Cold Steel & Survival (10 Reward Points)

My carbon V kukri...  reasons similar to other posters, it's a do-it-all blade...

superdave

For me personally, it would have to be the 18” Bowie Machete and for the very simple reason that there is a very good, proven reason that Armies still use this style more than any other on the markets, even today (basing off of the U.S. Army here). They can do just about whatever any other Machete or survival tool of the same can do, albeit with a little more effort than say, the Kukri, but it also doubles up as a versatile and very effective assault weapon in a sticky situation thanks to it’s sticker point and back-edge. When the bullets run out all bets are off with this beauty!
 
Oh, and because it is the ONLY blade I currently own and could afford. So I might just be a little bias, but this is why I specifically chose to invest this blade in the first place: versatility.

If the "survival situation" was in one of the wilderness areas I normally frequent, then hands down I would choose the Bushman. Reason why: it worked last time.

If I was going by what I currently own, it would be my Bushman.  If I could chose any product then it would have to be a Carbon V Kukri.  I love that blade.

Personally I would go with a Bushman but I have not tried many of the others yet...
It became a personal favourite from first use

The unforgivable crime is soft hitting.  Do not hit at all if it can be avoided; but never hit softly.  ~Theodore Roosevelt ~

Any of the 7" bowie knife. No knife with weird curve since they are impossible to sharpen in field.

The Bushman for its versatility, camp knife, utility knife, spear if necessary ( that's why I just ordered a few more ;^)

About a month ago I would have said the Trail Master backed up by a Recon Scout.
Now, my Laredo Bowie and my Recon Tanto are about to arrive... ;)

San Mai III Trail master Bowie.  Large Bowie is my choose one tool.  I know it I like it, it's a proven design, espescialy in this country.  Second choice would be a San Mai III Kukri, another great design.  Third choice a Trail boss ax.  I can use any of these to make virtually all my other absolutely needed tools.

I'm not going to go with a machete as I don't like the thinness of the blade in a choose one tool situation.  If I was in a jungle or rainforest then I may go with a machete.  Much of this question is terrain specific.

SF shovel and bushman. pretty much covers all bases.

"Next to a battle lost, the greatest misery is a battle won."  Sir Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington.

"The problem with arguing with a Donkey is, it gets you nowhere and irritates the Donkey" Brother Grimm

I'll just follow Nick and let him do all the work!

As of today, my choice would be my SRK, SF Shovel and a Rajah.

Now all I have to do is buy an SF Shovel and a Rajah and I'll be set!

C'mon Nick!  You shoulda had that fire going an hour ago.

Never go camping with a drunken Englishman.  All they wanna do is sit around and drink their pints of Guiness!

 
               

guiness is an irishmans drink. we english drink lager or ale, im for ale. cant beat a cold badgers champian golden ale.

not sure about the new avatar, looks rediculously phsycotic!

"Next to a battle lost, the greatest misery is a battle won."  Sir Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington.

"The problem with arguing with a Donkey is, it gets you nowhere and irritates the Donkey" Brother Grimm

Auszie


For me personally, it would have to be the 18” Bowie Machete and for the very simple reason that there is a very good, proven reason that Armies still use this style more than any other on the markets, even today (basing off of the U.S. Army here). They can do just about whatever any other Machete or survival tool of the same can do, albeit with a little more effort than say, the Kukri, but it also doubles up as a versatile and very effective assault weapon in a sticky situation thanks to it’s sticker point and back-edge. When the bullets run out all bets are off with this beauty!

Oh, and because it is the ONLY blade I currently own and could afford. So I might just be a little bias, but this is why I specifically chose to invest this blade in the first place: versatility.

I may be wrong but I think the U.S. Military uses a Latin style Machete. Since they haven't issued them in a war since Vietnam I am not completely sure.

http://zombiehuntersmarinecorps.wetpaint.com/

Little Nick


guiness is an irishmans drink. we english drink lager or ale, im for ale. cant beat a cold badgers champian golden ale.

not sure about the new avatar, looks rediculously phsycotic!

Sorry about that Nick.. I didn't mean to insult the Irish like that!
 
About my new avatar...That is ME and I am ridiculously psychotic!
 
You say it as if that is a bad thing.
 
I don't suffer from mental illness...I enjoy every minute of it!
 
BTW, I like a big, ice cold bottle of Arrogant Bastard Ale the most.
 
Yeah. I know. The name fits.

 
               

i would bring a heavy machete with me, its broad blade can serve many purposes.

Since I ALWAYS have Lawman or 4" Voyager on me no matter what I'm doing or what I'm wearing, that's one blade by default. After that, if I must pick just one, it would have to be a mar temp Trailmaster. With those with me there would practically nothing I couldn't handle.

...Fear no' the dark, my sword's a'standin' by;
My arms b' skill't an' strong, the'll swing i' righ'...

Beware the fury of a patient man.

If I had to choose one CS blade from my collection, I'd take my LTC Khukri.
I've used it to build shelters, light fires, skin and dress game, carve trap triggers and even spoons for eating.
It splits wood for the fire nicely and above all is comfortable to use.
I've used large bowie style blades, and this simply outperforms them by an order of magnitude

If the thought of doing something makes me giggle for more than 20 seconds, I should assume I'm not allowed to do it.
Skippy's List, Item 87

Cold Steel CSK, great all around knife.

Bushman.

It is heavy duty enough to baton with, and you can hold stuff in its sheath, and the handle, and can make a spear, for hunting, and to throw it just as a knife.

I would suggest the Special Forces shovel. I carry one in my truck’s tool box and it always goes with me camping. Last summer I chopped wood for the camp fire. I showed my kids how to make a dugout lean to shelter out of branches, I only used the shovel, cleared a fire pit, and I actually killed a cotton tail at a 12 foot throw. The handle was what actually hit the animal and broke its back. Hey I was pretty proud, it was only my 15^th try or so over the weekend.

