# Knife for bug out bag



## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

Hello, am wanting to get some knives for our bug out bags. Have decided on Ka-Bar but have no idea what model would be a good all purpose knife for this situation. Advice welcome!


----------



## Ohio Rusty (Jan 18, 2008)

Ka-bar is a good brand. Lots of good brands out there. So what are you wanting to do with your knife ??? Stay away from the large bowie styles. Too big, too heavy, too cumbersome. a 5 to 6 inch blade will do everything you want.

Do you want a folding knife or a fixed blade??? (From my personal experience ---) I once had a Frost brand folding knife become unlocked and unfolded while I was using it, virtually cutting open 3/4th of the end of one finger. It cut me all the way to the bone. I bled like a stuck pig and thought I would pass out. I had to drive myself to my doctors office to get stitched up.

No more folders for me !!!!!!! EVER !!!!! Imagine if I was in a survival situation and that severe of an accident would have happened and there was no doctor available. I'd be dead. If not from the bleeding, from infection. My hand was useless for 6 weeks. Now I carry a couple of fixed blades. Both are Buck brand and have the skeletonized handles. Both are neck knife styles. One I keep in my carry everyday bag, the other is a smaller neck knife that I sewed a nice leather sheath with a leather welt (to protect the razors edge of the blade). I wear that little neck knife everyday, all day. No one knows I have it as it weigh's almost nothing. 

I like Buck brand knives, I have probably 3 or 4 more Buck fixed blade knives that I use for hunting. They are tough and hold a good edge for a long time. Another I have always liked, but they are put away now because they are all folders are Shrade brand. The blades on my shrades taken an incredibly sharp edge and have lasted me for years with no wear or damage. I carried a shrade everyday.

Enough babbling about that. It is hard to find one knife that will do everything. Filleting a fish is alot different than gutting, skinning and cleaning a deer, which is alot different than cutting cabbages and carrots. Actually one of the best all around fixed blade knives that will do it all would be the common Case butcher knife with the hickory handle, maybe in the 6 to 7 inch blade length - the 431-8 model with the forged ridges in the blade is excellent. Tough, excellent blade steel in carbon steel, will take and keep an extremely sharp edge that doesn't dull easily. Heavy enough for about any chore you will put it through. A Case butcher knife will cut up chickens, deer , vegetables and fish and shrimp. How do I know that ?? I have a 6 1/2 inch bladed Case butcher knife that was passed down to me from my Mom. She used it in the kitchen for 25 years, and I have been using it for about another 15 years. That knife still has a lifetime of use left in it. The blade is dark, almost black with patina from use, but the blade is hardly worn, even from repeated sharpenings. This is just one mans opinion. There are as many differing opinions about knives as there are different makers and styles. 

Do you want to know what was the most popular and most used knife in the 18th century ??? It was the Sheffield Butcher knife from Sheffield England. Most indians carried them, most white men carried them. Butcher knives were shipped here by the 10s of thousands, and they served the Native Americans, the long hunters and the common Frontiersmen very well for everything they did. The Flintlock Rifle and the Butcher knife ...... the two most successful tools of western expansion.

Ohio Rusty ><>


----------



## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

Would like something I could use to skin a rabbit, kill living creatures, and general purpose (digging, cutting etc).


----------



## Ohio Rusty (Jan 18, 2008)

Never dig with your knife !!! Use your knife to whittle/carve a digging stick, and dig with that ........ If you break your knife .... that is real trouble.
Ohio Rusty ><>


----------



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I would NOT get a knife without a guard. When you are cleaning an animal the knife gets slippery and one slip and your fingers are unusable. I heard about a surgeon who had that happen. He cut all the tendons and he had to find a new profession. In a survival situation the resulting infection might be as lethal as a bullet.


----------



## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Big fan of my Kershaw speed safe. Its a daily use work knife for me. Flips open one handed very fast and locks open. Holds an edge and sharpens back to a good edge, with minor skill and good tools. I agree a non-folder is better but I'll spend my next knife money on another Kershaw. The speed safe I have has a straight edge which is easier to sharpen.
Kershaw Needs Work Folding Knife Assisted 3" Plain Blade, Polyimide Handle - Knifecenter.com


----------



## Kiamichi Kid (Apr 9, 2009)

You could always get one of my handmade knives..I can make a knife to fit "you" and your needs..and I stand behind my products for a lifetime..


----------



## WolfWalksSoftly (Aug 13, 2004)

This one..Ohh Rah !..lol


----------



## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Never heard of anyone picking a brand first and then wondering what model to buy. Kinda like saying, I've decided to buy a Ford, what model would you recommend.

I'd recommend a few things based on Post #3 . A Woodmans Pal machete, an E-tool, and a good skinning knife (I like Kamachi Kid's knife). As you can see, I'm not much of a fan of "jack of all trades."


