Survival Blades - Big or Little

[ras]

When folks I work with speak of survival equipment they are referring to equipment that is reserved exclusively for survival situations. The yellow six man raft that's carried in the aircraft I occassionally fly on is an example. Any good raft will float just as well, but this one is checked-out, then sealed up and if (hopefully never) I am ever in a position of putting that raft in the water, it's expected to inflate and hold air. Nobody's kids were playing with it in the backyard pool; nobody took it duck hunting. When I see equipment labeled "survival", I don't expect to see folks using it on a routine basis. "Survival" gear is for no **** emergencies.

The pieces of gear I keep in my packpack are for those times that I really need them, they're not for routine use. My Fehrman Final Judgement is in the back of my truck and if I needed to chop something I wouldn't hesitate to use it. It falls into the category of camping equipment, not emergency equipment.

The next piece of survival gear I'm considering would be a Switlik Helicopter Crew Vest. This is what I consider to be survival gear. Hopefully I'll never need to use it for real.

 

[Gossman Knives]

Scott,

I agree to a point -- but for me, the most important thing is knowledge of how to survive, the priorities, and being able to improviseto meet your needs. I believe that anyone who is serious about survival should know how to do it with no tools coming in, and be able to make them as needed. For me, knowledge is the most important part of the "Be Prepared" motto.

Once the knowledge is there, then your point about the proper equipment on hand is right on...

Best,

~Brian.

You're definately right about the knowledge part. The best thing to do as part of preparedness is to be educated first and part of that education would also be proper equipment. It is a fact as you said, the #1 piece of equipment to have is your noggin. If you don't use your head, you won't survive. The best equipment money can buy ain't worth spit if you're not educated in survival as a whole.
Scott

 

[longbow50]

Absolutely, knowledge of how to survive in different situations is the #1 tool we can have and I feel that our knowledge base also includes being well practiced with the different pieces of gear that we include in our emergency kit. That's why my emergency gear is also my day to day field gear.

 

[Brian6244]

I believe that anyone who is serious about survival should know how to do it with no tools coming in...

Can I get an "Amen"???... Amen... I couldn't agree more. I carry some decent survival related EDC (Knife, Firestarter, Flashlight) but I am a firm believer in practicing without them. Moving in the dark, building a shelter without tools, etc.

 

[Booger]

I don't think I have ever left the house without my CRK Mountaineer II. It stays with me or in my truck always. When I need to carry something I can hide I turn to my CRK Shadow III.

 

[skammer]

Can I get an "Amen"???... Amen... I couldn't agree more. I carry some decent survival related EDC (Knife, Firestarter, Flashlight) but I am a firm believer in practicing without them. Moving in the dark, building a shelter without tools, etc.

Its great to know it all but this in itself will not save you in all situations.

I know how to start a fire sans matches but if its -30 with a 40MPH wind you are in the s hit all the training in the world does little when you have 20 mins to get a heat source while you freeze whitling your fireboard notches with numb wet hands.

I know how to swim too but I wear a life jacket when on 4 degree water in the middle of summer 2 miles from shore in a small boat.

Its not all about knowledge but a good mix of smarts and tools to get the job done and minimize your risk.

Skam

 

[Cliff Stamp]

I know how to start a fire sans matches but if its -30 with a 40MPH wind you are in the s hit all the training in the world does little when you have 20 mins to get a heat source while you freeze whitling your fireboard notches with numb wet hands.

It gets cold enough around here that you will get frostbite immediately without proper gear, preperation and knowledge includes equipment, the more the better. It only seems to be with knives though that you get this perspective that there is the rally against high quality equipment.

If someone came in and asked for hiking boots would people recommend that you should know how to hike in high heeled boots as well, or barefoot, which is great if you can but impossible in many conditions, sharp shale will cut thick skin like butter, and very wet conditions will cause rot fast.

"Hey I am looking for a good compass."

"I think you should forget a compass and a map and instead memorize the terrain and learn to navigate by the stars."

How about one leading into the other, once you have mastered optimal tools you move on to less optimal ones, then finally the bare essentials.

-Cliff

 

[Brian Jones]

Skammer,

I agree, but what I am getting at is learn to do without -- so that if you find yourself in a situation where you don't have a knife, you don't rely on it as a crutch. Any statement like this is a "general rule" and as we all know, exceptions apply, as your examples point out.

Good stuff.

~B.

 

[skammer]

Skammer,

I agree, but what I am getting at is learn to do without -- so that if you find yourself in a situation where you don't have a knife, you don't rely on it as a crutch. Any statement like this is a "general rule" and as we all know, exceptions apply, as your examples point out.
~B.

ABSOLUTLEY! learn to do as much as you can without and then augment with decent gear to maximize your chances. Agreed 100%

Skam

 

[the possum]

Cutting fuzz sticks, the big knife could do it, but it was very tiring on the wrist, and as we got cold, control became an issue.

I use my 18" bladed knife for whittling and such on a semi-regular basis. I've never had a problem yet with hand fatigue, because I use a different technique than I would with smaller blades.

With a smaller knife, I'm accustomed to sweeping the knife and entire blade in a short arc to do the cutting. For example, if I were peeling the bark off a stick for some reason, and I made a cut 4 inches long, the tip of the knife may actually travel 4 or even 5 inches.

But with a very large blade, I rotate the knife around its balance point and natural rotation points, so I'm not actually having to accelerate the blade with every pass. Thus, I may cut a strip of bark 4 inches long with the rearmost portion of the edge, and the tip of the blade never moves; only rotates.

The difference is kinda like walking up to an empty teeter-totter at a playground, and lifting or pushing down on one end. It's much easier than just picking up a big plank of wood by one end and trying to swing it around.

 

[sodak]

I would really like to watch you do this. I think I know what you mean, but sometimes a demo is worth 10,000 words. I will practice this, as it could be one more skill in my arsenal...

Thanks Possum!

 

[Gimpy]

A survival situation can occure any time and in most any place. The best survival knife is the one that you have in your pocket when you need it. I suggest carring nothing less than a large stockman pocket knife made by any of the major manufacturers at all times.

 

[Thomas Linton]

A survival situation can occure any time and in most any place. The best survival knife is the one that you have in your pocket when you need it. /QUOTE]

The survival knife you will have to use is the one you have with you --- whether it is "best" for the job or not. This reality suggests learning the capabilities of the knives you will likely have with you -- not to mention carrying the most appropriate knife your budget/skills/preferences/rules allow.