I have used Cold Steel knives for 20 years, and I have carried all manner of designs by Cold Steel.  However, for 18 years I never, not once, forgot my Carbon V War Head when out in the bush.  It is not only my choice for perfect survival knife, it is my only choice for survival tool in the world.  When I say bush, I mean bush, no less than 20 miles from the nearest human structure, and usually three or four times that.  I have used it for making bows and arrows, darts and atlatls in the wild, rendering fibers from bark and grasses, building shelters, spearing pigs, filleting fish, skinning big and small game, digging footholds in trees and sandstone cliffs etc.  It cut down any tree i needed under 8 inches in diameter.  Not only these things, but I used it in my work as a framer - it made a great hammer, nail puller, and shingle trimmer all those years!  It was also my only bow making tool even years after I bought a draw knife from Ox-Head.  I used it in the Florida Keys as my dive knife, year after year.  Yes it rusted, but once the first eighth-inch of rust got built up, it progressed no further.  It was not only its do-it-all design that makes it not just the perfect survival knife, but the fact that for 16 years I didn't need to sharpen it, hone it, strop it, or pay any attention to the edge.  My family and friends can vouch for this.  I feel that I can depend on no other knife to do the same work as versatile as this knife was.  It was recently stolen, in 2008 last time I moved.  My hat's off in memory of the best knife in the world.

sorrel


I have used Cold Steel knives for 20 years, and I have carried all manner of designs by Cold Steel.  However, for 18 years I never, not once, forgot my Carbon V War Head when out in the bush.  It is not only my choice for perfect survival knife, it is my only choice for survival tool in the world.  When I say bush, I mean bush, no less than 20 miles from the nearest human structure, and usually three or four times that.  I have used it for making bows and arrows, darts and atlatls in the wild, rendering fibers from bark and grasses, building shelters, spearing pigs, filleting fish, skinning big and small game, digging footholds in trees and sandstone cliffs etc.  It cut down any tree i needed under 8 inches in diameter.  Not only these things, but I used it in my work as a framer - it made a great hammer, nail puller, and shingle trimmer all those years!  It was also my only bow making tool even years after I bought a draw knife from Ox-Head.  I used it in the Florida Keys as my dive knife, year after year.  Yes it rusted, but once the first eighth-inch of rust got built up, it progressed no further.  It was not only its do-it-all design that makes it not just the perfect survival knife, but the fact that for 16 years I didn't need to sharpen it, hone it, strop it, or pay any attention to the edge.  My family and friends can vouch for this.  I feel that I can depend on no other knife to do the same work as versatile as this knife was.  It was recently stolen, in 2008 last time I moved.  My hat's off in memory of the best knife in the world.

That is a great testament to the War Head's capability.
 
It makes me wannna go home and hug my War Head and tell it how much I love it.
 
Hope you get another one to last for 20 more years.
 
A moment of silence for your lost blade.

 
               

most definatley a san mari kukri

"A sword is never a killer, it is a tool in the killer's hands."
-Seneca
"Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory"
-General George S. Patton

Survival for me would have to be broken down into two different catagories, urban and wilderness.
 
For the urban survival, I have gone with a Hatamoto folder.  Being an urban environment, staying as grey as possible is important, and the more concealed, the better (IMHO).  Along with some other things on my belt, the Hatamoto fits into one side of a Bianchi double stack mag pouch(the other side has a Leathermen).   There is just one purpose for this knife, and it ain't for whittling wood.
 
For a wilderness survival, I have gone with a Trail Master.  Used for just about everything along the trail or in camp.
 
Thanks,
gb

Gatorbait, good point about urban.  I think I would stick with my vaquero for urban.

Hmmm.  A double mag pouch to carry two knives?

I like that idea!  How many knives can I carry at one time?

Let's see...I could probably put 8 or more pouches on my belt and I have 5 pockets...

But seriously...that really is a good idea!  I carry my 4" Ti-Lite in an old Gerber multi-tool pouch when wearing my dress slacks, so your idea is an upgrade to that one.

 
               

I would take the CS shovel.  Very practical.

fox


Gatorbait, good point about urban.  I think I would stick with my vaquero for urban.

Hey Fox,
 
Sounds like you have a mixture of Hot lead and cold steel there.
 
"Hot lead and Cold Steel", I like that.  Almost as good as the CS poker table marketing pictures of the 80's.  Do they still run those?
Hehehe...
 

bbbb


Hmmm.  A double mag pouch to carry two knives?

I like that idea!  How many knives can I carry at one time?

Let's see...I could probably put 8 or more pouches on my belt and I have 5 pockets...

But seriously...that really is a good idea!  I carry my 4" Ti-Lite in an old Gerber multi-tool pouch when wearing my dress slacks, so your idea is an upgrade to that one.

Hey 4b,
 
I am waiting for a smart leathermaker to make a pouch that works with a knife, multitool, and torch(and of course the option of 3 knives).
 
Take Care,
gb

Gatorbait

bbbb


Hmmm.  A double mag pouch to carry two knives?

I like that idea!  How many knives can I carry at one time?

Let's see...I could probably put 8 or more pouches on my belt and I have 5 pockets...

But seriously...that really is a good idea!  I carry my 4" Ti-Lite in an old Gerber multi-tool pouch when wearing my dress slacks, so your idea is an upgrade to that one.

Hey 4b,
 
I am waiting for a smart leathermaker to make a pouch that works with a knife, multitool, and torch(and of course the option of 3 knives).
 
Take Care,
gb

 
And don't forget the cigars!