Survival Chisel? Unique Blade Shape Sparks, Batons, Cuts

“It was the Fourth of July, and there was no fire ban in San Juan County, Colo. That was good news because I was about to test a wild new tool I’d first seen at Summer Outdoor Retailer 2024 — the Outdoor Element Flicker Feather ECD Survival Chisel.

And if one is about to test a “Survival Chisel,” they darned sure better build a fire.

Outdoor Element calls this square-blade chisel an “everyday carry (EDC) survival tool.” Its chisel-edged blade has a sheath with a sharpening plate, survival whistle, hex driver, and ferro rod.

It was time to cut some wood and throw some sparks.

In short: The patent-pending Flicker Feather EDC Survival Chisel knife from Outdoor Element is three (maybe four?) survival tools built into one. Its chisel-ground VG10 stainless steel blade is factory sharp, and the 90-degree spine helps the included ferro rod throw an effective shower of sparks for firestarting. The sheath’s diamond sharpening plate is also handy for keeping a sharp edge.

All this (and a 115 dB whistle) comes in a single $50 package ($40 on the IndieGoGo campaign). It’s not meant for every scenario, and survival experts would likely prefer something with a bigger blade and a more substantial handle. However, as an “EDC survival knife,” the Flickr Feather is fully featured and performs well.

If you’re shopping for knives, compare the Flicker Feather to others on GearJunkie’s guides to the Best Survival Knives, the Best Pocket Knives, and the Best Tactical Knives.

Outdoor Element Flicker Feather EDC Survival Chisel Knife Review

Before we dive in, what the heck is an EDC survival chisel? That term gave my editors pause when they first read it. True survivalists wouldn’t choose this Flicker Feather over a K-BAR or, say, the Tom Brown Tracker (the best overall survival knife on our guide to the Best Survival Knives). And for traditional EDC carry purposes, the Flicker Feather is bulky compared to most pocket knives.

However, compared to other survival knives, the Flicker Feather is fairly compact. In the context of survival tools, I see Outdoor Element’s reasoning for calling this square-tipped, full-tang, 2.5-inch fixed blade an “EDC Survival” tool. It might not be your primary choice if things ever go sideways, but for an emergency survival blade, the Flicker Feather would be an excellent EDC or backup option.

Blade & Handle Materials

The VG-10 stainless steel blade has a Rockwell hardness of 57-59, according to the brand. That’s the ideal hardness for most general-use knives. The Flicker Feather’s VG-10 also has 15.5% chromium in its chemical content (for you materials nerds out there). It’s a good, affordable knife steel that makes for durable edges.

The handle is ergonomic for being so small. The G10 composite scales used for the knife handle are extremely durable and have a nice smooth texture to the touch.

Holding this blade doesn’t really feel like holding a standard pocket knife or fixed blade. The grip is almost spindly compared to most blade handles. It took some getting used to, and I’m still partial to something with a bigger grip. Using the Flicker Feather almost feels like using a straight razor. Someone with really big hands might struggle to handle it dexterously.

But the more I interacted with the Flicker Feather, the more accustomed to it I became. I had more than enough control with the smaller handle size.

In the Field

Since I got my hands on it, I haven’t gone camping without the Flicker Feather. I’ve used the blade to cut nylon cord and fishing line. It’s opened firewood bundles, batoned and shaved tinder, sliced sausage and cheese, and diced jalapenos.

Batoning (splitting wood by hammering the spine and driving the blade’s edge downward) was a joy with the Flickr Feather. The blade’s thickness and shape made it ideal for that purpose.

The edge angle of the blade also made it easy to make wood shavings for firestarter.

As a cooking knife, I wouldn’t throw out your camp cooking staple yet. But in a pinch, when I was helping prepare dinner and all other camp knives were in use, this was a fine backup. It’s a small blade, so I wasn’t ever the fastest prep cook in the kitchen, but it was serviceable.

