When choosing the best survival knife, you need to consider several factors that will help you find the right tool for your needs.
Keep in mind that a knife is an essential part of your survival gear since it can help you perform important tasks while in the wilderness such as chopping wood for a campfire, slicing food items, and several others. Thus, a good knife is critical if you need to survive in the outdoors, so you should consider these tips on selecting the perfect cutting tool to bring in your camping, fishing or hunting trip.
1. Material
Primarily, survival knives may use two kinds of steel such as carbon and stainless. The best thing about stainless steel is its anti-corrosion properties that prevent oxidation and rusting. This material is also quite indestructible and can last for a long time, although stainless steel blades are likely to lose their edge faster, unlike carbon.
On the other hand, carbon steel holds an excellent edge longer, as compared to stainless steel blades. However, this material is prone to rust, which can reduce the superb capabilities of the blade.
2. Length
Aside from the blade material, you should choose a knife that comes with the right length. Most models of survival knives range between 6 and 12 inches in length, and anything less may not be useful enough to handle several things you need to do while in the wilderness.
On the other hand, a knife that is longer than 9 or 10 inches may be too big and heavy to carry around, which can make it more of a hindrance than a functional tool.
3. Blade Thickness
For some people, determining the thickness of the blade before purchasing a knife is frequently overlooked. According to the best knife experts, a good blade has a thickness of between 3/16 and 4/16. Knives that have the right blade thickness are quite solid and sturdy, and they can effectively chop wood without losing their durability and quality. After all, you would not want to buy a survival knife that tends to bend or break easily.
4. Good Handle & Comfortable Grip
You can find survival knives with various types of handles, which may be made of polymer or hard rubber. Most of these handle types are good, although you need to avoid buying one that comes with a hollow handle that is meant to store things such as matches and other essential items.
While this feature may seem rather impressive, you may end up sacrifing your convenience by choosing such type of knife. For instance, knives that have a compass in their handle may mess up your good grip, so you may end up getting injured because the knife slips easily from your hand.
5. Tang
Tang is the part of the knife blade that extends into the handle and is not sharp. Typically, knifes with full tang tend to be better knives, i.e. tang should extend into the handle. This makes the knife more durable and sturdy, unlike short tang blades that can break more easily.
5. Sheath
A good sheath adds functionality to your knife because it allows you to carry the tool easily. As you look for a suitable sheath, make sure the lower attachment comes with a hole at the end of the sheath, which you can use for strapping your knife securely to your leg when placed on a backpack strap. Moreover, you may want to look for a sheath with a crossover strap style, which ensures the knife to easily slide out for convenience.
Buying the Best Survival Knives:
In selecting the best cutting tool for your needs, make sure you consider these practical tips that can guide you in buying the right survival knife. Inspect important parts of the knife such as the handle, blade and sheath, and check reviews online for further tips on how to find the right item to bring in your wilderness trip.