Survival vs Bushcraft Knives. What is the Difference?

[@chriskourliourod1651]

In my experience, a good knife is a good knife, period. For the past couple of seasons, I used a mora HD carbon companion to thoroughly field-process numerous deer along with deboning and quartering the meat. You don’t have to split the pelvis-use your knife to follow where the meat meets the bone and then eventually sever the tendon holding the ball joint together. Freeing the hindquarters this way eliminates worrying about the bladder and colon, and you can thank a Greek butcher for this valuable information.

[@johnnyh-pay5843]

I agree, since I’ve done the same with a similar grind Helle puukko-like belt knife on caribou and moose. I’ll add though that I like having a second thinner bladed boning style knife in my pack mainly for getting out back straps and tender loins.

[@chriskourliourod1651]

You’re right about the thinner blade having its purpose. I was experimenting with trying to go as light as possible without sacrificing efficiency, and I found that particular mora to be excellent for my big-game kit. Since I do more scouting and hunting than anything else, I laid out all of my gear and eliminated what was unnecessary: the “two is one and one is none “ rule is okay for home, camp, and vehicle; but it’s bs in the woods. When I was a kid, I once carried a fully loaded pack while rabbit hunting. That woke me up.

[@johnharris8191]

Correct, A knife is a knife, aka a piece of seel.

[@howardvarley8795]

This video is supposedly about bushcraft vs survival. What has butchering a deer got to do with that? Butchering a dead deer has got sweet f.a. to do with bushcraft or Survival. A good knife is anything you have on you that will cut!!

[@johnharris8191]

@@howardvarley8795 What does it have to do with survival you ask? Try eating.

[@SixFoe_86]

This has been the best explanation to differentiate between the categories of “survival” vs “bushcraft” I’ve seen on YT.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks! I’m glad it was useful info

[@FidoHouse]

I agree. I've watched several others. Now, I feel I really understand. Clear and helpful "Description" notes as well.

[@itiswhatitis1775]

So this is the way I describe the difference between survival and bushcraft to my kids… “survival is when you have to and bushcraft is when you want to” …you name it. Eat, build, create, gather, explore. And the more you learn the more the distinction matters less.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Good distinction. Thanks for sharing your thoughts

[@dennisleighton2812]

I saw a similar one the other day: Survival is like getting back from .... , while bushcraft is going out to ....., in order to get the skills to get back from! I thought that was quite cool.

[@LegendarySkypenis]

With that logic any knife you have on hand is the survival knife.

[@booneprock4952]

“The more it matters less” sounds like a Ron burgundy quote

[@BobanMisevic]

I have had alox Swiss Army knife since 1988. It did everything I needed knife for : camping, fishing, hunting, cooking you name it. Had to replace it a few years back due to blade becoming too tin and small from sharpening. My new knife is alox pioneer x . Add Maglite solitaire and bic mini lighter and that is all I need.

[@MrPloppy1]

I carry a Spartan SAK, a Maglite Solitaire and a Fischer space pen in a leather pocket organizer that I received as a gift. I thought it would be gimmicky but it turns out to be the most comfortable way to carry those items in my pocket. Keeps everything flat against my thigh. Pretty cheap on Amazon too. Very sensible knife and light. You can whip out a SAK in public without causing a panic, and the Solitaire has pretty good battery life and is just bright enough to get the job done without disturbing anything outside the immediate area.

[@paulhorn24]

@@MrPloppy1You should repost this comment as a main comment - hiding here as a reply comment is a little pity because your comment is very good

[@Swizzle9708]

Swiss Army knives are aswome and they ceramic get a lot of praise for it but the really are a ultimate everyday tool k

[@hithere5553]

Might want to consider a custom Sak build with a scalpel holder. You can buy blades dirt cheap and you can just change the blade when it gets dull.

[@jamesparker6383]

The best knife in my opinion is the one you have on ya when you need one . Just saying . I know that a number of people will disagree with me but I like a hollow grind . Back in the late sixties and early seventies I carried the Puma White Hunter it got me through 18 months of Vietnam and it still serves me today .

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Hollow grid is great for a lot of tasks! Thanks for your thoughts

[@druggz4451]

Until you find yourself in the middle of a gunfight which spontaneously erupted.

[@dksparticles3187]

I really like what you said about materials. Obviously there is the constant back and forth between carbon vs stainless for the blades, but I never considered the sheath materials as well. I knew that the main advantage or the fallkniven zytel was that it is waterproof and that it has some intentional play of the blade so that if it gets wet and freezes, it would allow you to get the blade out. I haven’t considered resistance to fuel, oil, fire, etc as the strenghts of the sheath.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks for the thoughts. In my experience sheath material can have a big role to play. I remember my bark river bushcraft blade becoming completely useless to me on the second day of a trip because the day before the snow soaked the sheath and rusted up my knife overnight. But also yeah in any scenario you can imagine, there are also elements that would destroy a leather sheath. Even spray paint for cars can damage leather

[@MovieGuy666]

zytel is just plastic.

[@dksparticles3187]

@@MovieGuy666 saying that is like saying “it’s just steel” for anything that is made by it. It would imply that knives and pots are made from the same stuff. Not all plastics are equal

[@MrAstronus]

carbon steel for my razor blades, stainless for all others...

