Looking to add a fixed blade to Bug-out/Bug-in bag

[alucard0822]

Any purpose you are looking for? Big difference between a knife to skin/process game vs shelter/bushcraft vs urban survival. You can buy several moraknives and stash them around, and keep a hatchet/sawback machete/prybar depending on where you are. That might be a better option than a really nice kukri that kinda sucks for small tasks, doesn't chop as well as a hatchet, and doesn't clear brush as well as a machete, and will snap if trying to pry open a door.

 

[Bob A]

K-bars are 1095 steel. The knife I listed is CPM-3V steel. There is a world of difference between them:

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Are the older (1940-1960 era) Kabars made of the 1095, or something different?

 

[Garet Jax]

Are the older (1940-1960 era) Kabars made of the 1095, or something different?

Good question. Not really sure. It could also be that knifes sent to the military are different than those we can acquire.

 

[justiw]

You can go full custom and get exactly what you want. Stainless, large, edge retention, good shock resistance (not as good as carbon steel). You can get pretty much whatever you want out of it, including aesthetics.

I wouldn't go too far down the rabbit hole of which steel is best. By far more important is the quality of the heat treatment, and custom makers are much more consistent in getting it right.

 

[smokey]

Any purpose you are looking for? Big difference between a knife to skin/process game vs shelter/bushcraft vs urban survival. You can buy several moraknives and stash them around, and keep a hatchet/sawback machete/prybar depending on where you are. That might be a better option than a really nice kukri that kinda sucks for small tasks, doesn't chop as well as a hatchet, and doesn't clear brush as well as a machete, and will snap if trying to pry open a door.

This. Knives are tools. What things do you want to be able to do? Personally, my trunk has a camp axe, saw, and morakniv bushcraft w/ ferro rod in it. If I had to take one, I'd unquestionably take the camp axe over any fixed blade knife for the majority of "bushcrafty" things. The saw is also pretty awesome for a lot of things, although my multipliers also have little saws in them for things like snares, cutting small limbs, or more precise notching.

Amazon product ASIN B00BFI8TOAThis is my morakniv bushcraft. The ferro rod works pretty well for its size and at $65, this knife is an absolute steal.

 

[TheOriginalMexicanBob]

Good question. Not really sure. It could also be that knifes sent to the military are different than those we can acquire.

Knives and other equipment sent to the military is also considered as disposable during service. There's a real cost/benefit approach to its acquisition process...so while quality is certainly a factor...that's balanced against a number of competing factors.

For the commercial trade a K-Bar could be exactly the same...surplussed from the military...or made even better or a cheaper copy. It's hard to know sometimes.

 

[Garet Jax]

Knives and other equipment sent to the military is also considered as disposable during service. There's a real cost/benefit approach to its acquisition process...so while quality is certainly a factor...that's balanced against a number of competing factors.

For the commercial trade a K-Bar could be exactly the same...surplussed from the military...or made even better or a cheaper copy. It's hard to know sometimes.

Add in that K-Bar may have offered the biggest discount and that means they have the best price/performance ratio. Maybe 1095 is easier to make in large quantities or similar. There could be a host of reasons why K-Bar is the military knife.

 

[pbharvey]

Am I the only one who goes back and forth between putting high quality gear in your bag in case you ever actually need it vs. buying the cheaper stuff because the odds are incredibly small that you will be building shelter and prepping food with a fixed blade knife.
The moras seem like the best bang for the buck so that's what I have.

 

[Garet Jax]

I wouldn't go too far down the rabbit hole of which steel is best. By far more important is the quality of the heat treatment...

This is true, but is also impossible for an end user to evaluate. It could be wildly different from the same manufacturer across batches.

I don't agree that custom makers are more likely to get it right. From my experience when I do something even 5-10 times, I am so much better than if I do it 1-2 times. Truly custom makers may be doing it for the first or second time.

 

[Garet Jax]

Am I the only one who goes back and forth between putting high quality gear in your bag in case you ever actually need it vs. buying the cheaper stuff because the odds are incredibly small that you will be building shelter and prepping food with a fixed blade knife.
The moras seem like the best bang for the buck so that's what I have.

No - no you're not.

 

[28Shooter]

Mora Heavy Duty Companion is a good knife at a cheap price. The Heavy Duty has a thicker blade than the regular Companion. Steel retains an edge and is very easy to sharpen.

