"Urban Survival Knife"?

[DAYWALKER]

Aloha ALL!

Cricket, D'Fly, Dodo, or Delica. :D
Biggest bring the C10 Endura...

Just *me* though...God bless

[STR]

Urban says to me 'socially accepted' it could also be 'politically correct'. But it also indicates the size will be smaller because bigger will not be needed for most urban tasks.

Survival demands some reliability, edge holding, good steel and quality parts, maintainance free materials and easy to open, close, withdraw, and sharpen.

To me this limits the choices to the knives in the same size range as the Delica, Salt1, Calypso Jr. and others maybe smaller than these. Being that the Delica is the number one seller of all time I'd probably go with that one.

[gabo]

OK, I changed my mind, I vote for the SPOT. great little blade, capable of just about everything. Sheep friendly. But I also think I need to call NGK for a Yo.

[JDEE]

I was doing a Review of the Delica when the term USK came to me. Reading the posts I think about 50% picked up what I had in mind. But, it was a great lot of responses - I wonder if anyone had similar thoughts before.

For my article I expanded on the theme of the USK and came up with the following:

What would a USK be used for:

1. As it is illegal to carry a knife for SD in Australia I did not expand on this.
2. I left off “work” related tasks.
3. Emergencies EG cutting car seat belts, rope, cord etc.
4. Cutting fruit etc.
5. First Aid – EG splinters, emergency tracheotomy, cutting away clothing etc.
6. Opening food packets, cutting sandwiches, steak etc.
7. Splitting a slab of beer.

USK Spec’s:
1. Type – one hand opening folder with lock.
2. Blade type – clip, leaf or spear point. Something with a bit of point – remember the splinters.
3. Blade grind – any.
4. Steel – a good stainless. Carbon is not a good medium with fruit etc.
5. Handle material – lightweight synthetic. SS looks nice but increases weight and is slipper when wet.
6. Size – 7 to 8” overall, 4 to 4.5” closed, blade with a maximum cutting edge of 3”.

The Delica, of course, meets all these requirements. I carry a Delica or Calypso Jr and like them both but in my view the Delica is more robust. The Delica is “sheeple” friendly, rides well in the pocket and is inconspicuous. The main points for me is the fine point, robust edge and edge retention (in a recent test the Delica cut 3/8” manila rope 40 times before I called a halt). Others such as the Dragonfly, the Native, the Lil’ Temperance and the Calypso could meet the requirements and except for the SS handle the new Byrd Meadowlark would make an ideal economic USK.

Now who agrees? Who disagrees? Anyone have any other thoughts on the uses of a USK?

[ming65]

It's ultimately just semantics but I reckon we need a distinction between 'convenience' and 'survival'. For convenience - that is making my life a little easier I reckon the Caly Jr, Delica and the like. For survival - that is protecting my hide WTSHTF I'd go for the Military as it carries easily in an urban environment but would handle most survival oriented tasks.

[VultureParade]

I've been thinking about this more and I don't know if it is practical to only have one knife for urban survival. I mean, in a desperate situation one knife can do a variety of tasks and for this I would go with the PE Lil'Temp.

However, I think two knives, a smaller rescue model with SE to use for rescue purposes and cutting through fiberous material and another like the Lil'Temp would be the most effective urban survival combination.

I think the ability to carry a fully SE knife and a strong PE knife is the most adaptable combination. More so since the a smaller rescue is light and out of the way until you need it.

I EDC'ed an older Rescue Jr. for over a year and really found it to be a great knife. It just lacked a point and some characteristics that a heavy duty knife has.

Haha, so to complicate things, I change from Lil'Temp to Lil'Temp and Rescue Jr.

Now how about Spyderco makes a Rescue Jr. in S30V steel and with a comp lock? Eh? Eh? :)

-Bryan

[JDEE]

When I came up with the term Urban Survival Knife my thinking was along the lines of the opposite of a Outdoor Survival Knife of which so much has been written about - hence the "sheeple" friendly utility knife along the lines I outlined. Some of the posts have picked up on this line of thinking whilst others have concentrated on SD as a factor. Is it a sign of the times that so many saw SD as a factor whereas the OSK concentrates more on chopping, cutting, digging and prying.

Having 2 types of USK seems to defeat the purpose - it's like carrying 2 types of utility knife. If you are looking for a knife to fill the needs of a USK you have to pick one knife that will do as many of the tasks it can across a broad spectrum. There is no perfect 1 knife for a USK or OSK so you have to look for the one knife that is going to do as many tasks as it can. If you extended the principle of 2 USKs to the outdoor arena - not too many people would carry around 2 OSKs.

