Plainsman wants input on optimal survival knife length

Greg Davenport

Greg Davenport

Joined
Nov 29, 1999
Messages
632
I am reposting this to see if we can get a response for plainsman question...posted earlier...that went off on another tangent. He wrote:

"I didn't mean for my post to start a "pick one knife" thread!

What I was looking for was "optimal length", I guess I should have said, "maximum length". This is what I'm 'truly' looking for. What is the longest knife you want to carry into the woods?"

So how about it...any answers for plainsman?

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Greg Davenport
http://www.ssurvival.com
Are You Ready For The Challenge?
Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Wilderness Survival?

 
Personally I think that the Kabar Marine Utility knife is about the optimum lenth/size for a survival knife. It is not so large that you cannot skin/gut animals but it has enough size that you can perform camp/shelter chores and will privide you with some protection in an emergency.
 
Off the top of my head, if I were picking only one knife to serve in most locations I travel (jungle, SE United States woods, swamps, etc.) I would go with a 6 or 7 inch blade. Sure, in the jungle and swamps I would rather have a machete, but you can do it okay with a good 7 inch blade, just takes a little longer
smile.gif


Also, for most folks a sheath blade is more likely to stay with them, instead of being left behind because of size.

I'm a real fan of cheap KaBars as companion sheath knives. - Jeff

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Randall's Adventure & Training
jeff@jungletraining.com

 
jrf, even with all that I posted above, anyone will find it almost impossible to catch me anywhere, anytime, without my folder clipped to the pocket.

These 'one knife, one design, one length' threads seem to be the favoite topics on BladeForums. There is no perfect answer...it all depends on the uses. Don't get me wrong, I like these threads because it brings out a lot of good info but the bottom line is to always (when you can) pick the tool for the job. - Jeff

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Randall's Adventure & Training
jeff@jungletraining.com

 
Machettes notwithstanding, I find anything longer than 6" a hassle. Maybe because I'm a big, clumsy oaf, anything longer hooks on things when I carry it or jabs into me and is generally a nuisance.

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Megafolder Fans Unite!

Mike Melone

"Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. " Psalm 144:1
"One loves to possess arms, though they hope never to have occasion for them." Thomas Jefferson


 
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