If you are looking for a fixed-blade survival knife, you’ve come to the right place. This knife can be used for many purposes, including survival, camping, hunting, self-defense, and everyday use. However, there are many different options from which to choose, so we’ll try to help you narrow down your choices. Let’s look at the top five contenders for the best fixed-blade survival knives on the market today.
Comparison Chart
Best Fixed-Blade Survival Knife: Reviews
KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion Fixed-blade Knife
This fixed-blade camping and survival knife comes from a famous brand. It’s not the cheapest knife, but it’s made with extremely high-quality materials.
Review
This is an excellent fixed-blade survival knife with a 5.25-inch blade. The handle is slightly longer than the blade, which is a full-tang. This means the blade material extends down to the end of the handle, providing excellent balance and it improves durability.
We think this is a good size for most purposes, as the blade is long enough to take care of large tasks, yet the knife is not so long that it becomes cumbersome. It’s also not overly heavy, which helps with portability. You get a solid molded sheath that you can easily attach to your person or belongings.
The blade is made of 1095 high-carbon steel with extreme hardness and durability. You can use this knife to split kindling; you don’t have to worry about it cracking or becoming dull too quickly. However, it can be difficult to sharpen because it’s so hard.
Carbon steel is not the most corrosion-resistant material, although the knife is powder coated to ensure it does not rust if it gets wet.
The 20° blade angle is ideal for most purposes, especially for camping and survival. The drop-point blade shape is excellent. We like the shape and feel of the handle, as it features an ergonomic design that makes it easy to hold. It’s one of the more comfortable knives to hold. However, it might become slippery if wet, as it is relatively smooth. All in all, for the price, this is one of the better camping and survival knives.
Pros
- Superior durability
- Great edge retention
- Comfortable handle
- Full-tang design
- Ideal size and design for most purposes
Cons
- Handle can get slippery when wet
- Can be difficult to sharpen
GERBER LMF II Survival Knife
This high-quality survival knife from Gerber features a fixed-blade design. It might be relatively expensive, but we think it is worth the investment because of the excellent features and design.
Review
This fixed-blade survival knife measures 11 inches, with the blade under 5 inches. We like the size of this knife as it is small enough to be portable and easily used in tight spaces. Moreover, the blade is long enough to handle relatively large tasks. This Gerber knife weighs under 12 ounces.
In addition, you get a ballistic nylon sheath with a fire-retardant coating to keep you and the knife safe while not in use. You can easily strap the sheath to your legs for portability.
This knife was designed to enable aircraft crews to escape airplanes in an emergency; this blade is tough and durable to cut right through the fuselage of an aircraft, if necessary.
We like this blade material because adding carbon means that the blade is extremely hard, tough, and durable. This blade can take a lot of punishment without breaking and also features excellent edge retention. However, thanks to the fact that it is also stainless steel, you can rest assured that it will not rust.
Moreover, there’s a break between the tang and the butt cap to provide insulated protection against stray wires, so you don’t get electrocuted. The butt cap can easily smash through glass so you can escape from a vehicle. This is a full-tang knife, so it is pretty durable.
Furthermore, there’s a glass-filled nylon handle with a TPV over-mold. This is a lightweight handle that is comfortable to hold with its ergonomic nature. There’s a pattern that provides a good grip even if it gets wet. It might be an expensive knife, but we think it is worth the investment because of these features.
Pros
- Extreme durability
- Great corrosion resistance
- Comfortable and non-slip handle
- Ideal size and weight for most purposes
- Comes with a convenient sheath
- Protects against electrocution
- Can break glass
Cons
- Expensive
- Hard to sharpen
KA-BAR Full Size US Marine Corps Fighting Knife
Suppose you want a fixed-blade survival knife that is good enough for the Marine Corps. If so, here is another superior option. It’s made with high-quality materials and features a classic Marine Corps design.
Review
This fixed-blade knife measures 12 inches, although the blade is 7 inches long. Comparatively speaking, the blade is longer when compared to other knives that we reviewed today. It is built for fighting, survival, and self-defense, which is why the blade is long, although it can also be used for basic camping purposes.
Overall, the blade is highly functional. Moreover, it is made with 1095 carbon steel, an excellent metal for a knife, as it is highly resilient. This is one of the hardest materials, which means this knife has better edge retention and overall durability.
The only downside is that it can be difficult to sharpen when it finally gets dull. In addition, this metal rusts when it gets wet over time, although it’s not as bad as other materials. Ensure that it doesn’t stay wet for prolonged periods.
Moreover, this is a full-tang knife, which means that the blade material extends down to the end of the handle. This provides excellent durability, comfort, and exceptional balance. This knife has a nice pommel and a brass guard to keep you safe.
The handle is covered in layers of high-quality leather wrapping, which provides excellent grip, even when it gets wet; plus, it’s pretty comfortable to hold. We like the durability of the leather handle.
In addition, you receive a leather sheath that helps keep you and the knife safe when it is not in use. The sheath can also be easily attached to your person. The bottom line is that if this fixed-blade knife is good enough for the United States Marine Corps, it’s more than good enough to go camping with.
