Jungle Knife

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sevenedges

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If you were going to be dropped off into the middle of the jungle with no outside contact/help for six months, and your gear consisted of, well, nothing more than a knife, what would it be? Remember it will have to do a lot!!
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One knife for EVERYTHING? No problem, Busse Battle Mistress!

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"Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav'n"
John Milton
There are only two types of people; those who understand this, and those who think they do.
 
The Busse is a good choice - but Chris Reeve comes close - especially with the handle full of good stuff...

and as many has said before - its thr user not the knife that does the trick(s)...
 
Originally posted by Blilious:
The Busse is a good choice - but Chris Reeve comes close - especially with the handle full of good stuff...

and as many has said before - its the user, not the knife, that does the trick(s)...
 
I would have to disagree and say the RTAK would be the best choice for Jungle living over the Battle Mistress and the 18" Machete. The RTAK will outperform the Battle Mistress in cutting the types of vegetation found in the jungle where the thinner blade of the RTAK works best. And while it is true that Machetes rule the Jungle that is because the natives and experienced gentlemen like Jeff Randall know what they are doing with them. It would probably take me six months of daily use to even start to gain skill with a machete. After six months I still wouldn't be as comfortable with it as Jeff or a native. I can use a large bowie fairly well. If you were experienced in Jungle living like Jeff then the machete would be by far the best choice. But for those of us with North America wilderness experience using what we are comfortable with has its advantages and most of us have used bowie sized knives. The RTAK was designed to excell at Jungle work.
 
Go to any Third World country and you won't find too many Busses or Newts. A machete rules. Sharpen it with a bit of triangular file, you use if for digging tubers, cutting through the bush, cleaning fish, opening green coconuts (there's a test for your blade), you clean it off in the dirt and you keep it from rusting by carbonizing over the fire. No sheath to rot away, because none needed, you always have it in your hand, and when you need two hands, you toss it in front of you and scramble to it. You can even paddle with it in the crunch. That's the truth.

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Dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.
 
Originally posted by V44:
Go to any Third World country and you won't find too many Busses or Newts. A machete rules.
Click to expand...

Nobody said anything about what we can expect to find in any third world country.

BTW -a good "bolo" is worth its weight in gold in the wilderness.

I have one original at home - rather crude - but made of very good steel and I like it allot.

 
Okay, lets pretend that machetes have not been invented and you can only take a knife into the jungle for a six month tour. So far we have the Battle Mistress, a Chris Reeves fixed blade (type yet to be determined) an RTAK and a Bolo. Any other ideas on one knife for jungle use and why?
 
I'm probably getting predictable here, but I'd want stainless steel! I'd probably go with a 7" Randall #1 with half guard and micarta handle, along with serrations on the top edge.

I know, it won't clear paths like a machete will, but if I'm going to be in the jungle for 6 months, I don't think I'm going to pull a one man Lewis & Clark; I'll bushwack around for a little bit until I find a spot that pleases me, and make it home. At that point, a practical blade would be much more valuable to me than a big old hacker.

Nice knife, Tom!



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-Gregory Zolas
tinsta@hotmail.com
 
In The SAS Jungle Training.

They are trained to live with a parang on them at all times, including sleeping and showering.

They are trained that they can live without everyting, but if they have that parang....

Within a day they have clothes, food, and shelter.

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Thank you,
Marion David Poff aka Eye, Cd'A ID, USA mdpoff@hotmail.com

Talonite Information and Resource Page, including other cobalt materials.

"We will either find a way, or make one." Hannibal, 210 B.C.
 
My RTAK or Gurkha House WW2 Kukri...but there's no way I'd only have one knife. I'd have a large knife and a small knife(4" or 5" blade).
 
Hmm, Methinks that I would bring a Rob Simonich Kanji or Nordooh ....Made from Talonite...Ron Hood has demonstrated the effectiveness of Talonite in a jungle setting by taking a Kanji to Peru...And it won't rust!!!

Regards

Joshua "Kage" Calvert

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"Move like Water, strike like Thunder..."
 
The "natives use them" has to be one of the worst arguments I have ever seen. Would you also determine your medical supplies from the practices used in third world countries?

As for what I would use it would depend on the vegetation I could expect to see. If I didn't know I would take a blade that would handle the worst of it which would be hardwoods. It would not be one of Reeves as my hands could not take that handle.

-Cliff

[This message has been edited by Cliff Stamp (edited 02-14-2000).]
 
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