The Flicker Feather would not be a good knife for gutting fish or animals or for tactical purposes, as it doesn’t have a pointed blade. If that’s a deal breaker for you, check out some of the knives in our guides to the Best Pocket Knives, Best Survival Knives, or Best Hunting Knives for alternatives.

Survival Features

Ferro Rod

The ferro rod is, in my opinion, the coolest feature of this multifunctional survival tool. It’s a hex-shaped rod with screw threads, so you flip it to stick out or to be tucked flush with the edge of the sheath. You can unscrew it with the hex driver on the blade’s pommel.

I have used ferro rods before, but I’ve never used such an effective setup. The thick blade of the Flicker Feather allows me to put a lot of oomph into every strike, and it casts a shower of magnesium sparks.

On the Fourth of July, after a few beers, I experimented with my own fireworks. I discovered that I could throw sparks up to 8 feet with this thing — which, for liability’s sake, is not something we advise or advertise as a feature.

The point is that this is a powerful little firestarter. I’d be grateful to have this knife if I were stranded on a desert island (though I’ll probably still use my Bic when I have the option).

Diamond Sharpening Plate

Should your Flicker Feather blade’s edge become dull or chipped from use, you can sharpen it in the field with its sheath. Screwed onto the outside of the sheath is a small diamond sharpening plate. It’s no whetstone, but in a pinch, you can ensure that your blade is sharp when you need it to be.

The plate can also be removed and swapped with the sheath’s clip if you prefer to wear the Flicker Feather facing the other way (left-handers, rejoice!). The clip can also be rotated to attach in different directions based on the user’s preference.

Whistle

I’ve never had to use a survival whistle, and I hope I never need to. But when disaster strikes and you need help but can only scream so loud, having a 115-decibel whistle on your person can make the difference between life and death.

The Flicker Feather whistle is bright orange and damn loud. Its neon color also makes the knife easy to find in the chaotic disarray of my tent/truck.

Downsides to the Design

Right up front, I’ll go ahead and say it: I wish this knife had an extra inch of length. (Trust me, Mike, it’s a compliment; we just want more of your knife.)

I know, I know — that would make it even bulkier and harder to justify the “EDC” label. But I think it would vastly improve the range of functional use for the Flicker Feather if it were made in a larger size.

The blade’s shape also makes it imperfect for certain activities. As mentioned, you can’t use this survival chisel to gut fish or animals. I mean, you could, but it wouldn’t be the easiest or cleanest job. This is not a hunting or fishing knife.

Finally, I foresee the ferro rod becoming hard to unscrew as its hex shape deforms from use. The little hex screw in the pommel won’t fit it forever. However, Outdoor Element foresaw this and sells replaceable ferro rods for this design.

Should You Buy?

If I could only take one knife into the wilderness and nothing else, there would be a few on my list. The classic K-BAR hunting knife. My trusty Benchmade Bugout. Anything from Montana Knife Company. But after having used the Flicker Feather for a couple of months on numerous camping trips, I’d probably add it to my top five.

It’s a blade with a purpose: survival. With the sheath, it’s multifunctional — a fixed-blade multitool. Without its sheath, it’s still a fine knife for slicing, dicing, shaving, and batoning. If you’re into whittling, it would probably be a fantastic blade for that as well. It just won’t stab, fillet, or gut stuff very elegantly.

At just $50, the Flicker Feather is also very budget-friendly. It’s cheaper than all but two of our Best Survival Knives and has more features than either of those other budget options. The patent-pending design is still on IndieGogo (with a collection of sister blades like the Scout and Contour). If you back Outdoor Element’s campaign, you can secure yours for $10 off.

By the end of our weekend in Silverton, I’d received more than one curious inquiry about this quirky, multifunctional, and particularly unique fixed blade. It won’t replace my other EDC or survival knives. But I still intend to keep my Flicker Feather with my camping gear as a backup or emergency blade if I ever need one.