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Getting The Job Done Right
By: Darion Robinson
One of my friends asked me how many knives do I need to be able to survive in nature? Well, my answer was crystal clear. If I pick the best survival knife, then just one.
However, there can be various factors you must consider while choosing a survival knife. You should consider the function, size, strength, and steel cut of that particular knife. Additionally, you should consider the add-ons that you get along with the survival knife.
Nowadays, we get to see a lot many survival knives in the market. But, when it comes to the best survival knife among all others, then I would probably pick the SOG Force Survival Knife (click here to view on Amazon.com). It is versatile, robust, and better serves the purpose. Its small grind design and thick blade are what I love the most. Its handle is made of a sturdy and force repellent glass-strengthened nylon. Thus, it has an excellent grip too.
Are you ready to go through the features of each survival knife out there? There can be several thousand different models. Moreover, each model has different characteristics and functionality. I understand no one has that much time to spend on reading features, reviews, and other thoughtful factors. That’s why I am collecting some of the best survival knives and compiling them in a short, helpful list. Here is my short list of the top 10 survival knives for those who take their survival seriously.
Rank
Product Image
Brand/Model
Check Price
#1
I can list several features of SOG force that make this knife the best among all other survival knives. You will observe and get to know more about these features as you read along. But before that, I want to talk a little bit about this brand.
Well, the brand “SOG” is famous for a variety of high-quality survival tools. Some of their products are excellent such as a deluxe sheath, camping shovel, and tactical tomahawk. The SOG Force, a fixed-blade sharp survival knife, is an excellent tool that offers you comprehensive functionality in various survival conditions. I can use this knife to perform multiple tasks such as cutting veggies, creating fires, making traps, and even making an unplanned shelter. This knife assures survival during any apparent life-threatening situation.
I will surely rate this knife 5 out of 5. But, let’s check out what other buyers feels about it. On Amazon, this knife has more than 105 reviews with an average rating of 4.5. Many customers are recommending this knife for its high-level craftsmanship, strength, and sharpness. Its sturdiness ensures that you can use this knife for many coming years.
I find a small resemblance between this fixed blade Force knife and the standard Ka-Bar. However, it is an entirely separate knife to its own. The blade of this survival knife is 6-inch long. This blade is virtually unbreakable and razor sharp. Furthermore, the use of glass-strengthened nylon in the handle makes this knife extremely lightweight. It weighs only 10.5 ounces. Overall, this knife is sturdy, first-class, and seems like a great addition to my armory.
Even though the SOG Force is excellent in many ways, it too has a small drawback. It is a little bit hard to sharpen this knife. Plus, it’s sheath also needs some improvements. Apart from these minor issues, the knife works very well as I expect.
– With a hardness of almost RC 57-58, this knife has extra strength.
– The use of AUS-8 stainless steel in the making of its blade ensures toughness.
#2
Schrade Extreme Survival (model- SCHF9) is another survival knife that gives maximum strength with its drop point sharp blade. The blade is made of 1095 high-carbon stainless steel material. It makes this knife ideal for all outside adventures.
It looks like Schrade Extreme Survival SCHF9 is a high selling product on Amazon. And, it has more than 1200 customer reviews. It has an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Also, almost 91% buyers rate this knife four stars and above. It is nothing but a shred of evidence to its usability.
I like this knife mainly because of its dimensions and weight. It is 12.1 inches long and weighs only 1.0 pounds. I get an excellent grip on it because of its lightweight. The blade length is large enough which scales 6.5 inches. Plus, it also has a big handle of around 5.7 inches. Thus, I can hold this knife and perform multiple tasks with comfort. This knife comes with an outstanding ballistic belt sheath and detachable storage pouch too.
If there is anything that I would like to change in this knife is its sheath. There is no doubt that this knife is very well-designed. However, I can expect some corrections with a few upgrades so that it can become even more convenient and more comfortable to carry. Otherwise, I have no other complaints other than this one.
