Breaking knives

Cliff Stamp said:
My point here is that if you can argue that durability is a desirable attribute in survival gear, it is hard to then be consistent and say it is ok to want a compass which can take some abuse but if you want that in a knife you are a novice/newbie.


-Cliff
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No one said this that I am aware of, I love it when threads creep and people get mad over what they think you are saying.:rolleyes:
 
Cliff Stamp said:
I would like to know why this nonsense is only noted with knives. If I asked for a durable compass no one would take such a stance.
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Well if your compass was 3 times heavier and 10 times more expensive than the basic Silva, with poorer ergonomics for most of the common tasks traded for a dubious gain for some unlikely situations, you might get the same kind of comments.
 
It is sunny today....yesterday was sunny. It might rain, I don't know, I like coffee..do you like coffee? I like JUJU Bees..they are tasty. I like pizza, with sausage. Once when I was a kid, I broke my thumb...it hurt. Sometimes I like my cat, sometimes I want to step on his head...does anybody else feel the same way? I saw a bird today, I was looking out the window when it happened.....If I cut my hair..it makes me look younger, I think. My computer makes me mad sometimes...REALLY MAD. I think that pizza is good..but tacos are better! TACOS are really tasty....I like the snow. Do you like the snow? If you leave your clothes in the washer for 3 days they will stink really bad, but you won't know it...and then when you are in line at the store...the person behind you is thinking " wow, this guy stinks" .....If you stub your toe on a butterfly, does it rain in CHina??? I like beer...cold and wet, I always say...I don't get hangovers anymore? I tested my liver the other day, its tough. If you sneeze and blood comes out, your dying! I once saw a train hit a truck...it was bad. Dog can and will bite you, if you kick them in the balls...repeatedly. Don't tell me sharks aren't scary...they are. What pixel is your camera? mines 3000 times better than yours. If you pick your scabs you will get scars..if you pic your scabs at work you will get fired..really. Don't cut your fingernails at your friends house...its rude. Or your toenails...they stink. Arterial Blood is funny...I don't care who you are...its funny..........................
 
gunknifenut said:
It is sunny today....yesterday was sunny. It might rain, I don't know, I like coffee..do you like coffee? I like JUJU Bees..they are tasty. I like pizza, with sausage. Once when I was a kid, I broke my thumb...it hurt. Sometimes I like my cat, sometimes I want to step on his head...does anybody else feel the same way? I saw a bird today, I was looking out the window when it happened.....If I cut my hair..it makes me look younger, I think. My computer makes me mad sometimes...REALLY MAD. I think that pizza is good..but tacos are better! TACOS are really tasty....I like the snow. Do you like the snow? If you leave your clothes in the washer for 3 days they will stink really bad, but you won't know it...and then when you are in line at the store...the person behind you is thinking " wow, this guy stinks" .....If you stub your toe on a butterfly, does it rain in CHina??? I like beer...cold and wet, I always say...I don't get hangovers anymore? I tested my liver the other day, its tough. If you sneeze and blood comes out, your dying! I once saw a train hit a truck...it was bad. Dog can and will bite you, if you kick them in the balls...repeatedly. Don't tell me sharks aren't scary...they are. What pixel is your camera? mines 3000 times better than yours. If you pick your scabs you will get scars..if you pic your scabs at work you will get fired..really. Don't cut your fingernails at your friends house...its rude. Or your toenails...they stink. Arterial Blood is funny...I don't care who you are...its funny..........................
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FINALLY, a post that makes some real sense to me!! Anyway, gotta go finish stocking my new kit with my 2 new survival blades. one is a ground down exacto blade with a little bitty, eensy weensy, almost not there, canvas micarta handle. The other is made from a 38" long, 6.5lb. leaf spring, well actually "made" may be a bit of an overstatement, actually, I just strapped a handle on one end and called it done. It is all part of my new "featherlight" pack plan. I also upgraded my soda can stove to a 3 burner coleman dual fuel.
 
is a mora too thick & heavy? there are much thinner knives out there that cut much better
 
Ravaillac said:
Oh well, same old story.

Some people people will tell you that going in the wood without satellite phone, distress flares, a 30 days food supply and an helicopter crew on stand by is downright madness.
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Now you are just being a French drama Queen, you know that was not my point.