[HoB]

When I read "survival knife" I usually don't really think in terms of SD but surviving in the wilderness - a knife that can handle the daily chores in the wilderness. So in many ways "urban survival" I read with a little bit of a smirk, because aside from SD situations, you can survive in an urban environment quite well without a knife as long as you have a credit card. On the other hand, I am living in an urban environment and despite never had to (physically) defend myself, my daily life seems most of the time a struggle, in which a Spydie comes in really handy in the survival in the urban jungle (mostly my laboratory :D ). So I actually really like the term urban survival knife.

[Stuart Ackerman]

Urban Survival TOOL will make it acceptable to the Sheeple... :)

[JDEE]

How about we ask Sal for a sprint run of the Delica - ZDP189 with grey (conrete) urban camo handles.

[Easyrider]

I vote for the Salsa. :D

[ken]

In writing an article on a particular knife (I wont tell you which at this stage) the term "Urban Survival Knife" (USK) popped into my head - I can't remember if I had read or saw this term before. Anyway, what model of Spyderco would you consider best fits the term USK?

Hello sir-

And I want to read your article when your finished.
When I see "Urban Survival" I'm thinking walking the streets and alleys of east Los Angeles at 2 am. This place is a no-mans land, the "hood", where the crypts and bloods run. (gangs). So you said "Urban survival Knife" not "Urban Uitility" or "Urban EDC" so my choice would be an MBC rated spyderco. #1 spyderfly #2 civilian.

And have a knife day!
I like that,
ken

[JDEE]

Send me an email and I will put you on the mailing list for the "Knife Knews".

I acknowledge that SD is a vital factor for people in some urban areas and said so in one of my later posts:

Is it a sign of the times that so many saw SD as a factor

It is interesting how ones environment influences their thinking in this regard but, also one has to be familiar with the laws relating to ones environment whether that be a restriction on the size of blade or in our case it being illegal to carry a knife for SD. It would be an interesting exercise to go back through the posts and see where people came from who posted in favour of SD and conversely where people came from who say the "lighter" side of the term USK.

[224477]

for me, the best USK for your list would be:

Lil Temp, SE, Leaf blade.
Very durable knife built for hard use, even SD, but still fits your requirements as well.

J.

[JDEE]

for me, the best USK for your list would be:

Lil Temp, SE, Leaf blade.
Very durable knife built for hard use, even SD, but still fits your requirements as well.

J.

If you were looking for the best (ie steel, lock, handle materials) Spyderco to meet the requirements I would agree with the Lil Temp Leaf Blade but for me I have never felt comfortable with it - the Native S30V also fits the bill. Probably the best thing about the Spyderco range is that there is something for everyone.

[Yojimbo]

Dodo PE, and a SE cricket on your keychain

[ming65]

The aspect that the best USK shares with the best OSK is that it has to be 'the one you have on you at the time'. So ease of carriage is important.

There is a debate over on BF where some bloke is asking about what type of knife is best for prying and using the tip as a screwdriver etc. He is getting howled down and told to use a multi-tool etc. But I'm on his side when it comes to a USK. Would you have a multi-tool on you when out for a jog from your hotel on the first night in a new city? Not likely.

Using the above criteria the Native or Native III would fit the bill for me. I'd say the Millie but she has to be explaiined away too much when I'm travelling. Native raises no eyebrows and can be carried anywhere. I was jogging to the boardwalk in Doctors Cove in Darwin last year and eyeing the waterline nervously. Small chance of a croc attack there and probably no difference made to my survivability by having my native clipped to the back of the shorts - but it felt good anyway.

If spyderco were to make a SAK soldier style knife*, with a good blade and screwdriver, cap lifter/awl I reckon there would be a market. Not a huge SAK with every blade under the sun, but just a blade with a couple of essential extra implements.

* Looking at my Native III I reckon you could have a couple of utility blades - say combination screwdriver/cap llifter and an awl, that slide out of the back of the handle and click into place - no need for extra back springs.

[JDEE]

Posted by ming65
If spyderco were to make a SAK soldier style knife*, with a good blade and screwdriver, cap lifter/awl I reckon there would be a market. Not a huge SAK with every blade under the sun, but just a blade with a couple of essential extra implements.

Yes! My thread was somewhat limiting in that it was restricted to Spydies. If you opened up the question of a USK to cover all folders then I would have to go for a SAK myself probably something like the Adventurer with the locking blade would suit me down to the ground. I don't think multi-tools fit the equation as you are primarily looking for a knife where the essential "tool" is a blade.

[greencobra]

I vote for the Salsa. :D

Does anyone rember my post in the kitchen knife thread....my neighbors wife wanted a cork screw on the back end of my Salsa. I didn't think at the time but she stumbled onto the perfect "Urban Survival" knife. :cool:

[silverback]

USC seems to call for something small but kind of tactical. :D
I'd say at least SS handles or even Ti.
Of the ones I have experience with the Scorpius and the Ti Salsa seem perfect. Go get them! :)