Ultimate Survival Tips MSK1 Survival Knife Review - Long Term Testing Begins
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ส.ค. 2024
- The MSK1 Survival Knife from David at Ultimate Survival Tips has sparked a lot of controversy in the TH-cam knife world. So when David asked me at Blade Show 2018 if I wanted to test one I decided to do a long-term evaluation to find out how well it actually performs over the long haul. You are invited to come along as we kick off a brand new series of videos tracking this knife over the next few months.
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NOTICE !! I just wanted to leave this quick comment here. I usually try to reply to every single comment I get on every video. That is probably not going to happen this time, for reasons I'll explain in a minute.
As I said, I am going to do a long-term evaluation of this "survival knife system". I'm going to focus on actually using it and do my very best to demonstrate the components "in action" so you can see for yourself how well they do or don't perform. I'm not going to presume to tell you whether or not it is "worth" the asking price. That is a very subjective question and only you can answer that for yourself. Which is why some people drive Toyotas, Fords, and Chevys and some prefer Mercedes, BMWs and Audis (as examples).
So... as for replying to comments on this video....since (for the reasons I mentioned in this video) I know this has become a controversial product, already there are lot of negative comments trashing the knife, it's designer David and even me for daring to not trash it too. I have a full-time "day job" and I just don't have time to respond in detail to everybody who wants to tell me why it is such a ripoff and David is such a crook. SO, I am going to take a tip from Chris at PM101 and try to address as many of the concerns, critiques and downright insults in the future videos in this series. I think that is a better solution than just giving flip answers. So please don;t be offended if I don't respond to your comment, good or bad. Just stay tuned and hopefully I'll address it in a future video.
Finally: YES, I know Jacob from Preppers Bunker Outdoors has made his opinion about this knife crystal clear. I have met Jacob a few times and I respect him and his opinion. BUT, I want to form my own opinion based in my own personal experience using this gear over time. I'm going to share that experience with you and we'll see how it goes. I hope you'll join me. - Bryan
Survival On Purpose - looking forward to the series! Thanks for taking the time to do this.
I know from watching your work for a couple of years that your process for evaluating gear and informed opinions are above reproach. It will be very interesting to see what your experience will show. Thank you for taking the time & all the best to you n yours!
Prediction... you will like this knife and not have many negative things to say about it. I'm sure I would like it also but don't have one of course. I trust David made a good product with well treated D2 steel. I also think most others would like it if they got their hands on one. Understandably, many will complain about the price. The fix for that is simple... don't buy it if it's not worth it to you lol. The complaints of Dave's advertising and claims are trickier. My mentality is "Buyer Beware" by nature. I also have a certain set of skills and military training to ignore and resist any and all mind altering tactics. My resistance to compulsive purchasing of gleaming, long lines of steely goodness nestled with added bobbles of survival trade trinkets is powerful. Plus... I'm an old guy so my compulsive buying synapses just don't fire as quickly any more. But in all honesty some feel the advertising did have a flashy flavor that hearkens to those familiar late night infomercials that have filled our kitchen cabinets with magical slicing and dicing instruments of food prep we just knew we couldn't live without... and that's not all! Consider the horror of some young greenhorn knife wielding wannabee making an ill informed purchase of this do it all wonder blade using the family's hard earned baby formula money.... Yikes! This could happen but I think Dave has a return/replacement policy if the knife doesn't hold up or perform as advertised or the baby is crying all night. This may remedy the situation but it would be wise to understand this policy before purchase. Time will tell if this truly is the tool we've all been waiting for. In the mean time I look forward to your continued testing and opinions. Please put the edge and tip through some hard use as many question the toughness of D2. I think it will hold just fine but we need more data points on this one. Maybe open a few baby formula cans and donate the remaining product to knife toting, formula needy families. Good luck Bryan!
Thanks for watching.
Survival On Purpose what kind of watch are you wearing ? Looks awesome
I’ll be interested in seeing how you make out with this thing. D2 isn’t an expensive steel. It can be pretty tough with the right heat treat but it is a real bear to sharpen. It will hold an edge for a good while but if it gets truly dull, or the edge takes damage, you’d better pack a lunch. And have the right tools. 3V would have been a better choice. Heck, 5160 would have been a better choice. Maybe your experience will be different. To me, this knife has screamed BK2 to me. And I don’t care for sharpened pry bars. I want my knives to cut efficiently. Your initial use looks like it bears this out. Good luck with this one.
That's why I decided to do a long term, multiple video series on this one. And 'cause people like drama ;-)
Like? people love drama Bryan! :)
Hi Mike,
Here's the one thing that everyone's missing out on brother; It's being marketed as a one tool option survival system, right? This is where people get confused. It's not supposed to be a great tool at anything, but something you can depend on for the rest of your natural born life after the world as collapsed.
Some complain because of its features as to how it won't be a good EDC knife or a good carving knife or a good butt scratching knife. They're clueless. It's like someone complaining that a Jeep Wrangler on 38"s won't corner well on a race track.
Problem is, 99% of knife designers have never been in a survival situation where they had to depend on one tool and it's all survival-theory that they are basing their designs on.
Me? That's why I personally listed a kit I'd buy with that same money and still have a very capable knife (I know at least as capable as this one) in that kit. It's not about the money for me. A well built rig is worth it's asking price and in this case, I'd say yes, this knife meets the $300 knife criteria for it's build quality.
HOWEVER...
We're talking survival knife here and the diminishing returns after a $100-$150 ESEE-6 to a Junglas is valued at zero dollars to me in survivaling-world.
