Imagine that you are in emergency when something threatens your life and health. What is the best survival knife to have with you in this case? Honestly, you would be happy with ANY knife. However, if you are reading this article now, then you have the habit of thinking about the future and planning ahead. And a hypothetical emergency is unlikely to take you by surprise with empty pockets. Moreover, you most likely will not have an old rusty pocket knife with you, but something more serious.
We all have our own personal preferences for what constitutes a “good knife” for the outdoors. And in extreme situation you would definitely like to get the best of possible options. Therefore, in this article we will try to compile a list of the best survival knives so that you can choose the most suitable one for yourself.
But first, let's talk a little about...
What is a survival knife?
A survival knife is universal tool, designed for both everyday outdoor use and for use in real conditions survival in the wild (which, in fact, is what its name suggests). It should be suitable for most camp work, including making a shelter, starting a fire, cooking, making various traps, digging the ground, and much more. In addition, it must be suitable for self-defense and hunting (nominally for picking up wounded animals and cutting them up).
Speaking in general outline, a knife with a fixed blade and a full-tang shank - much more good choice as a survival knife, rather than a knife with a mounted shank or, especially, a folder. Indeed, due to its versatility, a survival knife can experience very serious loads, which can damage a folding knife or lead to the breakage of the thin shank of a light fixed knife.
How to choose the right survival knife: 8 important points that you should definitely pay attention to.
Below we will look at several important points, which should definitely be taken into account when choosing a survival knife, because they determine its convenience, reliability and versatility in conditions wildlife. For your convenience, we have made a list with links for quick navigation:
1. Blade type - how to choose the right survival knife blade?
Recommended types of blade profiles: A - clip point, B - spear point, C - drop-point. When you choose a survival knife, it is worth remembering what exactly it is intended for. After all, finding yourself face to face with wild nature, you will have to use it to the maximum, and in this case, such a factor as the shape of the blade plays an important role.
Among the currently numerous forms and variations of blades, it is worth giving preference to three, namely - clip point, Spear Point And drop point. The reason for this is the location of the tip level close to the median (conventional) line of the blade, which improves the control of the knife and, as a result, its versatility.
According to these parameters, knives with clip, spear and drop point are superior to knives with a straight spine, not to mention other types of blade construction.
Experienced wilderness survivalists divide all survival knives into three broad categories, depending on their size and purpose: cleavers, camp knives, bushcraft/utilitarian survival knives.
Cleavers
The first category includes knives with a blade length of more than 10 inches (25 cm), with a balance offset on the blade and (ideally) flat triggers. The steel grades most often chosen for these knives are 1095, 5160 or 440c. In addition, the handle of the cleavers should be ergonomic, textured and should hold well even in a wet hand.
Camp knives
Camp knives are medium-sized knives ( minimum size their blade is about 5 inches). The ideal balance for such a knife is in the area of the guard, and both straight and concave triggers are suitable. The handle should also be ergonomic, fit well in the hand and allow you to perform a variety of actions. This category of knives is the most versatile and can be used for most jobs - from cutting game and cooking to light chopping.
Utilitarian knives, bushcraft knives
Utilitarian knives, bushcraft knives are small knives (with a blade around 4 inches, and sometimes even a little less) and flat bevels. Ideal for small woodworking, trap making, etc.
2. Fixed or folded?
Of course, this is an excellent tool for EDC, but its main problem is that it is only good in “peacetime” times, since it is not designed for serious loads. And its main problem is that it can break in a critical situation much more easily than a knife with a fixed blade.
You can cut food or gut fish/small poultry with a knife, but using it to prepare a shelter, cut up large prey, or, especially, try to dig or chop something will be much more difficult and with a huge risk for the integrity of the knife.
This, of course, does not mean that a “prepper” should not carry a folding knife. Just the opposite - it’s worth it, but only as a backup and in no way as a replacement for the main working fixed device.
3. Blade shape - how to choose it depending on the purpose of the knife
The shape of the blade (working/cutting edge, RK) of a survival knife is also one of the fundamental factors when choosing it, since it directly affects the purpose of the knife and the ease of its use in certain situations.
Thus, a straight working edge is the most versatile and is suitable for performing most tasks that can be assigned in survival conditions.
A cutting edge with a recurve is less versatile, and also does not allow you to perform a number of jobs with high accuracy(for example, for careful removal skins, it is better to use only knives with straight edges). At the same time, the recurve allows you to cut various objects quite accurately and with less effort with the part of the blade located near the bolster, and also provides a stronger chopping blow with the part of the blade located near the tip (compared to a similar knife, but with a straight working edge).
An example of a cutting edge with a recurve.
4. Blade length – how long should a survival knife be?
Choosing the correct blade length is no less important than all the previous ones, since knives different sizes designed to solve various problems (this has already been discussed above). Speaking about choosing one single survival knife, we can recommend a blade length of around 9 inches (20-22 cm).
