BladeForums.com Survival Knife & Kit project

Moodino said:
I take exception to AMK for the fact that though it's nice to have a stash of 'First Aid' stuff on hand, training is left out of the equation too often.
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You might want to examine AMK's products a bit more. This kit;
http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/kit_detail.asp?series=200&seriesNav=Dom&kit=202&kitNO=0125-0295
comes with a very in depth book ( http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/kit_detail.asp?series=200&seriesNav=Dom&kit=202&kitNO=0125-0295 ) as well as an "Easy Care" system that organizes the kit and supplies Easy Care cards to make getting to the info faster.
Now the smaller kits may not have all the same info but AMK certainly puts a lot of training/info in their kits.
The kit above may be a bit big for a small survival kit but it is pretty comprehensive.
 
billym said:
You might want to examine AMK's products a bit more. This kit;
http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/kit_detail.asp?series=200&seriesNav=Dom&kit=202&kitNO=0125-0295
comes with a very in depth book ( http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/kit_detail.asp?series=200&seriesNav=Dom&kit=202&kitNO=0125-0295 ) as well as an "Easy Care" system that organizes the kit and supplies Easy Care cards to make getting to the info faster.
Now the smaller kits may not have all the same info but AMK certainly puts a lot of training/info in their kits.
The kit above may be a bit big for a small survival kit but it is pretty comprehensive.
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I have that first aid kit, and several other AMK kits of various sizes, for outings of different length. They are the best thought out I have come across. Weiss' first aid book is based on solid, innovative thinking. Weiss does trauma medicine out of Stanford, doctors on expeditions and was involved in the SLC Olympics medical center. He's got a lot of ideas that are different, and better IMHO, than others in the field. Great for lay people like myself.
 
Burncycle said:
SOL kit review: http://www.equipped.org/etsbriefings407.htm#amksol

I'm looking for a knife in the 4" range (maybe very slightly less) because that's the legal limit in my state for everyday carry.
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Thanks for the link, interesting review. It kind of reinforces my instinct that the PSP is the way for minimalists to go. This is my style, and your needs/wants may be different. Here's my thinking, based on my approach to backcountry: If I'm out in the woods, I'm either 1) backpacking/whitewater rafting, or 2) "dayhiking" of some sort--mountainbiking, x-c skiing, or regular old hiking.

If I'm 1) backpacking, I have everything I need with me: shelter from elements, sleeping bag, means of making fire and cooking, clothes, food, etc. On long backpacking trips I actually need LESS survival gear because I am so well provisioned, relatively speaking. I have it all with me. I can get by with a small-bladed folder like a SAK or Scout-type knife because I already have what I need to deal with the elements--a small diamond hone and I can touch up the blade as needed. I don't need to chop wood, I can score or notch it and break it in a pinch, but usually I rely on a lightweight stove.

If I'm 2) "dayhiking", I'm going even lighter and faster. I'm closer to civilization, and my main concern would be a fall with an injury of some type. In that case, I either need to get to the car ASAP if able, or use my skills to make fire and shelter and wait for rescue if my injury prevents me getting to the car.

In either case 1) or 2), I need a survival pack that is light and small enough that I will actually have it on my person. It needs a bombproof way to make fire, with multiple attempts in case of failure (many spark "strikes" and TinderQuicks), and string to make splints/slings/shelter. The PSK has some 150lb test cord (I can't imagine needing heavier than that, and it's a lot smaller than 550 Paracord), and some heavy duty nylon thread. Both of those would be put to good use. A few small extras like whistle/mirror/Photon are nice, but not needed. Fire and shelter are the key to staying alive through the night(s).

The PSK also includes some heavy-duty foil that can carry and boil water, cook something, etc. Combined with a knife and heatsheet, this would be a fantastic BF offering.

Again, I'm making assumptions about my style and approach to the back country, but if you were to honestly consider if you'd have a metal . I think it comes back to skills and training, plus a few simple devices that can be put to clever use, that you'll actually be willing to have on your person 100% of the time you leave pavement.
 
:thumbup::thumbup: on the SOL kit. It covers the basics and that waterproof bag is an instant canteen. Add some Katadyn Micropur tablets for purification, and maybe a couple single edge razor blades. The weight is very reasonable at 5.6oz and the retail price isn't bad at $25-- you can nickel and dime yourself real quick with PSK's.


Adding a big fixed-blade knife to the kit is a mess with all the opinions here. It's a great idea, but it might be tough to pull off. I would look at moras, a Vic Trekker, or a multi-tool for kit use and maybe add a folding saw too. That would really keep the cost in line.

