Are you planning to buy a survival knife? You might be having many questions in your mind if you haven’t bought one before. We are here to help you out in getting answers to some of those questions:
What are the different types of survival knives?
Survival knives can be fixed blade or folding; they can be small or big. If you want a knife that can also help you in cutting the trees either for building shelter or lighting free, a large fixed blade knife will be the most appropriate. However, if you want to skin the animal after hunting, the same knife will not be useful. In such a scenario, you will need a small fixed blade knife. Such knives are also good for chopping work.
Should I choose a fixed blade or folding survival knife?
Both the fixed blade and folding knives have their own pros and cons. When it comes to strength, fixed blade knives perform much better. They are good for chopping, digging and are the best when it comes to using them for self-defense. However, the biggest disadvantage is that they can be bulky and difficult to carry around. Folding knives, on the other hand, are easier to carry but do not have the advantages that a fixed blade knife offers.
What else should I know before buying a survival knife?
Pay attention to the handle of the knife. Your survival knife can have its handle made from one of these: rubber, wood, metal. While a wooden handle is comfortable to work with, it is prone to cracking. With metal, there is durability but metal can get too hot or too cold depending on the weather. A rubber handle can absorb vibrations much easily but it is prone to getting easily damaged.
Check with the survival knife seller and tell them your requirements before you buy the final product as they can help you understand what you need. In fact, you do not have to burn a hole in your pocket as there are various sellers who have handmade knives for sale.
What considerations should be taken with the material of the blade?
Both carbon steel and stainless steel have their own features. Carbon steel is more common. One major advantage is that it is prone to rusting and corrosion so you don’t have to worry about the wearing out of the knife blade. However, stainless steel is a cheaper alternative and easier to sharpen as well. The key point is to understand that the lesser the amount of carbon, the more easily its edge will wear out.
Conclusion
Your choice of survival knife will largely depend on your requirements and also your budget. When buying a survival knife, first understand your needs and accordingly do the research. Also, shopping online without seeing and touching the knife may not be the very best idea. Once you have bought the survival knife, you should also learn how to sharpen it. In times of a survival situation, the knife will be useless if it is not sharpened. Another tip that will come in handy is that you should also use the knife with the less dominant hand so you are better equipped to face the situation of any kind.
We hope that we have answered most of your questions about survival knives. If you pay heed to the tips and tricks mentioned above, you will definitely not go wrong with your decision.
