Hollow Handle Survival Kit...

S

sn7

Joined
Sep 25, 2000
Messages
291
I just got a CRK Mark VI and would like to put a mini survival kit in the handle. What do you think I should put in? It is real limited space, but why not make good use of it! Any of you have CRK one pieces or other hollow handle knives that you put together a kit for?
 
My only question is why did you get a hollow handle knfe? They tend to break off at the joint, since the tang doesn't go all the way down the handle. Given the fact of its limited space compared to the high risk of breaking off its just not worth it. With that being said, here are some things that you should have in it.

Some sort of of rope, nylon string etc.. for tying purposes, go fishing, turning that the knife into a spear.

condom. SAS use it to hold 1 or 2 liters of water when they don't have a container.

small fishing hooks and a couple of small weights.

small needle for repairs and to make a compass out of it if need be. you might want to put a small piece of cork on the end of the needle though.

a band aid or two.

a various meds such as asprin, pepto, and maybe a couple of glucose pills in there. They don't take up much space and can keep you going when your body says no more.

cut a small square from a solar blanket and put it in there shouldn't have any problems at all if you roll it up like a cig. You can use this to make a make shift hat to keep in body heat. You lose a lot of heat from your head.


matches. or some sort of fire starter.
 
Hey HLS, CRK = Chris Reeve Knives. You should take a look at the Chris Reeve website. You cannot break the hollow handle on these knives. They are machined from a solid bar of A2 steel.

sn7 - I am saving up for a Shadow III or IV. You can find a few threads on this same subject if you run a search for "survivial".

How do you like your knife. I finally handled some at a knife show a month ago. Very nice balance, and I found the 4 inch blade models to be very likely for an every day carry.
 
sn7 I have a Project 1. I'm told that the J3244 Brass Button Compass from Penrith fits nicely inside the handle cap. I'm grinding a ferrocerium rod to fit in there and intend to also stuff in one cotton round/vaseline in a small ziplock and some Kevlar string.

Here's the link to Penrith.

http://www.edirectory.co.uk/penrithsurvival/

Triple Aught allegedly has the compass too. I say allegedly because I've had my order in to Triple Aught since August with no result. Triple Aught told me Penrith is their supplier.

Here are some other links that may be of help. Let me suggest you find out from CRK whether or not the size of your hollow handle space is the same as the size of the P1 hollow handle space.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=128832

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=128599

Hope you enjoy your CRK.

Take care,
bug
 
Hi SN7,

It's trial&error time for you now, try making a paper "pipe" from a piece of writing paper that just fits inside the hollow handle also lengthwise and use this "template" to try to fit as many items you would like to put in that space (= hollow handle) as possible.
It's not much space you have available and I would stay with a small flint and some tinder and the rest is up to your imagination, although there is not much room for experimenting.

I would see the stuff in the handle as 2nd or 3rd insurance and everything you can cram in there should already be in case on your belt, fannypack or rucksack etc.

I received a nice little Survival kit put together in an Tic Tac plastic case and FF who gave it to me :) just said putting it together took time and patience but was a lot off fun.

SN7, experiment but never forget to have the same (and more/bigger) items also in another holster/case/baggie.

Best Scouting wishes from Holland,

Bagheera
 
I've never had a hollow-handled knife, but I do lust after the 4 inch Mountanier II. That would be a great little knife.

Were I ever to get a CRK, I would treat the handle space as what it is: a great, albeit small, waterproof case. I would keep a mini survival kit in a pouch attached to the sheath, and put meds in the handle. After all, you couldn't really get all that much "stuff" in there, but a few pain pills, some Immodium, and other pills that need to be kept dry would be perfect for that little "safe" space.

Either that, or use it for strike-anywhere matches. Fire, a cutting tool, and cordage are my "big three" when putting together a basic survival kit. You could easily meet those needs by filling the handle with matches, wrapping the grip is nylon twine or paracord, and have a sharp knife always at the ready.
 
Thanks for the replys...

Today a put together my "in handle kit" for my Mark 6, this is what I put in it. Let me know if you have any sugestions or improvment ideas, I would love to hear them.

Plastic medical tube ( for the following to fit into)
5 fish hooks
5 lead slitshot
2 cotton and wax tinders
cut down flint and magnisium firestarter
2 needles
2 large bandaids
2 advil
20ft 50lbs test fishing line ( wrapped around tube)
1ft elec tape (also around tube)
1 small ziplock
4 water purif tabs
2 unlubricated condums around the tube
 
I got my Mark VI today and the first thing I did was unscrew the handles and see if my kit would fit. And to my suprise! It didnt... ha ha, so I spent about an hour reworking it so it would fit in the handle. Instead of a plastic tube I used a folded Ziplock and sealed it up with some electrical tape. Im real happy with the knife, the 5.5inch bowie blade will be great for hiking and camping.

