Review by: Nutnfancy

Knife on Deck: Cold Steel SRK 38CK

What you’re looking at right now is Cold Steel’s Survival Rescue Knife. Obviously, it’s not as long as some knives out there with an overall length of 10 ¾ inches. The 6 inch blade is full tang, 3/16 inches thick, made of AUS 8A stainless steel, and has a clip point.

Weighing 8.2 ounces, the SRK is pretty light and is said to be a really versatile knife. Of course, that could just be plain advertising so we decided to look into the reviews and see for ourselves how good this knife really is when it comes to survival.

“SOLDIER READY” KNIFE

Nutnfancy open’s his review of Cold Steel’s SRK as one of the most “ideal deployment” knives in the market. When it comes to soldiers, bigger is not always better. The weight and size of your knife will depend on the load that you’ll be carrying (the loadout weight).

A bigger knife will mean additional weight that you do not need if you’re already carrying a heavy load. Of course, the same thing can be said for civilians (like you and me). As we’ve mentioned in previous reviews, a heavy knife means pain if you’re carrying it for more than an hour. With the SRK, you’ve got a knife that’s light enough that it won’t feel like a burden even if you carry it all day long.

SURVIVAL CAPABILITY

Another reason why Nutnfancy considers the SRK on the top of his list is the knife’s survival capability – what it can do in the field (the great outdoors). In comparison to larger knives like Cold Steel’s Trailmaster, the SRK isn’t as good at chopping, hacking or batoning large logs simply because it’s limited by its length and the width of its blade. BUT, it should be noted that it CAN do the job and do it well. It might take a few more passes to split or chop a larger log, but the task will get done.

While it’s not as thick as larger knives, the SRK is thick and sturdy enough that it can be used not only for survival tasks, but also some utility tasks like prying open crates and oil drums, slicing through sheet aluminium and radiator hoses, and any other task that requires brute force.

One negative thing about its thickness that we noticed is that the SRK really isn’t the ideal knife for delicate work like skinning. Again, it will probably be up to the task; it just won’t be as neat as other knives with thinner blades.

OTHER FEATURES

Surprisingly, as Nutnfancy demonstrates, the knife is not razor sharp right out of the box. While every knife owner should know how to sharpen a knife, no one wants to have to deny his/her urge to field test a knife right out of the box because it needs to be sharpened first. The blade has a modified bowie clip design and will definitely resist rust better than knives made of 1095 steel.

What about the handle? As you’ll see in the video, Nutnfancy really fancies (ha ha) the Kraton handle. It’s ergonomic, extremely comfortable in the hand, and will provide a very secure grip even when wet or greasy.

The only bad thing about the handle would be that the little rubber nibs along it will eventaully wear down after considerable handling (years). Aside from being very “grippy”, the SRK also has a single guard that protects the hand from slipping onto the blade.

COMBAT EFFICIENCY

In Nutnfancy’s opinion, the SRK is a pretty good combat knife. Even without the guard on top, the handle provides enough traction to ensure that your grip won't slip forward when stabbing. The knife design (bowie clip and thickness) will pierce, cut, and slash well enough to do some damage serious damage in self-defense.

THE SHEATH

The sheath, which Cold Steel calls ConcealEx, is a plastic sheath that locks the knife inside so it can be worn upside down (if desired). Its multiple attachment holes also allow for all sorts of carry options. Plus, the sheath is light and waterproof, unlike leather sheaths which can be heavy (especially when wet).

WHY WE LIKE THE COLD STEEL SRK 38CK

The SRK is a all-around classic survival and combat knife that works well for cutting, slashing, piercing, prying, chopping, batoning, skinning, and all the other tasks you might need to do while in the field. Now, it might not perform these tasks as well as the much bigger knives in the market, but even with the limitations of its 6-inch blade, the knife will still get the job done. Best of all, its compactness and light weight ensure that it won’t be a hardship to carry around no matter how long you spend in the field.

View the Cold Steel SRK 38 CK on Amazon!