Opinions on Scandi for SHTF?

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campandtravel

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I just got to thinking that Scandi blades are kind of hard to maintain? You need a flat surface and a good stone or wet/dry sandpaper. But other blades you just need a stone from a river bed. In SHTF doesn't taht mean Scandi is a bad option?

I am not trying to piss anyone off. I would actually like good arguments why I'm wrong.
 
Bricks and cinder blocks are flat. If things have really gotten that bad (and you have somehow survived) you should have plenty to choose from. Who says you need to maintain the scandi grind in a life or death situation though?
 
Well, define SHTF?.
If you need a good hard use knife for keeping you alive in the wilderness and for making sure, that youll be able to make shelter and a fire etc etc, a Terava carbon scandi Puukko would most likely work well.
 
campandtravel said:
Sure, until it gets dull. Then how are you going to sharpen it while living at the shelter you just made in the wilderness? Can you think why I'm wrong? I'm really asking.
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Hmmm, not sure why you want me to point out if and why you are wrong...
A scandi edge can last a good long time.
Personally, I carry a small Fallkniven DC3 diamond/ceramic stone, should I need to sharpen any knife in the field.
 
BladeScout said:
Again, could you be more specific re your intended use: Basic sane wood working, shelter building, fire making or all out batoning, stabbing car doors etc etc?
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Yes to all of those, including the etc. A "SHTF" tool. Obviously this is just a theoretical conversation. Just kind of thinking out loud with anyone who wants to think out loud with me.
 
campandtravel said:
But not smooth enough to make a good sharpening stone.
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You only addressed one part of my post.

But I see where this is heading...
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A scandi edge wouldn't be that hard to keep sharp for a very long time, in my opinion. If it was a true survival situation and your only knife happened to be a scandi, it wouldn't really matter if you convexed the edge to keep it sharp and functional. As long as it is sharp and does what it needs to do, who cares if you're maintaining a true scandi grind? All knives will eventually wear out over a long enough time line.
If history is any reference on this topic, it is worth pointing out that this style of knife is not even close to new. From my reading, early examples can be found that are around 1500 years old or older. I doubt that their users had anything to sharpen their knives that you could not come up with in a survival situation. If by SHTF you mean something akin to the end of civilization as we know it, time spent working to pay bills and the like becomes time to figure this stuff out. If they could do it way back in 500AD, I'd reckon it can still be done now.
 
DB_Cruiser DB_Cruiser Good points! Do you have any links to old Scandi blades? Any info on how they sharpened them? Like were they only used by people after they had stable homes or was it something a viking would take on a year long raid?
 
Rasmus80 said:
You would be better off with the Survival Lilly knife.
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Not really looking for the "best SHTF" knife but the TOPS BOB is about the same size and strength as the APO-1 but TOPS BOB is Scandi so maybe this is the perfect comparison. Which one is better long-term do you think not including the steel differences?
 
Carry a DMT credit card sharpener in your wallet at all times.

Scandis are easy to sharpen... And with one of these... you're golden!

Problem solved.
 
campandtravel said:
You think that credit card sharpener is going to last longer than your edge after SHTF?

Also who carries a wallet after SHTF?
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It's a diamond stone .it's going to last .they sell them in 3-packs of varying grits... So I think it'd last a long time. And if you had your sharpeners in it... I bet you'd keep your wallet on you .

And that is in fact the best part about the DMT CC sharpeners.... WHENEVER SHTF actual occurs, you will have your sharpeners on your person.

Is a Scandinavian my preferred geometry in this scenario.... No .the edge is too fragile for a one-size-fits-all scenario for my liking.

A big 10" bladed kukri chopper it probably my preferred blade in that case. I have a Kershaw Camp 10 that's a chopping beast that can still be used for finer tasks nearer the handle well and even be worn cross-draw with the stock sheath .

For an EDC post SHTF or zombie apocalypse (which statistically is a very real possibility...), Is stick with something with a thicker bladestock (4mm+) and have a less fragile geometry .

I am drawn to full-flat grinds with a convex edge / bevel .VERY durable and easily serviceable.

Slight trailing points with swedges and Bowie's can be both slicey and stabby, for a variety of tasks .

Scandis are best for bushcraft and specificlaly wood work.
 
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