Knife for bears

[leebrewer]

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Brew

[viva la]

But additional one question again: How long must the blade be to reach the heart of a 1000 pounder anyhow - shortest distance?
Would an 8 inch blade do the job - only theoretically - or do you indeed need 12 inch? First time I asked this is 45 years ago - no joke - but till now no answer – or answers like some of those I find here.

you are asking a bunch of knife guys an anatomy question. find a zoo or a park ranger and ask them, you will get a much better answer.

If you are afraid of bears study how to avoid them, not how deep you have to stag them in the chest to get the heart. Or avoid places where you will run into a bear altogether.

Good luck

[jimnolimit]

In case of a black bear for example, let´s say around 300 pounds, I suppose a length of 6 to 7 inch should work. But what´s about a 1000 pound up grizzly?
Please let´s not talk about the chances anyhow and about such stuff, that a spear, hand gun cal. 500 or a cannon is by far the better choice – let´s talk about the knives. It´s only for the psyche,because I´m aware about the chances. But nevertheless that´s extremely important.

just for shits and giggles, let's say you could get a clear shot to stab a large grizzly in the heart. if the bear's heart is 6-7 inches in, you'll need at least 9-10 inches of blade to make it to the heart and into the heart. if you stab at a off angle you'll have to add at least another inch or two to that estimate. you'd want a blade that's at least 10 inches.

how about something like this:

[jill jackson]

Bears are impressed by people that are able to go to sleep, in spite of their intimidating presence.

[stoffi]

First of all, a large bear is like three adult male lions in weight; or half of a medium sized car, if you prefer. Combine 7 furious heavy-weight MMA cage fighters into 1 person with killer teeth and large sharp claws and you'll start to get the picture.

So, most of these recommendations are even more of a fantasy than the already far-fetched idea behind it all. You won't be able to defend yourself against a bear with a knife, but I can understand your question though, because I wouldn't wanna die without a fight, even though I'd lose without question. All I'm saying is that after I died, I'd like it if people could say that the bear was found bled out under tree or at least limping on three legs a few hours later or something.

So, a Junglas, Busse, machete or whatever won't do the trick, because their blades are too wide with too much belly. You need something like a tanto, like mentioned before, or ideally a dagger. Just look at history and see what all the different types of stickers look like and you'll see that something more like a rapier or a wakizashi is the way to go - especially since you'll need to pierce all that fur and thick hyde; and let's not forget about getting stuck on ribs and never penetrating at all.

Even if you do stick a bear straight in the heart, it would be pissed like something fierce, go into viking-berserk-mode and it would most likely rip you to pieces six times over before it checked out. Look at some videos on pitbulls getting beat to a pulp, while still fighting - never letting go. A bear is like a pitbull but up to 35 times heavier, so potentially it's a pitbull on steroids x 35.



But let's play with the thought a bit more. Get all kinds of knife armor and some really high-pitched sound alarm and with a rapier-like dagger in one hand and perhaps a large Kukri in the other, #&!=ing bash that beast in the nostrils once before he has you in the ground-and-pound position (which will happen instantly if it wants to take you). Honestly, I think you should keep that bear spray anyway, because it's never gonna hurt you the way that bear can. Bears are just as fast as an angry feline when it fights, but way more dangerous, because it's like 3 times heavier than a lion, for instance.



It would be cool if there was some type of emergency instant inflatable helium balloon device, so that one could just go up in the air and out of harms way LOL.

Bears are a bitch and since one can't carry arms in a lot of places where they exist, it is up to the Gods how it'll end. Guns are the obvious choice, but if you can't have one due to legislation there isn't much you can do but use everything you can bring, which justifies the bear spray. In Sweden, where I live we can't even have the bear spray unless we need it as a job tool. So, a hiker can't have it - only reindeer workers, park rangers and so on.

[FortyTwoBlades]

Knife for bears

Why would a bear need a knife? He already has 10 of these!

[jill jackson]

All you need is determination and your teeth. (and a stick)

[crom]

I read in national geographic that bears carry balisongs. Don't turn it into a knife fight.

[stoffi]

All you need is determination and your teeth. (and a stick)

I can't find anything on the internet that confirms this claim, yet the story is widely spread without any proof.
All that seems to exist is this photograph. To me, it's complete nonsense. In no way can you bite a healthy bear to death, unless perhaps, a very young defenseless cub.

[Doug C]

Or buy golden desert eagle with armor piercing bullets or something.

Or Ruger Alaskan Super Redhawk in .454 Casull, get two and shoot fast, shot placement will be important.
LOL

[Planterz]

Yeah, I would suggest a large caliber revolver. Something like this:

[BryFry]

Pssst.... Duh, I can't believe none of you other knife guys have recomended the good old KA-BAR! ...I mean that is how it got its name and all....

http://www.google.com/url?q=https://...ymjrrZSeatj6Sg

[Stainz]

In a grizzly attack, even a Case peanut will be good enough - just slash your wrists.

