Survival Axe and Hatchet Better than a Knife when SHTF

Survival Axe and Hatchet Better than a Knife when SHTF

While many die hard survivalists can live in the bush with nothing more than a knife, a good axe can make life so much easier. When building a fire for warmth or cooking or even cutting down small trees, I would much rather depend on a small hatchet or midsized axe. This will make it much faster to process firewood or kindling. For a large amount of firewood cutting,  using a hand saw is your best bet. This remains the topic for another post.
Warning - It is very easy to injure yourself with an axe so be extra careful and whenever possible reach around the tree to put it between yourself and the axe. Also, watch out for overhead branches when cutting off limbs, so it won't bounce off an upper limb and cut your skull open. An injury in a survival situation should be avoided at all costs due to limited medical personal and supplies.

Best Survival Axes

These are my two favorite axes made by some of the best companies with a long history of axe making.

Estwing E44A 16-Inch Steel Campers Axe is a little longer than a standard hatchet. It's all metal construction will hold up for many years. Estwing has been building axes and hatchets for many years. Their axes feature a comfortable rubber grip handle that cushions your hands and keeps it from slipping. It's strong one piece forged handle and head design, ensures it will never separate from the handle. This axe comes with it's own leather sheath to protect it and also the user from getting cut while transporting. The sheath also has a belt loop so it can be carried on your belt.


The Gransfors Hatchet made by a family owned forge Gränsfors Bruks in a small town in Sweden. These hatchets are the finest money can buy. They leave the factory razor sharp and will provide a lifetime of useful service. While the price is a little higher than a Gerber or some of the other, lower cost hatchets. The Gransfors will not break when you absolutely need it the most.



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NEW - Gerber Bear Grylls Survival Tool Pack Review - Best Multi-Tool Flashlight & Fire Starter Kit?

NEW - Gerber Bear Grylls Survival Tool Pack Review - Best Multi-Tool Flashlight & Fire Starter Kit? Video Clips. Duration : 14.50 Mins.



In this NEW Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Tool Pack Review from http://ultimatesurvivaltips.com/ talk about who this kit is for... and who should look...

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Make a Retirement Survival Kit

A retirement survival kit is a funny twist on a wedding survival kit. The great part about a retirement survival kit is that you can put it all together yourself! This can be a really great gift to give during a retirement party because it can be sure to garner a few laughs.





Here are some tips on creating a memorable retirement survival kit:


Survival Tools


Retirement Survival Kit Container

One of the first things you will need for a kit is a container to put all the goodies in. This can be a way to think of something creative related to your retiree. For instance, if you all live near the beach and the retiree plans on spending more afternoons there, then consider using a beach pail as a container. Or if your retiree had a job that required him to carry a briefcase or laptop bag everyday, then consider getting him a tacky travel bag or even a real piece of luggage so that he can actually use it.


Survival Kit Goodies

Finding the best and funniest goodies to put into a retirement kit can be a lot of fun. If you are working with co-workers on putting together a gift, then ask each of them to contribute their own ideas of what is necessary in a retirement survival kit. For instance, you can do a beach theme and include suntan lotion, funny sunglasses, a beach towel, and some sandals. Or you can do a traveling theme if your soon-to-be retiree has already booked a trip. A travel themed kit can include passport holders, a travel pillow, maps, a funny fanny pack, and other little travel related trinkets.

Sentimental Items

Survival kits can also include some sentimental items, so the retiree will remember those great working years and will know how much you all appreciated him or her. A personalized plaque or coffee mug might be a fun gift to include. Or an engraved pocket or watch can be a great gift to slip in among all the other funny goodies.

Extra Treats

Survival kits usually have some treats, too. So if you want to include some treats into your retirement kit, consider some of his or her favorite candy bars or snacks. Or maybe some homemade cookies. If your office has a vending machine, then you might want to get a few of the vending machine snacks which would be a fun and funny way for him or her to remember the workplace.

A retirement kit can be wrapped in cellophane or you can just tie a great big ribbon around it and present it to the retiree that way.


