I like the US military's Pilot's Survival Knife (5" blade) that was originally designed by Marbles for the US Air Force in the 1950's. It has a lot of lineage from the Marbles Ideal Hunting Knife which was carried as a survival knife by US Army Air Corp pilots and crewmen in WWII.
Army Surplus Warehouse has them on sale for $20. They have been in storage since the 80's but they are new condition, Camillus made, unused military issue, and they have the steel tipped and backed sheath.
LINK
http://www.armysurpluswarehouse.com/itemDetail.cfm?&item=977
They have been made in countless numbers and it's been in continuous production for decades. It saw a lot of action in various conflicts, such as Vietnam. When a US pilot ejects, for the cutting implements in his survival gear he'll have one of these and a multitool.
They are made by both Ontario and Camillus, but the Camillus knives tend to have better steel and Camillus tends to produce a consistent Rc58 in their carbon steel blades.
For the Pilot's Survival Knife, I'd replace the carborundum stone in the sheath with an EZE-Lap diamond pocket hone which fits the pouch perfectly (Walmart - about $6). I'd also get it with the metal tipped and backed sheath which is very tough.
With this knife, you may want to reprofile and initially sharpen the edge with a sanding block and some 220 grit sandpaper.
The saw on the back was originally designed to be efficient for cutting through an aluminum aircraft fuselage, but it works excellent for making notches (snares, traps), scoring bone (for breaking, extracting marrow, etc), and shaping tools. You might want to sharpen the teeth a tad with a jewler's file but it'll work good the way it is.
The false edge in the front is good for striking the flint on a magnesium firetool and for scraping things.
The pommel of the knife is designed to be used as a hammer and it can hammer both straight on and from the side. There are also holes in the handguard to facilitate making your knife into a spear if somehow you get the urge to do so.
USAF Pilot's Survival Knife
Overall Length: 9-1/2" (24.1cm)
Blade: 5" (12.7cm)
High carbon 1095 steel blade
Parkerized phosphate anti-corrosion coating
Weight: 1.4 lbs
Saw back edge
Hardened hexagonal steel butt for hammering
Steel guard pierced with 2 holes for lacing on shaft to make a spear
Built-up leather washer handle
Leather sheath with protected metal tip
Riveted for strength
Carborundum stone in snap closing pocket
Leg tie cord.
Made by Camillus Cutlery.
Army Surplus Warehouse has them on sale for $20. They have been in storage since the 80's but they are new condition, Camillus made, unused military issue, and they have the steel tipped and backed sheath.
LINK
http://www.armysurpluswarehouse.com/itemDetail.cfm?&item=977
They have been made in countless numbers and it's been in continuous production for decades. It saw a lot of action in various conflicts, such as Vietnam. When a US pilot ejects, for the cutting implements in his survival gear he'll have one of these and a multitool.
They are made by both Ontario and Camillus, but the Camillus knives tend to have better steel and Camillus tends to produce a consistent Rc58 in their carbon steel blades.
For the Pilot's Survival Knife, I'd replace the carborundum stone in the sheath with an EZE-Lap diamond pocket hone which fits the pouch perfectly (Walmart - about $6). I'd also get it with the metal tipped and backed sheath which is very tough.
With this knife, you may want to reprofile and initially sharpen the edge with a sanding block and some 220 grit sandpaper.
The saw on the back was originally designed to be efficient for cutting through an aluminum aircraft fuselage, but it works excellent for making notches (snares, traps), scoring bone (for breaking, extracting marrow, etc), and shaping tools. You might want to sharpen the teeth a tad with a jewler's file but it'll work good the way it is.
The false edge in the front is good for striking the flint on a magnesium firetool and for scraping things.
The pommel of the knife is designed to be used as a hammer and it can hammer both straight on and from the side. There are also holes in the handguard to facilitate making your knife into a spear if somehow you get the urge to do so.
USAF Pilot's Survival Knife
Overall Length: 9-1/2" (24.1cm)
Blade: 5" (12.7cm)
High carbon 1095 steel blade
Parkerized phosphate anti-corrosion coating
Weight: 1.4 lbs
Saw back edge
Hardened hexagonal steel butt for hammering
Steel guard pierced with 2 holes for lacing on shaft to make a spear
Built-up leather washer handle
Leather sheath with protected metal tip
Riveted for strength
Carborundum stone in snap closing pocket
Leg tie cord.
Made by Camillus Cutlery.