Urban Survival Knife

cgmblade

cgmblade

Joined
Jun 4, 2009
Messages
1,358
It seems that most of the knives talked about here presuppose a wilderness environment, but what if you are at work or school (university) or other urban setting when the SHTF.

What if there is an earthquake or fire and you need to escape from a building. What knife or tool could the average person carry on his person or in a briefcase or backpack that would help in such a situation?

I'm thinking that a knife like one of the S&W knives pictured below might actually be a good choice to help in escaping/surviving a urban disaster. I envision the possible need to break tempered office windows or cut through drywall.

In an urban setting there are laws and work/school rules to contend with that might limit what one could carry.

Is my reasoning sound? And what other knives or tools would you want to have?

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For urban survival a Leatherman or sak with a saw blade will be great to have. Being in an urban environment, you have all sorts of materials to harvest, and a saw may be invaluble.

If you're going to be in a college campass or job environment, you want something low profile untill you need it. Something that can be kept right on your person without getting attention.

With a multitool, you can make most of what you need from stuff around you.
 
jackknife said:
For urban survival a Leatherman or sak with a saw blade will be great to have. Being in an urban environment, you have all sorts of materials to harvest, and a saw may be invaluble.

If you're going to be in a college campass or job environment, you want something low profile untill you need it. Something that can be kept right on your person without getting attention.

With a multitool, you can make most of what you need from stuff around you.
Click to expand...

Great answer. A multitool is a great choice. I think the saw blade on my Wave could easily cut through drywall, not to mention what could be done w/ all the other tools. Thanks.
 
I always have a SOG trident folder and a SOG seal pup on me. I also carry a Victorinox Spartan for whatever reason. My firearm is also a constant companion. I believe you can and many do carry too much gear but I have widdled it down to where I am comfortable.
 
I'd rather have a fixed blade than a folder...A multi tool would be a good idea too. I'd probably add a whistle, compass and small lite too.

Look at the HEST from Rat cutlery.
 
I have a 10 inch moulding prybar in my work-bag. It sounds nuts, and it's heavy, but it may come in really handy someday.
 
Right along with my line of thinking... waiting to get back some s30v blades from HT, about 8.5", safety tip to cut seatbelts or clothing off of casualties, a bit of real blade too, a glass breaker, and prying capability, all at just 5/32" thick which means it sits flat in your pack or on your person, would definitely want a multi-tool with saw to go with it.
 
i live and work in ny and i carry a vic farmer a rat izula and a spyderco delica... the delica is in my pocket the other two are in my backpack or messenger bag
 
A heavy duty multitool (Supertool 300) and a prybar (the countycomm EOD bar is perfect IMO) would serve better in an urban enviroment than a basic folding knife. I'm not saying don't carry a folder...but I think in an urban enviroment you'll be wanting to pry or smash things while escaping or moving through a building or into a car more than simply cutting (most heavy multitools have two blades anyways; plain edged and serrated).

EDIT:
And something to cover your mouth and nose, something to protect your eyes, and some heavy gloves...
 
I like my urban edc stuff to be easily replaceable, if lost or even confiscated. Hence:

Bucklite Max FB , Winchester mini-110 like folder (workknife) , Leatherman micra, and a 2AA LED mini-maglite.
 
I believe that the Leatherman Supertool, Crunch and SAK Swiss Champ on my belt, and the Micra and EDC gear in my belt pack and day sack will provide me will as much capability as I could ever need!
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Its proven that way so far.
 
Quite frankly, my carry choice for an "urban" environment is about the same as a wilderness one, except maybe a smaller blade. Then again, "urban" for me is Lincoln NE, which is only 225,000 people population, so keep that in mind.

That being said, I carry an SAK, pair of pliers, and an Izula every day. I am quite comfortable with this combination. It is an excellent combination of tools, easy to carry, and does not really stand out.
 