Make a Retirement Survival Kit

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Survival Pack Basic Emergency Aid And Skills



Have you ever wondered what you would do if you were caught in an emergency survival situation? Whether you're hunting, hiking, on a road trip, or just analyzing your everyday life, everyone wonders at some point if they have the emergency aid survival skills they need in a disaster survival situation. However, what many don't realize is that skill only goes so far—it pays more to be prepared. 
survival pack


How can you use your emergency aid skills to be prepared? Fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can ensure that you're never in a bad situation, no matter what your scenario is. By keeping the emergency aid essentials within easy reach, you can help significantly in keeping a bad situation turn worse.

One of the most important emergency aid skills to consider is that of first aid procedures. While you may not be particularly skilled in emergency aid having a quality first aid survival pack and a first aid procedures book will help enormously. At the very least, you'll have a good idea of what first aid procedures to do until the paramedics arrive. A good first aid survival pack contains gauze, bandages, pain relievers, disinfectant, burn cream, bug bite ointment, and more. If you have a specific allergy or medication you must take, it's a good idea to stock your first aid survival pack with a good supply of these necessary emergency aid medications.

Get More First Aid Procedures And Emergency Aid Techniques Here

Another common emergency survival skill is learning how to find food and water in the event of an emergency survival situation. While it's perfectly possible to forage for berries, edible greens, and even mushrooms, it's never a good idea to do so without a competent foraging guide. In the event that you can't forage, it's a good idea to pack a long lasting supply of food with you. These include freeze dried packets, dehydrated foods, or canned foods. These foods last practically forever and have minimal requirements for preparation. Best of all, they taste surprisingly good as well!

Need Emergency Survival Food Storage? We RecommendFoodStorageSolutions.Com

If you're traveling by car, one of the most common emergency survival skills is learning what to do in the event that your car breaks down in a remote location. You can improve your situation significantly by having an essential survival pack car supplies. This includes an air pump, a tire jack, a spare tire, a large jug of water for the radiator, and other car survival pack essentials. Also be sure to keep your insurance papers and the phone number of your car insurance company just in case. If possible, keep a pay per use cell phone with you as well just for emergency survival situation.

Become More Self-Reliant Get Your FREE Home Survival Training Guide Here


With this in mind, it's easy to see how having the right emergency aid supplies can help enormously in helping your survival skills. Whether you're preparing for a known emergency, such as a tornado or a flood, or you just want to stay on top of things, having the right survival pack emergency aid supplies is the perfect way to help hone your emergency aid skills. Learn more today!

Best Bug Out Bags for SHTF Survival

Best Bug Out Bags for SHTF Survival


If you are just getting started assembling your survival gear, you will need a good Bug out Bag. Be it from a snowstorm, tornado hurricane or riot, this is something that can help you survive for three or more days until the situation is over.
Inside this bag you will need to keep food, water, medicine, survival gear, clothing and other items to keep you going.

Keep your Bug Out Bag in an accessible location so it can easily be thrown into a vehicle, or grabbed to take with you on foot if the situation arises. This is something each member of the family should have as well to provide enough food and water in an emergency.

You can assemble your own pack or buy a survival pack pre made ready to go.
I prefer to put my own together but have found this Ready America Grab “N Go Deluxe 4 Person Backpack to be a good 72 hour pack for a family of four with much of the work already done for you.

Want to build your own? I found the Maxpedition Vulture-II Backpack to be absolutely top quality. This pack will hang in there with you when times get tough.
Unlike some of the cheaper backpacks on the market the build quality of Maxpedition is top notch. This pack has enough pockets to stash any gear you need. The built in water bladder compartment keeps your water conveniently near and accessible. My preference if for a dark backpack that blends in. When SHTF last thing you need is to stick out.

If you have large dogs, get them a small backpack so they can carry their own food and water, like the ABO Gear Aussie Dog Backpack so even your four legged friends can help with survival duty.


Once you have decided on a bug out bag, why not visit our Survival Store or see our Giant Survival Inventory List for ideas on what to stock up on to help ensure your survival ISHTF.

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First Aid Equipment – What To Have On Hand

In an emergency survival situation it is vital to have the proper first aid equipment with you at all times.

