Carrying your survival knife

RescueRiley

RescueRiley

Joined
Mar 22, 2006
Messages
5,944
I was curious, It seems like alot of people have survial knives in this forum (obviously) but I was wondering how many people wear them when ever they go to the woods, even for a short day hike or do you bring something smaller.
 
Short day hike I usually bring something smaller. especially if it's an area that I know well, and have no chance of getting lost.

The big boys only comes out when I'll be out for a few days/ unfimilar places that aren't too populated.
 
I rarely carry a knife on my belt or out in the open. The knife and other edged tools usually ride in my pack when out and about. I may wear a knife while doing chores around a campsite, but only if I am not wandering too far away and only if the knife is getting used a lot.

If it is cooler weather, I sometimes carry a 4" Mora under a jacket on a lanyard around my neck. the lanyard is long enough that I could carry the Mora crossways so it ride more to one side or the other. But only if I know I'll be using the knife a bit. Otherwise, a knife of that size can ride in a pocket on a jacket or pants.

I will say that I am not comfortable carrying any edged tool out in the open. The closest I get to that is clipping a Leatherman or folder in my front pants pocket.
 
I've always got at least something in my pack, no matter the length of the hike. But I've also always got my 'survival' knife on my belt, just a solid 3-4" fixed blade. When I was younger I used to carry my Ka-bar, but I like the feel of certain other blades too much.

I'm finding I prefer a solid drop-leg setup more than belt carry, though. If there were no sheeple around, it would be great to have a drop-leg pistol holster with a blade holster in the front of it, still on the leg. I hate things digging into my hip when I've got the pack on.
 
In town I just carry a Buck 501 or Leatherman C301 in my front pocket. Leatherman Blast is always in my coat pocket, so I count that as survival gear. In the woods I don't half-step, last summer either a CS Master Hunter was on my belt or a CS TrailMaster IWB. I like having it right there. Having said that, legions of people do just fine with a Mora kept in their pack.
 
I usually carry my leatherman wave and a coast light in a small dual sheat on my belt, but I've been thinking about wearing the seal pup scuba tyle on my calf w/ a small kit underneath some cargos when I'm out in the boonies, this way it's there but doesn't attract too much attention, but than it might fall in to the whole concealed weapon deal, in which case I could attatch it to a pack strap I suppose.
 
At the office my mini-Rittergrip is ALWAYS clipped in my right front pocket.

In the field my fullsize Rittergrip is ALWAYS clipped in my right front pocket - often tied to a belt or belt loop via a 4' length of bright paracord that is stuffed into the same pocket - just to prevent accidental loss.

Usually in the field I'm wearing a daypack that contains my fixed Rittergrip and a Leatherman Ti.

In my other pockets I carry:
-Shaved down Fox 40 whistle
-Arc Premium AAA flashlight
-BSA Hotspark sparker w/ striker

The pack also contains:
-ACR TerraFix PLB w/ GPS - only if going remote - out of cellular range
-Digi camera in plastic bag
-Cell phone
-Garmin GPS - either Geko 201 or GPSMAP 60CSx
-Exped Bivy Poncho
-1L Nalgene water bottle
-First Aid Kit
-UK 4AA eLED flashlight
-Princeton Tec EOS headlamp
-Extra batteries - 4 AA & 3 AAA
-8 16' hanks of orange paracord
-Map of area
-Large garbage bag
-Kitchen garbage bag
-TP (multi-purpose paper)
-DEET, if in season
-Sunscreen, if in season
-Fanny Pack containing:
-Suunto Leader Compass
-Orange Bandanna
-Storm Whistle
-K&M Matchcase w/ REI Waterproof Matches
-Solo Candle Lighter
-Magfire Pro Sparker
-Cotton/Vaseline fire starters
-Small glass signal mirror - the one from countycomm.com

I'm sure I'm missing something from the list, but that is my best recallection.
 
I always carry my 110 folder or CRKT M-16 everywhere I go. You can't carry a sheath knife on your belt in CA or the Sheeple feel 'threatened.' No one can deny that a good fixed blade is better...but a good folder is better than a great knife left at home or in the truck...Carrying a sheath knife "concealed" in your pack in CA is illegal. I sometines, rarely wear my BK-7 out in the desert, even though there are less california sheeple out there. I've come to terms with the fact that my "survival" knife will be a folder.
 
Places where a sheath knife can be seen are places where you're going to be able to find help if needed. That's why I only where my knife in unpopulated area where I might need to have a big knife around.

Day hikes, and small folder should suffice.
 
