Survival Kit in the Knife

Joined
May 10, 2002
Messages
705
I've followed posts regarding survival kits incorporated into the knife and/or pouch in particular and I am interested in who feels the same as I when considering "being prepared" in a survival situation.
I have several survival kits of different sizes that are carried relative to the equipment being carried. By this I mean that my largest kit containing the gluecose and reflective bag is carried in my pack, the kit in the tobacco tin carried in my pocket and a micra/firestarter in my pocket almost all the time. OK now to the point of my post; I have drilled out the nylon type handle of my 10 inch all round go everywhere bowie, to include ...... a flint, a magnetized needle + cotton with dental floss wrapped around and a straightened fish hook that can be re-bent without breaking inserted into a plastic tube.
Anyone else gone to such lengths?
 
About the Bowie...
Nylon Handle? and if you've drilled out the handle, aren't you worried about the subsequent reduction in strength?

Have you checked out a Cris Reeve or Randal 18, or some hollow handled knives from reputable makers?

I only keep a sparklite and a a few tabs of tinder in my hollow handled knives. I don't think it's that important to put stuff inside the knife as a compasspouch fitted on the sheath will hold four times whatever you can stuff inside the handle.
 
MM
The synthetic handle isn't weakened by a couple of 1/8 holes and they are concealed by the bit that screws onto the end.
I like one of the hollow handles I've seen on here but I haven't come across any. Anyway I like the blade I have.
All the best kits in the world won't help if you don't have em when you need them.
Sheath kits are awkward and catch on things. I like kits. Call me kit crazy if you want. They have helped me before. I like being prepared. Something I have programmed into me.
 
MM
Sorry 4 the rude reply. Wasn't meant to be so abrupt but that was the fourth time I had written it cos of server problems. Pays to copy before posting.
Do you ever use the hollow handle knives?
 
Don't worry about it D!

I like these...
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click photo for description
 
I stretch a sleeve of bicycle innertube over the sheath of the knife and stuff things inside. My airforce survival knife sheath carries all the stuff I wouldn´t want to be without. I haven´t found it bulky nor does it catch on things. I even have a brass match container in there filled with essentials.

I figure if I loose everything, that sheath will still be strapped to my waist. Mac
 
Mut
Cool, thats a nice knife.

pict
Thanks for the tip. Does the sheath grab on your leg when you walk?

Someone out there has to have a kit in their watchband ay? I have a spare watchband with a compass in it. It helped me out of a ceiling space once.
 
Stuffing a knife full of survival stuff is a nice little thought, but not necessarily the best execution of a good idea. The idea is not to have a full survival kit in the smallest space available, but to have a few extra things that may run out.

You can stuff X things in a knife handle.
You can stuff 4X things in a Pouch mounted on a sheath.
You can stuff 50X things in a belt mounted pouch.
You can stuff 1000X things in a small daypack.

I keep a spare firestarter in my knife because one can never have too many ways to start a fire in the woods, and I might contemplate adding some cash for emergencies as well.
 
Dartanyon,

No the sheath dosen't grab on anything. I've done this for years. The only problem I've encountered was crossing a stream. We had to swim a distance floating our gear and where we exited there was a great deal of silt. The silt got into everything including my knife.

I have since solved the problem. I have two sleves cut. The longer sleve covers the bottom and runs all the way up to the top of the pocket made for the sharpening stone. The other comes down from the top and covers the top of the bottom sleeve like a lid. Rainwater and mud just wash over it and the contents stay dry.

The rubber is tight as a drum and difficult to take things in and out of. I view this as a plus because the things on my knife are intended to provide redundancy not to be raided for convienience. I have four knives set up this way: Ka-bar in a OD web sheath, Air Force Survival knife, Glock knife, and a copy of a Gerber BMF in a hard plastic sheath. I carry the Air Force survival knife the most and it has the most stuff on it. Mac
 
in my CRK Shadow 1 handle I have the bare bones kit. A small metal match and some rolled up heavy foil. Basically fire and water. The foil would be used to make a container for water and the match for fire.Tinder would have to be aquired. A larger pouch on the aftermarket sheath holds a small diamond rod sharpener and a SAK and a more robust metal match. By grabbing just the knife and sheath I have a very basic make it through the night kit. Anything else I might need would be in a pack or have to be found/constructed.
 
The inner tube sleeve has another possible function. A strip of it makes a remarkable piece of emergency tinder. Needs to be lit by a match or lighter (no sparkies!), but burns very hot..even when very wet. You can move it around your tinder and wood pile, dripping flaming molten rubber. Saved my but in the snow one time.
 
Naro,

Great idea! I hadn't thought of that. I tested a one inch wide band of the same innertube on my knife and it burned for almost 2 minutes with over a 3 inch flame. I have enough of an overlap onthe knife that I could spare about that much with no loss of function.

BTW a samll pile of potato chips burns about the same with a 3 to 6 inch flame for about 1.5 minutes. (Four large Lays potpato chips)Hey I was alrady at the gas grill, why not. Mac
 
Pict,
I hunt and camp with a guy who's a recovering boyscout. He insists on starting our fires with potato chips or frito chips. He has even made a frito LAMP! I just eat the chips and use my strip of rubber.

My friend's position about the innertube strip is that it pollutes the air. I told him that if I'm lost enough to use it, and the EPA guy comes to arrest me, I'll probably kiss the guy full on the lips for saving me.
 
Potato chips huh, interesting, probably the greasier the better I would guess.

Naro- very funny story:D
 
I had a Reeve Project 1 and the only thing that I ever kept in the handle was a Tuffcloth for cleaning.

1. I always sheathed it clean after heavy use
2. It didn't add an ounce to the knife
3. Nothing to rattle around


Cheers
 
All great ideas on survival gear for your knife,but I find there are many superfluous items and you can get by with the basics if just in a knife sheath.One of the main items I see not listed are med's.I carry a small vial of non -prescrip pills in my sheath which are 2 immodium,2 telenol,2 aspirin,1 extra strength benadryl,1 24-hr clarinex.Medicine could be the difference of making your trip more enjoyable or could slow you up without it.Point is is that it could be hard to hunt,hike,or build shelter with severe diahrrea,or an allergic reaction,or a smashed hand.Some extra good meds to add would be a steroid such as prednisone for anaphylactic reaction or swelling,or a major pain killer as someone here has suggested.When you feel good you are better off in mind phsychologically.All else I carry is a small compass(back up dime size),a small mini bic lighter,fish line and hooks,needle and thread,small diamond stone,and a vial of iodine for water and disinfectant,and a bit of paracord.These are just the basics,one has to also remember that food procurement is not always a necessity in a survival situation,you can go many days without food.Being able to drink water,stay warm,and not be sick are the most important.
 
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