What makes a good (large) survival knife.AVI

[Rollcap98]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Very informative, and I learned something about the cut of the tang as well.

[mer171]

cool collection

[ThePolohobo]

Cleavers rule

[redzer06]

drink your piss

[RemzofFrance]

It is a very nice video indeed. What is your opinion about the Cold Steel SRK that I see on top left of your favourite knives?

[TuhonBillMcg]

@RemzofFrance A good knife, but I would like it better if the shoulders on the tang were not so abrupt in their angle. These days I much prefer the Fallkniven S1.

[BadAssEngineering]

i just gotta love your blade collection :O(rainbows)

[20tom09gt]

really nice collection

[doomsdaymachine619]

steel and blade retention, is something I would have added.

[doomsdaymachine619]

This is a beautiful collection, I recognize many if not all the brands. Wise choices.

[SuperAdjudant]

Thanks for this, I think I bought the right knife

[1STINITIATE]

My trailmaster ( carbonV ) snapped at the guard after 3 measley chops on 2 inch oak . Glad I tested this blade before taking it out in the woods and staking my life on it .

Thanks for your video .

[nalday07]

other than that awesome vid!

[nalday07]

Blackjacks not defunct! i just received my Blackjack Grunt! you can also go by SMKW (in store or online) and order them still!

[1STINITIATE]

@nalday07 How do you like your Blackjack grunt ? I've had one for a little over a year and have beat the heck out of it . It's one of the best blades I've ever owned . take it easy

[nalday07]

@1STINITIATE Its my favorite when i pair it with my Charge tti-then there isnt a thing i couldnt do! and i mean that-i could fix a car, flesh out a hog, build a shelter, baton, EVERYTHING btwn those two

[TuhonBillMcg]

@nalday07 Blackjack was started by knife maker Mike Stewart. The company changed hands and the name was dropped for a while, (leading to my comment on the video). Mike Stewart now owns the name again and is making some fine knives with that label.

[nalday07]

@TuhonBillMcg Thank you for clarifying-in the part of the states im in(anywhere really) no one has ever even heard of Blackjack, Cold steel, Mora, Kellam, or Hultafors(best brands for the money IMO) all people around here know is Case, buck and gerber

[Mrsingingdude1]

I'm pretty sure cold steel fixed their problems they had with the sk5 trailmaster and recon scout. I could be wrong though

[TuhonBillMcg]

@Mrsingingdude1 I was told by a Cold Steel employee that the problem was caused by cutting the shoulders of the tang at too sharp an angle at the tang-blade juncture on one particular production run and has since been fixed. However, I still prefer a much more gradual slope to the shoulders at the tang area (if any slope at all. I still prefer full tang for strength). Look at the difference between a Cold Steel SRK tang and a Fallkniven S1 tang and you'll see what I mean.

[TheRebelman95]

@TuhonBillMcg whats the big wood handled bowie in the middle?

[TuhonBillMcg]

@TheRebelman95 That's a Blackjack Rio Grande Camp knife.They don't make that model anymore, but several other companies make a similar knife with the same name.

[TheBloodyHoliday]

i litterally have atleast all of the same knives he does lol im a collector haha

[broadstreetbully2138]

whats up bud was that sp 53 half flat or half hollow ground? nice vid, you should try an esee junglas its the best mix between bowie and machete, its also american made and and has excellent heat treat and warrenty.the crowl may out chop it just slightly but the junglas is a better slasher and im sure tougher if seen the vice destruction test, not to mention the way it feels in your hand

[TuhonBillMcg]

@broadstreetbully2138 I've owned two esees which I really liked. Someday I'll have to put a junglas on my Christmas list.

[raggedbreath]

American Male! Conqueror of all!

In all seriousness though, pretty informative post...

[raggedbreath]

American Male! Conqueror of all!

[redbelt62299]

Dude best knife vid ever I got one of those browning barkers reallyyyyy good choice

[donze52]

this was a great video

a real treat for blade lovers

donze52 films

[MyPoison77]

DUDE YOU`R AWSOME!! I LOVE YOU`R KNIVES! AWSOME VID BRO

[mickeymittermeier]

How do you feel about the SOG Creed as a survival knife?

[RatifiedCow]

@mickeymittermeier ...It would make a GREAT survival knife...and you'd look DAMN GOOD doing it too!!!

[TuhonBillMcg]

@mickeymittermeier The SOG Creed uses AUS 8 steel, which is considered one of the less expensive steels for manufacturers to use. The Creed is way over priced for the steel SOG is using. Also, I am not fond of using a hollow grind on a large chopping blade. Better spend half the price of a Creed and go with a tool steel blade from Ontario or Kabar. If you want AUS 8 try something from Cold Steel.

