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Dajo Survivor Knife

$38.95

(8)

Item # 802109

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The minimalist Dajo Survivor knife is a light, compact and sturdy tool that can be used as a blade, fire-starting striker—even a spear point!

57-HRC stainless-steel drop-point blade and solid full tang stand up to the abuse of heavy outdoor use and survival situations
Durable G-10 polymer handle offers a secure grip
Special notch on the back of the blade acts as a fire-starting striker when used with the included Swedish FireSteel®
Dajo Survivor knife comes with a sheath, emergency whistle and 5 ft. of cord

Please Note: This product is not able to be shipped to addresses in New York.

Imported.

Item 802109

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Dajo Survivor Knife Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Dajo Survivor Knife

3.4

(based on 8 reviews)

71%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Comfortable grip (6)
Sharp blade (3)

Cons

Best Uses

Camping (6)
Survival (6)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Casual/ recreational (5)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (5)

REVIEWS

Reviewed by 8 customers

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Displaying reviews 1-8

Apr

2010

(18 of 20 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Wow, really?

By lumpymike

from San Diego, CA

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable Grip
Durable
Sharp Blade

Cons

Possible sheath issues

Best Uses

Camping
Home
Hunting
Survival

Comments about Dajo Survivor Knife:

I first saw Dajo products in Backpacker Magazine and checked them out for their recycled products. While I was there I checked out the knife section (bit of a knife nut). Looking at them online I was not really thrilled and quickly forgot about them. A few months later I was getting a new pack at REI and stopped at the glass cases. There I saw the Dajo Survivor. Hmm interesting. I asked to see it and thought "wow, much better than I thought."
I've spent more money on knives with worse appeal so I picked it up and took it home to play with for the weekend.
1st off the edge stayed quite sharp after cutting up several dozen cardboard boxes, a few kitchen chores, cut a few ropes and turned a lot of sticks into pointy sticks. At the end I touched it up lightly with a stone and it could shave hair on my arms.
Comfortable grip, a little painful if you really power down on it, but I rarely have to do so.
Sheath is nice but I am concerned that it is only held onto your belt by velcro in either position. I was able to pull it off of my belt with a strong tug. I might sew the top loop together.
The light my fire firesteel that comes with it worked well, lit fires, but at one point the firesteel came OUT of the plastic holder. Mildly concerning. I might put some epoxy on it or replace it with a BSA hotspark.
Whistle was fine.

Overall I like this knife. I don't normally buy knives made in China (a few bad experiences) but this has surprised me. I like to carry a small sheath knife in my pack for camp chores and this is light enough and sharp enough for most anything I can think off.

Jul

2010

(5 of 14 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Not too bad

By Joshua B

from Fredericksburg VA (the Burg)

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable Grip

Cons

Best Uses

Camping
Survival

Comments about Dajo Survivor Knife:

I am new to the whole survial/miniamlist bit thanks to Bear Grylls. I bought this knive because I was looking for a fixed blade to use on backpacking trips (the only way to really camp). I liked this because it was all packaged nicely with a fire steel and the sheath. I have seen Bear Grylls use a fire steel and in two or three strikes he is roasting hot dogs. It is not that easy. You realy have to know what to use. The fire steel also broke on me after about 150 strikes. As far as the knife goes, I really like it. It is made of stainless steel and seemed to hold an edge after about two hours of using it to strike the fire steel (i was instructed to use the knife blade I don't recomend it) the sheath fits nicely on my pack and is easy to access. The rope and the whistle are a waste in my mind. Most packs have a whistle in a buckle and 5550 is my rope of choice. I would much rather have a bigger fire steel and a striker for the steel in place of the whistle and rope. All in all 40 bones is a great price (i have seen survival knives for two to three times as much)and I really do like the knife and sheath.

Jul

2010

(3 of 7 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Dajo "Survivor" Knife?

By jka201

from Richmond, Va

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable Grip

Cons

Poor Craftsmanship

Best Uses

Camping

Comments about Dajo Survivor Knife:

When I first got this knife I really enjoyed it. It was really comfortable and for the price I felt like it was the best decision for what I wanted. After using it for a couple of months I pulled it out of its case one day to use it (in the middle of a three day hike might I add) and the blade was cracked. The crack was about an inch long starting at the edge and ending at the grind. I had no idea how this would of happen, so I took it back to REI and told them my story and they really were quite puzzled as well. The only thing I am glad of is that I wan't stranded out somewhere and that I was able to come back home and exchange it. I don't know if Dajo uses the term "survivor" loosely or what, but it's a great thing I wasn't put in that position. I thought about getting a new kind of knife but I decided to hope for the best with this same knife; maybe it was a freak accident a defect in the blade. I have had my new one for about a month now and using it harder than ever because I really want to put this thing to the test. Even though this happened to me I would still recommend this knife to anyone who was interested in it just because the thing is just so darn comfortable. to use.

