CIMA Fixed Blade Survival Knife Full Tang Hunting Knife with Magnesium Fire Starter

Pros:I really love the size and look & feel of the G10 handle.It's not bad for 20 bucks & has a sharp edge.The sheath has a stone pouch which could also be used to hold a small survival kit instead.Cons:The flint rattles a bit; so I'll probably add a bit of shrink tubing near the top handle.The flat striking edge above the cima logo has a grinder scrape about 3/8" long across the width (you can see it in one of the customer photos);so I'll probably just touch it up with some black paint. Looks like a consistent process defect since it's in the other knife photo too.The sheath is a bit sloppy but otherwise looks ok, and the knife can slide out while it's snapped; so I'll probably stick in about a ~1" length of black (soft fuzzy "loop" side) velcro tape so it stays in snug; or I'll keep an eye out for a nice leather sheath.The edge grind is not even: about 1/16" on one side & 1/8" on the cima logo side.The flint has no retainer other than the para cord which is very hard to push through; so I'll just melt the para on one side to a thinner and stiffer shoelace type end so it threads through easier.

Ok, this is cons/pros? Only one con (imho) sheath? Wrong sheath, but you could repurpose it? Anything like a 4-5"size could do... but not on the fitted knife, a upgrade is needed for real use...it slips out of its snapped halter, and the supplied sheath is too busy... for knife, including.cheap braid cordage..Go leather, look around?Pros? Awesome knife (love it) great build with aus8 steel (Japan 440c) very sharp but not perfect from box (nice giftable box) razor-esque after just a few licks on whetstone. So I found YouTube on this which was cool, because it is full tang, but? There a ferro rod (1/8") smallish but usable for probably couple'a bic worth, embedded in the tang? Which I must say is awesome!! And so, it comes with this bit of cordage there (you should replace...details later) it takes a few to get it.. the cordage holds the rod in place via a double lanyard hole system... which indeed is very effective. You slack the 2 holes and like a car key pulls right out? The handle is an Awesome textured/grooves micarta, there's a ring shape thing that looks like a button, but isnt, I figure it's just there to remind you there is something in handle... so you won't pry, thinking it's the blade tang. There is a full tang bug it's not extruded, and there's lashing holes, to spear this knife, but here's the deal? The knife is not big (a plus for me) it's 8" overall but skinny like a thick steak knife... I say great size (not rambo) there's fine jumping and a custom ground bit of flat spine for the sparks...however you like? What I learned was para cord wont go thru any holes in this design... you'd want nano-cordage? Or in my case just take strands out of 550 cord... at least 10" or so, to redo the short cord on the lanyard/ferro... then it fits after melt the ends...then everything locks up good with plenty of lanyard bail, and then can use the rod, I'd think dog tag chain could too, but won't get tension needed to grip up tight? blade thickness on this is about 1/8-ish and the girth is only 1" or so making this a #1 last ditch survival knife for sure, but the sheath? No? I found a cross draw leather that's perfect! Your real use size blade with. Turbo...

Hard to decide how I like this. So I guess it's ok. The sheath is nice and utilitarian, but has ZERO retention. It's made well enough, nice storage pocket, with several wear / mount options. But the retention snap, which snaps very securely, is so loose around the knife it might as well not be there. The knife is good steel, strikes a ferro rod well, and has great scales. The lanyard must be in place or the ferror rod drops out. No retention. I removed it after getting it to inspect how it worked, and it was beyond difficult to get the 550 cord back through. The holes are narrower than the cord, you have to slip them through one side of the scales, the rod, and the other side of the scales, which don't exactly line up. Therefore, as you attempt to thread it through, the core filaments begin to slip out of the outer sheathing of the cord. I bet it took me an hour to re-thread it. Imagine if you needed to use this in the bush. Also, the brass slabs from the knife stick out from the scales on the back of the handle when the rod is removed, and they are sharp. I ended up pairing the knife with a better ferro rod (store it in the sheath pocket), dremeling down the brass at the back, and threading the lanyard back through without the ferro rod. I have what I consider a very nice, above avg quality chinese knife, with a good, but nearly useless sheath and ferro rod.