A big knife for survival? Really?

For survival I'd likely be stuck with a 3.5-4" folding knife.
Because survival ain't planned, I'll likely not have an axe, big knife, rope, flares, tin of biscuits, jerky, inflatable raft, deer rifle, and all the other things I'll suddenly wish I carried all the time.
 
Ben Dover said:
There's usually a direct relationship between an outdoorsman's experience level and the size of his knife.

The bigger the knife, the less experience! :p

Even in remore areas of the Colorado Rockies, I can't imagine needing anything larger than my 3 1/2 inch blade Bob Dozier knife. :thumbup:
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Well, I disagree! there is alot of Survival experts that say big is the way to go! Ron Hood!, Another is the guy that wrote Six Ways in and 12 Ways out! George W. Jasper and just recently Dave from Dual Survival had a Busse Basic 11 in Africa. For me I will use whatever I have, but if given the choice I would have my Busse NMFBM with me if I could. I see it the way Ron Hood does, a big knife can do a small job but I small knife can't do a big job.
 
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dipbait said:
I googled the guy who cut his arm off. His name was Aron Ralston and his knife was a generic multitool leatherman knockoff that was so dull it wouldnt cut his skin. Talk about unprepared, sheeesh!
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They made it in to a move; I think it's called 127 hours. Really awesome movie, though it is a bit graphic towards the end....I passed out.
 
RickJ
I agree 100%. Funny how some always bring the " BIG" thing into conversation, is'nt it ??? I once had a woman screaming at me at the gas station when it was first over $4.00 a gal for gas. She said i must have a "small **** because i drive a big truck" & it was people like me, why gas was so high. I just laughed in her face. She was driving a Priass. So I asked her "what show up when disaster strikes ?" Is it a Priass fire vehicle, is it a priass snowplow, a priass ambulance---NO, THEY ARE ALL TRUCKS. So she finally asked me politely, "why do you drive such a big 4x4 truck ?" My reponse was simple---"because trucks get sh** done !" Then i told her there was LOTS of reasons. Our safety, hunting, fishing, bad weather, towing, hauling, camping, ect...

I'll take a Becker BK9 into the woods anytime. With some care, it can do anything a small one can, but a small one can NOT do what the "big" one can (unless it is a BK2), pure & simple.
 
I always have multiple knives so your point is moot

I don't even leave my house with no less than 5 knives- and I usually carry 7 on average ranging from one inch to about six(blade length) more If I'm outdoors
 
I have a box in the "truck" (SUV).

In the box there is an Estwing axe, an Ontario Spec Plus survival machete (short, square-nosed), a large #12 Opinel, a handful of Rapala bait knives, a fixed blade of some description, and another blade or two whose particulars I forget (I think one is a Rapala folding fillet knife). There's a bunch of other stuff in the box, water, blankets, jerky, tuna, crackers of some kind, some hard cookies, a cup or two, and a first aid kit, among other things. And I think there may be a Hobo knife in there.

In the truck's console there's a Buck Short Revolution, a couple of Case Sod Buster Jrs, a Case Blackhorn, a Mora knife, a Rapala folding fillet knife, a Kershaw 3140 folder, and in the glove box there's a Wenger Evo S10.

(There's also an emergency rifle in the truck, but that's not under discussion.)

When I'm in my Jeep, the selection is different (but it, too, has a Mora and an EKA Super Swede), but if I'm using it a lot, that box moves to my primary vehicle.

On my person, there is always a full-sized folder (or maybe two), a medium knife, like a Stockman or a Double Cross, a Leatherman Wave, a Swedish/Swiss (EKA/Wenger) Army knife [Executive Major], a Case Peanut, and usually one other knife from the EDC rotation (today the "other" knife is a Buck EcoLite 112 Ranger).

If my jacket is with me, it always has a Case yellow/CV Sod Buster Jr in its pocket.


Now, it it all comes unwound and I'm not near the truck, see above "on my person" for default equipment.

If I'm with the truck, then as long as I have it, I have my own hardware store. If I have to leave it, then depending on the circumstances du jour, I will get to pick and choose what is most suitable for the moment.

I have a BoB at home that is undergoing a complete re-think. I cobbled it together back when "having the best equipment makes up for the absence of skills." It's going to be very different (and a lot lighter) after the re-vamp, so it's currently not a factor.


Now, if you give me advance warning that I'm gonna have to go "do survival" somewhere, then sure, I'm gonna dig up one of the bigger knives (like the 119 or a Spec Plus Bowie) to strap on, however in a moment of unexpected rationality, I might grab the Järvenpää Leuku/Puukko combo piggy-back set instead.


I have, however, found that for myself, in general, the large knives kinda suck for general purpose use. I generally prefer a 3-to-4 inch fixed blade and a 3-to-3.5 inch folder. Mora for fixed, EKA Swede 92 for folder.

However, there's a great deal of "it depends" that participates in the decision.


