Emergency Prep Knife Ideas

sabre cat

sabre cat

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Jul 4, 2014
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Hi Everyone,

This Friday, I am getting together with Scott, the son of an old friend. Our plan is to talk knives for 72 hour kits, go bags, bug out bags, get home bags and what have you. The idea is to have a general discussion about concepts, ideas and the like.

Not really sure what Scott's taste in blades is like and I do not know what his budget is going to be. At this point I am planing to recommend that Scott pick up three knives, one folder and one FB for in his bag, and another folder as an EDC.

I just wanted to open things up to all of you for any suggestions or ideas that you may have.



Thanks,

SC
 
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In the spirit of "ounces equal pounds", I would suggest a fixed blade and a multitool (SAK or Leatherman) for the bag and to always keep a folder on you.
As far as a fixed blade, the Beckers and ESEEs are good choices with different sizes to choose from. For multitools, I know the SAKs are loved by many but I prefer Leatherman. The Super Tool is great and I use it from home repair to working on my car.
 
Multi-tool is a must IMO. I don't have a a folding knife in any of my kits because I always have one on me or a couple extra in my car (where one kit stays). For a knife you are hopefully never going to use I don't see the need to spend a ton of money. However, you don't want to go so cheap that if you did need it you would be left lacking. In one kit I have a SOG Seal Knife. It is big, thick, easy to maintain, and I am very familiar with it as I use one around the house and in the yard as a beater. In another kit I have a Seal Pup for similar reasons (I EDC an Elite regularly). Another Kit an older CRKT Wind River that would be for my wife so strength is not critical. On two bags that I actually use but in reality have enough gear in them that I could easily use them in an emergency I have an Esee 3 and a Spartan Horkos, those see use though so the cost is justified. In my true go bags the SOGs replaced Gerber Prodigies which were adequate and very inexpensive.

An option I would strongly consider if I was doing it over would be the Gerber Strong Arm. An upgraded Prodigy with a great sheath and low maintenance. I like the idea of including a pocket sharpener which I do in my bags.
 
I've gone over back and forth for years on knives for my BOB, and I've pretty much settled on:

Fixed Blade:Ka-Bar D2 Extreme, for the best combo of features I wanted, but doesn't way 100lbs.
Folder:Cold Steel Recon 1, doesn't add a lot of weight, but has proven itself to be a tough folder. (This is more of a backup to what ever EDC folder I already have.)
Multi-Tool:Leatherman Wave with extra bit kit, Great selection of tools.
 
It's very hard to recommend knives without knowing a budget.

I have a CS Code 4 clip point + Mora Light my Fire knife + Ontario Ranger rd6 + LM Wave in my pack. Not the lightest quad set in the world but all solid performers.

For a *cheaper* kit: a $20 Mora Companion + $23ish Ontario Rat 1 + multi-tool (Gerber and LM have some under $50)

If you can, try to call/text/email and get a rough estimate on budget, otherwise you will see a huge range of suggestions.
 
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craytab said:
An option I would strongly consider if I was doing it over would be the Gerber Strong Arm. An upgraded Prodigy with a great sheath and low maintenance. I like the idea of including a pocket sharpener which I do in my bags.
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The Strongarm would be a solid choice.

It is budget friendly, capably built, easy to maintain... I think you'd enjoy it.

Do consider a multitool of some sort. They are just plain useful. I have a LM Sidekick, which is also budget friendly.

Like Cray, I don't have a folder in my bag, as I always have one either on me or in the truck or both.
 
Craytab's knife suggestions are very good. I went with Sog Seal Pups (half-serrated)in all my grab-and-go kits. I think I bought about 6 of them. I like it for the light weight and it's a tough , easy to sharpen knife that you could use in almost any application. Easy to buy at most places. The 5" blade is my sweet spot length also. Big enough to work with , small enough to conceal when necessary. Pointy tip is a real plus in a knife.
Having a diamond rod sharpener and a firesteel in every sheath's front pocket covers those things.
A Multi-tool is good to have. I use Rebars.
 
It's hard to say what to get without budget, but for me works like this:
- fix blade carbon steel for chores - it's not that brittle and it's easy to sharpen, can make sparks if you find flint and you forgot your BiC or anything else. I like 6" blades.
- folder stainless steel for food prep - it's odorless, usually thin and thin is good for slicing, rust is not an issue in a wet environment for 72 hours, and it has that "healthy" image
- sharpening diamond(s) for touch ups
- multitool can replace the folder IMO
If I can have both knives in same place/sheath it's even better. There are just 72h not lifetime afterall.
Depending on environment even just a hawk/folding saw/hatchet/ machete and a folder/multitool can work - as long as the user knows what it can be done with them. More important than the tools are the skills.
 
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While normally a budget is extremely helpful in a recommendation thread I think in this more a of a brain storming thread the budget can be part of the discussion. As an example, I explained why I would recommend in the budget I did and also use for myself. Perhaps others can do the same to give SC some talking points to discuss with his friend? I'd also be interested to here the reasoning behind the budget and knives other have chosen.
 
craytab said:
While normally a budget is extremely helpful in a recommendation thread I think in this more a of a brain storming thread the budget can be part of the discussion. As an example, I explained why I would recommend in the budget I did and also use for myself. Perhaps others can do the same to give SC some talking points to discuss with his friend? I'd also be interested to here the reasoning behind the budget and knives other have chosen.
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Fair enough. I'll play along.

