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

Joben said:
But when it comes to real world practicality, like lost hiker, or stranded motorist type scenarios do you need a knife?

But how would not having a knife directly result in death? How likely do you think this scenario is?
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So in reality this is what the OP asked. The reasonable answer is relative to the situation at hand. A cell phone could potentially be more valuable to a lost hiker or stranded motorist than food, shelter, water, or a knife. There's really no "right" answer here, except to say that the situation determines which tools are more necessary than others. Without a knife you might die...or not.
 
The point is that seeing as you need a knife in a thousand everyday situations, you need one also when you are more than walking distance from the nearest starbucks

You need a dry coat, a good length of string and a knife - always - boy scout stuff :D
 
... perhaps a fauxton, a loupe and some sliver grippers on your key ring too :D
 
It seems that now we are debating the word "need." I don't NEED a knife the way I NEED oxygen. I will not take a few steps off the trail and die for lack of a knife. I would still say that I need a knife in the woods. There will be many situations that require a knife, so the word "need" is appropriate.

For a winter hike I need warm clothes and boots. I might be able to survive without them, but the attempt would be foolish. There is even a guy on one of those reality/fantasy TV survival shows who goes barefoot every place. Well, he breaks down and wears socks in the snow. I heard him say that going barefoot helps his mitochondria. I could go winter hiking completely naked and say that it was good for my pancreas, but that would be foolish. I need proper clothes and shoes in the woods.

I would like to point out that Otzi wore warm clothes and shoes and carried a knife.
WWOD?
 
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I stopped reading after the first page where I 'learned' that you can gut fish with an axe and cut rope with rope.

A knife is not important until you really need one, and then it's really important. For the few ounces of carry, I'd rather have one than not.
 
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