SOG's Woodline knives put the company's tactical quality to work for the hunter and fisherman. Built for practical camp work and survival needs, the Woodline knives skip the military features civilians don't require.

There's no tactical black coating, and you won't find a dagger point built for stabbing. The Woodline's blade has the curve of a good hunter/skinner knife, providing enough plain cutting edge for precise work when dressing out game. The Woodline's flat grind also holds up to the harder chores like splitting kinding or taking down saplings. There's plenty of strong blade spine for driving that edge with a wooden club if need be, and you won't risk folding it over.

SOG built the Woodline with a distinctive style that's still very practical. The slanted bead-blasted stainless steel bolster is wide enough that the finger choil doesn't even cut into the hardwood handle slabs. The wooden handle completely encloses the tang, but the tang is still wide enough for stout riveted construction and a lanyard fitting at the heel.

Jimping on the spine of the 4.8 inch long 8Cr13MoV high carbon stainless steel knife extends nearly half the length of the blade, giving more thumb control and leverage. The 10.4 inch Woodline weighs 8.3 ounces, enough to inspire confidence when you tackle something tough. A folded and stitched leather belt sheath accompanies the knife, with a security strap that snaps into place around the finger choil. As long as that's in position, the Woodline stays put.

For a slightly smaller version tailored for small game and fish, see the SOG Woodline Small Fixed Blade.

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SOG Woodline Folding Blade Pocket Knife w Sheath New US $39.73   Auction Ends: 26d 6h 7m Make it yours...

SOG Knife Woodline Small Fixed Blade SOG99342 US $38.00   Auction Ends: 24d 13h Make it yours...

NIB SOG Woodline Large 104 Fixed Knife Leather Sheath US $25.00   0 Bid Auction Ends: 4d 19h 56m Make it yours...

Bear Grylls, British SAS veteran and outdoor survival show star, collaborated with Gerber to produce this interesting and very capable survival knife and kit. Unlike some survival knife combos which try to provide too much and wind up with little that works, everything here is functional. You get just the basics, but you get features to actually use.

The ten-inch-long fixed blade presents a drop point knife blade 4-3/4 inches long with a combo serrated edge. The serrated portion slashes tough rope and natural cordage easily. There's still enough plain edge for finer work -- a necessity if you're building primitive equipment and shelters. The textured rubberized grip prevents slips either to the front or the back, and the knife's solid steel pommel was designed for hammering.

The knife and sheath also include several handy survival tools and tricks, including an emergency whistle built into the lanyard cord and a ferrocerium permanent match in a fitting on the sheath. The match locks in place for storage but removes completely for convenient use. The spine of the knife blade includes a section designed for striking sparks from the rod, so you won't risk damaging the knife. A diamond-grit sharpening tool is also included in this small but effective kit.

If you can't remember all the useful tips from the Bear Grylls series, land-to-air rescue procedure steps are printed on the back of the sheath and a Bear Grylls survival guide stashed in the pocket behind the back panel. That might seem like cheating to some, but many of us remember slogging through rice paddy country with the mandatory copy of the Army's Guide to Mines and Booby-traps in our back pockets. Never hurts to have some reading material.

See the Tool Logic SLP2 for a smaller survival knife and firestarter combination.

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Discovery Survival Bear Grylls Knife Plain Edge Style US $89.99   Auction Ends: 19d 5h 16m Make it yours...

Discovery Survival Bear Grylls Knife Serrated Edge Styl US $89.99   Auction Ends: 24d 4h 42m Make it yours...

Wild VS Man Bear Grylls Survival Knife Bayley Knife New US $217.48   35 Bids Auction Ends: 18m Make it yours...

SOG's Woodline WD-50 Folder fits in a belt pouch, not in the pocket. For a compact survival knife large enough to make difference, that's a very sensible idea -- pocket clip styles get snagged on brush and disappear.

The Woodline WD-50 keeps the unusual styling of SOG's other Woodline civilian survival knives but condenses it to a folding build. You still get a knife big enough to depend on for chores around camp or for dressing small game and fish. Adding stainless steel handle liners and other hardware raised the weight of this smaller knife to nearly the same as for SOG's small, fixed blade Woodline knife. With a 3.4-inch long blade, there's only just over 1/2-inch less cutting edge in the WD-50.

All blades in the Woodline series are made from the same high carbon 8Cr13MoV stainless steel and hardened to a tough 57-58 Rockwell rating. The WD-50's flat ground blade shows the upswept point of a good skinner, built so you can slice with the belly of the blade instead of scoring with the point. Since there's no serrated portion, you can do fine work at camp with full leverage, right up to the bolster. A jimped section of blade spine gives more control of the cut whether you power it with your thumb or guide it with your fingertip.