Here was I fit in the hollow handle...

5 fish hooks
5 lead slitshot
2 cotton and wax tinders
cut down flint and magnisium firestarter
2 needles
2 large bandaids
2 advil
15 50lbs test fishing line ( wrapped around tube)
1 small ziplock
4 water purif tabs

Not to bad for how small the space is

:) Take care
 
A good kit considering the space limitations. The only "but" I can forsee is about the water purification tablets. If they're iodine-based, you'll have problems. Iodine is very reactive, and will eat metals and plastics. Unless you have them in a small glass vial by themsleves, you're going to have a nasty mess. If you have some chlorine type water pure tabs, no problem, so far as I know. But watch for the iodine. Maybe replace them with some pain killers? Or get a really small glass vial to keep them in.

You can also wrap some cordage of various weights, plus trip wire and duct tape, around the sheath of your new knife, so long as it doesn't interfere with getting the strap undone. I've done this with a few of my knives in the past, and you can really get a lot of cordage that way. Also, a little ingenuity will allow you to add a small pouch along with all that cordage and wire, so that with the handle storage, you can have a fairly comprehensive kit in your knife and sheath. Add a little more "stuff" in your pockets, and you'll be good to go even if you lose your pack.
 
Thanks for the iodine tab tip. I have them in a plastic bag, but I could see it turning into a mess. Im thinking of getting one of blackhawks sheaths that have a front pocket just so I can keep some more supplies in it and keep the leather one nice. The knife is not my main kit just a backup. I have another mini kit i made from an altoid tin and a B.O.B. in the back of my car:) I cannt wait to get in the woods and try my new knife out:D
 
I have a CRK Project II and have put....waterproof matches, wrapped by a loooong strand of dental floss (this stuff is super strong, just try to break it with you bare hands to see what I mean...makes a great lashing chord). I have a few bandaids and some asprin wrapped in tissue (to avoin breakage)...the whole shooting match is stuffed in a plastic bagie.

Oh, I forgot to mention one item that everyone seems to forget. I have a few twenty dollar bills wrapped in there too. Emergency situations could very easily call for some extra cash!

Bpman
 
I don't wish to insult but to inform.

Last year I was talking about this with a neighbor friend of mine that did a lot of camping in remote areas. His perspective on this exact subject really opened my eyes; He just chuckled when he would see fish-hooks, string/line, aspirin, bandaids, etc. in these hollow handles. Think about it, you can go without food for a few days, without water for a couple days but hypothermia can kill you in a matter of hours! He further stated a lot of times when people get lost they immediately search for water and disregard the importance of shelter from the elements. Therefore, it would seem plausible to have a reliable firestarter system in the handle and anything else that would keep you warm in an emergency, above all else. Or maybe some sort of visual/audible signalling device to alert rescue groups. Just my $.02.
 
Oh...did I forget to mention the Bullhorn that I keep in the handle to signal the rescue party?

Good grief...I think I mentioned waterproof matches for firestarting...the dental floss for helping lashing a shelter together...did you think I mentioned it to keep with the philosophy of good oral hygiene? Aspirins and bandaids are no brainers...should the need arise that a minor injury or heaven forbid...a toothache hit one when he is in the middle of nowhere...you'd wish you had some.

I suppose that in an emergency survival situation...I could hit the "On Star" button in my sporty suv and get help right to me...but for the sake of argument lets assume that we want to travel light and get caught out of doors for a few days or perhaps a week.

Bpman
 
The way I look at a "survival kit", of whatever size, is to allow me to improvise and improve my situation should I become lost or stranded. As such, shelter is a given, since it's easy to fashion a brushwood shelter with a good, stout knife, a bit of cordage, and training. It's much harder to improvise matches, fishing hooks, medicines and other small, man-made items that may prove indespensible in a true survival situation.

Aslo, one only has so much space in a knife handle, or a pouch attached to your sheath, or whatever. So it makes the most sense to fill that small space with gear that can't be readily acquired from one's surroundings. I do, however, carry a dispoable poncho in my left cargo pocket. So, even if all I had was a little bit of line from my kit, and two trees, I could still set up a modest shelter. But I would still need fire, and while some may downplay the need for food, and others may put water further down the list that I, it's still too easy to carry each to ignore these basics. But, to each their own.

How much "shelter" can one cram into a knife handle, anyway? Maybe half of a Mylar sheet?
 
A TOC(table of contents)written on a small folded square of paper may be wise to include in the handle for two reasons:

1. If your hollow handle is like mine it is crammed full and you can't see what's in it and

2. If we're lucky it will be a long time before we have an emergency, need to open the hollow handle, and can't quite remember what we put in it.

Take care,
bug
 
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