[@dennisleighton2812]

Some thoughts: Firstly, I thought about what the woodsmen of a century ago carried out in the wild. Generally, they seem to have preferred a large, heavy-bladed knife that could be used to perform many and various tasks about the camp and in the wilderness - often this would be like a bowie knife. In the business of living in the wild, finesse didn't often carry a high priority; for example fine, evenly spaced feathersticks etc. Secondly, I thought of the chef in the kitchen. How many chefs (or cooks) normally rely on only one knife? Very few. They would have several - each of them the best for a specific task. Thirdly, I thought of how one would actually end up in a survival situation (excluding aeroplane pilots). Usually (but not exclusively) it would be the result of a trip away from "civilization" where something went wrong and they are now in IT! This would logically presuppose that, prior to such an adventure, there would have been some sort of preparation phase, and consideration about what kit to take along. I think this is a reasonable and logical deduction. One could therefore accommodate a proper knife selection. Also other tools, eg a folding saw, or possible an axe. Taking all this in account, it seems to me that an adventurer (just like a chef) would consider what would be needed for what purposes and plan accordingly. I would think a prudent adventurer would select more than one knife: possibly a large knife (like a Cold Steel Trail Master), a medium size knife (like a Cold Steel SRK (or ESEE 4), and a smaller knife, say a Mora Skandi grind knife. He/she might even have a SAK and/or Leatherman on his/her belt. The "only ONE knife" scenario is a popular one for the sake of discussion and debate, but with little practical application. Also, with this all in mind, it would mean that each knife choice could have the specific grind choice one would prefer for the particular application, instead of relying on one grind for all jobs. In the words of that great man Lord Baden Powell (founder of the Boy Scouts movement), "Be prepared!" In all this there is not, of course, only one CORRECT answer, as personal preference will always play a major decision-making role.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks for your response here! I agree with you on almost all of that and no there is not one correct answer. Personally I’ve never adhered to the one tool option, preferring to carry at least a folding saw, and a small axe depending on the type of trip and camping style. Usually I’ll have a few pieces from my carving kit with me too (mora 106). So absolutely each to their own. I wanted to make this video to try and simplify some of the terms people that are new to all this might be coming up against and not really knowing where to start! Great comment! thanks again

[@dennisleighton2812]

@@artoftheoutdoors Point taken, and a job well done. On the inclusion of the axe - if weight is in any way an issue, I'd ditch the axe first. One can split logs quite well using wooden wedges (using that nice CS Trail Master to make them) and some time. If one is camping out and have a vehicle, then an axe is very handy (and I enjoy using them!) However, some sort of saw is an absolute - you MUST have one! Thank you for the time taken to respond.

[@mannihh5274]

Thank god, you didn't live a century ago, you'd have a hard time to survive in the wild. If you make fire with the flint-and-steel-method, because ferrorods and lighters weren't invented yet, making excellent feathersticks is absolutely essential. As knives were quite expensive that time, most people couldn't afford more than one, so they purchased the biggest affordable one - that would not often be a Bowie, much more likely an Old Hickory or a Hudson Bay Company Knife.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

@@mannihh5274 I'm well practiced with fint and steel. Charcloth or amadou processing skills would probably be more valuable than making feathersticks, especially here in Finland where the primary tinder source is birch bark. Also, I wasnt saying I cant make a featherstick, I'm saying its more difficult for a beginner with a flat or sabre grind. Thanks for your feedback though

[@mannihh5274]

@@artoftheoutdoors - I'm living in Germany and finding amadou is not that easy here, and for charcloth you have to sacrifice the cloth, which was expensive then. Feathersticks are free and available everywhere. We have often quite some wind here, so it's really challenging to start a fire with fine materials, that easily get blown away.

[@bikemannc]

Excellent definitions and Very helpful. I've been involved for many seasons in wilderness survival and yours is the first to detail the why's and what's between Bush crafting & Survival; thanks again

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Glad you enjoyed it!!

[@chrisbarrett2761]

Great clear explanation on the basic differences in outdoor knives. So many people buy their first knives and select the 2nd best choice. Great quality video Fella.👊

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for your feedback man. Means a lot coming from yourself

[@papimaximus95]

The term "survival" knife is a marketing ploy. Survive what? Inevitably, someone talks about a survival knife and then proceeds to talk about chopping wood for a shelter, processing firewood or killing a bear with their bare hands. No one has needed to do those things to "survive" in 125 years. 80% of Americans live in an urban area. People really mean is they want a "wilderness" or "back country" all-in-one knife. Let's be honest, If I told you I was going to drop you off in the middle of nowhere and made you pick a "survival" blade, you would select an axe, not a knife, 10 out of 10 times.

[@VincentBalmont]

​@@papimaximus95interesting, most of the contestants on Alone choose a knife

[@papimaximus95]

@@VincentBalmont Define "Most"? For Seasons 1-8 there were a total of 77 participants. Of those 55 selected a knife while 66 and 67 selected a saw or axe, respectively. That is 87% saw/axe vs 71% knife.

