Gerber LMF-2 / Becker BK2 / Bear Grylls Survival Knife ???

[spectre327]

Of these three, what are everyone's opinions on a good survival/Bug-Out knife?

I'm trying to stay under $90 and each of these can be gotten for under $80 and have very good reviews.

I already have a SOG Seal Pup Elite but want something a little more beefy.

Let em fly.

 

[kawtech87]

Of the three you listed the one I would get is the Becker. Don't buy anything that has a "celebrity" endorsement, its usually the cheapest crap they can pump out and slap a fancy tag on and sell to uninformed buyers. The entire Bear Grylls line is made in China and from what I have read is pretty cheap quality.

Honestly if I was looking for a GOOD Survival knife, one that I would actually trust my life to, for a reasonable price I would bump up your budget to about $150.00 and then check out ESEE. The Laser Strike can be had for around $120.00 and will work circles around most other knives in its price range.

 

[RAMBOCAT]

ESEE 6. Read the warranty.

 

[chezuki]

ESEE 6. Read the warranty.

This. (except you spelled "5" wrong. )

 

[spectre327]

Of the three you listed the one I would get is the Becker. Don't buy anything that has a "celebrity" endorsement, its usually the cheapest crap they can pump out and slap a fancy tag on and sell to uninformed buyers. The entire Bear Grylls line is made in China and from what I have read is pretty cheap quality.

Honestly if I was looking for a GOOD Survival knife, one that I would actually trust my life to, for a reasonable price I would bump up your budget to about $150.00 and then check out ESEE. The Laser Strike can be had for around $120.00 and will work circles around most other knives in its price range.

Thank you.

I would raise the budget if i could but i am low income and need to stay within a certain range.

 

[ggglobert9]

LMF 2 cheap but very good

 

[kawtech87]

Thank you.

I would raise the budget if i could but i am low income and need to stay within a certain range.

I understand that pretty well trust me. But it's not much of an excuse to buy inferior products. I scrimp and save every nickel and penny I got to buy the best quality tools for the job. If it takes me an extra month to save the extra 50 bucks for the better tool I'll wait until next month to make my purchase.

That's just me though I understand not everyone's situation is the same.

The Becker should serve you well though.

 

[Tactically Fat]

ESEE laser strike is what I'd suggest. Or a 4.

 

[chezuki]

ESEE laser strike is what I'd suggest. Or a 4.

Both are awesome! And there's a hell of a deal on an LS un the classifieds right now!

 

[spectre327]

thank you. i will eventually own an ESEE for absolutely sure. when it does come to that time i will be asking for suggestions.....i love each of those knives and cannot tell which would best ( I know, size and heft is the issue at that point)

for now, however, inferiority is both a point of view and point of reference. Much like Ford and Chevy. I've seen just about every other Bear Grylls product fail catastrophically but the Survival model is basically a smaller LMF. The LMF is used by our combat forces with very good effect. The Becker is akin to KABAR and shares much of the same qualities. So in light of this, the decision boils down to which has served the purpose best in peoples' opinions.

 

[kawtech87]

Of the three you listed the Becker is the only full tang knife. The LMF is a stick tang and I have no idea if the Bear Grylls knife even has a tang. I can't seem to find any info as to the steel used in the Bear Grylls knife. Which leads me to believe it's a generic Chinese steel with a typical Chinese heat treatment, which is to say poor at best. The real LMF uses 420HC which is on the lower end of stainless steels 440C would be much better but would still require a good heat treatment to amount to anything. The Becker is full tang 1095 which is pretty much a standard in the knife industry and KA-BAR at least knows how to heat treat their knives.

So no inferior is not a matter of opinion in this decision, it is a sum of the materials used in making that knife and the process in which it was heat treated that makes it inferior or superior. The Becker has the best materials, most likely the best heat treatment, and is full tang so by default it wins between the three you mentioned.

 

[spectre327]

Of the three you listed the Becker is the only full tang knife. The LMF is a stick tang and I have no idea if the Bear Grylls knife even has a tang. I can't seem to find any info as to the steel used in the Bear Grylls knife. Which leads me to believe it's a generic Chinese steel with a typical Chinese heat treatment, which is to say poor at best. The real LMF uses 420HC which is on the lower end of stainless steels 440C would be much better but would still require a good heat treatment to amount to anything. The Becker is full tang 1095 which is pretty much a standard in the knife industry and KA-BAR at least knows how to heat treat their knives.

So no inferior is not a matter of opinion in this decision, it is a sum of the materials used in making that knife and the process in which it was heat treated that makes it inferior or superior. The Becker has the best materials, most likely the best heat treatment, and is full tang so by default it wins between the three you mentioned.

Bear Grylls is full length tang. not sure if it stick or not, but if the LMF is just a stick tang, then the BG will most likely be as well.

Your assessment is what I am looking for too, so thank you.

So far, Becker looks to be coming on top. What are anyone's thought on the SOG Seal Pup Elite?

 

[chezuki]

Bear Grylls is full length tang. not sure if it stick or not, but if the LMF is just a stick tang, then the BG will most likely be as well.

Your assessment is what I am looking for too, so thank you.

So far, Becker looks to be coming on top. What are anyone's thought on the SOG Seal Pup Elite?

Seal Pups used to be "OK", but have been garbage for several years.

FWIW (and my knife snobbery is pretty mild), the only knife you've mentioned that I would consider owning is the Becker.

 

[chezuki]

Of these three, what are everyone's opinions on a good survival/Bug-Out knife?

I'm trying to stay under $90 and each of these can be gotten for under $80 and have very good reviews.

I already have a SOG Seal Pup Elite but want something a little more beefy.

Let em fly.

Stop what you're doing, go HERE and buy this BK2 for $50.

 

[MCgrease08]

That's a great price for a BK2. That would serve you well with chopping, batoning or shelter building. It's a big beefy knife not really great for fine tasks like whittling.

It all depends what you want to do with the knife. "Survival" covers a lot of tasks, and no single knife can do it all.

Personally in the woods, I prefer to carry a small hatchet and a knife with a 4-5 inch blade.

 

[spectre327]

oh dear god, that is a good price. now to see if i can get it -_-

 

[Fordtough25]

I've been abusing a gerber LMF II infantry for a good while now and love it. Also have some ESEE's, bucks, and a Ka Bar that work nicely. The Gerber is my favorite though, I think it's a fantastic knife!

 

[spectre327]

I've been abusing a gerber LMF II infantry for a good while now and love it. Also have some ESEE's, bucks, and a Ka Bar that work nicely. The Gerber is my favorite though, I think it's a fantastic knife!

Thank You!

 

[ADDICTED2TONE]

Becker out of all you have listed. I'd also suggest that you check out Condor and Ontario they are also in this range and much better than Gerbers are.

 

[ADDICTED2TONE]

Becker out of all you have listed. I'd also suggest that you check out Condor and Ontario they are also in this range and much better than Gerbers are.
If I may make a suggestion, as funds allow look at ESSE. I have 3 ESEEs currently and they are phenomenal blades at any price point and you can destroy an ESEE and ESEE will give you a new knife no questions asked.
You'd have to be able to break an anvil to break one though.