This length is still not excessive for more or less comfortable cutting of game and performing small work (for example, making traps). But at the same time it is already sufficient to perform tasks such as cutting branches and batoning.
5. Survival knife steel. What should you choose?
Next important parameter When choosing a knife, consider the grade of steel from which it is made. Here it is important to decide whether to choose a knife with a carbon steel blade or opt for a stainless steel one.
So, carbon steels have a better cut and are easier to edit field conditions, but at the same time they rust even with a minimal amount of moisture. In its turn, stainless steels They are practically not afraid of dampness and hold an edge better, but at the same time they have a less aggressive cut, and are also more difficult to sharpen outdoors.
In addition to steel type important role Her hardness also plays a role. Thus, steels with a hardness in the range of 50-54 Rockwell are more durable than knives with high hardness, but at the same time they hold an edge less easily. Knives with a hardness of 58 Rockwell and above hold an edge well, but have increased fragility (in addition, such knives will be difficult to sharpen “on the knee”). It is for this reason that the ideal hardness for a survival knife is between 54 and 58 Rockwell.
It is worth noting that if we're talking about Regarding powerful cutlasses intended primarily for chopping, preference should be given to low-carbon steel, hardened to 50-54 units.
As good carbon steels for knives, we can recommend grades 1095, 5160, O1, A2, as well as domestic tool steels of the U and spring steel 65G (especially for chopping tools). As a good of stainless steel You can cite brands such as 440C, AUS8, AUS10 and even 420NS.
6. Blade releases – which one should you prefer?
Different kinds cutting edge profiles. How well a survival knife cuts depends not only on good steel, but also on the geometry of its blade, namely the slopes. The most versatile in this case are flat slopes. They allow you to easily perform all basic operations, namely cutting, planing, splitting and chopping without the risk of damaging the blade. Close in their performance characteristics to flat slopes are slopes with a “saber” profile.
At the same time, choosing a blade with concave bevels as a universal survival knife is absolutely not worth it. Despite the fact that it can cut food even better than a blade with flat slopes, it is practically unsuitable for power work (for example, chopping), since it gets stuck in soft wood, and when cutting hard wood there is a real risk of chipping entire pieces of the blade ( and there are many examples of this).
If we talk about lens-shaped triggers, they are less universal, and knives with similar geometry can be sharpened in hiking conditions also more difficult. For this reason, your choice should be on knives with saber or flat triggers.
7. Is the shank solid or mounted?
The shank of a knife is a continuation of the blade, running inside the handle. And it is precisely the point at which the shank enters the handle that is most weak point knife It is for this reason that a knife designed, among other things, for power work (like, in fact, a survival knife) must have a really strong shank running along the entire length of the handle, namely a full tang. And there is no point in looking for any compromises here. Firstly, it is almost impossible to break such a knife (except in cases of overheating of the steel or local fatigue), and secondly, even with a broken handle (or rather handle pads), such a knife can continue to be used, which cannot be said about knives with other types of shanks .
Close to the full tang is the hidden shank (that is, running almost the entire volume of the handle, but invisible from the outside). It takes second place in terms of reliability, as well as ease of use of a knife with a broken handle. Survival knives with a similar tang are also a good option, although it is still better to give preference to a full tang.
8. Choosing a knife handle
The last important factor when choosing a survival knife is the handle material. After all, if it cracks or, moreover, splits into pieces, then the ease of use of the knife will drop sharply, and in some cases it will not be possible to use it at all.
Currently, the first place in popularity is the material for handles called “micarta”. It can be flax or hemp, and combines strength, resistance to stains and virtually immunity to high humidity.
In second place are G-10 and Zytel. Their properties are similar to micarta and are also an excellent material for survival knife handles. As you can see, the list of recommended materials does not include wood. This is due to the fact that it is more dependent on changes in humidity and temperature, and also has greater fragility than composite materials.
As a handle material for large cleavers, we can recommend rubber and rubber-like plastics that dampen vibration and reduce the “recoil” acting on the hand when chopping, for example Krayton or Hypalon. At the same time, relief elements should be applied to the handle itself to improve grip and prevent it from slipping out of a wet hand.
That's all for now. In the next part, wait for the TOP 10 best survival knives, selected based on the above criteria.
T-L7 01-06-2005 13:03
Hello. Can anyone tell me the best way to secure the blade in a tubular hollow handle? So that it is reliable and there is enough space for all sorts of little things. What material is best to make the handle from? Has anyone seen any well-known models of such knives in cross-section? Naturally, in pictures... I would be grateful for any information and links.
Joe 01-06-2005 13:15
1. A nut with a washer.
2. Made of titanium.
3. Why cut them? And so everything is clear.
Joe 01-06-2005 13:17
PS The nut where the thread is 13 no less. Although good welding is more reliable, and there is more space in the cavity.