[@mikafoxx2717]

Very true. Only if you carry it every day and are constant driving on logging roads or something in the middle of nowhere, will you ever tisk having to use it. Get a mora companion and just use the thing. Knife is a knife and handy however you use it. ​@@papimaximus95

[@Azoth5876]

Nice to see someone repping a Marttinni knife! Ive had one that i purchased in Lapland when i was 12. Used it daily as a teenager growing up in a 3rd world tropical country and now it comes with me on my camping and hiking trips 18 years later.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

They’re the standard here in Finland

[@marmadukegrimwig]

Short, sharp and straight to the point. Excellent.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

I appreciate that!

[@DavidvdGulik]

Which is also the general definition of a knife incidentally

[@ronaldmclaughlin255]

You summed it up very well .For myself I find a fine middle ground in grind material and cost with a Cold Steel SRK in V10 with a attached fire rod. In the States at gun shows around $50.00 US.

[@osok1572]

Wow that Fallkniven S1x is absolutely beautiful. After hearing you describe it I just ordered myself one. Thank you and great video 👍

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Good choice! Where did you order it from?

[@osok1572]

@@artoftheoutdoors Knife Country USA It was on sale for $211 with free shipping. It's my first time using the site but it was the best deal I could find.

[@peterandersson1230]

​@@osok1572Next time you buy a knife from Sweden, let me buy it and I will make like 70 dollars in profit.

[@JoeDebono]

Thanks for this useful summary. A while back I started an open ended trip around Australia and in the first fortnight I snapped what I thought was a “good” knife, just trimming a wedge of wood. I settled on a Spanish made Niels Lucius which I thought was a bushman’s knife but, according to your categorisation is a survival knife, with a flat grind and a very thick back that would take some effort to break. It’s a little heavy on my belt but I wouldn’t head bush without it.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks for watching joe

[@stevefisher2121]

Great informational video - very well spoken. I love the scandi grind but when I discovered the convex grind of a bark river knife I fell head over heels in love!!! Needless to say, I now own quite a few bark river knives. The Fallkniven F1 is one of the best knives ever made in my opinion. I think it makes one heck of a bushcraft knife as well. It is a very versatile knife. New sub here - love the content!!!

[@artoftheoutdoors]

I didn’t want to get to complicated in the video going into convex grids. But yes! Seriously good knives

[@rooster4669]

I’m old, Spent 24 years in the Army and even more hunting and fishing. I have used and bought so many knives. I now just use the mora garberg it’s tough and does everything I need. Not fancy but it works

[@artoftheoutdoors]

I absolutely love the Garberg. I had it with me on the day I shot this vid but it didn’t make it into the cut. Fantastic knife

[@rooster4669]

Knives will always be a personal choice. Use what you like.

[@Saxon-uz3kc]

the bk2 is a tank of a blade....a true beater,i have one along with the Terävä Jääkäripuukko 140.....both totally reliable in survival situations,great video i gave it a thumbs up

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks 😊 yeah it’s a beast of a knife I love it

[@BryanKorb]

I can’t find a Ka bar bk2 that looks like that one

[@ColinNew-pf5ix]

Thumbs up. Great delivery. Good points. You have an endearing nature, which goes beyond just the content. One important factor for which donates the difference between a bushcraft knife and a survival knife is simply the length of blade. And the reason being is when I'm batoning, I have more area to hit with the baton (striking wood). So for a proper survival knife for me I need about a seven inch blade. The longer (and chunkier) the blade the bigger the diameter of wood I can split. Hope all that is legible. Respect from England.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Good points! Thanks Colin

[@genesisreset3947]

Love the animated illustrations between the grinds! Now I know the differences after watching many so-called Bush crafters or survivalists on KZbin. Thx

[@artoftheoutdoors]

I’m glad it helps 😁

[@ColinNew-pf5ix]

I tend to carry three blades if I go off into an isolated area: 1/. My survival knife - chunky 7" blade, carried on my person 2/. A secondary splitting tool, such as small wood machete, Sherade Froe, or cleaver - carried in my hip bag or backpack 3/. A finer work blade: a Mora, or lockable folding blade, or a multitool. Usually a Scandi grind to slice, carve and shave wood. This way I have two forms of splitting wood. One is a redundant blade in case I lose my main splitting tool.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Very nice. Well prepared 🙂 I usually just have my main knife (usually a Garberg or S1X) and a saw and then a mora 106 for small camp tasks

[@Robert.Northwoods]

The BK2 is a sabre grind ground knife. This is considered as its own grind ( theoretically, it is just a very high scandi with a secondary bevel) and has different characteristics as a scandi and a flat ground knife. These scandi ground knives were of course also meant to prepare food and process meat and hide as well as wood processing.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Yeah I was thinking about that Sabre afterwards. Whether I should include that info too. But you’re totally right. in my experience there’s very little difference between that and a flat grind, except when batonning through firewood. Regarding food prep, scandis are definitely not good at that in my experience, especially veges and things. Doable? Of course, but not ideal. But skinning for sure. Thanks for the feedback

[@Robert.Northwoods]

@@1800moonSugar I disagree with both. The most Scandis I know come in true scandi. And on your second I want to remind you about blade geometry which is the most important factor in blade performance.

[@donaldpriebsch]

Scandi is the grind wich is worst for food. It it was never meant to be.

[@huejanus5505]

@@donaldpriebsch Scandis get the job done. But if you want to bring along a kitchen knife while camping, be my guest.

[@donaldpriebsch]

@@huejanus5505 i would suggest a Opinel for that job. Weights next to nothing and dont need space in your Rig.

