There are some great knives and tools available for the outdoorsman this holiday season that would make great gifts. We have put together a list of knives and tools we thought you might like to get for either yourself or as a gift.
Winkler Belt Knife | Exclusive Special Edition | CPM3V and Walnut
Upon receiving the Winkler Knives II Belt Knife from knifeart.com, I was immediately impressed. Winkler Knives is known in the community for working with elite military units such as SEAL Team 6. Being able to handle one of his knives is a glorious feeling. I immediately took the knife outside to get a feel for how it would do in prepping wood for a fire. Needless to say the knife was able to do everything from carving fine curls to processing down larger pieces by batoning the knife through the wood.
The ESEE 4 | Not The Best Survival Knife, But a Damn Good One!
Since 2014 USAF SERE Specialist Trainees are issued ESEE 4’s once they arrive at Fairchild AFB to begin training. If you finish training you keep the knife. I’m not here to say that the ESEE 4 is the best survival knife currently made. Far from it – however what I think it is, is a viable option for those who don’t wish to spend a lot of cash but want a lot of performance. The ESEE 4 is a full tang, 1095 steel blade that is 3/16“ thick with a full flat grind.
Available on Amazon for around $100
Morakniv Kansbol fixed blade knife | Affordable ruggedness
The Kansbol is one of the newest knives from renowned knife maker Morakniv. A good fixed blade knife that can be used for survival, hunting and light field work is essential. In my job as a survival instructor for the US military I’ve had the opportunity to see and use a variety of knives in a variety of locations and for many different tasks. Knife preference will change from person to person but for the most part you see certain things that work.
When I received this knife I was immediately impressed by the sheath and the handle. The sheath is made of polypropylene and features the crossed arrows from the Swedish province Dalarna. The knife can be inserted into the sheath in either direction and clicks in positively. The sheath features generous water drainage holes at the bottom to ensure moisture, and to some extent debris, will fall out keeping your knife as clean as possible.
Available on Amazon for around $34
Gerber Gear | Moment Field Dress Kit
I have used this set for about three seasons now, and I still love them. The Moment Field Dress Kit includes two blades, and a sheath designed to hold the blades simultaneously. Prior to this kit I had been cycling between different blades, but they always seemed to be lacking in some way. I could gut well, but couldn’t skin well, or I could skin well, but lacked the blade for quartering. Before I get too far into this, I should note my purpose for this kit is field dressing only.
Many people have shown me great quality blades for processing, which I will admit are far superior to this set, but they just aren’t something I am will to take into the field (price, lacking a sheath, etc.). In total, this set has field dressed three deer, one bear, and tons of grouse. The ergonomically designed handle fits well, and the rubber coating keeps your grip, even when your elbow deep inside an animal. The large blade comes with a gut hook helping to prevent the perforation of internal organs.
Available on Amazon for around $40
Hultafors Mountain knife | A lightweight yet rugged fixed blade
Simpler is often times better. Many people don’t need as much knife as they think they do. Weight quickly adds up, and while a knife is perhaps one of the most important tools you can carry, you don’t need to carry around a half pound of steel to get what you need accomplished. It is of-course all situationally dependent on what you do. But I believe that you’ll find that the Hultafors Mountain Knife gives you precisely what you need for most situations.
The knife is simple, it consists of Japanese Carbon Steel hardened to 58–60 HRC and honed in a multilayered sharpening process for a precise and even bevel. The grind used is a Scandinavian flat grind which is well suited to the purpose of this knife. This grind allows for easy and exact sharpening of your blade and helps to ensure that you have an even bevel across the length of the blade. A sharp knife is a safe knife and I’ve little doubt that the scandi grind helps with this. The blade features a rust proof electrophoretic (EPD) coating to withstand corrosion. And in my testing I’ve found it to be extremely resilient to corrosion and wear. The blade includes a portion to use as a striker on a ferro rod as well. A simple inclusion that gives you a lot more use from the blade.
Available on Amazon for around $27
The Emerson Knives Journeyman
The Emerson Journeyman is a very well designed and built knife for just about everything whether its self-defense, survival, or work. It is tough, light and fits well in the hand. I will say that it is my favorite folding knife I have carried so far and is now my EDC knife no matter what task I will be tackling that day.
