6 Tips for Choosing a Survival Knife

The handiest tool for any outdoor adventure is a good knife. From making shelters to hunting and preparing food, your knife is the most important item in your backpack. Survival knives have to perform multiple functions, so how do you know which one is right for you? Here are six things to look for when choosing a survival knife.

Knife Tips

Spear tips allow you to use the knife for hunting and self-defense. A sharp tip also means you can lash your knife to a stick and use it as a spear. Knives with spear tips allow your to properly skin animals and fillet fish. Spear tips are also handy for making holes and fixing gear as well as prying open nuts and for foraging in general.

Size Matters

If you grew up with Crocodile Dundee, you may be tempted to opt for the ‘bigger is better’ approach, but that would mean you aren’t able to fillet a fish, dress small game or whittle small, fine snares. At the same time, you need a knife that’s big enough to allow you to field-dress larger game and make shelters. The ideal length of a multi-purpose knife is between 9-11 inches.

Fixed or Folding?

Folding knives make great pocket knives for everyday use or use in the city. Survival knives need a more robust setting, so fixed blade knives are recommended. As you will be digging, chopping and hammering with your survival knife, you can’t risk the joint breaking resulting in you losing your most valuable survival tool.

Full Tang

The tang is the metal section after the blade that continues into the handle. Some knives have a partial tang where the metal is not the same width as the blade. Having a full tang provides strength and stability and means your blade will last longer. A smaller tang could mean a weak spot and the last thing you need is your blade breaking off at the handle.

Molded Grip

The handle must fit your hand properly. Try out a number of knives instead of just ordering one from the internet. You must find one that fits your hand perfectly. When you are field-dressing game or building a shelter, you don’t want a poorly fitting knife to give you blisters.

I like Flat Butts, I cannot Lie…

Speaking of handles, the back of yours should be as flat as possible. This will give you leverage and will work best as a hammer. Holding your knife and using the back to hammer in shelter poles or tent pegs means it has to be flat or you will damage it.

Spear tips allow you to use the knife for hunting and self-defense. A sharp tip also means you can lash your knife to a stick and use it as a spear. Knives with spear tips allow your to properly skin animals and fillet fish. Spear tips are also handy for making holes and fixing gear as well as prying open nuts and for foraging in general.

Here are many stores who offer top grade survival knives in UK.