I'm the process of building a similar kit using a Platypus Big Zip 2 liter reservoir. The concept is that you can use the reservoir as a very waterproof container for your survival items and us it for water if you are in trouble. The kit contents could all go in a small stuff sack or zippered belt bag inside.
 
DaleW said:
I'm the process of building a similar kit using a Platypus Big Zip 2 liter reservoir. The concept is that you can use the reservoir as a very waterproof container for your survival items and us it for water if you are in trouble. The kit contents could all go in a small stuff sack or zippered belt bag inside.
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:thumbup: Great idea, and the reservoir could double as an inflatable pillow, with the contents inside or outside if it weren't holding water.
 
I like the idea of the knife based survival kit as I don't have a RAT and it is a good excuse. I'd probably want one with the metal mug/water bottle combo as I do not have a set up that allows carrying H2O and boiling yet either. I would be able to get my fiancee to agree to a survival kit idea too without going and spending some time at night with the neighbours dog as well. I do think an option of a bare bones and complete wet is the way to go.
Depending on price I am in!!
 
I like this idea a lot. Spark, would there be any BF private labeling involved? it wouldn't be a dealer maker/breaker, but a reference to BladeForums somewhere would be a nice touch.

I like the RC-6.

As far as water/canteen stuff, I like the idea of a bottle and cup combo. A cup that fits the bottle adds almost no extra space and only a little extra weight. You then have the added benefit of being able to enjoy a hot or safe drink while you still have water working on the fire.

SIGG makes a 700 ml stainless steel flask that is packaged with a stainless steel cup. Not a ton of fluid capacity, but it is compact, durable, and better than nothing. MSRP is $30.

sigg.jpg


Otherwise, on the larger end of steel bottles, the Olicamp and GSI bottle cups will fit on the 40 oz Klean Kanteen. I believe they also fit on the Guyot 38 oz bottle, too.
 
There are lots of great ideas here. Some items are obviously too big for a knife based kit though, maybe this could be a modular thing? Start with the knife based kit, then have a belt based kit up to a pack based kit. That way you could also grab what you need based on the type of trek you are going on.
 
tknife said:
There are lots of great ideas here. Some items are obviously too big for a knife based kit though, maybe this could be a modular thing? Start with the knife based kit, then have a belt based kit up to a pack based kit. That way you could also grab what you need based on the type of trek you are going on.
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This is my thinking also. I think Sparks main idea is the get a BF basic knife kit together.

As I mentioned before, I'm good with the original kit proposed. I have things I would add, bit own most of them now.

Looking forward to this project. :thumbup:
 
Same here. The basic knife, sheath, and small kit all in one. It would be really cool if the blade or maybe the sheath could have a BFWS mark.
 
Yeah, yeah... You guys are right. I guess I got caught up in the excitement. A small basic kit; knife based. Clean and simple.



Next year we can develop the wheel barrow kit or 5000 ci backpack kit. :)
 
Good news - RAT Cutlery has given me an ETA of around March for the knives, so we can start getting a game plan together.
 
I just reviewed the SOL kit for SWAT magazine (should be in the April issue I think). I wasn't too impressed with the waterproof matches. If you get them wet and try to strike them they don't work and you end up ruining the strike pad. A ferro rod would be MUCH better. Also, their method for storing the fishing line just plain sucks. If you had cold hands then you would never be able to get the line unwound.

When I think of personal survival kits I tend to lean towards a 3-day scenario with an emphasis on signaling, rescue and shelter. The kit has to have a good signal mirror (the SOL kit mirror is excellent), a usable compasss (good button compasses are fine), note pad and pencil to aid in self-rescue and navigation. Fire making tools and good cordage is also a must in my kit. Round it off with a space blanket, decent fishing kit and a plastic water storage bag and it should be good to go for a last ditch kit.
 
Well in that case, maybe I should toss the SOL kit and cobble something else together. Maybe the Ritter PSP, and the Emergency Bivvy, along with a pouch to hold them and other stuff in.
 
With that TOPS kit, it wouldn't take much really. Add some type of tinder and 550 cord and that would be an excellent bare bones knife kit.
 
Spark,

I think this is a great idea and would love to see it available with and without the knife. Absolutely no disrespect intended toward RAT, I like their Ontario knives and I'm sure that the RC knives are even nicer, but I think a lot of folks here have multiple knives that they carry already and there would be a good market for the sheath based kit as a stand-alone product. Maybe even offer it with both size sheaths?

Walter
 
tknife - Yeah, I've got a couple thousand pieces of the TinderQuik which comes with the Spark Lite firestarter here, that's not an issue.

Landar - unfortunately, Spec-Ops has discontinued the Survival Sheath, so the ones I have on hand are the only ones left available.
 
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