[@ProdigalPrepper]

Honestly I thought it was good education. I’ve been looking at some camping items and this will help me figure out what I need to learn about to make a good purchase. Thank you.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thank you for watching and I’m glad it was useful

[@rodrigocappato4207]

Very nice points! I have been using my Jääkäripuukko 110 as my go to bush knife! If the apocalypse zombie comes, then I will grab my BK-7! A "survival knife" may be used as a self defense tool, so a bigger blade would be better in my opinion. Greetings from Sweden 🇸🇪

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Greetings 😁

[@alexandrebarbosa4933]

Bigger the better….a mora 2000 attached to a stick makes a long reaching spear, and the knife isn’t to big😅

[@andrewpaterson6505]

It's not the length of the content, more about the content itself, so this is really good, cheers

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Glad you enjoyed it mate

[@badgertheskinnycow]

Hey I really enjoyed this video. The topic of survival knives creates a lot of debate and your observations are a very useful addition. Thanks.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

I’m glad you enjoyed it!

[@minionman6177]

Great explanation of the design behind the scandi and flat grinds. Learned something there. Thought the scandi was only for sharpness..edge angle.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Glad it was useful to you 😊

[@czed7515]

Another strong point for fallkniven knives is that after I use my f1 and a1 to process deer and other game I boil the knife and the sheath for sanitary reasons and it works out great. I always hated sticking a bloody knife back in a leather sheath after field dressing game.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Good feedback! Thanks

[@rickmcintosh1771]

I don't do that, ever.

[@stevedriscoll2539]

When I got my first scandi-gring knife, a Mora 510 (or 511), I couldn't believe how good it was at hogging off excess wood fast. I was thinking this style of knife is the best for making a quick primitive style bow. Good video, thanks

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Exactly! Thanks for the comment Steve

[@AdrianTregoning]

Very well spoken and presented. I don't think it will take you long to reach 10k subscribers and well beyond with this sort of content. While big, heavy knives have a purpose (in a survival situation), I do find a shorter blade to have more control and practical purpose out in the bush. Bigger is not always better. But there are many factors. Greetings from Cape Town. Looking forward to more content.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

greetings! and thanks for the kind words! bigger is definitely NOT always better, you're right

[@kachiri]

I love my Morakniv Companion! Actually I have multiple of it to keep in different packs for different uses. I do use one for my food cutting at home and outdoor too. I always have this knife in the woods (on property and the in the wild). It does so much for me and holds up real well. I also like that it's not so expensive.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

They are a super solid choice

[@Hungry_Tree_Ghost]

Poll for everyone: What are the most important specs of an outdoorsman knife when choosing one? Examples: price, length, full tang, width, weight, tip type.

[@dennisleighton2812]

The easiest way to answer this question is to give my selection (Note: not ONE knife - I don't believe in that.) From that you can easily see what the specs are. Large knife: Cold Steel Trail Master San Mai III - this for the heavy work and probably carried in the pack, but not always. Belt knife: CS SRK San Mai III - this would always be on my belt, and it would be the go-to knife for most medium size tasks. Folder: Victorinox Ranger grip series - I'd consider which one depending on requirements, but must have a saw and scissors. Carried on a belt lanyard hanging in the trouser pocket. In addition, I would always carry a folding Silky saw (Pocket Boy, or Gomboy). I would not carry an axe. For me an axe is for a permanent or semi-permanent camp, or where the outing includes some mode of transport (eg horse, quad bike, or pickup truck/car.) How does that sound?

[@paulhorn24]

Full Tang

[@dennisleighton2812]

@@paulhorn24 Why? I've seen this touted by many KZbinrs, and often wondered why some are so obsessed about it? Also, "full" in what respect? Does it mean the full length of the handle, the full width of the handle, or both? For example, the Cold Steel Trail Master has neither a full length, nor full width tang, yet I've never heard of a handle snapping off at the crosspiece! Same with Falkniven knives. And both have been main stream Top 5 best knives for decades!

[@paulhorn24]

@@dennisleighton2812 obviously i can’t speak for all, but I prefer full width and full length because of the resulting weight of the half of knife which is the grip/handle. I don’t like Top-heavy knives. JM2C.

[@carlosantoniocubero6887]

Very good context. Vid length is just right, thanks.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks for the feedback

[@Alexander.Grekhov]

Hello from Ukraine here! Been 2 weeks in russian occupation in Feb-Mar 2022 (Irpin-Bucha area). Got mortar shelling and lost electricity and gas (propane, not gasoline) that is used for cooking and heating, pretty soon after the russian invasion. Knife-wise, did not need anything special. Used 1-kilo local-made axe to split wood and heat the house using the fireplace. Had a "survival" blade from Bear Grylls, but barely used it a couple of times. Stay safe. Long live Ukraine!

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks for your thoughts man! Stay safe 🤜🏻❤️🤛🏻

[@chriskourliourod1651]

I find it very saddening that two Orthodox Christian nations are at war. I have been praying for peace from the beginning. There are powers that want and need any kind of strife in order to justify their existence, and-more sooner than later-everyone will have to pick a side. It’s my fervent hope that everyone picks Jesus’s side.

