I’ve written more than once about how I don’t usually carry a “survival knife” anymore.
(I let my Guardian Machete do most of the work in the field and have a small cutting tool for the little stuff.)
But just like you, I still love knives, including survival knives, and I know a lot of our readers carry and use them too.
So when I saw this particular “cheapie” knife with a design I hadn’t owned before, I figured I would buy it and test it for Warrior Life‘s members.
What I didn’t realize was that I was getting something dangerously bad… and if you relied on this knife on the field, it would FAIL you without a doubt!
Why This “Survival Knife Is The Worst Knife Ever!
I was “surfing the information superhighway” (people still do that, right?) when I found this knife that I thought was unique.
It had the usual hollow-handle survival pattern, but in an upswept skinning-style blade rather than the traditional clip-point.
I figured, “What the hey?” and clicked “add to cart.”
But when I got the knife, well, that’s when I realized how dangerous this thing is to unsuspecting survivalists.
Here are my 3 main complaints…
1. The Sheath STINKS
The first big problem is the sheath.
In the picture above, even hidden behind the text, you can see this thing is cheap as cheap gets.
It’s a flimsy Nylon so light that the tip of that knife will cut through the fabric as soon as you look at it funny.
If you were carrying this thing in the field and you tripped and fell on it, there’s a very good chance it would stab you.
2. There’s No Way This Is Full Tang
Take a look at that picture again.
See the screw in the plastic handle?
I’m willing to bet if you cut the plastic handle apart, you’d find that this screw is the ONLY thing holding the blade and the handle together.
That’s because the handle is clearly a molded piece of plastic with seams down the middle… and with the screw so far up in the handle, you just KNOW that’s where the “blade tang” probably ends.
Use this knife for anything other than opening mail and the blade is going to pull right out of the handle.
3. It Isn’t A “Hollow Handle” At All
This one is kind of on me, because I didn’t read the description closely.
When I got the knife out of the box and realized it wasn’t a “hollow handle” design at all, I went back and looked.
Sure enough, the description made no reference to this.
But the design is obviously made to LOOK like it’s a hollow-handle, probably to snare unsuspecting buyers.
I mean, it even has little widgets at the “end cap” that look like they’re made to help you unscrew it!
But they’re just for show.
The handle is plastic molded together, with the blade tang probably jammed down one end and held in place with that single, itty bitty screw.
In other words, if you see this knife… DON’T BUY IT.
Simple, right?
So, why does all this matter to you, the preppers and survivalists and hunters and hikers and outdoorspeople out there?
It matters because I don’t want the existence of bad products like these to discourage you from what you can accomplish.
See, with a GOOD knife, you can do literally ANYTHING where survival is concerned.
Now, choosing the right features for a survival knife a topic for another time, but be honest: You probably already know a “good” knife when you see one, versus one of these el-cheapo-specials.
What I’m saying is that if you have a well-made knife…
…AND you have the education to use it for survival…
…You can literally survive ANY crisis with only a knife as your survival tool!
So how do you get that education?
Well, you can spend years studying survival, interviewing experts, doing your own research, and seeking out training.
(And I suggest you do if you can.)
BUT… if you want to learn the basics NOW, instead of waiting years to accomplish all that, I have a shortcut.
You can learn more about it here.
You’d be amazed how simple it is to survive with only this most basic tool, no matter what you face…
…as long as you know how.
Good luck!