In my humble opinion, the simpler a knife is, the more options if offers, the more "real world" usability and maintainablity if has, the better a survival knife it is. Sometimes, less is more.
I'd liken it to having computerless 4X4 for going deep out into the woods that you can fix with duct tape and a coat hanger vs something that needs a code reader to figure out what ails it.
:)
So basically you just went on a very long rant on how we are all full of crap, know nothing about knives, and you think this blade is the second coming of Jesus right? You go right ahead and use that D2 steel knife with the hollow grind and spend 3x what its worth buddy, it's your money after all. Have a nice day!
That knife is bullcrap from a guy that has about 0 idea what he is talking about. He basically wasted the skills of an abs mastersmith with basic knowledge about knives, steel and the outdoors. Heck, i dont believe this guy ever went on a regular hike and slept in a tent. The result is a basic tacticool knife, not designed for the outdoors at all with a bunch of gimmicky crap on it. Heck, you can buy a terävä puukko, a gb outdoor axe, a silky pocket boy and still have left over money for something like a sawyer, first aid kit, ferro rod from firesteel.com, etc. Probably even a tarp and some bankline lol
I've been doing the same thing. What people need to understand is, he came up with something VERY specific that not everyone is going to want. It's not just "A $400 knife". That's where people get lost. It's a very complex COMPLETE system.
Most people will want to build their system themselves. In this case, is done for you.
When you open the box and see EVERYTHING in the system, it's a bit overwhelming. Although I design knives very differently, I'm beginning to understand it and the knife is growing on me a bit. But because it's a complete system with a big price tag, that's where you lose most people.
I've never been a fan of D2, but however they heat treated this, it doesn't have the problem I'm used to. It was very easy to get sharper with just a ceramic rod.
I'm taking my sweet time with it. I'm collecting the common complaints I see online (99% of the time from people who don't have it) and I'll be addressing them in the video.
It comes down to this: If you don't want it, don't buy it. It's not rocket science. But it's not just "an overpriced knife". When it's all laid out on a table you can see where that price comes from.
PREPAREDMIND101
Well said! The main "problem" I am hearing people talk about is the price. It's up to user to decide if it's worth it. I said the same thing about the Lightning Strike. And like you said this is a whole system, a decent kydex sheath system alone is $100-$150, add in the two knives, survival kit etc and your right around the asking price
Priority Survival I don't really care for the upper part of the kydex and I hate slide locks. The wide beltloop on the nylon outer sheath pretty much demands skipping a belt loop.
The knife falls into a catagory that has ALWAYS been very polarizing, which is the OTO. This, TBT, SXB, Jess-X, M18, etc... OTOs are generally "love it or hate it".
I think what it comes down to is, the average video viewer at least subliminally takes every video as an insistence that this is for them and they should buy it. Hence, the large amount of emotional comments you see. It's just an option. David puts lot of time and effort into it, and it shows. He may have overestimated how many people want a complete system. Most people (I believe) would rather build their own. But at the same time, it's good to have options and there aren't many out there that I'm aware of that have everything in one complete system like this. Bottom line: If you don't want it, don't buy it. If it doesn't have value to you, it may to someone else.
PREPAREDMIND101 absolutely in the most amusing part is the hypocrisy because there are at least half a dozen tops knives in the same price range with less capabilities that the same people will rant on and on about how amazing it is simply because it has a Topps logo stamped into the side of it
Let’s see if the haters can show us what they have made eh lol time effort and motivation we are all armchair pundits but until then 🙂 👌
Actually Tops usually sells their knives for around 160 bucks give or take, with the Tom Brown Tracker getting up there in the 200s. Keep in mind the MSK-1 by itself no system at all with a kydex sheath is 300 bucks. So a D2 steel blade, with nice micarta handles " and they are nice", with a kydex sheath for 300? As a knife guy here's how I would price this. "Knife blank no micarta in D2 Steel for about 70 bucks.
The micarta usually is about 40 but these handles I'd say 65 dollars to be fair? And a quality kydex is usually about 90-100 bucks yeah? The price I came to is 250 dollars and that's overpricing every component the blank, the kydex, and the scales. If this blade was in some type of super steel like S35vn or CPM 3v or even CPM 154, ect I could understand the price tag but D2? People are moving away from D2 it's literally a dying steel. Lets not even discuss the fact they put a hollow grind on this knife...
400 dollars for D2 steel is the hurdle I cannot get over. This knife would have to be CPM 3V for me to even think about spending that kinda money on it. And it would have to perform like a beast as well. Also that knife is way to short to be a good chopper and beyond that, why have a choil on a 4 1/2 inch blade? Now had he made this a 6 1/2 to 7 inch blade it would have added weight to the blade from the extra metal to make chopping much better, and the reason for the choil would have been evident. D2 is also a pain in the butt to sharpen in the field. Would have been better off going 1095 to keep the cost down while making it more tougher. 1095 as you know Bryan sharpens much easier in the field and takes a wicked edge. And of course you can strike a flint off of it. I have no idea what David was thinking going with D2 for a survival tool.
The price I mentioned is for this entire system. The MSK1 knife by itself is available for About $300 with a kydex sheath.
Which is very high considering all you are getting is D2 steel and only 4 1/2 inches of it with micarta scales and a kydex sheath. I mean you could get an ESSE 5 1/4 thick with kydex for 150 bucks, and 1095 is much tougher then D2 for sure and it sharpens easier.
