spit that truth Tac! I'm glad that someone in KZfaq land finally talked about the defensive part in survival . Your the man Tac!

Typical Bowie Knives average 9-13" in blade length! I like your thinking!

"she can keep dreamin' can't she?" Lmao, amen brother!

man tac, I feel so down about myself lately and the time I have wasted in my life, it realyy sucks sometimes, but I like watching your vids, it helps me forget about the stuff for a moment

"she can keep dreamen cant she" -tac hell yeah thats good shit.

4 year's later I can see what you're saying sometimes a Swiss army knife just ain't going to cut it

Finally someone has covered the down and dirty of the issue. Thanks Tac, great video with good thoughts on what it just might take to survive.

The first knife I started using for Bushcraft was the BK 9. It is a great knife for all kinds of tasks.

5-6" blade I use a wood bear brown bear as my big blade in the woods 90% of the time and you can always fashion a spear to carry around with you

Do you have a mustache?

"Survival" now is just glorified camping. Such a waste of logic with this stuff now.

Yo Tac, great vid man! I agree with you on the size. 7 to 9 inches is about my standard for a survival type knife. Everything else I call a bushcraft knife.

If it's only one knife, then it's gotta be a bigger knife. A big knife can do anything a smaller knife can do but not vice versa. However, I carry 3 blades. Usually the Jess-X for wood processing, either the BK 7, Esee 6, or the Pathfinder Scorpion HD (when I'm in a bushcraft state of mind) on the belt, and a Mora bushcraft black as a back-up. I think it's a pretty good set-up, no?

lol. got me cracking up bro. couple beers in and sounds like you are too.

YEP, I AGREE ALL THE WAY ON YOUR CHOOSE !! (SGT WILLETT, RETIREED COMBAT SOLDIER)

I have to agree. 8-10 inch is the perfect blade length. Personally I have carried a Junglas ever since your video turned me on to it. Before that I carried a big bowie knife

My man TAC! Speaking the gospel! My EDC is the 9” Puzon. If the viewers had disposable money AND lived where they could carry a big knife DAILY- to , AT, and from work, 95% of the balzillion EDC viewers would ditch their folders. As soon as my 10” custom blade I’d finished, I will carry that one. The smallest I carry, is the DW Backcountry. Keep up the good work man!

"Pickin this one!" Love it. Nice stache too bro!!!

I agree, but in some countries, large blades are ilegal. If you carry 7-9 blade, policemen take your knife and you do not recuperate it.

Tac, you are THE BEST reviewer of products of this kind! The quintessential in my opinion.

Bk9 for me is the perfect survival knife. Its in the sweet spot

All good, valid points.

7"-12" blade is my choice for survival!

5.75 inches is about perfect for me, long enough to get the job done but not too big that it's unwieldy. Though if I'm carrying a smaller folder or neck-knife for gutting fish and smaller stuff then an 8-inch counterpart blade is just about right if you ask me. Though yeah if it's just the one blade and one blade only then I'll go with the 5.75-incher.

I wish you was my big brother, I'd learn a lot from you man. Great stuff right there.

You're right.8-10 agreement...Especially for batoning...... great video...

Jim Bowie designed his knife from trial & error . 1835. Life down & dirty real survival. Cross bar. Like a pirate. Strong for digging, chopping, fighting. ( & feather sticks 2 ) 8, 9 inches . GOOD ... good video. I think I Saw a photo of you at the post office

10" blade is my sweet spot for the 1 knife option

Perfect- I was thinkin’ of my BK9 during your whole vid. 9 inch blade and does so much else. Thanks for reminding me Tac!

For me, the Condor Barong (lightly modified): Blade Length: 14" Thickness: 3/16" Overall Length: 19-1/4"

7" should be enough for anyone ..... & thickness is just as important as length.

You fucking rock. The best video . You had laughing so hard . I don't think 1/2 these so called survival guys and girls have even stayed out over night in the woods ever. feather sticks. hahahahaha. God bless you and Miss tac. Keep up the great work.

100% RIGHT MAN. SPOT ON.

Thank you for pointing out the reality of survival. For me, a survival knife has to be a good fighting knife too.

