What is a survival knife ?

"Probable Cause" (PC) is something they must be able to articulate in court to justify the stop and subsequent actions.

I recognize that some parks might have different levels of PC, maybe even stating that you ARE subject to random search and by visiting the park, you are therefore agreeing to those terms.

If a cop randomly asks, "Mind if I search your vehicle?" he is admitting that he has no Probably Cause, which is why he's asking in the first place.

I'd simply respond, "Am I free to go?"

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We can compensate for not having a 10" knife with our 5" knife.

I have been using a 5" tool instead of 10" one all my adult life, you just have to compensate. That is what I call survival thinking in its basest form. A real life survival situation if there ever was one.
 
Ras,,,I will give you a Survival situation,,,you give me the knife I need.
Lets say we only have one and only one knife to do the things on my list...

make a shelter,
cut down up to 6 inch thick trees to make a raft.
become a spear to kill a wild hog.
take out a splinter from a toe.
......reach to the bottom of the jar of SKIPPY .....
fish with...(This may mean chopping an ice hole)
and serve as personal protection from anything....
serve to be able to split firewood, and/or be hit on the spine hard as with with a rock
--------------------------

Do all this with only One knife.....


The cold steel bushman could, I would bet my life on it.
Though I am not too sure what you mean by fish with, use it as a spear or whittle a hook?
 
I'm not going to lash my knife to a pole to make a spear, either !

I'd rather use the knife to sharpen numerous poles to make numberous spears !!

:D
 
The bushman has a socket with a hole for an eyehook or something. It can still fall off, but much sturdier then simply lashing.
Heres my modded bushman I just finished, not too pretty, but I like it a lot better.

298125702.img.jpg


you cant really see in the pic but I put some thumb grip on the spine, that with the finger groove (is that called a choil?) gives it great control.
I thought the point was ugly, and I am a big drop point fan so that was the priority, as well as the blade coating.
The only problem with it now is the handle, its pretty back heavy, so I might hack off an inch or so.


Ok, just cut off an inch, balance is perfect. Thats some hard steel, espically just using a dremel and hack saw.
 
What would the point of removing the black coating be if you already know it won't be a beautiful knife? Even if it wears after a while, wouldn't it still be nice to protect from corrosion until then?
 
I think you are missing Cliffs point. If I were traveling in in the rocky mountains I would carry a different knife than if I were on a cruize ship. Where you may end up in a survival situation may dictate what knife you should have when you leave home.

Leon Pugh
[emphasis added].

"What we have here is a failure of communications." :D

I will try for a third time (although it's hard to better what Skunk said.)

While I am the first guy to jump on "The best survival knife you have is the one on you when . . . ," we are making a different observation. Namely, you cannot use what you do not have, so plan and provide as best, and as appropriately, as you can. After that, you do the best you can with what you have, tool, skill, and experience-wise.
 
When did "Probable Cause" become a thing of the past?

Why in the world would they be searching through your gear ?

Enlighten me, please.

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Since Terry vs. Ohio (1968). The applicable standard for "stop and frisk" is "reasonable cause, which is expressly a lesser standard than "probable cause."
 
Exactly. I was stopped by a trooper just last week. First time in many years. Why? Flying down the highway coming toward me he couldn't see my seat belt. So he checked my driver's license. He had reason to believe I didn't have one? Then he claimed he saw my daughter reach down (as he was doing a doughnut in the highway a half mile behind me). So? She has it on. He let me go with a speach, but could well have used any excuse to search my vehicle, and me. "I thought I saw", I thought I smelled", "I though he was". All probable cause in today's world. In National Parks and many State Parks, a permit is required. Some items are forbidden. Taking a mineral or plant sample can result in a hefty fine. They reserve the right to search pockets and packs if they have reason to believe you might be conceiling something. Kidnapping a spotted owl maybe. Do you know you can be arrested for posessing an owl, eagle, or hawk feather?

Codger

Exactly, anything can be used as probable cause anymore. Especially since they know that I'm carrying a knife already and the fact that I originally asked if I could carry a fixed blade, they may want to check to see if I'm an honest man.:cool:

Umm, they look at my hat and just shake their heads. I think it's the feather, but I can't be completely sure.:D
 
Since Terry vs. Ohio (1968). The applicable standard for "stop and frisk" is "reasonable cause, which is expressly a lesser standard than "probable cause."

Not quite. The "stop and frisk" follows what is called "Reasonable Suspicion."

Like, what is that guy doing behind that business at 2 a.m. ?

And then, it's limited to OFFICER SAFETY concerns, not a license to go thru anything they happen to have on them. IE, a quick patdown where weapons would reasonably be expected to be found, like the waistband.

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What would the point of removing the black coating be if you already know it won't be a beautiful knife? Even if it wears after a while, wouldn't it still be nice to protect from corrosion until then?

I just like to see the steel. I can do what I can to keep it from rusting,
plus I intend to put a better finish on it anyway, I wont get it a mirror, but I have some sandpaper up to 600 grit, and some cutting compound for my dremel buffing wheel
 
Absolutely right, David.

Extended to searches of areas of passenger compartment of motor vehicles that are readily accessable in Michigan v. Long.
 
Lots of answers here already, but just to throw in my $0.02. As has been said before, the only true survival knife is that which you have with you when a survival situation occurs. So, with that in mind, I EDC three pocket knives. A Spyderco Native, A Wenger Handyman SAK, and an Opinel #8 that my neighbor gave me recently, which is one of the best cutting knives I've seen in a long time. I also carry at least two methods of firestarting, usually three, in the form of a Bic lighter, a Mini-Bic lighter with the Duck Tape wrap and lanyard, and a magnesium bar.

And if I'm not in town, I'll have my new custom 4 3/4" fixed blade from Justin Gingrich of Ranger Knives with me.
 
Absolutely right, David.

Extended to searches of areas of passenger compartment of motor vehicles that are readily accessable in Michigan v. Long.

Right.

But that doesn't give the cop the right to stop and frisk anyone at anytime for any reason and search thru his vehicle or belongings.

So we're back to the cop/ranger searching a backpack without a reason.......does that happen? Where? When ? That's what I'm curious about.

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I like what you did with the CS Bushman. Same thought I had. I put a turks head knot on each end of the handle and wrapped the center with Ito in the Japanese fashion. then dipped it in urethane. the next improvement was to make a kydex sheath with good retention quality's. almost to pretty to take to the bush. Almost! Great bush craft knife.
What it takes for survival is an uncluttered mind. I take my advanced bush craft students out with empty pockets. they have to make fire with a hand drill. Knapp a blade from local stone and make cordage from plant fiber. This is just the first day, then the work really starts. I called this bush craft be-caws survival is what ever it takes to live through the first few minuets/hours/etc.. The right knife is the one you like to carry. I say (like) be-caws its more likely you will put it in your pocket, or on your belt if you like to carry and play with it. So the next question is to match the size weight construction method with your intended use. While not peanut butter I have spread cheese stuff with a machete. Not the prefers tool but thats what I had. Ive spent a lot of time in the field with a stockman pocket knife and a large Philippine bolo. Cant go wrong with that combo in the back forty.
 
If I were traveling in in the rocky mountains I would carry a different knife than if I were on a cruize ship.

Yes, just like any other piece of gear, and the same as your skill set. If it is all you have then it is all you have, but simply having it doesn't make it a survival item any more than having a skill set makes that a survival skill because you know it. It is actually relevant to what you need to do, it is efficient for what you need to do, it is one of the better choices for what you need to do. Does it actually remove problems/constraints.

-Cliff
 
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