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

🇬🇧✌️🇺🇦

[@doubled3983]

Hello from Oklahoma! Good Video! Explained well. Thanks!

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks !!

[@xTatsuran]

Survival knife will survive even without you and bushcraft knife will craft bushes. That's it.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

👍🏻

[@flamabr]

Excellent chat. very clear and objective. I liked it even more because I have a BK2 and ESEE 4. Two great tools. I also have the Mora for bushcraft services. Hugs from Rio de Janeiro Brazil

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thank you! I’m glad you liked it

[@KemAMP]

If you are in a city you are not in a survival situation, unless there is a civil war going on. In such case you need a gun way more than a knife.

[@blackcobra6501]

I’ve been dropped into an abandoned city for training in Africa and it was 100% a survival situation. And what about what’s going on in Ukraine?

[@artoftheoutdoors]

100% wrong mate

[@StefanStoykov]

Have you been in a car crash? How about in an armed robbery? How many earthquakes with the house falling over you have you been? How about fire in your house? .... this is from the top of my head

[@KemAMP]

@@StefanStoykov And how exactly a knife will save you from a fire or debris falling on your head? Yeah in a severe car crash a knife can cut the belt in case it is stuck, that's why I leave a knife in my car solely for that purpose. Don't get me wrong, I love knifes, I own several, and not a single firearm. Where I live you cannot carry a gun for your protection. Knives are useful in the bush and for utility uses. But they will not magically gain more functions in the case of a civil war or the zombie apocalypse !

[@A.D.D.O.C.D.T]

Not when the ammo runs out

[@1990westfalia]

Great topic, thanks for showing so many different knives for different uses. Skillet

[@gospelninja2.016]

Im really impressed with the skrama 240 with a big bow silky saw. Those two have you covered in a lot of task. But adding a swiss army ranger and maybe a light weight fix knife(was thinking the f1 cos) is as light as a mora but better than. Throw in two augers a 1" and a .35" and you got ways to build a cabin out from no where with less than 5lbs. But maybe the fix blade knife isnt needed since the swiss army ranger knife locks. But it just a creature confort to have. But then you got the weight factor. Is .3lbs worth it?

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Definitely some things to weigh uo there. Thanks for the comments

[@coldwarrior78]

Well thought out. I carry a RAT 7 as a one tool survival blade. The longer blade makes batoning through wood easier.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Nice choice! Thanks for watching

[@csh6220]

Knowing how and when to hone or sharpen your knife can make all the difference in performance, regardless of steel type. Strop your knife regularly and it will perform for you. I only sharpen when I get a knick or roll in the edge, which isn't very often. Great topic and info. Thanks! I have never been in a survival situation, and do not personally know anyone who has been in a life or death situation. You will use the knife you have with you for whatever your needs are.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Tool maintenance is absolutely essential. Agreed

[@wram1]

This was the best video I have seen covering this topic.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Wow. Thank you 😁

[@44Mag]

Great information....I had never really given the topic too much thought before. Now I will have to re-think the knives I have, and what/when I would use and carry them.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thank you. Glad it was useful to you

[@markhines]

Excellent explanation and overview. Thank you.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

I’m glad it was useful

[@knife_knut]

I like the Lionsteel T5 as a good middle ground knife (tactical/survival/bushcraft) - 5” of Niolox steel with a great micarta handle.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Yeah Lionsteel are underrated

[@HWCism]

Nice explanation. I have had the BK2 for years. Just love it for preparing a camp fire.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks! Glad you liked the video

[@davidtaylor195]

I like Moras. Affordable and work well. I bought a short blade machete from an owner who makes his own. They use spring stock steel, shape and sharpen. Wooden handles and sheath of heavy canvas. I liked that blade, so ordered a Tom Brown Tracker (knock off) and its a fine home job also! Leather horizontal sheath, well made. Both from New Zealand. The Tracker has Damascus blade, really sharp, heavy duty. Thanks for your video. Well done. The Machete was $35. The Tracker was $80. Great deal.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

I love my moras too. I reach for them more often than not

[@dellboyrodney8046]

A little tip put your notes above or behind the camera for future videos, cutting your eyes to the left for your notes. For some reason, it's bugging the crap out of me, lol, but other than that, it was a great video explaining the difference a bush knife and a survival knife. Thanks for your time and effort 👌🏻

[@artoftheoutdoors]

I didn’t have notes in front of me. Just my way of talking/looking 😅

[@thomasbarry3647]

Great to see an Irish lad doing excellent content like this - looking forward to seeing the rest of your stuff. Subscribed. Best of luck with your channel from Dublin.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks man. Very much appreciated

[@lukebrady3728]

Really enjoyed this video. Great demonstration and very informative. Greetings from Melbourne, Australia.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it

[@user-rg9gm4dk3d]

Very detailed analysis of these blades perfect time some/most of us could watch and learn for much longer very good quality content very good time explaining. You got the important differences with similarities of them/ pros and cons. Awesome work

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thank you! I’m glad it was useful information to you

[@CNylundPhotography]

The first time I'm watching one of your videos and I'd say that it was pretty spot on as far as content VS length. I think you covered the essentials so weary well done. Best regards Conny from Finland the land of puukko 😉

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks for your kind words. Glad you enjoyed the video

[@mitchelltakacs7806]

Great video! Very informative and well thought out. Thank you.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

