Reddit mentions: The best fixed blade hunting knives

You're asking a very broad question while looking for specifics, making it very hard to pinpoint an answer. I'll give my advice on bug out bag items.

The bag itself - Should be a solid backpacking bag. Keep it light enough that it's manageable. For a very fit individual, the max weight should be your body weight divided by 3. Most of us are not that fit, so adjust accordingly. It should have hip support, well stitched straps, several compartments and a way to attach things to the outside (molle webbing, carabiner loops or exterior straps). Should be weatherproof.
Water - Depends entirely on your location. I live in Canada - Land of lakes and rivers. I wont need to carry a ton of water all the time. I've got a sawyer squeeze as my primary water filter. The collapsible water bottles it comes with work great for water storage as well. Wife and daughter carry a lifestraw as backups. We have some iodine drops as well.
As far as water carrying devices go, i find nalgene bottles work great. Theyre light and strong, and come in various sizes. A canteen is great if you want to use it to cook over a fire. Its not a bad idea either to have a large (5 litre+) collapsible water container. They're plastic and light. I havn't used mine extensively enough to recommend.
Sharp Things - I've got a Kabar as my primary fixed blade. It's tried and true. Good metal, full tang. I've got a leatherman wave multitool. Carry it everyday on my belt. Super handy. I should really add a 3-4" folding knife to my pack as sometimes the kabar is too big, and the multitool is hard to clean.
I also carry a Cold steel shovel. I looked into folding shovels, and they didnt seem reliable. Moving parts means they're more likely to fail. I haven't used this one extensively, but the few times i have tried it, its done an excellent job. If your pack's too heavy, put this one in your car.
Food - Your typical protein bars, dried rice/bean mix, snickers, small jar of PB, oatmeal and dehydrated fruit. A small bit of olive oil packs a ton of calories and adds flavour. It's good to have a small container of salt and pepper, or other spices to add flavour. You can grab MRE's or those mountainhouse dried meals, but theyre expensive. If you regularly buy pepperettes or jerkey, stick some in your bag and rotate it out when you buy it next. Multivitamins can keep you up if youre not getting a ton of food, but dont rely on them. Bring any meds you need, as well as tylenol or aspirin.
Hygiene - Pack a couple rolls of TP. Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant (chuck if too much weight), wash cloth, soap, soap for clothing, feminine products (if applicable), couple garbage bags (can separate dirty clothes), wet wipes, lip balm, hand sanitizer. Sun screen and bug spray in small bottles.
Clothing - Carry at least 7 pairs of good socks. Some warm ones if the location's cold. Extra shirts, underwear are essential. Pants/shorts and sweater are optional (besides whatever you're wearing). Stick your clothing in a waterproof sack. Try to keep only clean, dry clothes in there (no airflow + damp = mold).
-Paracord and rope
-Carabiners
-Sewing kit
-Tent patching kit (if you have a tent or a tarp)
-Tarp (who saw that coming). Doesn't have to be massive. Just know how to set it up to keep you dry.
-Fire Source. Have many. Lighters are cheap, stash away a bunch (7?). The lighter leash is awesome. You should be able to find that cheap at a corner store. Storm matches, for when its rainy. I think these are what I got. You can light them in any weather, put them under water, and they'll still be lit. Not a bad idea to carry regualr matches in a waterproof container. Firestarter packets are great. I just soak cotton balls in Vaseline. Flint and steel is cool, but only useful if youve exhausted all other fire starting methods.
-Super Glue
-Safety pins
-Zip ties
-Light. Hand crank flashlight is awesome. If you have a battery powered one, carry spare batteries. The mini maglite has a belt holster. Those small LED flashlights are great too. Grab a few glowsticks.
-fork and spoon
-emergency blanket or emergency sleeping bag. Only useful if you're SOL.
-poncho
-sleeping bag for your location. If its warm you don't need this. Can use a hammock or sleeping pad. Try and keep these small as they take up a ton of space.
-Compass. Useful if you have a map.
-Map of your location/where youre going.
-Signal mirror and a good whistle.
-Fishing supplies. I've got an emmrod. You can put a fairly small cheap reel on here. I've got the shimano ix2000. It casts a pretty good distance. Hooks, weights, bobs etc. Can all fit in small waterproof containers or camera film containers. Dont forget line! Mines already on the reel. A fishing vest gives you lots of little pockets to keep things in arms reach.
-First Aid kit. There's extensive lists online depending on how large you want it. Some gauze, band aids, polysporin, burn cream are a good start. Try and build it yourself, don't buy the gimmikey premade ones. Keep yours in a waterproof Tupperware container.
-Tiny roll of Gorilla Tape
-Games. Some dice and a deck of cards go a long way. Don't underestimate the value of laughter. If a sudden collapse ever happens, these might save you from depression.
-Headlamp. I've got this rayovac one (i think). Seems easy on batteries and has lasted a few camping trips. Haven't put serious use on it tho.
-Eating equipment. A mug and a small plate go a long way. A folding pan goes a long way, but is heavy. I would love to learn to use a pressure cooker over fires.
-Handkerchief or travel kleenex
-Bandanas. 3 of them.
-Bungee cords can be useful, but they run the risk of snapping and taking out an eye.
-Ziplock bags are handy. Keeps a lot of small things organized and dry.
-Pencils, Pens, notepad/book, sharpie.
-Hatchet is useful, but heavy. Take one if you can. The sven saw is awesome and hasn't broke on me yet.
-Spare pair of glasses (if applicable)
-Some sort of firearm is almost necessary. I don't have one yet, but i was planning on a 10/22 takedown. It's small and easy to pack. Bullets are light. If you need more stopping power than a .22, you're in a heap of trouble. Guns are not my specialty (can you guess), so ill leave it up to you
-In lieu of a firearm, you could grab a crossbow. If that's still too much, a good slingshot will do great.
-phone booklet and address's. In case your phone craps out and you cant charge it.
-A small windable clock is great. A solar watch is better. I think thats the one i have.

All this stuff is useless unless you know how to use it. Do your research, take some courses. Learn the necessary skills to survive, because that's what's really necessary. I like Les Stroud's (survivorman) book Survive!. Learn to tie knots, fish, hunt, forage, fight, build a fire in all conditions, etc.
If you have questions on the use of any of the above items, ask away. Any advice or suggestions, I welcome those too.

1. Tent: Eagles Peak II Two person tent - http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=50802926
   -This was generous gift from my SO's mom. It may not be the best tent out there, but at free it can't be beat.
   
   
2. Sleeping Bag: Marmot Aspen Minimalist 40 - http://www.trailspace.com/gear/marmot/aspen-40-ultralight/
   -Got this for its small size and light weight. Future winter camping trips are a possibility, in which case I plan on snagging a wool blanket of sleeping bag liner.
   
   
3. Sleeping Pad: RidgeRest Classic - http://www.amazon.com/Therm-A-Rest-6433-Parent-RidgeRest-Classic-Mattress/dp/B00HZ13OYG
   -Simple basic sleeping pad, I've been using these since scouts and have wanted for nothing more, especially because of its light weight.
   -In the event of winter camping, is this enough to insulate from the ground? If not, what could be added to my sleep system to keep me insulated from the ground?
   
   
4. Cookware: Pot Pan stackable combo - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FQZEYWE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00
   -Lightweight and simple, these were cheap and seemed straight forward.
   -They stack with the majority of either piece's empty space facing each other, allowing for decently dry storage for matches etc. inside.
   -Comes with a tight fitting mesh ditty bag
   
   
5. Small Camp Grill - Coghlan's Camp Grill - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OPHA0S?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
   -Another straight forward and cheap piece,
   -This is really an optional piece, I plan on bringing it along on trips with big groups or when cooking meat is in the cards.
   
   
6. Plates x2: Coleman Enamel plates - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009PUSPI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
   -These are the camping gold standard in my book, been using them since scouts.
   
   
7. Stuff Sacks x3: REI pack of 3 Ditty Sacks 2, 3, and 7 liter. -http://www.rei.com/product/795047/rei-ditty-sack-package-of-3
   -Came in a decently affordable combo pack, plan on using them for food/toiletries storage and bear bags.
   
   
8. Knife: Morakniv Companion Straight Knife - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004TNWD40?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
   -Love this little knife, cheap but durable and was a shaver straight out of the box.
   -Came with a super thick plastic sheath
   
   9)Hatchet: Estwing Hatchet - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004TNWD40?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
   -Heard this was a classic, people say they've still got the one's their grandfather's used. It's heavy, but I'm happy with the tradeoff.
   -Got it sharpened well enough to cleanly slice through paper at the moment
   
   
9. Axe Sharpener: Lansky Dual Grit Sharpener - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000B8FW0Y?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
   -Great sharpener, pretty much the go to field sharpener from what I've gathered.
   -Only took a couple minutes to learn how to use, the only hard part is consistently following the bevel through each stroke, but it gets easier.
   
   
10. Camp Towels x2: Microfiber quick-drying towels - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000B8FW0Y?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
    -Very great, medium size towels with their own tote
    
    
11. Collapsible Water Jug: REI 2.5 gallon collapsible water jug - http://www.rei.com/product/402099/reliance-fold-a-carrier-water-carrier-25-gal
    -Seems great, picked it up at REI physical store then read reviews and got spooked, we'll see though, a minority of the reviewers swear by it.
    -Just in case it sucks, any suggestions for a collapsible water container of equal size/price?
    
    
12. Water Bags x2: 33 oz Bag style canteens - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010OLZ3E2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00
    -These came free with my water filter, and they have many good reviews. If they do well, I may buy some extras.
    
    
13. Wine Skin: 2L - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CN4RN42?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
    -More showing of my primitivist ass, and I thought I could take some weight off of my SO by carrying enough water for the two of us.
    
    
14. Pillows x2: Field and Stream - http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=33581126
    -Got these a long time ago when I knew less, they are pretty bulky and my first item I want to replace
    
    
15. Pack: Kelty Redwing 50L Black
    -SO's mom gifted this this Christmas, so amazing and thoughtful, one of the best gifts I've ever gotten and I love the color
    
    
16. Shoes: Skechers Trail Runners - I found these at the thrift store for a stunning 12 bucks and they fit perfectly
    
    
17. Lighting: Outlite Lantern -http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01178FLM0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
    -Pack of flashlights (might not bring all four) - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V639BNC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01
    
    
18. Extras: Tarp as groundcloth, some extra stakes.
    
    Items not shown:
    -Always a tin or bag of Drum Tobacco and papers
    -Kindle, old generation one
    -Collapsible trowel
    -Paracord
    -Burlap shoulder bag for gathering kindling etc
    
    Items still wanted (suggestions greatly appreciated):
    -Knife for SO
    -Work gloves
    -Plastic flasks for booze
    -Belt pouch
    -Higher quality tarp
    -Knife Sharpener
    -Sleeping bag liner or wool blanket
    -Any food suggestions!
    -Rain cover for pack
    -Smell proof food bags
    
    I don't have much experience outside of scouts, so I'm very open to critique of my setup. I will warn that I am very much into primitivism, and camping for me is a gateway to a backcountry, esthetic lifestyle I one day I hope to live, so some of my gear choices may not always be the most efficient. Any advice from a primitivist or purist standpoint is doubly appreciated.
    
    

It's definitely enough for a nice knife, though you might want to go a bit higher for a great knife. The KaBar BK2 is actually designed with things like batoning (hammering the knife through wood as a kind of faux hatchet using another piece of wood against the blade of the knife as the hammer itself) or chopping. It's a bit over $60, currently available for $69 to be precise, but as long as you don't flat out abuse it (prying heavy things, for example) it'll serve you well and quite possibly for the rest of your natural life.

At a lower price, you can get the Condor Bushlore, which at $35 is a perfectly valid choice that will serve you well indeed.

For an even lower price yet, the Mora Heavy Companion is from one of those few cheaper knife companies that does incredible work. I wouldn't baton with it, honestly, but even if you did it'd probably hold up just fine.

At a more expensive range, the Ontario Rat-5 is an amazing bushcraft knife. The Fallkniven Pilot Survival Knife is also an amazing knife. The Benchmade Bone Collector is spectacular knife made in D2 tool steel, one of the better steels available at that price. Another amazing knife is the Spyderco Bushcraft made in O1 tool steel. Finally, the Benchmade 162 is a pretty amazing knife.

One thing you'll notice about all of these knives with the exception of the Pilot Survival knife and the BM 162 is that they're all carbon steel knives. Carbon steel is a lot tougher than stainless (with a few very, very rare exceptions I'd never trust a long knife to be stainless steel) with the trade off of being a lot more of a hassle to take care of, since it needs to be regularly cleaned and oiled.

If you want a fire starter, carry a magnesium fire starter. With the carbon steel knives, you can probably strike it against the back of the blade to create the sparks you'll want and if not (like with some of the coated ones) you'll be carrying the striker anyway.

