While not my first choice, a small knife like the YK can do. It is slow going, but you can chop wood with it. I use a baton to hammer the blade through this hard oak.


The blade would still shave even after this.

But give me a bigger knife or machete any day. It's a lot easier.

To me a survival knife is a tough as hell knife that isn't too big to have with you when the 'SHTF'. Now in my world that means the S6!

I like my DFCG but I'd seldom carry it because of it's weight. I'd carry a couple of knives in serious country so that be my S6, CS Kukri machete (or if I was in open deciduous country the DFCG possibly. But in less wild areas my SS4 or Bravo 1 instead of either big knife), my CRKT Dogfish and a couple of tools normally a Gerber Legend and a locking SAK Rucksack model..

How bout a 4 inch drop point folder and a tough but light kukri type chopper.

All I need for less than $75 - perish the thought.

It must be more complicated than that!

I choose 6in 5in because I have big hands and I like the extra weight of the slightly larger blade.

'Xactly!!

The limits of the poll were too low.
I select 6+5, but I'm really more of an 8-10+5 kinda guy
If it's only gonna be one knife, I want to be able to do it all - even if some of it is not done superbly.

The thing is for most of us here its never "one" blade we have with us at any one given time.

to me a survival Knife is for situations where you absolutely need your knife to bombproof. I just cannot see a thin small blade as fitting this role. If i need a thin small blade i will smash rocks with other rocks and use the shards as a small blade. But my survival knife better be a big tough blade, capable of chopping, prying digging etc.

hence why i listed my choice as a large 12" - 14" blade. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Then you won't really need a survival knife per se.
You'll need a camp knife, a skinner, a small util etc etc etc for each purpose you'll need.
I'm not trying to be pedantic (though I know it looks like I am), but if you will have a number of knives, then you don't need an all rounder, you just need to have the right knives you need for the jobs you'll be doing.
A survival knife is in my opinion a one off all rounder.
The one knife you absolutely can't be without.
The only one you'll choose when the chips were down, the one you chose to put in your bug out bag or survival kit, because it was the ONE you could get by with for all situations, thereby freeing up room and weight for other non cutlery essentials that you could not get by without - if/when you have a choice.

This is kind of redundant, because all these points have already been made, but YOUR ideal survival knife really depends on the circumstances YOU think you'll be employing that knife. Some of the comments have embedded assumptions that are not always explicitly stated, and much of the discussion has pointed out these assumptions.

I am in the camp of those whose DEFINITION of a survival knife is the knife you ALWAYS have with you when you make a conscious decision to be somewhere/do something that might put you in need of a knife for use as a survival tool.

When I go for a mountain bike ride in my local area, I don't expect to be in survival mode, and the knife I have with me (of course I have a knife with me) is just a small folder. I carry water, a small bike repair kit, maybe a power bar, and that's it!

When I go for an epic mountain bike ride in remote areas, I wear a small backpack and have my SR Howling Rat in there (or a similar sized fixed blade). I also have emergency rations, para cord, fire making stuff, etc. I've never had to survive using that stuff, but I have it just in case.

When I go backpacking at any time of year I have even more stuff, of course.

In winter I also carry extra layers of clothes, even more food, etc, even if it is a short excursion on xc skis or snowshoes in my own neighborhood, cuz winter can kill you around here if something happens. I still make a knife choice based on what tasks might be performed, but also on whether I want to carry something. I might go up to 5-6" blade in winter.

Everybody will make a different choice, depending on their circumstances, but the one thing a person should ask him/herself is DO YOU actually carry the knife you would prefer to have, or not? If not, then your preference is hypothetical <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I'm sure there are many folks here that have much more experience than I in survival situations, but I think reality is sometimes different than casual conversation.

When one says "ideal" size survival knife, I think of a 12" camp machete. But like self-defense guns, practical usually trumps ideal. It is hot down here, so most folks wear little clothing in summer. My Kimber 1911 is an "ideal" self defense pistol, but I am not going to walk around the mall with it on my belt. My little .380 fits in my pocket, so it gets carried. The same is true of "survival" knives. The one I carry is the SAK OHT, along with my Rat Trap.

I'm in the majority...6+5...but my choice, the 7.5" SOD, wasn't an option in this poll. I live in Florida and not only do I need a tool but I need protection, i.e., gators. Black bears and wild hogs are prevalent. Not only would I want a tool to build shelter but also a weapon to extend my life and shorten that of the predators (OK, a sow with youngins isn't necessarily a predator, but she sure is dangerous). This is assuming that I am not toting a firearm, of course.

I would envision doing delicate work with my SOD as well, as depicted here:

[img][image]http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/BareFootin/armlanyard.jpg[/img][/image]

Rackemup, that's an interesting technique. Have to try that some time.