SURVIVAL & BUSHCRAFT BLADES: WHEN IT’S ALL ON THE LINE

Having a good, dependable blade can make all the difference when you have minimal equipment and you’re out to set up a wilderness camp. In a survival situation, your knife’s performance can mean the difference between life and death. Tilt the scale in your favor with one of the knives in this section.

Let’ have a look at Survival & Bushcraft Blades Buyer’s Guide 2023:

CARBON STEALTH: SLEEK AND NEARLY WEIGHTLESS

When it comes to survival gear, one of the mantras is that ounces add up to pounds, which then add up to pain. Thus, any way that you can cut pack weight without sacrificing necessities is welcome. Enter the Carbon Stealth from Argali Outdoors.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a lighter fixed-blade knife that is this durable and dependable, not to mention ergonomic. At less than 2 ounces, this knife weighs less than two AA batteries and nearly disappears on your belt or in your pocket. Yet even as lightweight as it is, the knife feels neither flimsy nor weak in the least.

The 3.25-inch blade is the perfect size to handle everything from processing foraged food to carving a spoon with which to eat it. It has jimping on two spots on the spine to assist with detail work, and the skeletonized handle is covered with textured G10 to provide a secure grip. There is also some jimping along the finger choil as well as at the tail end of the handle.

Argali Outdoors Carbon Stealth

The Kydex sheath isn’t much thicker than the knife itself and is easy to slide into a pocket. It does not come with any sort of belt clip, though you can purchase one as an add-on. What works well is to loop paracord through the rivets at the end of the sheath and tie it to your belt, leaving just enough slack in the cord to allow the knife to rest easily in the pocket. Then, when the knife is needed, pull it from your pocket and take up that slack.

At the same time, use the thumb break on the sheath to loosen the knife and you’ll be good to go. The sheath will fall to your side as you deploy the knife. Alternatively, the sheath is designed such that it would be easy to tie it to a pack strap or some other location.

The Carbon Stealth has a gentle curve running from the back of the handle through the spine, giving you the perfect angle for cutting or slicing. At the thickest point of the handle, the knife is 0.375-inch thick.

The overall footprint of this knife is nearly invisible, making it incredibly easy to keep it with you wherever you go, just in case—which means that if something happens, you’ll have it ready to go, rather than having it sitting at home, waiting for you to find a reason to use it.

Argali Outdoors Carbon Stealth

Specifications:

Argali Outdoors Carbon Stealth

Overall Length: 7.25 inches
Blade Length: 3.25 inches
Blade Steel: S35VN w/ion bond coating
Handle Material: Textured G10
Sheath Material: Kydex
Weight: 1.8 ounces
MSRP: $229

ArgaliOutdoors.com

OLD WORLD DESIGN EXECUTED WITH MODERN MATERIALS

Craig Caudill is a well-known survival instructor. He’s worked with numerous government agencies as well as private citizens, teaching them how to survive in the wild with a bare minimum of equipment. He even does a “knife-only” course for those who really want to test their skills.

On top of that, he’s a long-time student of the martial arts, including Aikido and Iaido. He’s also a historian. All of those interests and experiences coalesced into the design of the Shemanese.

The name is pronounced as SHAY-muh-neece, and it is the Shawnee word for “long knife.” That’s the term they used for explorers like Daniel Boone, Lewis and Clark, and Simon Kenton.

Caudill drew inspiration from these brave souls, for whom he designed the knife. Every aspect of the project, from handle material to steel, was carefully chosen to bring a historical design into the modern era.

L.T. Wright Knives Shemanese

Once the design was finalized, Craig asked L.T. Wright to partner with him on producing the Shemanese. Wright’s shop has a stellar reputation, as its knifemakers make some of the best outdoors knives on the planet. The company’s GNS and Bushcrafter models are particularly popular with wilderness survival instructors.

The Shemanese is a medium to large knife, running about a foot from tip to butt. The blade is just a bit shy of 7 inches. Yet, for its size, it is pretty lightweight, tipping the scales at just 8.5 ounces. The end result is a knife that’s very quick in the hand and easy to manipulate. The blade is canted slightly at about 11 degrees. Combined with the drop-point profile, the tip of the knife is kept away from organs when you’re field dressing game.