For sharpening, you'll want to get a decent sharpening setup and start stropping. A couple of easy sharpening systems would be the superior Spyderco Sharpermaker (usually available on Amazon around the $50 mark) or the Lansky Sharpening system which while cheaper isn't as good. You could take the time to learn how to free hand it, but most casual users don't care that much because it takes a long time to get proficient at freehand sharpening. Stropping is running the blade against something like smooth leather (usually smooth leather, actually) to remove burrs along the blade of a knife made by use and sharpening and the restore a blade to a better edge without removing metal. Stropping allows for a level of sharpness unachievable by sharpening alone and extends a knife's lifetime by allowing sharpness to be achieved for longer without removing metal from the blade. To learn how to strop, watch videos on YouTube or check out guides from the sidebar of /r/knives.

Finally, if you want a whistle, just carry a whistle. If you want a mirror for signaling, carry a small signaling mirror or mirror polish the knife you buy (a process where you sand the blade with increasing grit level sandpaper until it shines like the sun and you can see yourself in the blade).

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Mora is coming out with two full tang knives soon, I'm not sure how soon you're wanting to purchase this knife, but if you've got time, Mora currently has a lot of really really cheap options for smaller companion knives that may not be exactly what you're looking for, but since they're like 10$ I had to say something about them, I have four and use them all more than any expensive knife I own.

The BK10 has many variations, a lot of which do come with secondary handle scales included, not sure what specifically you don't like about the scales, just thought I'd let you know.

The RD6 is a good option, I would consider the little things with this knife, Esee is supposed to be an upgrade from Ontario as its founder designed the RAT series by Ontario and left to make better knives. The Ranger series has a lot of options, and if you like all the small things about this knife (the pommel, grind, choil, thickness), I would look at smaller knives in the ranger series. I spend a lot of time using knives outside, and I always prefer a knife between 3-4". The RD6 is pretty massive, a lot of people buy an Esee 6 (similar size to the RD6) and say they can really only use it for dicking around. I have a Benchmade 162 and even that feels a little too big for me, and that's coming from a big guy. That's not to say you wouldn't be able to use it effectively, but there's a happy medium for outdoor fixed blade size, and this steps out of that medium. The RD4 is probably a much better option IF you like this design.

I came here to advise you to get an Esee instead of the ranger, but 5160 steel is a great steel and I honestly didn't know much about the ranger series. I don't know anything about their heat treat, and I do know that Esee's heat treat has a great reputation, so I would consider that if you're planning on really using the knife you purchase to it's fullest. I personally don't care for this style of knife (RAT, Ranger, Esee, Becker) because they all generally are flat grind knives with a coating (nothing wrong with flat grind its just a personal opinion), this coating is great to stop corrosion, at the cost of creating drag when working with wood. If you plan on cutting up a lot of sticks and making fires and whatnot, I would look at the Condor Bushlore, if you just want a companion knife to have with you, the RAT 3is much more cost effective than most Esee knives, and the difference is marginal. One of the smaller ka bar beckers, or the Ontario Tak 1are great options. I cannot find the RD4 on amazon, if you can find it somewhere else it is also a great choice.

Traditional SAR, the teams you will find around the country operate in a whole different world than the military. For the most part you can sort of look to volunteer firefighters as an analogy, even then they tend to be more regimented than SAR. There are some SAR teams out there that have more of a military structure to them, but most of what you will find will feel more like SAR clubs (think chess clubs, hiking clubs, etc). My unit meets once a month, we have a business meeting with the whole review last month's minutes, reports on events since the last meeting, old business, new business, etc. After that we conduct a classroom training session on topics like Lost Person Behavior, Medical Techniques, Navigation, etc. We also conduct regular field trainings to bring it all together. We don't have ranks, we have a list of skillsets and we are each typed according to our ability in each skill. Our unit and all the units I know don't work with weapons, sure we carry knives, but the biggest blade most of us work with is one of these, not some giant thing that rambo would carry, no machetes, no hatchets. If there is a situation where SAR skills are needed for say a fugitive, we stay home. We have done evidence searches for things criminals have tossed into the woods, but they were already in jail.

SAR in the military is their own thing and while we can and do work together on missions they are a unit that stays a unit. When we ask for military assets we indicate what needs to be done and they tell us what they are sending and what it will do. If I show up on a mission with 5 other people from my unit we might be on a team together or I might get put in with members of a different unit.

When it comes to the actual searching it is simply a lot of covering ground. We walk, and we walk, and we walk. 99% of the time we get nothing, there are only so many clues out there. There is one really awesome clue (the person or thing you were out to look for) and tons of acreage to cover. We often start from a last known point and try to move that further along in time. An example we were out looking for a mushroom hunter, when I showed up they new where he started into the woods, we then found a clearly picked mushroom and a couple of boot prints. That advanced the last known point a few hundred feet and gave us a second breadcrumb to work with. It takes a certain type of person to do that effectively. I have seen plenty of people bow out because they had been on maybe a dozen searches over several years and never found a thing. One of our radio operators has been on 8 missions, each ended in a recovery. My hope when I got in was to find a clue at some point, and Oh Boy my first time out I got the find, I found the 24yro woman who had hanged herself. We don't have an obligation to respond to one call or another, but you also don't get to decide who gets lost and when. You also have to get along real well with the others on your team. I've been on all sorts of teams and there are people that I know I don't want to go out with, and certain combinations of people that I won't go out with.

With every one of your responses I feel more and more that SAR wouldn't be a good fit for you now. Most units welcome visitors, I would say that you might consider finding one of the local unit's meetings and checking it out. Attend a few meetings before even considering applying, and talk to the people there and be honest about what you are looking for. Once you get started into it there is a substantial investment in time, energy, gear, and training on the part of you and your team. It isn't worth it to go through a bunch of training and getting geared up to not be a productive member of a team (remember finding nothing is something). I'm not sure what exactly you are looking for, but I don't think SAR is it. There is always a "who knows?" aspect and if you spend some time around a unit you may find that it is a good fit, or that your outlook might change. Our mountain rescue unit has people "hang out" around them for several months before offering them an application, in their world they have to trust their lives to their team. While the regular old SAR doesn't require the same standard it is very easy for someone (as good at it as they may be) to be more of a distraction than a help.

TL;DR
I don't think SAR is going to get you what you want. If you do feel like continuing down this path talk to the people in the unit(s) in your area, be honest, and don't take it personally if they tell you "no".

first and foremost, find a hunter safety class and take it. there is an online option now but I really recommend going to an in-person class. I did this when I was 11 or 12 and remember some very experienced old timey hunters explaining everything. we even got hands-on experience with some old 22's and got to shoot them at a range.

they will cover most of your questions, and will go over gun safety and how to hunt safely (identifying your target, whats behind your target, etc). They should also cover the basics of field dressing (removing the organs out in the field).

If you want to hunt deer you're going to want a rifle of at very minimum .243 caliber (preferably higher, i hunt with .30-06). Hunting rifles as of this moment cannot be semi-automatic although there is a real possibility this will be changed by next hunting season. (Even so the most common AR-15 which is .223 caliber is too small for hunting deer.) A .270 is a common whitetail caliber, big enough to take down a deer but not going to kick as hard as .30-06 or .308.

When you buy your hunting license, it comes with one tag to harvest an antlered deer. The rules of what makes a deer count as "antlered" vary from region to region but for most of PA it requires at least 3 points on one side. The paperwork you receive will also have a form you must mail in to your county treasurer to apply for a doe tag. The doe permits are limited and the earlier you apply the better your chances are. A doe tag is only good for the zone you applied in.

If you want to hunt rabbits and birds such as pheasants or turkey you'll want a shotgun. Most people would hunt with a 12 gauge but if you've got a smaller frame you might want a smaller gun (16 or 20 gauge). Turkey requires a tag similar to a buck, which are included in your regular hunting license.

Ducks require a special stamp you can buy when you purchase your license, and there are rules about the metal in the shot shells when you hunt waterfowl (it can't contain lead).

if you're interested in squirrel hunting you can use a shotgun, but the more challenging way to do it is with a 22 rifle. This is a very small and inexpensive bullet.

If you've never handled a gun you're going to be nervous carrying it around with a shell in the chamber. The best thing you can do is take it a range (such as these) and go through a few boxes of shells practicing. A State Game Lands range is free to use as long as you have a hunting license. The one by me usually has a game commission officer there who would be happy to answer questions. Just practice, learn where your safety is, be aware of where the muzzle is pointed, and keep your finger out of the trigger guard. Also protect your hearing! You will need hearing and eye protection at the range!

you need to wear orange on your head and chest/back for most seasons in PA, the exception being some archery/muzzleloader and turkey hunting. Just get a hat and vest and you'll be fine.

Other gear: knife (I prefer a small fixed blade knife to a folder for cleaning deer; less places to get hair and gunk stuck), lighter, maps, emergency whistle, emergency blanket, drag rope (to get the deer out of the woods), rubber gloves (so you aren't a mess after cleaning a deer), and I bring a spare phone battery.

Like any other adventure in the wild make sure people know where you're going and when you should be home.

As you may or may not have recognized, this is the Condor Bushlore. Its blade is .125” thick made from 1075 carbon steel. The handle scales are walnut and the pins are brass (I think). The sheath is leather with stainless pins. These pictures are what it looks like after a weekend of extremely hard use in very damp conditions—I’ll talk more about this later. I took the pictures right after I cleaned it back up, and re-sharpened it.

I have been collecting knives for a while, and have quite a few, but did not own EVEN ONE fixed blade. I had a camping trip in the Finger Lakes region of NY, so I decided to pony up a whopping $31 and order one off amazon. When it arrived, the overwhelmingly positive reviews for the sheath were confirmed (it feels very high quality) as were the so-so reviews for the fit and finish of the knife itself. If you are looking for a fixed blade knife that is great to look at and fun to fondle, this might not be the knife for you. There is noticeable staining on the uneven handle scales, the pins and lanyard holes have grind marks on them (but are smooth to the touch), the grind is not a true Scandi (the blade had a secondary bevel when I received it, but it’s not a big deal, because I re-profiled it anyway), and the primary grind is actually uneven (this was brought out when I re-profiled it, one of the pictures shows this), and it came incredibly dull (hence the re-profiling).

So, how did it perform in the field? Very well! On two consecutive nights, in very damp conditions, it batoned through logs almost as thick as the blade is long, split about 9 bundles worth of wood (no-one had a hatchet) and performed other, less strenuous tasks like making wood shavings for kindling, carving tent stakes, and opening food packages etc. It was very comfortable to use, and held a good working edge for all of this. Now because it is carbon steel it did develop some significant surface rust, but that cleaned up very easily in just a few minutes.

In closing, this is a great camp knife for an incredible value. If you can get past the cosmetic imperfections, it’s an awesome little knife.

Let me know if you guys have any questions!

Lol, alright for example:

• Spyderco Delica 4 FFG: For your price range this is going to be the "best" steel you can get in a near 3" folding knife (VG-10). By best I mean the best edge retention in a stainless steel. However, being over 2.5" in some places (Chacago for example) the knife will be illegal. Also, many people do not like the look of the spyderhole as it can be seen as aggressive in office environments. Also the FRN handles, while very strong, have a cheap/plastic feel to them.
  
  
• Spyderco Tenacious: Compared to the Delica, 8CR13MOV is a "worse" stainless steel (not as good edge retention, more prone to chipping during heavy impacts). However, the extra blade length is better for many outdoor tasks (breaking down tree branches). The handle is also G10, which is slightly tougher and has a much better feeling in hand than FRN.
  
  
• Spyderco Centofante 3: A more "gentlemanly" and "office friendly" version of the Delica with a slightly longer blade. Again, VG-10 and FRN.
  
  
• Kershaw Cryo II: Same steel as the tenacious. Metal handles slightly tougher than G10. Flipper action has "cool" factor. The blade grind makes the tip a touch stronger than on the tenacious.
  
  
• Kershaw Skyline: One of the most iconic of Kershaw's knives. Hollow ground blade makes it great at slicing tasks.
  
  
• Esee Izula: Skeletonized fixed blade. 1095 Steel is significantly better than the other steels listed at "chopping" tasks as it is not prone to chipping at all. It is NOT stainless and so the blade has a protective coating over most of it. The steel will require mineral oil/cleaning to prevent rusting.
  
  
• Becker BK 24: Similar to the Esee Izula but D2 steel which has better edge retention and more corrosion resistance than 1095. It is also much harder to sharpen. Many think the BK24's handle is also less comfortable, the sheath is worse, and there are less available after market modifications.
  
  
• Ontario Rat Series (linked the RAT I. RAT 2 similar but smaller): Ontario's version of the tenacious. Bladeshape generally more people friendly. Another very popular beater option.
  
  
• Morakniv Knives (there are MANY, this is just one): Highly regarded in the "bushcraft" community. High carbon steel (similar to 1095) with a scandi-grind which is great for field sharpening and woodworking. Only partial tangs so not advised to use for battoning tasks or chopping.
  
  
• Kershaw OD-2: Gentlemanly knife with great flipping action.
  
  There are a LOT more suggestions I could add...

It depends on what you need. I enjoy Schrade knives, and some good options are:

• Schf9. More if a yard tool than a knife. If you need to lug around 1+ pounds of quarter inch steel to make the wilderness your bitch, choose this. I briefly owned one of these before I came to my senses and returned it because it was too much ###KNIFE### for me. Large and heavy.
  
