A few weeks ago, I wrote about the difference between wilderness survival and bushcraft as outdoor disciplines. You can check that post out here, but the bottom line is that wilderness survival is a tactical skill set, and survival is inherently an emergency. Bushcraft is a way of life that’s committed to keeping old-school skills alive, and is a fun outdoor pursuit that’s done because we choose to, much like backpacking, paddling, or mountain biking.
If you’re new to learning these skills, it can all seem a bit overwhelming. And regardless of whether we’re talking about survival, bushcraft, a bit of both, or blurring the lines in between, there’s one thing that’s certain:
You need a knife.
If I could only pick one tool to bring into the woods with me, it’d be a knife. I’d take a knife over clothes on my back or shoes on my feet. It is the foundational tool for securing all of the survival priorities, and is the ultimate force multiplier. If you have the knowledge and training, you can use a knife to make or obtain everything else you need.
The knife is arguably the oldest tool known to man. Before humans were humans, we were knocking rocks together to get a sharp edge to cut up animals, harvest plant fibers, and build shelter for ourselves. The knife allowed us to feed, clothe, and house ourselves so we could expand into harsher environments outside of our warm original Eden. Much like fire, the knife is something we co-evolved with. It’s woven into our history as a species, and we wouldn’t exist without it.
That said, it blows my mind how many people in the modern world have never used a knife in their lives outside of the kitchen. If you’re one of those people and looking to return to your heritage and become a functional tool-using human, where do you start? Over the next few months, I’ll be talking about some of the best knives to start off with. But first, I think it’s helpful to categorize knives so you can have a better understanding of what to look for.
Bushcraft vs. Survival Knives
One of the first distinctions I like to make when looking at outdoor knives is the idea of a survival knife vs. a bushcraft knife. Like wilderness survival and bushcraft, the terms and knives are often used interchangeably, and that’s okay. But some knives work better for certain applications than others.
For the purposes of this post, we won’t be talking about combat knives. Those knives which are strictly tactical and meant to be carried for self-defense, not field work. Think karambits, automatics, balisongs, etc.
The easiest way to divide bushcraft vs. survival knives is this: Survival knives are meant to stand alone as a one-tool option. Bushcraft knives are meant to be part of an outdoor toolkit. Once you understand this difference, everything else makes sense.
The One-Tool Option
A survival knife is as much at home in a war zone as a campsite. It can cut open the skin of an aircraft, or field-dress a deer. It’s not as big as a machete, but it’s still big enough to chop down and limb small trees and split kindling. Form follows function – it might be totally plain, like a KA-BAR Becker BK2 with its black traction coated blade and black composite scales. That doesn’t really matter. Its most valuable qualities are utility and reliability. It has to be able to do everything reasonably well, and above all… it must never, ever fail.
The Craftsman’s Tool
A bushcraft knife is a craftsman’s tool. It’s meant to be one horse in a stable that includes an axe, saw, jacknife, machete, scotch-eye auger, awl, draw knife, hatchet, or any number of other tools depending on which bushcrafter you ask. Bushcraft knives are made for making things, whether that’s shelters, traps, camp gadgets, or anything your mind can come up with. Although many bushcraft knives are built plenty tough, they’re not really meant to be beat to death. Many extremely popular bushcraft knives – almost all the designs from Scandinavia, in fact – can’t stand up to that kind of abuse. This means you can justify owning a really, really pretty bushcraft knife. A good bushcraft knife feels like a natural extension of your hand, and will be a trusted companion in the field for decades.
And of course, there are lots of knives that blur the line. They’re tough enough to call themselves a survival knife, but allow enough control that you can do bushcraft work with them.
In the coming weeks, we’ll explore all those categories. We’ll take a dive into the history and definition of survival and bushcraft knives, what makes a good one, and some examples of some great ones for you to equip yourself with so you can venture into the wild with confidence. Enjoy!