Skam
 
Sorry didnt mean to insult anyone here I guess I need to rewrite the post so it doesnt appear to point to anyone in particular. The post wasnt meant to insult you Cliff.
 
gunknifenut said:
It is sunny today....yesterday was sunny. It might rain, I don't know, I like coffee..do you like coffee? I like JUJU Bees..they are tasty. I like pizza, with sausage. Once when I was a kid, I broke my thumb...it hurt. Sometimes I like my cat, sometimes I want to step on his head...does anybody else feel the same way? I saw a bird today, I was looking out the window when it happened.....If I cut my hair..it makes me look younger, I think. My computer makes me mad sometimes...REALLY MAD. I think that pizza is good..but tacos are better! TACOS are really tasty....I like the snow. Do you like the snow? If you leave your clothes in the washer for 3 days they will stink really bad, but you won't know it...and then when you are in line at the store...the person behind you is thinking " wow, this guy stinks" .....If you stub your toe on a butterfly, does it rain in CHina??? I like beer...cold and wet, I always say...I don't get hangovers anymore? I tested my liver the other day, its tough. If you sneeze and blood comes out, your dying! I once saw a train hit a truck...it was bad. Dog can and will bite you, if you kick them in the balls...repeatedly. Don't tell me sharks aren't scary...they are. What pixel is your camera? mines 3000 times better than yours. If you pick your scabs you will get scars..if you pic your scabs at work you will get fired..really. Don't cut your fingernails at your friends house...its rude. Or your toenails...they stink. Arterial Blood is funny...I don't care who you are...its funny..........................
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That is the funniest post I've read today
 
runningboar said:
I hear a lot about "good" woods/survival knives, knives that won't break, that are bullet proof, will take abuse, knives you can trust your life on...so on and so on. What the hell do yall use your knives for?

I have never broken a knife in my life and the only knives I have seen broken were being thrown, prying the lid off a paint can or other things you shouldn't use a knife for, I have never seen a knife broken or even damaged from doing it's desired/designed purpose, cutting. A good knife in my opinion is a knife that takes and holds an edge for a reasonable time, is easy to resharpen, fits my hand well with the grip and edge being in the right line to cut efficiently. All the bulletproof, can't break them if you tried designs I see are pretty piss poor cutters because of the thickness of the blades and edge. So I guess my question is how do yall break your knives that you need knives so tough? Chris
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When I'm out camping and hiking I typicly have a few different knives with me. A pocket knife with anywhere from a 2" to a 4" blade, a 4 to 6" fixed blade and Large heavy use blade. Something like a BK-9 Combat Bowie, SOG Tigershark SK-5 Carbon steel or maybe a Kabar Heavy Bowie. Along with those I will have a Khukuri. Now those are Bullet proof. The Khukuri I use for cutting and splitting firewood, trail clearing and food prep. My hatchet weighs in at around 24oz and it good for chopping wood, but I wouldn't want to cut brush with it or cut up salads or watermellons. So I use my 16.5" long WWII model Khukuri thats about 5/16" thick at the bolster and weighs in at 24oz. I also have a 20" long Sirupati style Khukuri which is 23oz. both of these Huge knives have been used in the kitchen here at my apartment and on campouts. They have also been used on Service projects in congunction with the U.S. Forest Service to clear trails, restore old trails and remove unwanted brush from campsites. Even my Large Bowie knives have been used for everything that I've mentioned. The same tool that can cut down a 4" branch with one hit can also slice watermellon or that large head of lettus. So to me, It's a great blade. I carry it instead lf a hatchet and a chefs knife. a 24oz hatchet and a chefs knife weighs more then my Khukuris or Bowies and they will do the work of both.

Another thing the Khukuri will do is strip logs of their bark and split firewood. Sometimes while camping I'm out in the rain. I like being about to cut up a lot, split it (to get to dry wood) then after cleaning the knife I can use it to make dinner.

Years ago when I lived on a farm I was cutting some firewood with a Khukuri (this is before I got my Bowie knives) my mom brought out some beef ribs to feed to my dog (Border collie and Husky mix). These ribs were over a foot long and I didn't want to give them to my dog whole so I picked up my Khukuri and with one chop had cut the bones in half. 2 more chops and I had four 4" sections of bone. My saw would have taken longer. I had also done this to see just how strong the knife was. Same knife then was used to cut some thorny brush. In my 20 years of camping I've found that a hatchet doesn't cut thorny brush very well if at all. Same knife that cuts thorny brush cut up ribs, chopped wood and got used for food prep. Hmm A hatchet, saw and cleaver would have been needed. Would I cut bone with my SOG tigershark, if need be, Yes. Will it stand up to it, yes, will it cut my food, yes. It's heavy, long, 1/4" thick and regarded as a sharpened prybar, but it does so much more. Hey, I've even dug with my Khukuri's and Bowies, they did nice too for 6" deep by 4" wide irigation trenches.

