Thankfully we no longer live in a time when our lives are going to depend on a survival knife.(We have guns for that) I was taught from the time I was in elementary school that a man should always carry a knife on him. After quickly learning from my teacher that he didn’t mean at school I’ve been carrying a knife everywhere else since. My idea and your idea of a quality survival knife is likely going to be different. There’s a time and place for a 12″ fixed blade and a time for a 2″ pocket knife. It’s always a good idea to have some form of knife on you.
What’s The Best Survival Knife?
1. Tops B.O.B. Brothers of Bushcraft Survival Knife
Notable Features:
- 10″ Overall Fixed Blade Length
- Plain Edge Drop Point Blade
- Made In The USA
The Tops B.O.B. Brothers of Bushcraft knife is the ultimate survival knife. With it’s Scandinavian grind this knife is the perfect knife for carving, skinning and other general woodcrafting. With a Full Tang Hardened 56-58 HRC you won’t have to worry about damaging this knife.
2. Fallkniven F1 Survival Fixed Blade Knife
Notable Features:
- 8 1/3″ Fixed Overall Length
- Thermorum Handle
- Drop Point Blade
Fallkniven makes some of the highest quality knives in the world. Used today with the Swedish Air Force this knife is sure to last. It was designed to be a safe survival knife that can do just about everything well. Featuring a 3 4/5″ Drop back blade and Leather holster this survival knife is sure to impress the seasoned outdoors man.
3. Columbia River Knife and Tool’s 2125KV Ultima Fixed Blade Knife
Notable Features:
- 5 Inch Fixed Blade
- Erogonomic Easy To Hold Grip
- Butt Pry Tip
This Columbia River Knife Fixed Blade Knife is one of the largest on this list. It features a 5 inch veff serrated edge blade and tactical butt pry tip. If sharpened properly this Titanium nitride blade is sure to last a lifetime.
4. Spyderco Tenacious G10 Serrated Knife
Notable Features:
- Closed:4.375″ Blade:3.25″
Spyderco makes some of the best folding knives on the market. The Spyderco Tenacious G10 knife is one of their largest knives in the lineup. Measuring in at close to 7″ this is one heck of a survival knife.
5. Buck Knives 119 Special Red Phenolic Fixed Blade Knife
Notable Features:
- Made in The USA
- 6″ Fixed Blade
- Bucks Forever Warranty
Buck Knives has been making great knives since 1902 so naturally they make one hell of a survival knife. They chose a classic clip point knife blade design to make this a timeless piece. With a 100+ year old company you can trust that this knife will last the rest of your life.
6. Cold Steel SRK Fixed Blade Knife
Notable Features:
- 10 3/4″ Overall Length
- 6″ Clip Point Blade
You would need to be in a serious survival situation to carry this blade. At a little over 10″ long the Cold Steel SRK blade will do just about anything. Able to withstand the most extreme conditions, the cold steel blade is a popular knife with military and tactical units. One of the standard issue knives for the navy seals this knife is sure to impress.
7. ESEE 5P Black Tactical Survival Knife
Notable Features:
- 11″ Overall Length
- Designed by Military SERE Instructors
- Full Tang 1095 High Carbon Steel
- Glass Breaker Pommel
The ESEE-5 knife was designed to be used in the field. Designed by Military SERE Instructors to be used by downed pilots. It’s the essential survival knife made to do a little bit of everything. If it’s good enough for a downed pilot in enemy territory it’ll likely be good enough for you.
8. Gerber Swagger Knife
Notable Features:
- One Handed Assisted Opening
- Everyday Tactical Blade
- Perfect for on the job
I carried this blade on the job for years and it’s hands down my favorite knife on this list. The Gerber Swagger knife is perfect for on the job use. With the one handed assisted opening you’ll be able to easily pull out this knife when you need it the most. Using a sturdy design and easy to sharpen blade the Gerber Swagger is one of the best budget survival knives.
9. KA-BAR Full Size US Marine Corps Fighting Knife
Notable Features:
- 7″ Straight Edge Blade
- USMC Issue during WW2
- 125 year old Company
- Made in The USA
No survival knife list would be complete without a fixed blade KA-BAR. One of the most famous knives in the world this KA-BAR was designed and carried by the USMC during World War 2. With over a 125 year history KA-BAR makes one hell of a knife.
10. Camillus Carbonitride Titanium Bamboo Handle Fixed Blade Knife
Notable Features:
- Japanese AUS-8 Steel
- Ergonomic Bamboo Handle
- 5″ Fixed Blade Design
Personally I think this Camillus knife is one of the coolest looking knives on this list. The Ergonomic bamboo handle makes this blade feel like an extension of your hand. The Carbonitride titanium Japanese AUS-8 Steel is some of the nicest on this list.
11. Benchmade Fixed Adamas 375 Knife
Notable Features:
- Skelotonized Fixed Blade
- Paracord Wrapping
- One Piece Design
This Skelotonized fixed blade knife from benchmade was made to last. The D2 stainless steel blade holds an edge exceptionally well while the skelotonized handle reduces weight. Skelotonized handles are perfect for paracord wrapping, but are just as rugged and comfortable without.
12. Ka-Bar G10 Mule Tanto Serrated Edge Folding Knife
Notable Features:
- Tanto Blade
- Pocket Clip and AntiSlip Grip
The Mule Folder is another great knife from KA-BAR. KA-BAR chose a tanto point blade for the Mule Folding knife. Tanto blades are known for their strong powererful tips which are great for skinning deer carving wood and everything in between.