Grab This Emergency Survival First Aid Buddy Care PDF

 

 Here at Emergency Survival First Aid Equipment we realize the importance of having the proper first aid equipment on hand in an emergency survival situation. When choosing what first aid equipment is right for you there are some important factors that need to be weighed before going out and finding what first aid kit contents should be used in your preps.

1. How many people are you going to be responsible for?
2. Are you going to store your first aid equipment at your bug out location?
3. If so, are you going need first aid kit contents for your vehicle?
4. What type of illnesses are you/your family prone to i.e. diabetes, allergies

Here at Emergency Survival First Aid Equipment we have these questions and others answered for you. Have you thought about your family pets? If not, no worries Emergency Survival First Aid Equipment has first aid contents specifically for your dog or cat. If you found Emergency Survival First Aid Equipment helpful in your search for the perfect first aid kit contents that match your families needs please share us with your friends on FaceBook, Google+, Twitter or Pinterest pin boards.

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The 5 Best Survival Knives In The World


The Ultimate Survival Knife Shootout

The debate on which are the best survival knives are both ongoing and extremely heated. When searching for the best survival knives there are just so many choices out there that it's mind-boggling. I have searched long and hard, read hundreds of reviews and tested survival knives over and over and have come up with my elite list of the best 5 survival knives on the planet. Why five? The truth is just as each knife is different, each person is different and what survival knife is the best for you may not be the best for someone else. By the end of this review you should have an idea on which survival knives suit you best.
The 3 Most Important Things To Look For In A Survival Knife
Before we look at the top 5 it's important to see why I selected what I did. Survival Knives are not your standard chefs knife and must be made to withstand whatever you can throw at them without even the inkling of breaking or failing, lets face it, survival knives are made for handling a potential life and death situation. Here are the top 3 things all survival knives MUST have.
1. Fixed Blade - With recent technological improvements, folding knives have come a long way, but in the end they will NEVER be as strong or durable as a tried and true fixed blade knives. Fixed blade survival knives have a full tang that extends all the way down to the butt of the handle, and every one of my top 5 pics is a full tang, full fixed blade survival knife.
2. Top Notch Steel - This could very well be the most important thing to look for in a survival knife and is certainly one of the most debated topics when it comes to survival knives. While there are literally hundreds of types of steel out there, my top 5 pics are either stainless steel, carbon steel or a mix of the two which is my personal preference.
3. Thick Blade and/or Heat Treatment - Lets face it, survival knives aren't made to slice tomatoes for your next catering party, these knives are meant to hack, slash, chop, skin and save your life! We need a knife that will not fail you when failure means death. This is why we look for at least a 1/8″ blade thickness combined with a reputable company that will give the knife a proper heat treatment for maximum strength.
The Top 5 Survival Knives In the World For 2012
Whoa, pretty big claim there right? Well, first let me give you a little disclaimer. I know some of you will read this and say, "No way, X/Y/Z makes a $500 knife that is way better!" The truth is you might be right, but I don't know about you but I don't like spending $500 on a knife. This list is the top 5 survival knives FOR THE MONEY! Each of these knives will give you the ultimate bang for your buck, and each of them will typically blow away any $500 survival knife. I should also preface this by saying that these survival knives are in no particular order and I have not been paid by any of the manufactures listed here to favor any of these survival knives, this is just a list from my personal use and experience with these survival knives. Enough talk, lets get to it!
1. KA-BAR 7″ Fighting/Utility Knife- 
You can't search anywhere for quality survival knives without coming across KA-BAR. These knives are tried and true and have so much history and field experience that many won't even consider going with another brand. KA-BAR uses a 1095 Cro-Van Steel which is a stainless/carbon mix that is extremely tough and very durable, and yet just soft enough to hold a razor sharp edge. There are many types of KA-BAR survival knives but the one I like most is the 7″ blade with the Kraton G Handle, they do make a leather handle but I found Kraton G to be much better for grip and MUCH more weather-proof. Also, make sure to buy it with Kydex sheath, Kydex beats the crap out of leather hands down, don't worry about the few extra dollars, just get it! This knife can literally do it all and has been used by the USMC for years as their standard issue knife, and for good reason, this knife is simply amazing.
2. Becker BK2 Campanion Survival Knife- 
Ethan Becker broke the mold when he created this bad boy, with a blade thickness of 1/4″ this thing could withstand a nuclear attack! With a true full tang design where the handle is literally 2 pieces of Givory stuck around raw steel this honestly has to be the most rugged knife out of all my top 5. The Becker BK2 is tough as nails, I have seen videos of people putting hundreds and hundreds of pounds of weight on the knife without it so much as flinching, combine that with a beautiful drop point design and one of the best designed sheaths in the business and you have yourself a knife that will out cut and out handle most $400 survival knives at a fraction of the price! My only issue with these survival knives are that the blade might be a tad short for batoning wood, that said when I tested this knife I actually found it the easiest to baton with due to its super thick blade. Its bigger brother the Becker BK7 has a 7″ blade opposed to the BK2′s 5″ blade but it is a bit thinner and comes with a nylon sheath instead of kydex, very disappointing. This is why I choose the BK2 over the BK7, but honestly you can't go wrong with either.
3. Gerber LMF II Infantry Knife- 
I was never a big fan of Gerber blades as most are outsourced these days, however I'm not a big fan of Chevy cars...but Chevy does make the Corvette, which I adore, and this survival knife, my friends, is the Gerber's Corvette of survival knives. In my opinion it's Gerber's last redeeming quality. Made in Portland, OR of super tough 12C27 stainless steel, this knife requires very little maintenance, if any. This super thick, razor sharp blade can make short work of any survival task. Survival knives come and go these days, but this one is a tried and true legend in the armed forces and sees heavy use in wartime. Theses survival knives have a tough steel butt-cap that can be used as a striking weapon or a hammer and its sheath is one of the best designs I have ever seen. These survival knives are simply amazing, and for a cheap price you are getting a bomb proof, essential survival tool.
4. Cold Steel SRK (Survival Rescue Knife)
If you have ever seen Cold Steel's marketing you have either been terrified or grossed out, personally while I feel its slightly gimmicky it proves a point, Cold Steel make some of the worlds BEST survival knives, if it can cut through a whole cow it will probably do the trick. All joking aside, Cold Steel makes many types of survival knives, some cheap, some insanely expensive. For the money the Cold Steel SRK is one of the best designed and best made survival knives in the world. It is made of AUS8 Steel, which happens to be my overall favorite type of steel for edge retention and durability, it has a super tough, super comfortable Kraton handle (think super tough rubber). While the blade length is on the small side, it is very thick (3/16″) and very durable. It has a great Kydex sheath which man survival knives don't have these days. I love the drop point style blade design, I have always felt drop point blades make the best survival knives. Cold Steel make amazing knives and this is their best one for the money, hands down!