• Schf36. It's compared favorably to a Becker BK2, but it's significantly cheaper. Good balance between size and weight. Overall a solid survival and Bushcraft knife. The Schf36D comes with better handle scales.
  
• Schf42. Hailed as an excellent camp knife and a respectable Bushcraft knife. Lighter (and presumably a bit less beat-the-fuck-out-of-it-able) than the Schf36, but still a nice option.
  
• Schf30. My knife. It's a 5 inch blade with a super comfortable grip, and its weight is a bit over a third of a pound. Good option for a smaller, lightweight survival/Bushcraft knife. Not good if your hands are dummy thicc, as the handle is smallish.
  
  Only thing to look out for: Schrade sheaths aren't super good. They work, but they're not as nice as premium brands.

If you really want a monster sized knife, sure. But I'd definitely get the carbon steel version that some others have suggested as well. It sounds like their quality isn't too bad.

However, I don't know if I'd really want to take something that huge hiking. Maybe SHTF-type hiking I suppose.

A couple of knives that I'd think would be similar priced or less (and have proven reputations) and would slightly more practically fall into the "only 1" category:

• Ka Bar Becker BK2
  
• Ka Bar Becker BK16
  
• Condor Bushlore - there are other Condor models that are great values as well, but might need a little touchup love.
  
• Morakniv - there is even one with a firesteel built into the handle
  
• ESEE 4 (this might be a tad more expensive)
  
• Ka Bar Becker BK7 or BK9 if you really want a huge knife, but I would definitely consider something smaller to piggyback on the sheath.
  
  Good luck regardless!

First of all this is the item i think you will purchase with this order - http://amzn.com/B00006IE7L

Now for my list.... prepare to get wood ;)

1. http://amzn.com/B003373NCO - Marble Wood, occasionally known as Cake Wood.
   
   
2. http://amzn.com/B00C3UQZVS - Osage Orange wood, orange like simon's hair.
   
   
3. http://amzn.com/0670759074 - Book, what wood is that?
   
   
4. http://amzn.com/B004TNWD40 - Swedish made Mora knife. would cut through a steak as if it were water
   
   
5. http://amzn.com/B008X2ZFG6 - Camelthorn wood, named after an animal.
   
   
6. http://amzn.com/B0032YUTP2 - Cocobolo wood, has streaks of purple when freshly sanded.
   
   
7. http://amzn.com/B005H59GN0 - Pocoyo Racing, a game I've wanted to buy my son for a long time.
   
   
8. http://amzn.com/B008GUSPB2 - Masturbating to my most favorite wood species should be considered a guilty pleasure.
   
   
9. http://amzn.com/B005G2G4D4 - A tool, this was easy
   
   
10. http://amzn.com/B009FBJ7WM - From my childhood, Nike high tops.
    
    
11. http://amzn.com/B009ZD6D1I - Carving set with organized display case.
    
    
12. http://amzn.com/B00123YCQC - Carving knife set, for my hobby
    
    
13. http://amzn.com/B00DXNYWLO - Kiridashi Kogatana blade, nerdy.... because ninjas.
    
    
14. http://amzn.com/B007AS3PPW - Ancient Bog Oak wood, naturally black from being in a swamp for 1000+ years
    
    
15. http://amzn.com/B004JTTWWK - Spalted Tamarind wood, sometimes known to contain streaks of pale green.
    
    
16. http://amzn.com/B00465DUVG - Nike skate shoes, something you wear.
    
    
17. http://amzn.com/B006HFU6HY - Macassar Ebony wood, funny because it smells like B.O when you cut it.
    
    
18. http://amzn.com/B004JTQDM2 - Hackberry wood, comes from a flowering tree. Without bees it could not reproduce.
    
    
19. http://amzn.com/1551052741 - Book about trees and shrubs, could potentially be used to select ornamental species for a garden.
    
    
20. http://amzn.com/B009ZD6D1I - Deluxe woodcarving and palm tool set by Flexcut, My most favorite Item.
    
    Thank you so much for the contest, I had alot of fun putting this together. Happy Happy cake day /u/ask_seek_knock! and good luck to everyone!
    
    
    
    

$150 is plenty of budget for a good knife. This one is just slightly over that budget but will last you the rest of your life. It's kind of my dream survival knife.

The Fallkniven F1 is very popular as well and right in your price range.

Currently I use this knife which is also very good.

If you want to go a little less expensive still, Becker makes some good ones such as the Bk16. I know the Becker doesn't look anything like "hand made", but I have the BK2- I used paint remover to take the black coating off the blade, replaced the plastic handles with micarta and stained it to look more like wood, and built a leather sheath for it. It's a beautiful knife now. Too bad it's so goddamn heavy.

You could also go with something like the Mora bushcraft. I have that one also, very decent knife.

You could even just get a regular Mora or a Condor bushlore which are even more economical options.

The delica is a pretty great option for whittling. It's a high carbon blade, so it holds up to wood fibers and hard use pretty well. It's got a solid lockup and zero blade play, so control and safety are taken care of. But honestly, it's a better EDC tool than a carving knife.

Another good option I'd throw out for you are high carbon mora blades.

You might also dig this. It's specially made for wood work.

I meant to add this to the FreeForm thing but, yet again, screwed it up. I do think that camping, hiking, trail cams, portable records, video recorders are relevant for the obvious reason that if one is out researching it's nice to get ideas on trustworthy gear.

I get the wariness of a chinese blade but, so far and fingers crossed, this one has been a bargain and has stood some pretty rough treatment.

There are absolutely better knives out there but this one is super cheap, the Fallkniven is far superior. I just can't see myself hitting a $180 Falllkniven A1 (https://www.amazon.com/Fallkniven-Survival-Kraton-Handle-Sheath/dp/B001DZM482) with a hammer/mallet/big assed log while batoning wood.

The cheapie Schrade isn't the only sharp I bring but it has thus far proven to be reliable.

It's really important that you get a tool that's right for you. As you notice, I don't recommend planes, the other guy did.

I have reasons but they are mostly my own. For eexample I wouldn't recommend planes because they will only work when working on straight grain. The moment you encounter a knot, you'll be struggling. And on top of it, planes are expensive and only the expensive ones are worth getting. A cheap drawknife or rasp works fine but a cheap plane is gonna make you cry.

Now, you were saying you don't wanna file for 10 hours. I think you're a little bit mistaken about rasps. You will probably be surprised how quick a good, coarse rasp is. They can devour wood. The reason why you need a rasp is because there will be spots in wood where the grain is running off. A cutting tool will struggle to cut when grain runs off but a rasp will still work.

Alright, I recommend the following. Get yourself a rasp. I have no particular recommendation. Check out ebay and see if you can get one there. If not, get one from harbor freight. Look for a big one. Possibly these 4-in-1s.

Then, get a Morakniv knife. The company is famous for making high quality bushcrafting knives. These knives are absolutely amazing for working on wood.

And a knife is better than a plane or drawknife if you don't have a workbench. Just place the wood against the ground and your foot and use the knife.

On Amazon for $14, the companion. https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Outdoor-Military-4-1-Inch/dp/B004TNWD40

It's one of their cheapest and great. They come with a scandi grind. It's the best grind for woodworking and easiest to resharpen.

I wouldn't recommend a "titanium" knife, firstly because for $10, it's not titanium. It's probably some chinesium knife that won't hold an edge very well. Secondly I don't recall Camillus having a great reputation due to materials and QC.

If you're looking for a good budget knife, I know Ka-Bar and Becker make good ones, and if you can swing an Izula, that would be my choice. Here are some links. Izula Ka-Bar 1 Ka-Bar 2 Ka-Bar 3.

The reason I'm recommending Ka-Bar and ESEE is that they both use 1095 carbon steel which is an excellent choice in toughness and edge retention. I almost forgot Mora, a superb Swedish knife that is renowned for its steel and edge retention, and used worldwide by folks in the workforce and outdoors communities.

The ESEE and Ka-Bars will run you $40-$60, and the mora will run you about $15. You can get Moras and Izulas at Cabelas, but Amazon is also great. Good luck.

You gotta be more specific in your original questions buddy.

First of all, there are 2 reasons to remove an animal from a trap. To rescue (and minimize harm to the animal), or to harvest (and minimize damage to the trap). Here in bushcrafter land, I wouldn't usually assume you aren't planning on eating what was caught in the trap.....

It does sound like you are looking for the rescue side of things, and this is for a film, and you are looking for realism..

A swiss army knife or basic folding pocketknife are fairly realistic options for what a typical person might have with them with just a general plan of being 'prepared'. Something like 4-5inch Condor Bushlore is a decent approximation for what a more bushcraft oriented person might have with them in a wilderness setting. Someone who is going out intentionally to rescue animals from traps though, that is an entirely different question! For that you'd want a blunt tip, the type found in rescue knives, and/or EMT scissors.

For realism, most of us here know enough about the various types of knife that we could likely give you good answers - but you really should explain what kind of realism you are actually going for.

Average outdoorsy person with basic 'preparedness' is likely to have something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-Army-Huntsman-Leather/dp/B000IOI0NC/

Or this:

https://www.amazon.com/Gerber-Spine-Fixed-Blade-Camping/dp/B07DDCG3HD

Average Joe who has no idea of what makes a knife good or useful is likely to have something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Tac-Force-Police-Assisted-Tactical-Rescue/dp/B01LZ0T3N9



Average bushcraft subreddit user probably has something similar to:

https://www.amazon.com/Condor-Tool-Knife-Bushlore-Hardwood/dp/B002CC6BPM

but wishes they had:

https://www.amazon.com/Benchmade-162-Bushcrafter-Drop-Point/dp/B00B0E1MB6

Someone going out with them intention of rescuing persons or animals would probably be carrying something like this though:

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Rescue-Tool-Pocket-Fluorescent/dp/B000PX0LKG

https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Assist-Orange-Handle-Rescue/dp/B0012G6KI2

https://www.amazon.com/LEATHERMAN-832590-Raptor-Shears/dp/B07N6P2RCB

https://www.amazon.com/DGX-Titanium-Coated-Stainless-Shears/dp/B01B2YF0AM

And then finally, I'll say this - pretty much anything sharper than a butter knife can be used to safely rescue an animal from most situations. Hell I could probably do it with a can opener or nail clippers. So just decide what sort of situation you expect your characters to have intentionally been prepared for, and go from there.

https://www.amazon.com/GI-P-38-Can-Opener-5-pack/dp/B005EAIXAU

I don't know what kind of paces your pappy put that knife through, but it just goes to show that Moras will. not. die.

The biggest issue is probably the giant chunk carved out of the handle, although it kind of looks like it may have been done intentionally to improve ergonomics. How does it feel in-hand? If it feels natural or like the notch was carved intentionally, I'd just give the handle a coat of mineral oil and leave it alone. Otherwise, you could try filling it and painting over it, or you could try carving a new handle for it.

It looks like there may be a small chip about 2/3 up the blade, but that's simple to take care of. Scandi grinds are easy to work with, but it takes a long time to work out a chip with a stone. Don't worry about the blunt tip, the Mora scout doesn't even have a tip.

Looks like a bit of rust on the bolster. You could buff it out or leave it be, it probably won't cause problems.

Awesome! Then the world is your oyster. As I mentioned before, the Jeff White Nessmuk has been, for me, a terrific skinner. And it'll also do regular fieldcraft tasks with ease. However, I think I would get the Trekker model if I were only going to carry one. It might be right at the top of your budget, but it's an excellent knife. It's a convex grind just like the Nessmuk, but it's longer and not quite as sharply swept. If that's too large a blade, then check out the Bush Knife or one of the French Trade knives.

Here's the Trekker

Here's the French Trade Knife

The Bush One is close in length to your Enzo and is a bit less expensive.

The Condor Kephart is a flat grind with a secondary bevel and works really well. It's also very affordable and comes with the best sheath you'll ever see for its price point.

I had an Ontario RAT-5 for a while. About the same size as an ESEE 5, but with a thinner blade and full-flat grind. The handle was uncomfortably bulky and although it held up to my abuse, I just didn't like it. The blade was thin enough to do finer carving tasks, but it was too wide and the edge profile was terrible. I ended up using my Mora knife and Fiskars hatchet more and the RAT-5 was relegated to batoning duty and even in that I preferred the hatchet. In fact, I carved my first bow drill kit with that Fiskars.

I was considering stepping up to an Ontario RAT-7, but instead I traded the RAT-5 for a KaBar Becker BK7, which is a BEAST of a knife. Longer than an ESEE 5, but just as thick and with a similar profile. It really impressed me with the amount of work it could do and how easy it was to use, but it was heavy and just too fat to do anything but chop and split, so again, I was using my Mora and hatchet for most stuff.

I finally decided to try a different direction and traded the BK7 for a much smaller ESEE 4. Around the same time I bought a Bahco Laplander, and I am in love with this combo. The Bahco eats through 1-2" branches with ease (while generating plenty of sawdust for tinder) and the ESEE is just long enough to baton them into kindling and carve up some feather sticks. The best part is, the ESEE 4 and Bahco together weigh about as much as the BK7 in its sheath, and take up about as much space, but they are FAR more versatile.