Dual thumb studs allow one-handed opening for either right or left hand. As the blade closes, the thumb studs rotate back into the finger choil and out of the way. In this smaller folder, you'll still get nearly five inches of wide hardwood-slab handle, so even big hands should find it practical.

The SOG Woodline series includes two fixed blades in this same style -- start with the Large Fixed Blade SOG Woodline if you're looking for a tougher survival tool.

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SOG Woodline Folding Blade Pocket Knife w Sheath New US $39.73   Auction Ends: 26d 6h 7m Make it yours...

SOG Knife Woodline Small Fixed Blade SOG99342 US $38.00   Auction Ends: 24d 13h Make it yours...

NIB SOG Woodline Large 104 Fixed Knife Leather Sheath US $25.00   0 Bid Auction Ends: 4d 19h 56m Make it yours...

Knife designers Chris Reeves and William W. Harsey Jr. collaborated on the technical details of the Gerber LHR Urban Combat Knife, but Matt Larsen -- an expert in close quarters combat -- also contributed some unusual ideas. Larsen studied hundreds of actual combat encounters before finalizing the LHR concept. Designed for the urban soldier, the Gerber LHR concept is as much about knife retention as it is about the fighting blade.

This 12-1/2-inch-long fixed blade of low luster high carbon stainless steel doesn't skimp on the grip. The hefty full tang handle includes a deep finger choil and generous dropped bolster. Handle slabs of TacHide provide a surface permanently just tacky enough to be secure under any wet or dry conditions. The slightly dropped heel contributes to retention when pulling the knife back from the target, and the V-shaped pommel with lanyard hole also serves as a handy glass breaker. The knife's false upper edge adds to its piercing power, and there's a short section of serrated edge to take care of rope and straps quickly.

What's really new and different here is the sheath, which features an unusual locking mechanism that only releases with a push of the thumb. Grip the hilt, push the release plate down, and pull the knife free. If anyone else tries it, they won't have the proper leverage to make it happen. That's certainly a handy feature, but it will take some practice before it's fast and instinctive. Getting the knife back in the sheath and past the lock is also a little tricky, but you won't need to worry about the LHR coming loose whether you're fighting or just fighting your way through heavy brush.

For a look at another of Gerber's fine tactical fixed blades, see the Gerber Prodigy.

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Gerber Blades LHR Combat Knife Sheath 30 000183 US $110.99   Auction Ends: 19d 4h 35m Make it yours...

Gerber LHR Combat Knife US $110.00   Auction Ends: 23d 36m Make it yours...

GERBER LHR Serrated Combat Knife Sheath 30 000183 US $110.95   Auction Ends: 29d 18h 28m Make it yours...

If you're looking for a heavy duty camp knife, hunting knife, and survival tool, stop here. Look no farther than the Ka-Bar Adventure Potbelly Knife. The Potbelly's seven-inch, hollow ground blade of 1095 Cro-Van steel has enough reach and enough weight to do the work of a camp axe as well as a full-sized, razor-sharp hunter.

With a full length of 12-5/8 inches, the Potbelly reminds many of the gurkha knife, and actually will perform much like one. The gurkha became famous as a fighting knife but also served well around camp and even made a pretty good substitute for a machete. The Potbelly fits in that same category of all-purpose knife. Built with a full tang handle and injection-molded Zytel handle slabs, the Potbelly was made to fit all sizes of hands -- the efficient Adventuregrip texture and deep finger choil won't slip.

Designed by knifemaker and boar hunter Steve Johnson, the field editor for Boar Hunter Magazine, the Potbelly evolved through several different versions and considerable field testing by Johnson before becoming part of the Ka-Bar lineup. According to Johnson, the production model exceeded his expectations.

Combined with the Adventure sheath, the Potbelly ought to exceed yours as well. With two belt loops at different heights and extra MOLLE points for custom rigging, the Potbelly's Adventure sheath fits any gear. A large pouch on the front of the sheath holds the basic survival tools you want, not the bandaids and the fishhook you usually get in survival kits. Best of all, the sheath's extra slot holds the Adventure Piggyback, a skeletonized high carbon stainless steel skinner for the more delicate field dressing work.

If you prefer a fighting knife style, check out the Adventure Baconmaker -- the same good deal but inspired by the ideas of one of Johnson's Special Forces customers.

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KA BAR ADVENTURE POTBELLY KNIFE 5600 NEW US $65.49   Auction Ends: 27d 5h 11m Make it yours...