I’m glad you enjoyed it

[@Barrett_Fodder]

From SERE training, through bushcraft, overlanding, hiking, hunting, etc... I've found the classic K-Bar style knife to be very very hard to beat. I do carry an ONYX EDC replaceable blade knife on the daily and it has been my go to for skinning and daily duties for several years. However, it does not hold up to wood working, splitting, carving, and field craft types of things, but it is so much better at boning, and fine work that i carry the big knife on the pack and the precision tool in the pocket.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Interesting. Never liked the military knives myself. Everyone has their preferences

[@Gundyadventures]

I really appreciate the info. Would like to see side by side usage comparisons on the different scandi grind vs a couple others doing the same tasks and going over why each style works better at different tasks. I appreciate the extra details and info. I know I “ramble” as well.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks Rob! I’ll have to do a follow up video and some point

[@rodtennant7603]

Very good site, I can see that you have done your homework on the subject and have experience. Greetings from a bush war veteran in South Africa. I have an original Wilkinson Sword survival knife (tactically modified) as well as a Lion. Steel product, and Extrema Ratio kukri / parang type machete for bush clearing. Another category of knife is that of the military field knife. Thank you, I like your style and have subbed!

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Hahah thank you! Now a parang is definitely a tool I’m not familiar with but I’ve seen people do amazing things with them. Thanks for watching 😊

[@GarlicMonoxide]

great video man! if i may add my 2 cents, my favorite all around is the varusteleka terava jakaaripuukko 110 its a mouth full..but just a rock solid medium sized blade, affordable and a workhorse. holds an edge pretty well. but just overall toughness and the price in my opinion is hard to beat. i use it everyday at work. and at home. give it a look or review if you havent already. again great video, be safe out there!

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks for the input! Yea a few people have recommended that, so I’ll be checking it out for sure 😊

[@republicjim120]

I opted for the 140 for increased chopping/batoning capability and for using on SAR missions, but I love all the same things about it that you mentioned for the 110. While it handles all wood processing tasks well, it's a little beefier than typical bushcraft blades and I would have no problem relying on it in a survival scenario.

[@mikesharp4033]

Lots of good information enabling an informed choice. Thank you.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks Ronald! It’s supposed to help make a choice 😊

[@bernardwhite8991]

Great video straight to the point

[@stephencate7398]

Great video! Great definition of which is which, while emphasizing the lines are blurred in some applications.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thank you! It’s difficult to find the lines for sure. No right or wrong answers but definitely there are some differences

[@Jerry-l5i4x]

Rambly is good for those of us who don’t know a lot about the subject. Thank you for your passion in fixed blades and going on and on… lol!!

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Im glad it was helpful!

[@slate8881]

Bought a TOPS BOB Fieldcraft 4.5 right before a trip to the Alpines here in BC Canada, I got to say that knife is a damn beast, I used it to cook, baton, featherstick even filleted a fish with it, now it wasn't the best for any sort of butchering because of the beefy blade but it got the job done without losing it's edge, still seems just as sharp as when I got it, still got to patina though it as I did get the 1095 carbon steel version. If anyone is looking for a good knife, I definitely suggest it as one to take a look at however if you aren't wanting to maintain a carbon steel knife, there is a 154cm stainless version of it, another one of my favorite knives is an Esee 4, although it is a little smaller and less beefy, the Esee 5 I've heard is really good as well but I have never owned or even held one

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Nice man! TOPS seem to have a great record. I have a tracker but haven’t had a chance to properly use it yet. Thanks for the feedback

[@Isa-hn2im]

as a kid i had a knife one time that hat a compass at the bottom and in the handle was a stone for sharpening and a firestarter or something like that. that was maximal survival but it was more a cheap one but i think the idea was really good.

[@mrc2205]

Hi. I loved the illustrations of the knife grinds. It was great for the newbies like me, it made sense. Thank you

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks! Glad it helped 😊

[@mikemuha7537]

I would like more info added, such as the metallurgy of each knife. I know Benchmade is very good with that info, but I would like to know as much about that type of stuff on the other knives as possible. Thanks.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks for the input

[@arctodussimus6198]

A good discussion indeed. I agree with you about the BK-2 being the best overall “survival” knife…. I would have one too, but I really like my TOPS Outpost Command… a similar knife with a bit wider blade and a little bit heavier.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Good choice 👍🏻

[@ChipSpencer123]

Very helpful now to decide what’s most important.

[@papuchu]

When i'm outdoors i work with wood and food, i use scandi grinds,mostly from Morakniv (classic#2, kansbol and Eldris) and Marttiini ( Snappy and 6" filleting) of course i use an ax and a saw for fire wood processing and harder wood tasks

[@artoftheoutdoors]

That all sounds like great choices. I love the Eldis. Great food and game knife

[@Stixs279]

What knife would you go for all purpose camp knife, food prep, cutting task, battoning etc? Love the vids mate great work 👍🏼

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks for watching. For an all rounder I suggest a Morakniv Companion. You really cannot go wrong with that one. If you want to spend a little bit more, then the Morakniv Garberg is essentially the big brother of the first one mentioned. Hope that helps

[@snirlushitzer6838]

Good video. I would only add handle differences like shape. That with a bushcrafter you want a handle to be ergonomic and comfy for long hours of work with no hot spots. But for a survival you would want something more grippy more guards to prevent slippage from the hand like when said that you might chop with the knife or want to baton threw a log.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Good points also. Thanks

[@druggz4451]

It will be big of you. if you could throw some links about them knives, you're talking about in the description.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Most can be found at knives and tools.com

[@andrewarthurmatthews6685]

Excellent description of knives

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thank you 😊

[@davidknighton7478]

I'd like to know more about how to pick the best knife for all around use. Camping, making shelter, firewood etc.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

There’s a few options out there but I think a mora Garberg is the one I’d recommend

[@ikelangelo]

Awesome content my dude! Thanks for the calm and collected delivery while still teaching. Fallkniven is something I will have to look into!