5. Buck 119 Special
What can you say about the Buck 119 special. This knife's reputation is a strong as KA-BAR's. Many outdoors-man swear by this knife and with good reason, its design has withstood the test of time. Buck's philosophy is, "If it aint broke, don't fix it" and who can argue that? This knife is super strong, razor sharp, easy to clean, no maintenance, no hassle and would you look how beautiful this bad boy is? 420HC stainless steel is used on the blade for super durability and if it ever breaks or fails, Buck has a 100% lifetime guarantee on it, a class act! My only complaint would be the sheath, which is leather, so make sure the blade is dry when storing it, or dont store it inside the case. The handle may get a tad slick if wet but I feel this knife has great ergonomics and fits tightly in the hand so it wont slip out, all in all a survival knife among survival knives!
Survival knives are so important in a survival situation, that if you were only able to bring one item with you, you would be foolish not to pick a good quality survival knife. While survival knives come in many shapes and sizes, this list of the top 5 survival knives in the world will narrow that list down for you quite a bit. Each one discussed above you could trust with your life and believe me many have. Survival knives can also be used for family camping and many other uses around the house making them invaluable tools for everyday use.
Don't leave your life to chance! Make sure you own one of these great survival knives, your life my depend on it!
If disaster struck as you were reading this sentence, would you be ready?
By Robert A Wilkie