I'm not saying what I am to attack David, he seems like a cool dude I would have a beer with and I dig his channel, but I have to be honest about what I am seeing. I think people attacking David personally is wrong. He is a businessman and he had an idea and he ran with it and there's nothing wrong with that. America is the land of opportunity after all. As a guy who owns many knives however, the MSK-1 is a no go for me. Thanks for the video.
Here's another thing to consider. This knife alone w/ kydex is 300 like you said. You could get an Esse 6 which is a fantastic knife for 125 bucks that comes with the molded plastic sheath. Then get the molly attachment for 45 dollars that the molded plastic will fit into making this knife molly compatible. Then on top of that buy the survival kit Esse sells for 33 dollars, and get the pouch it fits into for 20 bucks.
You are now looking at 223 dollars and you now have an entire system. Only thing you are missing is a smaller knife.Just buy the Esse Izula for 62 dollars on Amazon bringing this to 285 dollars. Now you have two knives with a no BS warranty that are respected and popular in the knife community for their quality and performance with a survival kit that's high quality made by people who teach survival training, and a molly/molded plastic set up thats GTG for 15 dollars less then just this knife and its kydex sheath. Kind of the point I am making. The MSK-1 is way overpriced.
You're right about the choil. Yes D2 is a bog standard cheap (not crap-but cheap) tool steel. I guess it's the labour costs that hike up the price.
I would assume that he would choose d2 over 1095 because he wanted some corrosion resistance. I dont get the hype around 1095 my self it dulls quick with moderate use. I do agree he could have done a better steel choice like 154cm 3v a2 or even o1 over d2.
The price of the knife shot its self in the foot, just MY opinion, unless u can take down red woods in the red wood forest I cant see the cost justification for this knife!!!
Got my BK Dash 2, years ago which I love and cherish to present day for an excellent price.
My Husqvarna chainsaw was not much more than this knife combo and I have cut down and processed several 24” diameter oak trees in a single day with it, but I do have several knives that border the price of this knife.
ThePreppersBunkerOutdoors did a review where he tested the knife to see if the claims that David made in his video about the knife were true. He found that most of the claims were highly exaggerated.
Omar Correa yes saw that, it was great and very amusing.⚔⚔⚔👍
I can get Skittles cheaper than $400
;-)
but the "survival energy" is priceless
For that much $ they should have thrown in a five star dinner.
A few things to say before I get shot.
1. David is a sales man.
I can say is that Jim Steward, Jimmy Lile, Bob Loveless, Lynn Thompson and many other knife makers are part sales man. In honesty, David's promo video did seems to stretch a bit. On the other hand, even ol Buck resort to tricks to sell their knives. Like a Buck knife can baton a bolt. It was later reviewed that the bold was iron, not steel.
2. Price
I know a custom knife maker charges $300 (+$20?) for a CPM D2 blade. (Yes CPM.) A custom sheath maker will charge about $150 for the works. But it's not YH grade, take down to $100. I'm not sure how much are the mini survival kits cost. Azoo listed as 'not yet available' . So I use BG kit as reference, with is about $50. Yea, the math do add up. And the system comes with a second knife and a piggy bag system.
3. You wont be force to buy.
My person OTO is a 9 inch Khukuri, Parang and a SAK. It works in my part of the woods, which is the equatorial Rain Forest. So the whole MSK package will not work for me. The jungle needs a different set of priorities than a Woodland forest. I'm also not a fan of 'all in one' set up. You lost your knife, you lost everything. I've hear a story that Dave Canterbury, the first he does when he got a new sheath, is to cut the firesteel loop.
4. Gear reviewers is to prevent con.
That I disagree. Gear reviewer are product reviewers. And I will decided if the product suits my need. I don't even like some of the products. Not because they are being bash by reviewers, but it does not fit 'my' system. And the reviewers has an obligation to tell an honest opinion. The good, the bad, and the ugly. If the product is bad, bash the product. Unless one got good evidence, stay away from bashing the maker. (unless it the Ex-Jessica incident).
5. Let the product speak for it self.
The outdoor/prepper/survival/bushcraft/knife community, although it's expanding, it's still a small group. If a product is bad, it will be spread through the community, pronto.
That's emptied my though. (Bracing for the backlash.)
Thanks
People don't seem to realize, that this is kind of a semi-custom knife produced in small batches through pre-order. Most custom knifes cost between 300 and 600 bucks. Here the sheath with all bells and whistles, neck knife and micro survival kit make up probably about half of the price. Meaning the knife itself would come in at a little over 200 bucks or so. Considering all that, it's still expensive but not unreasonable.
Yep
This is the biggest point that the armchair haters are missing.
TH-camVoice then it would be wiser to invest your money into your own personal Custom Knife Why by somebody else's Custom Design at that price?
dthreadjr Because A) you would probably never get all of this for real custom prizes and B) you may like what this kit brings to the table. At the end of the day you're still free to choose how to spend your money (and most people wouldn't spend that much either way, but some do).
@Carl Berg The MSK knife and sheath alone are $300, and that's for a 4.5" blade too short to chop efficiently and too blunt to cut efficiently (no, I didn't buy one, I used my friend's.) A Condor Hudson Bay is $65, and I'd say it's a MUCH more effective one-tool for wilderness. The Cold Steel AK-47 is $150 which gets a 10.5" knife made from CPM-3V steel and G10 handle.
Thanks for the compliments, Bryan! Can't wait for the more in-depth review of the Mini-Kit!
Coming soon.
UPDATED 12 07 18
My MSK-1 Knife.
