Small knife for survival?

[ElCuchillo]

Hey guys, this may have been touched on already, I'm not sure, and it may just be silly, but here goes anyway.
There are alot of minimalists on Blade forums, and since this thread is about survival, my question is, has anyone used, or has anyone heard of anyone using a small knife in a survival situation? I carry a Peanut, and do all sorts of things with it. I've used it for everything including cutting steak and ribs. However, if I was stuck out in the woods, or in a survival situation, and it's all I had, I wonder how I'd fair? I believe an experienced outdoorsman could figure out how to use it to survive, but I was just wondering if there were any first hand, or second hand testimonials on using a Peanut, or SAK Classic, or Tiny trapper, pen knife..... any small knife, in a survival situation.

 

[Amos Iron Wolf]

I'm not sure where on here, but there was a thread sometime back regarding General Chuck Yeager and the fact that he and a friend would go off into the wilderness with nothing but a SAK Executive. Then again, they were seasoned outdoorsmen. Maybe someone else has the link to the thread.

 

[pict]

First off let me state for the record that I have never "survived" with just a small pocket knife. I was a kid for a long time however and I can't recall a time in my life that I didn't have a pocket knife of some sort, in my pocket.

The hardcore primitive guys always seem to have it as a top priority to make a cutter of some sort. You can do an aweful lot with a sharp chip of flint, even a good sized flake clamped in a stick. I have seen ripped tin cans and chunks of glass used like that. A sharp edge is a sharp edge, it allows the brain and hands to shape things the brain and hands otherwise could not.

If you are starting out with a sharp it is merely one less thing you have to make and you can proceed to making fire, traps, cordage etc without first having to make a sharp. I would never PLAN to be that far back into human history. Give me a Mora anyday, but practicing such skills is a blast. Mac

 

[nodh]

People who are prepared for the situation brings what they need if that situation arises. You dont plan to smash a car when you put the seat belt on in the morning, but just in case.
If you are moving around in areas where the ability to "get lost" are high you should bring the knife, compass, whistle, firesteel etc.
A LM Wave or even lighter PST could help you alot.
So in short, Get a Leatherman tool of your liking, wear it. Put a firesteel and a whistle on your keyring, keep it in your pocket. Get a Fallkniven S1 and a folding saw and some extra gadgets and keep it in your backpack with a roll of survey tape (an ides from "hug a tree") and get some bushcraft/ survival books to read.

Those who were not "prepared" might end up surviving with the help from the SAK or LM or any other edge tool that happened to be brought along. That's probably why people write stories accordingly.

 

[Troop]

Always have a knife with you. Period. In case you wind up in a survival situation, you're covered...with the knife aspect taken care of, at least.

 

[longbow50]

A couple of one liners I've heard over the years.

Your abilities start, where your tools abilities end.
Improvise, adapt, overcome.

 

[tknife]

I have been leaning toward a much smaller knife than I used to carry. You are more likely to have a smaller knife on you when you get in a situation, than a larger knife. (Depends on where you are too. If you're in the jungle, you will most likely already have a machete in your hand.)
If I am going on a longer trip in a more remote area, I will have a large chopper like a Becker 9 or a hatchet with me as well.

 

[Foilist]

I agree with the previous post - that is why I got a BR Mini Canadian. It is small enough to be a "fixed blade pocket knife," but is stout enough to use hard. I thought I'd be more likely to have it with me, and that's true so far. I think I could manage general hiking and camping and even an emergency with the Mini Canadian, although am looking around for a 4" fixed blade as well.

 

[22-rimfire]

Any knife is better than no knife when you need something to cut with. I have been gravitating to a slightly larger SAK for daily carry. My current one is the adventurer which is essentially a large soldier model.

I keep a larger knife in my vehicle and often have a machete there as well as a few other items quite useful for survival. Whatever knife you choose, just be comfortable that it is durable and you can resharpen it.