I've heared the saying; "the right tooll for the right job" and my Bowies/Khukuris do many jobs quite well. If a big "bullet proof" knife will do the work of a medium knife, a hatchet and a trowl, I say go for it. Just remember to carry something smaller with you for whittling, carving, pairing and what not. The Khukuri made went threw larger branches faster then the saws and clippers were and it was funner. The guys with the forest service were inpressed. They thought it was the right tool that day. Little did they know that back at my complex that night I used it to cut the watermellon. LOL!! Another thing, I've used my Bowies and Khukuris to cut up sheet metal, why to see if they could and they did a pretty desent job. At least some of the thicker ones did. Now if I was expecting to need to breach a door I'd use my Ranger knives RD Hawk. The spike will go threw faster and the small edge will be easier to control and would have a better angle, but if I didn't have that and had my 15" Ang Khola Khukuri I know it would chop up a door also.

Heber

P.S. Might not be SAR or Military, but am one person that sees a large knife as a good thing. :thumbup:

P.P.S. Louis L'amour talks about large bowies with thin edges frequently in his novels. Mentioning chopping, slicing, skinning and lots of other things. He is a noted authority on the old west. Seems to me if it worked in the 1800's it should still work today. sure there are plenty of tools that will do all that, but why have 4+ toosl when one will work? I think it comes down to personal Preference and what you are willing to carry. For me I use a Big heavy duty bullet proof knife and a smaller knife. If you want a Hatchet and small knife thats cool too.
 
Cautiously approaches edge, dips toe... takes a deep breath, slight cringe;

runningboar said:
... awfully fortuitous that your friend "found" that fatwood stump when he needed it. I would suggest carrying some good tender and not depend on good fortune when you are trying to save peoples lives.
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There is precut pitchwood in all of my sheaths (large and small knives), and in extreme 'need' for fire will use all and sundry to ingnite :eek: ; trioxane tablets, fire paste, napalm strike; whatever...!!

To the degree possible, we work awfully hard to not have to depend on good fortune on SAR missions; and for me that includes a good sized, durable knife - and the skills associated with the appropriate, safe use of such a multi-function tool.

Mind you, the same can be done with a smaller knife:
http://riverside-graphics.net/Skills/HRfire.html

Its just been my experience that the larger blade is more efficient in many circumstances and tasks. There have been times where such a tool made a significant difference; a difference (perfomance) I would not expect from a hatchet.
I have broken a couple of K-Bars, a SOG Govt., etc...

But that's just me. Just my $.02...

Some posts seem to suggest that SAR is unique, and therefore inappropriate to this particular discussion. If that is the case, I repectully withdraw.

Vary your sources, practice your methods.

Cheers,
8
 
Cliff Stamp said:
I have seen in one Mears show that there is some plant that you can use live and burn. Is there anything like that locally? Protected from the rain simply by the natural outer covering? -Cliff
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Of course there is, and you know what it is - Betula papyrifera :D

Doc
 
runningboar said:
Guyon,
I don't believe they are alive and well at all. Used to you couldn't walk into a hardware store and not see a display case full of pocket knives, now you can't find them unless you look on line or in a very few places. The only places local you can buy what passes today for pocket knives are the big box stores like Wal Mart and they have IMO junk. I appreciate the invite over to the traditional forum but I get myself in enough trouble on this one. Chris
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I am saddened by that as well but we don't even have hardware stores anymore where I live. You used to be able to buy guns through the mail and carry pocketknives to school too.
 
Guyon said:
FWIW, I live in Tennessee. Do I really need a 4WD truck? Not so much. I've only really needed it once when I was hunting and once when it snowed pretty heavily in the three years I've owned the truck.

Do I like having it just in case? Damn sure do.

I think a lot of folks here have a case of "just in casies." :p

One of my cousins named his child Justin Casey. He should have been beaten in public prior to paying for a name change for his boy.
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I think most people who care to regularly frequent a site with emergency preparedness or survival in the title do. I do.
 
Damn Chris, when you open a can of worms, it stays open. :p
 
I'm ignoring yall.:cool:

Guyon I will start speaking to you again when you send me one of those thin bladed busses that I lust after, I'm willing to pay shipping.;) :p
 
Heres a few for you Chris .:D

29756-1sm.jpg


A6106F-md.jpg
 
Come on Guyon, not going to take the bait. I was just trying to give you a bit of a hard time. Chris
 
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