Varnas 01-06-2005 13:47
Well, again the fetish with hollow handles. The handle is uncomfortable and attaching the blade is a problem. Is it possible to make a pocket on the sheath?
PitBull666 01-06-2005 13:51
I agree with Varnas. Any NAZ should be carried in your pockets. And a survival knife should have a comfortable handle, otherwise your hand will slip and you won’t survive. It'll be a shame
Bonifatich 01-06-2005 14:05
You shouldn't be so guys. A hollow handle is cool, some medicine, fishing line, a fish hook, matches, etc. And if you fall in love, then all at once The whole survival kit
Joe 01-06-2005 14:07
Well, the person wants it. Has the right to.
2 PitBull666
What are survival knives without guards? Castrated Russian law doesn't count.
GFO 01-06-2005 14:11
I'm not PitBull666, but if you make a hollow handle in the style of Chris Reeve's crowbars, you'll end up with no guard.
2 PitBull666
What are survival knives without guards? Those castrated by Russian law do not count.
Varnas 01-06-2005 15:20
The hollow handle is cool, some medicine, fishing line, fish hook, matches, etc.
..........................................
Why is there not enough space in your backpack? As a last resort, I put it in a polyline bag and on a sheath in a pocket. You can even wrap it with electrical tape. In fact, even Rimbaud, when escaping, grabbed the can in its sheath
Joe 01-06-2005 15:21
2 GFO
Tubular? How about a link?
Joe 01-06-2005 15:22
2 GFO
Tubular? Like the Aitors, for example? How about a link?
Bonifatich 01-06-2005 15:53
The crowbars are good, but too expensive!
BigMonster 01-06-2005 15:58
I agree, unreasonably expensive.
Joe 01-06-2005 16:21
Nope, no good thing. A survival knife cannot be without good stops IMHO, because... it should not have any kind of traumatic handle. And you can talk about this topic in any way. What would the Americans say if they were offered Ka-Bars without stops in Vietnam? Go stick it in?
GFO 01-06-2005 16:32
By the way, these crowbars are positioned as combat ones.
BigMonster 01-06-2005 16:42
Meanwhile, we have this XO knife, therefore it sticks in without problems
GFO 01-06-2005 16:43
quote: Originally posted by BigMonster:oh, you never know what we have XO :-)
Meanwhile, we have this XO knife, therefore it sticks in without problems
Joe 01-06-2005 16:54
quote: Originally posted by GFO:
By the way, these crowbars are positioned as combat ones.
BigMonster 01-06-2005 16:55
I mean that before this specimen was classified as chemical weapons, it was stuck into something similar in structure to a biological object. Therefore - it sticks!
GFO 01-06-2005 17:04
quote: Originally posted by Joe:And we have crowbars without stops, like tourist or chopping knives Gyyyyyy.........
A crowbar with a finger groove of more than 5 mm is a cold crowbar
Joe 01-06-2005 17:53
Did I say somewhere about 5 mm?
T-L7 01-06-2005 19:58
How funny everyone is... No, to answer the question of an inexperienced colleague without making jokes... I’m not going to the taiga or the jungle with this topic. And I agree with everyone about the sheath. But for the sake of creativity, you can try it. So- then! If anyone has anything relevant to the case, write.
GFO 01-06-2005 23:17
The ancestor of Randall 18 is described in relatively detail in the Dietmar field " combat knives“IMHO, without a router above the handle with a protrusion a la Japanese habaki and riveting in the wide part of the shank, it’s not a big deal. And as Joe said, the washer is wider and the nut is wider.
Butch 01-06-2005 23:40
I would sacrifice a little volume of the handle and make a shank for through installation - that is, fixation with a nut near the guard and a screwed butt plate with opposite side handles On metal tube fit corrugated rubber on the handles.
BigMonster 02-06-2005 13:46
Exactly! There are practically no options - a short shank of maximum diameter with a nut and a handle - a hollow metal cylinder.
Siberian 2 02-06-2005 19:39
quote: Originally posted by T-L7:As boys, we made handles for knives by simply winding molten plastic (you can choose any color), then simply sharpened and polished. it turned out durable and beautiful. Maybe this recipe will come in handy.
Hello. Can anyone tell me the best way to secure the blade in a tubular hollow handle? So that it is reliable and there is enough space for all sorts of little things. What material is best to make the handle from? Has anyone seen any well-known models of such knives in cross-section? Naturally, in pictures... I would be grateful for any information and links.
Butch 02-06-2005 20:39
I did this once in my childhood - these polyethylene handles become loose and fall off, unless you rivet them onto the shank, there is gut.
Siberian 2 02-06-2005 20:56
The knives are still in use. These handles were made specifically for throwing knives. I have never seen stronger handles before. They took gaskets from under the rails. The result was a shiny, pure black, polished handle. The only negative is that it can slip in a sweaty hand.