[varun009]

sorry but my internet is slow and i couldn't help but notice that your kukri isn't beveled. did you just make that?

[TuhonBillMcg]

@varun009 That's a blade blank I purchased on ebay. They were made by Camillus, I believe for Cold Steel. I'll probably try my hand at forging it into a blade one day.

[varun009]

@TuhonBillMcg no need for that just bevel it and make a stack handle ans you should be good.

[fetus2genius1]

You don't need a 100+ knife. Just get marine raider

[potctk]

@fetus2genius1 is that the one with the brown handle and black lines? i was trying to get one, imm thnking about geting it tomaro

[newtubetubetube]

This is why the tang angle should be rounded. An habaki should be use to 'square' it back for supporting the handle. Unfortunately, that deassign feature seem to be forgotten by all but traditional Asian swordsmith...

[Terratracks]

I  do like my gerber gator folding saw good accessory for my vital stove.

[TishRRollings]

I am a female interested greatly in bush-craft, hunting, and taxidermy. Your insight on knives helped me a lot. Thank you.

[TuhonBillMcg]

@TishRRollings Do you belong to the BushcraftUSA forum? If not I highly recommend it as a great resource for information on outdoor skills.

[Terratracks]

It should also be mentioned that an arc in the blade makes a better chopper as at just about any angle you have the contact point with the curve or arc similar to that of an axe .A Parang is a good example (*NOT* B.Grills Parang by Gerber).A small straight edge blade is good for bushcraft.

[TuhonBillMcg]

@Terratracks Well said. My favorite large blades (the Browning Competition knife, the Cold Steel Barong, etc) all have a continuous curve on the edge. I passed on the Cold Steel Laredo bowie because it didn't have that curve.

[ayokay123]

Good video. One thing you should have focused on is how you're gonna be carrying these blades. It's one thing if you're car camping, and quite another if you're gonna be carrying these blades on all day hikes for 2-4 days. When weight is a consideration, you need to go with the lightest blade combos that will do the job. Personally, I carry a pocket chain saw, a 6" Fallkniven A1, and a backup leatherman multitool or pocket knife of some sort. It's a lightweight package, but there's no machete.

[TuhonBillMcg]

@ayokay123 You have a valid point. Here are the weights of the some of the tools/knives you and I carry.

Pocket chain saw: 4.5 to 6.5 pounds for the Supreme Products models

Fallkniven A1: 12 oz

Leatherman Wave 8.5 oz (you didn't say which model you carry, but the Wave is their most popular

Browning Competition knife: 17.4 oz (if I didn't have this knife I would carry the BK2 and a small machete)

Becker BK2: 14.6 oz

Ontario 12" Machete 16oz

Carona Folding Saw 7 oz

[ayokay123]

@TuhonBillMcg Not quite sure which pocket chainsaw you're using, but the Supreme Pocket Chainsaw weighs 6 OUNCES, not pounds. Same goes for The Unbelievable Chainsaw, also 6 oz. By the way, I have the Leatherman Charge TTI, which is a bit heavier than I'd like. I need to get a lighter model. I own the Unbelieveable Pocket Chainsaw, but here's the one from Supreme.

Lastly, somebody who's REALLY good with their knife skills can actually make do with a 4 incher, believe it or not. Not me, though

[TuhonBillMcg]

@ayokay123 LOL!!! When I went to the Supreme Products website, i read the weight for the bulk pack of 12 saws :-) I thought the saw sounded strangely heavy and had an image of a yard of real chain saw blade. Now your choice in saw makes a lot more sense.

[ayokay123]

@TuhonBillMcg Too funny!!! Sounds like something "I" would do. :D

[TuhonBillMcg]

@ayokay123 I've come to the realization that after 50 years of age, there are some things I just shouldn't do after midnight. Reading fine print on a webpage is one of them.

[TuhonBillMcg]

@ayokay123 Yes, the classic camping tool trio is a folding saw, a small axe and a small knife. I just like to include a machete to cut a way through the thorny wild roses we have where I live and to cut cattails and other reeds for bedding (Nesmuk may have used pine boughs for his bedding, but I feel a lot less guilty using grasses). A long, lightweight blade makes both of those jobs easier. As the man said, we don't go to the woods to rough it, we go to smooth it. We get enough rough at home.

[ayokay123]

@TuhonBillMcg So true. Hey, if you truly need a machete to cut thorny stuff, cattails, reeds, etc., no other tool than a machete will sacrifice. Yep, it all depends on where you're tryin' to "survive". I have an Esee Junglas and a Busse Bushwacker Mistress, both for shits and giggles. I hardly use either. If I think I might need a machete, I use a cheap $20 kukhri, which works like a charm......and do I care if I lose it? Nope.