I always have a 'go to' fixed blade in my backpack when I go out hiking. I carry a couple small fixed blades, a SAK and a good folder day to day.
 
sherlockbonez said:
Places where a sheath knife can be seen are places where you're going to be able to find help if needed. That's why I only where my knife in unpopulated area where I might need to have a big knife around.

Day hikes, and small folder should suffice.
Click to expand...

Same view here unless Im around bears, as I no longer possess firearms.
 
I ALWAYS carry a large blade 7+ either in my pack or strapped to it for SAR missions or training and yes it does get used a fair bit unfortunatly. Building shelters or evac litters, procuring firewood and its much lighter and more utilitarian than hauling a hatchet 10 miles off trail.

Once in the bush I strap it down to the thigh so it doesn't interfear with pack hipbelt.

In familiar bush I carry a SAK with saw and Emerson folder or Wave.

I will never carry a hatchet as its a waste of weight in the middle of nowhere.

SKam
 
I carry knives on my person, as they are of no use to me in my pack where I cannot readily access them. In my pack I carry my supplies and other gear. Fixed blades are on my belt along with the Katz folder, and a Spyderco police clipped on my front left pocket.

In a social environment fixed blades sometimes just have to be off the belt but the folders can remain on the belt.
 
Because of the PC public and intrusive laws here in California and the county I live in, I rarely wear a fixed blade in areas where other people will be. So, when I hit the trails in our area, I usually have my Vic OH SAK and will sometimes carry a Schatt & Morgan Mtn. Man pocket knife with me.
 
darthstrevel said:
ICarrying a sheath knife "concealed" in your pack in CA is illegal.
Click to expand...

Actually, I think the way the (state) law is written and enforced, a sheath knife in your pack would not be considered "concealed", since it is not immediately available to you nor is it on your person.

But that's just my opinion! ;)
 
I carry a fixed blade in my pack for the same reasons given above. I always have a folder clipped in my front pocket and a Leatherman wave on my belt.
 
kenk said:
At the office my mini-Rittergrip is ALWAYS clipped in my right front pocket.

In the field my fullsize Rittergrip is ALWAYS clipped in my right front pocket - often tied to a belt or belt loop via a 4' length of bright paracord that is stuffed into the same pocket - just to prevent accidental loss.

Usually in the field I'm wearing a daypack that contains my fixed Rittergrip and a Leatherman Ti.

In my other pockets I carry:
-Shaved down Fox 40 whistle
-Arc Premium AAA flashlight
-BSA Hotspark sparker w/ striker

The pack also contains:
-ACR TerraFix PLB w/ GPS - only if going remote - out of cellular range
-Digi camera in plastic bag
-Cell phone
-Garmin GPS - either Geko 201 or GPSMAP 60CSx
-Exped Bivy Poncho
-1L Nalgene water bottle
-First Aid Kit
-UK 4AA eLED flashlight
-Princeton Tec EOS headlamp
-Extra batteries - 4 AA & 3 AAA
-8 16' hanks of orange paracord
-Map of area
-Large garbage bag
-Kitchen garbage bag
-TP (multi-purpose paper)
-DEET, if in season
-Sunscreen, if in season
-Fanny Pack containing:
-Suunto Leader Compass
-Orange Bandanna
-Storm Whistle
-K&M Matchcase w/ REI Waterproof Matches
-Solo Candle Lighter
-Magfire Pro Sparker
-Cotton/Vaseline fire starters
-Small glass signal mirror - the one from countycomm.com

I'm sure I'm missing something from the list, but that is my best recallection.
Click to expand...

What he said:thumbup: I have a very simular list. I use Platypus bladdes rather than a Nalgene for multi-day hikes. Good idea on the orange bandana.

I add an Adventure Medical bivy sack for day hikes. Knife-wise, I carry an SAK Trekker (big lock blade with saw) and a little SAK Classic as a minimum. Further afield, or as the mood strikes, a Becker Necker, or a recent addition, an Entrek Javalina (4.25" blade). I wouldn't carry the bigger knife on my belt while hiking, but mount it in an outside pack pocket where I could get to it. If stream crossing or away from my main pack, it would go on my belt. I haven't tried the Javalina on my pack hip strap yet-- that would be the best bet if it doesn't poke me.
 
RescueRiley said:
how many people wear them when ever they go to the woods, .
Click to expand...

So the next door kid comes over to show me his new big knife.
It's a nice one, a fine knife, full-tang, and ready to go into the woods.

He is in Scouts and was going on a day-hike, They will make a camp, set up tents, start a fire. and cook a dinner.

Later after he came back, he said that he could not wear the knife on his belt because of the thick padded belt that is on his backpack.

So his dad rigged it up to the outside of his pack.

I never knew that some of the new moden backpacks have such wide belts with them that they make wearing a belt knife a bit hard to do.
 
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