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I love the way double-edged daggers look, but I would pick something different for a survival type situation.
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knife use
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Mistwalker
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In my youth...being predisposed to read a lot of old stories from the dark ages... I went through a period where I switched from my Edgemark hunting knife and Buck 119 and only carried a dagger for a little over a year. I worked my way through a few of them; a Gerber Mark II, and Mark I, as well as a Gerber boot knife, and a few bayonets. I soon found that the dagger was just too limited in the woods, with the best ones being an M-3 trench knife, and M-7 bayonet in my opinion (same blade different handle and guard) because of the only partially sharpened upper edge. As stated by others before me...not good to baton with, not good to skin with, REALLY bad for push cuts, and most have poor edge geometries for field craft.
They do have good tip for boring holes, they do have the advantage of twice as much edge, and they do make great improvised weapons as far as using knives for weapons goes. I did carry one for a while living on the streets before I switched to an issue pilot survival knife. If the streets are the area you want to survive then go for it but in the woods I'd much rather have my kitchen paring knife than any dagger.
They do have good tip for boring holes, they do have the advantage of twice as much edge, and they do make great improvised weapons as far as using knives for weapons goes. I did carry one for a while living on the streets before I switched to an issue pilot survival knife. If the streets are the area you want to survive then go for it but in the woods I'd much rather have my kitchen paring knife than any dagger.
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Broadly speaking, but truthfully this applies pretty well...
Double edged knives are for killing. Killing people or killing animals, but killing. Now, that does not mean that they are not useful for other things.
But, if you are looking to use a knife for woodcraft or bushcraft, carving of traps, and making of camp implements, etcetera, then you should look to those who do that.
In places where there is mostly wood, and not jungle vegetation, you see two tools being used. The first is axes for chopping, but they can also cut, as more than a few woodsman have proven. And smaller knives, for carving and food processing, including dismantling the caribou that you shot, in North America this meant boning knives and trade knives, in the Nordic region, in meant puukos and leuku.
In areas where there is mostly soft wood vegetation, like jungles, you see long thin blades, like machetes. Axes are also used, but not as regularly. In areas where more hardwood is found, the machetes get a little shorter, and a little thicker, and you have all sort of names for them over in Asia, Bolo, Klewang, Golock, Parang, Etc.
So, if your survival is against an enemy that bleeds, daggers are your thing.
But, if your survival is against the elements, then you need to look at where you will be doing it, find the people that are also doing it, and see what they are using.
Finally, concentrate on the function, and find the form that does that the best.
Marion
Double edged knives are for killing. Killing people or killing animals, but killing. Now, that does not mean that they are not useful for other things.
But, if you are looking to use a knife for woodcraft or bushcraft, carving of traps, and making of camp implements, etcetera, then you should look to those who do that.
In places where there is mostly wood, and not jungle vegetation, you see two tools being used. The first is axes for chopping, but they can also cut, as more than a few woodsman have proven. And smaller knives, for carving and food processing, including dismantling the caribou that you shot, in North America this meant boning knives and trade knives, in the Nordic region, in meant puukos and leuku.
In areas where there is mostly soft wood vegetation, like jungles, you see long thin blades, like machetes. Axes are also used, but not as regularly. In areas where more hardwood is found, the machetes get a little shorter, and a little thicker, and you have all sort of names for them over in Asia, Bolo, Klewang, Golock, Parang, Etc.
So, if your survival is against an enemy that bleeds, daggers are your thing.
But, if your survival is against the elements, then you need to look at where you will be doing it, find the people that are also doing it, and see what they are using.
Finally, concentrate on the function, and find the form that does that the best.
Marion
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If a knifemaker came to me and said "I will make you a wilderness & survival knife, free of charge, according to your specifications", the thought of asking for a double-edged dagger would never cross my mind. There are dozens of reasons for this, many of which have already been mentioned.
That being said, of course you could make do with a dagger in a survival situation. It would be a matter of compensating for an incongruity between form and function, though.
Just my $0.02 CDN.
All the best,
- Mike
That being said, of course you could make do with a dagger in a survival situation. It would be a matter of compensating for an incongruity between form and function, though.
Just my $0.02 CDN.
All the best,
- Mike
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I have a SOG Daggert 2 that my stepson gave me for Christmas.
Can it be used for survival? Of course it can.
Is it the ideal? No it's not.
Both edges sharp is problematic. I've cut myself a few times. Little nicks only,
but in a survival situation, dangerous given the possibility of infection.
I've used it to carve a very basic spoon, make a figure 4 trap, limb branches to
get poles for a shelter, make fuzz sticks, clean fish and other things.
Sometimes it was tricky, but I was able to do what was needed to get things done.
