John McCann - Stay Alive - The Best Knives and Top Tools for Survival

If you do choose a folding knife as your main survival knife, make sure it is quality made and substantial. I always recommend a locking blade so the blade does not close up on your fingers, causing another emergency during a survival situation. A folder should feel comfortable in your hand and be easy to use. Don’t get a big one just to have a big one. The size should be adequate to do the job, but not so big that it is uncomfortable to use. Again, as with all knives, buy quality.

As Figure 4-1 reveals, a primary fixed blade survival knife should have a full tang (no moving parts) and a grind that is conducive to the chores of survival.

A good way to determine a good size for a general purpose survival knife is to use your hand. Lay the knife blade across your hand, being very careful of course, and if the blade of the knife from the front of the handle to point is the width of your hand, then the knife will be a good choice as a general purpose survival knife. This is also a good measure for the handle, which should also be about the width of your hand.

My two favorite grinds for survival and bushcraft are the convex and Scandi grind. They are both excellent at wood work. I like the convex grind for its edge sharpness and strength, as I do a lot of batoning (more about batoning later) with a knife. The Scandi works well also, but we must all have a favorite. I have been known to carry both.

In regard to convex grind, you cannot get much better than a Bark River. They are one of the finest convex ground knives available for survival. They have an exceptional geometry of blade with an edge that doesn’t quit when the going gets tough. I have put the Bark River Foxriver and Bravo 1 through extensive use and abuse, and they continue to provide excellent service. I am recently using the Bark River Gunny, which is a downsized version of the Bravo 1. Although slightly smaller than my usual main-carry knife, it is performing to the standards I require, and being I carry a fixed blade knife every day, it presents less of an impact hanging on my belt when at the mall.

A custom knife maker who also produces a fine convex grind is Dave Thomas of Chieftain Knives. He has made several custom knives to my specifications and they are excellent. The knife shown in the Neck Knife Survival Kit was made for me by Dave Thomas - very sharp!

When it comes to Scandi grind, my favorite is the Skookum Bush Tool which, although called a tool, is a knife designed by Rod Garcia with input from Mors Kochanski. It is definitely one of the finer knives designed specifically for bushcraft and survival. I had the distinct pleasure of spending a week in the field with Rod Garcia and he is not only a knife maker but well skilled in the techniques of wilderness survival. If you choose a Scandi knife, the Skookum Bush Tool is high on my list of recommendations.

Another fine knife maker that specializes in Scandi grinds is Blind Horse Knives. They have a good selection for survival and bushcraft purposes. They made the Pathfinder Knife shown earlier.

If you are on a short budget and desire a less than expensive knife with a Scandi grind, you can’t go wrong with a Mora. The price in relationship to functionality is, let’s say, “on the money.”

There are two camps as far as opinions about large fixed blade knives, also called “choppers,” and, as with anything dealing with knives, some are for them and the other half is against them. In my opinion, if it works for you then don’t worry about what other people say.

I’m in the camp that believes that a large fixed blade knife is a good addition to survival edgeware. It is always supplemental to my primary survival knife, but is functional for my purposes. Although you will rarely see me chop with a “chopper,” you will often see me batoning with one. I find they work well at making larger pieces of wood into smaller pieces of wood. They are also multi-functional as they make a good draw knife, a good wedge and, of course, a good chopper, if chopping is something you need to do.

When it comes to a large fixed blade knife, I’m not interested in a “Rambo” style knife with bells and whistles, serrations, or any other thing that doesn’t serve a purpose I have. I like them to have a thick blade for use as a wedge when batoning. I want them sharp and easy to sharpen in the field. My preferred large blade knives are now made my Fehrman and are extremely robust and will take a licking and keep on ticking. I have also spent countless hours with the TOPS Armageddon which has always performed as required. The original Becker BK-9 was a favorite for many years. The Ontario RTAK and RTAK-II were always just a little on the thin side for my personal liking. But you will decide what is right for you. If I am going to go thin, I might as well have a machete.

The bottom line is this: if you want to carry a large fixed blade knife, carry it as a supplemental blade to your primary blade. You make the choice that is right for you, and don’t worry about what other people think. They can carry what they want.

Many people think of a machete when they think of a jungle, but don’t let that fool you. They are an extremely versatile tool for any environment. They can clear brush, baton wood, be used as a draw knife and still have plenty of use left. They are a large, long, sharp instrument, so caution in use is recommended, especially when clearing brush. Anything sharp swung around in the air can cause a lot of injury if it meets the wrong target. Don’t let it be you.

I prefer a machete, again, as a back-up to a main blade, and always carry one in my truck. Because of their length, machetes are more difficult to carry on your person, but can be strapped to a pack or slung over a shoulder. They are particularly handy in the jungle or a swampy area. They can also be included in a snowmobile kit, as they are handy for cutting snow to build a shelter.