Footprint 182 Hacking Knife 4.1/2in

Product Information

The StrongArm is one of Gerber’s USA-made knives, forged with a proven 420HC steel. While this may seem like a basic choice for a survival blade, I’ve found its edge retention and toughness to be more than adequate for extended use. D-101 Longbow DMR • D-2 Double Take • Triple Take • Kraber-AP Sniper • Sentinel ESR • Valkyrie Sniper Rifle Bottom line: The Spyderco Waterway is a great light- to medium-duty blade, with a technological and design pedigree far ahead of your standard fishing knife. And while it may not be the best for Schwarzenegger-style survival, it would make a great addition to Tom Hanks’ kit from “Castaway.” Specs: No discussion of Morakniv would be complete without a few words on their handles. Like the Companion, the Sparkemploys a rubberized friction grip, with a gentle swell for the palm. These knives are renowned for their comfort and stability in the hand. Its rounded shape and subtle finger guard make for a secure experience, even when wearing winter gloves.

While the standard 4-Max utilizes CPM-20CV, the Scout employs AUS-10A. Although this is certainly a step down, it’s an upgrade from the 8CR13MoV and AUS-8 found in many of Cold Steel’s other offerings. This is a perfectly functional steel that, while unable to match the long-term cutting of the premium piece, is less likely to chip and shatter in a survival situation. Much of the credit here goes to the simplicity of Schrade’s design. The entire knife is composed of a single piece of 1095 high-carbon steel, with 7 inches dedicated to the blade. Let’s talk handles because the StrongArm has a great one. This Gerber features a rubberized diamond pattern that manages to be both grippy and incredibly comfortable. The knife ends with a slightly spiked pommel and lanyard hole, adding an option for some light hammering or striking.Scroll through to see the tools we’re confident will see you through the baddest of bad days, or jump to the category you’re looking for: If you’re looking for downsides, the only real dings come from the basic (but comfortable) plastic sheath and the partial-tang construction. The polymer sheath attaches to the belt via a standard belt clip, riding comfortably and low on the hip. It’s essentially molded plastic, but at least it’s high-quality molded plastic. Despite what cheerful reviewers and YouTube personalities may lead you to believe, survival isn’t supposed to be fun. It’s not like bushcraft or camping, where you’re out enjoying yourself in the wilderness. Those pursuits are all well and good. But survival is just that — getting out of a precarious or life-threatening situation with nothing but your wits and the tools you have. Fortunately, KA-BAR includes a solid polymer sheath to help wrangle this beast of a blade. Its low-ish ride lets you carry the Tac Toolat or below your beltline, which keeps the exposed tang from poking you in the ribs. There are also the ubiquitous MOLLE attachment points, as well as a snap to hold the handle in place.

Excellent question! Like all tools, survival knives need to be cared for to maintain their readiness for action. The biggest factors to consider are edge maintenance and rust prevention.Still, you’re getting a lot of value for your dollar here. Beyond the knife itself, the SCHF52 comes with a comfortable sheath, complete with a pouch containing a ferro rod, striker, and sharpening stone. That essentially makes this a complete survival knife kit for less than half of the price of some of the more premium models on this list.

There’s even a cord-cutting hook up front, making this an incredibly versatile survival tool. The serrations are found at the base of the 1095 Cro-Van blade, just ahead of the finger guard. GearJunkie knows a thing or two about knives. We’ve sorted through dozens of blades to bring you the best survival knives of 2023. And while we’ve talked about the steel, let’s take a second to consider the blade itself. At just under 4.5 inches long and 0.12 inches wide, this is a precision tool reminiscent of a fillet knife. Its fine edge and nimble nature make it perfect for cutting up fish.What this means, essentially, is that the Waterway won’t rust. Like, ever. And where other corrosion-resistant steels such as H1 do exist, LC200N’s edge retention is in a league of its own. I can hear the questions now: “What’s a knife with less than 3 inches of blade doing on a list of best survival knives?” But I’ve spent a lot of time with this particular knife, so hear me out. The secret ingredient here is LC200N: An intriguing “high-nitrogen alloyed tool steel specifically formulated to offer superior corrosion resistance and extreme toughness, even at high levels of hardness.”

No, what you should be looking for is a single piece of high-quality steel, stretching from the tip of the blade to the base of the pommel. We cover a few of the well-known metals below, but you must be able to identify the type of steel used in your knife. If the maker doesn’t list a name, you don’t want it. Comfort On the most basic level, there’s simply more of it. You’re looking at 6 inches of sharpened edge, with a total span of around 11 inches. You’ll also see an upgrade in steel — laminated VG-10 stainless instead of 1095 high-carbon. This makes for a longer-lasting edge while still maintaining some of the softness and shatter resistance found in softer steels. Speaking of options, I’d highly recommend grabbing ESEE’s sheath as part of the deal. It’s a solid plastic affair, with a strong metal clip and excellent blade retention. But as impressive as the specs are, they don’t do justice to the BK2’s ethos. In hand, this is one of the most rugged, ready, and unbreakable blades in the survival market. It has a broad-shouldered heft that instills confidence in the user, allowing you to power through tasks that would cause hesitation with other knives. Just pull up YouTube and watch what some people put these knives through, and you’ll have a good sense of what I mean. Let’s start with the blade. At just under 4 inches, this 12C27N stainless model comes with Mora’s trademark Scandi grind, perfect for carving and kindling prep. But where the Companion models have a smooth and rounded spine, the Spark leaves its upper edge angled and unpolished. Used in combination with the included fire steel, this is where the knife gets its name. It’s an impressive all-in-one system, especially for a knife in the budget category.

JTS/2 Lightweight Tensioning Tool

Wrapped around this full-tang piece of miracle steel are a pair of contoured G-10 scales. These feature a precision, textured finish ideal for maintaining grip in wet environments. There’s also a generous front finger guard, which should keep users from slipping up onto the blade. G2A4 Battle Rifle • G2A5 Battle Rifle • G7 Scout • Havoc Rifle • M1A3 Hemlok BF-R • R-101C Carbine • R-201 Assault Rifle • R-301 Carbine • V-47 Flatline ( VK-47 Flatline) • Nemesis Burst AR