Butch 02-06-2005 21:06
Where should I attach the NAZ?
Siberian 2 02-06-2005 21:55
What is NAZ?
Butch 02-06-2005 22:01
Wearable Emergency Stock, implied by the author of the topic, in relation to the planned knife, sorry, survival
SergeiCh 02-06-2005 22:28
in the sheath pocket NAZ.
Don't spoil the knife with hollow handles. this reduces the strength, and the grip usually suffers, and the volume under the NAZ is too small, and unnecessary parts appear.
Butch 02-06-2005 22:40
“Well, a person wants to. He has the right.” (c) Joe
The author of the top is interested in the possible the best option the design of the variant with a hollow handle, returning to the roots however...
13mm 03-06-2005 09:31
Why did you get to the hollow handle? In a survival knife, it is not only for storing toothpicks or condoms, but so that the handle can be mounted on a suitable stick and used as a spear or harpoon (by the way, the teeth on the butt are for this purpose).. And under the bark of some trees there is a layer that can also be used as a binding material.
Siberian 2 03-06-2005 11:59
Are you going to play Indians? I know good game you leave for a foreign city without money, documents and try to survive... play the game, it takes you well.
GFO 03-06-2005 13:06
Fuck, fuck these types of games. I know it from myself.Nooki 03-06-2005 13:58
quote: Originally posted by Siberian 2:
Are you going to play Indians? I know a good game, you go to a foreign city without money and documents and try to survive.. play the game and it takes you well.
hmm, the game is really interesting... it just takes a lot of time, health, energy... this is if you win, but what if you lose?!
PS I also know from experience!
IN Everyday life a knife is an indispensable tool. No household can manage without it. Models presented for sale do not always meet the requirements for reliable and functional samples. To get a blade that combines best characteristics, you will have to make it yourself. Recently, information on how to make a knife with your own hands has become very popular.
Advantages of homemade models
There is a huge range of knives on sale now. You can get lost in it, but with some effort you can always find a ready-made model suitable for specific purposes. However, there is always a chance of encountering a poorly made blade or a finished model that does not fully meet expectations.
If the desired model is not available for sale, you can seek help from a blacksmith who will make a custom-made blade.
But such work, carried out in accordance with the wishes of the customer, is quite expensive. Usually in such a situation the idea comes to making a knife with your own hands from start to finish.
If you make a blade yourself, you can achieve a number of advantages:
Assortment in stores
Any quality product is always expensive. In addition, the choice of truly reliable and functional models not as wide as I would like. More often, models are offered for sale that do not require increased requirements for mechanical characteristics and functionality. These fairly common products are often:
- do not have sufficient strength, so they break easily;
- made of the cheapest steel, therefore they do not have the necessary hardness for cutting hard materials, do not hold an edge well and quickly become dull, which makes it impossible to perform the necessary functions;
- do not have high durability due to low-quality assembly, which cannot cost more than the materials used.
Commonly found knives like these are usually inexpensive. When they become unusable, they are simply thrown away and replaced with new ones. But this approach cannot be called rational, because it is not always possible to go to the store for a new purchase. The knife is often used by tourists and hunters far from civilization. It must not only cope brilliantly with the responsibilities assigned to it, but also be reliable enough not to let its owner down at a crucial moment.
To buy a high-quality blade at an affordable price, you need to carefully study the market and all the offers presented on it. It is imperative to have minimal technical knowledge about knife steels, their characteristics and mechanical properties finished blade. However, you can go the other way by applying this knowledge in practice yourself. This is what many people do when they decide to make a knife themselves.
Purpose and characteristics
The production of any knife is always preceded by the selection of the required type. Not only the characteristics of the future product, but also the conditions of its manufacture depend on the purpose and operating conditions.
The following types of knives are most often made independently:
There is often a misconception that confuses the purposes of hiking and hunting knife. Among newcomers to the field of tourism and hunting, there is an opinion that it is possible to make one universal blade that will cope with all the necessary tasks with equal success. However, this is not the case.
Tourist models are designed primarily for rough work. High hardness is also important for them, but fragility when working at fracture is strictly unacceptable. For hunting models, hardness always comes first, because their most important characteristic is the sharpness of the blade. Cutting prey with a camping knife is quite problematic due to the relatively soft blade, and a hunting blade can simply be broken if you try to use it instead of a camping one.
It is impossible to create a universal blade for all conditions. You always have to improve some qualities by reducing other characteristics. If you plan to solve a wide range of tasks, it makes sense to make several knives, each of which will perform its own function.
When the first stage has been completed and the type of future knife has been selected, the preparatory work is not yet completed. Before you start manufacturing, you still need to select necessary materials. The most important element of any knife is the blade. The next stage begins with the selection of the steel necessary for its manufacture.