Available on Amazon for around $233
Emerson Knives Commander | Survival Folding Knife
The Emerson Commander knife is a battle-tested blade and approved by the Navy SEAL Teams as an edged weapon. Originally this knife was developed with input from Navy SEAL Team 6 members, and later made available to the public beginning in 1998. The wave opening feature allows you to deploy the blade as its pulled from your pocket making it quicker than auto knives, and in some cases quicker than a concealed fixed blade.
The blade and handle design is what you would expect from Emerson Knives. Once again the ergonomics of the handle are a perfect fit to my hand. I’m not sure what they do during the design phase of these handles, but they always seem to fit my hand like they were custom-made for me. When it comes to the design of the Commander blade itself, there are several factors that I really like about it. First, the recurve design provides a continuous cutting surface making the use of the knife more efficient for the operator. Second, the chisel ground edge allows for ease of maintenance out in the field when you need to bring back a serviceable edge after hard continuous use. Third, the combination of the blade steel (154cM) and heat-treat of the blade steel give you a highly wear resistant blade, easily maintainable edge, and lateral strength.
Available on Amazon for around $229
Gerber Gator Mate Folding Blade
In 1993 when I checked into 2nd Bn 8th Marines I was issued all the basic field gear I would need for use in an infantry MOS. Shortly after checking in my unit shipped out to the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center for a month of training in the Sierra Nevada mountains. I decided to take a trip to the PX to find a folding knife to carry. Back in 1993 we didn’t have access to the internet to shop or look up reviews. There also was not near the amount of knife manufacturers as we have now. Three brands of knives were prevalent then; Emerson Knives, Spyderco and Gerber. Emerson Knives were out of my price range, I didn’t have time to mail order a Spyderco, so I ended up finding a Gerber Gator folding knife at the PX.
That Gerber Gator knife stayed with me throughout my entire enlistment in the Marine Corps. I carried that knife on all field exercises and deployments over the course of 4 years active duty. That knife never failed me no matter how cold, wet or muddy the conditions were. Because of that first hand knowledge of the field-tested durability, I have owned one much of the time since.
Available on Amazon for around $30
Hults Bruk Hatchet
Woodsman hatchets have grown in popularity in recent years, driven in part by a strong word of mouth and endorsements by proven and reputable survival & bushcraft instructors. This has helped woodsman hatchets become top sellers for major axe companies. Why have these become so popular? Simple – portability and versatility. A woodsman hatchet is small enough to be used as a one-handed hatchet, yet large enough to swing as a two-handed axe for more serious chopping and splitting tasks if you need to push it into that roll. Since many consumers have limited budgets and are forced to choose between buying either a full-sized axe, or a hatchet, the hatchet represents a good compromise. A hatchet is generally the largest axe type tool you can carry inside a daypack. This is important if you want to have the versatility of carrying an axe discreetly in your pack as a wilderness survival tool without getting bogged down carrying a larger heavier axe. Combine the Hults Bruk Hatchet with the Swedish Mora Companion and you have yourself a solid set of tools for the bush.
Available on Amazon for around $127
Bob Dustrude Quick Saw
An American made folding buck saw. When I’m looking to add another tool to the tool box I look for simplicity, and rugged construction. I want a tool that contains the least amount of moving parts and is able to withstand the harsh weather conditions of the Eastern Woodlands. The Bob Dustrude Quick Buck Saw is the answer to those requirements. The Quick Buck Saw consists of two pieces that is all held together via a cam system that puts constant tension on the saw blade. Both assembly and disassembly of the saw take less than 1 minute.
Available on Amazon for around $70
SOG Wood & Bone Saw
Here we are going to take a look at the SOG Wood & Bone Saw. Compact saws are great for camping, and hunting. Until this product I actually had two separate saws; one for preparing wood, and the other for processing game (cutting through bone when needed).
This saw comes with two interchangeable blades. Each blade is made from tempered steel designed for cutting bone, wood, and other materials (there is a specific bone blade). There is a quick-release integrated into the handle to allow for fast blade changes.
Available on Amazon for around $28
