Pick Your Survival Knife Carefully

The main tool for surviving an emergency situation in the wilderness environment which is specifically designed for this is your survival knife. It can be used for many survival tasks, trapping, skinning, cutting wood, and others.

When Looking to buy a Survival Knife there are 4 key aspects to look for:

1) The Tang of the Blade
2)The Blade Material
3)The Blade Shape/Design
4)The Handle

TANG
The tang is the part of the blade that goes into the handle. The best knife will be constructed of one piece of metal, that piece will run down through the handle. On the sides of the metal will be a high quality material that will form the handle. This style of tang is known as "full tang" or "narrow tang". Because of the support and durability of having a "full tang" you should always look for this in a survival knife. Cheap knives will have a blade that is separate from a handle severely lowering the durability of the knife.

BLADE MATERIAL
The two main steels that are used in high quality survival blades are Stainless Steel and Carbon Steel. Stainless Steel blades are rust resistant and work well in wet environment. A stainless steel blade tends to require less care than Carbon Steel. A downside with Stainless Steel they are more difficult to sharpen. Carbon Steel blades will never rust if used regularly or coated. Survival Knives with Carbon Steel usually tend to hold a sharper edge longer than stainless steel. The harder the material of the blade will hold and edge longer.

BLADE SHAPE AND DESIGN
The choice of a straight blade or a serrated one is still under debate. When looking at a straight blade keep in mind the benefits that it is much easier to sharpen. A serrated blade can cut rope easier, but almost always requires a special type of sharpener. Some survival knives will come with a straight blade as the main cutting edge with a serrated edge on the back. If you are looking for both types of blade design this is a great choice.

THE HANDLE
The type of handle on survival knives can vary widely. Some knives will come with a hollow handle, while this can come in handy you are sacrifice having a knife with a "full tang." The actual handles can be made from rubber or other types of polymers. Some handles are metal that are wrapped in rubber. The handle should be grooved, checkered or knurled to fit your hand. A smooth handle can get slippery and dangerous to use.

Choosing a good survival knife can be a challenge. With a little research and knowledge you can be confident in your choice.

Tom is passionate about the outdoors and all it has to offer. If you want to know more about the type of Survival Knives out there, please visit:
http://www.mysurvivalknife.com

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