We all own more than one knife. Some of us even carry more than one knife at a time. It can be a real struggle for some to decide on a every day carry knife but what if you could only have one knife indefinitely? If you got stranded on an island and you could only have one knife, what knife would you want? What one knife would you choose to have your life depend on?
In those types of survival situations, you’d want your knife to be able to do everything from food prep to the hard-use stuff, like chopping up fire wood or building a shelter.
Here are the knives people here at Blade HQ chose:
(ESEE was very popular)
ESEE Junglas
“Super stout, could use it for building shelter, splitting wood, processing food. ESEE has a great heat treat so you wouldn’t need to worry about sharpening it as much as other knives.”
ESEE Laser Strike
“Good all around and has a hidden fire starter in the handle.”
ESEE-5 (the ESEE-5 was the most popular choice by far)
“It’s fixed so no locking mechanism to fail. It has a bow drill pivot for making fires, and it is large and heavy. You can’t beat a fixed blade for durability!”
“Bow drill divot for making a fire . . . super sturdy, no way for the blade to fail, perfect grip of the handle eve if it’s raining. Not too big or too heavy for a survival situation.”
“I personally own it and think it is indestructible and can take a beating. It’s my favorite fixed blade for anything.”
ESEE-4
“Good size for big work but not so big you couldn’t do fine work with it.”
TOPS B.O.B.
“It is versatile and all-purpose.”
Now let’s hear what you have to say; what knife would you want to be carrying if you were trapped on a desert island and why?
Medford STA Sniper or Noctunal Knives TAG-1
Survive! Knives G.S.O.-10 with orange handle.
Cold steel Gurkha kukri plus in sk5 steel
I’ve used my Cold Steel Gurkha Kukri to chop wood, slice stuff and even dig holes (I didn’t have any other options).
Esee-4 it looks like it would do the job that I need to.
No love for Becker? I’d go bk9, or bk2
Cold steel kurai
Lionsteel M7
Fallkniven A1 – if you are stranded on an island, then you are in saltwater environment. Better to go stainless.
I’d go with a Cold Steel Warcraft Tanto, or a Bark River Bravo 3. The warcraft has an up to me with sharpenability, those two straight edges being simple and easy to sharpen, and with a VERY acute but still strong tip. The Bark River has size on its’ side and a deep belly. it also has a very strong tip, but the tip is so blunt it’s barely a tip at all.
The sheath and furniture for the warcraft is synthetic though, which means it’s probably the one i’d choose. don’t want a leather sheath holding onto water and rotting on me, or a handle rotting.
Busse team Gemini light brigade, it’s strong and sharp and holds an amazing edge
Tops Knives Power Eagle machete.