[ayokay123]

@ayokay123 Ooops....meant to say "will suffice" instead of "will sacrifice" in the first sentence. Yep, it's getting to be past my bedtime.

[TuhonBillMcg]

@ayokay123 Have you tried other packable saws besides the pocket chain saw? If so, I'm sure people would be interested in a side by side review between the various options. I'm assuming you find it out cuts a much lighter folding saw by enough to overcome the weight penalty. The only models I've found were from Supreme Products and they seem fairly heavy. Are they worth their weight in cutting ability?

[ayokay123]

@TuhonBillMcg Bill, I've tried a few of the more popular folding/packable saws, and each has its pros and cons. There are a bunch of youtube comparos. The reasons I prefer the pocket chainsaw on a 2-4 day trip are weight, tiny size, and the ability to balance the workload across my back and both arms, not just a single arm. Now, have I ever spent HOURS at a time using any of them? NO. At most, I'll saw 5-10 pieces, baton some more, get bored, then put the thing away. It's all in the leverage.

[truemonster1]

what is the kukhri on the far right, on the top?

[TuhonBillMcg]

@truemonster1 That's a discontinued Cold Steel Kukri from the early 90's; the MTC Kukri #35MT (Mini Terrain Chopper).

[truemonster1]

@TuhonBillMcg thats what i thought, i always wanted one of those. with the 9 inch blade right? i loooove cold steel.

[TheEnglishRedneck45]

Sorry if you mention the name of the knives I am about to ask about, volume is down low and it's the middle of the night! At 0:37 at the bottom of the screen? And 1:32 at bottom of the screen again?

[wmd44110]

I have that small Corona saw and I LOVE it!

[TuhonBillMcg]

@willerd2009 If I was buying new knives, then a machete and the Becker BK2. The machete would give me both good reach and a thin blade for fine work or to chop into wood on the side grain (to cut it to length). The BK2 is built like a tank and is great for splitting wood on the end grain. Between the two, I would have tools that mimic a felling axe, a splitting axe, a draw knife and a carving knife. Check out the great machete mods video from Colhane on my favorites list on my channel page.

[itzchucknorris1]

can you buy sheaths for machete

[TuhonBillMcg]

@itzchucknorris1 You can buy a separate sheath from Ontario and a few other manufacturers. Of course, there are also custom sheath makers out there. I quick Google search for "machete sheath for sale" turned up a bunch of places that sell machete sheaths.

[branm008]

Great video on machete usefullness. I myself when i do my 3 day solo trips into the woods here in northern georgia i take my Mora Bushcraft Triflex as my fixed blade and my Tramontina 16 inch top heavy machete. That combination of tools has served me well for about 5 years now. You dont need an axe to do your heavy work as long as you know how to use a machete.

Keep it up brother.

[Eurotrash4367]

Can you do a vid about choosing a good general purpose camp knife and discuss different blade styles (drop point/clip point/tanto etc.) and address the pro's and con's of each. It would also be helpful if you gave your recomendation on what blade lengths are good for specific tasks (batoning/skinning/etc.) This will be very helpful for novices like me. Thanks.

[TuhonBillMcg]

@Eurotrash4367 I have a few more videos to do on other subjects, but I will make your request the next one I do on outdoor knives.

[HomoGnosticus]

I think best combination is to carry a large knife and a small knife, while the latter can even be a light weight folder.

[ITSMETHEFLASH]

@HomoGnosticus I agree 100%. I used to carry an Estwing sportsman axe or a large bowie( old saw mill blade knife) a Buck 110 or Gerber Gator.I find I like a big knife/hatchet and a smaller knife combo even though it weighs much more than a medium sized fixed knife.When you need a big knife you need a big knife(wood chopping splitting/emergency defense)- you NEED it and when you need a smaller knife(skinning/delicate work) you NEED it.

[ItsThatScienceKid]

Is a Cold Steel Kukri a good survival / camping blade?

[TuhonBillMcg]

@ItsThatScienceKid Their full weight Kukris are a bit heavy for my taste. If you are going to carry something of that weight, then you may as well pack an axe.

I do like the shape of Cold Steel's magnum Kukri, unfortunately its made of the thinner, flexable stock that their machetes manufactured in South African have. If their Chinese manufactured line of machetes goes back into production with a magnum machete I'll be the first in line to order one.

[ItsThatScienceKid]

@TuhonBillMcg Thanks for the feedback. I agree. With the weight it has, I'm better off bringing an axe

[TuhonBillMcg]

@TuhonBillMcg I recently got a new Cold Steel magnum Kukri after hearing that the company had made some upgrades. I found it to be an excellent blade for its cost and probably the best balanced machete that I own.