Build A Basic 3 Day Survival Kit

Your first consideration for building a Survival Kit is what types of events you are planning for. You will most likely tailor your kit to match your specific needs and goals. I will be covering only the fundamental aspects of what you need for most events. This won't cover every event, and you can't factor in every possible scenario. However, if you have an emergency kit or basic survival kit in position you will already be better prepared than most people when catastrophe takes place.
Storage

You need some sort of bag to hold all your survival items in, otherwise you don't have a survival kit, you have a pile of stuff. Having a stack of things won't work if you have to vacate hastily in an emergency situation. Having everything in a GOOD (Get Out Of Dodge) Bag is a much better idea when you need to relocate in short order. Do you need the absolute best survivalist backpack or will that smelly old duffel bag work for your survival kit storage? Having a proper backpack will provide advantages like ease of moving if you find yourself traveling around by foot but waiting around to put your kit together until you acquire the best backpack is not a smart idea. Getting all of your items together in some type of bag that can be grabbed and carried around quickly is more important. However, 5 plastic shopping bags or that big suitcase you got from your mother probably aren't going to meet the portability criteria. You should have an adequate size bag that can fit enough survival equipment for 3 days minimally. A large duffel bag can do the trick until you determine which backpack system fits your needs and budget the best.
Water
Clean refreshing water, it's not just for the health buff in you. It also doubles as a lifesaver when you don't have convenient access to liquids for that ever important game we call life. Many survival guidelines say that you should have 1 gallon per person per day. If your survival kit is going to be portable then you should probably go with the bare minimum of 1 liter per person per day. The gallon jugs would take up too much room, leaving too little space for other essential items, and would add an extra 25 pounds to what you would have to carry. Since your survival kit is going to supply you with a minimum of 3 days, you will want to pack three 1 liter bottles of water. Next, you should pack a few items that will assist with water collection and purification. A collapsible water bucket, can help you gather water from a stream or collect rain running off of your shelter, and it takes up almost no room in your survival kit. Purification can be as straightforward as boiling the water on the fire you made and using iodine tablets, or can get more in-depth using filters. You should boil water for 5 minutes minimum but 20 minutes is a better time to aim for. There are ways to boil water without a pot or kettle but I suggest you buy a small camping pot with a lid to put in your survival kit. This will become useful for more than just boiling water. When storing the pot or kettle in your kit, take advantage of the space inside the pot to keep spices or other small things.
Food

There are many types of backpack meals and high calorie energy bars you can keep in your survival kit. Any food you pack should have a long shelf life so that you don't have to rotate your survival kit food stock every other week. Backpack meals are usually freeze-dried and only require boiling water to enjoy. MRE's or "Meals Ready To Eat" are an all in one meal contained in individual packages. This will come down to personal preference. Don't forget some utensils. You can splurge on a camping spork for 7 dollars, or your local dollar store should have utensils that will do the trick. You might consider covering each utensil in something to prevent them from clanging together. This will help ensure you don't rouse Sasquatch if you find yourself walking past his den.
Clothing
You should pack enough clothes to get you through a few accidents like falling in to a river or sliding down a muddy embankment. You may not be a klutz but stuff happens. You might find yourself walking a whole lot more than you want to, so your survival kit should have a comfortable but durable pair of boots. A few pairs of wool socks and long underwear will go a long way in keeping you warm. You should also pack a pair of comfortable pants. Your skinny jeans are not comfortable regardless of how fantastic you think you look in them and zubaz went out of style years ago. You don't need to be decked out in full "deer hunter" gear but something comfortable and somewhat tough is a must. You should pack a two or three long sleeve shirts. Remember a long sleeve shirt can double as a short sleeve shirt simply by rolling up the sleeves. Short sleeve shirts on the other hand cannot double up as long sleeve shirts. You should also bring a light rain resistant jacket which can help keep the wetness out if needed. Lastly, don't forget a hat. No survival kit is complete without a hat. You could go with the Crocodile Dundee look, a wool hat or even a baseball hat will help protect you from the sun and keep some of your precious heat from escaping that head of yours.
Shelter

