SHTF Fixed blade

If any of you folks come across another sale/promo code like the one from Smoky Mt Knife from last month.......please post it. You all have whetted my appetite foe a new knife.

I've used a few different medium to large fixed blades and I think they're worth the money. That said I've bought most of them used. My 4" Busse and Koster Bushcraft are my go-to's. Anyway I've settled on a smallish 3.5-4" bushcraft style blade for 90% of my tasks and I just use a hatchet for the other 10%. I would like to try a Nessmuk style blade.

Originally Posted by Iraq Ninja

.....SHTF knife should not be primarily designed as a fighting knife, but rather as a tool.
....if it can't throw a spark, I don't want it)
....prefer leather over kydex any day.
....designed as a bushcraft knife first, and a fighting knife second.

Good stuff in this post. I have carried a American-ized tanto blade as my EDC for 20 years now. Great for working around the house or opening boxes at work but they are not a woods knife.
As with anything you prepare/arm yourself with a the 90-95% solution and improvse the other 5%. The tanto style of blade has its place but I would not carry it into the woods.


-IN, What handle material is that on you Woods Bear?

Originally Posted by LonghunterCO

-IN, What handle material is that on you Woods Bear?

Lignum Vitae. One of my favorites.

I recently ordered a Helle Viking to play around with over here. It is the one modeled after some Viking knives found in museums.



I figure the Vikings may have know a thing or two about knives...

Originally Posted by Iraq Ninja

... and a carbon steel blade (if it can't throw a spark, I don't want it).

Excellent point!

You also make a very good case that a work/camp type knife being more useful for many people. My thoughts usually go to military blades as I am currently deployed. But for back home, a camp type knife in good carbon steel would be more useful for going into the North Cascades.

Originally Posted by Iraq Ninja

I figure the Vikings may have know a thing or two about knives...

- Knívleysur maður er lívleysur (maður).

The knifeless man is a lifeless man. - Nordic Proverb

A good friend of mine from Germany is an avid outdoorsman, currently a LEO in Alaska and makes custom knives on the side. We were talking blades one day and I mentioned the Swedish Mora. He explained to me that he did not like a knife with out a hilt due to the danger of slipping onto the blade when butchering large game. I had honestly never thought of that until he mentioned it.

IN, any thoughts of the Nordic blades not having a hilt? I figure the Nordic peoples would use their knives for just about everything in their day to day lives to include the butchering of game.

yepper

Dura coated Spyderco Aqua Salt Black and BOB. Light and handy for a number of uses. $120.00


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Another vote for the BK-2/Campanion

I am not sure if this thread is still active. But I use knives all the time, everyday. For fun I hit the woods, and practice bushcraft, so I have had lots of knives and have used them for lots of things. An Important question to ask when considering a "SHTF" knife is what kind of environment are you going to be in. IF in an urban area, we are talking lots of prying metal and busting windows, things of that sort. Or if "In the woods" you are going to be chopping, lots of chopping. Big blades are better suited for this. However what about small chores, like skinning, cooking, carving? Smaller blades work better here. My Personal advice would be to Go RAT (ESEE) or grayman. Equal or better construction compared to the higher end pretty blades, (strider, or Busse) for less money. Take that left over coin, and buy a decent folder, or small fixed blade. As a side note, I started with a strider, after years of abuse, it is beat all to hell, and cosmetically looks like my grayman.