Tactical knives VS. Survival knives

Knives are not all the same! Every knife is made differently and has a different range of purposes. Without knowing what to look for in knife design, you’ll have a hard time making a good decision when it comes to purchasing one.

What is the difference between a tactical knife and a survival knife?

The major difference between these knives is the purpose for which they are designed. Tactical knives are designed as heavy-duty utility knives for use in a military environment and to serve as an effective weapon on the battlefield. Tactical knives are frequently used for cutting and prying. Because they are for use in battle, they are designed to be sleek and lightweight for easier combat use and to reduce the overall weight of a soldier's load.

Survival knives, on the other hand, are focused on survival and utility tasks. For example; outdoor activities and camping. Design is focused more on utility and less on weaponry which is a fancy way of saying they are not designed to kill.

Key design features to be aware of

GUARD DESIGN

The guard has two roles:

• Protection of the fingers and hand
• To keep the hand from slipping up into the blade while using it.

A survival knife's guard is typically small since it's not necessary to protect from another blade. Also, a larger guard can get in the way when doing traditional survival skills.

APPEARANCE

Tactical knives normally come in subdued colors and use composites or rubberized grips. Survival knives come in a wide range of colors and use both natural and synthetic grips. Basically, if you aren’t trying to avoid detection, you can choose any visual design that appeals to you. If you don’t want to alert your enemy, you need to make sure it is not bright or reflective.

HANDLE

Tactical: Handles of tactical knives are made from materials that won't lose grip when they're wet or bloody. It should have a rough texture and most of them have finger grooves that help when gripping the knife.

Survival: The texture is usually less aggressive than what you'd see on tactical knives. Survival knives have a wide range of tasks and the focus is on versatility. It is important to have a good grip while doing all these tasks but features like finger holes can make the knife less practical.

BLADE

Blades of tactical knives are normally thinner; good for piercing and slashing. Most tactical knives are made of stainless steel. It gives the knife a hard, corrosion-resistant blade that can hold a sharp edge. They are almost always coated to eliminate reflections coming from the blade. You don’t want the enemy to be alerted by light reflecting off your blade.

Survival knives are commonly made of carbon steel. They are softer and don't normally hold an edge for as long as a stainless steel blade.

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Any other key differences you would point out? Comment below