Steel selection
The type of knife dictates the operating conditions. According to these conditions, you need to choose the steel that will best meet the tasks assigned to the blade.
The most important characteristics of the blade that should be taken into account when choosing a steel grade are:
- hardness obtained as a result of heat treatment according to the required regime;
- impact strength, which is responsible for resistance to chipping and brittle fracture;
- corrosion resistance necessary for work in special conditions and in contact with liquids;
- wear resistance required under conditions of increased loads on the blade.
Bulat and Damascus have earned great popularity as materials for blades. But to obtain such blanks you need the knowledge and experience of a professional blacksmith. Even if you know how to use forging equipment They are quite difficult to produce. Not every experienced blacksmith is capable of this. You can buy a ready-made product, but it will be quite expensive.
More often, more affordable alloy steels are used, which are much easier to work with. In our country, the following grades of steel are most often used for the production of knives:
Other brands are used less frequently because they are less common or do not have the necessary characteristics.
The process of making a knife yourself contains a large number of stages. Each of them deserves detailed description, including all the nuances and advice of experienced craftsmen. Simplified, all actions can be divided into the following operations:
If you have experience working with metal, it is not so difficult to make knives with your own hands at home. Videos on this topic filmed experienced craftsmen, will always help you understand the intricacies of all stages of production. With each new blade you make yourself, the level of skill will increase, which will allow you to create beautiful samples with high technological properties and decorative characteristics.
A knife is an ancient tool with which a person protected himself from dangers and performed household work. Even in our age high technology this tool has not been forgotten, but is used both in everyday chores and in professional activity. But there are situations when, in order to defeat the elements and enemies, you simply need to have a universal, improved weapon with you - a survival knife.
Lots of functions under the handle
With the release of Sylvester Stallone's film about the hero's adventures vietnam war named Rimbaud, the Russian viewer learned not only about the tactical techniques of the American army, but also about the features of their weapons. Rimbaud manages to defeat the enemy in the jungle not only thanks to his ingenuity, but also universal knife for survival - multitool.
Device and intended use
This name comes from the English “multitool” - a multifunctional tool with a wide range of applications. At first, it was part of the basic set of weapons for US pilots and was a combination of an impressive blade with a massive handle with an insert saw. Later it was equipped with additional devices, and after the release of “Rambo” on the screens, all adventure lovers wanted to have such a weapon.
Now it is produced not only for the American army, but also for the military of most countries, because the unique ability to hold important diverse objects and supplies inside the cavity of the handle makes it indispensable for those caught in harsh and hazardous conditions soldier, traveler, scientist, meteorologist, polar explorer.
It will also be useful for those who like to go into the forest to pick mushrooms and berries, as there is a possibility of getting lost or stumbling upon a wild animal. Thus, a weapon for survival in extreme conditions will be useful not only during combat operations, but also on hiking trips and trips to the edges of the wild, because with its help you can:
- hunt and fish;
- light a fire and cook food;
- build a shelter from bad weather and predators;
- build a strong home;
- do additional accessories for hunting and fishing, sewing and repair;
- protect yourself from attacks by animals and intruders;
- sew and patch clothes and shoes;
- cut branches and chop wood for the fire;
- control your location using compass directions;
- provide first medical care when injured.
All components of such a device must be of exceptional quality in order to withstand the most difficult weather conditions. Leading engineers around the world have worked for decades to develop and analyze the strength of structural elements.
Unique content
High-strength steel and a comfortable blade shape are always combined with a wide, hollow handle, inside of which there is a whole arsenal of necessary tools. This is the so-called emergency emergency reserve (EAS).
Survival knives are usually large, although some models adjust the size with a folding design. Blades smaller than 9 cm and larger than 15 cm are inconvenient to use, so it is better to choose a length in this range. The contents also vary depending on the model and type of production, but if you take the classic NAZ set, it includes the following components:
The presence of a compass in the kit greatly simplifies the survivalist’s task of determining the location, however, there is one difficulty - the blade and handle in this case must be made of non-magnetic metal, otherwise the arrow will not show the correct direction. But such materials are not very durable, so it is better to carry the compass as a separate item in a backpack.
Purpose Determines Shape
According to experts, the best knife for survival in extreme conditions has a fixed, sharpened blade, the spine of which is wide and massive enough both to replace a hammer when hammering nails and chopping nuts, and to deliver blunt blows to an enemy for the purpose of neutralization.
The folding counterpart is more compact, but it is convenient for storage in a backpack and is suitable for a tourist, not a warrior. This does not make it useless, since the handle is quite roomy for many useful things, and the design itself is suitable for performing 20-30 basic actions. There are also disadvantages:
- high probability of breakdown of the folding mechanism due to a fall, accident, or prolonged contact with water;
- inconvenience of use in situations requiring a quick reaction - during an attack or accident, when you need to instantly strike or cut bonds;
- relatively small sizes, narrow and thin blade;
- small butt width.