Pros
- Great durability
- Good edge retention
- Large blade for big tasks
- Excellent blade material
- Full-tang design
- Handle has a good grip
Cons
- Can be difficult to sharpen
- Handle could be a bit more comfortable
Fallkniven A1 Fine Edge Fixed-Blade Knife
This is a simple fixed-blade knife that doesn’t look like anything special. However, although it might not look special, it is made of high-quality materials and durable enough to outlast anything you put in front of it.
Review
Here we have a fixed-blade knife over 11 inches long, with a blade around 6 inches. We like the size, as it is large enough to take care of most tasks yet not so large that it becomes unwieldy. Moreover, it’s a lightweight knife, so you shouldn’t have any problems using it for prolonged periods.
In addition, you get a solid molded sheath to protect you and your knife when it is not in use. The sheath has a system so you can easily attach it to belt loops or other parts of your clothing. It’s ideal for transporting and user-friendliness.
The blade is made of laminated VG10, rugged, durable, and solid steel. It’s so tough that it shouldn’t crack, snap, or break, no matter what you do with it. This steel is relatively good at preventing rust. The only downside is that it is so hard that the blade can be difficult to sharpen with regular sharpening utensils.
The full-tang design adds to the durability; it feels better in your hand and provides excellent balance, making the knife easier to use. Because it is full-tang, you can use the end of this knife as a hammer.
The handle’s texture helps prevent your hand from slipping while in use, even if the handle gets wet.
Pros
- Full tang
- High-quality blade steel
- Good length and weight for most purposes
- Nice sheath included
- Comfortable handle with good grip
- Great edge retention
Cons
Can be difficult to sharpen due to the steel’s hardness
Schrade Extreme Survival Knife
If you’re looking for a fixed-blade survival knife that works well, is highly durable, and looks fantastic, this might be the best on our list.
Review
This is a relatively large knife measuring 12.1 inches long, with a blade length of 6.4 inches. It’s rather large, but it is ideal for large tasks; this can come in handy for survival, self-defense, and camping. However, for some people, the knife might be too long and somewhat challenging to wield as it weighs nearly 16 ounces.
It’s not so heavy that you can’t use the knife, although you might get tired after a prolonged period. However, the handle is very comfortable and features finger wells and an ergonomic design.
Moreover, the handle is made of thermoplastic elastomers, an extremely durable plastic. This type of plastic is highly durable. This handle has a texture to prevent your hands from slipping even if the handle gets wet.
In addition, this knife has a full-tang design for even more durability and better balance.
The blade is high carbon steel, an excellent material for an outdoor survival knife. This type of steel is extremely strong and durable; it will not crack or chip on you and can handle punishment. This blade material won’t dull quickly and features excellent edge retention.
However, high-carbon steel isn’t the best for preventing corrosion, so you do want to be careful not to get this knife too wet for prolonged periods. The included belt sheath helps keep you and this knife safe while not using the knife and helps with portability.
Pros
- Superior durability
- Fantastic edge retention
- Comfortable handle
- Good grip
- Full-tang design
- Looks cool
- Big blade for big jobs
Cons
- Quite heavy
- Not overly rust resistant
Buyer’s Guide
Before you shop for a fixed-blade survival knife, there are a few considerations to keep in mind.
Blade Length and Thickness
An important consideration is how long the blade is. Generally speaking, the blade should be between four and six inches in length for a survival knife to be useful. Anything lower than four inches won’t be long enough to perform the tasks, but any longer than six inches will likely be too long to be easy to maneuver. In terms of blade thickness, between 3/16 and ¼ inches is recommended.
Blade Material
Also, pay attention to the blade’s material. You generally have two choices: stainless steel and high-carbon steel. Stainless steel doesn’t rust, while high carbon steel is hard, durable, and features excellent edge retention. Remember that stainless steel isn’t the most durable material, while high-carbon steel might rust if wet.
Blade Shape
If you want the best blade for a survival knife, look for a drop-point blade, as it provides a good balance between easiness of sharpening and versatility.
Handle Material
Next, look at the handle’s composition. There are a few options, including general plastic, glass-filled nylon, wood, leather, and more.
Generally, something like glass-filled nylon is best, as it is highly durable yet lightweight. However, the shape of the handle is also important; you want a handle to be ergonomic and preferably have some texture to it.
Tang
The knife you go with should have a full-tang design, which means that blade material goes through to the end of the handle. This makes any knife much more durable; it allows you to use the butt as a hammer and provides greater balance.
The Pommel or Butt
Look for a knife with an actual pommel or butt, as this will keep your hand in place. A good survival knife should allow you to use the pommel as a hammer or glass breaker
The Sheath
A good knife should come with a sheath, preferably a solid one; a solid sheath is durable, will protect you, and will protect the blade when not in use. Moreover, a sheath with a belt loop system is ideal for portability.
Conclusion
The best fixed-blade survival knife on our list is the GERBER LMF II Survival Knife. It might not be the cheapest survival knife, but it is highly durable, sharp, has excellent edge retention, and is comfortable to hold.