L.T. Wright Knives Shemanese

The AEB-L-steel blade has a saber grind, allowing it to be used for everything from wood carving to food prep. Brown canvas Micarta was used for the handle scales, giving the knife a traditional appearance. Overall, the knife is incredibly well balanced. Judging strictly on looks, you’d expect it to be a little top-heavy, but that’s not the case at all.

The Shemanese does an excellent job bridging the gap between a smaller knife for up-close work and a larger knife for big jobs. There’s enough knife there to handle everything, without being over the top, making it a truly viable one-tool option.

Specifications

L.T. Wright Knives Shemanese

L.T. Wright Knives Shemanese

Overall Length: 12 inches
Blade Length: 6.75 inches
Blade Thickness: 0.125 inch
Blade Steel: AEB-L
Handle Material: Brown canvas Micarta
Sheath Material: Leather or Kydex
Weight: 8.5 ounces
Origin: USA
MSRP: $289

NatureReliance.org

Ontario Knife Company

ONTARIO RAT-6

ONTARIO RAT-6

Overall Length: 12 inches
Blade Length: 5.5 inches
Blade Steel: S35VN
Handle Material: Micarta
Sheath Material: Nylon
Origin: USA
MSRP: $229.95

OntarioKnife.com

Bradford Knives

BRADFORD GUARDIAN 5.5

BRADFORD GUARDIAN 5.5

Overall Length: 10.05 inches
Blade Length: 5.05 inches
Blade Thickness: 0.170 inch
Blade Steel: CPM-3V or CPM MagnaCut
Handle Material: G10, Micarta, or carbon fiber
Sheath Material: Leather or Kydex
Weight: 8.30 ounces
Origin: USA
Other: Stonewash, Nimbus, Black DLC blade finish
MSRP: $259

BradfordKnives.com

L.T. Wright Handcrafted Knives

L.T. WRIGHT LES STROUD SUVIVORMAN MACHETE

L.T. WRIGHT LES STROUD SUVIVORMAN MACHETE

Overall Length: 19.25 inches
Blade Length: 12.88 inches
Blade Thickness: 0.094 inch
Blade Steel: 1075
Handle Material: Natural Micarta
Sheath Material: Leather, not included
Weight: 18.2 ounces
Origin: USA
MSRP: $269

LTWrightKnives.com

L.T. Wright Handcrafted Knives

LT WRIGHT WILD HARVEST LES STROUD FORAGING TOOL

LT WRIGHT WILD HARVEST LES STROUD FORAGING TOOL

Overall Length: 11.5 inches
Blade Length: 5.75 inches
Blade Thickness: 0.156 inch
Blade Steel: A2
Handle Material: Burlap Micarta
Sheath Material: Leather, optional
Weight: 15.5 ounces
Origin: USA
MSRP: $336

LTWrightKnives.com

Condor Tool & Knife

CONDOR IMPOSSIBLE MACHETE

CONDOR IMPOSSIBLE MACHETE

Overall Length: 16.71 inches
Blade Length: 10.89 inches
Blade Thickness: 0.197 inch
Blade Steel: 1075 high-carbon steel
Handle Material: Hardwood w/leather wrap
Sheath Material: Leather
Weight: 22.93 ounces
Origin: El Salvador
MSRP: $154.42

CondorTK.com

Condor Tool & Knife

CONDOR DARKLORE

CONDOR DARKLORE

Overall Length: 9.31 inches
Blade Length: 4.31 inches
Blade Thickness: 0.12 inch
Blade Steel: 1095 high-carbon steel
Handle Material: Paper Micarta
Sheath: Ambidextrous Kydex, MOLLE compatible
Weight: 10.23 ounces
Origin: El Salvador
MSRP: $114.98

CondorTK.com

Ontario Knife Company

ONTARIO BLACK BIRD

ONTARIO BLACK BIRD

 

Overall Length: 10 inches
Blade Length: 5 inches
Blade Thickness: 0.138 inch
Blade Steel: S35VN with satin finish
Handle Material: Micarta
Sheath Material: Nylon
Origin: USA
MSRP: $229.95

OntarioKnife.com

Spyderco, Inc.