So foldable the tool will do a military doctor, traveler and tourist more than a trained special forces soldier. The suitable blade length for this model is from 10 to 15 mm, and the width is 5 mm. Special attention You need to pay attention to the blade material - chromium and vanadium are preferable to the more common carbon steel version, which is susceptible to corrosion in high humidity.
The type of blade edge is also important, which is presented in two variations:
- Straight and sharpened;
- Serrated like a saw (serrated).
The second type seems more useful, because with the help of such a handy saw you can cut down a tree, cut thick bone and dense material, even a metal chain, if you try. But a serrated blade will become dull faster than a smooth one, and it is unlikely to be sharpened to the required sharpness far from civilization.
Therefore, they choose it for short-term hikes or accept the fact that with frequent use, such a knife will simply become a NAZ storage unit and a baton, at best. The smooth blade can be easily sharpened with a piece of sandpaper available in the NAZ.
Weapons, domestic and foreign
It is difficult to choose the ideal product that meets all the needs and wishes of users. Each model has advantages and disadvantages, so you need to carefully study the design visually and documented, because the quality certificate indicates many parameters that cannot be determined by eye.
Multitools and survival knives Russian production are in no way inferior to their American counterparts, although foreign models are still attractive to fans of adventure films. The main difference between a multitool and an army knife is the reliance on many additional tools in addition to the compact blade. It's more of a portable craft workshop than a weapon.
The leader is the Spanish utility knife “Jungle’s king”, the blade of which is presented in three different options and the buyer can choose the model that suits his needs. The weapon became legendary, becoming famous in the hands of war heroes and famous travelers around the world. It is also the most functional, containing both a compass, and an impressive set of NAZ:
The handle of all models is wound with high-strength twine that can withstand a weight of 50 kg. The blade has a length of 12 to 15 cm and is made of an alloy of steel with chromium, molybdenum and vanadium, which makes it invulnerable to corrosion and mechanical damage.
Second place can be safely awarded to a Russian product - the NV-101 universal knife, under code name"Basurmanin" It is slightly smaller in size than the winner of the rating, but no less functional, his set includes:
The handle is made of steel and is divided into two compartments: one contains string and a compass, and the other contains a saw and stiletto. The blade is 16 cm long and 3.5 cm thick, made of high strength blued steel.
Among tourist models, the first place was unanimously given to Ganzo g8012. This knife is not only convenient, but also beautiful (from a practical point of view) - it is made in black with fluorescent colored edging, which makes it easy to find it in a backpack even at night. The handle is wrapped polymer material, which prevents it from slipping out of your hands, and inside are:
- sling cutter and flint;
- fishing gear;
- medicines;
- threads and needles;
- saw and tweezers.
The “heel” for ignition is located on the butt, which is wide enough to be used as a hammer. All this is done by the knife of this model perfect choice for lovers of mountain hiking and forest camping.
A variant called “Alligator” is also very popular among survivalists. In terms of its components, it differs little from the knives listed above; it has everything you need. The only thing you need to pay attention to is the quality of the saw. There have been many complaints from customers about difficulties in sawing large objects.
Even a thick tree branch had to be cut down for a long time. The scabbard also rattled noticeably while moving. If for a tourist this is not a very significant drawback, then for a military man who needs to move silently, it is important nuance. The manufacturer has improved the equipment of this model, but, nevertheless, it is better to check these two factors when purchasing.
In this article we will talk about making a homemade knife. The article talked about making a knife using forging, this time the manufacturing process is much simpler, only metal and woodworking are used. And it can be done using a regular file, however, if you have access to sharpening machine or grinder, the manufacturing process develops noticeably faster.
Don’t look at the fact that the article is about making a homemade chef’s knife; using this technology you can easily make homemade knife intelligence officer, a classic criminal Finn or, say, . Just keep this in mind! Making knives can be classified as making bladed weapons and is punishable by an article of the criminal code!
I was tired of constantly sharpening my Brazilian stainless steel knives during the cooking process, and on New Year’s Eve I was inspired to give myself a gift in the form of a good knife. I went on the Internet to look for where I could buy one, found a couple of offers, more or less, but still not quite right. Either the shape or the size did not quite correspond to my wishes. Even the price didn’t play a special role, I could spend around 10k as a gift for myself. And my wife said, you need it, look for it and order it, I’m not against it at all. There remained the option to order, with your own sizes and shapes. But at work, two of my colleagues began to master this craft in the same way, although they buy ready-made blades, and they already do magic with the handles, and their blades are too small for me. But they advised me to use one steel, x12MF, they said to use it, it’s strong and tough. And away we go.
After studying the properties of this steel and reading many articles and reviews, it was decided to look for a knife made from it. And when I came across the video...
