The Best Knife? (Part 8)

What a steel!  Seriously, who doesn’t enjoy a bargain when it comes to anything, but it is especially exciting when you get a great deal on a knife at a flea market or yard sale or even a second hand store?  As I stated before, if the knife is a good one, it will have the steel type listed on the packaging and some of them will even have it stamped or marked on the blades.

Choosing a steel for you knife is both easier and harder than you might think.  There are more kinds of steels available to knife makers today than ever before.  Simple High Carbon steels like 1095 and 01 Tool Steel are commonly used as they are inexpensive, and if properly hardened, the spine can be used with a piece of flint for spark based fire starting using char cloth and the like.  They do have the propensity to rust much easier and thus need to be kept coated with oil or some other type of rust powder coating etc. but then the spine cannot be used to spark a fire.  Simple carbon steels are easier to sharpen and the carbides in the steel make for a razor edge that is relatively easy to maintain even on a rock or piece of concrete, certainly on a standard type sharpening stone.

A stainless steel knife usually has at least 13 percent chromium in it.  Notice that a stainless steel blade stains less, but will stain and even rust if left in wet or salty conditions for a long period of time.  Remember that blood is 3 times more corrosive than salt water so after cleaning fish and game, always clean your knife!  440 stainless steel is touted on many knife packages but there are three main grades of 440, 440A, 440B, and 440C.  A has the most chromium and C has the least and is the best for a knife blade.  Then there is 420JC used by Buck and other companies which is a good grade stainless that is inexpensive.  There is 154cm and ATS 34, and the list goes on and on.  Basically, if you are going to buy a knife for your survival kit, do some research on the kind of steel it has as well as how to care for it before you make the purchase.

It sounds confusing, but actually, you usually get what you pay for.  The higher the grade of steel, the more it costs to manufacture it and that will be reflected in the overall price of the knife.  In my opinion, buy the best knife you can afford.  If you are ever in a true survival situation, what do you want in your hand?  A strong, durable, well made blade or a cheap mass produced knife that you bought because you liked the price?

Spiritually, there is a price that we must pay every day if we are to have a quality relationship with God.  You must spend time in prayer and Bible study.  You must also spend time in faithful attendance in church with other believers.  While Salvation is free, a close walk with God isn’t and you have to be willing to pay the price.  What is the quality of your spiritual life?  Are you paying the price or just doing enough to get by?  There will come a time when a spiritual crisis occurs and you are going to need that closeness to God.  Don’t go cheap!

James B.

PS. You can check out my website where you can set up training for many of these skills at www.waypointsurvival.com and look at and order my custom knives at www.benderknifeworks.com.