I ordered this and waited about 15 months, PREPAID. I paid for the deluxe sheath $40.00 more, but when the knife came had a cheap Kydex sheath. I was pissed, especially after waiting so long.
A few days ago, the new sheath arrived, with an apology, and a letter explaining the delay. The original sheath manufacturer had failed to produce the product in the quality contracted. So the knife maker had to find a new sheath company.
During the search, he was able to redesign the sheath for the deluxe model. This is the list of features:
1) It is now AMBIDEXTROUS.
2) Carrying position has 4 options, standard, scout, horizontal, or inverted
3) Add on gear option holes (fire striker, smaller knife side saddle)
4) Fully adjustable knife tension for standard carry vs inverted carry
5) Lower strap slots for more carry options
6) OUTER KYDEX COVER (SAND COLOR) can be removed to a standard olive green look
7) Accepts all MSK optional attachments
8) Heavy Duty Quick Release Belt Clip
I just saw that sheath set up. It looks really nice.
@@SurvivalOnPurpose I'd post the pictures but that's not an option I guess.
The More You Know the Less You Carry
I agree
Thanks for initial review. I do like the blade shape & steel along with the modular system idea. Dave can love his baby, but now maybe revisit design & streamline/ simplify some to arrive at less bulky & less expensive package. 🤷♂️. Look forward to following reviews.
Thanks. I appreciate it.
He whittled it out of a solid piece of Steel using a piece of sandpaper a butt hair and a booger it took him 2 years to do it so $500 is actually a pretty lowball price! 😋👍🤑
I purchased this knife for the knife, not a "system." I purchased the bear bones knife with plastic case. I used it and put it to the test. It's steel with an edge and cuts stuff. It's heavy, does not field sharpen quickly, certainly does not chop like my camp axe, hatchet, machete, or even BK9. I still like the knife. I added it to my collection which holds many "gimmick" knives. Would I grab this knife on my way out the door after the nukes drop? Nah. I'd grab my puuko/leuko combo, my bk9 with attached Mora, or my Condor Village parang with attached Mora. Or, I would grab all 3 sets so that I could have a backup or gift someone a hand up down the road. All 3 have a small survival tin that puts the msk1 in the dust. No offense meant there but space is room and my Snus survival tins have more room than the knife handle. Do I like Dave? Yes, he's a very nice guy. He's done nothing wrong by touting his product. Is it hype? Yes, it is. Honestly, with survival in mind when the nukes fall, I'd grab my Old Hickory/Snus can attached before I'd reach for MSK1. Though, It does look cool stuck into the shelf above my workbench and people do ask me about it, that is where it is best left. After much testing, I was not impressed with it as a tool.
Time will tell what I think about it. So far my initial impression is favorable.
I think the bare bones knife for around $200 would be more appealing than the system forn $400,but I still can't take this knife too seriously and would just want it as a toy.I picked up a BK10,micarta scales and a az welke kydex sheath to go with it all for $250 or less and I'd be more likely to grab that before heading into the woods than something like this.
As always Brian you do a great job, a real person calling it like he sees for the common man.
I notice a lot of TH-cam reviewers saying things like this is an all purpose specific knife. None of that justifies the price lol. The price isn't high, it's ridiculously high!!!
General preparedness because you never know when your fantasy will have you crash land a plane in the Amazonian rain forest, it's during those fantasy's that you'll be glad you bought the MSK1 Survival knife.
Hey Brian good honest review, look forward to the series have been waiting for you to review this one.
Thanks. I appreciate it.
“Fox Parus with Survival Kit” job done.
Yeah, I have to say I own this knife and have reviewed it and use it extensively across the globe. It is a pretty good "allrounder" (without getting into the arguments) knife for tough hard hitting environments.
is it a sheath or a Backpack? 😀
You get a car with it. Not a new one but a car. LOL At least I think if you look at the price.
th-cam.com/video/V2o9N7pjxhQ/w-d-xo.html
They turned Survival into fashion...I no longer see the difference between Hugo Boss and a "survival" knife
Hmmm.
Not a fan but I can see it's potential. The system / bundle appears to be excessively bulky and weighty. For the money you can find higher value options but I think we all know that. I like David too but this is just not for me. All the best to everyone!
Thanks. I appreciate it.
......the blade design is similar to the Kabar Warthog.......Grizz
exactly what I thought, when I saw it. I'll take the warthog for 45 bucks.
YUP.
_This _*_"Survival Knife System"_*_ is not for the average bloke. Chances are anyone looking at this blade would already have all these extras. Nice blade though._
Thanks for watching.
Now, who’s going to review the new MSK-1’s first? I want to see the MSK-1 Primitive in 1075 for $150 reviewed. I’m pretty sure the blade thickness on the new ones is 3/16”.
Knives 101. "Hollow" refers to the primary grind on this saber ground blade being slightly concave. Many saber ground knives are hollow ground.
Many knives are made in the USA - Esee and Ka-Bar, to name only two.
A good PSK but noting special at all.
Obviously does not chop well. Looks fairly obtuse. Not long enough/heavy enough for chopper. Should be convex, like a proper hand axe, not the opposite. Ab good chopper makes large chips, not sawdust.
D2 is relatively prone to edge damage and harder to sharpen/work out chips.
Priced with customs by acknowledged master makers. Like D2 for some odd reason? A Dozier K12 is $400 msrp..
Thanks!
I am a long time subscriber to Dave's channel and have enjoyed his very professionally done videos for many years. I was excited to find out he was working on a knife but ultimately it turned out to be not for me. He has moved on to other things (as we all do). I miss his excellent videos though.
