Knives are the bread and butter and survival gear. They are the first tool anyone thinks of when they think of survival — before guns, before other tools, and even before bug-out bags, arguably. For those of us who grew up in the 1980s, the “Rambo knife” was synonymous with survival, a symbol of both the concept and its execution. Over the years the available options have only grown, especially where knives are concerned.
12 Survivors: The Company
You may have heard the phrase, “a poverty of riches.” That’s the situation that most preppers and survivalists find themselves in, as they struggle to find quality gear — and companies worth supporting — amidst the dizzying array of product offerings in the market. One such company, based in Mansfield, Texas, is the intriguingly named 12 Survivors.
The company was developed as an early concept in 2010, coinciding with emerging interest in survival and preparedness-oriented television shows like Survivor, Man vs. Wild, and Survivorman. The team at 12 Survivors sought to establish a brand that would resonate with all different types of outdoor enthusiasts. They also wanted to include a deeper, primal subtext in their product line, which was developed to ensure adventurers are prepared for the best (and the worst) the outdoors has to offer. To that end, the 12 Survivors brand supports the outdoor lifestyle by providing preppers, survivalists and other outdoors enthusiasts with quality outdoor products that last.
The name, 12 Survivors, is a play on words, according to the company’s website. “12 Survivors was thought up to play on the Mayan calendar end of the world apocalypse and to offer gear to cope with disasters and calamities of all kinds,” the site reads. “If disasters were to come and wipe out most civilizations, the number 12 is thought to be the ideal group size to thrive and grow new societies.” The site also explains the company’s logo: “The human hand is a universal symbol of what it means to be human. Humans have been around for thousands of years and one of the only traces left behind has been hand prints found on cave walls and mountain sides. When we talk about disasters wiping out civilizations and forming and starting new societies, we realize that human life is precious and it will take humans and human will power to restart what was once great.”
The company’s product line includes knives, camping gear, first aid kits, fire starters, water purifiers and backpacks. Designed and constructed for heavy use by active outdoorsmen, 12 Survivors’ gear is well-suited to hikers, campers, preppers, survivalists, hunters and anyone else who takes seriously what the company terms the “outdoor lifestyle.” From disasters and emergencies to outdoor adventures, sport, and leisure, 12 Survivors products are intended to “bring people closer to nature… and each other.”
BKE Folder and BKE Fixed Blade
The first of several items of 12 Survivors gear that The Survivalist has chosen to profile are the company’s BKE knives. (The letters BKE stand for “Best Knife Ever.”) These are both fixed and folding blades that are mirror images of each other. The fixed blade knife comes with a second pair of micarta scales and can also be used without the scales at all (beneath the micarta, it’s a fairly elegant skeletonized design). The folder has a titanium finish and a handle of 420 stainless (for rust resistance).
Blade steels are AUS 8 for the fixed blade and 8Cr15MoV for the folder. The folder is 7 inches overall when open and weighs just four ounces, while the fixed blade is the same length (with the same size blade) but weighs an ounce less with the handle scales affixed. The folding knife has a reversible pocket clip configured for tip-up carry only; the fixed blade has a plastic sheath with an integral plastic clip.
The knives are so similar in shape and handling characteristics that reviewing them separately seemed redundant. They’re honestly the same design, offered in both fixed and folding formats depending on your preferences. There will always be those who prefer a fixed blade knife for survival and defense; there are also certain legal realities that make a folding knife the better bet to stay on the right side of the law. Regardless of what you want or need, there is a BKE for you (including one version with a black blade, according to the 12 Survivors website).
Handling
The knives feel almost identical, although the folder is perceptibly heavier. The relatively small blade means the knives are balanced toward the handle end. The ring allows the user to choke up for fine work, while the contoured, serrated thumb ramp provides good purchase for the thumb. Handles are relatively small overall, at least compared to my big mitts, but they’re also just large enough. This means that both knives lock into my hand, regardless of whether I use the ring. The micarta scales of the fixed blade are more comfortable than the open design of the folder, but both are quite comfortable.
The blade shape and size make this a great outdoors knife that could also be pressed into service as a general utility and even self-defense blade. It’s long enough to get the job done, but short enough to be compact. The folder rides nicely in a pocket with its small pocket clip. Only tip-up is an option, but you can switch the clip for right- or left-hand carry as required. Both knives have lanyard holes, too.
The plastic sheath for the fixed blade is minimalist. It’s unusual to see a sheath that’s this small and low-profile on a knife of this type. Typically, companies try to create a sheath that is all things to all people — usually failing in the process. This is a simple friction-fit model with a pair of tabs that hook onto the ring when the knife is sheathed. It does rattle a little bit (that’s the nature of the design), but a simple rubber band around the mouth of the sheath and through the ring of the fixed blade will silence it. I can see doing that while, say, deer hunting with this knife clipped inside my waistband (or for any other application where noise would be an issue).
The fixed blade rides quite high in the sheath, allowing you to insert your finger in the ring for the draw. The folder’s pocket clip is not too high and not too low; it is positioned nicely to give you good purchase for grabbing and drawing the knife from a pocket. It had good tension out of the packaging, too.
Fit and Finish
Fit and finish is good. I appreciated the extra set of handle scales, which almost encourages the user to beat up the fixed blade while using it as a small bushcraft blade. The folder is a framelock. It opens smoothly and locks securely, with no lateral or vertical blade play. (The all-steel construction makes it easier to construct a folder with no slop.) I did find that if I mashed the blade with my thumb I could actually create pressure on the framelock and make the knife harder to open. That’s a problem specific to the hams I call hands.
The fixed blade has no moving parts except for the handle scales, which are held on with Torx screws. The micarta scales are smooth but not too slippery. I like how they feel in my palm and, while the folder is heavier, it feels decent in the hand as well. Examining the knives close-up shows good attention to detail. Depending on how you grip them, the rings can act as an integral guard.
Performance
The drop-point blade shape is perfect for outdoor tasks, skinning, general bushcraft, and any other cutting, slicing, or piercing that comes along. Both knives were nicely sharp out of the packaging, held an edge well, and made short work of the various kindling and packaging I attacked. They penetrated well in test media, owing to the symmetrical profile tapering to a nicely sharp point. Blades are ground on both sides (no chisel-grind shortcuts, in other words) and have good belly for slicing.
I could see using these as “tactical” knives, particularly the folder. The blade size and shape would lend themselves well to cuts and thrusts in a defensive capacity, while both knives are small enough that they’d be legal in most locales. Given my preference for thumb ramps, these blades did not disappoint in that department, either. My thumb moves naturally into position on the ramp and that, coupled with the ring, makes fine cutting work a breeze.
Conclusion
These are able bushcraft knives. The folder would make an excellent all-purpose daily carry knife, while the fixed blade is the perfect size for keeping in a bug out bag or other survival kit. Both knives are excellent for outdoor chores and for utility tasks. They also exhibit good fit, finish, and execution, which means I would be comfortable expecting them to serve me in day to day use.
The name prompts me to ask: Are these indeed the “best knife ever?” In a market glutted with options, the answer will vary from person to person. I am, however, very happy with both BKE blades. The only problem I’m having is deciding which of my survival kits will host the folder — and which will get the fixed blade.
For more information, visit 12 Survivors online.