S&W got in on the bandwagon several years ago producing their '.500 ES Kit', which included a 2.75" .500 Magnum revolver with a bright yellow or orange grip, reflective mylar space blanket, signal mirror, book on bear attacks, etc, in the styrofoam cut-outs within the sealable/floatable plastic carrying case. There was an unused slot long enough for a regular-sized bottle of 'A-1 Sauce'. Black bears seem to prefer their human munchies doused in 'Regular', while brownies seem to enjoy the 'Bold & Spicy' variant. The dealers couldn't keep the kits in stock - yuppees were buying them - many are still stored away unused... 'just in case'.

My last trip to view bears, black, brown, Himalayan, and polar alike, I carried a Victorinox SAK. I shot them repeatedly - with my old Canon 35mm SLR. I have another such trip planned for next week - my first with a digital SLR. I'll likely have a Benchmade folder with me this time - and a legally carried CCW (For 2-legged predators!). I depend on security fences - and a moat - for security at the zoo.

I haven't hiked/camped in The Smokies in years, but I never carried anything but a pocket folder - and a KaBar - mainly, for firewood production. I saw black bears twice - both times, they were 30+yd away - and leaving. Noise helps. Laws have changed - legal CCW's are permitted - again, 2-legged threats. Still, it's my understanding that most bears attack humans to protect their young - and, occasionally, when suddenly alarmed by you prescence. Don't be too quiet in the woods - and don't look at a momma and her cubs. Make a large prescence - noise - and leave the area. Else, carry a 12 gauge with some slugs... or that A-1 Sauce. Always remember - you are the intruder.

Stainz

PS I recently bought a 10" x .220" 'survival clip bladed' blade of 5160 carbon steel - a Buck/Ron Hood Model 060 'Hoodlum'. Removal of two screws will take the handles off - for lashing the pointed blade to a hefty pole to make a spear (Ask Mr. Bruin to wait...). Hmmm - a seven foot iron pike/lance might be better. I have another way to rationalize it's purchase to the CFO here... "Yes, dear... it's also for bear protection!". Yeah, that'll work!

[Guyon]

I'm thinking one of those cheap survival knives with the hollow handle would work. Packed full of C4, of course. How good are you at lighting a fuse under extreme duress?

[blade14]

Bear...knife...hmmm...
Before you get disemboweled, Dark Ops claims you'll get less arterial spray with one of theirs

[keyser223]

In all seriousness: I would want to look for a knife with at least a 20 yard blade. It would be kind of unwieldy, but I think it's the best option except for a 20 yard bayonet under the barrel of a decent gun. Time to go watch Legends of the Fall.

[BRL]

Sir, a knife used to successfully pierce the heart of a bear and still allow the wielder any chance of survival should be, at a minimum, 5280 feet long. In case your knifemaker uses the SI system, that is 1610 meters. AUS 8, of course.

[sicily02]

Hi all,

A few years back there was couple that were camping up north I am not sure if it was in the boundry waters area or not. Any ways a black bear came into there camping area and the wife was attacked. The hubby came or tried to come to her rescue but all he had was a SAK. He attemped to stab the bear while the bear was still attacking his wife. After the bear recieved some stab wounds it did stop its attack and left the area, the hubby was able to get to his wife and started to leave the area and try to get help. The wife did die while the hubby was trying to get her to medical help.
After that situation happened there was a fellow who heard about that situation. He spent time in the woods and decided that he was going to get and carry a bigger knife than his pocket knife. He chose a knife with a 6" blade and I think it was a Buck 119. Anyways about a year later he is out in the woods and gets attacked by a black bear and I think it started attacking his dog first and he went to help his dog. anyways he killed that bear with his knife.

Killing a bear with a knife can be done YIKES if you have to do. But when you or a loved one is being attacked you will do what you have too. some will run away and some will go and help.

If I was in your shoes. Well actully I do not head into the woods with a knife that has at least 7" for the blade but I use mine for mainly trail clearing. But if I was attacked by something I know I feel better with my longer knife than just a SAK.

I want to say also, I have noticed here lately that when people ask questions there are some real smart assed comments being giving. Think about this every day there is someone in the world starting out in learning about survival and wilderness skills. They have questions and they are basic questions. So instead of giving smart assed comments you EXPERTS out there. HELP teach instead.
Rant over.
This a great forum and a great place to Learn and share wilderness skills let keep it that way.

Bryan

[pitdog]

The knives that looked the best suited to the task were some offerings I've seen from Koyote Knives, I'm at work now so don't have time to hunt for pics but maybe someone else can help out.

I also think that anything with a blade over 7" might be too unwieldly at close range combat.

Fighting off a bear with a knife would be a real last resort but if I had to do it I'd forget the heart and go for the face and throat. Targeting the eyes and nose appears to take the fight out of a lot of wild critters...JMO.

[parbajtor]

Lon Humphreys posted a WIP thread about a pigsticker he made for a member of the other knife forum I belong to.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...light=hog+hunt

Here's a thread showing it in action

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/...ght=pigsticker

It looks like it'll do the job, but I still reckon you'd be mad to take on a bear in the first place. BTW. Climbing a tree is not great advice, bears climb better than we do, but if you can get out of sight without the bear seeing where you went or smelling you then it might just work.

PS. Apologies for posting a thread from another forum, but I thought members might be interested in seeing how that knife performed.