Best survival knife for under $200???

How much do you know about survival? The more you know, the more you'd cater the knife to what conditions you will encounter

Your knife should be catered to:
1. your knowledge and abilities; and
2. the immediate area that you will be needing the tool

Examples:
Since you live in FL, wouldn't you need a big but thin knife for overgrowth clearing, dry-shelter making and processing fish and or fruits gathering? A medium length machete would work well for you there.

But if you get washed out at sea, you may need a smaller blade to carve lures and make string in order to catch fish.

Someone living in the Rockies or Canadian Outback would need something capable of processing lumber for firewood and heavy shelter manufacture as well as for trapping and skinning pelted animals. A heavier chopper-configured blade would be more useful there.

IMHO you cant go wrong with an SOG knife such as their SOG bowie 2.0 or the SEAL pup elite i carry one of them for any of my outdoor activities easily a 10. if you want a knife that was designed as a survival style knife i would recommend the Gerber LMF II i give it a 9.99 with a built in sharpener in the sheath you dont have to worry about it dulling my only reason for not carrying it is because i prefer straight blades to serrated blades

have you checked out any of Valkman's fighters?
here's a thread from a group buy he did awhile back.
This is his website. probably just above the $200 but you also said $ is no issue.

I ended up going with a 5" version of the fighter... that was all the blade i figure i needed.

aside from the places you'd mentioned, have you looked at the Bark River line? they have quite a few options that'll fit your requirements.

lastly, there is the question of exactly what you're looking for. first, you mention "survival knife" but then say "all around". not to split hairs but they could be different things. here are just a few combos to consider:

1) the "1" knife option... something that does most of what you want well but with some compromises
2) machete (or similar) + smaller knife (like in 2-4" FB range)
3) Big knife/machete + multitool or small folder
4) hatchet + knife/multitool, etc

lotsa stuff to consider. i don't think it's unreasonable to go after that "one knife" but just realize its limitations and consider supplementing it appropriately.

good luck and let us know what you decide!

See post numbers 2 and 3.

Then get a SAK, Victorinox Farmer to compliment whatever else you choose to get.

Victorinox paring knives are light, sharp, and cheap. They are great knives to toss in a survival kit. They red handled ones are easy to see, too.

i disagree with picking a survival knife on where you currently are....i believe you should pick one that will serve well in different environments, it is possible to run into a survival situation anywhere so a balanced knife is important....also i forgot to mention the ontario knives an sp10 marine raider bowie along with the sp1 marine combat makes a great team for around $100 and span from machete work to cleaning fish and scraping tinder. it still comes down to being suited to many environments

The best the survival knife you'll ever have is the one you're carrying with you when the survival situation crops up.

For some folks, the knife they will take into "harm's way" is predicated on a pre-arranged trip.

Sometimes,, the survival situation is thrust upon you, like taking a bad turn in a snowstorm, flipping into a ditch and having a sudden need to cut your seat belt or break a window.

If I am wearing jeans, I'm wearing a RC-4. It's tough enough for anything I can think of.

If you need more than a four-six inch fix bladed knife in the wild, your skills suck or you are in desperate need or a real axe, machete, or saw that you should have brought with you in the first place if you were adventuring among vegetation requiring those tools.

thats actually good logic well said pizzagunner...i think we all jumped to the conclusion he meant a knife to carry in case a hiking trip or hunt went bad...but an EDC knife can sometimes fit the bill perfectly

Which knife would Tarzan choose?
This one has a matte finish, and it's strong & tough just like Aahhrnold!
Once you hold one, there's a good chance that you won't want to let it go!

"What You Have On You"

Emergencies have a way of showing up when you're not expecting them.

Somebody swerves to miss a cat and runs you into a ditch. A deer (or elk, or moose) suddenly leaps into your headlights, allowing you 20 whole feet of stopping room at 55 mph. The weatherman lied (again) and here you are in a hailstorm with no jacket. A peaceful afternoon at the lake becomes tense when a swimmer is entangled in someone's fishing line. The weatherman lied (again) and you're stranded by the road in the midst of forty other cars, all playing fender tag, as they try to come to terms with the freezing rain on the road. You come back from the river with your day's catch, to discover that your truck won't start, your cell phone has no signal, and sundown was twenty minutes ago.

And the list goes on.

Survival is, of course, not all about the knife, but it's arguably the most broadly useful tool you can have. A good cutting tool can make all the difference between making it and not.

I have, at all times, a full-sized folder (EKA Swede 92) on my belt in a nondescript horizontal nylon pouch. It's more or less the size of a Buck 110, but a little slimmer and lighter. On the other hip rides a Leatherman Wave. Additionally, there's a small "gent's knife" (Case Pocket Hunter), and -- depending on the day -- a SAK or a stockman.

If I'm dressing up, the hardware will change, and I may be down to a couple of items but, unless I'm in a courtroom or on a plane, I always have at least two.

The truck has a large fixed blade, a large folder, a folding fillet knife, another SAK, a hobo tool, and so on. The Jeep has a knife or three, a hatchet, and a short survival machete (Ontario Spec Plus).

Keeping knives, hatchets, and such in the vehicles is a habit from years of living around forests and lakes and mountains.

The Idaho Driver's Manual actually has a list of stuff they recommend you carry in your car -- including a pocket knife.

