I have been gathering up miscellaneous items for a bug out bag&the next thing on my list is a fixed blade tactical/survival knife,Iwant it to be a solid knife something that I can trust my life with,4-8 inch's,fixed blade,maybe a hollow handle,maybe a compass,I am not sure what I am really looking for maybe I have just watched to rambo movies???
Mac Daddy, you're going to want to avoid the Chinese-made hollow handle survival knives. Ignoring the fact the steel is kinda punk, their biggest failing is that they have a very short rat-tail tang that is secured to the hollow handle by a tiny nut. When you're talking about something your life might depend on, you don't cut corners and you buy only the best.
The Ka-Bar's always a contender. So is the USAF pilot's survival knife, which has a shorter blade and comes with a sharpening stone; and has a pommel you don't need to be scared of using as a striking surface. In either case, be sure to get one that is made in the USA, not a ChiCom "monkey copy." Previous comments re: steel.
Colt makes a hollow handle "Rambo I" style knife that costs about $100 that's not too bad.
Nothing beats an honest-to-God Jimmy Lile Rambo knife, if you can afford one he made himself. Jimmy Lile understood about making knives your life may depend on. Trouble is, real Liles cost a fortune, as in "you could buy a car for that."
If you look back up the Survival thread, there's a thread on survival knives in which I discuss how to turn a Swedish Model 1896 Mauser bayonet into a hollow handled survival knife. You might give that a read. Here's the link:
Take a look at the RAT Cutlery RC-5 or -6. I also like some of the SOG fixed blades. They are strong and have good steel. There are gobs of great choices. Falkniven and Bark River make some very good blades. For something a bit less expensive, I like the SOG Seal Pup Elite plain edge which as a 4.85" blade. It is a very user oriented knife.
If you want to go medium priced custom, check out Bob Dozier's Wilderness Knife. Excellent blade.
If you want to check out some non-corporate sponsored reviews on knives check this guy out. I have watched quite a few of his vids and he's pretty real about things. Also a Lieutenant Col in the Army I believe.
Location: Oz, right next door to The Lollipop Guild HQ
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If you want a tough, heavy duty, hollow handle knife, your gonna need to spend some money on a true, high quality piece. Chris Reeve Knives makes the absolute strongest, toughest knives in this genre. But, you are gonna pay for them. They start in the $250.00 range and move on up from there.
But, they are the very best out there. They are milled from a solid block of A-2 steel. The handle, guard and blade are one solid piece of steel. The handle has a truly water tight screw on cap. The sheath is a heavy duty leather one with snap strap for retention.
IMO, the best of the one piece knives is the NKONKA. It's a 7 1/2" blade knife with a tool/driver set contained in the hollow handle. The cap doubles as the screwdriver's handle. Too cool to describe. I had one. Had to sell it while unemployed to keep the lights on. I regret it to this day. One day I'll be able to afford to get another, God willing.
Do yourself a favor and forget any of the other hollow handles. Especially the Rambo movie inspired crap.
Buy quality, cry once.
Buy cheap, cry much.
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About the only non-custom hollow handle survival knife I would trust is the Al Mar special forces, which is out of production and pricey.
For what you are interested in, I would recommend the Cold Steel Recon Scout which has a seven and a half inch blade or the Blackjack Anaconda that is about the same size.
Both are thick bladed weapons made of good steel and properly heat treated.
The problem with flea-market knives is not the steel, its the heat treat.
You can make an excellent peforming knife with mundane steel if heat treated right. But improperly heat treated the best knife steel will fail.
My own personal choice for a survival knife is the TOPS Tom Brown Tracker. Its expensive but you can cut the cost a lot by shopping around for one on Ebay.
I got the full size, the medium size and the companion scout knife for what one new Tracker costs on Ebay last year.
I have a Huge choice for a survival/Bug knife. My son collected all kinds of Military knives/bayonets ect. with my hep.
Though I have a Buck general my son last year gave me a U.S. military knife that appears to be used as a hand to hand combat knife. It's made by Camillus in New York...USA. It does not have saw teeth which I'm glad. Wish i knew which branch of the military used it...Though this one is new. It could be just a copy I think it was bought from The Edge Co.
It's not a bayonet either. I think it would be perfect for SHTF/ Bug Out.
The Blade of this knife looks like the one in the 2nd picture next to the Tantoe FloridaShark posted.
The handle of mine apears to be solid leather with 5 groves equally spaced.
Also as of today my very Cherished Plumb brand hand AX my sister gimme for my 19th birthday is part of my SHTF/Bug out equipment.
I have it put away because it's just to perty to use LOL...A.H
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Last edited by ArkansasHunter; 06-16-2009 at 12:24 PM.
I have been gathering up miscellaneous items for a bug out bag&the next thing on my list is a fixed blade tactical/survival knife,Iwant it to be a solid knife something that I can trust my life with,4-8 inch's,fixed blade,maybe a hollow handle,maybe a compass,I am not sure what I am really looking for maybe I have just watched to rambo movies???
Hollow handles are notorious for breaking and China is notorious for cheap products. But my survival knife not only has a hollow handle but is made in China and it is FIRST RATE. I can pretty much guarantee this knife was designed by an American and that he simply chose to manufacture it in China and to his standards. With a Bowie blade and Air Force survival saw teeth all done in surgical stainless steel, nobody but an American could have designed it. It's frigging loaded with combat features, game cleaning features, and survival features and I got it off of Ebay for 10% of what it would cost here in the States (The hollow handle has a lifetime warranty not to break and it won't.). I have studied Bowie knives for a couple of years and mine has EVERY FEATURE ever discussed and they are all included to PERFECTION.
What I find with Chinese products is, after they start getting returns on their lifetime warranties, they find it's cheaper to improve the quality than to deal with the returns. As an example, I also own a Chinese made rifle scope. It has a lifetime warranty and they'll NEVER see it. Like my knife, they made it RETURN PROOF. But, 5 years ago, they had plenty of returns. Yet not any more. They fixed every single complaint on that scope. I could use use it as a hammer to pound nails and nothing would go wrong with it. The same for my knife. You couldn't possibly break that blade.
And, as I said, the knife has everything. It has a compass, matches, sewing kit, fishing gear, and a fire starting flint. That just covers the hollow handle. If you were to see the blade or the wrist guard, you would see perfection of design.
Chances are the best shirts you own are made in China. What they know how to make, they make well. What they don't, they don't.
If you must have a hollow handle than the Chris Reeve knives win hands down.
Cyrano's idea of using a Swedish Mauser bayonet works real well too. The best use of/for a knife is to use it as a knife and nothing else. I would suggest a Blackjack #5. It is the knife I used thru 8 years of Army service. A tough no nonsense 5 inch blade of carbon steel,stacked leather handle and a brass guard. The only drawback is that I think that they are no longer being made. For a current pick a Karbar of either size would do nicely. andy
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