I havent heard anyone this enthused about big knives in the survival bushcraft world. Im right there with ya. Becker BK9 is my baby right now

If it comes down to a knife no axe i would grab a ESEE 6. If in need to go big on splitting i can always make a wedge to split any size log

I know this is an old vid but it just poped up in my feed, I was wondering if you would revisit this. Being it has been so long, I would like to see you do a new vid on the subject.

I usually carry a 12" Tramontina machete in the woods. It's light and thin enough for knife tasks and long enough for chopping brush. I also use it for splitting kindling.I modified it with a finger notch and gave it a clip point. Very handy tool!

In Borneo, the natives use a machete/parang for everyday use. I started using it when i was 5. My dad teach me how

In the tropics like Borneo, the min size for me would be 8" - thanks for the vid Tac.

humorous and truthfulness a tuff combination to find. but I did when I found your channel!! blessings sir and thanks so much!!

if I have a gun and a knife and I need to protect myself and my life and others...the knife is not coming out first ever!

USMC KABAR, MORA GARBERG, AND A LEATHERMAN SUPERTOOL. Add a cold steel special forces shovel,estwing camping ax, and a bahco Laplander and you have a complete set up

Well said Tac,, I totally agree with your logic

I bought a Cold Steel SRK VG-1... A happy median between size and Manuevering....

Agree on everything Tac

Brother Tac my go to survival knife would be my USMC Ka-Bar love that.

I really like the cold steel bushman for survival, it is a little light, but you can use it as a spear,

Little knives are faster in a fight and you can hold on better, but I agree with the distance, I have the BK-7 and I love it

For me, my top pick (of the few knives I have) is my Ontario SP-5. It has cut brush, whittled sticks, struck sparks, and filleted northern pike. Gets the job done well enough.

agree completely brother tac.

Personally I've always gone by the words "It's easy to do small knife stuff with a big knife, it's a pain in the rear to do big knife stuff with a small knife"

oh Tac, once again you are so right. I have a large recurve that I could hack someone's head off with if i HAD to yet I can still feather stick, start a fire, chop down a tree etc. I love MY 'SURVIVAL' knife schf 28. i love recurve w a big belly. I let the blade do the work for me . there's great edge retention & no issues with the mov steel that so many hate. it's hard used and looks & feels new. yes I have a smaller knife for edc as i live in NYC. but my large 'survival' knive is never far away.

Reading about the trappers of the old days, who survived on their own, one gets a picture of the knives they used. HUGE knives were always carried. Good vid.

I don't claim to be a bushcrafter or survival expert and the only person i know who might count as an operator is my uncle, he was a black beret in the army at chosin during the korean war and also a sniper during the vietnam war as a sniper and after the war was a sniper instructor, and he carried an old Western Bowie (the brand ) and a swiss army knife, his whole reasoning was the same as when he goes hunting, he wanted something that can be used to make shelter or kill troublesome critters, and in a pinch was substantial enough be able drop a person if he was suddenly face to face with an enemy, and the swiss army knife was mostly to open rations and smaller tasks. And that has influenced my knife choices as well, my go to survival knife is my ontario sp5, its is super sharp, holds a great edge and is light enough to use as a machete but has enough weight to cut down smaller trees and saplings for shelter or fire, i don't think "feather sticking and carving figure fours" was ever something he really had to bother with considering the kind of survival situation he had to face.

even though i prefer smaller knives when camping and hiking I would choose something like a bk7 for a survival knife

3.5 to 4 inch because I carry wherever..at least in SC, NC

Bark river grizzly the Tops SXB, Tops Armageddon, Esee Junglas, Work Tuff Gear Nomad, Condor Amalgam, Dark Timber Honey Badger, Survival Lilly APO-1S, Cold Steel Trailmaster, Fallkniven Modern Bowie. You wouldn’t be screwed with any of those blades and yes I have them all and many more

Nice food for thought as makes good sense...Good stuff...