I think this knife project has consumed a LOT of his time
Hey Brother. Just wanted to
Let you know that I will be back in the fall with a bit of a channel reboot. Appreciate your kind words. Have a fantastic day! -David
I have also been working on our next Kickstarter Gear Project for release in September... I think you are going to like it. It’s only going to cost around $20 :)
Awesome!
20 bucks? Now I'm curious!
This was the first video of yours that I have seen, and I have actually like and subscribed to the channel. To give that some weight I have easily spent hundreds of hours watching videos and to this day have only subscribed to 3 that I can remember, yours included. Very entertaining, yet still informed and reasonable in approach to your testing. Maybe I'm late to the party here but I'm going to get into your backlog of videos and if this is a good representation I hope there's alot of backlog.
I sincerely appreciate it. Just don’t get your hopes too high. I tend to ramble ;-)
I’m glad you did a video on this knife, after watching your bio lite stove video. The knife you had in that video sparked my interest. I’ll be getting the msk 1.
I have been talking to David over the last few days. He has several models of the MSK-1 design now. I will be doing some more reviews of them very soon.
@@SurvivalOnPurpose nice I’ll definitely be looking forward to them.
i think this knife is great im a disabled vet so i could never afford it but if i could i would love to have it in my kit.I can see many uses for it in survival,bushcraft and defence,so if i can ever find one cheap im definitly gonna buy it and i would recomend this knife to anyone,i am normaly not a fan of D2 steel but i would never have known it was D2 when ive handled it.
We have a saying in The Netherlands that would loosely translate as; You can put whipped cream on a turd all you want, it stays a turd.
Why are all your comments so negative? Do you need a hug? ;-)
@@SurvivalOnPurpose No. What we need is honest reviews
And what exactly is dishonest about this review? Do you have any specifics?
@@SurvivalOnPurpose The suggestion that it might be worth the price. Because it's all American made.
@@SurvivalOnPurpose But now tell me. Besides the stuff in the handle (it's never a good idea) what can this knife do that the SCHF38 can't? And be honest
Well it has been a while since the original video. What do you think about the knife? Is it worth the money?
Let’s say this was a TOPs designed blade made of 1095 steel. How would TOPs hype it and what would be the price point? I appreciate you doing a review on this blade...it’s just D2 isn’t worth that kind of money IMO and you could buy a BK-2 and build your own kit for under 130$ and it all still be USA made.
So how much difference to the price do you think the steel makes between say D2 and a different steel? I bet it is less than $20 difference. I don't think there is anything wrong with D2. But you can certainly buy less expensive knives. That is what is so cool, we have lots of choices.
Even though this presentation video is over three years old, it’s still a good representation and testing of this knife.
My main complaint about the knife is the length of the blade. I dig the geometry, but some more length could be extremely helpful.
But it is what it is ;-)
Haters gonna hate David it's their job I look forward to seeing what this knife system can do
Me too
Different strokes for different folks! Some people gonna love, some people gonna hate. David thought hard about what a survival knife should encompass. I think the result is quite impressive.
If you want to build your own, go ahead. That's what I did. But if you don't want to bust your chops looking for gear to make such a kit, hey this is it baby!!
US made, great quality, and you're not buying from some faceless corp. You're buying from someone who's been putting out great content for many years.
Trying real hard to teach, inform and help the community. So, as I said, if you don't want to bust chops searching....Get this one and that's it!
And as for you Mr SOP, love the vids with the bloopers!! Awesome. Keep em coming. Cheers
Thanks Sarge
I think the reason you were struggling with getting a flame to start, for the fatwood at least, is because the striker on the handle is purposely curved to enhance the sparking ability, however maybe that changes the spark direction than a traditional straight striker so it will take a little getting used to. Great video!
Thanks. I appreciate it.
LOVE how you show the non perfect fire starting! Reality is harsh! well done!
Keepin it real
You know your knife is big when it's sheath has a sheath.
I can't comment on the quality of the knife because I've never held it my hands, but that near $500 price tag is a bit ridiculous.
I kind of feel as if this isn't actually being marketed to the survivalist/outdoorsman market at all. It seems like maybe this is being marketed to people who just getting into things like survival, prepping, and outdoors. Most people that fit into the survival demographic will want to build their own kit, and even using knives like k-bar, Ontario, and Esse $500 will get you a lot of stuff.
Jeep Cherokee - $30,000 (or so) .... Mercedes SUV $140,000 (or so)....different strokes
Survival On Purpose apparently I'm a jeep kind of guy lol.
Good idea for a series. My 1st impressions are: Certainly a lot of stuff in the package. A 1/4” sharpened pry bar ought to baton. Wasn’t impressed by it’s chopping ability, but it is a relatively short knife. Perhaps if the wood had been smaller I would have been more impressed. I was impressed with it’s ability to make a feather sticks given it’s mass. Choils are a waste of blade space. Both knives throw good sparks from the included ferro rod. $500.00 is a lot of money. We’ll see how “ultimate” it is after your year of testing.
I have this knife, just the cheapest option though, and I think it does everything Dave said it would, I’ve used it for about the last year . It’s not task specific but can do everything I need it to. Shelter building, bow drill carving, gutting fish, etc. Used as my main knife it gets a bit heavy in the hand after a while but then It is a big chunk of metal ! I have lots of different knives over the years and too be honest you adapt to whatever tool you have with you !