So it was a total pain in the ass. And then my colleagues bring a piece of such steel. Rolling truth. But she. Having estimated the state of my arsenal of tools, the prices of the original parts, and the curvature of my hands, I decided that I would make myself a knife, the one that I needed.
It wasn’t always possible to photograph all the stages, but for the most part all processes were depicted. Don't bother too much about the photos either. All in different places, with different lighting and in different weather. The piece was stated to be 4 mm thick, 40 mm wide, but the length was 35 cm, about 20-22 cm for the blade, and 12-13 for the handle, but the width of the jamb turned out to be only 35 mm, but oh well. We will make a knife with a wide blade later, in the summer, when steel can be forged))) We draw, either by hand or on the computer, the contours of our future knife and cut out a kind of pattern from paper. We apply steel to the canvas and paint over with a black marker everything that needs to be removed from the canvas. Let's go to the machine and fuck. Now the cutting side is ready. Here I had already roughly outlined the boundaries of the descents, and began to take them out slowly.
With the help of such a simple device, I made descents. This is the most difficult and long-lasting thing. I melted 2 buckets of snow))) you need to cool the metal, otherwise it will overheat.
After painfully making the triggers, we draw out the upper boundaries of the knife, the butt, that is.
And we get something similar to a knife. And with the help of that very rough block, we complete the descents and bring out cutting edge to the rough. Well, I went over it a little with some sandpaper to see how it turned out.
The next step was preparing the handle. I asked the guys for a piece of red bourgeois nut, not for free, of course. Here it is already sawn into 3 parts. I thought for a long time about what kind of pen to make, I wanted a cupronickel tip, but I couldn’t find a solid piece of cupronickel, only a bad casting, and somehow it wasn’t very suitable for my purposes. And I decided to make it purely out of wood, but from 3 pieces, like a guard and a wooden handle. And it’s easier to make holes in small pieces. And from the knife blank we remove all excess with a grinder and sandpaper. At the same time, I also sanded the blade a little. It turned out crumpled, I did it in the evenings and at night. I did whatever I had time for.
We mark the pieces of wood, and drill and clean holes to put on the shank. I didn’t make it from halves, I don’t like the rivets, the extra bridges and the slack of the handle. And even in cold weather, they will burn your hand with frost.
There are no photos of the device, I’ll describe it this way: sandpaper is glued to a flat board with 2-sided tape, and with the help of it we adjust our pieces of wood to each other so that there are no gaps between them. This is how you put it on and take it off each time on the shank. and remove these cracks.
After all the dancing with the tambourine, wrap the blade completely with electrical tape so that the glue does not get in, dilute the epoxy according to the instructions and get started.
We assemble our future handle together with the knife. I tied it with a rope, tightening it using improvised means, there is no photo ((But if you find a large clamp, it will be easier for you.
And after a day, intended for the glue to harden, we begin processing the handle. I cut off all the excess from the top of the handle with a small margin for further processing. I marked the axis of symmetry and from it the future edges of the handle. And he began to saw off everything unnecessary.
The wood is dense, it takes a long time to saw with a hacksaw, but the main thing is that it is sawed)) and quite evenly.
Having sawed off all the excess on the sides, we mark the contours of the future handle. And we saw off everything from the bottom.
we leave a little for further processing, in this case it is better not to finish it than to saw through it.
Thanks to my labor teacher for not drinking but teaching us, and teaching us how to communicate with different files))) We continue to sharpen everything with rough and not so rough files.
We round off the edges of the handle using fine files and coarse sandpaper. It’s good that my wife was already asleep and didn’t see the layer of sawdust))) but I lined everything with newspapers. and then wiped the floor with a wet rag)) cleanliness is the key to success.
We sand both the handle and the blade, leveling all surfaces. I sanded in any free time, both at work and at home.
Well, then we take a piece of old felt boots and make the following device: a bolt, a large washer, a felt circle, a large washer, a nut. You can secure it with another nut. By the way, by taking a circle of sandpaper and placing it on the outside of the felt, you can sand the product)))
After all the sanding, we apply goi paste to the felt disk and polish the blade. I was too lazy to bring it to the mirror, and I don’t really need this mirror. Yes, and there was no drill at hand, only a screwdriver, and it does not give such high speeds necessary for better removal.
And after the blade, we take another clean disk, and use it to clean the entire tree of dust and shavings. The correct way, of course, was to first bring the blade completely to a shine. And then I’ll start working on the pen, but I repeat, I was limited in time different conditions, and did everything at once. After studying a bunch of impregnations, I decided to impregnate them using the ancient method, which, although time-consuming, was reliable. I bought a couple of bottles of artistic linseed oil. Since the handle is quite large and long, I had to buy a jar of some nasty stuff. Take a small saucepan, put gauze or a rag on the bottom, and an open jar on the rag. Pour oil into a jar, water into a pan, do not mix.
