Which knife is better, the SOG SEAL Pup or the Camillus Pilot Survival Knife? They’re similar in size but differ greatly in weight and blade material. The Camillus is much heavier due to the awesome butt cap on the handle, and the SOG’s serrations are far superior to the saw teeth on the ASEK. The Camillus blade is 4-7/8″ long and is made of 1095 tool steel, which is easy to sharpen. The saw teeth on the spine work well on wire and nails, but fall short on cutting metal and plastic sheeting …
PART 1 OF 2: A detailed fire making exercise in the Southeastern United States by Nutnfancy. Quite a different climate and foliage than the usual Nutnfancy Knife Clinic in the Rocky Mountains, this southern location provided an equally excellent location for wilderness craft. Tools used included the excellent, high value KaBar Heavy Bowie and Cold Steel Roach Belly knives, a Sawvivor backpacking saw, WD40, and a Light My Fire flint and steel. All came along and were used for demonstration …
For a compact choice in survival or tactical knives, the little RC-4 by Rat Cutlery is a good play. Upsides include: superb tan epoxy finish, grippy and well-formed micarta handles, great blade shape, excellent Kydex sheath with MOLLE attachments, and good jimping on spine. Given its length limitations, the RC-4 could still do a commendable job in wilderness tasks. Downsides would include: higher prices than some other similar, in-category knives (BM CSK II, Cold Steel SRK, Spyderco Fred …
It’s just another data point for you guys but the short answer is no. But Nutnfancy’s is not really anti-axe. There are situations for which an axe is well-suited. But I am realistic about how it rarely fits well into SURVIVAL AND BACKPACKING systems. Some armchair critics and car campers, sometimes inexperienced in backpacking, will tout the axe as a much better wood chopping and splitting tool than the survival knives I review and show in use. True, an axe is a capable tool as I show in …
The A1 is just 14 oz but sports a nearly 1/4″ thick blade. From my other “clinic” videos, I’ve demonstrated how such a thicker blade makes wilderness tasks easier, expending less energy. This is a huge advantage of this compact survival knife that few others possess. Other great features of the A1 include: laminated VG10 steel that will serve well in high moisture areas (and CeraCoated in black), a comfortable handle, full tang that can deliver defensive impacts, a convex grind, a good Kydex …
