I am looking for a survival edged weapon to use for various tasks. I am considering a machette, black jack viking raider, or a kukuri. This will also be used if I run out of ammo for cqb. Which will do the most damage

The one you know how to use.

Is the viking raider an axe?

Depends on what type of damage you're looking to do. You won't be able to thrust/stab as well with a traditional machete or axe as you would be able to with a kukri. Axe will obviously chop better. Axe will likely be a lot heavier too. If you plan to be on foot, I'd recommend against it.

seconded.

I'm not sure which does more damage. I have not seen the latest DnD 4th Edition stats on those weapons yet.

Here's some 3.x ed stats though:
Kukri 1d4 slash, x3 crit
machette 1d6 (as short sword but since it is a tool and not a weapon it is improvised so -4 to the attack), x2 crit
axe 1d8 (as battle axe, but again a tool so -4 attack due to it being an improvised weapon), x3 crit
black jack viking raider ... isn't that an NPC?

The black jack viking raider not only has a lot of adjectives in the name, but it sounds scary. That makes me think it would be better.

As a bonus, when you write on discussion boards that you have a Black Jack Viking Raider for when your CQB ammo runs out, people will instantly respect you. There is also a guy looking for a "bad boy knife" for when he runs out of ammo, but I just can't link to that thread. You can find it in the Bug Out Gear section I believe. You two would have a lot to discuss.

Try these threads for more info:
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=5735&hilit=kukri+machete
viewtopic.php?f=34&t=3517&hilit=kukri+machete

QOTD!

Doesn't anyone here answer a question seriously before you digress into irrelevance?
Both the machette and the kukri are good slashing weapons, the kukri has an edge in 2 places
1: it's pointy so you can thrust with it
2: with it's belly/weight forward design and thicker blade you get more chopping power for your money
I have no idea what a black jack viking raider is (is it made by black jack knives?)
Of the 2 i know and have used I would recommend the kukri. Although there are more modern and better designs based on the kukri or the greek kopis. Cold Steel has 2 that work( the LTC and their kukri) and Benchmade had the BushMaster (out of production) Black Jack Knives also had 2 versions of the kukri.
Hope that helps.

cold steel's kukri machete would probably be the most versatile. it makes a great chopper and can be used to fell trees up to 6". as a weapon it'd be outstanding as a slasher and functional for thrusting. it's light enough not to be a burden but heavy and stout enough to last a long time even with hard work. also it's inexpensive at under $20.

Depends on whether the issue has been covered eleventy billion times already . . . .

Lots of folks come to ZS with with original bright ideas (like bugging out to "the woods" or Wal-Mart when the shit comes down) or obvious n00b questions that have been hashed over ad infinitum (what kind of knife/backpack/food do I get?) or chips on their shoulder about how their high-speed background makes them uniquely qualified to Do It Right (as if nobody else in the incredibly skilled and varied ZS populace has any survival or E & E skills). ZS will always supply the information, but a mild dose of good-natured hazing indoctrinates the good ones in the institutional culture and sends the bad ones off to LiveJournal in a huff.

I tested various weapons, both purpose-built and improvised, against coconuts, to test how much damage they did. The machete was disappointing. Good marks went to the Gerber Sport Axe and, somewhat surprisingly, the 4D Maglite, which absolutely DETONATED the coconut. The Woodman's Pal was also effective.

The khukri (various spellings are acceptable) is widely popular; I have several cheap ones and am not a huge fan. I'm sure if I had a good one, I'd like it. Note that the Colt Steel "Khukri Machete" is NOT a khukri, it's a machete that happens to be shaped like a khukri. Not that it's a bad machete, necessarily, but it doesn't have the heft, weight, and tip-heavy balance of a real khukri.

The Woodman's Pal is a reasonable investment; the Deluxe model has a D-guard to protect your knuckles. It's got an axe-like convex grind to its blade, making it good for chopping, splitting wood, etc. It is not as good as an axe or hatchet for these tasks, but better than a machete. It can also be used for machete-like tasks, such as slashing brush.

