Realistic applications of SHTF knives

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DangerZone98

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To summarize the idea behind this discussion, this is the big question: In what ways will our survival/SHTF/emergency knives become most useful in real world scenarios divorced from action movie fantasies?

Let me clarify this a bit. While it’s certainly possible to jump out of a plane with nothing more than a parachute, an ESEE 6, and a large patch of chest hair, I can’t really see this being applicable to the average Joe or Jane. Maybe more realistic emergency situations would include one’s car breaking down in the middle of a desert or forest road or having to assist in removing someone from a crashed vehicle.

Basically, I think it would be a worthwhile venture to evaluate the usefulness of a survival knife (whatever your criteria for this may be) in realistic emergency scenarios. For one, I think 99% of your knife needs can be covered by a compact 4 to 5” blade. A chopper, axe, or other wood processing tool can live in the vehicle trunk.

Feel free to have fun with this thread (smatchet go brrrrrrr) but serious answers would be appreciated as well. :)
 
The knife you have on you or near you in an emergency is your shtf knife. Personally I just like useful fixed blades that can be pressed into many roles. Useful for everything from wood processing to cutting food to animal processing. Use them all the time. I don't have a desginated shtf knife, just knives I use that are capable in a variety of situations.
 
The concept of "SHTF" is generally an IF.

In the case of "if", I would rather have a largish survival type knife, than a SAK (assuming only one knife allowed). A big knife can do small-knife stuff (albeit not always as efficiently), but a small knife has difficulty doing big-knife stuff.
 
I got perfect SHTF documentary to share
But where may I post it on BF ?
 
shinyedges said:
The knife you have on you or near you in an emergency is your shtf knife. Personally I just like useful fixed blades that can be pressed into many roles. Useful for everything from wood processing to cutting food to animal processing. Use them all the time. I don't have a desginated shtf knife, just knives I use that are capable in a variety of situations.
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Excellent point. This really emphasizes making sure that everything in your rotation should be a dependable tool.
 
Toilet_NL_1400x.jpg
 
shane45-1911 said:
The concept of "SHTF" is generally an IF.

In the case of "if", I would rather have a largish survival type knife, than a SAK (assuming only one knife allowed). A big knife can do small-knife stuff (albeit not always as efficiently), but a small knife has difficulty doing big-knife stuff.
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No restriction on number of knives for this discussion. :) Whatever you’re comfortable carrying is the name of the game.

I like me some fixed blades too. Though realistically for EDC, I’m limited to about 4” blades for discreet carry.
 
shane45-1911 said:
Does it mention knives? If so, I'm sure here is just fine....
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That's exact problem !
Knives aren't viable part of any SHTF scenario !!!

But you guys must see that, exactly why knives are marginal At all.

I don't know where to post at BF ?
 
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Zulus said:
That's exact problem !
Knives aren't viable part od any SHTF scenario !!!

But you guys must see that, exactly why knives are marginal At all.
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Then I have no interest in watching it. That is completely absurd that knives are not or should not be part of any SHTF scenario.
 
DangerZone98 said:
To summarize the idea behind this discussion, this is the big question: In what ways will our survival/SHTF/emergency knives become most useful in real world scenarios divorced from action movie fantasies?

Let me clarify this a bit. While it’s certainly possible to jump out of a plane with nothing more than a parachute, an ESEE 6, and a large patch of chest hair, I can’t really see this being applicable to the average Joe or Jane. Maybe more realistic emergency situations would include one’s car breaking down in the middle of a desert or forest road or having to assist in removing someone from a crashed vehicle.

Basically, I think it would be a worthwhile venture to evaluate the usefulness of a survival knife (whatever your criteria for this may be) in realistic emergency scenarios. For one, I think 99% of your knife needs can be covered by a compact 4 to 5” blade. A chopper, axe, or other wood processing tool can live in the vehicle trunk.

Feel free to have fun with this thread (smatchet go brrrrrrr) but serious answers would be appreciated as well. :)
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This is why I grow a bumper crop of chest hair. You need to have the raw materials to make your own paracord and clothes from something...

I'd rather jump from a perfectly good plane with an ESEE 4 than and ESEE 6. You just know that ESEE 6 is hurt when you land.
 
LG&M said:
What the best knife is not the question. What knife you have with you is the answer.
You could do worse then a BK16
This could be a fun thread.
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Absolutety NO
Question is how many hundreds oponents you got ?
And what's their weapon ??

100 mad crazies wielded SAKs will eat you with your super CRK in seconds
 
shane45-1911 said:
Then I have no interest in watching it. That is completely absurd that knives are not or should not be part of any SHTF scenario.
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Completely understand
You think STHF is one 70 old years hobo you meet in the woods
:^D

But that's not a SHTF !!!
Not even close ...
 
I’d like someone to define the SHTF situation because they can be so many different by nature, that you may or may not need knife at all… You’ll need small knife or/and large lumen needle for a chest or throat tube but none of the models most enthusiasts carry have such a narrow blade… You don’t need knife to place a tourniquet on someone’s leg but it is equally important as to place the chest tube and you generally speaking have just as same time to save life…
So the situation requiring a knife could be so different that your SAK knife that will be good for chest tube, won’t do JS for something else…
I agree that the knife you got w you will be the knife for SHTF.
I hardly carry fixed blade on me but I carry at least two knives on daily bases.
In general I go around with my vehicles and I’m always close to them and aware where they are.
in general I always have a handgun with couple of mags and at least two knives in every vehicle - a small one and something large, ESSE 6 size. In my truck I also have various hand saws, machete, small axe and few cutters - for padlocks and chains, plus electric tools to double those requirements if I have to.
I have tourniquets in all of my vehicles, medical shears, few extra bandages, plus chest bandage in the truck, boxes of latex free gloves and also, because I used to spent lots of time in the road, in my truck, I keep a ambu bag for long CPR if I have to do it. Plus at least few bottles of water, painkillers and liquid disinfectants as Hibiclens, which is very powerful antiseptic prep, used in OR for surgical prep. It’s neutral, won’t cause pain in open wound and will not burn, therefore kill the surface of the tissue of an open wound. It’s sold everywhere, a wet gauze with few drops of it will clean very effectively any open wound. This is just (FYI)
For almost 30 years living in this country, I had few car crashes where I was able to help, very minor issues, I didn’t get to use any of my equipment. On the other hand I saved bunch of lives when I worked in the local OR but this is different story.
As a general preparedness, I’d probably like to have about 5-6” full tang knife, narrow blade with thick blade stock and comfortable handle. I’d probably like to have hollow grind because combines thin behind the edge material but with fairly solid spine, allowing me to also use it for praying small stuff. I’d like to have the toughest possible steel and non-organic material for handles, glued and riveted to the tang with something else but copper rivets (I just don’t like the feel of those)
I really can’t think about anything else…
 
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