Always good to hear from an actual user
its a nice setup,but,like so many other blades and systems out there it is Way overpriced. IMHO
I just love the tune when you chop. Classic!
I'm glad you like it.
I can't justify the price of this I have the Kershaw camp 10 paired with a mora bcb and that pair will do everything and anything!
Harold Miller - Good knives and WAAAY cheaper.
I watched your videos on TOPS knives and i found it helpful to me to make a move on a model or two which i did.. I have nothing against 1095 high carbon steel.. One thing i don't really see a lot of is tool steel being used in the knives for the great outdoors.. I own several knives that have S30V steel and they are both higher end knives..Still my favorite is the D-2 steel... Good job well done...
Brian, It's a tank..... Why would I want a tank when a bicycle will do? lol Too big, too heavy, and way toooo expensive. All I need is a normal Swiss Army Knife or even just my trusty barlow. It is your skill level not the knife that will get you out of a jam. The most expensive and a fancy knife will do you no good if you do not know how to use it.
If you really want to test it.... give it to a Weblow for a couple of weeks and see if it survives.... lol
;-)
Too right about the "skill"
A Swiss Army knife? Where’s YOUR “outdoors” a tomato garden?
LOL but if you are skilled with one! I once only had a SAPK on me. But I ate fish for breakfast as I used it to more than effectively carve some spear heads from vey hard wood (by torch light too) speared fish and ate well for breakfast. I wasn't whinging or gave up when i didn't have a fixed blade with me. It was just that situation. BUT I LMAO when I read your comment!
Bush Camping Tools Yep... you see it is the skill not the tool... 😊
He still striking that spark rod till this day.
Hey Bryan, seems like at least a ton of options on the website! The price is drastically reduced by just ordering the MSK-1 knife and Kydex sheath!
Indeed.
Before I start watching I'm not sure about hype I saw some videos showing the facts and its looking strongly like David at UST is a lier and full of it. This one is nothing like the Tracker knife that does everything they outline in the book as I have tried it out for myself and fell in love with that knife. This case seems different however I will hear you out.
th-cam.com/video/V2o9N7pjxhQ/w-d-xo.html
Iv'e been looking forward to seeing some reviews of this ..... I don't particularly like much about it (especially at that price) ... That whole 'System' rigg looks a bit overdone really ... But some folk are going to love it.
Thanks for watching.
First off, I enjoyed seeing another of your knife reviews, always enjoy those. Well looking through the comments it’s good to see that this knife is still controversial, if nothing else it will be fun to read the comments :) I look forward to the rest of the series and your thoughts on it.
So do I. It should be fun
Good review, but it'll be interesting to see just how long it will be before Schrade or Mtech come out with a virtually identical knife for under $50 using a lss expensive, but completely adequate, steel and mass production capabilities. Custom knives certainly have the potential of being excellent quality, but a whole lot of additional gear can be bought with the money saved by buying a less expensive, but equally adequate for the job, knife.
Of course. It depends on what you choose to do. Isn’t it great we have so many options?
We have this knife in our line-up for the 2018 Gear Review Expeditions (backwoodsbiker.com and Backwoods Biker TH-cam Channel). I've personally used this system over the course of 3 months. You can read our Bench Test Review on our website. In short, this is not the perfect knife, but it is a great knife. From point to pommel it's chock full of features that you can't ignore. And the complete system you see here is well thought out and practical. Is it the do-all end-all knife? NO It's Not...and Polczynski has never said it was.A lot of our readers from the Biker community use the Scout Carry method. I used it that way for 2 weeks and didn't care for the weight load the heft of this knife put on the small of my back. Others said they like it. Keep an eye out on our growing Channel here and you'll see our full review on the MSK!.
By the way Bryan, everyone on our staff loves your videos! One other thing folks, if you don't like any piece of gear, including the MSK1, you have the right to critique it as negative as you want. But to to call the man a liar and say he's full of *%#&, is simply wrong...especially in an open forum like TH-cam. Cowards with no backbone do that.
I completely agree. There was a time in our society when you needed to be VERY careful about calling someone a liar. That used to be an entirely justifiable reason to engage in a fight to the death. I doubt if very many (if any) of the people hiding safely in their internet anonymity would be nearly as bold in person.
Cheers Mate!
I would enjoy the upcoming series about the performance of this so called controversial knife... so far is performing well... 💃 😀
Stay tuned
I like Dave,I know he put his heart and soul into it but I just don't like the knife. No knife can do everything.
Stay tuned and we'll see how well it manages to compromise
Great idea for long term testing and reviews... looking forward to it
me too
Thank you for this review look forward to this series!
So do I
Thanks for your reply. On another note thank you for your positive attitude even when a product is bad you don't make it personal. Thank you for that. Praying for patience during this series!
I see the butt hurt is strong with a lot of folks already. I, for one, am very curious to see if all the nearly hysterical ranting about how awful this knife and system are even come close to the reality on the ground. I feel strongly that Bryan will be fair and objective, as he always is, regardless of whether he purchased the knife for review or if it was sent to him for that purpose at no cost. Why don't we allow him to complete his testing/review of the product before we start to castigate it? Since PM101 is also reviewing the knife, as he states in his comment, then we're going to get TWO objective and complete reviews from two of the most competent reviewers of knives on TH-cam. Please save the vitriol until then.
Too late
You see the reactions right? You see where you are going wrong right? You seem to make a living of youtube video's but that can end really quick. I stopped trusting your opinion. Others will too. What do you have than?
You might want to a comparison Test for it too.
