Is a knife as important as we would like to think?

Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but I know that a knife is as important to me as I think it is. Yes you can survive most things without one, I've done it under bad circumstances and found several parts of it quite unenjoyable.

As for importance...the simple cutting edge completely changed the course of human history.
 
what Mistwalker said

Man evolves from a mud crawling scum sipping single cell organism, to a knife wielding outdoors-man.

nuff said.
 
"Otzi" (a frozen mummy from 3000 BC) was found with warm clothes, grass cloak, copper axe, bow, quiver, arrows, bow string, flint knife, woven grass sheath, antler (flint knapping tool), bone awl, flint scraper, flint drill, small flint blade, net, backpack, two baskets, leather pouch, mushrooms, berries, birch fungus, fire ember in maple leaves, tinder fungus, other tinder, flint, and pyrite. The idea that a knife should be included in a survival kit goes back at least 5000 years.
 
dougshoe said:
"Otzi" (a frozen mummy from 3000 BC) was found with warm clothes, grass cloak, copper axe, bow, quiver, arrows, bow string, flint knife, woven grass sheath, antler (flint knapping tool), bone awl, flint scraper, flint drill, small flint blade, net, backpack, two baskets, leather pouch, mushrooms, berries, birch fungus, fire ember in maple leaves, tinder fungus, other tinder, flint, and pyrite. The idea that a knife should be included in a survival kit goes back at least 5000 years.
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If I remember right the first stone axes were thought to be made around 70,000 years ago, then recently I read where some stone knives found in Africa go back to about 134,000 years ago...so probably a little longer than 5000.
 
RE so probably a little longer than 5000.

I agree. What I meant was that they found Otzi frozen in the ice with his survival gear and it included a knife. He also had a bone awl, flint scraper, tiny flint blade, etc. I would call it the Neolithic version of the Swiss Army knife or multitool.

I find it interesting that his gear is close to what many people would list as basic survival equipment today (warm clothes, poncho, medical kit, fire making kit, multitool, knife, etc).
 
dougshoe said:
RE so probably a little longer than 5000.

I agree. What I meant was that they found Otzi frozen in the ice with his survival gear and it included a knife. He also had a bone awl, flint scraper, tiny flint blade, etc. I would call it the Neolithic version of the Swiss Army knife or multitool.

I find it interesting that his gear is close to what many people would list as basic survival equipment today (warm clothes, poncho, medical kit, fire making kit, multitool, knife, etc).
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Exactly, or at least those of us who spend a good deal of time interacting with this planet of ours out in its natural state.
 
dougshoe said:
RE so probably a little longer than 5000.

I agree. What I meant was that they found Otzi frozen in the ice with his survival gear and it included a knife. He also had a bone awl, flint scraper, tiny flint blade, etc. I would call it the Neolithic version of the Swiss Army knife or multitool.

I find it interesting that his gear is close to what many people would list as basic survival equipment today (warm clothes, poncho, medical kit, fire making kit, multitool, knife, etc).
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What he would have considered as normal ... making everything from scratch , carving his bow , hunting his meat , cooking over a fire , finding and using whatever shelter he found as he traveled ... is kinda what we consider hard times survival type stuff ...

be interesting to know if his normal was what we think is serious-ish survival situation... what did he think was primitive skills ? and what would he have considered as survival situation ?
 
From what I understand, scientists found arsenic and copper particles in his hair, so they think he may have forged his copper axe, too. It there anything Otzi can't do?
 
dougshoe said:
It there anything Otzi can't do?
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Yup...Get away from those who wanted him dead.

Edit. On a side note I have always liked reading about his kit. I bet the guy couldn't imagine people would be talking about it 5000 years later.
 
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dougshoe said:
From what I understand, scientists found arsenic and copper particles in his hair, so they think he may have forged his copper axe, too. It there anything Otzi can't do?
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I read that as well. However they think "forging copper" was his particular skill withing the living group. More than likely he had those elements present in his hair/body not just forging HIS axe, but forging copper for the group. Could have been other tools/uses for that skill.
 
dougshoe said:
From what I understand, scientists found arsenic and copper particles in his hair, so they think he may have forged his copper axe, too. It there anything Otzi can't do?
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I watched the show, I believe they thought that was his profession, he made copper axes as a way of life.
 
I will throw my 0.1 cent in here. After reading all of this, I realized that most of those posting that we do not need a knife, then go forward telling how we could substitute other "cutting things" for a knife. HUH? Doesn't that just prove we need a "knife"? Maybe not a particular "bushcraft" or "survival" knife. But if you say how to substitue something else for a "knife" doesn't that become a "knife"?
 
Ron Athay said:
I will throw my 0.1 cent in here. After reading all of this, I realized that most of those posting that we do not need a knife, then go forward telling how we could substitute other "cutting things" for a knife. HUH? Doesn't that just prove we need a "knife"? Maybe not a particular "bushcraft" or "survival" knife. But if you say how to substitue something else for a "knife" doesn't that become a "knife"?
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Yes and no. Do we need something to CUT....... YES. does it have to be a KNIFE to do it........ NO.

A sharp rock can cut, and is NOT a knife per say.
 
If Otzi were alive today he would probably be sitting in his barcalounger, drinkin beer, eating fast food in his underwear, and posting on Bladeforums about the cool knife or axe he just got off of the for sale subforum or bragging about the cool tactical entry tool he just made in his heated workshop with the CAD water/laserjetwhatever.:)

Maybe in 5000 years or so they will find me in a block of ice and people will be discussing how I needed an IPhone and GPS to survive:D
 
Ron Athay said:
I will throw my 0.1 cent in here. After reading all of this, I realized that most of those posting that we do not need a knife, then go forward telling how we could substitute other "cutting things" for a knife. HUH? Doesn't that just prove we need a "knife"? Maybe not a particular "bushcraft" or "survival" knife. But if you say how to substitue something else for a "knife" doesn't that become a "knife"?
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No, the argument is are you necessarily going to not survive if you don't have a knife. Most people, even the no-knife crowd, recognize that a knife is a great tool. The OP asked that if you didn't have a knife in a survival situation would you basically curl up into a little ball and close your eyes against the world or would you improvise and move on. I don't think anybody has said a knife has no value. A few, including myself, have said that having other types of gear can compensate or even make a knife unnecessary. Still, that doesn't mean we wouldn't want one anyway.
 
dougshoe said:
"Otzi" (a frozen mummy from 3000 BC) was found with warm clothes, grass cloak, copper axe, bow, quiver, arrows, bow string, flint knife, woven grass sheath, antler (flint knapping tool), bone awl, flint scraper, flint drill, small flint blade, net, backpack, two baskets, leather pouch, mushrooms, berries, birch fungus, fire ember in maple leaves, tinder fungus, other tinder, flint, and pyrite. The idea that a knife should be included in a survival kit goes back at least 5000 years.
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A fella could have a pretty good time in Vegas with all that stuff.
 
Ozti died from bing shot in back with an arrow , the arrow head is still under his shoulder blade

he did lay down and die yes , but proly after he had nbear bled out allready

TO me , a knife is valuable if its at all possible I go withone regardless that the law in my state require I have a valid lawful excuse to carry one ... and being prepared for anyting aint valid or lawful in the laws eyes ...( well the cop who took my opinel didnt think so .. that he took it out of my survival kit when he was searching me for drugs meant nothing to the guy , he liked the knife )

if I dont have a knife , I can improvie a knife

an improvised knife is , to me a knife ...

fwiw in the eyes of the law , any bladed object ( paint scraper , screw driver , keys etc ) can be deemed a knife by the copper at the time . Im assuimng this means improvised knives as well :)
 
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