I realize the ESEE 4 may be just out of your price range, but Kabar makes a similar knife called the BK16. However, the ESEE comes with a lifetime warranty.

I still take my Fiskars with me occasionally, but for weekend camping, I can process plenty of firewood with the ESEE and Bahco faster than I ever could with any of the bigger knives. If I needed to build a shelter or was venturing into unfamiliar territory, I'd want the hatchet because it's such a capable tool.

The ESEE 5 was designed for downed pilots who can't fit a hatchet or folding saw into their kit but may need to build a shelter, so they made it big and heavy. I understand first hand that big knives are appealing and certainly have their strong points, but their size, weight and thickness can make them difficult to use in a lot of ways and in reality, a big knife will never chop as well as a decent hatchet, because the knife's weight is centered just above the handle, not directly behind a huge wedge that drives into the wood. What you really want in a survival knife is versatility and I've spent a lot of time, money and energy figuring out that size doesn't add versatility.

Gerber is like one notch above if not the same really. You don't have to spend a fortune, although you definitely can if you can afford it and get something really awesome, to get a solid EDC knife. You can get a nice Spyderco, Cold Steel, SOG, or CRKT in the lower price ranges that would serve you well.

You could even just get a nice fixed blade like the ESEE Izula-II. Nutnfancy has a playlist of edc folders for under $40 as well that you might want to check out. Uf you've never watched one of his reviews before, he's extremely thorough and should mention the clip.

I'm also a big proponent of carrying a small fixed blade on your off side to aid in weapon retention in case of a gun grab. I carry a Ka-Bar TDI LE which a sweet knife (strong AUS-8a steel) for a great price. The only thing lacking is the sheath that you can always choose to replace later with the PHLster TDI sheath. If you want something smaller and cheaper they also have the Ka-Bar TDI LE Last Ditch knife.

This answer assumes 1) you want a few knives to cover different uses and 2) you can dig in the couch cushions for $3.53 or you can wait for Amazon's prices to fluctuate just a little bit. The price on the Kershaw jumped $3 just while I am typing this up...

EDC: Kershaw Blur, $54.17. I'm a little goofy, and I like the serrated tanto even though it looks like ass. I assume for most people, they'd prefer the straight blade. I've had one for a few years, and it works great. Just the right size, comfortable grippy handle, and I love the opening mechanism.

Camping knife: Condor Tool and Knife Bushlore 4.375-Inch Drop Point Blade, $36.41. The QA on fit and finish is apparently an issue with this company, but I didn't notice any problem on mine. It's not going to win a beauty competition, but its a hard worker. One of the comments on Amazon says it's the AK-47 of the knife world. I'm inclined to agree.

Inconspicuous Folder: Opinel #8, $12.95. I don't actually own one of these, so caveat emptor, but they come highly recommended by the hive mind. It's a classy looking folder that you could carry around in your suit's jacket pocket or your briefcase.

For fixed blade if you are gonna be using the knife for hard use then I would not recommend a folder. I'm more knowledgeable on folders so someone else may find a better choice. If they don't, this is still a very solid choice, I have never had one, but I did have an izula (which is very similar).

For folder I would go with the Ontario rat, they make this is d2 blade steel which would be better and they make a smaller version (rat 2) but any version of this knife you choose will be the best for the money.

Another fixed blade that is similar to picture is this Schrade. Schrade usually isn't the best company but 1095 is definitely a cheap, good steel. With the blade thickness and steel, I would trust this knife any day.

Congrats on starting the journey that is bushcraft and woodsmanship. It's such a rewarding pastime. Since you seem to be loading up on gear I have on huge piece of advise for you. I beg you BEG YOU to invest a little bit of money on a good belt knife. Nothing to fancy. Some thing like an Old Hickory butcher knife or a good quality Mora . Both are relatively inexpensive and quality products. When I started out I bought a cheap "survival knife" which wasn't worth the cardboard packaging it came in and then eventually upgraded to the Bear Grylls ultimate survival knife which promptly broke after about 3 overnights of use. Budget bushcraft is fine for most things however spending 15 dollars on a mora you will have to replace MAYBE every 3 or 4 years if you take care of it certainly beats spending 10 dollars 3 or 4 times a year on junk. Good luck and remember... in the famous words of Ray Mears "If you're in the woods and you're 'roughing it' you're doing something wrong"

Here is what would use for $100 USD. All prices are via Amazon/Wal-mart

Pack: OutLander Lightweight Day Pack - Cheap, Lightweight and would get the job done for a GHB ($18)

Cutting: Morakniv Companion - Cheap and Mora makes some of the best knives ($12)

Combustion: Storm Matches ($6), All-weather matches($0.75), 2 Bic Lighters($2), and some Wetfire($6)

Cover: 3 Emergency Blankets($2)

Container: Back pack listed above, 6 bottles of water ($3), Single layer stainless steel bottle($7)

Cordage: 100 Feet of 550 ($6), Duct tape ($3)

Candlelight: 2 LED Lights ($4-12)

Consumables: 6 Cliff bars ($6), 3 %-Hour Energy ($6), Bag of trail Mix ($6)

Clothing: 2 Extra Pair of socks ($2), 2 pair Gloves ($7), 2 Hats ($10)

Communication: 3 Road Flares ($6) Signaling Mirror ($3)

Cash: $40-100 is recommended but this is optional.




Everything I have there (Cash excluded) should cost around $120. You can save money by making your own Wetfire with cotton balls and petroleum jelly. And the food can probably be replaced with cheaper items. I just put stuff I am comfortable with. Same is true with the flashlights, you could grab 4 of the $1
Wal-mart lights they are great for short term use and would cut out another $8.

Buy stuff in bulk when it is available too this will cut down cost.

Something every car should already have, but it worth the extra $10-20 is a small first aid kit or 2.

I don't know if this is what you were looking for but this knife matches most of your criteria and price range: http://www.amazon.com/Gerber-31-000751-Survival-Ultimate-Serrated/dp/B003R0LSMO/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

It is $32 on amazon but $60 in all my local camping stores. The blade steel is alright, nothing spectacular but for the money it's a good knife. I like mine. The serrated edge will come in great for cutting line quickly. Plus some of the safety features are great for a backpacking knife such as a whistle, a sharpener, and a fire starter. It also comes with a survival booklet. I doubt your brother needs it, but hey, never hurts to read up on some stuff.

The man that sharpens my knives locally, explained to me that all dish washing detergents have abrasives in them to clean your dishes better. Abrasives are bed for a keen edge. Personally I have been using
Morakniv Companions as steak knives. I chose these knives because my buddy who is a survival instructor and search and rescue personnel swears by them for anything, outdoors or indoors. The blade lasts forever and the edge on the carbon steel lasts longer than stainless because carbon steel is harder. I bought three and they are pretty amazing. They are carbon steel, so they will acquire their own amazing colors as you use them.

EDIT: Find them here: http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Outdoor-Military-4-1-Inch/dp/B004TNWD40/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1408767946&sr=1-1

Got a blade material are you looking for? (stainless steel or carbon)

Blade profile? (drop point, tanto, spear, clip)

Blade grind? (Flat, Saber, Scandinavian, or Hollow)

Off the top of my head:

Becker BK16 - flat 1095Cro-Van

Esee Camp Lore PR-4 - Saber 1095

Esee 4P - flat 1095

Esee Izula - flat 1095

Morakniv Bush Crafter - Scandinavian 1095

Morakniv Garberg - Scandinavian 14C28N

Cold Steel Master Hunter - Flat VG1 in San Mai

​

FYI The ESEE brand has perhaps the best lifetime warranty of fixed blades. Return and they will replace with no questions asked policy. It is also transferable so they do tend to keep their value over time. Tactical Intent is a verified seller on amazon. At that price range you can get a pretty great knife.

Hope this helps!

The exposed tang like that does no good at all. It's just styling.

One of the most basic bushcraft skills is firemaking with a bow and drill. This requires making shallow holes for both the tip and the butt of the drill to rest while it is being twisted. The ability to put a hole in a piece of wood is useful in other contexts, too.

It's very easy to make a hole by putting your palm over the butt of the knife while twisting and rotating it with your other hand. Safe and easy, and essentially impossible with an exposed tang.

It jabs you whenever your sheathed knife presses against your body. It gets cold. It makes it impossible to use the butt as a hammer. And it gives you nothing in return. It's more awkward to use it for drawing sparks than the spine of the knife, and unless you expect to encounter a lot of unbroken windshields, it's pretty much otherwise useless.

This is a useful way to do it:

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Kraton-Handled-Straight-Knife/dp/B004NN3KF2

And if you don't want the added weight, then at least do this:

http://www.amazon.com/Condor-Tools-Knives-Kephart-2-Inch/dp/B007QUVIX0/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1453224401&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=kephardt+knife

I love my small forest axe. Best survival purchase i've made. I wouldn't stray from that idea, unless you decide to refurbish an antique hatchet. I've seen people fix up sixty year old plumb scout hatchets to gransfors quality.

For knives, i use my moraknive survival and the condor bushlore. The bushlore a hardy-ass knife and it's only about thirty bucks. I use the mora regularly. That particular one is what i have, i picked it up based on the thickness of the blade, but they have far cheaper ones if you don't want to throw down that much. I believe you can get an almost identicle knife without the firesteel for around 15 bucks cheaper.
Good Review on the bushlore

Machete-wise, i love my Condor Parang. It's giant, it sharpens well, it holds an edge, and it's tough as nails. The thing is 1/4 inch thick. It's big. It also comes with a sexy leather sheath of equally high quality and durability.
I've also played around with the full size bear grylls Parang by gerber. Thing cuts like you wouldn't believe, with great weight length and balance. I use the condor, my survival bud uses the gerber. They're about equal in different ways.

Buck 119 Special is a great option.

Made for hunting but will be ok for fishing and EDC as well.

Classic shape, good quality, excellent value, made in the US.

I really really like a $13 Mora. Rugged, sharp as heck, solid...so cheap you don't feel bad really really using it and beating the piss out of it. A real been-there-done-that guy I know recommended them to me and after using one (and having lots of other fixed blades, I truly love it)
https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Outdoor-Military-4-1-Inch/dp/B004TNWD40
They make a serrated also:
https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Bushcraft-Serrated-4-3-Inch-Stainless/dp/B00K70MLK0/ref=sr_1_10?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1509940703&sr=1-10&keywords=mora+black


If I was going to pick anything maybe one of these:
http://www.jayfisher.com/USAF_Pararescue_Knives.htm

This with an aftermarket sheath:
https://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Snody-Handle-Included-Purple/dp/B00ILFNAYY


Actually what am I smoking. This: 100x this. If you've held it in your hand you know that it is the most comfortable knife I've ever held.

http://www.benchmade.com/bushcrafter-family.html

Although the Busse I'm evaluating now is pretty dope.... I still want a Benchmade Bushcrafter.

If it was for overall survival/utility I'd want a Himalayan Imports Khukuri.

For Search/Rescue specifically... give me a tanto-point, combo-edge...honking chunk of steel.
https://www.topsknives.com/knives/tactical/tops-pry-knife-ppp-tool
https://www.topsknives.com/knives/survival/smoke-jumper

Could be persuaded to try these
http://www.benchmade.com/fixed-blade-knives.html?blade_style_shape=861

something stupid and overbuilt (in the best way)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Axt6pJERJ38

It's a great knife for under $30. Strong blade, amazing grip on the handle.

Honestly Im not crazy about the fire starter as I keep plenty in my camping kit, so this will be redundant. But they didn't any Mora's available without it so I bought one anyway.

If you are looking for the fire starter/knife combo than it's great. other wise just get the basic Mora for half the price.

The Condor Bushlore is an inexpensive option, and weighs about 12.3oz. If you're planning on batoning wood with your knife, you'll want it thick enough to withstand the force, and long enough to be able to hit the tip-side of the spine poking out from the other side of the log. Since your budget is a lot higher than that, you might want to shop around for something higher-quality.

Check out the Blind Horse Bushcrafter or Woodsman. Not sure what they weigh, but I'd be happy to lug around the extra weight of one of those beauties.

EDIT: Also note that O1 tool steel rusts very easily. Be prepared to maintain those blades quite a bit. It's very tough, though, and decently easy to sharpen. I read somewhere that, when polled, most knifemakers would choose O1 for their personal blades. It's the same steel as in the Ray Mears Woodlore knife.

The Condor Bushlore is another great knife in the thirty-forty dollar range. Heavier and more robust than a Mora, but still a pleasant looking, non threatening blade. The leather sheath is a nice bonus too. I love my moras, but i can't help but think of them as a little disposable.

You should pick up a few high value knives for the money. Here are a few that are worth way more than their price tag:

Mora Companion - this blade is incredibly useful for camp tasks and bushcraft projects, very strong even though it's not full tang (I've never heard of one breaking).

Ontario RAT Model 1 - This is one of the best folders I've used, at any price. For $26 you won't find a better knife.