Interesting video, but ..... I think you asked the wrong question. Now, I think the question should have been, "What cutting tools should you take with you in case you end up in a survival situation?" The whole "one-tool-option", and "If you only had one knife ..." thing is hypothetical from the get-go. If one does proper thinking, planning and preparation, one should not end up in a "survival situation"! If you do, and survive, then hopefully the next time, one would do a much better job! So, instead of a "the best knife", it's more a case of the question above: "which cutting tools?", and it is quite simple really. Firstly, you MUST have a saw! Not negotiable! A saw is BY FAR the most efficient way of cutting up wood, in terms of effort, calories used, speed, and finished product. [I'd have a Silky Gomboy) Then, one needs a large knife (just as you have demonstrated). But, not only a large knife. My current large knife is a Cold Steel Trail Master (the San Mai III version). So, one also needs a smaller more specialised knife for more precise, delicate and accurate tasks that one might want to undertake, like, carving, cutting, shaping, food prep, etc. [Here I'm currently investigating the Victorinox Venture Pro bushcrafting knife.] Thirdly, it's good to have a multi-tool knife for the multitude of tasks that invariably crop up. [ Here I'd never be without my venerable Victorinox Swiss Champ that I've carried for several decades!] Well, I hope I've added something to the discussion! Cheers mate!

I agree! We have similar taste. Always get a kick out of your videos.

This was 5 years ago according to youtu.be. I agree on many arguments you made. My line of training and it's pretty long from boy scouts to Army. Anyway I was taught a survival knife is the one you have when shit hits the fan. Now that said I'm the older generation. I carried a Buck 110 or a copy in boyscouts. The main reason was I was left handed and I felt off carring a fixed blade backwards. So I learned to do everything with what I had. I love big knives I agree with everything again. Just you have to hope everything goes do when you have all your gear with you. I went through a school in the army in Georgia. It was a 3 day survival program. Run by some old guys that escaped Vietnam camps and another guy that nobody knew anything about but all the scary men looked up to. Lol Anyway what I got out of it. When things happen it's Murphys law. That means if your lucky what's in your pockets is all you have. With that thinking you learn what you really need and what you can make. I always have a coldsteel knife because of the lock. Usually 2 knives a big and a smaller. 5 inch and 4inch. A way to make fire. Usually some 550 cord. And a few folded ziplock bags. I have different bags for different environments but basically the 5 Cs. Sorry it was so long. I really wondered what if anything do you find different now? You tested some of the best blades. You and juggle knives are my go to research. I wondering what's your favorite blade. And what caliber gun do you like for wild dangerous game 2 &4 leg. Not hunting rounds just woods carry. I'm 357 myself wheel gun.

Thank you TAC, you nailed a lot of points. I think the Dark Timber Honey Badger makes a great sized survival knife.

I would rather choose a small knife and a hatchet (yeah, only one, I know). To be honest, a good folding saw like a Silky etc. would do most things even better than a hatchet.

I have the ESEE 5 and the Junglas. if just one I guess the Junglas. So lately I been doing alot of practice with it. It can feather sticks and start fires just as easy as the esee 5. I been using it in the kitchen to slice up meat amd vegetables for dinner. I think the 10" blade is easily doable.

Big can be useful when it's necessary. I've never had a complaint........

I hate to say it, but if I had to choose one, it'd probably be a Busse Hognose War Sword.

The best survival knife size is one you are actually willing to carry every time go are going somewhere that could turn into a survival situation. You don't get to decide when the situation becomes survival. Its usually when outdoor daytime activities go wrong do to getting lost, trapped, or injured. Are you going to carry 10.5inch long, 1/4 inch thick chopper when going skiing? Would you really?????? 4-7 inch long 1/8" thick makes more sense for survival since you actually have a chance of having brought it with you. What knife would you throw in the bottom of your daypack for a 2-3 hour hike with kids, spouse, and dog? For me I choose cold steel bushman as it has great ratio of capability to weight while still fitting comfortably in a small daypack.

excellent. thanks.

I take my schrade schf28 any day. I been using it a while now and it has been very resilient from work to play in the desert or the trips to the woods.

I had to try the bk7. So after a bit of mod I have the perfect survival knife. I convexed the grind and gave it camo patina instead of the coating. Filed down the thumb ramp a bit. Now it chops through 2 1/2 inch fresh wood in one swing. If you can handle knife you can do pretty much everything with whatever is your fav. Besides my bk7 i have a Hultafors handforged trekking axe.

Im inclined to agree with you Tac. Now Ideally if I could choose I would always have a 2-4 knife system ranging from you big 10inch choppers to your 5.25 camp knives, and then your 4inch buchcraft "feather sticker's", and then lastly I'm always gonna have a folder in my pocket or a MT which would make #4, possibly #5 as well cause I usually have a MT on my belt as well. All that would be the ideal set up. Only one though, yea you gotta go with a big 7-10inch chopper cause you need it to be able to do as much as possible, even if you dont end up using it for big things it still needs to be capable of doing it. JMHO.