KA BAR 5600 Johnson Adventure POTBELLY Knife NEW US $76.92   Auction Ends: 5d 4h 42m Make it yours...

KA BAR JOHNSON POTBELLY FIXED BLADE MINI KNIFE US $72.00   Auction Ends: 25d 20h 24m Make it yours...

One of three Adventure series knives released by Kabar in 2010, the Kabar Adventure Baconmaker satisfies anybody who likes a knife with great style but treats their tools a little rough. This pigsticker can take it.

Adventure series knives developed from a partnership with knife designer Steve Johnson, the field editor of Boar Hunter Magazine. Having spent years designing custom knives for fellow boar hunters and for military specialists, Mr. Johnson knows how to make knives for sticking. The Baconmaker resulted from a request by a Special Forces friend with his own ideas to contribute. Now built by Ka-Bar from high carbon Cro-Van steel, the Baconmaker was influenced by Persian blades but manufactured with stronger modern materials -- including Kabar's new Adventuregrip handle slabs of textured Zytel.

Twelve-and-3/4 inches long overall, this full tang fixed blade includes 7-1/8 inches of recurved blade. The false upper edge gives the blade an efficient dagger shape for piercing, and the recurve makes the knife expecially good at slashing. Recurved plain edges also do a fine job of gripping and severing cord and harness straps, without the sharpening problems a serrated edge presents. Grip features include a dropped bolster fingerguard and a deep finger choil as well as a contoured handle for excellent reverse traction and a space on the knife's spine for added thumb pressure.

The Baconmaker's sheath allows rigging through MOLLE fittings or either of two belt loops. A small stuff sack on the sheath holds your favorite survival gear. If you're thinking this is just too much blade for hunting, there's a second skeletonized steel skinner, the Piggyback, already in its own slot in the same sheath. All that, plus 8 feet of Adventurecord and Kabar's guarantee.

To see the second of Kabar's new series, go to Kabar's Adventure Potbelly.

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KA BAR ADVENTURE BACONMAKER KNIFE 5601 NEW US $64.49   Auction Ends: 3d 18h 4m Make it yours...

KA BAR 5601 Johnson Adventure BACONMAKER Knife NEW US $76.92   Auction Ends: 1d 5h 19m Make it yours...

Ka Bar Adventure Bacon Maker Baconmaker Knife 5601 New US $68.99   Auction Ends: 10d 20h 21m Make it yours...

As part of the company's 125th Anniversary celebration, Victorinox reissued this classic version of its first Soldier knife. Manufactured for the Swiss Army beginning in 1891, the Soldier knife was the first multi-purpose pocket knife developed in Switzerland. Its assortment of practical blades outfitted the modern infantryman of the day with a convenient and durable minature toolkit.

Today, you'd be hard pressed to find a knife like the Soldier anywhere but on a collector's shelf, since all tools were built for the challenges of the 18th century. The strong reamer was meant for repairs on horse's harnesses, and the flat screwdriver blade fit breakdown screws on Swiss Army rifles. The style of the can opener blade obviously was built to handle something much tougher than modern food tins. The spear point knife blade is the only thing that hasn't changed much. The Heritage uses the same styling as the original Soldier, including handle slabs of polished African ebony hardwood. All blades, however, are made from modern high carbon stainless steel.

Victorinox produced only 1,884 of these Heritage knives. Each one ships in a handsome black hardwood presentation case. The cover of the case is inlaid with a metal replica of the Victorinox emblem, the cross and shield. Four inches long when closed, the Swiss Army Heritage carries the same lifetime warranty as other versions of the still-famous Swiss Army Knife. The 125th Anniversary Heritage is just like the old Soldier, except that modern materials and methods make it better.

Collectors of fine limited edition knives will also find the Lamborghini Extrema Ratio Reventon Folder of interest.

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Victorinox Swiss Army 125th Ann Heritage Knife 51884 US $489.95   Auction Ends: 1d 21h 16m Make it yours...

WENGER HERITAGE SWISS ARMY KNIFE LIMITED EDITION NEW US $399.00   0 Bid Auction Ends: 4d 4h Make it yours...

The Boy Scout version of the Victorinox Swiss Army Explorer features the same versatile set of blades and tools and includes the emblem of the Boy Scouts of America on the red Cellidor handle.

The Explorer's tools will interest solitary travelers as well as troop members. Only 3-1/2 inches long when closed, the Explorer carries sixteen tools including a 5x magnifying lens, which could be an effective emergency firestarter on sunny days. Two multi-purpose blades double as can and bottle opener as well as small and large flat-blade screwdrivers. The bottle opener blade includes a notch good for stripping insulation from wire.