----------



## Kiamichi Kid (Apr 9, 2009)

Cabin Fever said:


> Never heard of anyone picking a brand first and then wondering what model to buy. Kinda like saying, I've decided to buy a Ford, what model would you recommend.
> 
> I'd recommend a few things based on Post #3 . A Woodmans Pal machete, an E-tool, and a good skinning knife (I like Kamachi Kid's knife). As you can see, I'm not much of a fan of "jack of all trades."


I feel exactly the same way..there is no "one knife/tool does it all" solution.. that's why I said I could make a knife to fit her and her needs/intended uses .
A knife works great for its intended use..as does a crowbar But they have highly specialized jobs to do and don't cross over well.


----------



## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

a case pocket knife

a mora

a rapala 6inch fillet

a small hatchet

these will cost less than the k-bar and function better at certain tasks


----------



## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

for serious skinning of fur bearers a improved muskrat is one of the best.when i was younger ever trapper/**** hunter had this style of knife.


----------



## kvr28 (Feb 15, 2009)

Mora, they are a quality inexpensive product and for the price of some knives you could buy a dozen moras

Mora Knives


----------



## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

Know your local laws regarding knives.... Is a knife in a BOB a concealed weapon in your country,city, state, county?


----------



## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Get a couple extra (or dozen) knives, just like the one your using 'now'. You ''ARE" using one now, right? :grin: Seriously, start picking up knives till you find one that fits your needs. I can't even count how many I have, just like I couldn't tell you how many hammers (16lb sledge down to a tiny tack driver) or screwdrivers I have. Right tool for the right job.

Bold Statement Coming: If I could only have 'one' it'd be a high end Leatherman... knife blades for skinning, knife blades for cutting rope, for cutting wood (small tree limbs), files, screwdrivers, can openers, pliers. With a good Leatherman, I can McGuyver my way out of most disasters. I loves my regular folding and fixed blade knives, but can't do a tenth of what a Leatherman type tool can. 

I'd throw a Wave or Super Tool 2 in the bag, and forget about it.

Of course, there's always going to be one riding on my hip, and several folders in my pocket. When you finally get one, you'll not want to be without it.

Sometimes, I get this silly notion that I don't need a knife on my person, and invariably, I have to go back in the house and get one... yesterday I tried to go 'naked', and had to come back in, to cut some hay stringed cattle panels that were unknottable.


----------



## Vance71975 (May 24, 2012)

sisterpine said:


> Hello, am wanting to get some knives for our bug out bags. Have decided on Ka-Bar but have no idea what model would be a good all purpose knife for this situation. Advice welcome!



Personally i like Gerber Knives. If you can afford it a wasp knife would be nice too!


----------



## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

Thanks for all the input. By saying I was interested in a Ka-Bar I meant to imply that I have been researching and that this brand came highly recommended by some survivalists I know from elsewhere. I really appreciate the info from all of you! And yes I have a knife now but it is a swiss army knife and would not be great for skinning etc. Was thinking a fixed blade with a good guard but wanted to know which brands used good steel that could hold an edge. Thanks again, KC


----------



## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

sisterpine said:


> Thanks for all the input. By saying I was interested in a Ka-Bar I meant to imply that I have been researching and that this brand came highly recommended by some survivalists I know from elsewhere. I really appreciate the info from all of you! And yes I have a knife now but it is a swiss army knife and would not be great for skinning etc. Was thinking a fixed blade with a good guard but wanted to know which brands used good steel that could hold an edge. Thanks again, KC


get a high carbon one then.good edge and easy for most folks to sharpen.


----------



## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

IF I was looking for a âdo it allâ knife thatâs reasonable, Iâd seriously look at the Mora knife offerings the others posted about.
But, I donât believe there really is such a thing, as pretty much any knife will be a compromise on some tasks. So I subscribe to the âNessmuk Trilogyâ concept, which is:

1. Pocket knife, for smaller detail work.
2. Fixed blade, approximately 3-5â blade for your larger cutting and dressing.
3. A hatchet, or small forest axe, serious cutting and splitting. 










I prefer high carbon steel to SS because I find it sharpens easier and holds an edge better. I also donât like a guard on a fixed blade because they make âchoking upâ on the blade for finer tasks difficult. Iâve never had an issue dressing game with a guard-less knife, probably because I havenât stabbed much game. 

Although Iâve been given a couple seriously nice âcombat knivesâ over the years but, I never really used them for much. Even before I retired I rarely used one except for opening MREs and half the time I used my Leatherman for that. Generally I think that any task a big knife can do well, a hatchet can do even better.

In my BOB and GHB I have Leatherman Waves, and have a Skeletool for my EDC because theyâre good all-around tools. For field itâs a pocket knife, 4â fixed blade, and a hatchet depending on what Iâm doing. 