Big knives for me mainly for processing wood. For defense against animals? --- not likely to occur but will help if it does. I like my Kershaw Camp 14 for that kind of thing.

He should make a video of the different coockies they have at the Boy Scouts.

Agree 100% !

biggest is best or bigger

My edc is spyderco byrd folder so I don't care if I wreck it. Good knife for the money, also edc a bk16 and bk2. I think I'd like the bk7 next

Wish you could still get that 8" blackjack, good looking blade.

I'd say a 8 or 9 inch blade would work well.

My preferred blade length is 7.5" - 8" 1/4 thick, that way it can easily poke through the heart & lungs of a four legged predator or...the two legged ones - theres a lot of those these days.

I think like you do tactical...8-10 inch is in the only one knife to do it all survival range for me too...knife has gotta be able to build a shelter or defend against any attackers (human or animals) and help me dig or even hunt...love your videos man...it's like I always known you when I watch your reviews...stay gold my brother from another mother!...till the next time we meet!

I really enjoy the ka bar turok

Thanks Tac, I always love your videos, and whenever I get a new knife or whatever I get, I check your channel first to see you opinion. Your the best.

If you have a properly sharpened Ontario SP10 Marine Raider Bowie, a field sharpener, and a multitool, that's all you need (besides firearms and lots of ammo!). If you want to carve wooden animals, buy a bushcraft knife. I'm pretty sure my Leatherman will make far better feather sticks than a bushcraft knife, and it comes with a bunch of other functions. 1 quality multitool, 1 fighting knife large enough to chop wood, firearms, and ammo.

I agree 100%

Out of my collection of 10 or so Fixed blades I would choose my Junglas..So I'm right there with you Tac..My BK2 wouldn't cut it in a 1 knife situation.

I got the ESEE6 and the Kershaw Camp 10 I think it is. Was considering buying a smaller Bark River knife until I saw this. Thanks for reaffirming bigger is better!

Thanks !!!!!

I came to the conclusion that a simple middle to large size Leuku knife is the best option for me, it's just a proven extremely versatile and reliable design. And if you get one thats a bit thinner its even surprisingly light for its abillitys.

Bowie knife my personal choice but that might be my texas bias

BK-9 with custom azwelki sheath is my choice for one knife tac.

Brother Tac!!! Great topic. I'd have to go with the OKC Bushcraft Woodsman. 9.5" blade, the most comfortable grip of any large knife I've ever held, decent quarter inch thick steel, great sheath, and it comes with a good sized ferro rod...all for under $100. Winner winner chicken dinner all day.

To each is there own. I prefer a smaller blade that I can easily work with, 6" max. My reasoning is simple, I'm not going to be doing any chopping because it's noisy, so to me it's a waste of weight. Edc is a pocket knife or sometimes a trade knife by Jeff White. For processing wood a saw is my go to, except for kindling.

i agree

I am far from a 'survival expert' but I think I'd feel okay with a medium sized blade as long as it was beefy as hell and by 'medium sized' I means something like a BK2 or a Schrade SCHF38. My upper end of comfort for a multi-task blade would probably be more in the 9 inch realm like my Condor Moonshiner. I do have to agree with you about big knives being able to do more and have often said (including in comments on other KZfaq videos) that I, personally, can do small knife tasks with a big knife easier than I can do big knife tasks with a small knife. In a 'survival situation' - which I admit I will probably never be in - I wouldn't be worried about carving spoons, etc. Heck, I can scoop up food with my knife blade or even my fingers if I have to or I could just whittle out a 'paddle' type eating utensil.

You bring up some ideas about blade length. Thanks, keep on rocking!

Ontario RBS-9

Just got me a Esse Junglas!!! For the 150 with the sheath thats a Great value I think. Its crazy good in the hands and Man ooo man I love it.

I once had a 91/2" Bowie which was great for chopping anything but far too big for combat. If I had a 7"- 8" blade and you had the 10" you'd be a gonner. That Bowie was far too big for hand to hand combat.

you should look at miller bros blades if you have not yet