What task do you expect a survival knife to perform? I am trying to decide on a good size for a survival knife and I need to know what I should expect from it. I am not comfortable with batoning, so I am leaning towards something on the smaller side. Maybe around a 4" blade length. Thanks.

Check out Doug's section on knives here at ETS.

What do you intend to survive?

Survival knives come in all shapes and sizes. I've seen fixed blade knives with 9.5" tool steel blades and folding knives with 3.44" stainless blades called "survival" knives. Since a survival knife is the one you have with you when the time to survive comes upon you, odds are the folder will be your survival knife. Wilderness knives would make great tools in a survival situation, but figure the odds that you'd be so equipped.

Consider a knife between 4 and 5 inch blade. A Frost's Mora is a great field knife. The blade size depends on the model. It can do batoning, sharpen sticks, field dress game, and kitchen chores.
Also really easy to sharpen, no special skills required. Just a good stone and a few minutes time.
They do not look like a "Rambo" knife or a Darth Vadar commando knife, they just do the job and cost under $15!

I live in upstate NY. I am looking for a knife that would be of most use if I was to get lost while hunting or hiking, or end up in some other type of survival situation. I have a good knife right now, I am just researching to see what are some other options. Thanks

I agree with Widget. The Mora knives do most of what you want or need to do. The price is right, and they are lighter than many folding knives. Because of the weight, I have one in the bottom of my day pack all the time. I like them for food preparation, since they are easier to clean than a folding knife. My favorite is the Frosts of Sweden 760 (Orange-Orange) that you can purchase from Ragnar (http://www.ragweedforge.com/SwedishKnifeCatalog.html). I use a file to square the back of the blade so I can use it to strike a spark from a firesteel.

Search reviews on various fourms on the SOG SealPup. I've never read a bad review on one, either from civilians or military. It will perform any function, from cutting to prying. I'm very pleased with mine.

I asked, because a Southeast Asia scenario most likely would see a native parang in use, a tramontina cutting vegetation in Brasil to reach yesterday's sad air disaster and a swedish airforce pilot ejecting from his SAAB with a Fallkiven. Your in the classic, resource rich arboreal forest so you must decide if your going to do woodcraft like Mors Kochanski who favours the Mora, but carries an axe and could build a trapper's line cabin,or rely on your knife alone to do minimal energy expended survival. Moras are fantastic knives, great training knives and backups. But if your planning on one knife that may have to see some abuse a more robust blade is a wise precautionary acquisiton. It need not be the 'sharpened prybar' like my infamous MK4 Adams from the U.K. Read Doug's article, tell us what you have now and watch the posts build up faster than the old Green River Buffalo skinners . <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I know others have had great luck with thier Moras. But I'd never trust my life to something that wasn't a full tang, and I like something with a metal pommel butt for wacking things when precision is a must and you don't want to use your hand. I'm in Vermont, so I get your weather second hand. :P

A four incher is as small as I'd go, but there are a lot of very viable and well made models with 5 to 5.5" blades. Drop points, modified drop points and clips are very good, with spear points OK; tantos and double edged blades, not so good. I suggest a good carbon steel, just becuase while there are higher chromium count alloys on the market, carbon has the best edge taking, holding and recovery properties for the price. Expect to see a price tag around $50.

Most people here know I like the MkII Utility Knife, preferably from Ka-bar, and made famous by the Marines. It IS a bit on the longer side, with a 7" blade, but I like the balance, and the leather washered handle doesn't mind really cold weather. It is a clip point blade, which some don't like, but I like the semi-sharp clip area for scraping. There is a 5.5" bladed version that you might like, although I'd suggest using a straight blade not the one with serrations. Similiar to it is Camillus' and Ontario's copies (Camillus is a little better than Ontario IMHO, the others aren't worth it), and there are similiar Beckers.

Biggest advice: if you can't pick it up and hold it in your hands, read the return policy before you reach for your wallet. I don't care godlike a knive's reputation is, I don't care how fine it's custom pedigree papers are, or how much it costs- if it doesn't feel good in your hand, it isn't worth it. You might find that a thirty dollar butcher's knife feels good in your hand, and it holds up to what you want to do, and if you are planning on having it in your pack and not on your belt, a scabbard is a couple pieces of cardboard and some duct tape. *shrugs*

Asking this question is like asking a guy "why do you love your wife" or "which one of your kids is your favorite". :P