super small neck knives

[AK Ray]

For comparison

The Buck Smidgen/Hartsook
OR

The CRKT Ritter MK5

I was looking through small survival kits and came across Doug Ritter's site. Then started looking for other small neck knives and found the Buck products.

I just can't see how the narrow tooth pick style of the Smidgen/Hartsook would be comfortable for more than a few minutes of use.

[Lowrider]

I have a couple of the Buck neck knives and I agree you can't do any heavy work with it. On the other hand, I have wrapped the handle with duct tape and then paracord and it makes it a little better but it is still a very small knife that is intended to be a last ditch self defense weapon and for that it would provide good slicing action on the neck or face of an attacker. I also have a lace up sheath for a very small triangle shaped blade that can be laced onto you boot. That is a nice idea but does not work in heavy brush or grass.....lost it.

Bottom line...IMO those knives are of limited use in a survival situation and I choose to carry 6 single edged razor blades instead. They can be driven into a green stick and tied in place with a thread from paracord and seem to work pretty well for skinning game and working over fish and are smaller than the little neck knives but still do the job.

The CRKT MK 5 is a neat idea. Not unlike a stainless throwing knife I cut most of the handle off of and it fits in a small pocket of a survival vest. It is heavy enough to split wood and holds an edge really well. It has a 3" blade and 1.5" handle with paracord wrapped around it.

None of these will take the place of a larger fixed blade if you really need it.

[AK Ray]

I got onto a knife kick last night and started looking at the various skeleton framed neck knives out there. the EESE Izula and the Branch River knives look pretty cool and more useful. Neither of them will fit into an Altoids tin, though. However having to take out a loan to buy a knife is kind of silly, too.

One of the things I have noticed about the small survival kits is that the ones that come with a knife do not come with a way to sharpen it. Fine for a few days alone waiting, but for any longer time you will need a decent way to put and edge back on. Rocks are a PITA to use and typically just make the edge worse.

I have razor blades in the kit now, but they are a pain to build a handle for like the split stick method. Need something to split the stick with.

Part of the recent aviation survival class made it clear that if it is not on you when you exit the plane then you will never get it back. Makes the idea of a small necker and a small pocket kit important. I do miss the pre TSA days when I always had a small pocket knife on me.

[EagleRiverDee]

I prefer a very small neck knife- the only thing I use them for is for quick, light work such as slicing some food at lunch or cutting some cordage. My belt knife is what I use for heavier work. My neck knife is a very small puukko style scandi grind that measures about 4" total and is extremely light. I don't even know I'm wearing it.

[AKBEE]

I have quite few neck knives and the one I wear the most is a gem from Nemesis knives called the pocket protector. It is so light you can run with it and not have it bruise your jaw or chest, is sharp, easy to grip, well made, and a great blade design. If you are looking for a 'using knife' it is hard to beat Bob Dozier's neck model. If you are into the Japanese style tanto's Wally Hayes makes a great one too. I prefer to have a neck knife as a back up and yet many prefer them for overall use as they are easy to reach- I don't like the dangling loose so I tuck them inside.

BEE

[Lowrider]

I miss the pre-TSA days a lot!!! If we could get into the Israeli mode of screening passengers we could go back to carry knives on air planes.

[AeroNautiCal]

My Gransfors Bruks Neck Knife makes for a small, yet capable little tool.

AAA battery for scale, and with GB Mini Hatchet.

20072009275.jpg 13082009319.jpg

[Lowrider]

that's pretty cool!!!

[mainer_in_ak]

Don't know if this could be considered a "Neck Knife" but I ALWAYS have a small Cold Steel Pendelton mini hunter on my life preserver. If you ever get caught up under a boat, you can cut yourself free. I also use the little fella to skin beaver for food in the spring/summer months.

Wearing it on the neck would make it less secure, and less accessible. My life preserver is always on, hence making it more accessible. The Cold Steel Sheath is the safest and most positive sheath I've ever owned. Most sheaths for fixed blade knives, rely on the button holding the handle. I've found these to be unsafe, and not secure enough. The Cold Steel sheath holds the blade tightly, and the button strap is only secondary. It could be configured as a neck-carry as it's quite small. I've owned it since 2003, and it did 3 1 yr. tours to Iraq with me as well.

http://www.coldsteel.com/pehu.html

[hodgeman]

My Gransfors Bruks Neck Knife makes for a small, yet capable little tool.

AAA battery for scale, and with GB Mini Hatchet.

20072009275.jpg 13082009319.jpg

That little thing is neat looking...I've a couple of Gransfors axes and they're wonderful. I wish they would make them production item.