Even if you aren’t climbing mountains or trekking miles into the backcountry, having a survival knife in your camping supplies is still a handy item to have with you. Hopefully you will never have to use it in a true survival situation but if you do, having a knife with a dedicated purpose is essential. Hopefully you will use your survival knife as a spare, specially knife that you carry on your fun amping trips. The CRKT RSK Mk5 is a great option for someone interested in a small, lightweight, packable knife that can dual purposed for survival-only to everyday use.
Appearance: The RSK Mk5 comes in a great survival tin where you can store a small pack of survival essentials. The knife itself comes with a blade sheath and an integrated lanyard. The lanyard is a key component to the overall design, more on this later. Overall its a sweet looking knife. The stainless steel is flawless with a great polished look.
Durability: Made of stainless steel with a hardness RC 51-53, CRKT built this knife to last. We have found the blade sharpens easily with a flat stone and stays sharp through moderate use. The blade itself is slightly softer than other blades but as a survival knife we actually prefer the slightly softer blade. It allows us to easily sharpen it while out in the field. A few passes on a flat stone and it’s back to form. Right out of the box, the RSK Mk5 is adequately sharp to pull it out and hit the woods. We tested it “as is” right out of the box and had no issue with blade sharpness or burs.
Functionality: For a survival situations to less serious outdoor endeavors, this knife is truly multifunctional. It’s size makes it perfect for everyday use. Throwing it in your bag or pants pocket isn’t an issue at less than 4 inches long. The lanyard serves an important purpose to the overall design of the knife. Of course it serves as a handle and strap but the integrated knot system effectively lengthens the handle to full length. Slide the knot to the end of your fist and use the lanyard as a makeshift handle. We love this feature. The storage tin is also multifunctional from storing the knife to a multitude of other essential survival items. From sticking a flint to cutting your delicious grilled food, the RSK Mk5 is at home.
Value: For $29.99 you are getting a great survival knife that can be dual purposed for everyday use. It is made completely of stainless steel so you won’t have to worry about plastic handles breaking or becoming worn. Use it as a survival knife and it will pay for itself the first time you need it. Or carry it for everyday use and enjoy the portable size and weight. Either way, the RSK Mk5 is a great value.