Well, let's see. What have I got RIGHT now? Clipped to my right pocket as I'm writing is a Kershaw Blur. If I'm kayaking it would be a Gerber River Shorty on by PFD. If I'm diving it's a Remora on my BC. If I'm in my car it's a Special Forces Shovel. If I'm working around ropes it's a Swiss Army Yachting knife. And if I'm anywhere where I need to be PC it's a SAK. I also have multitools from various makers: Schrade, Gerber, Leatherman in all the above locations and in my dive bag.

Moral: Make sure you have what you need NOW. Don't buy one that you only carry on "special occasions". Murphy's Law will prevail.

Of your original list the Becker 11 is a great choice.

The word survival is a nebulous as the word tactical.

What really counts is having a couple of sharp knives that can fit your needs.

Boker Safari is a well made fixed blade knife.



Boker Stockman should be in every outdoorsman's pocket.




Camillus Scout knife is a Keeper! Open canned goods, make holes to stitch leather, and many other uses. Rough Rider makes this knife style currently.


You can purchase all three for under $100. Learn how to make snares and keep a few in your trail pack along with 3 ways to make a fire.

TR

If your're looking for an all-around good utility/fighting sheath knife, the good old KaBar is always a winner!

If your'e looking for an all-around good utility/fighting sheath knife, the good old KaBar is always a winner!

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I just recently picked up a Ka-Bar BullDozier. Looks like this


It's definitely a winner for the price I paid, about $65 if I recall correctly. It is larger and heavier than I expected from the pictures online. I've barely handled it, so I can't make a full review but it sure seems to be built tough as nails. The blade is quite thick, but the hollow grind could stand to be just a little bit less sloppy. The one I got doesn't look quite as clean as the ad pics.

If I didn't get a Valkman 5" or 6" , I'd get the Rat 7. I think Valkman would give you a very nice knife ,far beyond an factory pop out for $185 ect for a couple crisp Franklins right about NOW!

If I'm awake and out of my bed, I have a blade on my person. As others have stated, "survival" could come at any time in any place. I am never without at least a Buck Cadet in my pocket, but usually, I have a Kershaw Blur, or other 2.5" - 4" folding knife clipped on my pocket. I like serrations on my folding EDC knives for no other reason than seat belt cutting. Everything else that comes along in my day-to-day cutting tasks requires only a sharp 2" blade.

I plan on carrying a Gerber LMF II on certain occasions to serve as my all-purpose "survival" knife. I keep a KA-BAR in the truck/grab-n-go bag, and will add a Kershaw Outcast to my bug-out setup to serve as an all-purpose chopping/slashing tool.

Anyway, others on this site have much more expertise than I, but I'll just say that in most cases, you'd be well-served with a sturdy fixed-blade, full-tang knife in a decent steel, 3 - 5", with a sharpening stone and a mindset for survival.

If I didn't get a Valkman 5" or 6" , I'd get the Rat 7. I think Valkman would give you a very nice knife ,far beyond an factory pop out for $185 ect for a couple crisp Franklins right about NOW!

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Well said!

Knife choices

Check out a Bark River Knife & Tools Bravo II and Smoke Jumper and the 2009 Bowie Knives they all come with a no BS lifetime warranty.
Bark River knives for the most part use a convex edge which is easy to sharpen without special tools.
Many handle material choices to choose from they are not as well known as some of the other brands but are some of the best knives made IMO.
Some other brands are not 100% made in the USA Cold Steel for example is often made in China.
Good luck on your selection.

Cold Steel trail master or recon scout
Ka-bar large heavy bowie
Check out some of the reviews and pointless destruction test on youtube, I like the Nutnfancy reviews.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOz_mUISaY4

Buck Special

Here's a vote for the Buck Special model 119. Mine dates from about 1980. Now under $50 bucks at wally world. I have a Randall, a Benchmade MiniRuckus, a stag handle Marble's Woodsmaster, a 3" blade Bark River. I almost alway carry a Moore Maker small trapper, a Spyderco Endura, a SAK Classic and a Leatherman multitool. If I'm going out for any extended time, the Buck Special gets the nod. My original military issue Woodsman's Pal comes along if I think I might want to make a fire.

But, I agree with the posters who say that preparation is more important than a specific tool, and that I want to be prepared to "survive" with what I have with me all the time.

Survival is not a knife.
Survival is a philosophy that leads to a way of life.
The knife that you have with you when you enter a survival situation is probably the best "survival knife".

Survival situations rarely give previous notice. Or do-overs.

So pick a knife that you will carry.

Everywhere.

For mountain climbing I carry three blades so I can clear brush, cut rope, wittle, etc.

The Cold Steel Kukri Machete which you can get at Botach Tactical for under $20. I threw a rubber bike handle on it and it's a pleasure to swing. http://www.botachtactical.com/costkuma.html


The Buck Nighthawk which you can get at Amazon for roughly $55 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EHWWQY...DKIKX0DER&tag=nextag-sg-delta-20&linkCode=asn.


The Spyderco Native which you can pick up at Wal-Mart for $40 (S30V steel is a great all around steel to take outdoors with you and for $40, pardon the pun, is a steal).


From large for a heavy chopper, to medium to for tasks to small for a machete but still has some meat to it, to small for light work such as cutting thin pieces of rope these three blades will do everything you need at a reasonable price. The Buck and Spyderco are scary sharp and easily sharpened and the Cold Steel is probably the best chopper you can buy and not worry about destroying it because you spent a fortune. I have these three, I use them over my other knives regularly and if what I use it for applies to you then they'll treat you right.