In the Explorer, the Phillips-tip screwdriver blade pivots from the end of the knife, not the center of the handle spine as in some other versions. That makes the Phillips screwdriver blade much easier to actually use. The tool set also offers a corkscrew, a large and small spear point blade, scissors, a reamer, and a parcel hook. You'll find the indispensable toothpick and tweezers secured in slots in the handle. The key ring is a handy place to string a wrist lanyard so you don't lose your good knife when you need it most.

Liners and blades of high carbon stainless steel hold up to heavy use and resist corrosion. A little cleaning occasionally and a drop of oil on pivot points keeps the knife like new. All blades are slip-joint style, requiring opening with two hands. None of the blades lock back, so be careful when applying pressure during use.

See the Swiss Army Mountaineer for a knife of similar size with tools specially selected for climbers.

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Victorinox BOY SCOUTS EXPLORER Swiss Army Knife NEW US $38.99   Auction Ends: 28d 19h 7m Make it yours...

Victorinox Swiss Army Boy Scout Explorer Knife 55781 US $34.00   Auction Ends: 27d 3h 5m Make it yours...

Becker Knife & Tool once produced a wide variety of survival knives built to the specifications of founder Ethan Becker, who had a longstanding interest in big knives. Now produced under the guidance of Ka-Bar, the Becker BK-9 Combat Bowie is one of the best Beckers for the person who thinks the average knife isn't quite enough.

The Combat Bowie goes back to the original days of the Bowie knife, when it had more of the characteristics of a short sword and was built for close combat as a primary weapon instead of a last resort back-up. The Becker knife is more advanced than the first fighting bowies, combining some of the best aspects of the old fighting Bowie knife with the chopping power of a machete. The Becker also uses some of the best modern knife materials.

Much better quality than most machetes, the Combat Bowie uses full tang construction and a 0.21-inch-thick blade of chrome vanadium high carbon tool steel. With a flat grind similar to the edge style of a combat saber, the Bowie is built to swing and has the weight to back it up. Full weight of this 14-3/4-inch knife is 1.15 pounds, almost in the weight class of a small sword. Grivory slabs form the BK-9's grip. This new compound is a composite material hard enough to substitute for steel. Built into the grip's shape, dropped bolsters front and back make sure the knife stays in the hand even in slippery conditions. If you feel the need to bash something, there's enough exposed tang at the rear of the handle to deliver an impact without damage to the knife. A jimped section of blade spine up front offers finer control.

Made in the U.S.A., the BK-9 comes with a glass-filled nylon sheath manufactured in Taiwan.

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KA BAR Becker Combat Utility Bowie BK7 BK 7 Extra Knife US $67.99   Auction Ends: 28d 17h 54m Make it yours...

Ka Bar BK9 BKT Becker Knife Tool Combat Bowie NEW US $79.00   Auction Ends: 29d 18h 54m Make it yours...

Ka Bar Becker Combat Bowie Knife w Cordura Sheath US $89.63   Auction Ends: 28d 21h 4m Make it yours...

Blade Magazine presented Columbia River Knife & Tool with the 2009 Most Innovative Imported Design award, earned by CRKT's Flux knife and tool combination system. Whether your frontier is the city or the country, you'll find a useful combination to tailor to your own pursuits.

Although the Flux tools can be purchased as individual folding clip tools -- including separate LED flashlight, knife, flash drive, and more -- the most economical setup is the double rail system with two tools. The CRKT GoWork package includes the double rail with two carabiner clips for hanging the tool pack on belt loop or pack. While the carabiners aren't meant to support much load, they're sufficient to keep the tool pack at the ready. Slide off either tool when needed, leaving the rail on your gear. When finished, slip the tool back on the rail, and it locks securely in place again.

The GoWork pack includes the Flux knife and Flux driver. The Flux knife is a lightweight folding lockback with high carbon stainless steel 2.25-inch plain edge blade. The clip point blade opens one-handed and snaps into open position with a sturdy liner lock of stainless steel. If you choose to carry the pocket clip folder without the rail, use the stainless steel pocket clip which screws easily to the knife's grip. The other half of the GoWork pack is the Flux driver tool, which includes one Phillips head bit, two flat screwdriver bits, and a single LED light to illuminate those dark mechanical corners.

Customizing is simple. Flash drives, wine tools, and a more powerful 2 LED flashlight are available as individual tools and may be switched out at will. Buy either the GoWork system, GoNerd pack, or GoPlay pack for a pre-selection of appropriate tools, and add to the collection when a change of scenery is due.

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Crkt Flux GoWork MultiTool Changeable Columbia Knife US $52.95   Auction Ends: 1d 1h 53m Make it yours...