[EDINBURGSTAR]

Great info on this cutting implements. Thanks

[JasonMBalt]

personaly i love rat knives my favroite being the 5c-6 good sized blade decent thickness strong as hell blade and you just cant beat thier unconditional warranty. cut it in half with a hack saw and they will send you a new one

[bassfuryvi]

serious inventory of kit sir!! plenty of cold steel in there too!!

[Gir200]

@bassfuryvi Cold Steel is quality

[envirosponsible]

Just found your channel and now have a lot of catching up to do. What do you think about carbon vs stainless?

[TuhonBillMcg]

@envirosponsible I like stainless for folders and carbon steel (AKA Tool steel) for fixed blade knives. Most of my folders are worn in a pocket where protection from rust is important. Tool steel can take impact and lateral stress better. You need to go to the higher end stainless steels (laminates like Fallkniven uses or high tech mixes like Busse knives INFI) to come close to what an inexpensive tool steel will do.

[TuhonBillMcg]

@TuhonBillMcg Do a Google search for Knife Steel Chart and read Joe Talmadge's excellent explanation of steels commonly used for knives.

[TheLajoieride]

unless you're in salt water, always carbon.

[TheLajoieride]

As a general rule, unless you are in saltwater, carbon steels are the way to go. Some high end stainless steels are decent, but for the money and accessibility, there's no contest, especially for hard use knives and survival knives. Some of my favorite spring and tool steels are S7, O1, 1095, and 5160.

[TuhonBillMcg]

What steel should you choose? Stainless steel is more brittle and a bit harder to sharpen in the field than carbon steel, so for a large survival blade choose carbon steel. However, as the size goes up, the carbon content should go down. Thus the 1085 carbon steel used in the Browning Competition knife is a good compromise between the edge holding of 1095 (used by Kabar and Rat Cutlery) and the impact resistance of 1055 (used by Cold Steel in their swords).

-Tuhon Bill McGrath

[HYBRIDCOMBATIVES]

@TuhonBillMcg that is totally dependant on what type of steel used and heat treat process and final temper. I am a custom knife maker as well and ALL steel is "carbon" steel. Considerations need to be based on the balance of the alloys in the steel. 1095 is a good balanced steel for edge retention vs. toughness tempered in the 58-60 RC range. A2 tool steel is what I make most of my knives in (Spartan Bladecraft).

[HYBRIDCOMBATIVES]

@TuhonBillMcg that browning Barker/Crowell is a smooth knife. I built a similar bowie blade at 11 inches (cutting surface) 1/4 inch at spine with burly maple scales for a guy in Alabama using A2 Steel. It was differentially tempered to absord shock at the choil area. I would assume cost stops factory manufacturing from using A2..

[TuhonBillMcg]

@HYBRIDCOMBATIVES A2 is a great tool steel. My guess is that 1085 was used in the Barker/Crowell because Browning had the knife made in Taiwan and 1085 is more forgiving under factory conditions to heat treat than an air cooled steel like A2 (especially differentially tempered, as you did it). If you have a video of your knife in action at outdoor tasks, I'd be happy to link to it here.Sound like a great blade.

[HYBRIDCOMBATIVES]

@TuhonBillMcg all i got now are pictures... I may have the email of the guy that i built if for... I'll Dig.......... Love your videos on PTK great stuff.

[tanerofies]

@HYBRIDCOMBATIVES What's the process for differentially air hardening A2?

[HYBRIDCOMBATIVES]

@TuhonBillMcg but i LOVE the becker/Ka-Bar BK2..... I carry it in the field constantly.

[TuhonBillMcg]

@HYBRIDCOMBATIVES The BK2 is the knife that goes in my day hike pack. It delivers a lot of punch for its length.

[TuhonBillMcg]

@TuhonBillMcg See my comparison of the BK2 with the Cold Steel Rajah on my channel page.

[SEAMOKTactical]

I use the Becker Knife and Tool Combat utility. It is a bit bigge than the one shown here and sturdy as hell. That matched with a good Gerber Machete works well....nice break down Bill..thanks

[v8einstein]

very nice tuhon! how much did your browning barker cost you?

[TuhonBillMcg]

@v8einstein

I paid $100 for it from an online store.

[TuhonBillMcg]

How to choose a Bowie or Camp knife for camping or survival use.

An axe, small knife and machete combination would serve you better if you have the room in your pack, but if you want to carry just one tool, try a well balanced camp knife.

The use of these and other outdoor tools will be taught at the 2010 PTI Summer Camp. For more info go to the pekiti website.