Exploring the top military survival knives

Survival knives can determine life and death out in the wilderness. It is essential to be prepared and have the right type of knife that can be used for multiple purposes, such as chopping wood. Military survival knives best serve this purpose. They are designed from hunting knives and are optimized for an offence. When shopping for military survival knives, a few things should be considered.

What to look for in a Military Survival knife

Strength – a great knife is designed to be durable and nigh unbreakable. The Blade of the knife should extend into the Handle – a full tang is preferred. The section that is secluded in the Blade is known as the tang. For higher quality knives, the tang should extend to the base of the knife. This is called a full tang. Knives of lesser quality may not have a tang, with the Blade connected only connecting to the Handle. These knives are subject to breaking under stress and do not make for good survival knives.

Solid Handle – to augment the knife’s strength, the Handle should be solid and supportive of a full tang. Hollow handles and handles with storage space do not have a full tang. This compromises its strength and integrity. Another thing to consider is that anything stored in the knife is subject to wherever the knife is. If the knife is lost, so are the stored items.

The Blade – the Blade of great quality knives are made of either carbon or stainless steel. Carbon blades typically stay sharper longer but rust quicker when outdoors. Stainless steel blades are highly durable and will not rust for a very long time, but they are known to lose their sharpness more quicker than carbon blades.

The design of the Blade is important. Blades are usually 6 – 12 inches, but anything over 9 inches may become a hindrance. Straight blades are easier to sharpen and are better at chopping. Serrated blades or blades with teeth are great for tearing but need to be taken to a specialist to get sharpened. The thickness of a blade matters as well. Blades that can easily bend or be subject to stress do not make great survival knives.

Rule of Thumb: the thickness of a blade should be 3/16 – 4/16 of an inch.

Sheath – the sheath of a knife should have a belt loop and holes on the tip of the end for low attachment to the leg. This will have the knife sit flush with the body. The knife handle should also have a lanyard. The sheath should fasten at the top of the opening.

Top 3 Military Survival Knives

There are generally three great brands: Buck, Case, and Gerber.

• The Buck Special Fixed Blade Knife has a 5-inch blade that is very sharp and weighs 4.5 ounces, which is considered light. This allows the wearer to carry it with less fatigue.
• Case knives have been revered for years by many hunters out in the field. Using a Case Stockman model, hunters found it easy to butcher and skin prey after a kill.
• The Gerber Gator is a folding knife that has a lock feature. The Blade is three ¾ inches that feature a gut hook. The Handle combines rubber and plastic, making it handy, even in wet conditions.

Military survival knives should be high-quality, have a full tang, be lightweight, and have a solid handle. The sheath should have lower attachments, a belt loop, and a lanyard. They should be easy to draw and not be cumbersome while carrying. They should be durable and weather-proof, handling much of anything the elements can dish out. Another honourable mention is the Finnish-made Fallkniven H1, popular in Europe for its strength and functionality.