You should have some sort of shelter materials in your emergency kit. The 5 person tent with the extra room probably isn't sensible. You can go with a small 1 person tent, or a tarp and some sturdy cord or parachute cord. If your survival bag still has a good deal of room you can add a bedroll or "space blanket". If you choose a tarp, make sure the tarp is nylon or polyester and has reinforced grommet holes to make it less complicated to build a shelter with.
First Aid Kit
You can buy many different kinds of first aid kits. You probably don't need the deluxe home surgeon first aid kit. A basic first aid kit should do the trick. Of course you can put together your own if you have a good grasp on first aid. If you don't have first aid knowledge then I recommend you pack a book on basic first aid in your survival kit along with the actual first aid kit. Having all the tools without knowing how to use them would be bad. Remember, a mind is a terrible thing to waste. Look for something small like an army first aid field manual. The Time-Life First Aid series might look great on your bookshelf but is too bulky for your emergency kit bag.
Everything Else
This next section isn't a comprehensive be-all and end-all list. It is solely listed as a starting point. You should tailor your survival kit to fit circumstances that you will most likely find yourself in, based on your geography. You cannot forget your survival knife. You will need waterproof matches, a few lighters and a flint rod. You should have a few flashlights. These can be battery-powered or hand crank models but if they are battery-powered don't forget to have extra batteries. A small sewing kit with a heavy-duty sewing needle can be quite helpful. A few flares to use for signaling. A few candles for warmth or light should be included. You should definitely pack a small survival fishing kit. You don't need to win a bass pro title, you just need to be able to catch food if possible. A compass can be handy but make sure you know how to use one before you actually have the need to. A few plastic garbage bags can serve many purposes. Some sort of multi-tool should be readily available as well and of course a survival manual of some sort. You should also think about having a small sum of money in your survival bag.
These items don't make up the ultimate survival kit for anyone or any particular survival situation. You will need to identify what situations you are preparing for and modify the contents accordingly. However if you put together a basic Survival Kit like we have listed, you will be better prepared than most people when disaster strikes and being mostly prepared is better than not being prepared at all now isn't it?
I am passionate about survival preparedness and believe that a great Survival Knife is your best tool in any survival situation.


By Stephen Dailey

Becker BK9 Review - A Cut Above The Rest

The Becker BK9 has long been a knife that is is very well reviewed and well received in the survivalist and outdoor community. Ethan Becker has long been known as an innovator in the outdoor space, designing and  producing some of the best gear, and of course, arguably some of the best knife designs that are in the market today.

The Ka-Bar Becker BK9 is designed as a backwoods work horse. As soon as I unboxed this knife and picked it up I knew that I was dealing with a tool that is made to be used hard, and abused on a daily basis.
The ergonomics are extremely nice and the handle fits my hand perfectly with room to spare for those of you will giant paws.  The overall knife is very well constructed and detailed for the price. The grinds are even, the exposed tang is even with the handles, the handles are smooth and the finish is very nice as well.


A Becker BK9 Review would not be complete without some stats so here we go:


  • Made : Knife USA - Sheath China
  • Steel: 1095 Cro-Van
  • Weight: 1.05 lbs
  • Overall Length: 14.75 in
  • Blade Length: 9 in
  • Blade Thickness : 3/16
  • Handle Length : 5.75 in
  • Edge Angle : 20 Degrees
  • Price: $80-$100

Becker BK9 Review -The Blade


The blade shape is a traditional American style Bowie with a flat grind at a 20 degree angle. The blade is long, measuring in at 9 inches and 3/16 of an inch thick however it is extremely well balanced. Most of my survival knives are some form of drop point but the clip point is a nice feature for drilling. I did some testing with it and it is definitely a more efficient driller then my BK2. That could be because it is thinner at the tip then the BK2 or because of the shape I have not totally determined which one is the factor. 


The blade is powder coated as you can see in the above picture. The powder coating is slightly textured unlike the coating on the Becker BK2 which is smooth as you can see below.