Chuck


----------



## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Fiskars makes, imho, the hatchet to have. Sharp, and weighs less than nothing, thanks to a patented anti-grav alloy. Well, okay the AG alloy is still on the drawing boards, but it does have a fiberglass? handle that is (I believe) guaranteed for life... I've driven over mine, without a problem.

I've had axes and hatchets all my life, and if I get three, four years out of a handle, figure I'm doing good... they get wet, crack, break, etc. The handles in my Fiskar ax and hatchets are still going strong, 8 years later.

Regardless of which kind of knife you get, make sure to get some sharpening stones and tools to keep your blades sharp. If I resharpen my blade, after using it, I can get away with one of those el cheapo steel/ceramic tools, about ~$4 at the store.


----------



## KMA1 (Dec 9, 2006)

Sister, 
If you are talking about K-Bar and a survival forum, you are probably talking about one of about 4 or so patterns of knives they make for the Military, in which case I would say the USMC or Army versions are the one you want. As many have said here, there is no one all-around knife. The military models, made of carbon steel and parkerized sharpen ok and are tough knives. But they are made as a general utility knife for tough cutting, hacking, digging and last ditch self defense/offense. They are definately not what I would choose for skinning and cleaning game, which you mention, cooking, slicing, ect. Also, I am not sure that the K-Bars made today are the equivilent of those made even 5 or 6 years ago before they closed their US factory. But they are fairly reasonably priced. Actually, for the money, probably the best deal right now is the Case USMC prototype, which I have seen selling in the mid to upper $30 range and is basically the identical knife. If I were planning on skinning and cutting up game, I would also probably put in a small high carbon steel butcher knife ( 5-6" blade) or a good quality (Case or German made) folding hunter, trapper or rancher pocket knife over 4"( closed). And don't forget a good sharpening stone while you are at it. I really don't have any knives in my kit, but I always have 4 on my person and others not far from me.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

MORA are good my dad still carries his 30+ year old Mora scout into the woods each fall
they have a very utilitarian shape that works well to do many things , get a carbon steel they take an edge much faster 

for an every day knife i find the buck light max is very hard to beet and usa made for around 25 dollars it is a folder simple but very usable , locks up tighter than most 1 hand open 

http://www.amazon.com/Buck-BuckLite...0CAC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338841912&sr=8-1

gut a deer , no problem
skin a squirrel , no problem
cut a steak , no problem 

and with a 3 5/8 inch blade is very controllable and can be carried any where because it is not a "weapon" depending on local or state ordinances many knifes over some magical number 4 or 4 1/2 inches of blade is considered a weapon 

folders also fall into a more socially acceptable than fixed blades , what makes a fixed blade bad , i have no idea , just that some where someone decided they looked bad , and i can tell you some scout leaders perpetuate this ignorance spreading their lies.

i can tell you that a folder pokes you in the side less and the belt becomes more optional.

as for a sharpener these are darn handy i think i gave 2-3 dollars for the last one i purchase at a fishing tackle store http://www.amazon.com/Rapala-SH1-Kn...ZTOE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338842508&sr=8-1
you can carry it in a pocket and do most of your sharping quickly and easily it certainly gets you by when your away from your better stone at home.

get a machete , or hatchet for chopping 

that said i have a USMC K-bar good knife , i have gutted deer with it , i prefer the smaller knife and a small folding saw , i just find the K-Bar a bit large to work with , it is great if you have a down deer that is still alive you can plunge it into the neck and pull out the front and they bleed out very fast


----------



## BACOG (May 17, 2012)

What ever you get make sure you have a way of resharpening it in your BOB.


----------



## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

IMHO the best all around knives for your bug out are Old Hickory butcher knives. They make several styles, all dirt cheap in price, good steel with wooden handled. They sharpen easily, are not real brittle, and the handles are easy to remove for affixing the blade to end of a good hickory staff. That makes what I've heard called "a bushman's 9mm. Some utility knives with plenty of spare blades would be mighty handy too.


----------



## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

vicker said:


> IMHO the best all around knives for your bug out are Old Hickory butcher knives. They make several styles, all dirt cheap in price, good steel with wooden handled. They sharpen easily, are not real brittle, and the handles are easy to remove for affixing the blade to end of a good hickory staff. That makes what I've heard called "a bushman's 9mm. Some utility knives with plenty of spare blades would be mighty handy too.


I have numerous Old Hickory knives. They sharpen very easily. I have one 4" paring knife that I took on a 100 mile canoe trip down the Mississippi river. It did everything from gutting a fish, to chopping potatoes for hash browns.


----------



## JohnL751 (Aug 28, 2008)

Go to Wal-Mart look at the Kershaw " Needs Work " , that is the name of the knife. Best knife I have ever owned. I have two and they will last longer than most people will live.

No one knife is the best for all jobs. The Needs Work, made in the USA, is a really good one for all the jobs I have come across.


----------