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thank you for the kind words. Glad you like the content

[@unclesam9591]

Being Irish I did not know we had survivalist in our lineage it's good to see a fellow Irishman living in the woods like the leprechaun top of the morning to you lad hopefully you find a pot of gold just jokin great video

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks

[@michaelscarborough7011]

Awesome content and ideas. As you say so many options and thought and so many work!! Personally i recently found a knife that fits a wide range of skills and all my other knives keep loosing to. A Kellam Ranger Puukko in 80crv2. It keeps up with any of my scandi grind knives for bushcraft and isn't that bad for processing animals.. not heavy and strong. I think it's a highly underrated knife.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

I’ve never heard of them. Will definitely check em out thanks 😁

[@johannphysio4977]

Not too rambling at all. Great video- I learned a lot. thanks so much!

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks! I’m glad it was useful

[@JasonBrossa]

For survival. First thing to consider is for how long . One week, one month, one year, ten years. For ten years I'll take the Becker BK2 it can't break one year I'll take the Esee 4 The Falkkniven looks very nice as well Scandi grinds are nice. The Mora is nice as well fpr a camp knife but it will break batoning it. BTW i have the BK2 just in case

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Nice choices!!

[@ScaleCrawling]

What's the ultimate Fallkniven knife combo to bring with me if I want to be prepared for both survival, bushcrafting, hunting and more? I figure bringing atleast 3 different knives with me wouldn't be too over the top?

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Over the top for sure in my opinion. The S1 should be more than enough for most stuff I reckon

[@ViewfinderMastery]

very informative without being pretentious or preachy. you're a natural presenter. keep up the good work. nice collection by the way. have you seen the new morakniv range with the wood handles? they look nice at least. would be curious to know how they perform. cheers! 👍

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thank you for the kind words. I’ve seen the new Morakniv tea and I’ve heard terrible things. The handles soaking up water and loosening. Plus of course the price is insane

[@ViewfinderMastery]

@@artoftheoutdoors interesting. yeah, can't see spending that kind of cash. most of the time it's too much knife for me anyways. The Victorinox Ranger Grip is usually more than enough for me.

[@MrTelgaaly]

Thanks. Love your jumper and overshirt. Where'd you get them?

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks! The shirt is Patagonia and the jumper is Royk

[@woowaptibam5253]

Great Video! I learned a few things I didn't know! Alot of good information!

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks for taking the time to watch

[@saigudbai]

For me, the survival knives I've settled on are a couple from White River. Ursus 45 in Cpm3v, and a firecraft 3.5 in Magnacut, both with kydex sheath and ferro rods. I have a Fallkniven F1 as well, it's a great knife. Those are my favorite knives to travel with just in case me job tried to un-life me.

[@pubplays368]

3v is good stuff. Until you lose your sharpening tools or forget one and now you have a dull paper weight. Magnacut is just over glorified s35vn. AEB-L is stronger and easier to sharpen. O1 can’t be beat in terms of toughness/ maintainability. Kydex is nice and light. I just wish it held up as good as leather. Kydex tends to warp really bad in the heat. It also tends to become very brittle in freezing temps and crack/shatter. Don’t get me wrong, I love supersteels and kydex occasionally. But I would really recommend considering any and all odds that can happen when considering your “survival kit”.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Nice choices all round there

[@ShoahBiz]

@@pubplays368o1 most definitely can be beat in toughness. Magnacut is tougher than o1 for instance. Magnacut is cool if you highly value corrosion resistance and it’s edge holding potential is impressive given its other properties. I would choose aebl/14c if it was a survival knife that may need to be resharpened in the field with natural stones or whatever…but magnacut would be more than fine for bushcraft

[@ShoahBiz]

Not to say there’s anything wrong with o1 it’s a fine steel but i do prefer 52100 to be a little different. Realistically there’s prob not a lot of noticeable difference between them tho. If I was wanting a big, indestructible chopper/beater/sharpened pry bar, I’d go with 8670 or maybe 80crv2 (another favorite)

[@Chrisdolin]

What about the LT Wright Genesis..? Full tang.., large and scandi…! I think of it as both….!