The weight of the overall knife is slightly "weight forward" the pivot point is about an inch above the handle. This makes the Becker BK9 and ridiculously comfortable and effective chopper. In the chop tests that I put this knife through it out-preformed my Becker BK2 and out-preformed a small Gerber hatchet that I have. I would much rather take this knife in the woods with me then a small hatchet. For me, the BK9 and a Mora is a complete kit.

Another nice feature of the blade is the jimping on the spine of the knife blade. the jimping is raised and angled which makes it very comfortable to use when you need more stability on the blade such as using the BK9 as a draw knife for making feather sticks.


Becker BK9 Review - The Handles 

The handles on the BK9 are slab  handles that are bolted to the tang with recessed Allen bolts. The recessed  areas containing the bolts are very smooth and do not cause hot spots or issues when you are chopping. In fact I really never notice that they are there. The handles themselves are made of Grivory which is a smooth polymer material. They are VERY comfortable. Some people prefer Micarta scales (which are available after market) however I am totally fine with the Grivory scales that come with the knife. The butt of the BK9 has a flattened pummel for hammering that is part of the tang, and protrudes from the handles.

All-in-all, the grip is extremely ergonomic and fits in my hands better then most survival knives that I own. In my opinion this is one of the Best Survival Knife choices you could make for a large knife.

Becker BK9 Review - The Sheath

The Becker BK9 sheath is made of a heavy- duty Polyester nylon with polymer blade sleeves. The sheath is designed to either be attached to your belt via a Velcro / snap belt loop or attached to a pack with the provided MOLLE attachment on the back of the scabbard  as can be seen below. The belt carry option opens up with Velcro and a snap so that you can put it on your belt without having to take your belt off. The MOLLE can be seen on the rest of the sheath back.

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The front of the sheath features a handle snap for to secure the knife in the scabbard and a additional sheath to hold a BK13. The BK13 previously came with the kit as a promotion however they moved the manufacturing of the BK13 from china to the US and stopped providing it as a set. None-the-less the BK9 sheath still has a scabbard for the BK13.  In front of the sheath for the BK13 there is also an additional pouch that you can use for fire steel , mini survival kits or any other small items that you want to carry. The sheath on this knife is better then I expected but still nothing to write home about.



Overall this is an awesome knife, I would recommend it to my friends and anyone that is looking for a very high quality durable large blade for under 90 bucks. The value that you get with the Becker BK series is phenomenal.

If you are interested in my other Best Survival Knife choices check out my review site. It has 15 other knives that are all top survivalist choices and that won't break the bank. http://www.squidoo.com/best-survival-knife-for-the-money

If you are looking at purchasing a BK 9, Amazon has some great deals right now and fast shipping. See below.

Becker BK 9 Chop Test, Battoning Test and Cutting Test

Top Survival Knives to Bet Your Life On

Top Survival Knives to Bet Your Life On


Are you trying to decide which survival knife best to trust your life in a SHTF situation? A single knife may not always be best suited to do multiple tasks. When our very life depends on a tool as important as a survival knife, we need the best best possible tool for the job. Before we continue, it's worth mentioning that a knife while portable and a is a must have in any survival situation, it really is no match for a small folding saw or an axe for processing firewood. For extra peace of mind, these survival tools should be standard fare in any survival pack as well. Here are some of today's best survival knife choices across multiple categories.

Multi-Tool Knife



In the Multi-Tool category the Leatherman Charge TTi is at the top of the list. With it's S30V stainless steel knife blade it offers outstanding edge retention, flexibility and hardness. I really Like the diamond file as it will be handy in case I need to touch up an edge on my axe or larger fixed blade knife. The rounded titanium handles make it light to carry and offers an excellent gripping surface. While there are many other multi-tools out there and believe me I have tried almost all of them, the Leatherman Charge TTi is still to this day one of my favorite daily carry knives.


In the next two categories, I have limited my choices to a straight edge blade. Knives with saw teeth are hard to sharpen and I think you are much better off with a folding saw instead. Also, I don't like the black finish in a survival knife. While they look great when new, the first time you take your new expensive knife out in the bush and lightly use it the finish is trashed. That's just my preference as I tend to go overboard when caring for my tools. If scratches don't bother bother you tacti-cool black knives are nice, and the finish does help to offer a little more protection against the elements.


