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In a shtf situation what would happen to your collection.

I'm a packrat by nature, I can't leave any of my shiny things behind. I'd probably die trying to figure out how to carry everything I own :)
 
Everyones talking about leaving, I'm in south Louisiana, I'm posting up with my friends at the most easily fortifiable house and bringing everything!
 
I only have users for the most part.

I enough for me to pick my favorites, and for my wife and family members to be "well heeled" with edged tools.

In a SHTF situation, I'm only going a few miles to the Folks place (water filtration, generator, wood stove, years worth of food etc etc).
 
The knives I use and couldn't live without will be in my BOB. The rest will be locked in a safe and will hopefully be there upon my return. If not, it won't hurt my feelings too much. Chances are I'll just be happy to be alive and have my family close.
 
If a total chaos situation resulted in a loss of government, law enforcement, etc., your needs are food, water and shelter. Those without these things are going to be hell bent on taking it from those that do. Our only hope will be to reestablish a social structure with as many like minded people as possible. Defense of food, water and shelter will be the new defense department in this structure. And all of society starts over again, first with clans, then with consolidation of clans, either by force or like mindedness etc. until stable social structures are formed. Of course these will have to go to war to take what the others have, but in the end, it will all sort out until the world looks pretty much as it does now. Primitive tools will be essential in the early days, tools that help you provide food, shelterand water, and to defend these things. Power anything will be useless, at least until basic widespread social structure and basic utilities are restored. In a total melt down, this might take generations. Knives, black powder firearms with a good supply of lead and powder (black powder is easily manufactured compared to smokeless powders in the near future), bullet molds, hand tools such as shovels, picks, axes, hatchets, hammers, hand planes, etc. will all be invaluable. Livestock, beasts of burden, and establishing agriculture will be a priority. I don't want to be a hunter/gatherer for any longer than I have to.

And through it all, I will not give any thought to the carbon fiber scales on my knife, and how much lighter it is compared to the G10 counterpart. The more primitive tools you have, the richer you are, so I am keeping everything I can that is hand/beast powered.
 
olivernadams said:
My question is what would happen to your collection in a shtf scenario?
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If you have a large collection and you had to leave your home, then you'd have to make decisions.

The same thinking applies to anything else you have inside your home including blankets, sheets, clothing, coats, water, food, gasoline/fuel, generators, chain saws, hand tools, firearms, gold & silver, books... you name it. So, we would all do the best we can with what we have available to us and I suspect there would be a great deal of sharing within individual groups or collectives when nip changes to tuck.

As far as giving your friend a blade from your collection, it depends on the friend and the situation for me.
 
SHTF, I'm bugging in. I agree that knives, ammunition, firearms will skyrocket in barter value. I'll wait out the immediate chaos and see what develops. We have food, water, solar electric, and 3-4 years of firewood for the stove. And a couple of neighbors who will assist with protecting what we all have.
 
In a shtf situation I'd have to pick a single knife or maybe just 2 to travel light. This basically eliminates the fondle factor. Looking at raw usefulness I'd take my Military and trailmaster SAK. (I only own folders).
 
Coyote3855 said:
SHTF, I'm bugging in. I agree that knives, ammunition, firearms will skyrocket in barter value. I'll wait out the immediate chaos and see what develops. We have food, water, solar electric, and 3-4 years of firewood for the stove. And a couple of neighbors who will assist with protecting what we all have.
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+1 on the bugging in.
 
I don't know what particular SHTF situation the OP has in mind, but if things got really bad then usefulness would be the number one concern whe thinking about what to take. Means of transport are also a huge factor.

Sadly, in my country civil unrest, looting and stuff like that is becoming more and more common, it happened a few times in the last year or so, sometimes coupled with a natural emergency like floods or with the endemic black-outs during the summer (gotta love the 3rd World!). In a nutshell, where I live, humans are the main threat. So I'll take a couple of good knives and tools, but guns and ammo will get the lion's share of my packing space.

Honestly, out of the stuff I own there's nothing as valuable as my books. That's what I'd be sorry to lose or have to leave behind.
 
Franciscomv said:
I don't know what particular SHTF situation the OP has in mind, but if things got really bad then usefulness would be the number one concern whe thinking about what to take. Means of transport are also a huge factor.

Sadly, in my country civil unrest, looting and stuff like that is becoming more and more common, it happened a few times in the last year or so, sometimes coupled with a natural emergency like floods or with the endemic black-outs during the summer (gotta love the 3rd World!). In a nutshell, where I live, humans are the main threat. So I'll take a couple of good knives and tools, but guns and ammo will get the lion's share of my packing space.

Honestly, out of the stuff I own there's nothing as valuable as my books. That's what I'd be sorry to lose or have to leave behind.
Click to expand...

Thank you for putting this all in perspective for your U. S. brethren. If SHTF here, the human animal will also be the most dangerous. I do not live in a city, but I am within less than a tank full of gas from half the population of the U. S. I am within a few days walk from more than one large metropolitan center. All of the folks bugging out will soon be reaching me. If this were to happen, all I can say is that those who approach with humility, gentleness and a kind heart are welcome. Those who approach with anger, are prepared to take by force and lack respect will have to die.
 
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