Survival knife

Survival knives are intended for survival purposes when lost in a wilderness environment. Military units frequently issue some type of survival knife. Hunters, hikers, and other outdoor sport enthusiasts also purchase and use great numbers of commercial survival knives. Some survival knives are heavy-bladed and thick; others are more lightweight or fold in order to save weight and bulk as part of a larger survival kit.

Origins of the survival knife

Previous to the late 19th century, outdoorsmen and military personnel did not use knives that were notably different from the knives used by butchers. Bladestock was relatively thin and the handles were often no more than two wooden slabs riveted to the tang. Around the turn of the century, Webster Marbles introduced the modern concept of the "hunting knife." These knives incorporated heavier blades, crossguards, and pommels. They very much resembled miniaturized Bowie knives. Case, Cattaraugus, and other cutlery manufacturers soon introduced similar knives of their own and it is from these that the modern concept of the survival knife is descended. These knives, along with machetes and bolos constituted survival knives as used by military, explorers, and outdoorsmen up through at least the 1930s.

Survival knife with sawteeth machined into the back side of the blade.

During WWII, survival knives were issued to aircraft crew, as it was a real possibility that these personnel might be shot down over wilderness or behind enemy lines. Lifeboats aboard naval vessels also frequently contained survival kits including knives. These knives varied in design from one branch of the service to another and from one nation to another. The majority of them were simply commercial knives purchased in bulk by the military. From the Vietnam-era and to present, purpose-built survival knives evolved. The serrations often seen on more recent survival knives are intended to allow aircrewmen to cut their way free through the relatively thin metal skin of a crashed helicopter or airplane. They do not function well as woodsaws nor are they intended as such. Those knives that do include functional saw-teeth still suffer from lack of blade length limiting the thickness of what can be cut when used as a saw. Other features, such as hollow handles that could be used as storage space for matches or similar small items, began gaining popularity in the 1980s. Custom or semi-custom makers such as Jimmy Lile and Bo Randall are often credited with inventing those features, but all of them can be found individually in earlier commercial knives. The movie Rambo may legitimately be credited with having created the market demand for large, serrated, hollow-handled survival knives. Knives of that description are even sometimes referred to as Rambo knives.

Some militaries, including the US, have redesigned the bayonet used with their issued rifle to include survival knife features. Historically, bayonets had functioned poorly as field knives, due to being designed primarily to turn a rifle into a thrusting weapon and only secondarily (if at all) to work as a field knife. The newer models function more acceptably for mundane tasks while retaining the capability to be attached to the muzzle of the rifle.

It should be kept in mind, though, that virtually any knife can be a survival knife if it is the only knife one has during an emergency.

Some knives to consider

For serious use in the wilderness requiring strength, durability and useful blade shape, here are a few contemporary brands and models that are generally considered to be useful in survival situations:

Fixed blades

• Fällkniven mod - F1 or S1, the F1 is Swedish armed forces issue and is approved by the US Navy
• Becker Knife and Tool - mod. BK-7, BK-10
• Cold Steel - SRK, Master Hunter, the SRK is approved by the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy
• Ontario Knives - RTAK, TAK-1, RAT-3, RAT-5
• Swamp Rat Knives - CampTramp, Howling Rat
• Bark River Knife & Tool - Northstar,Fox River, Highland Special
• KJ Eriksson or Frosts of Sweden - any Mora or Leuku style.
• Randall made Knives - Model 15 Airman, Model 18 Attack-Survival
• Chris Reeve Aviator
• Ak-Bar - 1221 Next Generation Fighter/Utility, 1218/5018 USMC Fighting/Utility knife
• Eikhorn Solingen ASEK (Aircrew Survival/Egression Knife) and KM2000
• SOG - SEAL 2000 is approved for use by the U.S. Navy SEALs as an assault knife

Folding blades

Some may consider a folding blade not durable enough however, it is more compact and easily carried. It is vitally important that the blade lock securely (to prevent injury) and be easily opened with one hand (in case one arm is incapacitated).

• Benchmade Griptilian 552 Doug Ritter RSK-Mk1 or 550
• Spyderco Manix, Delica, Endura, Calypso Jr.
• Chris Reeve Sebenza

Multi-tools

These are knives that have many tools that may be useful in survival situations, however the blades are small and these tools should be accompanied by a larger knife.

• Leatherman, Gerber, SOG: any of the larger models
• Swiss Army Knives, by Victorinox and Wenger, a useful model is the 'trekker'

See also

• Bushcraft
• Mors Kochanski
• Ray Mears
• Survival
• Tom Brown (naturalist)

External links

• Another selection of fixed blades by Doug Ritter, survival expert
• A selection of folding knives by Doug Ritter
• Bladeforums.com Wilderness and Survival discussion forum
• Outdoors-Magazine.com's review of some fixed blades for bushcraft
• Outdoors-Magazine.com's articles on folders
• Woodsmoke - UK Wilderness Bushcraft School for courses on safe use of bush-knives and axemanship