– It uses high-quality carbon stainless steel which ensures toughness and durability. Also, it’s tough enough to go across all survival tasks.
– It also features a lanyard slot along with a full tang blade.
#3
I have been a fan Light My Fire knife for many years. It is the first survival knife I ever bought in my life. This handy knife is accessible in a variety of colors. It features the use of Swedish FireSteel that works as a fire starter.
The knives that have this form of laminated steel are sharp, long-lasting, and acute. The spine or back side of the blade is so intense that you can easily create a fire and make survival in the wild.
As of today, Light My Fire has more than 900 customer reviews on Amazon. It is one of the top-selling survival knives. It looks like the dual functionality (knife and fire starter) of this survival knife is its unique selling point. Customers also appreciate those seven different color choices.
This knife is a result of collaborative efforts taken by Morakniv of Sweden and Light My Fire. The stainless steel blade (Sandvik 12C27) of this knife is tough. Along with this, it has anti-slip and high-friction TPE rubber handle that gives excellent grip. The blade length is 3.75 inches, and it fits very well in this rubberized handle. Most noteworthy, I like the use of a hidden rod to start a fire.
Even though this knife is perfect for all tasks, in my opinion, there is just a single drawback that I can spot in this knife. It has a small, thin tang that looks like a rat tail. It stuck in the plastic rubberized handle.
– The use of the in-built fire starter is something that makes this knife stand out.
– The use of stainless steel blade (Sandvik 12C27) gives this knife an extreme level of strength and durability too.
#4
With many lucrative features, Glock Field Knife is another tough survival knife that I like to keep in my arsenal. What I love most in this knife is its blade which undergoes phosphate treatment during the production. This treatment prevents corrosion and improves the life of the edge.
Glock Field Knife is one of the best survival knives. It has more than 280 reviews on Amazon. More than 93% of customers rate 4 and above stars to this knife. It looks like many customers like the design of this knife. They also advise new buyers to stop by and purchase this survival tool.
This knife is 11.4 inches long. This length can quickly capture the attention of viewers. Apart from usual survival tasks, you can use this knife for multiple other functions such as opening bottles, cans, and ammunition boxes. Moreover, the blade of Glock Field Knife has a plain edge on one surface and a serrated edge on the other.
One thing that I commonly observe in all top knives is that they need to make some improvements in the sheath. In Glock Field Knife, the retention clip of the sheath is slightly tight. Plus, I am not whether you noticed it or not, the tip of this knife is somewhat round. Hikers like me expect a pointed tip.
– The phosphate treatment makes this knife highly resistant to fading and corrosion. In other words, it has the best-coated blade.
– Its length is high enough (11.4 inches) to use it all survival situations.
#5
I like the brand Condor and its products. They create different survival products of excellent quality that I expect from this brand. This knife has a hardwood handle that represents its simple design.
One of the reasons why this knife stands out and looks attractive among all other knives is its blade which has a blasted satin surface.
Condor is a famous brand. Buyers trust their products on endurance and long-life. So as I expected, this knife has over 900 reviews on Amazon. Almost 73% of the reviewers from these 900 reviews rate this knife five stars. Not just star ratings, but they also communicate their positive experience in the feedback section.
As I can see, this knife is made of the highest class materials. Condor uses high carbon 1075 stainless steel to produce the blade of this knife. Along with this, the blasted Satin finishing on edge makes it further durable and robust. In my opinion, you can pick this knife if you want to perform simple cutting activities.
I expect two improvements in this knife. First of all, the angle of the edge grind is quite large than usual. Secondly, the company should make the blade of this knife somewhat sharper. If Condor considers these points and works around them, then it would certainly place this knife at #2 into this list.
– This knife has the Walnut handle. So it gives the best possible grip.
– The knife is excellent. In short, it is built for durability and performance.
#6
Are you looking for a knife that has an excellent design and a true endurance? Maybe, Buck Hoodlum is something you should look around.