Medium Fixed Blade Knife






SOG Seal Pup Elite is a great knife to carry in a vehicle as a trunk knife. It features a durable Zytel handle and a 4.85-inch straight edge satin finished AUS8 stainless steel blade. Best of all it's rather reasonably priced and comes with a MOLLE compatible Nylon carry sheath with accessory pouch. The Seal Pup Elite is a very popular knife that consistently ranked very high in many reviews.






Fallkniven F1 Pilot Survival Knife is what many consider the best survival knife made. It is a 3.82" blade with a Kraton textured handle and a Zytel sheath. The knife is made in Japan and is the same knife used by Swedish Military Pilots as their survival knife. The blade is made from laminated VG-10 steel which makes it very tough and resistant to rust.


A large knife can be used for fire building duties much easier than a smaller knife can. For anyone who has ever cut, split and stacked a cord of wood, you know how much work is involved. This is why my knife will never replace an axe or saw. A larger knife will work well in an emergency in case you find yourself without a saw. Larger knives do cost more, although when your life is at stake, they become priceless tools you absolutely can't do without.


Large Fixed Blade Knife






Cold Steel San Mai Laredo Bowie is one amazing knife. This knife features a heavy duty 10 1/2" long blade made from vacuum heat-treated VG-1 San Mai III steel. It has a 4 1/2" back sharpened clip point would make this one formidable weapon in a hand to hand confrontation. The blade is 5/16" tick and comes with a thick leather sheath that is made with heavy stitching and held together with brass rivets.





Fallkniven A2 Wilderness Knife is the larger brother of the F1. It is well balanced and is very well made. It features a Convex Blade with a length of 7.95" and the super tough laminate VG-10 steel. This is one impressive, well built knife and is one of my favorites.





No matter which survival knife you ultimately choose, you can't go wrong with any of the knives listed here or on our Giant Survival List

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Zero Tolerance 0350 Review

This Zero Tolerance 0350 Review is based on a new knife that I picked up after hearing tons of good stuff about this blade online.  Zero Tolerance have been releasing very impressive top quality knives for a number of years and I figured it was time that I finally picked one up.

For a long time I have been a big fan of fixed blade survival knives such as the Becker BK series, ESEE knives,Ontario knives and Cold Steel to name a few of my favorite brands, however the EDC of a survival knife is just not practical. Before the Zero Tolerance 0350 I carried a Kershaw folder that I was actually very happy with.. That is, until I realized what I was missing out on when I unpacked  the 0350.



The first thing that I noticed when I opened the Zero Tolerance 0350 was the heft of the knife. You can immediately tell that you are handling a quality tool and not a imitation piece of junk. The medium traction  G-10 scales are very solid, comfortable and grippy. The handle itself is robust, much more then my Kershaw. It is wide at about 1.3 inches and thick for a folder at about .5 inches. The length of the handle is 4.5 inches long so there is plenty of space to get a good grip on the blade.

The blade flicks open with ease due to the assisted speed opening feature that many come to expect on blades these days. The knife also has a thumb stud that can be used to open the blade as well. The S-30V steel is wicked sharp out of the box and the research I have done suggests that it will keep an edge and sharpen fairly easily. I have found that the blade locks up tight an the frame lock seems to be extremely sturdy.


The pocket clip on the ZT 0350 is rather small but seems to do the trick. There are four predefined configurations that you can move the pocket clip to so that is great for lefties and folks that want to have the choice of carrying the knife tip up or tip down.

The ZT 0350 is a smaller version of its big brother the 0300. I have seen estimates that it is about 10% smaller than the original but from my research it includes most of the key elements that the 0300 has. I honestly think that judging by the ZT 0350 the 0300 would be pretty heavy to use as an EDC.

All-in-all I personally really like this knife. Some say that it is to heavy for them but I don't mind the weight.

I would definitely recommend this folder to anyone that wants a step up from their current EDC folding knife.
Amazon has some good prices right now and some great reviews Check them out Here


If you are interested in fixed blade knives check out my site: Best Survival Knife for the money.

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