Products Review: Survival Knife Edition – Buck Knives Vs KA_BAR Vs Zero Tolerance

In the great outdoors, an all around survival knife is one of the most important survival tool that should be found in any survival toolkit. A knife can be used for a lot of things. It can be used for hunting and preparing food and it can also be used in making fire and shelter in the campsite. Knives should not also be taken for granted. While it is true that survival and camping knives can be used as a deadly weapon, to most outdoor survivalists, it is mostly used as a self-defense against an attacking predator.

There are so many survival knives in the market today. The favorite among outdoors enthusiasts and survivalists fixed blade knives. When it comes to manufacturer brand, the Aitor Mod, Fallkniven, and Gerber are on top of the hierarchy. Other knives that are also popular to outdoor adventurers include machetes as well as the various brands of pocket knives. All these different survival knives can also be used in the wilderness for hunting, camping, and tactical purposes.

With these different survival knives being offered in the market, let us take a look at these three particular survival knives:

• 0119 Special Fixed Blade by Buck Knives
• Full Size USMC Fighting Knife by KA-BAR
• The 0350 Folding Knife by Zero Tolerance

Let us further examine these three survival knives and see what each of them has to offer and if each survival knife also really as good as advertised?

0119 Special Fixed Blade by Buck Knives ($74.15)

Product description:

• 6″ Large Clip Blade with 420HC Steel
• Overall Length 10-1/2″
• Solid Fixed Blade Knife Great for the Outdoors
• Weight, 7.5 oz
• Cocobolo Dymondwood handle with brass pommel/guard
• Includes Genuine Leather Fitted Sheath for safe and secure transportation on your belt or in a bag
• Lifetime Warranty
• Made in the USA

Closer Look…

The Steel Blade

The steel blade of the 0119 is forged from 420 HC Steel which has an excellent corrosion resistant ability. 420 HC steel is also one of the most durable and strongest steel material used in the knife industry today. Using this type of steel will also make re-sharpening the blade when it gets dull a breeze.

The knife blade has a very sharp pointed tip. This pointed tip design helps provide the user with a better control of the knife. In places where cutting is hard, the pointed tip of the blade can be used to puncture the part that is hard to cut. You’ve got to be cautious, though, as the point might not withstand a lot of forceful stabbing against hard surfaces.

The clip point design of the blade, as well as its large size, makes the 0119 perfect for slicing jobs.

The Leather Sheath for Safe Transportation

The fixed blade knife comes with a specially designed leather sheath housing, making for easier and secure transport. Additionally, the leather sheath can also be easily strapped on a belt for easy access and smooth knife action.

Pros and Cons 0119 Fixed Blade

Pros:

• It is very durable.
• It is razor sharp right out of the package.
• The blade of the knife is very good for making punctures or piercings.
• Gives a very substantial amount of cutting edge for slicing.
• There is a leather sheath that allows you to easily and safely transport the knife.
• Cutting in tight places is easier with this knife.
• The price is pretty reasonable.
• It is backed up with a lifetime warranty.

Cons

• Despite the point of the blade being very good for detail work, the point is rather weak.
• Some find the handle of the knife too light and a little bit inferior.

Verdict

If you love the great outdoors and you love to go on adventures every now and then, then, the 0119 Special Fixed Blade Knife is a decent tool that can be added to your survival tool kit. It can be easily carried or strapped in your outdoor backpack ready to be used when you need it. And most importantly, the 0119 comes with a lifetime warranty from Buck Knives.

Full Size USMC Fighting Knife by KA-BAR ($64.12)

Since 1942, the USMC Fighting Knife made by KA-BAR or also known as “USMC KA-BAR” has been the official survival knife of the U.S. Marine Corps.  And because of its great design and effectiveness, the USMC KA-BAR has also been issued to the U.S Army and to the U.S. Navy Soldiers.

But not only military people find the KA-BAR knife appealing, outdoorsmen and women find that it is also a great tool when it comes to camping and even hunting. The knife can easily cut tree branches as well as clean, cut, and fillet anything that you’ve hunted in the wilderness. The durability of the knife is also exceptional and cleaning and sharpening the knife is a breeze.

Product details:  

• 100 % Leather Sheath
• Imported
• 1095 Cro-van Steel
• 7″ Straight Edge Blade
• The Most Famous Fixed Blade Knife in The world
• Made in the U.S.A.

Closer Look…

The Blade

The 7″ stainless steel blade of the Ka-BAR knife is made out of the 1095 Cro-Van steel. The blade’s combination of chromium and vanadium both adds resistance and edge retention of the steel blade, which is great. While the whole knife weighs more than 11 ounces, the knife also has a 2.5″ fuller built into the spine of the blade. This built-in fuller makes the knife seem lighter than its actual weight. The thickness of the blade is also just 0.17 inches which is perfect for a great survival knife. With the blade’s 1095 Cro-Van steel material, you can rely on it to be strong enough for your survival needs. From cutting wires to chopping wood branches, it seems you can never go wrong with the KA-BAR knife.

