How Custom Fixed Blade Knives are better than Folding Knives for Wilderness Survival

by Greyson Milburn Business Analyst

When it comes to the necessities of survival, whether you are prepping for camping or hunting trips, a few things should be a priority to take with you. A custom fixed blade knife should be high on the priority list. While fixed blade knives are not convenient for everyday use, they are your best bet in survival situations. They are the perfect tools for chopping, thrusting, bigger cutting, and prying tasks that a regular folding knife can’t handle. Before you add just any knife to your survival inventory, here are a few reasons why you should choose custom fixed blade knives:

• No Pivot or Joint Weakness:

The main feature of a folding knife is its pivot mechanism, which allows the blade to be stored in the handle. This is also its biggest weakness when it comes to survival. Just like the joints in our body, the hinge of a folding knife is a major component for its functioning, and also the weakest point in its design. A survival knife such as a fixed blade knife needs to handle heavy-duty, high-impact jobs that a folding knife is not designed for.

• Full Tang:

The term “tang” refers to the extent to which the blade of a knife continuously extends into the length of the handle. This is a vital point to determine a knife’s strength and durability. Knives can either be full tang, where the blade extends from the tip to the entire length of the handle or can be partial tang, where the blade extends partially into the handle if at all.

Folding knives are partial tang, which is too flimsy for the jobs that you will be doing during survival situations. Unlike partial tang knives, custom fixed blade knives don’t develop looseness or “play” more readily, which is an advantage for wilderness survival.

• Low Maintenance:

· Another huge weakness of folding knives and their use in survival situations is their high maintenance requirements. The function of a folding knife largely depends upon the spring mechanisms that open and close the blade. This mechanism requires regular maintenance, as it can get easily clogged, hindered, or rendered altogether useless by corrosion and dirt, which are two common occurrences in survival situations. The simple design of custom fixed blade knives is better in such cases as it allows for consistent and reliable tactical use that is always at the ready.

Uses of Custom Fixed Blade Knives:

Apart from the obvious benefits of a knife, here are some extensive uses of custom fixed blade knives: