Fixed Blade Survival Knives

When we are in a survival situation what ever knife we have at our disposal, becomes our survival knife. Hopefully, it is not our EDC (every day carry) knife, because they would not normally pass the test, for most of the necessary tasks to survive. I personally carry a buck knife and, a Spyderco knife, which I carry for self defense. But, I also have a Tops Bob BrothersTracker in the console of my pick up truck. Just in case I have an accident, that finds me off the road, in a deep ravine, that I cannot get out of for some reason. Of course, I also have my Emergency Survival Car Kit in the back seat as well. But not everyone knows what it takes to possess a good survival knife. So today, we will be discussing that issue, when we talk about Fixed Blade Survival Knives.

Carbon Steel 1095

1095 is a durable steel that will hold up to the more rigorous use of your Fixed Blade Survival Knife. It is relatively inexpensive, and probably more used, than your more expensive knives. It will keep an edge longer than your typical $20 and $30 dollar models of stainless steel, made in China, and is less likely to break or chip. The one thing you do have to watch for, is corrosion and rust. If not keep clean, 1095 has a tendency to rust or corrode. I recommend keeping a little oil handy, and when you sharpen it, or after using it to cut up a meal, clean it thoroughly, and wipe it down with a little oil before you put it up, leaving a light coating of oil on your blade.

Stainless Steel

I know a lot of hunting knives are real pretty, and come in sizes ranging from 7 to 8 inches to Rambo size. Used to be that owning a Bowie knife was the thing to have. They are all great for keep’ sake, or most of them anyway. Stainless Steel that is found in the less expensive hunting knives are most likely made in China and therefore made with inferior stainless steel than what we are looking for.

If you want to go stainless steel, you can do so. There are knives made, that would hold up to, what a survival knife needs to for rigors of a survival situation. These are more expensive to purchase, but, they are known to keep an edge for longer than your 1095, and are resistant to corrosion. We have three and they are known as AUS-8,440C, and 420HC. They are each made up of different alloys, but as I said, they will keep and edge, even after a lot of work, plus they are easily sharpened. Your most expensive of the alloys would be a stainless steel called S30V and will hold an edge the longest of them all. It is really just a matter of your pocketbook and how well you can sharpen your knife. If you are not good at sharpening your knife, they do have all kinds of ways to do that. Just look on YouTube or Google it.

The Perfect Size

Folks, if you are looking for the perfect size, there is not one. I would suggest, anywhere between 4 to7 in. blade, 8 to 12 inches max, overall length. Now, if you went a little less than 8 or 12 that would be fine. Pick the one that fits you. Just remember you will be using it for everything from skinning, cutting wood, to knocking down small tree limbs. Anything over that you should have brought an axe. The width is not as optional. Remember, one minute you might be skinning a squirrel, the next you may be hacking a tree limb down. The top of the blade should be a minimum of .20 in. to .25 in. You may be able to go a little thinner but those are my preferences. Do not exceed the .25 in. though. Another thing to remember, it should have a little weight to it. Not enough it would be hard to carry, just enough to give it the bulk it needs to hack through small tree limbs, and yet light enough to skin with. And be sure to get a synthetic handle that will not put blisters on you hand.

Putting It All Together

As we put all this information together, you should be able to recognize what makes up a great Fixed Blade Survial Knife. Now, it is up to you to choose one, and then it will become a bit of trial and error from there on out. You will have to spend a few dollars and then get out in the woods and put your choice under an extreme test to see if you both meld together.

You can Google sites that may let you use your knife for say, 30 days, and you can send it back, if it does not fit your need. If that is the case, you can try as many as you want, before making your final purchase. If not, you may just have to make an educated guess, and use your choice for a while, before affording another. With the information above, you should be anticipated doing that as well. The main thing is, to use them in a survival situation, before, you are in one for real. If your choice was really not as great as anticipated, such as blisters, you can make another purchase beforehand.

Conclusion

My final wish is if you are in your car, or truck, a hiker, or dedicated survivalist like myself, you are never in a real survival situation. Another wish, if you follow my blogs, is that you are never left without being prepared for an emergency. Being prepared with a 72-Hour bug out bag, when I get in my truck to travel anywhere, except for the store, which in my case, is about a mile up the road, has become second nature.. I live in the country and it is flatland and I would not really expect anything more than a shooting might occur at the store, so I do not put it in the truck . Putting my mass shooting bag in my truck, which I have put together, for those types of emergencies. I am prepared for several casualties, so it is a separate bag. But that is another story for later.

Folks, I hope you have enjoyed our discussion today. If you are wondering what my knives were, I will tell you. I first started with a Gerber, and found out that was not the perfect knife I needed, because it was to light. After I learned how to determine what I needed in a Survival knife, I finally decided on two. They were both Tops Big Brothers, the Tracker, which I keep in my truck, and the Hunter, which I carry on my 72-Hour backpack. My wish is, I have given you enough information, to make an informed decision, to obtain a great Fixed Blade Survival Knife. The perfect knife can only be chosen by you, after being used in a survival situation, which I hope was a mock one.

My, my, it has come time to say good bye again. I have enjoyed our discussion today, and I hope you have come away feeling you know enough, to make an informed decision, to choose your Fixed Blade Survival Knife. Make your choice, get out in the wilderness, or park, and practice with your skills and new Fixed Blade Survival Knife. It will be fun and what you learn will keep the panic down, if you ever face a survival situation in real life. Until we meet in my next issue for survival, may God keep you, and Bless you, and your family.