Survival Knife Considerations; Folding Knife

Before we get too far into this, let's start out by saying that this is, in a lot of ways, pretty much a theoretical exercise. This is because trying to pin down the perfect survival knife is damned near impossible because situations and the materials required change widely based on a variety of factors that probably are not subject to control on your (my dear readers) part. A machete works great in the jungle, but doesn't work so well for making breakfast with, etc.

So, let's talk about a selection of sharps. What you need is a bevy of tools with which to pick and choose from, your decision being based on the type of work you are expecting to run in to, the types of materials you expect to work with, and even the geography/climate of the area you may find yourself in. I think there are three general types of knives that need consideration for survival use; the pocket (folding) knife, the multi-tool, and the sheath knife. Today, we're going to talk about folding knives.

First, a note on steel choice.. Anything at or above 440C will suit most folks just fine, but buyer beware of 420 or anything simply labeled "stainless steel". Most likely the steel's performance in edge retention, rust resistance, and ease of sharpening will be somewhat underwhelming. On the extreme edge of poor performance, softer steels will bend and distort easily, while more brittle steels will break. Nothing quite like catching a shard of steel in your eyeball. (By the way, don't use your knife to pry something, dumbass. That's what screwdrivers or multi-tools are for.) I don't really have a preference here, I've used 440C, 1095, 154cm, and AUS-8, all with great success.

A good quality folding knife is an essential in my day to day life. I use mine all the time, for opening packages and mail, preparing food, making throw away tools and utensils, and for simply pointing out things that I don't want to block with my finger. A folding knife is also a line of defense against a would-be assailant, so your knife should reflect that potential duty as well. Try to keep the weight of your folding knife under 5 ounces, look for at least 2.5 inches in blade length, and non-slick gripping surface. Some folk don't like liner locks on knives for the potential of closing the blade on the finger, which I argue to be a training issue, but look into it some and make up your own mind. If you fall in the former camp, lock-back type knives are still around and have slightly better lock strength. Just expect to pay more. I carry a SOG Mini Aegis as my EDC folding knife, and I'd bet my life with it for self defense or survival in a heart-beat.

The champ!

So, why this particular knife out of all the potential knives out there? The answer is actual the sum total of characteristics that the knife possesses. Weight's a partial consideration; 2 oz is svelte by most folks' rubrics. The rubberized grip, solid jimping, and tip-up carry are really good points in there as well, as it's a pretty effective self defense knife. The blade length is a little short at 3 inches for that sort of work, but is otherwise a handy size for the tasks I've discussed. The blade profile, or trigonometry, is full flat grind, which makes sharpening and such easy. It has a pretty decent belly on the edge, which makes it a good slicer. The tip is decent, but not wicked, so for fine work it does alright. Finally, the steel in the blade is AUS-8. Not the top of the line in steel, perhaps, but it holds an edge well and does a good job resisting rust.

Bear in mind that my selection of this knife is personal, and based on priorities that I assigned for myself that may drastically alter your own selection. Perhaps having a clip point on the blade shape is more important, or you really prefer damascus steel over the more mundane steels, or you really want a big blade. Just go through the process of figuring out what points are most important to you in a folding knife, bearing in mind the tasks that you'll throw it up against, and you should come out with a reliable and trustworthy tool that will suit you well.

Me, I'm sticking with the Aegis.