I know this is OT, but I'm amazed that some types of cutlery are somehow banned in Texas. When you say "prohibited", what does that mean?
Prohibited weapons in Texas include such things as clubs, brass knuckles, numchucks and blackjacks. Also included are dirks, daggers (sharpened both sides), switchblades and bowie knives (more than 5 1/2 " blade, false edge).
The Fallkniven knives are my favorites. I really like the F1. It's a smaller, real world size. Nicely shaped blade, sturdy enough for batoning, and it has a full tang so you can use the knife itself as a blunt instrument if needed. They're not sporting goods chain store cheap, but they are very reasonably priced for the quality. You can probably find one on ebay easy enough. Cold Steel has some good ones too at similar prices- they range from practical to ridiculously macho.
Let me add rationale to why I carry the Kukri: 1. It is a fixed knife, so can take the beat of chopping thick wood and building a shelter (have done that before with the same knife when I was a Venture Scout in Lebanon...that thing ate through anything we threw it at) 2. It is nose heavy...after the 50th chop you will get tired and if you are "surviving", calories count...with that weight all you do is lift and that's that... 3. The manner the blade is done you actually get 3 blades in one...that is, there are 3 sections with 3 different sharpening levels...tip sharp enough to penetrate, belly enough to chop (least sharp) and the inside is the sharpest to slice/gut/etc... 4. It is large enough that you don't lose it 5. Although not great at it, you can flint off of it (if the stars are aligned and such...ya know...) Hard to beat...the LMF rocks, the SOG are great...I've had a few/several...I even had Rambo's which I gave away to my younger cousin...all in all..."survival" means BEAT THE CRAP TO GET THROUGH and it'll stay with you...at least in my books
I believe the F1 was designed ground-up as a survival knife for the Swedish air force? I have one and it is really very good. however... they are convex ground so a bugger to sharpen in the field, I don't like the synthetic sheath, and depending on steel option F1s cost between the same as and double a Foxwell custom, where you get to specify handle material, sheath, blade grind etc. Still, it's a far better option than the Klingon killing daggers that will inevitably get suggested.
I love this one, although I like it in carbon, not stainless. Much easier to maintain and the carbon blade is actaully a sandwich blade. Very strong, very handy, easy to pack, and easy to sharpen.
Good solid working knives made by Dewey. http://www.deweyknives.com.au/hunters.html Might not be the style you're after, but the steel is excellent. Can't cut with a pretty knife that doesn't cut...
Thanks for the reply. So, mere possession is illegal, statewide. Those statutes must be interesting reading; how the language manages to disallow "clubs", while (presumably) allowing baseball bats; ban 6" camp tools while permitting 12" butcher knives. Pure genius! And all the while the state endorses the idea that the 2nd Amendment means what it says and recognizes its citizens rights to holster a concealed 1911. Sounds like the rational thinking citizenry lost a battle or two.
It is an archiac law. Such things as Maglites and baseball bat can fall under the definition of "club". On another note, when I was a student at the SERE Instructor course many years ago, the CO of the school, COL Rowe, was developing a survival knife in cooperation with Al Mar. They came up with a very large folder, too big for my taste but I bought one anyway. When I asked COL Rowe about the size he said it also had to double as a fighting knife. You can do about anything a knife should be doing with a 2" blade.
That depends on what you want to do -- I carried a KaBar all over the joint for years -- it never failed to deliver -- that said, these days, if I'm going out and about on the scoot, I carry a Woodsman's Pal (AND the KaBar, natch ;-}
I'm in line waiting for my skookum bush tool. It's got great reviews. I'm also reading the survival book by Mors Kochanski. I should probably take one of his courses since I spend a lot of time up in the Northern woods.
SOG Spec-Elite II, if I were picking a single-blade. Its a big knife that carries much smaller. However, I would probably want any of the full-size Leatherman tools. I have a Swisstool that won't die but the Leatherman tools are nicer, IMHO.
I can't believe no one has mentioned a RAT knife. They have different sizes to pick from, depending on your definition of survival knife. They're also made it the USA. o