Bushcraft Knife and Survival Knife: What You Need to Know

The term “bushcraft knife” and “survival knife” possibly dating back to the 1980s. It’s a modest and inexpensive tool with a wooden handle and a composite 4-inch blade. Typically, carbon steel is the highly preferred steel for bushcraft knives. The modern idea of a survival knife perhaps started with John Rambo, earlier Special Forces trooper. The original Rambo knife is a 9-inches blade with saw teeth up the backbone along with a hollow handle.

Considerations and Differences between Bushcraft Knife and Survival Knife

There are certain considerations for both bushcraft and survival knives. You must be looking forward to a handle that shouldn’t be damaged by water or impact. It should be preferably elliptical in cross-section instead of round or square and at the same time long enough to conveniently accommodate your hand. You can use the knife quite easily with a glove on. Though in case you are using it barehanded in the cold, it shouldn’t give you the unwanted frostbite. One important consideration is not using either type of knife as a weapon. If you get into a fight while armed with a survival knife, try to defend yourself and leave the area immediately instead of actually attacking the assailant and making things much challenging for yourself. Moreover, we do not recommend you get a knife that’s hard to re-sharpen. There are multiple types of steels out there, some of which are capable of holding an edge for longer.

• Both survival and bushcraft knives are outdoor tools that can be conveniently used in the wilderness or campout.
• A bushcraft knife typically features a blade of 4-inches long whereas the survival knife comes with a variety of blade sizes. You can choose one that suits your requirements.
• A bushcraft knife comes with a small and flat handle that is lightweight and comparatively less comfortable. Whereas a survival knife comes with a strong grip and comfortable to hold.
• Both tools have their specific use that can’t be replaced. Survival knives allow the survivalist to meet unanticipated dangers while bushcraft knives commonly deal with refining skills to help you survive in the wilderness.
• Survival knives are exclusively designed to perform multiple tasks from working as a fire starter to becoming a digging tool or hammer. A bushcraft knife is a simple fixed blade with the primary purpose to be used in the wilderness.
• Although varying types of cutting, dicing, and skinning can be performed with both the knives, survival knives are more competent when doing the art of hammering and batoning.
• Bushcraft knives are bent in shape whereas the survival knives have straight blades. The difference in design and shape influences the cutting and working capabilities. A bushcraft knife can be easily used on heavy materials.
• Batoning is one of the common tasks that is frequently associated with survival knives. It can be more competently achieved with a survival blade instead of bushcraft. The technique is performed by hacking off large branches of trees. It positions the survival knife on the branch or wood and smashes it by hammering the bristle of the knife.
• When it comes to the blade, a bushcraft knife cutting edge is primarily 4-inches long. Though users with bigger hands are more likely to opt for a knife with a long blade. In general, it is not recommended to own a blade that is longer than 5-inches.
• While looking for a high-quality knife, a preferable choice is a full tang blade or a concealed tang blade. A full tang blade goes throughout the length and width of the knife. The blade is usually visible on the frame of the handle. On the contrary, a concealed tang blade runs through the entire knife but gets pointed when entering the knife’s handle. The handle shields the tang blade.
• The blade of a bushcraft knife and survival knife is either made of carbon steel or stainless steel. Stainless steel doesn’t oxidize quickly offering a competitive benefit when exposed to moisture. On the other hand, carbon steel is moderately easy to polish and sharpen. Also, it holds a durable edge. A2 is an excellent selection when we talk about carbon steel. For stainless steel, the popular options are 440C or AUS8.
• The edges of both knives come as either non-serrated or saw-like. An entirely serrated edge is not preferred since it can be somewhat challenging to sharpen it. Besides, you will come across many blades that have certain saw-toothed parts whereas the other components of the knife are non-serrated.
• When it comes to handling, the handle of a survival knife is comparatively strong and comfortable to hold. Also, it must be flexible in diverse temperatures or climate. Leather grips are another prevalent choice, though they are not recommended to use in damp locations.