Compare it to popular survival knives out there.
Bk9 ($100)
Rtak2 ($100)
Jx5V1 ($250)
Okc kabar survival knife ($40-$50)
Cs Bushman bowie ($20)
Call it your "Price to Field Use Value" Comparison Tests...
Just a thought.
We'll see. I honestly just want to see what this knife will do. My impression is that it will perform just as well as all those you mentioned. As for the "price to value" concept, that is pretty subjective. There is no doubt that there are tools in a wide range of prices that all perform adequately. It just depends on what someone lies or wants. Some people like Fords and some BMW. AT the end of the day they both get you from point A to point B.
Is there a performance test comparison between the MSK and TB Tracker-1?
what saddens me is the TH-cam survival community trying to stop the bleeding. I may be wrong but it seems like many of the reviews from other popular channels are trying to help a fellow youtuber out. I haven't heard one person talk about how great it is, I've heard plenty of "it's not that bad" or "its designed for someone else". seems like a cop out. I feel like this thing would be destroyed by everyone If a familiar face wasn't marketing it. again maybe I'm wrong but I watch ALOT of channels regularly and I feel like this is the case. the problem is helping out a buddy can effect your credibility. please dont take offense I fully understand not wanting to bash a friends work.
I would ask what bleeding? I think The sales of the knife exceeded David’s expectations. And you have not heard me say either of the things you mentioned. As I said, I want to see how well the tool performs so my viewers can judge it on its own merits, not someone else’s opinion (or mine).
I have an Esee 5 that I have used and have used the BK2. I developed hand cramps with Esee at survival school. LOL Both of those knives are a tank. Definitely great for the money but you had better build some muscle memory before heavy use. The MSK-1 does not feel as heavy and bulky as those two knives. I purchased a MSK-1 and personally like it. I did modify the spine on it to a flat 90 degree spine so it would be more versatile in the field. As mentioned in some of the other reviews it does hold an edge really well over the time I have used it. I have not sharpened it yet. Sounds like I may have a chore coming one day. LOL I did put a Smith ceramic sharpener in the pouch. This knife can chop with the big boys in the same length or maybe even a little bigger. It can do some fine task as well. Cost is a factor and it is pricey. I think the basic knife and kydex sheath comes in at around 325.00 without all the other options. That is borderline. I still have no regrets but it is my opinion. Have a great day knife world. God bless
Good to know
I look forward to future testing.
me too
Really looking forward to your testing of the knife. I like David, and I think I get his idea. I was actually one of the people that participated in the poll to choose the steel all those (by now I think) years ago, because I personally have had great experiences with D2. By now I am a bit more educated on metallurgy and D2 definitly has it`s weaknesses, but in a "shorter" and stout knife like this I don`t see any issues coming. The price is what keeps me from buying one, though I am still very interested in the knife from an enthusiast perspective. I personally think anything beyond 200$$ is probably overkill for 99,9% of the people. My heart already bled when I bought the Tops Tahoma Field Knife for 200$$ (my crown jewel) even though I knew I would love that knife. I could never bring myself to spend 400$+ on a knife, no matter how good or interesting it is, and if I did it would probably be a Dark Timber.
Thanks
How can you do a long term evaluation of a survival knife in your back garden???
Same as anywhere else. You use it doing knife stuff. But I am also using it when camping with my Boy Scout Troop and any other time I need a knife for outdoor stuff.
Hi Bryan, I have one I purchased last year, second hand (new was WAY TOO EXPENSIVE) so I speak from experience. MY knife also was not hollow ground. The Gen 1 knives were (supposedly the maker screwed that up as the spec was not for a hollow grind). Gen 2 and beyond are saber ground. My knife had a TERRIBLE edge from the maker, just terrible, very dull axe like with steep relief edges on the final edge. I had to have it reground by a friend in England before it would perform correctly. NOW it is a superb cutter and light chopper. I would not worry about being under equipped if it was the only knife I had on me in a survival situation. The other major concern was with the steel, D2. If you get the heat treat wrong, well, it's gonna break or other bad things will happen to the edge. There were several reports of early knives breaking, and I believe David made changes there as well with the maker. I hope you will incorporate some reasonable stress testing of the blade to see how the current heat treat holds up to "survival" abuse. Ergonomically I like it and it feels good in the hand. Does it replace a hatchet like David claims in the marketing video, nope, but anyone that thought it would should probably never leave their backyard, LOL. I really look forward to the long term results of your tests. Keep up the great work!
Just stay tuned.
Great rundown on the whole setup! At the end of the day it's up to the user to decide if it's worth it to you. I said the same thing about the Lightning Strike fire starter.
"up to the user to decide"... BINGO!
I agree
GOOD video look forward to the coming video's on the knife
me too
I personally believe that the reason people criticize the knife is because they cant afford it, why don't he get as much professional advice then save up for the expensive tools, I just for the first time bought a certain expensive axe after only being able to by cheep ones, the difference was unbelievable glad I bought it.
I agree
I always enjoy your videos
Thanks. I appreciate it.
I'm interested in the long term test.. Good stuff.
Me too Jon. It probably won't affect the haters but I am betting the knife does fine.
I like the knife I just can't afford it, like a lot of things I like.
I see three thing for the dislikes and they have nothing to do with the abilities of the knife.
1. Price
2. Unique design. (People have big issue with all things that are different)
3. Dave has a successful TH-cam channel. (Nothing breeds hate like success)
Indeed.