We heat the oil to 60-70 degrees, no more is needed, epoxy doesn’t like it very much high temperatures, again we wrap the blade a little with electrical tape so as not to stain it, and lower our handle into it. And we observe how small air bubbles are released from the tree. When the bubbles stop, remove and wipe with a napkin. This procedure took me about an hour, with several heatings of the oil.
Place the knife on the windowsill under Sun rays, we need ultraviolet light to polymerize the oil. But I wiped it with a napkin with oil a couple more times until the oil stopped being absorbed at all. Don’t forget to turn it over on the windowsill every day so that the oil polymerizes on all sides. And in the evenings we do sharpening. I won’t describe everything in detail here; there’s enough for one more topic, theories of knife sharpening. And I haven’t quite mastered it yet)) I’m still learning.
Well, while the oil is drying and the blade is being sharpened, let’s make a camp version of our chef and make a sheath for it. I often go out into nature and cook there, and I have to take my Brazilian stainless steel knives, wrap them up carefully, and put them neatly in a backpack, so that I don’t hurt my hand if I need to get something, and I don’t pierce the backpack with the tip. In general, hemorrhoids are still the same. And I decided, since the width of the blade is not ideal for me, then we’ll make a camp version out of it, and I’ll make another one for home. True, my wife will probably shoot me)) Well, that’s another question. Again we turn to our colleagues and take another small piece of wood from them. I decided to make everything from one tree. and handle and sheath. Again we figure out on a piece of paper what it will look like and what pieces it will consist of. We mark the block and cut it into pieces. By this time I rented it from my brother grinder, which sands with sandpaper. And with this miracle device we bring the joints in the trees according to the plan to a more or less decent condition. That is, so that they dock smoothly. No particularly large gaps. It was at the next stage that my patience ran out. We drill a hole in each piece for a knife, I fiddled with this for a very long time, and the desire to finish everything as quickly as possible was already great, and because of this, I hastily glued these pieces at night, without fitting the joints properly. As a result, in one place a school emerged later. But not critical of course. Yes, and I glued it on Friday at night, but there was a desire to completely process the rest. But you still have to wait a day. and did not put it off and glued it.
By the way, I glued it with reinforcement so that under lateral loads, it wouldn’t fall apart in the gluing areas. Reinforced with thin metal pins. There are 2 studs in each joint. Well, after the glue has dried, we go to the garage, take a miracle sanding machine, and remove all unnecessary things with its help. And we return to the felt devices, take different sandpapers to reduce and polish them until they are extremely smooth, and then clean them with clean felt. I decided to impregnate the sheath using the cold method. True, I poured hot water inside, there were particles of wax inside, and it was necessary to melt them, and I soaked the outer part for a week, applying a small layer every day. During the first impregnation, of course, I applied layers for an hour until it stopped being absorbed. Well, to the knife. On the windowsill. Turning over constantly.
After the knife and sheath have dried and the oil has polymerized, even if not completely, more will come later. Preparing the composition for finishing. Take beeswax and our linseed oil the proportions are somewhere around 2 parts oil and 1 part wax, but by eye I may not have kept it exactly, but after reading the cooking recipes before, I realized that there are no exact proportions, you want 1/3, you want 1/4, but you want pure wax process. There was an opportunity to treat it with carnauba wax, but I decided to use ours, beeswax. In a water bath, melt the wax in oil until smooth.
My task was a knife that could be used to cut and trim meat, and that would retain its sharpness after that. I love tomatoes with meat dishes, and they with a dull knife cutting is bad. I can say that the task is being completed with a bang. Brazilians can't do that. The knife, of course, turned out not to be perfect, there are a couple of jambs on the slopes, a couple of jambs on the sheath, but all these jambs are mostly aesthetic nitpicks, and on practical use do not affect at all. And I think it’s forgivable for the first time)) Well, one more small note: budget. a piece of steel - 300 rubles. wood for the handle and scabbard - 500 rubles (of course, a board of such wood costs 5 rubles, but it is 2 meters, and I only used 15-20 cm from the board) skin - about 500 rubles. linseed oil - 200 rubles. 1500 then comes the purchases for the knife, which remained at my disposal for the rest of my life, so it is difficult to consider them the cost of the knife. files, needle files, and all sorts of other little things about 1k rubles; regular sharpening stones - 150 rubles; diamond whetstone 1.5 k. small vise - 300 rubles for a total of about 4.5 rubles. Of course, you could find a ready-made knife at that price, but be left without such goodies as a diamond block. which you would then have to buy anyway. That's it, you can kick.
Author of the text kadiko
Gobly comments:
It turned out to be a cool knife!
Vaso comments:A small correction - the oil does not polymerize on the windowsill because... glass doesn't let through ultraviolet radiation. and the knife is really cool. respect.
VaDim