I did some brief research (Google) into the Black Jack Viking Raider and superficially, it looks like a piece of shit. I would MUCH rather have a Gerber Sport Axe. And I do.

Also, don't neglect a basic fixed blade knife like a KA-BAR or Cold Steel SRK.

I can provide further guidance if I got some clarification on what "various tasks" you had in mind. Also, whether this item is to be used around the home, on a farm/ranch/homestead, in a car kit, strapped to your combat gear for running around killing shit (which you plan on doing...why?), packed in a Bug Out Bag (and your Bug Out plan is...what?). Different tools are better for different tasks; please clarify.

But, short answer, if you have a multitool, a "tactical" folding knife, a fixed blade knife, and a hatchet, you'll be well prepared for most wilderness tasks. The multiool and tactical folder are probably all you need in a town or city.

OP is that same guy He always comes around to ask vauge questions (what kind of tent should I get?) that he should be able to research and figure out for himself. Some people just have to be told everything

I beleive you are right, Jeriah:


Looks like something you'd get from the clearance section of a Bud-K store...

i never meant to imply that it was a real khukri, but it still is a good chopper and the weight is balanced towards the front, just not as much as a real khukri. but that can be a good thing as he said he was considering a machete to begin with.

I've seen more people injure themselves seriously with an axe or axelike object than most other tools combined. in a survival or even extended camping scenario i would prefer any less experienced person with me to have something with less self damage potential!

I agree.

I would suggest a sven saw or even one of those small gerber folding saws instead of an axe for a novice user. Hell, for safety's sake use a saw for firewood even if you know what you're doing.

i have the Gerber saw and it's very good for the purpose. part of the shtf strategy should be to carefully [as time and circumstance allows] evaluate and minimize the danger factor of everything you do. the safer and healthier you are the longer you survive!

IMO for overall utility as a tool and a weapon, the kukri wins out.

But get a real one, not a kukri machete.

Himalayan Imports M43:


Himalayan Imports 20" Chiruwa Ang Khola:

I usually keep this in my vehicle Get Home Bag, although it has a short reach I can attach it to a pole handle with no problem. I have killed and skinned a rabbit with it (just to see if I could) I have modified it from the origonal design and will likely add a MOLLE shotgun ammo pouch to the front for some extra ammo. This is a picture of the one I modified with saw teeth and a few other things
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2671539&id=564807973&op=6&view=global&subj=142229423061&oid=142229423061

These are my two survival blades, Ka-Bar cutlass machette, and a Cold Steel Tamahawk I can't remember the name it was the largest one with the hammer back.

If I had to pick the machette does more for less weight, but the two together can build a nice camp shelter and all in a surprisingly short time.

Rifleman's Hawk, I believe, and the Trail Hawk is the lighter one. Could be the other way around, though.

That's the riflemans hawk.
One other knife you might want to check out is the Kershaw D-5 Outlander. Good heft and plenty of blade for chopping. That's what I got my wife after she was eyeing my BenchMade Bushmaster.

I looked at the Kershaw when I got the Ka-bar the kersaw was more compact and used D2 steel the reason I went with the Ka-Bar was the handle was biger and looked better for serious hacking. Plus D2 is a pain in the butt to sharpen.

WELL! I am certainly glad to see no one is using guns as their primary weapon (guns are for the living who try to steal from you).
I vote for anything you can wield that doesn't slow you down - like the Ka Bar Tomahawk... Which doubles as a skull smasher for those days when you just want to make sure they're dead...

I personally use a SOG Tactical Tomahawk http://www.sogknives.com/images/flash/F01T/pic1.jpg
It's lite, versatile, and best yet - cheap (yet very very well made).

There's also nothing wrong with a baseball bat....
Really... It's not going to do anything but be a baseball bat - but there's nothing like using on to hit a homerun.

I am so glad I found this forum.....