The best survival knife probably won’t be a neck knife for very obvious reasons. But a neck knife is definitely a good backup knife to have with you. Neck knives have become more popular over the years, and it’s not surprising in the least. These little babies do have their uses. That’s why, today, we’ll be doing a Cold Steel Spike Tanto review to see how useful this particular neck knife can be.

But before I go in-depth on what our little Spike can do, I’d like to list down the specs that Cold Steel gave this knife. With an overall length of 8 inches, the Spike Tanto is a full tang blade with a zero grind. It is made of German 4116 stainless steel and is 4 inches long and 3 mm thick.

The Spike Tanto is pretty small and slim (even with the sheath) which is what you want in a neck knife. The weight of the knife is 5.07 ounces, so it’s pretty light too. The Spike Tanto has a Faux G-10 handle and comes with a Secure-Ex sheath.

Now, on to the meat of this Cold Steel Spike Tanto review. Based on its specs alone, this is the type of neck knife that anyone would want to have. It’s light, very slim, and it comes with a Secure-Ex sheath that fits it like a glove. What does these all mean?

One of the main requirements for a neck knife is that it doesn’t weigh your neck down when you carry it. Another requirement would be that it shouldn’t be noticeable under your shirt. One last requirement is that the knife should be secured tightly in its sheath so that you don’t have to worry about accidentally stabbing yourself in the chest while carrying it. (That could be bad...) So that’s a three for three for Cold Steel’s Spike Tanto.

What about usefulness? Well, there are some obvious limitations because of the Spike Tanto’s weight and size. Don’t expect to be able to baton wood with this little baby or perform any heavy duty task. But these tasks aside, this neck knife is pretty handy to have. It works perfectly as a utility knife for several reasons. One, it’s extremely sharp right out of the box. You can cut through thick cardboard like butter with the Spike Tanto. Skinning, slicing, cutting, carving, shaving, and other similar utility work will be a breeze with this knife.

Another reason that this knife is great for general tasks is its handle. The Faux G-10 handle gives a very firm grip, dry or wet. There is no need to worry that the knife will slip from the hand while slicing, puncturing, or carving something. The quillion is an added bonus for protecting your fingers from the knife’s cutting edge. The Spike Tanto also feels well-balanced in the hand and can be comfortably held in either forward or reverse grip.

The last feature that makes this neck knife great for utility work is the material – German 4116 stainless steel. Now, I’m not a fan of stainless steel because I prefer carbon steel. That being said, the Spike Tanto’s blade is very tough and durable. Despite its appearance, the blade won’t break easily.

One other thing I’d like to mention about the Spike Tanto is that it’s perfect for self-defense. It has a very strong tip for penetration and, being a lightweight, will be easy to wield (despite any lack of fighting skills) when fending off an attacker.

Knowing all of these things about Cold Steel’s Spike Tanto, I would definitely add it to my list of survival knives. While it won’t be as versatile as other knives out there (because it IS a neck knife), it would still be able to serve me well enough. The best thing about this is that if, by a stroke of bad luck, I lose everything I’m carrying in the woods (bags and stuff), I will still have this little thing stuck around my neck to help save the day.

What we love about Cold Steel's Tanto Spike

This neck knife is an extremely sharp and tough knife that can perform utility tasks pretty well. It has a very secure grip and comes with an excellent sheath. What I love the most about this knife is that you can hang it around your neck, forget that it’s there, and just use it for emergencies like losing or forgetting your main knife.

If you want to add the Spike Tanto to your outdoor gear, check it out on Amazon!