Utilitac 2 - This knife comes in a ton of different styles, made by Ontario like the RAT, and of equally high quality. These knives are built like tanks, and can take abuse.

Schrade SCHF9 - Unlike the Mora, this knife is a huge chunk of steel. I doubt you could break it with a hammer to be honest, so if you're tastes run towards the bigger camp knife, this is it.

You might consider the Condor Bushlore, especially if he's just getting into bushcraft, or even at an intermediate level. http://www.amazon.com/Condor-Bushlore-4-375-Inch-Walnut-Leather/dp/B002CC6BPM

Edit: I also agree that the Mora Classic is excellent and at the right price point, but I think the Condor Bushlore is also an excellent value and is in a few ways a step-up from the Mora. Its full tang, larger, and has an excellent leather sheath.

Consider the purpose of a defensive blade. A blade is deadly force. That means that if you're justified in using a knife, you're justified in using a gun. A gun is a much better defensive tool than a knife under almost every circumstance, including at knife distances. The only time a knife has the advantage over a gun is in the clinch, i.e. when you are not just close but actually entangled with your adversary. Under those extreme conditions a small fixed blade is best, as it's easier to access and deploy than a folder. Two of the best designs for this purpose are the ShivWorks Clinch Pick with a good sheath, and the KA-BAR TDI, also with a good sheath.

You, however, are in a special situation. One, you're in a state that flagrantly violates the U.S. Constitution. And two, you won't do the right thing and bear arms in defiance of unconstitutional state laws. You could spend money on a compromise knife that is meant as a poor substitute for a gun, or you could just get one of the good knives I recommended above while waiting on your state-issued piece of plastic. Given your same constraints, I would choose the latter.

Good luck behind enemy lines.

Here are some options:

Ka-Bar:

Mark 1 Kraton handle

BK5

Neck Knife

Condor:

Bushcraft Basic

Kephart Knife

Bushlore

Basically-a-Mora-options:

Hultafors Heavy Duty

Cold Steel Finn Hawk

Ka-Bar's 1095 is pretty damn good. The Magnum Camp Knife is bigger than you were looking for, but it's a solid value. Condor knives are very high value, but can be rough around the edges. The Hultafors and Cold Steel knives I linked are stainless, but should do well in a kayak. All these knifes will take a beating and should be useful for a wide variety of tasks (some better than others, of course, but I wanted to offer a wide selection of size, shape, and grind).

Lansky Blade Medic. The best ones are electric, but this comes very close. Also inexpensive and portable. I have one in my bag all the time. If you are looking for a good cheap hunting blade, Schrade
makes a line of drop point fixed blade knives that are 1095 steel and a real bargain.

http://www.quickship.com/lansky-blademedic-sharpner-with-tungsten-ps-med01080999097601?gclid=CKbp47Caq9ACFQgMaQodiUkNPw&s_kwcid=AL!4678!3!39166650099!!!g!!&ef_id=WB-WNQAAADGAi8ms:20161115164258:s

https://www.amazon.com/Schrade-SCHF10-Drop-Point-Fixed-Blade/dp/B00BM94JJQ/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1479228380&sr=8-8&keywords=schrade+fixed+blade+knifes

I'm sure some one will mention using something like a Japanese water stone or other whetstone, but for a quick edge I'd recommend the Lansky

Day Packs are abundant. There are dozens that fit the 'hydro port' requirement. It really depends on what other features you need. Most specifically - size. You say 'day pack' slash 'one night pack'. In my experience those are 2 very different bags. A day pack is generally 15-30 liters, depending on how much technical gear you plan to carry (or how cold / snowy it gets). An overnight pack is generally 50-65 liters. I warn against picking an overnight pack based on the number of nights you'll be out. 1 night requires the exact same gear as 10 nights, other than food (which is generally 1 liter per person per day). So if you want a day pack, focus on that. If you want a overnight pack, focus on that. Trying to get 1 that does both jobs well will end up awkward both ways.

• Day: https://www.osprey.com/us/en/product/talon-22-TALON22_669.html
  
• Overnight: https://www.osprey.com/us/en/product/atmos-ag-50-ATMOS50S18_334.html
  
  ​
  
  Mora is a classic fixed blade bushcraft knife. Quality and cheap. $14
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Outdoor-4-1-Inch-Military/dp/B004TNWD40
  
  ​
  
  Sleeping Bags are another BIG category. The most important factor is temp rating. What low temp do you plan to sleep in? 20F is what I normally recommend for the vast majority of campers. It will keep you comfortable down to freezing temps, which is when most people stop going out. You can open it up for warmer weather. If you'll only be out in summer conditions - a 40F bag is even better (cheaper, lighter, smaller). A quilt is another option compared to a traditional mummy bag. Once I went to a quilt for 3-season trips I never went back. Make sure you have a good sleeping pad too, you need insulation under your body.
  
  
• https://enlightenedequipment.com/revelation-quilts/
  
  This deal was posted yesterday, a steal at $90: https://www.campsaver.com/kelty-cosmic-20-sleeping-bag-600-dridown.html
  
  ​
  
  Life Vests from NRS are quality. I like mine.
  
  They also make a knife that attaches to the PFD. Mine is perfect.
  
  
• https://www.nrs.com/category/2547/life-jackets/
  
• https://www.nrs.com/category/2726/whitewater-kayaking/knives-tools

I have a Kellam, Helle is going to be my next puuko addition.

Pretty knife! I've found myself admiring my Kellam more often than using it.

Just as a tip, this knife has lasted me amazingly in the outdoors (I mainly do a lot of fishing and camping) and complements my wood-handled Kellam rather nicely for wet environments! Anyways, great gift.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002CC6BPM/ref=pd_aw_lpo_200_tr_img_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GR55ZR4H7T6DHD4B2NBN
Love this knife, great craftsmanship and just feels nice. Totally worth the 55$. Just keep the blade clean and wipe off any debris (it's best to oil it).

here's the holy trinity I suggest to everyone with this question. Cheapest: https://www.amazon.com/Wesson-SWHRT9B-Outdoor-Tactical-Survival/dp/B07THMKS3B Best for a "weapon": https://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-Marine-Corps-Fighting-Straight/dp/B07KFNLPDZ/ref=pd_sbs_200_1/134-8730811-3738123?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07KFNLPDZ&pd_rd_r=2462612e-cbab-4572-becc-1bc13e89858f&pd_rd_w=zo5L0&pd_rd_wg=TY5xV&pf_rd_p=43281256-7633-49c8-b909-7ffd7d8cb21e&pf_rd_r=97ZT1BGE29JARD4RPTVF&refRID=97ZT1BGE29JARD4RPTVF Nicest looking and best for a dedicated tool: https://www.amazon.com/Knives-Special-Fixed-Leather-Sheath/dp/B000EHWWJQ/ref=wsdps_2?cv_ct_pg=detail&cv_ct_wn=woodstock-detail&linkCode=oad&cv_ct_id=ws&pf_rd_r=TD6J7MD9SFQE37WW9D7T&pd_rd_wg=AuCCX&pd_rd_w=axkeg&pd_rd_r=a9447115-06e9-4e31-92a6-522146ba1a51&th=1

For a cheap brilliant bushcraft knife:

http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Bushcraft-Tactical-4-3-Inch-Plastic/dp/B009O01H0Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422126084&sr=8-1&keywords=mora+bushcraft

For a cheap brilliant bushcraft knife in wet conditions:

http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Bushcraft-Sandvik-Stainless-4-3-Inch/dp/B00B90H1T8/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1422126084&sr=8-4&keywords=mora+bushcraft


For a very cheap good bushcraft knife:

http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Outdoor-Military-4-1-Inch/dp/B004TNWD40/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422126275&sr=8-1&keywords=mora

For a very cheap good bushcraft knife in wet conditions:

http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Outdoor-Stainless-4-1-Inch/dp/B005EOJAKI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1422126315&sr=8-3&keywords=mora+orange

Edit: Just realized your looking for an EDC Knife. To split kindling? My post revolves around your first knife to go out into the bush. An EDC knife should just a small folder for when you open those fancy amazon boxes. Don't need a fixed blade knife for EDC purposes, but if your gonna be out in the woods messing around I'd follow what I said.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

​

IMO a Mora companion should be your first knife. They are 10 bucks. The one linked is a carbon steel version, if you are gonna be around water a lot get the stainless steel version. The stainless steel version will rust dull quicker. Edit: Was a typo, it definitely wont rust quicker lol. Get it if you are around water because it WONT rust, but the edge will dull quicker, this is why knowing how to sharpen in the field is important. I mean you can get through a day with a dull knife, but it's never fun.

This won't be the best knife in the world, but it's the best beginners knife, it can do all the basic tasks and work well for $10, so if you smack a rock, chip it somehow or end up messing it up when sharpening you can buy another one. Practice sharpening! This is a big one, you don't want to get a $100 knife and mess up sharpening it - anything is fixable but you don't want to do that with an expensive knife and start taking off too much steel and what not.

I'd recommend a Mora companion, and whatever sharpening method you want. A decent, cheap stone is the Fallkniven DC3. There are better stones - but they require oils (or water) and you have to go through two or three types of stones and all these other things. Not to mention they are heavy and bulky. DC3 is small and you can take it with you.

If someone else wants to go more indepth on other sharpening methods and stones, please do so, I've had the same ones for a few decades and am not up-to-date on the tech.

Also strops, I had a local leatherworking shop make one for me, I've never found good ones online, or good leather to make your own. If you are familiar with good ones, feel free to link them.

Get a Leatherman multi-tool for EDC (Wave is the best all around but the Wingman is a solid alternative if you find the Wave to be too large) and a heavy duty outdoors knife that can be used to baton wood (like the Mod 4 or RAT-5). Get a solid hunk of steel and make sure it's full tang.

Personally I would go with something like a Buck hunting knife . They are a nice compromise between the smaller knives and excessivley heavy bowies.

If you're looking for a plain and simple, fixed-blade knife, get a Mora. They're cheap as shit, razor sharp, and hold up damn well. Just keep them clean and oiled or they tend to rust.

If you're looking for a multi-tool type knife, go with Leatherman. They're more expensive, and the model I have is discontinued so I can't give you a recommendation, but they've got a version for everyone.

And listen to everyone telling you not to use a knife for self defense. The best tools for self defense are open eyes and fast feet. If you feel like you need something else, there are much better options than a knife.

the skyline is a great choice.
Spyderco persistance is another great choice. 29$ below.
http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Persistence-C136GP-Plain-Knife/dp/B002IWWYS4
Are you primarily just interested in folders? if fixed blade knives appeal to you Becker bk14 is another wonderful knife for 34$
http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-BK14-Becker-Knife-Eskabar/dp/B004CIQY6K

The Morakniv Companion seems like a good starting point. Pretty cheap where I'm at ordering from Amazon.

Granted, I have a couple Gerbers. Mostly paraframe folders, and for the price, you're better off with a Chinese Kershaw, like the Oso Sweet

For general survival/bushcraft purposes (though not for breaking a car window):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004TNWD40/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485034514&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=morakniv&dpPl=1&dpID=31hduVz10IL&ref=plSrch
(Great quality/price ratio from Sweden)

For EDC/general cutting purposes(and gorgeous old-school looks), a small high-quality folding knife from France:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004AMY6GS/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1485034837&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=opinel+carbon&dpPl=1&dpID=51baQV0eVVL&ref=plSrch

If you want a more "modern" pocket knife that is still affordable, I recommend something from the American masters of Cold Steel like:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00U1I875Q/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8
(Gotta give some lovin' to that Aus8A japanese steel and the Scandinavian grind)

I can recommend all three, though I own only the first 2. Have fun and stay sharp!

Having Kbar and Esee fixed blades I still reach and take my Condor everytime I go camping. They have a ton to pick from all with great reviews.

I have several I pick between to take with me. More recently I took - http://amzn.com/B003D9RBPW

They have knifes geared toward overall use vs bushcraft just find a design and style you like. You will be pleased.

I have heard good things from the Glock field knife. No personal experience. Have had great experiences with anything USA made from Gerber.

I'll second the Mora blades. I have a couple like http://www.amazon.com/New-Swedish-Mil-Mora-Knife/dp/B004TNWD40 this one. If you poke around, you should find different colors in the $12-15 range. Very good steel on that blade - used it to field dress a couple deer and was still sharp.

Since space may be at a premium - many butcher shops in grocery stores will sharpen non-serrated blades for free.

I'd skip the flashlight and get a headlamp. The simpler ones without the battery pack on the back side of the head work nicely and double as a hand held light if you need it too.

The Mora comes in a lot of different forms and the price is pretty nice Ex1 http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Classic-Craftsmen-Utility-3-9-Inch/dp/B003Z5CTV0/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1421064634&sr=8-19&keywords=MORA+fixed+blade Ex2 http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Classic-Scout-Stainless-3-3-Inch/dp/B00EAL17G6/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1421064219&sr=8-14&keywords=MORA+fixed+blade Ex3 http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Classic-Craftsmen-Utility-4-2-Inch/dp/B003Z5GRUY/ref=pd_sbs_sg_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=08QQT1AEGRYMCVC9NXTB I dont know much about Elk Ridge tho which model from Elk Ridge do you like? If none of the Mora's are of interest to you then maybe someone can find you a knife like the Elk Ridge your looking at. Or maybe someone who owns one can tell you the quality of them.

