Newsletter

Topic:  SURVIVAL KNIVES

It seems that when we hear the words survival knife. We conjure up mental images of huge razor sharp Bowie knives. These mental images may even include large fierce looking saw teeth on top edge of knife blade. While larger knives will always require less time and energy to perform most survival related tasks, they are by no means the only style of knife to use. Many knives that are considerably smaller may accomplish a wide variety of survival related tasks. It is therefore a mistake not to include a good pocket knife in your survival equipment. Small tasks, such as cleaning fish or game are accomplished easily with a small sharp pocket knife. Try peeling an apple with a ten inch Bowie knife, and you will soon understand what I am saying here.

The Large Bowie style knives shown in above photographs are handmade and extremely strong. These large knives will make many hard to do tasks much easier. I personally feel that any knife that is to be used in a survival role should have a blade length of 6 inches minimum and a maximum blade length of close to ten inches. I realize there are many excellent knives on the market with blades in excess of ten inches. If such a knife interests you, then by al means purchase it. When considering the purchase of a knife, try to stay with models that have full tags. A full tang knife is simply constructed as one piece of steel from tip of blade to end of handle butt. This knife will normally have handle slabs bolted or riveted to the tang. This type of knife is very strong. Hollow handle knives are not my cup of tea. This type of knife was very popular a few years back, when many believed you could carry enough supplies in the handle to keep one alive in the wilderness indefinitely. For the most part hollow handle knives lack the strength to handle prolonged abuse. There are exceptions to this rule of course. I know of at least one manufacture that creates his knives from a solid single piece of steel. These knives are a work of art. I suspect I will get a bushel of email telling me how wrong I am on this subject.

 Another consideration should be saw blade teeth found on many survival knives. While these teeth appear as though they are capable of cutting anything into two pieces, most simply do not work well. They knife industry is saturated with this type of knife. I have found the small Swiss army knives to have excellent saws, including an assortment of other useful tools. These small saws actually do work, very well in fact. They are perfect for building snares and a wide variety of other survival requirements and tasks. When purchasing a new knife, your decision may quickly become clouded and very confusing. Especially with the wide selection of steels that are available today. Many of us have heard stories concerning the difficulty in sharpening a knife made of stainless steel.  I find that this notion is total nonsense and not a problem anymore. The new breed of diamond sharpeners will do a superb job of restoring a knife to razor edge sharpness, plus they are very durable and will last many years. Ceramic knife sharpeners are also an excellent choice. These ceramic sharpeners will last a lifetime and work very well. When the pores become clogged with metal, they are easily cleaned with scouring powder and running water. I own many knives made with various types of steels. I find each of them performs very well. whether the blade is made of some exotic combination of steel or plain old carbon steel, they all perform the same function, they simply cut.

 One of my favorite knives is manufactured by a company that offers a video demonstrating the effectiveness of their product line. I own one of their large knives, and it not only cuts well but edge retention is simply amazing. I like this knife very much. There are many other companies that offer outstanding and high quality knives at very reasonable prices. I feel there is no reason in this day and age to not own a superior quality knife. Many custom made knives are very good, although the prices for hand crafted knives may seem a little high for some wallets. You must keep in mind these are hand crafted and require considerable effort and skill to make. These knives shown in accompanying photographs are all handmade. These knives have been hand forged using a coal fire forge, anvil and hammer. Plus many hours of sweat and hard work. These knives may or may not be better than many manufactured by large companies. One of the benefits of owning a handmade custom knife is pretty simple. It will be the only one of its kind in the world. They may be similar knives but each will be different. Regardless of which type of knife you choose to own, always purchase the best you can for the amount of funds you are able to spend. Above all, try to avoid tricky or gimmick knives and included items. Always avoid any knives that are questionable. If even slightly in doubt, avoid purchasing the knife.

I recommend taping a pouch to the sheath. This small pouch when taped to the sheath will allow you to carry a considerable amount of survival related equipment. Far more in fact then could ever be carried in a hollow handle. I recommend avoiding double edged knives as survival tools. Double edged knives make far better weapons than tools. Plus the likelihood of an accident is greatly reduced. Many knives come with a false top edge. Which is merely an unsharpened top edge. This reduces weight, enhances cosmetics and may be easily sharpened if so desired.

Handle design and material are critical. The design of the handle must be comfortable enough to be used on a long term basis without creating blisters. I feel that knives with round handles tend to roll in the hand when using them for heavy chopping, such as shelter building. Even though the knife may be of top quality, they can still be a problem. The old style coffin handles are very comfortable. They do not roll in the hand and they do not slip. Many come with synthetic handles and are resistant to numerous chemicals, plus they will not slip even when wet. Above all never select a knife because a friend has one like it, or it is just plain "cool" to look at. If I were to do such a thing, I would own hundreds of cool looking knives. Consider the knife a tool foremost and keep it sharp, clean and well oiled. If you do these things, the knife will last you many years. Who knows it may even save your life one day. TC