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New to BF and have a Question on Survival
- Thread starter Midnight Scout
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2003
- Messages
- 20,207
AS an option, do a search on eBay for "225Q." That will typically locate several Cattaragus 225Q military knives. Millions were issued in WWII and they have less "sex appeal" than the Ka-bar, although sturdier.
They have a 6" carbon steel blade (of 1095 tool steel, or so the theory goes) and a VERY sturdy, nearly 1/2" thick steel butt. The butt face is crosshatched like the face of a framing hammer.
The sheaths are a bit unusual, if intact at all after > 60 years, being designed to be worn on the left hip with the blade edge to the rear.
They have a 6" carbon steel blade (of 1095 tool steel, or so the theory goes) and a VERY sturdy, nearly 1/2" thick steel butt. The butt face is crosshatched like the face of a framing hammer.
The sheaths are a bit unusual, if intact at all after > 60 years, being designed to be worn on the left hip with the blade edge to the rear.
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2006
- Messages
- 1,350
I also like the F1, great blade. You asked why makers don't offer more "hammering capabilities" exposed tang and butts; I think one reason is corrosion/rust. having an extended tang/hammer feature as you say increases the chances for Moisture to get under the scales/handles. Even with coatings, they wear out eventually and the problem can develop. I've never made a knife but I would imagine it would take more work and time to have that feature which increases cost. Just my 2 cents...
The Fallkniven knives can be used to hammer on things, like nuts and small things. It is though designed to be hammered ON. To take down a bigger tree: hammer the F1/S1/A1 into the tree about half an inch, pull out, do again next to the first hole, repeat until you are back, then do it all over again until you have perforated the tree.
To hammer down stakes you should use a rock or even better a piece of wood.
The recommended "trio" is a small hatchet/folding saw, a 4" knife and a multitool.
What you choose for what is up to you but you will have everything covered from small cutting jobs to rather large. A saw is safer at dark.
Here is my combo http://hem.passagen.se/nodh/trio.jpg
sometimes accompanied with a Fallkniven U2.
There are reasons why the F1 is so popular.
If you dont like the handle, get a F1/S1 blade and have someone make you a handle or just use it as it is.
To hammer down stakes you should use a rock or even better a piece of wood.
The recommended "trio" is a small hatchet/folding saw, a 4" knife and a multitool.
What you choose for what is up to you but you will have everything covered from small cutting jobs to rather large. A saw is safer at dark.
Here is my combo http://hem.passagen.se/nodh/trio.jpg
sometimes accompanied with a Fallkniven U2.
There are reasons why the F1 is so popular.
If you dont like the handle, get a F1/S1 blade and have someone make you a handle or just use it as it is.
Hammering with the butt or pommel of a knife so equipped, can be relatively safe, if you leave the knife in it's sheath! Same goes for hammering with a hatchet, Imagine that gash!!
Course, if ya do still hit yourself in the head or face with your knife sheathed, you might give yourself a nasty case of "sheath burn".
The cases cited previously and the injuires were all caused by bad form.
When you hammer you don't put your head in line with hammers motion, and you never slice/cut toward yourself. You can bash your fingers with a rock or stick by using bad form, as well.
There is a right and wrong usage issue too, "Hammering" a nut to open it is well within the realm of the knife pommel, pounding stakes into hard ground is probably best done with a hammer, large stick, rear face of a hatchet, and so on. The accidents tend to happen more when a tool is misused (in appropriate for the task) and when we are asking too much of the tool itself (driving a fence post with a tack hammer).
Course, if ya do still hit yourself in the head or face with your knife sheathed, you might give yourself a nasty case of "sheath burn".
The cases cited previously and the injuires were all caused by bad form.
When you hammer you don't put your head in line with hammers motion, and you never slice/cut toward yourself. You can bash your fingers with a rock or stick by using bad form, as well.
There is a right and wrong usage issue too, "Hammering" a nut to open it is well within the realm of the knife pommel, pounding stakes into hard ground is probably best done with a hammer, large stick, rear face of a hatchet, and so on. The accidents tend to happen more when a tool is misused (in appropriate for the task) and when we are asking too much of the tool itself (driving a fence post with a tack hammer).
Usually accidents happen because of the wrong tool for the wrong task.
Lets say you were hammering down that fence post with that small hammer and after some time you get frustrated and put in more force to it and suddenly you slip and the hammer ends up inside your knee cap.
It is like using a knife while slicing up a bun. You could cut the bun while holding it in your hand if you use a SHARP knife which gives you perfect blade control and you cut the bun exactly as you want it.
With an unsharper knife you need to put more force into the cut and you might end up with a big cut in your hand.
That goes for every kind of tool, You can feel a tree with a folder but it will probably take weeks, you can slice tomatoes with a parang, but it will look like a hamster that had an encounter with a Claymore.
A good idea to find out what to bring along is to read about that Nessmuk guy, he only had three tools and he survived.
I have seen a tack hammer head turn into a missile. I think I overused it.
One day I was angry and went out to dig a trench for a water pipe and after three minutes my parents were startled by the blood gushing from my forehead after a close encounter with the pointy end of a pickaxe
Never use a short pickaxe while hacking down into a trench.
Lets say you were hammering down that fence post with that small hammer and after some time you get frustrated and put in more force to it and suddenly you slip and the hammer ends up inside your knee cap.
It is like using a knife while slicing up a bun. You could cut the bun while holding it in your hand if you use a SHARP knife which gives you perfect blade control and you cut the bun exactly as you want it.
With an unsharper knife you need to put more force into the cut and you might end up with a big cut in your hand.
That goes for every kind of tool, You can feel a tree with a folder but it will probably take weeks, you can slice tomatoes with a parang, but it will look like a hamster that had an encounter with a Claymore.
A good idea to find out what to bring along is to read about that Nessmuk guy, he only had three tools and he survived.
I have seen a tack hammer head turn into a missile. I think I overused it.
One day I was angry and went out to dig a trench for a water pipe and after three minutes my parents were startled by the blood gushing from my forehead after a close encounter with the pointy end of a pickaxe
Never use a short pickaxe while hacking down into a trench.