I had not seen any other video or information regarding this knife, it is a beauty that's for sure and it does offer that of a complete system. If I were to buy this blade, like all other blades I would use in a survival capacity, I would still find myself modifying the kit. I already have some good survival knives that I have engineered better carry systems for and added my own necessary items to be used in a survival scenario. I like the MSK1 but as you stated that most might find the price tag a deterrent, that would be the case for me, but I do like the knife and the fact that although I would tend to improve upon it for my particular demands that I put on a system, this knife puts one way ahead from the start. I do have one thing I would have to change if necessary, I did not notice a tie down for the leg on the sheath. Is there one and I just missed it? Because that is something I use on all my knives, for me it's a safety concern when drawing out the blade as well as keeping it under control when moving, it also helps with supporting the weight of your blade and kit. Thanks for the introduction to the MSK1.
There are lashing points for that
Great Video. For the price they should supply a ferro rod with more magnesium content so the spark would be hotter longer.
It's actually supposed to be a very good ferro rod but we'll do more testing
hey i own that knife yeah its expensive,but it works great you take care of it and it will take care of you,other than the price,its a great knife ,,nothing bad to say about it ,,,but the price
Good to know
How about any update. It's been 4 years now.
Beautiful knife and it has that straight angled front spine like the APO. Is that called a spear point? This knife looks good. The APO, to me, doesn’t. I think it’s the swedge.
Ok where do we buy the msk1 at ??
Link in the description survivalonpurpose.com/MSK1 (Just to be clear, I get NO commission or kickback)
I look forward to the series.
It should be fun
Would YOU pay that money out of pocket for the knife? What do you think is the fair price of the knife?
I think a fair price is whatever people are willing to pay. And whether I would or would not pay a a certain amount for something has absolutely no bearing on either it’s quality or value. Some people happily pay $100,000 for a car and others cringe at the thought. If you don’t think it is a good value then don’t buy it. Items like these are purely discretionary purchases. Some people wear Timex and some prefer Rolex. Both perform the same function.
@@SurvivalOnPurpose I came to your channel to listen to your specific opinion. I asked you a question personally not to hear about what " some other people" may or may not do. You answer tells me that you cannot even answer a basic question. Instead yo are giving me a used Honda salesman lip service. That tells me that you are just another sales guy without your opinion. Too bad that you are at the end of your life, yet still struggling with finding your own voice on your own channel.
Thanks for sharing. Reminds me of a large Tops Warthog. Not going to get to controversial but other knives of same quality for way less,kit or not. Think I like the mini the most to be honest.
Different strokes...
i heard some sound screaming at 11.58.. what was that???!
I think this is what it is, your a great guy with great vids that are respected cause you tell the truth and try not to give a biased opinion, I also think you KINDA got who dood in to this knife review with out knowing all the history behind it and now kinda catching crap for it, either way we watch your vids for you and your opinion not just the products, so best of luck next time, hopefully u won't get stuck between the firing line with out atleast a heads up first.
I was well aware of the “drama” surrounding this knife. David asked me if I wanted to check it out and I said yes. It is one thing to not like a particular piece of gear or not think it is worth the price but it really bothered me to see people trashing his character. Most of whom have never met him. (Which is pretty much par for the course on the Internet). So I was happy to give his gear an open minded chance. That’s why I decided to do a long term evaluation and really see how it performs as a system.
Great review, as usual.
I like the design of the knife ... but D2 steel for $400+, is too high. So that negative is legit. The mini knife’s attachment point on the sheath is a bit ridiculous, just put it inline with the main knife, like everyone does. I’m not a fan of the flat handle slabs. The negatives would be my opinions but I can see why some people would like the knife system.
Also not a great chopper for $400
I think it is a good blade and D2 is a steel I like quite a bit. But I sure would cry if I lost a knife that cost as much as my stock AR-15.
I hear you ;-)
A top quality set up shouldn't be cheap.. looking forward to adding it to my gear.
Thanks for watching.
Good video. Let's see how well the knife performs after some time.
Yes, lets
Is the knife able to be sold separately?
I don’t really have a problem with the knife or price, I get his concept for this blade. I question his steel choice though. I’ve always felt the effort to sharpen D2 has never yielded the edge retention that it should. It’s more difficult to get D2 laser sharp in the field compared to other steels. Larger carbide steels lack toughness to boot. If he wanted corrosion resistance, more toughness than D2 and better edge retention (in some cases), steels such as Cmp154, 154 cm, Abe-L, 14c28n to name a few would have been better choice. There are many wonderful non stainless steels that could also be considered.
I honestly don't get all serious over steel. If it works for me that's all I care about.
Do you still have plans to do followup videos? I'm curious as to what your thoughts are after a year of testing.
I need to get one of these for my trail running kit
I read about it earlier.. It's a pretty nice set up but the price is a deal breaker for me.. But if I had the money I'd be on it
Thoughts on the Things
The massive price tag doesn't surprise me. It comes with two full tang knives with D2 and 154cm steel, "custom" holster, and kydex sheaths. Literally, every aspect of this thing is a buzzword that adds to the price. You can't stack that many "survival knife" traits without a big price tag.
At the end of the day this thing was made for a specific group of people and that group of people are gonna love it. The rest of us... well we scratch our heads that that god awful prybar thing.
While talking about prices...
Literally everything Benchmade makes is about $30 to $50 more than it ought to be, but they get away with it because they're Benchmade.
Thanks!
Looks like a good durable knife, a little to expensive though.
Cheap crap Ferro rod the hole system is to expensive
Wrong whole Quinn...😆
Also wrong too