Jan

2011

(1 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Couldnt be more shocked

By Fuzzy Wuzzy

from Los Angeles

About Me Military/Law Enforcement

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable Grip

Cons

Poor Craftsmanship

Best Uses

Camping
Hunting
Survival

Comments about Dajo Survivor Knife:

Was excited to take it to the woods and see what it could do. I started to carve some wood ( regular boy scout stuff)and the blade itself snapped. Was super disappointed, I took it back and exchanged it in for a new one. Excited to see what is to come of this blade. I do like how ever the fire starter.

Nov

2010

(1 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

3.0

Super lightweight

By Buckaroo Banzai

from Allentown PA

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Cons

Best Uses

Camping
Survival

Comments about Dajo Survivor Knife:

The entire package is crazy light at 6oz and since it has a fire starter, whistle, and a knife, in such a small and light package, its extra insurance that can be thrown in your pack in case something goes wrong on a hiking or camping trip. I thought the handle was funny looking but its actually quite comfortable, and the helps you grip the knife in multiple positions. I used the knife a few time, and the blade is razor sharp out of the box. The fire steel works fine, and the whistle is fine.

I do have a few beefs with the knife. First I have a love hate thing with the sheath. It is handy for attaching to a belt or a pack in multiple positions, but I would be leary strapping on this knife sideways or upside down, since the retention kind of stinks and the retention strap is a flimsy velcro strap. The blade itself is thin, and when you factor in the hollowed out groove across the top, this blade might break if you do serious work like prying, digging, or woodcraft, so it kind of defeats the purpose of having a fixed blade survival knife.

All in all the Dajo knife is a good camp knife for the money, and a good choice for ultralight guys. Its just I really hope REI picks up a similar product made by Gerber. That knife is much more sturdy, a 4 3/4" blade, a whistle, a firesteel, and a sharpener, all at 11 ounces.

Sep

2010

(1 of 7 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

GREAT KNIFE!

By Grizzly Stebe

from Minnesota

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable Grip
Cool Factor
Durable
Finish
Sharp Blade

Cons

Best Uses

Camping
Survival

Comments about Dajo Survivor Knife:

I am going to start by saying that i have NOT gotten a chance to field test this yet.

However, first impressions are important, right?
The second you get this thing in your hand you can tell it is good quality. The G10 grips are very rugged and comfortable (just as most people would tell you) the blade comes out of the box RAZOR SHARP.

Now, i'm not in the slightest bit a knife expert.. but i know quality. and this honestly feels military grade. Not only feels it but looks military tactical.

There are 2 reasons why i am slightly disappointed.
1. the blade is a little bit shorter than i expected (about 3 1/2")
2. the firesteel doesn't spark much (i may be doing it wrong too)

All in all i am THRILLED that this blade is only ~$40 i definitely recommend this for anyone from beginner to avid outdoorsman.

Aug

2011

(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Good Pack Knife / Survival Back-up Knife

By Lake Chelan

from Chelan, WA

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable Grip
Light
Sharp Blade

Cons

Bends

Best Uses

Back-up
Hiking

Comments about Dajo Survivor Knife:

As someone previously had said, this knife looks and feels much better in your hands than what you would expect by looking at the catalog picture.
It is incredibly light and very sharp. The Fire Steel works fine but I only tested it enough to spark. I use the back of the blade - not the cutting edge. It is obvious to me just by holding it in my hands that you can not use this knife to pry anything with any amount of 'force'. If you need your knife to double as a pry-bar, get a Gerber LMF II. If you don't expect to do much prying with your knife, get the Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife. The Buck Special 119 is also a very nice knife, sharp and relatively light for the size. If these three knives that I've mentioned (I own and use all of them) are too much knife for your needs, then you will likely be happy with this Dajo Survivor Knife.
Note: I think the Sheath is actually kind of cool but I agree with others in that I'm afraid I would lose it if it is not in a pocket or teathered (I teather all my gear anyway) due to the velcro. If they redesigned the sheath so that the knife snapped into the sheath or used single snap rather than velcro, I'd have no worries. But again, I personally chose this knife as a light back-up in my pack. My primary, depending on hike and itinerary, are the Gerber LMF II, Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife, SOG Jungle Primitive, SOG Seal Pup, or Buck Special 119. This Dajo Survivor will be used when I strip off the bulk of my gear for side excursions. A very nice, well crafted, light duty, knife.

Jun

2011

(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

2.0

Look elsewhere for a survival knife.

By cereal box sonnets

from BC, MI

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Lightweight
Simple design

Cons

Poor sheath design
Poor value

Best Uses

Survival

Comments about Dajo Survivor Knife:

I was sold by the simple design and the inclusion of the fire starter and whistle.

When I took it out of the box, the sheath looked like an after thought. A small piece of velcro holds the knife in the sheath. When I was examining the sheath, the fire starter fell out. This could create a frustrating "survival" moment. I decided to return it.

The Ka-Bar Becker Necker is a better knife / sheath combination and is made in the USA.