[@artoftheoutdoors]

I’d love a genesis but I’ve never had the pleasure

[@yellowdog762jb]

Very good video, well done and very informative. One most of what you said, but just didn't have it all in one Mental File. The explanation on blade grinds and their uses was very useful, as was the explanation about full tang vs rat tails and Rambo knives, which are usually just cheap metal welded to a cheap metal tube. The weld is the common failure point. I have several of the knives that you featured. I love my Fallkniven S1, but I just really hate the sheath. I had a guy on etsy make me a kydex one that I like a lot better. I really like the handle material on my Esee. Even cheap Mora knives are a good bang for the buck.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Awesome! Thanks for the feedback I’m glad this info was succinct and helpful to you

[@TheUnhousedWanderer]

You said to comment on how you did with this video. You were very informative, didn't ramble too much, and kept it around 15min which is a sweet spot for me. Beyond that, I may get distracted.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks for the feedback! I’m glad it’s useful to you 😁👍🏻

[@NaviNavi-1uu8tg]

For one 200 euro fallkniven i can buy 3 cold steel srk. Give me a reason to buy fallkniven since i dont have experience with it? Nice video and thanks!

[@Erik-sq8nz]

The full size srk is superior in almost every way to falkniven. Here in canada i have done a lot of bushcrafty stuff and learned my favorites.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Try one for yourself. They are just a great knife. Especially the S1X

[@focus4088]

A really good budget survival knife option is the Joker Nomad 6.5. Around 145 EURO, can't get much better than it. Convex edge holds it's edge really well. Very good for everything and bushcraft aswell

[@artoftheoutdoors]

I’m not familiar with those but I’ll check em out! Thanks 😊

[@josueneris1861]

This was an amazing video! Learned so much! Gracias!

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks a lot dude

[@amandaclarke4173]

Very useful video. Inspired us to get our knives out to have a look at them and understand more about them. Thank you.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

No problem

[@belliott538]

For dedicated Hunting Trips I generally carry a short blade, two inches or so, with full tang, for Skinning and Quartering. I also carry a Packable Hacksaw or Pruning Shears for cutting Bone. At home, For Boning or Butchering I use a traditional Boning knife with a six inch Boning Blade and a dedicated Meat Cutting knife with a twelve inch Blade for Single Clean Cuts for final work. All Custom Made. My EDC for the past few years is a Hissatsu Folder CRKT. Which sees a lot of use and abuse. I have MANY Blades… with a Wide range of sizes, designs and values. I could carry a different blade each day of the year and have more than a few left at year’s end. Like my Pops used to tell me “Choose the Right tool for the Job”. My Survival/Bushcraft Blade is my SHTF Blade. Six inch Fixed Blade of adequate design and construction, that can do the Job and hold an Edge. And of course I have a few. The rest is up to me. Cheers!

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Nice points here! Thanks for your thoughts on the subject

[@slug..]

At 9:38 any one else think there was a small white bug on the right side coming from top to bottom on there phone? It was actually on his lens but it was enough for me to dubble take 😂 great vidio by the way.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Hahah thanks for watching 😁

[@Mark--Todd]

All in a very good video imo. One telling factor is I didn't find myself fast forwarding to skip 'rambling' comments.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Hahah well that’s good to hear! Thanks

[@Useaname]

Just popped up in my recommendations. Excellent. Subbed.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thank you 😁

[@randyknutson6150]

GREAT VIDEO! ALL GOOD INFO TO KEEP IN MIND FOR MY NEXT KNIFE BUILD!

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Nice

[@googlesucks2296]

Excellent video! Subscribed!

[@tonyhill6447]

The best knife, is the one you have on you when you need it! Generally, you end up in a "survival" situation following an unexpected accident or emergency. Most people do not carry a big, heavy survival knife on a day to day basis. I suspect the best compromise would be a full tang belt knife of good quality stainless steel, slab handles, a 4-5" blade with sabre or full flat grind & micro bevel, that is versatile & thus more likely to have on you. Be interesting if you could have a look at some & discuss these options.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Definitely worth talking about that. And you’re absolutely spot on 👍🏻

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Just to bear in mind that I wasn’t debating the BEST knife, but for people just getting into all this stuff, the terms can be confusing

[@craigmooring2091]

Good discussion of a foggy distinction, although you, perhaps wisely, omitted any mention of the type of survival knife that contains elements of a kit or design features that allow it to, for example, measure angles to function as a level or estimate distances.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks! I find those types of tools to be very gimmicky and don’t serve their purpose very well

[@viewsandreviews180]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on knives. Your knowledge is very good and I tend to agree with your opinions. I believe you’re correct about materials used to make knives but I suppose I’m lazy because regardless of style I prefer low maintenance materials. I noticed you didn’t say anything about concave grinds, a common grind I’ve seen on many budget (I don’t say cheap anymore) knives. It’s not a favorite profile of mine due to it being a bit less robust than other profiles. That said I do believe familiarity with your chosen tool makes the most difference when using the tool. That unfortunately isn’t something I’ve seen for sale anywhere; I’ve only gained familiarity from using the tools I have.

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Thanks for the feedback I’m Glad you enjoyed the video! When you say concave I presume you’re talking about hollow grinds. I didn’t go into that because I don’t own any and don’t have a lot of experience with them 🙂

[@daveyboy6985]

Hollow grinds are great slicers. And thus make good hunting skinning knives. Another option for the same use is a thin flat grind knife.

[@PedroGarcia-li4lg]

nice video bro, liked a lot!! thanks for the information, actually helped a lot too. always good to carrie those informations along with yourself in the woods

[@artoftheoutdoors]

Excellent! I’m glad it was useful to you 😁