I could go with a decent folder,a multi-tool,and a smaller flat prybar (we call them nailbars here.) As long as the folder looks like a plain jane "knife", you know no sawbacked terminator/godzilla gutting nightmares. (Buck, CS, Gerber) I think you would be reasonably on your way to a EDC bag. Lokk at Mistwalkers Urban Kit thread. It is possible to carry your "kit" without appearing to be an urban commando. all in how its packaged and presented. best of luck. anrkst
 
must have urban survival tools: (keep in mind i live in a city of 2 mil people, with only 2 exits out of the city)

- Becker TAC-TOOL knife or RAT HEST
- Klein insulated wire cutters/pliers
- Greenlee 5 - 10,000V voltage tester
- heavy leather gloves
- stanley prybar or small FUBAR
- roll duct tape
- roll orange flagging tape
- roll electricians tape
- role baling wire
- screwdriver with multiple bits
- hacksaw (not the U shaped ones, the flat ones) and a variety of metal blades in different TPI
- torx + metric/imperial allen wrenches
- 2 industrial crayon markers
- 2 industrial sharpies
- package of N95 dust masks
- eye protection goggles
- Pelican OSHA/MSHA rated flashlight (super saberlight led)
- spare batteries for voltage tester and Pelican light
- gas detector
- gas mains wrench
- 3 heavy duty drum liner garbage bags
- 1.5 liters water
- 5 powerbars or similar
- first aid kit


etc
 
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to be honest if you really needed to get through drywall you are better off kicking through it and, i would say a multi tool will be much better than any mall ninja tacticool knife. i would imagine a hest would be good as well considering it was made for just that
 
i rekon my Leatherman Wave would be a pretty neat thing to have on me if TSHTF while i was in an urban environment.

oh look. here it is. right in my pocketses.

i wouldn't object to having something like a Fallkniven S1 handy either.
 
crowbar

procuring goods like fixtures, handling food items, foraging wild edibles ,
chopping ice, starting cooking fires while back roading...

you can come up with the examples yourself

i carry a slip joint, fixed blade( baldric style), tactical folder on my person and a small screwdriver everyday and a hatchet in the vehicle . urban survival tasks are my prime focus..
a real pair of pliers is handy.
real stuff


real situations call for real stuff
buzz
 
It's obvious you guys have given this subject a lot of thought. I'm glad I asked the question here and I appreciate the responses. I've learned a lot and am much better informed thanks to your input.

It seems I need to prepare at least two and perhaps three different layers of equipment/supplies. 1) Those I carry on my person. 2) What I might keep in a bag near me. and 3) stuff I keep in my vehicle.
 
its way easier to get a hole in drywall and pull out chunks than to try to bash it in, and efficiency is good in a survival situation. looks less badass but gets the job done with less effort. once you are though your side, then push the other sheet off the wall. Drywall eats blades, so I'd use a saw to get started and that's it, or better yet something disposable like desk scissors. a lot of office buildings are walled with thin steel studs so that the units can be re-arranged to the occupants needs, but because they are engineered they are only strong end to end, like a soda can, I've seen them bend a buckle in the middle with a solid force.
a good light also helps, but unless your building is not to code the stairs will have emerg lights for long enough.
if I had to go ultralight urban it would be:
multitool,
bandana
gloves
light
water
sunglasses (w/swapable lenses)
packtowel

passed that is luxury, and I carry a lot of luxury:
AMK heatsheet
AMK ultralight bivy
heavy wool socks
granola and fruit bars
FAK
E-tape
Crescent wrench
screwdrivers
lighters
mirror
ragwool gloves
Izula
BM grip folder
BM belt cutter
550 cord and figure 9s
spare shoelace cord
2mm static cord
3mm static cord
sil/nylon backpack liner.

I drop a few things for summer like the bivy, heavy socks, wool gloves.

As far a knives go, I think discrete is the word in urban environments, especially for EDC
I often use transit, so everything is always on me, and though sometimes a bag has to be left behind a desk, I'm sure I could retrieve it. What do you do when you get out of your evac'd building to find the street your car is on is blocked off?
 
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