I usually have a folder on me + SAK or MT (usually a MT, rarely all 3).

I prefer to keep another folder + fixed + MT in my bag. I don't try to eliminate every possible ounce that I carry. When I buy or carry a folder or MT, weight is not the top priority. A solid, reliable tool is. I won't eliminate a 5 oz folder just because I found a 4 oz folder. The only time I really look at weight is on a fixed blade since those can vary quite a bit.

I'm normally not a fixed blade guy, so I don't keep a lot around, only for camping/hiking and I don't do that as much as I used too (wife isn't a fan of camping and we live in the 'burbs now). I settled on the Ontario rd6 because quite frankly I found a LNIB one here on the exchange for $50 IIRC. There is always the debate of carbon steel vs stainless. Each has pros and cons. I don't know enough about fixed blades to speak to this topic. I just think I found a solid knife at a great price that I don't think needs to be replaced anytime soon. The blade is a little long (I'd rather have a RD5) and that is one reason I added the Mora. Other names you will see a lot of include Kabar/Becker and ESEE. I suggest a 5"+ blade. Again, based on more in input from the forums here and youtube vids on bobs. The Mora includes the firesteel (which can come in handy) and can handle the smaller/finer work at very little weight. I would argue a 5"+ fixed along with a Mora is a great combo.

Folders: I have a Cold Steel Code 4 in the bob. Triad lock has a reputation for be a great lock and its a good size folder at 3.5" with a classic clip point blade. Tad over 4 oz. I do take into account lock type. I would avoid cheaper liner locks and go with a frame, lockback, or other lock.

MT: I had a few Gerber back in the day but I'm a LM fan. I've never had a Vic or SOG. As to which one to get, that is up for debate. Even the basic Windman/Rev is a solid little MT and better then nothing. My LM Wave is probably 5-6 years old.

I also recommend a good size pack (especially if you are talking 72 hours). My first pack was the LAPolice gear 3 day pack at 2590 cubic inches. Surprisingly sturdy pack for $30. Currently using a Rush 72. Tad bit bigger and better quality.

I know some folks like to poke fun at lapolicegear, but I have owned the Bob, 3 day pack, and operator pack. They are easily my recommendations for budget backpacks. They have held up suprisingly well over the years. I still use a Bob as a med kit.
 
I think a BOB would sit for a long time so a stainless mora, victorinox 4" paring knife or 8" chefs knife. $10-$30 for food and general utility.
Next are the machetes. Cold Steel and Imacasa have light to heavy and even stainless, your covered. ESEE if you really need micarta.
The belt knife should be bold enough to baton and designed for protection. ESEE 6, BK 7, or custom.
A good folder will already be on you but pack a dia-fold (red) sharpener to get decent edges in the field without much effort.
 
craytab said:
While normally a budget is extremely helpful in a recommendation thread I think in this more a of a brain storming thread the budget can be part of the discussion.....
Click to expand...

You are correct. This is a brain storming thread.

My goal is to get Scott thinking about what his needs are. I might even print him a copy of this thread if enough people chime in.
 
I'll echo that without a budget we don't have a lot to go on, but I cal tell you that despite having a much higher budget, every one of our emergency bags has a Mora stainless companion in it. Very light so it won't weigh down a bag, but very very effective tool whether it's being used for food prep, fire prep, or other bushcraft/survival tasks. Weight is very important to think about and these earn every ounce and then some.
 
Budget is certainly a consideration.

It's one thing to gauge your disposable income when you are thinking about buying yourself a knife. It's a bit different when you consider how much of your disposable income you are willing to pay for an item that is likely going to sit in a bag for a long time without getting utilized.

I don't pull stuff from my BOB on a regular basis, simply because at some point it won't make it back in there. So currently, there's a Mora Pro S riding in the ruck. It's very capable and inexpensive. I also tossed a LM Sidekick in there because it was only $30. I already had a LM Wave to use when I found the Sidekick on sale, so adding this MT to the kit at the time didn't put me out much, yet added a capable item to the BOB. This fixed blade and multi tool combo totals less than a $50 bill.

Good thoughts so far.
 
Multitool for obvious reasons, and probably a large fixed blade with defensive capabilities, like the KABAR USMC. Now, if you're in an urban area or simply need to get from point A to point B as fast as possible, consider swapping out the large fixed blade for something faster and more concealable (Like a cold steel counter tac). You probably wouldn't be batoning or anything like that in an urban area.
 
With prep/bugout gear, it is something you HAVE to write off and probably get two so you're not tempted. Otherwise, you're going to be constantly digging into it and forgetting to replace it.

For me, my trunk kit/bob is mostly gear that I have since replaced/stopped using. Its not the best stuff, but I won't cry if it happens to get stolen because it is easily replaced. I can still depend on it should the need arise.
 
The first two responses were exactly my first two thoughts
 
I'm in an urban area, I always carry a folder with me, at least 3.5" blade, and in my small bag that's always with me I carry a sharpener, Esee 3 and a leatherman wave along with two spare mags, and a zippo
 
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