What survival/kit/useful items should be kept w/ your Large Knife or Machete?

Marion David Poff

Marion David Poff

Joined
Oct 8, 1998
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5,403
So,

You have a Large Knife (think chopper or camp knife.... like a RTAK II, Junglas, or Battle Mistress) or a Machete...

What items would you like to keep with it? I see guys strapping pouches to the side of their sheaths....

What do you all keep in them?

Or, if you could do this, what would you keep in the pouch to complement your Large Knife or Machete...

And please don't just say, 'a survival kit'. If you would carry a survival kit, what items would be in it?

The way I envision this, would be a small kit, which would cover your basic needs if for some reason, you lost your pack or your vehicle, but still had the kit which is with your knife, since you wouldn't dare do anything without a knife handy.... But, what do you think? And what do you or would you carry?

Can't head out to the shop (or I'll wake the family) and I don't sleep well, so I got dreams of gear running through my head... And I should have my backlog ate up here real soon, so it is time to design some cool stuff....

Kind Regards,
Marion
 
This is the one that I rely on. It's by US Survival. It doesn't have it all, but the minimalist tools are there.

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fire steel, tinder, paracord, and medical kit.

with those items and a good knife, you can do anything.
 
All of the aforementioned gidgets and gazmos, plus a small fishing kit. Lots of rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, etc. around here. A small pencil sharpener makes some really good tinder and is handy to have around for that purpose as well as sharpening pencils.
 
I would add a good sharpener; either an EZE Lap or DMT Dia-Fold. I like the idea of a smaller knife (SAK?) to do the more detailed chores. Care must be taken not to make it too bulky where it gets left behind in the truck or at the camp site.

ROCK6
 
Smooth cut mill file, Silicon-carbide pocket stone, and DOAN mag block. Secured to the sheath by wide ranger band.

My main kit with the fire, tinder, water stuff is on my belt next to the smaller knife.
 
ROCK6 said:
Care must be taken not to make it too bulky where it gets left behind in the truck or at the camp site.ROCK6
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This right here is my biggest concern with building my kit around my large knife or machete sheath. I tend to keep the sheath strapped to my pack and the Machete in hand while using it. But I always have my ESEE-3 on my belt no matter whats on my pack.

I am working on putting together something that goes between my sheath and my neck/pockets to cover the basics. I have a firesteel on my sheath because, to me those are the two most important tools to have. Now I am trying to figure out a good way to keep a small compass, emergency blanket/garbage bag, and some other small things on my person without adding to much bulk.

I work alone all day so I have lots of time to think about all of these types of ideas and gadgets and gizmo's.
 
I have never seen any need to strap a dang thing to the sheath of a knife, with the sole exception of maybe a sharpener. Maybe that.
 
my GHB is a cordura pouch, about 3x5, originally designed for carrying loose rifle cartridges, wide front flap covered with velcro...not too stiff with a gusset...expands easily and opens wide...will hold AMK heat sheet, base plate compass, full size Bic, small firesteel, qt ziploc bag, Vic Farmer, AMK/Ritter kit, offset screwdriver,tweezers, section of hack saw blade and heavy needle, 4 quarters,....bloodstopper gauze, katadyn ClO2 tabs, cloth knuckle bandage, insect wipe, 2x3gauze, betadine wipe, aspirin/immodium carried in a separate zip pouch, reinforced with duck tape
 
ROCK6 said:
I would add a good sharpener; either an EZE Lap or DMT Dia-Fold. I like the idea of a smaller knife (SAK?) to do the more detailed chores. Care must be taken not to make it too bulky where it gets left behind in the truck or at the camp site.

ROCK6
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I'd say a coarse/fine Dia-Fold, small knife, fire steel, and some basic (flat) med kit items...maybe a thin space blanket too, if it could be kept flat enough. Anything more than that and it'll be too bulky to be comfortable.

Honestly I think that I'd be happy with just a couple of flat pouches--one for a Dia-Fold and one for a small fixed blade.
 
The only items I will ever attach to my sheath are a firesteel and maybe a small sharpener. The reason is that my knife is one of my most used items and I want it's carry system to remain lightweight , especially if it's on my person.Also , less stuff to get snagged on in the bush. My survival gear remains in my survival box , which usually is a Pelican case. Most of the time , my travel sharpener ( DC4) is normally in there as well. Most of all my sheaths do have a firesteel strapped on them , as it is very compact.
 
At minimum, carry a lighter or other means of firemaking and a space blanket.

As mentioned above, you create a large pack and then you'll tend to leave it behind.
 
Well...here are the items that are in the pouch of my BK9 sheath.

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Bk13, ceramic sharpening rod, small firesteel, fatwood w/ jute, clip on LED.
 
Hopefully what I need to get a fire started, and shelter built (and some basic repairs)...

FS2-Sheath-Contents.jpg


Cheers,
8
 
If I'm moving though terrain that requires a large blade/machete, then I'll be carrying my Molle II fanny pack with canteen/cup/stove, 100' 550 paracord, compass, whistle, firesteel, Bahco Laplander saw (easier for a geezer than a chopper), Mora Clipper 840, and a poncho (strapped on) w/woobie in cold weather. On my belt will be my SRK in Carbon V and Leatherman Core. ---but this is just me... ;o)
 
I really like the idea of a survival sheath. But in practice, they don't hold much, and what they do hold tends to make them uncomfortable. The only one I use is a Spec Ops Survival sheath (the old one with the zipper & fastex closure), and I just keep a diafold sharpener and ceramic rod in it.

I've come to realize I'd rather have a real survival kit, rather than try to live out of an Altoids tin, so I strap a knife to a survival kit, rather than a survival kit to a knife.
 
Cpl Punishment said:
I've come to realize I'd rather have a real survival kit, rather than try to live out of an Altoids tin, so I strap a knife to a survival kit, rather than a survival kit to a knife.
Click to expand...

+1. While I like looking at the various "loaded" sheaths (good stuff)...I know I wouldn't carry 'em around in practice.
Belt knife yes / larger ones I strap to pack.
But then.... I could just be lazy. :D
 
i wrapped paracord around my golok sheath and stashed a ferro rod under it.

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btw, never said thanks for the great mora sheaths you made for me Marion - so thanks, they're awesome! :thumbup:

is there a good way to loosen 'em up a bit? or will they loosen up on their own in time? i appreciate them being tight rather than loose since they're for my two boys and i'd rather the knife be secure more than anything else. but they're tight enough that it may be difficult for a little one to unsheath. just heat it up and wiggle the blade in it a little? what's the best heat method - oven, hair-dryer? i'm ignorant when it comes to kydex! :o
 
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