Sugar Cane knife.

 

[Chuck R.]

Here’s my “trilogy”: Gransfors Bruks Wildlife Hatchet, BRKT “Highland Special” in A2, Northwoods “Gunstock” in D2:



Chuck

 

[JimStC]

Chuck,
Did you wrap the ax?

Jim

 

[hso]

Jim,

The Gransfors Bruks axes don't come wrapped. It looks like Chuck, or someone else, whipped some paracord in place and slid a "ranger band" over the end.

 

[JimStC]

Thanks. I am at the point that I am going to wrap some sticks I made and liked the looks of that. What is a "ranger band"?

 

[Chuck R.]

Jim,

The Gransfors Bruks axes don't come wrapped. It looks like Chuck, or someone else, whipped some paracord in place and slid a "ranger band" over the end.

Yup, that's it. The paracord saves the axe haft, should you miss, and makes a decent handle for choking up.

"Ranger Band" = piece of bicycle inner tube.

Chuck

 

[JimStC]

Thanks Chuck. It looks great.

Jim