I picked up the Condor Bushlore knife w/ Micarta handle last month right before I went elk hunting. It worked out really well. I used it to debone two elk quarters while it was snowing. The micarta handle did not get slick even when wet and it handled meat/wood/random camp jobs with ease. I also carried it on my belt for 20 miles over 4 days in it’s leather sheath and it stayed secure with quick access when I needed it. My only con is that the knife blade was a little short for some of the field dressing jobs but that’s why you carry multiple knifes! Otherwise it will definitely be my primary knife for camping this summer and my next hunting trip. Great knife for $65. I was looking at an ESEE but they were too expensive.

https://www.amazon.com/Condor-Tool-Knife-60005-Bushlore/dp/B003D9ORT0

Ok so I looked a bit and for your budget they have quite a few knifes that fit the bill.
This is the one has great reviews and I personally love the design.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0033H7VI6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1397075251&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40
What do you think?

*EDIT- here's a review with some field testing. For this price point it does work http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9EQk4vO94s

I'm a big fan of Condor's carbon steel knives. Scandi grind, well made and the price is great.

This one with the micarta is quite a bit more than the wood, but it's pretty sweet.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003D9ORT0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I would also recommend a Schrade SCHF9 or another in the Schrade series. They make some great quality knives for great prices. I said I would prefer the SCHF9 because I own it and I like it a lot, but I would also recommend looking at some other Schrades. The SCHF9 is not stainless steel so there's a little more upkeep than one that isn't, but mostly just keeping it dry and clean. Here it is: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0033H7VI6/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mora Companion. The value on these knives is pretty nuts, I keep thinking that prices will eventually go up because you get so much blade for the money. Great carver and slicer due to the scandi edge, and the carbon steel blade it tough and can take light batoning without issue.

Watch a few reviews online, pretty much all raving, and for good reason.

Get a pair of Mora Companions for $14 each and if you find out that you want something more then you can look for something more focused for your type of outdoors use. Most "survival" knives are lumped together in one category that makes it difficult to distinguish what their type design is for. KaBar Becker BK2 is basically a sharpened pry-bar. The thing is practically bomb-proof but its thick blade and obtuse grind means that it won't be very easy to cut with. Esee knives are also tough, and feature more functional grinds and and a great warranty, but 1095 steel they use is still going to be inferior in edge retention and edge stability to premium CPM-3v or Vanadis 4-Extra that you see on stuff like a GSO-4.7 or the ZT-0180. Then you have knives like Falknivens that use high-end stainless laminated steels which are price because the process for laminating is expensive and complicated and provides a stainless blade with some of the impact absorption that normally is attributed to carbon blades while still maintaining a harder edge. The reason I suggest a Mora is that for someone new to the fixed blade game, it's an option that won't break the bank and is also probably the highest value for the price of any fixed blade available. It's the Timex of knives. Not fancy but it works and is easy to replace if you lose or break(which is still pretty unlikely) it.

http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Outdoor-Military-4-1-Inch/dp/B004TNWD40/ref=pd_sim_468_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=31RSOV7Bn4L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0QT33JYXQS3ZD772EAFD

I don't have one myself but I hear a lot of good things about Condor knives, they can be had for ~$30-$60 on amazon and they come with a great looking leather sheath. I've been eyeing them for a while myself, this one specifically: https://www.amazon.com/Condor-Bushlore-4-375-Inch-Micarta-Leather/dp/B003D9ORT0/ref=sr_1_9?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1464781096&sr=1-9&keywords=condor+knife

nah for that price... not a huge fan.

Kabar USMC would be my choice for camping/survival/etc. Might want to complement with some sort of small collapsable handsaw or something if that's what you intended to do with the spine serrations. Or just get a small hatchet.

Also not a big fan of square tantos.

Maybe it's just personal preference but I can't say i'd buy one for any reason.

TBH just take your khuk your grip and something else that can do the job serrations would and you'll be much better off ;)

might seem like it looks badass but.... meh no, you can do better.

Check out the CRKT Folts, I’d wager you’d enjoy it. I love carrying it, and it blends in great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006SK0SP8/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518038933&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=crkt+spew&dpPl=1&dpID=31GtQKynZoL&ref=plSrch

i have a BK2. It is insanely stout and thick. Quite heavy. Can be used as a pry bar. Butt could be used for smashing rocks. It will probably outlast me. I decided to mount it in my vehicle because it is too heavy to carry comfortably for long periods of time. But will be very handy for all sorts of hard tasks when I need it. It can chop wood and do pretty much anything you want it to. But it is more of a "jack of all trades, master of none." there are other knives that specialize in certain tasks and will perform better. For a dedicated wood chopper, it is a little bit too short. It is heavy enough but the weight is balanced towards the center of the full tang, not where it hits wood. It can do it. But a longer Becker would be a better chopper. I don't recall the model numbers but Becker has a lot of options. Also I cant speak to rust issues. Its very dry here.

​

I also have a SCHF9 which is a bit longer, with better shape and weight distribution for chopping. It is a cheap knife, yet very solid. Thickness is very close to the BK2. If it rusts or gets lost I would just buy a new one. The sheath is not great but there are options out there.

https://www.amazon.com/Schrade-SCHF9-Stainless-Survival-Everyday/dp/B0033H7VI6

I really like Mora. They make the Companion which is a really great fixed blade knife for only $15. Hands down the best knife for camping for the price. https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Outdoor-Military-4-1-Inch/dp/B004TNWD40/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1505417935&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=morakniv

Since you mentioned a bowie Ill start with those heres one

like i said better than aus 8 but still a little chippy not as much tho

this ones modeled after the chris reeves one piece hollow handles

im a pretty big fan of this brand

more of the latter brand

moonshiner

moonstalker

primitive

this bowies cool but

this ones my favorite

i was going to move on from the condors but this thing really caught my eye

last one

I know Gerber isn't the best... BUT, I have been throwing this thing around for a while, it's a beater and it is sturdy enough for the tasks you plan on doing:
http://www.amazon.com/Grylls-Ultimate-Knife-Fixed-Blade/dp/B009XMYKOI/ref=sr_1_23?s=hunting-fishing&ie=UTF8&qid=1398715605&sr=1-23&keywords=gerber+knives

The only problem with that is that it is at your price limit, and it probably isn't the best you can get for the money (you're paying for that sweet Bear Grylls sponsorship ;) )

Because of that, I also would recommend this:
http://www.amazon.com/Schrade-SCHF9-Extreme-Survival-Carbon/dp/B0033H7VI6/ref=sr_1_2?s=hunting-fishing&ie=UTF8&qid=1398715810&sr=1-2&keywords=Cold+Steel

The only thing with this knife is that it is made of a high carbon steel, which means you'll need to care for it just a teeeeeny bit. You will need to occasionally treat the blade with a light oil or a corrosion inhibitor to keep it from rusting. This really isn't a big deal, it would only take ~5 minutes after every time you use it before you put it into storage.

EDC LIST

(A helpful redditor pointed out that r/EDC doesn't endorse using knives in defense. I wanted to be clear the ka-bar is used for utilitarian purposes and never on anything animate.)

[From top to bottom][I know 'techno-utilitarian' makes me sound 'techno'-cally like a tool.]

• Apple Watch 3 with Marge leather wristband
  
• Bellroy Cardholder
  
• Bellroy Keyholder
  
• iPhone 6
  
• Grey Moleskine ruled journal
  
• Parker Arrow Ballpoint Pen
  
• Asus ZenPower 10050mAH portable charger
  
• Ka-Bar concealed "McStabby" (don't have the name handy)
  
• Spyderco Ambitious Black G-10
  
  The vitamins are technically EDC, too, but I didn't mean for them to sneak into the shot. ANIMAL PAK. No big deal.
  
  E: I'm upgrading the Ka-Bar 'McStabby' with a slightly safer Ka-Bar TDI LE fixed blade, but I'd take other recs. Thanks guys!

So some will be a little more then 40 but the performance and customer service is worth it.

Cold Steel Extra Large Voyager Clip Pt. Plain https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DPW4LJG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_x3eXDbMZTEMNN

Buck Knives 119 Special Fixed Blade Knife with Leather Sheath - Black Handle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EHWWJQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_H4eXDbKPRCS8H

Cold Steel Peace Maker II https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BD57RZW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Z5eXDbFY372C4

Ontario Knife Company 8667 Rat-5, Plain Edge with Black Nylon Sheath https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075NNXMSC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_06eXDbRS3PEXY


Buck Knives 620 Reaper Black Fixed Blade Survival Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RQ7WQ2K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_e.eXDbT0Y0DW9

Ka-Bar is a very good knife, but it was made for the military, and is a compromise between a survival knife and a combat knife, which is typically larger.

True survival knives tend to be somewhat smaller, which means they are lighter and easier to carry. I'm quite fond of my SOG Seal Pup.

I have had a shitty week so I treated myself to a grab bag. Probably won't get anything super great, but I hear it is fun to sort it all out. Thanks Op.

Edit: Thanks for whoever gave me gold! Long story short, this knife will cut the nerve in your finger with the slightest slip up and will require surgical repair.

I have placed an order with everyone's suggestions in mind for a starter BOB. Thank you everyone for your input.

Here is what it is looking like so far:

Bag: I'm just going to use a northface bag I have that still appears new after 4+ years of use. Was my college bag originally so was used everyday. Very well built.
Here it is for reference

Knife: Since I freed up some money, I went ahead and picked up the Kabar also grabbed a leather sheath. Hopefully I don't get flack for it having a USMC logo on it. It is their knife anyway after-all.

Multitool Decided I probably would need a multitool of some sort.

Nalgene bottle and cup Thanks for alerting me to the cup, I didn't know these exist and should come in handy.

First aid kit based on suggestions.

Sawyer mini water filter

Saw chain was questioned but after watching the user video of him sawing through a tree in like 5 seconds I'm sold. I've tried cutting wood with machetes and hatchets and it is a PITA.

Emergency Blankets can't be too warm I feel.

Rations I will be taking at least 6 days worth.

Emergency Tent Will need to see how big this is. I might just get a tarp for my eno.

Compass

Cordage

Water treatment tablets

Headlamp

Emergency Bivvy

I also have a Ruger LCP with ~100 rounds I will toss in. I need to make copies of all of my documents to include. I already have a tactical flashlight to put in but will need some extra batteries. I have extra glasses to include. Have some flint and steel and bic lighters to include. Considering some sort of magnifying lense. The eno hammock, some jeans, a sweatshirt, rain jacket, and cap will be included. Also some sunglasses. I need to grab some duct tape, charger/radio, some sort of ereader or survival book, and probably a dozen other things I can't think of right now.

I will also need to make one for my 100lb black lab since I realized I wouldn't be able to leave him behind. Going to start training him to hike and carry a pack etc to have him ready. Ultimately he could become a major asset.

My brother is coming to visit with me and my wife for the first time since we got married. We're gonna go shooting and then have a video game marathon! So stoked!

Thanks for the contest! Wow $50 is huge!

1.21 Gigawatts

MARTTTTYYYYYY!!!!!!

Link

Personally I wouldn't head into the woods without a fixed blade knife. That's just my personal preference.

The obvious answer that a lot of people will give you is a Mora. These people are correct. It's a crazy sharp knife, well made and for $14 you could use it for one hiking trip and it'd be worth it.

If you're looking for a folder to carry all the time. Any of those you listed would be good. There are like a million choices for folders in the $20-40 range. Just stick to a good brand and find one you like the looks of.

Keep looking. I like Condor knives as they are cheap-ish but tough and effective. See the Bushlore. Also, please don't be frightened away by r/knives's response. We generally do not like the B.G. series but I am sure you will get tons of other recommendations.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002CC6BPM/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_7?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

This or the swamp romper is probably a good starting point. Invest in a good sharpening kit (Lansky) I promise it will make a huge difference, especially for cooking. Even the nicest knife isn't worth a damn when it gets dull.

the BK14 is a legitimate colab between ESEE and Kabar/Ethan Becker so if you want a knife with the same handle, but a bigger blade, that's your best bet. Also you can buy Orange Zytel scales for it as well if you wanted.

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-BK14-Becker-Knife-Eskabar/dp/B004CIQY6K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405386912&sr=8-1&keywords=bk14

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-Scales-Handles-Orange/dp/B0073GZSM4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405386912&sr=8-2&keywords=bk14

The Condor Bushlore is a great inexpensive knife. Carbon steel, full tang, etc. The old ones were not that great but there have been many improvements so the new ones are a fantastic value. You can baton firewood with it all day long. Get a knife pro to put a Scandi grind on it and you'll be set for a long time.

Secondly, get a set of Japanese water stones and learn how to use them.

Even the most expensive unobtanium-carbon quantum hattori hanzo japanese nanosteel knife can be ruined by improper maintenance (e.g. pull-through carbide blade destroyers).