The Handle and Shape

Just looking at the handle, you can easily see that it was well designed and properly built to perfectly hold the knife’s stainless steel blade. The pommel of the knife’s handle is made of steel which is also strong and sturdy enough to endure a lot of pounding. The full tang of the knife protrudes through the pommel and is pinned securely in place by stainless steel pin.

You can also see that the end of the blade’s handle is slightly curved. This is to protect the hand from accidentally getting sliced. While it doesn’t exactly cover your entire hand, the protection that it offers is enough to make a difference.

The leather on the knife’s handle is also beautifully designed. In time, as you continuously use the knife, the leather wrapped around the handle will weather. But even if that’s the case, the knife’s beautifully crafted handle will not deteriorate. Instead, it will look more bad-ass because of the leather’s weathering effect.

Verdict

I won’t lie that I find this fixed blade knife totally awesome!

This is probably one of the best survival knives you can buy in the market today. With its great history and proven usefulness in times of emergency, it’s almost a shame not to own one. From the testimonies of the more than two thousand people who already bought, tried, and reviewed the USMC KA_BAR, majority of them are in agreement that this is a keeper. In fact, out of 5 stars, they gave the KA-BAR knife a rating of 4.8, which is truly spectacular!

The ZT350 Folding Knife by Zero Tolerance ($156)

Product details:

• Knife is updated and is 10% smaller than the classic 0300
• Non-serrated blade with tiger finish
• Easy to open and deploy
• S30V Stainless Steel
• Tungsten DLC coated and textured with matte black G-10 handle
• 25-inch blade length, 4.625-inch closed length, 7.75-inch overall length
• Weight: 5.6-ounce
• Lifetime Manufacturer’s Warranty
• Made in the USA

Closer Look…

The Blade

The material used in forging the blade of the ZT350 knife is the steel called Martensitic stainless steel (CPM S30V). This material is considered by knife manufacturers around the world to be one of the newest and best materials to be used in making high quality survival knives.  The durability of the material used for the blade is also something to talk about. It is usually around 58-61 HRC ( HRC refers to the Rockwell Scale of Hardness, part C, where the higher the number, the harder the steel) and is more durable than the D2.  The Blade of the knife is also resistant to corrosion (since it’s stainless steel). And lastly, the blade of the ZT350 knife also comes with a Wolfram (Tungsten) black cover.

The Handle

The handle is made of laminated fiber glass (G10) and is 10 percent smaller and lighter than its predecessor. Since the knife is smaller and made of fiber glass, it is also lightweight. The knife’s structure including the safety is made of tungsten. The belt loop is also stainless steel.

All in all, the whole knife weighs more or less around 175 grams. The length of the knife is 20cm when it is opened and 11.7cm long when it is folded.

The Shape

The shape of the handle is rather square-ish. Even if that is the case, the shape of the handle is still very efficient and you can still grip the knife in two areas even with gloves on. The knife also has a powerful support spring and with just a press on one of the two opening systems, the knife will open in less than a second.

There are two ways to open the knife. One is by applying pressure on the flip-up on top of the knife and the other is the standard system with the locking pins.

There is also a hole at the end of the blade where you can insert a string or a paracord strap in case you need one.

Verdict

 When it comes to durability, I always say, stick with your full tang, fixed knives. But after handling the ZT350 knife for the first, I’m amazed at the excellent craftsmanship and detail that was put in assembling this beautiful survival knife. It is a solid, precise, and great all around survival knife. The size of the knife is also perfect. It is neither too big nor too small. This makes this knife a great tool to carry wherever you go. The two opening systems of this knife are also excellent. The belt clips and the four positions are also great additions to this already well crafted and beautifully made survival knife.

The only downside to the ZT350 Folding Knife is the absence of chamfer for opening by locking pin. The Allen key for effective tightening is not also included in the item.

All in all though, this folding knife is truly a great and effective AMERICAN made survival knife!

Conclusion

All three, no doubt, make great and awesome survival knives. Each knife has its own different advantages and disadvantages. The great news is, all of the three different knives advantages outweigh their disadvantages. Since all of these survival knives are also made in the United States of America, you can be assured that each of these knives are of superb quality, designed to perfection, and passed all the tests it was subjected to before being released and sold in the market.

Now, if you or your friends are planning to go on that next great outdoor adventure, then, owning and having one of these survival knives in your survival tool kit will be a great advantage.