A fixed blade survival knife comes with one solid blade that cannot be moved or folded. These knives are not pocket knives or folding knives. A fixed blade will need a sheath to keep the blade covered, and the sheath should have a loop to attach to a belt. The majority of survival knives are fixed blade, and one version is the buck knife. Buck knives tend to have long solid blades that will split small branches of wood. Buck knives are designed to take a beating, and there is no fear of the blade folding back or jerking shut during a rough cut, which is a problem with some other knives.
The multi-tool survival knife is another common survival knife. The Swiss Army knife is a classic example of a multi-tool knife. These knives not only have one or two blades, but also a small serrated saw, scissors, tooth pick, file and other small tools for use in the field. On the other hand, the magnifying glass is often too small to start a fire unless an expert is using it. These types of knives don't have blades that lock into place, which means the blade can slip or even fold shut while using it. This presents the risk of hand cuts or injury in the wild. These blades are also thinner, making them easier to break.
The third, and perhaps most common, type of survival knife is the pocket knife. A quality folding blade pocket knife will have a sharp blade of 4 to 6 inches and lock into place when flipped open. This is necessary because otherwise the blade will not be as stable and can fold closed during a cut, injuring the person using it. In addition, a good pocket knife whose blade locks into place can take more pressure.