Start with 1000 grit. You can also get 800 grit for fixing chips and other damage. The K-80 is a good starter set. If you want to sharpen your kitchen knives 'shaving sharp' then pick up an additional 4000/6000 grit stone for fine polishing.

Search /r/bushcraft for further knife and sharpening advice.

Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:

Amazon Smile Link: Mora scout


|Country|Link|Charity Links|
|:-----------|:------------|:------------|
|USA|smile.amazon.com|EFF|
|France|www.amazon.fr||
|Germany|www.amazon.de||
|Canada|www.amazon.ca||




To help donate money to charity, please have a look at this thread.

This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting). The thread for feature requests can be found here.

It's not wood-handled, but I'm sure you can order one that way for a little extra money. You simply can't go wrong with the Buck 119 for a decent fixed blade. The price is right, the warranty great. You can pay a lot more for a knife, but this one more than does the job.

It's the Gerber 31-000751 and runs about $40 on Amazon. It's obviously too big for my EDC, so I haven't used it much, but it feels solidly constructed. The grip is... grippy. I've tried the firestarter/whistle, and they work as expected. The cover is also well constructed and could be hung from a belt, if you're into that kind of thing.

All said, despite being branded by Bear Grylls, I'd still recommend it. :)

CRTK 2930 Yukanto Fixed Blade Knife, 4.56", Black designed by James Williams for $50.59. If he is west coast then he may well know James Williams.

Ka-Bar Straight Leather Handled Mark 1 Knife for $55.09. This will be a possibility sentimental gift; marked USN.

If you can spend double look into the Spyderco FB23PBBK Aqua Salt Lightweight Plain Edge Knife, Black, 9.33-Inch for $100.57. A few Navy divers I know like this knife as it uses a trick steel that physically cannot rust. Nitrogen is used in place of carbon in the steel.

Thank you for your service.

Hard to beat a Mora for the price though, right?

Could you provide your favorites at different prices? I don't know much about what real world experienced people would use.

I use a Fallkniven but I'm a total keyboard commando and I just like knives so I don't know much. I hear esee5 is nice too.

As a bit of a preface, I have a bunch on knives. My EDC is a Benchmade Bone collector, I also have a mini-griptilian when I want to carry something smaller. I have a Gerber ASEK I use for camping, I have a couple vintage Westerns, a WWII Camillus, and a few custom knives made with hand forged scandinavian blades. I say this not to boast, but to qualify that I know knives. I am also an avid hunter.

When I go deer hunting, I bring a Mora. It is a phenomenal knife at any price, and for what they cost, I am not afraid of using it hard, resharpening it often, or even losing it. It takes a wicked edge, and keeps it for a good long time. It is made from a quality carbon steel, and I find the length and profile to be perfect for hunting. Last year I even skinned and butchered a buck with it, and it did an admirable job. I can't recommend it enough.

A knife specifically for defensive use needs some unique features that a typical EDC knife designed for opening boxes and stuff won't have. Specifically, you need to be able to take it, bare-handed, and slam it down on something hard like a piece of wood as hard as you can.

Most knives can't do that because your hand will slip onto the blade and you'll slice your hand open (unless you're using what I'd call an unnatural grip). So a defensive knife needs a finger choil or a guard. It should also be fixed-blade. The assumption that I think you should make when looking for a defensive knife is that your attacker is already on top of you, and you'll only have one hand and fairly limited dexterity to deploy it, so a folding knife won't work well. Plus, folding knives don't typically have a guard or choil.

As you can imagine, it's tough to get a guard on a knife that's small enough for EDC, especially concealed. (Really, who wants to walk around open-carrying a giant knife?)

Here are three recommendations, in descending order of price:

Spyderco's Street Beat

ShivWorks Clinch Pick

Ka-Bar TDI

None of them are quite as badass or tacticool as a giant 5" serrated tanto, but there's a reason that serious trained self-defense instructors will recommend stuff like these.

Do you have to pay import taxes or anything? I can go grab you a new KaBar at the damn knife store here and ship it to you. I'm happy to help any way I can.

Edit: Amazon has them new for $65.09 with free shipping (to me) with Prime. I can then ship it to you. Should come in under your budget. Let me know if you're interested.

KA-BAR Full Size US Marine Corps Fighting Knife, Straight https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001H53Q6M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_12lUAbHERFVKJ

The best knives and best prices for knives is on the internet. http://www.amazon.com/New-Swedish-Mil-Mora-Knife/dp/B004TNWD40

I can vouch for the KA-BAR TDI law enforcement it comes with a sheath with a belt clip, there are different sizes, serrated or non serrated, mix of serrated and non serrated, its ergonomics are great and it comes sharp as a fucking bitch!

It's part of my EDC and I love it!

Here's a video review. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nfmDXy1waQ

Hope it helped!

Get a mora! Fixed blade super cheap super sharp. Easy to sharpen and if you lose it your out 11 dollars

MORA

The cheapest one you can find on Amazon. Actually, just buy two.

Throw one in your trunk and forget about it until you need a knife one day.
Throw the other in your toolbox and use it for random jobs.

After a few months of using it you'll realize it's a great little thing and get another to take camping.

Edit:
I like this one because it's ~$8.50 and your fingers won't slip onto the blade under any circumstances. It's a little on the small side if you have big hands though.

For camping I like this one.

I have the esee 5 (very similar to the BK2) and it is a big bad boy. the quarter inch thick makes it a beast at spliting via batoning or chopping. down side... it has a big fat edge that can kinda feel bulky when doing finer work... Honestly, I would look into a cheaper (yet very good blades) like a Mora or a Condor Bushlore... my pick would be the bushlore b/c of the grind and full tang but Moras are very good.

Then from there after using those blades a lot you'll get an idea of what you really want in your next blade.

I have a Mora and a Condor Bushlore. The Mora is a light, fixed knife for general use, though the blade isn't very thick. The flat grind (scandi?) is very easy to sharpen, and you can get it in stainless or carbon steel. The Bushlore is for funsies. I like throwing it, and it was very cheap for such a robust, high carbon knife. Heavy as all get-out, though.

Edit: Link to Amazon for Bushlore, since Mora was already linked.

well im not an expert in any of those categories. but ive been doing a lot of heavy research into bushcrafting (ie watching all the top dogs on youtube and studyign their gear) and ill tell you knives are ultra important. the one you have listed is seen as a joke though it is a good one but without the serrated edge. you should add the mora $10 knife thats on amazon right now. https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Outdoor-Military-4-1-Inch/dp/B004TNWD40/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480303187&sr=8-1&keywords=mora+knife

My two cents, I'm sure others will pick on these opinions...

• Get rid of the car escape tool you'll never use it and it'll just add weight to your key chain - buy a cheap knife with a belt cutter and window breaker if you want that functionality
  
• Instead of that knife you have on the list, buy a Mora knife for something you'll just keep in the bag and not use that often (and it's a great knife even if you use it often)
  
• A Bic lighter will float as well as the one on your list and is a lot cheaper
  
• Get rid of the rechargeable batteries since nothing on your list uses them and nothing on your list will charge them
  
• No need to spend $100 on a flashlight that will sit in a pack. Look for a reliable one that costs much, much less - you even have a crank light on the list, that will do in a pinch
  
• Get rid of the fire sticks and put some cotton balls soaked in Vaseline in a film canister in the pack
  
• Cyalume sticks are great, keep those
  
• Get a titanium spork instead of the plastic one
  
• Remove the Datrex ration bars, you'll never use them, or just keep them in a vehicle outside of the pack
  
• The Mountain House eggs (or any dehydrated eggs) are the worst (tasting) of the meals, get some other protein meal
  
• Everything else on that list - look for less expensive options - for example, you should be able to find a cheap tarp for less
  
• You can put a better first aid kit together by buying the contents and spreading them over multiple first aid kits for home, work, vehicle, etc. but a prepared one isn't too bad, just supplement it
  
• The matches are too expensive for something you can make with light anywhere matches and wax
  
• Where's your pack? what will you carry this in?
  
  
  
  
  

I dunno what you're looking for, but this is what I carry on my offhand.

https://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-Enforcement-Knife-Fixed-Blade/dp/B003IXYW3M/

It's small and discreet, great concealability and quick to access. comes with a left/right draw kydex sheath with good retention.

If you're just looking for something to cut clothing for tourniquets or seat belts they also have a serrated version.

If you dont know already, that's a Buck 119 Special. They're pretty cheap and is a great knife. Pick one up, you won't regret it.

Especially when you can get an actually good knife for not that much more.

A Mora Companion is 14 bucks, and pretty solid.

If you want a cheap folder that doesn't suck, there's the 3.95 Tan Flipper from Wal-mart.

I agree with the BK2, but for something closer to your price range, add 5 bucks to it and get a Buck 119..I love this knife...Perfect for hunting, fishing and general shanking.
Buck 119

The Companion is probably their best seller. They have a Heavy Duty version with a heavier blade, and they have many different knives if you want something different. They are all very similar though, with the only real difference being carbon steel or stainless. They're all well made and worth your money.

CRKT S.P.E.W.. Inexpensive and pretty, I wear it every day and love it.

like u/kimste2 said for the money you really can't go wrong with a Mora. If you insist on a full tang I also have a couple of the Survivor HK-106 knives and have been very impressed considering the price, they also come with a fire starter.

Mora

Mora - Light My Fire

Survivor HK-106

The Becker Necker and Izula II are both good knives. the Kabar Eskabar has the Necker's big blade, with the Izula's handle... the best of both worlds.

and it's only $34

If I know I am going to be in a survival situation?

Phone + Battery, 50 Flares, vehicle with a full tank of gas would be my top 3.

More serious you say? Just limiting myself to ordering online, mostly amazon -

1. Warbonnet hammock and tarp
   
   
2. Sawyer water filter
   
   
3. 1,000 feet of 750 cord
   
   
4. 50 bic lighters
   
   
5. 12 Months supply of food
   
   
6. Heavy knife
   
   
7. Light cheap knife
   
   
8. Any expensive sleeping bag
   
   
9. Cell phone, including my favorite RPG games.
   
   
10. Solar recharger
    
    
    

• Assumes I am stranded in the forest of the Northwest United States.
  
  
  Given a more specific survival situation, a budget, weight limit or other constraints, I may adjust my list accordingly.
  
  

Kabar Becker. They're tanks with a reputation. Good luck with your travels as well.

I absolutely love my Benchmade 141 the thing is solid as a brick. I've also have a Sog Seal pup, but I'm not a huge fan of it the metal is soft and Sog seem to be failing on quality as of late. I also own a Kabar which is a work horse! There's a reason The Marine corps has carried them since WW2. hope this helps and happy knife hunting!

I'm pretty happy with my choices, and they come in right under $200:

EDC:

• Kershaw Ken Onion Scallion OD
  
  Camping/Survival:
  
  
• Primary: KA-BAR 8" Tanto
  
• Secondary/Fine: Morakniv Companion OD

Himalayan Imports and KhuKuri House are the ones I'm familiar with for traditional kukris. I have a Condor Heavy Duty Kukri, and have been pretty happy with it.

If this is for a BOB and you're willing to consider a fixed blade utility knife, you might want to consider the Morakniv Companion:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004TNWD40/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_9?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

I have one in my vehicle bag. I haven't used it extensively but it's quality construction, inexpensive, and has a ton of great reviews.

Mora kansbol is a great stainless high value option that's pretty much good at everything.

Morakniv Kansbol Fixed Blade Knife with Sandvik Stainless Steel Blade and Plastic Sheath, 4.3-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M23QMPO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_FfH9BbF8HA6Y3

I don't think you could find someone with something bad to say about it. From kitchen to crafting it's got you covered with extremely low maintenance.

Condor Bushlore is a great knife and it's cheaper than the Gerber. I started with a Mora but I like the Beefier Bushlore and it comes with a nice leather sheath. Only problem is I didn't like the edge on it so I had to do some work getting it sharp the way I like it. I didn't mind cause I enjoy sharpening my knives.
http://www.amazon.com/Condor-Bushlore-4-375-Inch-Walnut-Leather/dp/B002CC6BPM

Here's a few things I've bought off Amazon that I've been really happy with:

Minus33 Merino Wool Day Hiker Sock

Magnesium Fire Starter

Bahco 396-LAP Laplander Folding Saw

Sawyer Products Mini Water Filtration System

Morakniv Companion Fixed Blade Outdoor Knife with Carbon Steel Blade

Nalgene Translucent Wide Mouth Bottle With Blue Lid

Outdoor Products 3-Pack Ultimate Dry Sack

Rayovac Sportsman 22 Lumen 1AAA Headlight

Adventure Medical Kits Adventure First Aid 2.0

Suunto M-3 D/L Compass

What would be a fair price for these. I see them for about 100
Im also looking at this https://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-Marine-Corps-Fighting-Straight/dp/B001H53Q6M/ref=pd_sim_200_9?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B001H53Q6M&pd_rd_r=P19CMAPTDJDWYET7DZG3&pd_rd_w=QRVXy&pd_rd_wg=44qV2&psc=1&refRID=P19CMAPTDJDWYET7DZG3 The KA Bar I like a little better and is a tad bit cheaper.