If it was the only cutting tool I had, I could make it work.
If I had another knife, then it would serve as an able backup.
Cheers
Can it be used for survival? Of course it can.
Is it the ideal? No it's not.
Both edges sharp is problematic. I've cut myself a few times. Little nicks only,
but in a survival situation, dangerous given the possibility of infection.
I've used it to carve a very basic spoon, make a figure 4 trap, limb branches to
get poles for a shelter, make fuzz sticks, clean fish and other things.
Sometimes it was tricky, but I was able to do what was needed to get things done.
If it was the only cutting tool I had, I could make it work.
If I had another knife, then it would serve as an able backup.
Cheers
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The way I see it, double-edged knives are for fighting and killing, plain and simple. Single Edges are more efffective in just about any other chore. By adding that second edge, you sacrifice strength, geometry, batoning and chopping ability, fine-tip work, and a host of other things for the ability to more easily skewer living creatures.
I feel I get the best of both worlds by carrying a large bowie with a sharpened clip. That has utility and combat ability all in one.
I feel I get the best of both worlds by carrying a large bowie with a sharpened clip. That has utility and combat ability all in one.
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The short answer is NO.
Motion thirded. Historically, daggers were designed specifically for stabbing someone between the chinks in their armor. How often do you come across someone wearing plate armor these days? For spearing a wild hog, yeah I can see that. But frankly my Trailmaster (I sharpened the clip) stabs pretty darn well and slashes and chops like crazy. I think it would work on a piggy.
They generally don't cut worth a dang unless they're hollow-ground very thin... not good for what I consider survival.
Other posters' concerns about legality are valid. Check AKTI for info on your state's laws.
I'll second that motion
Motion thirded. Historically, daggers were designed specifically for stabbing someone between the chinks in their armor. How often do you come across someone wearing plate armor these days? For spearing a wild hog, yeah I can see that. But frankly my Trailmaster (I sharpened the clip) stabs pretty darn well and slashes and chops like crazy. I think it would work on a piggy.
They generally don't cut worth a dang unless they're hollow-ground very thin... not good for what I consider survival.
Other posters' concerns about legality are valid. Check AKTI for info on your state's laws.
DennisStrickland
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the most practical kabar military may have to go to ebay has adlade of d2 steel handle is groofpuf sheath with pockets hold stone light mutitool fire aids double edge is not effective as adze or to use blade as a wedgeI was wondering if it would be feasible to use a double edged dagger type of knife for a survival knife. I was thinking about a Cold Steel Peacekeeper 1 or 2 or a Boker Fairbairn Sykes commando knife. I know it might partly effective if it dosen't have a thin blade or point.
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Have you really been so far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?
Edit: rather than just waste a post on that.. I'll throw my opinion in the ring:
I've never had anything but trouble with double edge blades.. tips, and 1 actualy blade breaking, unintentional self cuttage. the one model I really liked though was the ontario spec-plus patrol.. it only had a partial double edge, still with a spearpoint style.
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I think, using my powers of fatherhood, that that means something like- get a kabar, it's most practical. Shop on ebay to find one with d2 steel (why?). Get the good sheath that has pockets for stones and other crap (or use ranger bands). Double edges aren't ad useful for adzing, scraping, and batoning.
Mistwalker
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Wow. Lots of you guys with the whole "double edges are only good for killing" mindset are really unfamiliar with dive knives, huh?I stand by my statement that double edged blades have a place outside of fighting tools. Just my .02
Well...not a lot of batoning, fuzz stick making, or trap trigger making going on under the sea so yeah..I can see them being more useful there. A lot of dive knives have a flat tip also...really wouldn't want a dive knive in the woods either....rather have the dagger.
It's already been said and well said, at that. Daggers are great for military and dive use. I have lots of daggers from when I was in the military and I prefer 2 edges for diving also. I like having a plain edge on one side and a serrated edge on the other...best of both worlds when you actually need a serrated edge.
For outdoor use it really limits how you can use it. Can't baton with it. The center of the blade is thick so it's far from ideal for bushcraft. Tips tend to be very thin (case in point: I have 2 old Kershaw dive knives that are dagger-style and both tips broke off, but it hasn't been an issue with my old Gerber Mark II or SOG Desert Dagger). Illegal in many states (because 2 edges is somehow more dangerous than 1).
For outdoor use it really limits how you can use it. Can't baton with it. The center of the blade is thick so it's far from ideal for bushcraft. Tips tend to be very thin (case in point: I have 2 old Kershaw dive knives that are dagger-style and both tips broke off, but it hasn't been an issue with my old Gerber Mark II or SOG Desert Dagger). Illegal in many states (because 2 edges is somehow more dangerous than 1).