This knife has a unique pattern that gives it a feel of a short sword, or else, a long sturdy survival knife. Now, it’s time to have a real analysis of this knife and review its features and drawbacks.
The brand “Buck knives” is famous for its designs and endurance. As always, I checked what do customers speak about this product on Amazon. Well, it has more than 65 reviews until now. And on average, customers rate this product 4.1 out of 5 stars. Overall, this knife works well and meets the expectations of buyers.
I find this knife ideal for almost all tasks that come across me during camping, hiking, and other outdoor adventures. Its blade is long enough and scales around 10 inches. Plus, it is made of sturdy stainless steel material (5160 alloys.) However, one thing that I find interesting about this knife is its weight. No matter how long it is, it’s incredibly light in weight.
Despite its look and design, this knife may not provide you that much “razor-sharp” performance. However, you can use a sharpening stone or some other tool to make it further sharp according to your needs.
– The Buck Hoodlum knife has a lifelong warranty which is a big plus if you think about the damage or corrosion.
– This knife has a removable handle.
#7
This piece mainly draws the attention of those who like old designs.
Schrade’s SCHF36 Frontier can fulfill your need of that decent look along with some incredible features. It has a fantastic drop point sharp blade that is made of high carbon stainless steel. This blade is powder-coated and also includes a finger choil.
When it comes to customer reviews; well, this knife is getting lots of recommendations from buyers. On Amazon, it has around 450 reviews with the majority of buyers appreciating the excellence of this knife.
I particularly like that old look of this knife. It gives me an astonishing feeling of holding something ancient. This knife has a TPE handle that contains a lanyard hole and texture of rings on it. The length of its blade is around 5 inches whereas the handle is nearly 5.36 inches long. However, it weighs just 12.3 ounces. I get an excellent grip on this knife. That’s because of its lightweight and finger choil right above the handle.
Schrade creates the best products. However, the finishing of their products is quite poor. I want to add powder coating as an additional feature of this knife. But, the company needs to improve its coating style. The blade coating is somewhat weak as to what I expect.
– Its full tang old design and ring textures on the handle are attractive.
– It has an excellent grip because of the addition of finger choil.
#8
It is another survival knife with great design. I particularly like medium size knives that are durable and good looking. Tom Brown Tracker knife is one such knife that clearly meets my expectations. It has 1095 stainless steel tough blade with Linen Micarta Handle.
This knife is reviewed by 3 buyers to this date. All of these reviews talk about the top class performance of this knife. Tom Brown Tracker is small in size, and thus, easy to carry anywhere. This knife is thicker than the standard hunting knife. It is what buyers like the most.
It is a versatile, multipurpose knife. That’s why it is one of the most favorite survival knives of hikers. I like the way this knife works. It works like a monster and quickly cuts the meat, wood, or any other hard material. You cannot see a sheath in the picture, but this knife comes with one.
Everything is excellent with this knife except one thing, and it is the handle design of this knife. The manufacturer should keep the handle smooth. That’s because the molded grip of this knife forms some hotspots when you use it for a long time. You might feel these hotspots while performing tasks like sawing.
– It has an excellent blade quality (1095 steel) that makes this knife durable and long-lasting.
– The thickness of the blade is medium, i.e. not too large. An ideal width makes this knife perfect for everyday use.
#9
If you already have this survival knife, then you don’t need to worry at all. And in case if you don’t have it, then check out this review.
First of all, shall I speak anything more if the brand is Gerber? Well, the Prodigy survival knife by Gerber is a masterpiece created for all adventurous people out there. With its ergonomic Handle and full tang blade, every other element of this knife adds value in performance.
This knife has more than 670 buyer reviews on Amazon. So, there is no doubt this knife is one of the best selling products. You should note one thing that customers don’t like to buy a new knife every another month. They want something durable and long-lasting. Fortunately, this knife meets their expectations.