Oh, also note -- I, too, keep Aron Ralston in mind when I'm considering what to take. I was asked once why I "obsess" over keeping my knives sharp. "Well, you just never know when you may have to amputate your own arm."

 
ArfinGreebly said:
I have a box in the "truck" (SUV).

In the box there is an Estwing axe, an Ontario Spec Plus survival machete (short, square-nosed), a large #12 Opinel, a handful of Rapala bait knives, a fixed blade of some description, and another blade or two whose particulars I forget (I think one is a Rapala folding fillet knife). There's a bunch of other stuff in the box, water, blankets, jerky, tuna, crackers of some kind, some hard cookies, a cup or two, and a first aid kit, among other things. And I think there may be a Hobo knife in there.

In the truck's console there's a Buck Short Revolution, a couple of Case Sod Buster Jrs, a Case Blackhorn, a Mora knife, a Rapala folding fillet knife, a Kershaw 3140 folder, and in the glove box there's a Wenger Evo S10.

(There's also an emergency rifle in the truck, but that's not under discussion.)

When I'm in my Jeep, the selection is different (but it, too, has a Mora and an EKA Super Swede), but if I'm using it a lot, that box moves to my primary vehicle.

On my person, there is always a full-sized folder (or maybe two), a medium knife, like a Stockman or a Double Cross, a Leatherman Wave, a Swedish/Swiss (EKA/Wenger) Army knife [Executive Major], a Case Peanut, and usually one other knife from the EDC rotation (today the "other" knife is a Buck EcoLite 112 Ranger).

If my jacket is with me, it always has a Case yellow/CV Sod Buster Jr in its pocket.


Now, it it all comes unwound and I'm not near the truck, see above "on my person" for default equipment.

If I'm with the truck, then as long as I have it, I have my own hardware store. If I have to leave it, then depending on the circumstances du jour, I will get to pick and choose what is most suitable for the moment.

I have a BoB at home that is undergoing a complete re-think. I cobbled it together back when "having the best equipment makes up for the absence of skills." It's going to be very different (and a lot lighter) after the re-vamp, so it's currently not a factor.


Now, if you give me advance warning that I'm gonna have to go "do survival" somewhere, then sure, I'm gonna dig up one of the bigger knives (like the 119 or a Spec Plus Bowie) to strap on, however in a moment of unexpected rationality, I might grab the Järvenpää Leuku/Puukko combo piggy-back set instead.


I have, however, found that for myself, in general, the large knives kinda suck for general purpose use. I generally prefer a 3-to-4 inch fixed blade and a 3-to-3.5 inch folder. Mora for fixed, EKA Swede 92 for folder.

However, there's a great deal of "it depends" that participates in the decision.


Oh, also note -- I, too, keep Aron Ralston in mind when I'm considering what to take. I was asked once why I "obsess" over keeping my knives sharp. "Well, you just never know when you may have to amputate your own arm."

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My kinda guy!
 
I read many posts, but sorry, couldn't continue to read more and more.
After all most of the posters are right, because it depends a lot on the environment you are into.
In northern frozen forests I'd want to have an ax, not a knife.
In tropical jungles I'd want a machete, not an ax nor a knife.
It depends A LOT on the weather and geography... so this is kind of a unanswerable question if put so simple and vague like "it's better for survival"...
 
True true... the ONE knife I would want is the knife Anthony Hopkins had in The Edge. What he was able to accomplish with that little folder was nothing short of amazing. :D

tonijedi said:
It depends A LOT on the weather and geography... so this is kind of a unanswerable question if put so simple and vague like "it's better for survival"...
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TwinStick said:
RickJ
I agree 100%. Funny how some always bring the " BIG" thing into conversation, is'nt it ??? I once had a woman screaming at me at the gas station when it was first over $4.00 a gal for gas. She said i must have a "small **** because i drive a big truck" & it was people like me, why gas was so high. I just laughed in her face. She was driving a Priass. So I asked her "what show up when disaster strikes ?" Is it a Priass fire vehicle, is it a priass snowplow, a priass ambulance---NO, THEY ARE ALL TRUCKS. So she finally asked me politely, "why do you drive such a big 4x4 truck ?" My reponse was simple---"because trucks get sh** done !" Then i told her there was LOTS of reasons. Our safety, hunting, fishing, bad weather, towing, hauling, camping, ect...

I'll take a Becker BK9 into the woods anytime. With some care, it can do anything a small one can, but a small one can NOT do what the "big" one can (unless it is a BK2), pure & simple.
Click to expand...

Good story! I have a big truck too! not real high but it is a 4X4 with Crew cab!
 
I'll tell you what, you can all stick with your baby knives, butter knives, small hatchets and titanium sporks. If I am going into the mountains with my skill set and a knife, it's going to be a big knife, a very BIG KNIFE.

Keep your Chives for the baked potatoes.
 
If I'm heading out in the woods I usually strap on my Buck 119.what I love about that knife is that it's so light.I always have my Vic Huntsman or Climber on me,as well as my Case Damascus Peanut.The Vic Classic and Rambler are always on my Keys.
 
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