Y'all are dangerous. This came from just a little bit of browsing this sub and some searching and review reading and whatnot. Amazon links for convenience:

Leatherman Crater c33Tx

Kershaw Leek

Schrade SCHF9 Extreme Survival Knife

CRKT 2020 AG Russell Sting

Any advice or substitutions anybody care to offer? I think for the money this is a pretty damn fine set of 4 knives. The Leatherman might get some funny looks but I had its younger brother for many years and it would probably replace my current EDC (Kershaw Skyline)

Edit: Will definitely take lots of pictures when I pull the trigger.

On the cheaper side, Gerber MP 600.
Gerber MP600 Multi-Plier, Needle Nose, Black [47550] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VORS1E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ylfCDbQQFGQJM

I also recently purchased a Leatherman Wave as a bday present for me it's nice, though I found a new in box on Ebay so a little savings.

I do agree with others your gonna want a fix blade as well, Check out the Mora line affordable reliabable.

Morakniv Companion Fixed Blade Outdoor Knife with Carbon Steel Blade, 4.1-Inch, Military Green https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TNWD40/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_bBfCDbZHX4RA0

If you are going to spend that much, do yourself a huge favor and just get a Fällkniven A1 instead. I have 2 varieties of SRK and an A1, and there is just no comparison.

https://www.amazon.com/Fallkniven-Fixed-Blade-Knife-Black/dp/B001DZM482/

Nowadays the A1 is actually cheaper than the 3V SRK, which just makes this a no-brainer.

But, to answer your question, I like the SRK, especially for the price (SK5 version.) It serves a variety of roles well.

Any Mora knife. They are fantastic values.

http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Outdoor-Military-4-1-Inch/dp/B004TNWD40/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452089632&sr=8-1&keywords=morakniv

https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Outdoor-Military-4-1-Inch/dp/B004TNWD40


I have this knife and it is well made and reliable and great starter knife.

My dad has one of those Buck 119s and I really love it. They are $75 on Amazon and seem to be what OP is looking for, if that price isn't too high.

Edit: I found them for $55

I recently picked up a Mora for some "light" canoeing. I honestly didn't use it for much, but it seems like a solid knife.

Is it a real Gorilla, or an OP who_would_win gorilla which can likely take Galactus in a straight figth?

If its a real gorilla, I take all rounds.

Why? Because I'd make a spear with a crossbar.

I'd spend my first few hours building a pump drill for fire-starting and hole drilling. They're harder to build than bowdrills, but much easier to use. I can build good cordage for it.

Once I had the fire, and the drill, I'd fire harden the tip of the spear, and drill a hole through the center of it with my pump drill. I'd then place a cross bar through the spear, and secure it with more cordage.

With a long spear and crossbar, the gorilla is screwed.

EDIT: The tool I'd take for rd 2 is a condor tools heavy duty kukri.

http://www.amazon.com/Condor-Tools-Knives-Heavy-10-Inch/dp/B007QUVJ84

Kukri are versitle tools. Can chop and hatchet down small branches, do fine carving, and act as a planer. Looks cool too. If you watched "Alone" its the knife that Alan brought with him. If you haven't watched "Alone" for fuck's sake, go watch it.

Spyderco Aqua Salt FB23PBBK Knife 4-3/4" Fixed Blade Plain Edge w/Sheath https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SX51E7M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_TxkmDb143WXK9

I wouldn't go titanium if you want a good edge.

Spiderco fish Hunter is also good.

Just a bit larger, but not by much, the BK 14.
https://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-BK14-Becker-Knife-Eskabar/dp/B004CIQY6K
it fits perfect in this sheath.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004RIEJA8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

morakniv is the way to go

Edit: they have other variations, but all of their knives are excellent for price points

My fav low cost camp knife Condor Bushlore. The knife is awesome and the leather sheath rivals knives that cost 3x the money.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002CC6BPM?pc_redir=1404826492&robot_redir=1

While I don't have experience with either one, I'd probably go with the CRKT by virtue of it being mass-produced.

If you'd want to get them a good fixed-blade knife instead, I'd check out the Mora Kansbol

Aye, it's such a shame I was so young when my grandfather passed. He had a stunning over-under that could've easily been mine, but I hadn't gotten into firearms at that point. Sucks he couldn't see me get older and grow a passion for it, and there aren't many other people in my family that are into that sort of thing. He was only in his 50's. Lucky I still have his Buck Special that I use regularly.

Here's the knife plus a couple of bucks, buy a few gallons of water and hope for good weather.

You should add a few basic tools, screw driver, wrench, and fixed blade knife if this is for a VEDC. I also always keep duct tape and a few zipties in my car. Zipties are super handy for quick fixes and repairs like engine hoses coming lose etc.

A sturdy inexpensive knife to add would be something like a morakniv http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Outdoor-Military-4-1-Inch/dp/B004TNWD40

Morakniv Kansbol for $33 on Amazon. It’s great for both food prep and wood because of the two different grinds on the knife. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M23QMPO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_YFv.zbEBEHSMC

Take a look at the Ontario 7500 or the Schrade SCHF10

Also like others have said the Becker is a good choice too.

This kind of folding saw is great for camp-scale stuff. And a nice 4" fixed blade knife that you can baton with is all you need to split it. I've heard this is a good starter knife for bushcrafting but I haven't got to use mine yet.

This seems to be a pretty popular option among the self-defense world. Not sure what purpose you're wanting, but I'm sure this would be more than sufficient.

My father was in the marines in the 70s and came home when I was somewhere between 1 or 2. April 22 was his birthday and I always have a hard time finding a present for the old bastard. I stumbled across this on amazon one night trying to get ideas. http://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-Marine-Corps-Fighting-Straight/dp/B001H53Q6M/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1462620162&sr=1-1&keywords=ka+bar I have never seen his eyes light up like they did that day. He looked like a little kid on christmas. Apparently before he went in one of my grandfathers friends gave him his kbar that he used in ww2 island hopping in the pacific and he had etched the places he had been in the blade. Some scumbag stole that knife from him just before he was to leave to come home. Definitely one of the best reactions I have ever gotten from anyone I have bought a present for.

Personally I have this


I don't know how real survivalists would rate it, but for going camping and being my first fixed blade knife, I really enjoy it.

I'm assuming you're not talking about the little red knife. The fixed blade is a Schrade SCHF10, not too bad for the price.

There's also the SCHF9 which is a little bigger, they are both worth looking into.

http://www.amazon.com/Schrade-SCHF10-Drop-Point-Fixed-Blade/dp/B00BM94JJQ

http://www.amazon.com/Schrade-SCHF9-Extreme-Survival-Carbon/dp/B0033H7VI6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382900003&sr=8-2&keywords=schrade+schf10

and here's a video of the two in case you're interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPFyyJTNWUE

I bought a Morakniv Companion Fixed Blade Outdoor Knife with Carbon Steel Blade, Military Green, 4.1-Inch a few years ago. I use it for meal prep because it's fixed blade and about the size of a kitchen prep knife. The Amazon site shows its use for camping tasks, too.

EDIT - just saw this has been recommended a few times already. Must be good!

Mine batons like a champ. Check amazon.com. I picked up mine for 50 bucks there. I also picked up a plastic sheath for about ten bucks, as it comes in a leather one which probably shouldn't get wet.

http://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-Marine-Corps-Fighting-Straight/dp/B001H53Q6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370297639&sr=8-1&keywords=kabar

If you like KaBar, their Becker line is better for camping. The old USMC fighting knife is for that, fighting. They are also known to break at the handle under hard use.

I love my Eskabar. Wrap the handle in paracord for a better grip, and some emergency cordage.

that actually is the nicest looking schrade i've ever seen.

Edit: link for the curious: http://www.amazon.com/Schrade-SCHF10-Drop-Point-Fixed-Blade/dp/B00BM94JJQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1397671986&sr=8-2&keywords=schrade+knives

So I am going to get a Mora blade, it is between these three, that are all close to each other!

http://www.amazon.com/New-Swedish-Mil-Mora-Knife/dp/B004TNWD40

http://www.amazon.com/Mora-Companion-Heavy-Duty-Knife/dp/B009NZVZ3E/ref=pd_sbs_sg_2

http://www.amazon.com/Mora-HighQ-Robust-Knife-Carbon/dp/B00816PZ8W/ref=pd_sim_sg_1

At this point the $5 differences aren't an issue, what would be my best bet of those three?

Best Price!
http://charts.camelcamelcamel.com/us/B003R0LSMO/amazon.png?force=1&zero=0&w=725&h=440&desired=false&legend=1&ilt=1&tp=all&fo=0&lang=en

I've heard good things about the Schrade Schf-9. Comes with a nylon sheath, and i've seen a review where a guy managed to fit a basic survival kit in the sheath's pouch

Is that the most awesome knife ever made?

The Fallkniven A1 and A1L are laminated VG10 stainless and FANTASTIC options at around $140 new...

https://www.amazon.com/Fallkniven-Fixed-Blade-Knife-Black/dp/B001DZM482

I recommend this one. It has I nice grip and it is still one of the cheapest mora knives.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004TNWD40?pc_redir=1395426251&robot_redir=1

Hunter/fisherman/camper here. I have had the Buck 119 for 12 years now and have used this knife for EVERYTHING. I have cleaned/skinned game/fish, cut firewood, used it for cooking; you name it. For the price it is a fantastic knife. I can't think of a task it would not handle and even if there was one, it is so inexpensive it would not break the bank to replace it. http://www.amazon.com/Buck-119BKS-Spec-Hunting-6/dp/B000EHWWJQ
The knife does not always hold the best edge but it is a snap to sharpen and I can put a real nice edge on it in no time.

Edit; wanted to add the part about sharpening.

Amazon has them for $70. About the best price you will get.

Anything else I need to know to care for them? I just ordered one of these and an Opinel aside from keeping them dry anything else they need?

How about this one?? The few tests on youtube I've seen have been fairly positive.

https://www.amazon.ca/Condor-Tools-Knives-Heavy-10-Inch/dp/B007QUVJ84/ref=pd_sbs_200_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=D1RTS2Q6WKY259MPJ2W7

Well the actual price would be like 100 bucks right? (at least it is in Euro)
Theres one for sale for 40 Euros right now, should I get it?

http://www.amazon.de/Gerber-Grylls-Survival-Ultimate-GE31-000751/dp/B003R0LSMO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1425314802&sr=8-2&keywords=gerber+bg+knife

I own each of these. The Mora Bushcraft Triflex is what I carry in the field. The others are still fantastic.

Morakniv Companion

Morakniv Craftline HighQ

Mora Bushcraft Triflex (seems out of stock at Amazon)

Here is the list of gear. It is meant for both myself and my wife, so I doubled up in some places. (Links where I have them)

• LifeStraw Personal Water Filter
  
• yueton Shatterproof Stainless Steel Ultrathin Folding Travel Mirror
  
• S.O.S. Rations Emergency 3600 Calorie Food Bar
  
• Mini Foldable Folding Shovel
  
• Coleman Dome Tent
  
• GreenLight Diamond Strike on Box Matches,
  
• Zippo Typhoon Matches and Match Kit
  
• My Amazing Outdoor Inc Camp Mess Kit
  
• Swiss Safe Emergency Mylar Thermal Blankets
  
• Aootek Upgraded first aid survival Kit
  
• AxPower Dust Masks
  
• Dust mask filter pack
  
• Esky Portable Emergency Weather Radio Hand Crank Self Powered
  
• Foxelli Disposable Rain Ponchos
  
• TOUGH-GRID 750lb Paracord/Parachute Cord
  
• Aquatabs AQT200 Water Purification Tablets 200 Pack
  
• REEBOW GEAR Hard Knuckle Tactical Gloves
  
• Sharpie Plastic Point Stick Water Resistant Pen
  
• Rite in the Rain Weatherproof Top-Spiral Notebook
  
• Buck Knife 119
  
• 1 quart zip lock bags pack
  
• 1 gallon zip lock bags pack
  
• 2 Days worth of clothes
  
• REEBOW GEAR Military Tactical Assault Pack Backpack, Capacity: 34L
  
  Total Combined weight 27.4969375 Lbs (assuming my measurements are correct, couldn't get a good read on the tent so I had to use manufacturer info)
  
  Stuff I don't have yet, but which I plan to include as I get them:
  
  
• Passports, and other document copies
  
• Extra cash
  
• 9mm pistol
  
• Better water storage
  
• Solar charging and power banks

Morakniv Companion and Buck 119 are awesome choices.

https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Outdoor-Stainless-4-1-Inch/dp/B00EF2RUD4

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000EHWWJQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502984683&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=buck+119+knife&dpPl=1&dpID=315rFijBsPL&ref=plSrch

This

This knife has helped me in many different wilderness situations, and the striker is awesome to start fires with.

This one. http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Outdoor-Military-4-1-Inch/dp/B004TNWD40/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410197933&sr=8-1&keywords=mora+knife

This is my second. They are great knives for the price. I keep them in my hunting packs.