 

[Garet Jax]

Mora Heavy Duty Companion is a good knife at a cheap price. The Heavy Duty has a thicker blade than the regular Companion. Steel retains an edge and is very easy to sharpen.

Carbon steel has its place. Higher carbon generally makes it much less expensive. The big problem with high carbon steel is that it can corrode pretty easily. It needs to be dried and oiled to keep it in good shape.

The second problem is that it is quite hard. This makes it great for some work and less great for other work. Carbon steel works great for skinning, but can chip or break against bone or other hard surfaces. Carbon is very unlikely to become deformed, but that is only because it is brittle and is more likely to chip or break.

With that said, $20 is a great price which makes the Mora Heavy Duty Companion a good value.

 

[chrisflhtc]

Boye
The moras seem like the best bang for the buck I have a few of these as well but the

Boye is my go to. Bought in the early 90's and first time sharpening was 2018.

 

[-Z/28-]

I agree with bang for your buck mindset. Sure the best option is a high-end blade made from space age steels; but if you lose it or manage to break it, that sucks.

I agree with the others who mentioned KaBar. Good knife for a not hateful price. I've had one for 10 years or so and it still looks new. Granted I don't have to use it terribly often. I like the M9 too, but surplus ones seem to sell for stupid prices now.

 

[Johnconlee]

Mora companion, companion hd & garberg. I have companions all over, it’s the perfect fixed blade all around knife.

 

[justiw]

This is true, but is also impossible for an end user to evaluate. It could be wildly different from the same manufacturer across batches.

I don't agree that custom makers are more likely to get it right. From my experience when I do something even 5-10 times, I am so much better than if I do it 1-2 times. Truly custom makers may be doing it for the first or second time.

Custom makers have grown far more sophisticated in the last few decades. Most use controlled ovens and specifically rated oils or cooling blocks and follow very specific recipes. They also meticulously check their work, and if they mess up, they go back as far as necessary to fix the mistake, including scrapping and starting over.

Many makers also send out to professional dedicated shops. Mine go out, with a list of my specifications, and they come back with written and color coded result, and the test marks all clearly visible on the surface.

You can in fact get what you pay for.

 

[SkiPatrolDude]

ESEE-4

The ESEE-4 is one of the most popular ESEE knives ever made. With its 3/16″ thickness, it’s the perfect blend between toughness and cutting efficiency all in a small package. If you can only choose one, then the ESEE-4 is the do-all workhorse of the ESEE line. Read a review on the ESEE-4.

www.eseeknives.com

ESEE-5

The ESEE-5 was designed by military SERE instructors as a hard-use downed pilot’s survival knife. Except for knife only models, the ESEE-5 comes standard with a Kydex sheath. Optional MOLLE Backs and Pouches may be ordered. Read a review on the ESEE-5.

www.eseeknives.com

I think hands down, an ESEE-4 or an ESEE-5. They are absolutely bomb proof, can be used to split small logs for firewood, sharp enough for finer tasks, and are strong enough to be used for prying. The handle also stays grippy when wet.

I have an ESEE 3 that lives in my Ski Patrol pack and an ESEE-6 that is used as a camp knife, but I think I'd rather have the 5. The 6 is huge.

These absolutely kick the crap out of any K Bar or similar.

 

[justiw]

Here is an example next to a work in progress blade. These both just happen to be sitting on my desk right now. You can see the blank as it returned from heat treat with the RC rating, color codes, and if you look close there are at least 2 small dents near the front 2 pin holes where the tool measured the hardness.

The WIP shows all that ground away into a knife shaped object. That one is very fresh of the grinder with a tiny bit of hand sanding started.

 

[smokey]

Here is an example next to a work in progress blade. These both just happen to be sitting on my desk right now. You can see the blank as it returned from heat treat with the RC rating, color codes, and if you look close there are at least 2 small dents near the front 2 pin holes where the tool measured the hardness.

The WIP shows all that ground away into a knife shaped object. That one is very fresh of the grinder with a tiny bit of hand sanding started.

You grind them after you get them heat treated?

 

[justiw]

I do. You can grind (some) before HT. There are a number of guidelines for order of operations. Most stainless is ground after HT. If you grind before, you have to leave enough meat on there to clean off any decarb or surface oxides.

I only do this as a hobby, but I get most of my info from bladeforums.com and knifesteelnerds.com