13. SOG Force Fixed Blade SE38-N Knife
Notable Features:
- Virtually Unbreakable Design
- Fixed 6″ Blade
- Molle Attachment
The SOG Force Fixed Blade was designed to last using a virtually unbreakable full tang design. Utilizing a thick blade with a minimal grind pattern the SOG Blade will stay sharp longer. Ergonomically designed handles make this a well balanced no slip design.
14. Gerber LMF II Survival Knife
Notable Features:
- Designed For Military Use
- Insulated for Electrical
- Absorbs Hammering Shock
Gerber designed the LMF II to free an aircraft crew from a downed aircraft. The LMF II is strong enough to cut through the sides of a fuselage and protect you while your doing it. Insulated to reduce the risk of electrical shock this is a must have survival knife.
15. Victorinox Swiss Army Camper Pocket Knife
Notable Features:
- 13 function tool
- stainless steel construction
No survival knife list would be complete without including a Swiss Army Pocket Knife. Swiss army knives come with a wide variety of tools and options to choose from. Some Swiss army knives are so packed with features you can’t fit them in your pocket. If you’re going to swiss army route you can’t go wrong with this classic 13 function tool.
16. Case Two-Knife Leather Hunter Set
Notable Features:
- Multiple Blade Lengths and Styles
- Small Sturdy Fixed Blade Knives
- Made in USA
Case has been making really high quality knives since 1889 so they know a thing or two about quality. A strong fixed blade Case knife is always a safe bet for survival situations. If you have a specific style knife in mind Case more than likely makes one.
17. Benchmade – Crooked River Folding Knife
Notable Features:
- Stainless Steel Blade
- Extremely Well Balanced
Benchmade knives are all very high quality, but they come at a price. Benchmade designed this knife to be extremely versatile with an extremely strong tip. It’s the ideal knife for hunting, farm use, outdoor activities and everyday use.
18. Spyderco Tenacious Plain Edge Folding Knife
Notable Features:
- 7.76″ Overall Length
- Ergonomically Milled Design
- Skelotonized steel liner
Spyderco’s tenacious plain edge folding knife is built to last. Using a skeletonized steel liner they were able to increase the handles rigidity without increasing the thickness. Tenacious offers a well balanced blade for a strong cutting edge.
19. Smith & Wesson Extreme Ops Folding Knife
Notable Features:
- Value Priced
- 7.1 Inch Overall Length
The Smith and Wesson Extreme Ops knife is really nice for the price. Smith and Wesson managed to compete with much higher end knives at a fraction of the price. The lightweight slim design makes this the perfect knife for everyday carry.
20. Cold Steel Recon 1 Spear Point Knife
Notable Features:
- Speer Point Blade
- Tactical Folding Knife
- 9.5″ Long
Cold Steel’s Recon 1 folding knife is a popular knife with the military and law enforcement communities. It’s a dependable tool for any occasion with a blade that’s as sharp as a scalpel. It’s an extremely well balanced knife for the 9.5″ Overall Length.
21. Buck Knives 110 Famous Folding Hunter Knife
Notable Features:
- Classic Buck Knives Design
- Made in The USA
The Buck Knives 110 Famous Folding knives is one of my favorite knives of all time. I found my first Buck 110 Knife at a garage sale when I was in elementary school and they’ve had a place in my heart ever since. I’ve had that knife for over 20 years and it looks better today than the day I bought it.
22. Columbia River Knife and Tool’s M21 Folding Knife
Notable Features:
- Carson Flipper Opening
- Titanium Nitride Blade Finish
- 9.25″ Open Length
The columbia river knife company designed this knife to be extremely durable. Backed by Columbia River knife companies great name this affordable knife is a great buy. The Titanium Nitride Blade finish ensures a lifetime of rust free protection.
Choosing Your First Survival Knife
You’re really going to want to match the knife with your lifestyle. A farmer is going to want a different survival knife than an accountant. Just make sure that whatever you buy you’re going to want to carry. A knife in your bedroom drawer might be nice to play with but all your going to get out of it is a bloody finger. With all the different styles of knives out there it’s tough to figure out which type of knife you need.
What Makes The Best Survival Knife
Everybody has their own opinion on which type of survival knife is the best. It’s all going to come down to whether you want a fixed blade knife or folding knife.
Fixed Blade Knife: fixed blade knives have a lot of advantages in a survival scenario. Due to their fixed blade they tend to be both larger and stronger than similarly priced folding knives. Using a bigger surface area you’ll be able to perform tasks faster. You also don’t have to worry about a fixed knife breaking on you. With one solid piece of steel you can use a fixed blade knife to do a lot of tasks that would break a folder.
Folding Knife Blade: Folding knives are what most people carry on a daily basis. The main advantage to a folding knife is going to be portability what’s the point of having a fixed blade knife if you never take it out of the house. A high quality folding knife is going to be durable, but you can’t put any horizontal pressure on the blade.
Knife Blade Types
There are so many different types of knife blades on the market that it would be impossible to list them all. I made the above infographic to give you a good visual representation of a few of the different knife blades. They all have there own strong points and weaknesses so you’ll need to buy a knife to suit your needs. Hopefully I helped you make an informed buying decision. Please comment below if you have any questions about each of these great survival knives.