What I like most in this knife is its blade which is made of sturdy stainless steel (stainless steel) and has finishing of black oxide. As you can see, the knife is full tang with a serrated edge. This combination ensures that you practically get a solid piece which is strong yet unbreakable. The fitting of the handle is excellent which is molded into this sharp knife.
I could place a Prodigy knife somewhere at the top of this list, but one thing stopped me from doing that. The blade of this knife is quite smaller to perform simple chopping tasks. However, it is a full tang, serrated edge knife; thus, it could be an excellent choice for hikers and those who enjoy outside adventures.
– Its blade is super sharp and has a drop point style. It’s made of stainless steel (420 HC.)
– The finishing of black oxide gives a beautiful look to this knife.
#10
Now, there comes a brand “Fallkniven” which produces a variety of survival and general purpose knives. It has a long 6.3 inches fixed blade which is spear point and sharp enough to cut any object you get into its path.
Moreover, the Fallkniven A1 follows all general standards for durability and particular safety capabilities.
With 140+ reviews on Amazon, Fallkniven A1 succeeds to stay at the top of all other survival knives. More than 88% of customers are delighted with their decision to buy this knife. These positive reviews indicate the satisfaction rate of this knife. Plus, they also highlight the dedication of the company towards its buyers.
I like the design of handle as I feel so comfortable holding this knife. I don’t need to worry about any slipping incident too. The Fallkniven A1 is a multi-purpose knife which is ideal for almost all heavy duty tasks. Its robust blade is of the highest in class made from solid and extremely strong stainless steel material (Laminated VG10.) So, you can rest assured with peace that your knife can withstand the force of heavy use.
There is no drawback in the actual product; however, the company should focus on improving the quality of the sheath. Currently, the sheath looks so fragile and flimsy. The company should consider making a custom and comfy style sheath.
– The knife gives a perfect balance during all heavy duty tasks.
– The handle is fabulous. It gives an excellent hold even if you use it with a wet hand.
Even though you can pick the best quality knife in several ways, you still need to avoid some features. The below features of the survival knife are unwanted yet risky.
There can be many different kinds of tang, but we will only consider the five main types. They are full tang, stick tang, narrow tang, skeletonized tang, and partial tang. The tang in (one-sided) partial tang knives barely elongates to a portion of the length into the handle. Thus, they can be risky to handle.
It’s better if you avoid buying any knife that has a gut hook blade. This blade is a specialized one and contains a semi-circle spot in it. Many times, hunters use this blade for field dressing.
Nowadays, most knives in the market have serrated edges. You can further classify them into partially serrated and fully serrated blades. You will need these blades only in specialized activities such as cutting hard objects, rope, etc. If you don’t play around any of such actions, then better you avoid serrated edge knives.
It’s hard to carry long blade knives. An ideal knife length should be 10 inches or less. Anything above this measure is too big to handle. Likewise, the small one may not be a good fit for survival situations. Thus, you should check for the medium size blade.
Many people like to keep a folding survival knife as an additional tool. These are more like pocket knives that are easy to carry, lightweight, and multifunctional. SOG is famous for its folding, pocket-friendly survival knives. The SOG Folding Knife is the best one among all others in the same category. It has an overall length of 9 inches with the blade covering 3.5 inches area.
Now that you have a full list of best survival knives, I believe that you will be able to pick the right one. No matter which knife you choose, always remember to pick one that can do multiple tasks for you such as cutting, hunting, chopping, etc. The size of your knife must be proper so that you can comfortably use it in any situation. More specifically, you need to pay attention to its grip. So you can even use it as a self-defense tool in case if you face any voracious wildlife.
Also, make sure that the knife you want to buy is durable and versatile. These features will allow you to cut through numerous textures and materials. In short, your knife should serve the purpose. Almost all the knives that you see above are multifunctional. You can use them for hunting, setting traps, building a shelter, producing a fire, and so on. Thus, they are an inevitable addition to any survivalist, hunter, tourist, or hiker’s inventory.
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