SPYDERCO ZOOMER

SPYDERCO ZOOMER

Overall Length: 10 inches
Blade Length: 5.2 inches
Blade Thickness: 0.156 inch
Blade Steel: CPM 20CV
Handle Material: G10
Sheath Material: Leather
Weight: 9.6 ounces w/sheath
Origin: Taiwan
MSRP: $600

Spyderco.com

 GiantMouse

GIANTMOUSE GMF4

GIANTMOUSE GMF4

Overall Length: 10.45 inches
Blade Length: 5.65 inches
Blade Thickness: 0.192 inch
Blade Steel: Böhler N690
Handle Material: Red Canvas Micarta
Sheath Material: Burgundy leather
Weight: 8.1 ounces
Origin: Italy
MSRP: $265

GiantMouse.com

CONQUER THE WILD WITH THE MATTERHORN

This is a hidden-tang knife that is sort of a spinoff from another Bark River Knives model called the Snowy River. Unlike some hidden-tang knives, this one has the tang extend all the way beyond the lanyard hole. The hollow pin that creates that lanyard hole goes through the tang, along with the two Corby bolts, securing the handle material.

The blade profile has plenty of straight edge for food prep and other chores, plus a good belly for skinning and slicing. The spine is shaped such that you can use your thumb to really bear down on it, just beyond the guard, to easily carve notches and such. Speaking of the guard, I’m a fan of this feature on knives as a general rule. Not only does a guard add a touch of class to the knife, but it also helps prevent your fingers from accidently sliding up to the sharp edge.

Bark River Knives Matterhorn

As with all Bark River knives, it comes with a leather pouch-style sheath. It can be worn vertically or horizontally, whichever the user prefers. The knife is a tight fit at first, so it is best to slowly push the knife into the sheath, then let it sit for a day or two so the leather can stretch a bit. The guys at Bark River do not recommend wet-forming the sheath, as over time it can loosen up and not hold the knife securely.

At a touch less than 5 ounces, this is not a boat anchor for your belt. At the same time, there’s enough blade length to handle just about any need that could arise. Given the thin steel, the Matterhorn is a great slicer, and with Bark River’s standard convex edge, it’ll cut through darn near anything with ease. Plus, the S45VN steel will hold that edge for quite some time, while also fighting corrosion when you’re out in the field.

Bark River Knives Matterhorn Bark River Knives Matterhorn

The handle is slim, just about 5/8-inch thick at the widest part of the palm swell. However, because the handle is also fairly high, a bit over an inch at the highest point, it is very ergonomic and feels great in the hand.

This particular model has natural canvas Micarta handle material, but when Bark River does a run of these knives, they’re available in a wide range of handles, from Micarta and G10 to stabilized wood and more.

Specifications

Bark River Knives Matterhorn

Bark River Knives Matterhorn

Overall Length: 8.75 inches
Blade Length: 4.5 inches
Blade Thickness: 0.156 inch
Blade Steel: S45VN
Handle Material: Micarta (as tested)
Sheath Material: Leather
Weight: 4.8 ounces
Origin: USA
MSRP: $319.95

BarkRiverKnives.com

Industrial Revolution

MORAKNIV GARBERG W/SURVIVAL KIT

MORAKNIV GARBERG W/SURVIVAL KIT

Overall Length: 9 inches
Blade Length: 4.3 inches
Blade Thickness: 0.13 inch
Blade Steel: Stainless steel
Handle Material: Polyamide
Sheath Material: Polymer
Weight: 13.8 ounces
Origin: Sweden
MSRP: $111.99

IndustrialRev.com

Half Face Blades

HALF FACE CAV JR

HALF FACE CAV JR

Overall Length: 7.5 inches
Blade Length: 3.5 inches
Blade Thickness: 0.15 inch
Blade Steel: S35VN
Handle Material: Dark walnut wood
Sheath Material: Veg tan leather sheath
Weight: 5.1 ounces
Origin: USA
MSRP: $500

HalfFaceBlades.com

TOPS Knives

TOPS SILENT HERO 4

TOPS SILENT HERO 4

Overall Length: 8.88 inches
Blade Length: 4.25 inches
Blade Thickness: 0.130 inch
Blade Steel: 1095 w/Sniper Gray finish
Handle Material: Black canvas Micarta
Sheath Material: Black Kydex
Weight: 6 ounces, 8.8 ounces w/sheath
Origin: USA
MSRP: $210

TOPSKnives.com    

Editor’s Note:

A version of this article first appeared in the Jan/Feb 2023 print issue of Knives Illustrated Buyer’s Guide.