Knives for a SHTF or Survival situation.

[Wolf 5.7]

I wouldn't carry a knife for defense, unless I had to. I am not much of a hunter (even though I am in class to get my NC hunting liscense), and I don't have a skinner, but I see it's uses. A knife for fighting is not very smart. You're range is limited, unless it's a thrower, and then if you miss, your out a weapon. Honestly a good heavy branch is better than a knife. If you have a knife, secure it to the end of a branch for a spear. For defense or general usefulness, I have a old rusty machette. I figure If I don't lop some psycho's arm off, he will at least have a fracture and come down with tetnus. It also works great to clear brush. I also keep a SOG Tomahawk in my car at all times. It's sharp enough to cut a seatbelt off, it can break windows if I need to get out of my car. Chops wood and clears brush equally well. Doubles as a hammer as well. Easy to maintain as well. Fighting wise, I can throw it and have a better chance of inflicting injury with it than a knife. And it can easily break/cleave bone, and from what I have seen it do to sheet metal, I'm sure it can knock off a armored assailant if that ever happened.


I do keep a SOG flash 2 for work purposes.

[Country101]

Wolf, in this kind of situation, the knife may be used for just about anything related to survival, so defense is just a small part of it. It could be used for any number of purposes and must serve as many as possible. The other stuff in the bag will fill in the gaps.

[Wolf 5.7]

Originally Posted by Country101

Wolf, in this kind of situation, the knife may be used for just about anything related to survival, so defense is just a small part of it. It could be used for any number of purposes and must serve as many as possible. The other stuff in the bag will fill in the gaps.

That's why I mentioned the Tomahawk. Multiple uses. Hammer, Tool maker, tree cutter, up close, light weight.

[joncutt87]

I love my Cutco Buck knife, with the DD edge

[JLA]

I carry 3 knives in the field. A folding utility knife that uses interchangeable box razors, a 4" skinner with guthook. and a Kukri or a cane machete. The skinner is only used on cleaning game, the machete is used to cut brush, hack firewood, defend against threats etc. The folding utility knife is just that. a utility knife that gets used for everything the machete is too large for..

[JLA]

Plus I keep a leatherman multi tool as well which is essentially a redneck swiss army knife

[permafrost]

Originally Posted by JLA

Plus I keep a leatherman multi tool as well which is essentially a redneck swiss army knife

Best discription I've heard! I carry one myself .

[JLA]

It is. and the only one that fits IMO.. I been really wanting to get me a Gerber multitool..

[Bobitis]

Originally Posted by JLA

Plus I keep a leatherman multi tool as well which is essentially a redneck swiss army knife

How can you even compare the two?
The Swiss has a bazillion tools that you'll likely never use (cool), but the leatherman has tools you'll use frequently. And they're sturdy.

[JLA]

hence the redneck designation.. Rednecks are real life survivalists. When the whole of the worlds nukes all go off in the coming Jihadi apocalypse there will be cockroaches and rednecks left to revel in the ashes..

[Bobitis]

Got it.

Sometimes I can be a little dense.

[Country101]

Redneck swiss army knife is a good discription. And if you ever start carrying one, you'll never want to go without one.

I'm getting a Ka-bar Tanto to go in my kit. Really, I'm gonna use it on hogs, but it looks like a good addition for the price and size. I'm gonna get the larger one with a kydex sheath and put the para cord braided around it.

[JLA]

The ka-bar tantos are excellent throat slicers, the straight blade provides an easy to sharpen edge that will slice your kills throat plum to the neck bone. And makes a formidable fighting knife if the need arises. My brother bought one a couple years ago at CTD. We spent 3 hours honing the edge. Ka-bar uses some high carbon steel and that stuff is damn hard.. but holds and edge quite well once you get one on there..

[carver]

Originally Posted by carver

IMHO you need two knives. One for skinning, one for heavier work. To that end I have skinners, and I choose the Bowie for the heavy work.

In my original post I left out the Leatherman tool, something that goes with me where ever I go! As Josh put it "a redneck swiss army knife". A bowie will work as a machete, an ax, or a hammer. And please guys, never attach your knife to a stick to make it a spear for throwing, that's a good way to lose a knife, or break it. Attach it to a stick as a defensive weapon for thursting, and slashing, but not throwing.

[JLA]

I agree.. use the knife to sharpen the stick and char it in the fire to harden it to make spears.. A nice straight green tree about 1.5-2" in diameter will make a dandy spear for throwing and if you break the tip you can always resharpen it with the knife..

[CampingJosh]

Originally Posted by JLA

It is. and the only one that fits IMO.. I been really wanting to get me a Gerber multitool..

Get one of the one-handed opening models. I carry this one everywhere I go. Around here, they can be had at Gander Mtn. ($50) or Menards ($35), but ordering works just fine, too.

I'm also a fan of this thing. I picked it up a couple years ago to see if I would like the style; at that price point, I wasn't expecting quality. I used it to build a tepee that summer, and it still cuts pretty well. The blade is very prone to rusting, but it keeps a decent edge, and it's got enough heft to power through just about any cut. When it dies, I'll switch to the Woodsman's Pal that Bob pointed out previously. For now, though, it serves its role well.

[permafrost]

I been eyeballin' that Woodsmans Pal for a while now myself. I think it would be great in deer camp. We're alway's cutting and chopping and everone has to have a firestick to poke at the fire.

[Salvage33]

Boker lock back drop point skinner in pocket
CRKT Van Hoy spring assisted clipped in hip pocket
Cold Steel Kobrun tanto blade (AUS-8 steel)
Machete attached to my back pack

Sharpening kit in back pack

John

[jstgsn]

I see this thread has been rode hard and put up wet. So it shouldn't hurt if I throw in my two cents. For more years than I can remember I have carried a Swiss Army Tinker. They come in two sizes, regualar and small and I prefer the smaller size. The Swiss Army Tinker has a large blade and a small blade, a small flat head screw driver and a can opener, a flat head screw driver with a bottle opener, an awl that you can use to sew with, and a phillips head screwdriver that fits most phillip head screws, along with the tweesers and toothpic. It holds and edge and is easy to sharpen. It doesn't rust easily. I believe in the years I have carried these knives I have used this knife for one thing or the other every day I've carried it. I once bow shot a deer which we tracked for hours. We ended up stipping off our gear and wading through a marsh following the blood trail. When we got to a small island, the deer was found hiding behind a downed tree. It was struggling and my son and I discovered neither of us brought our sheath knives. All I had was that little swiss army knife. We grabbed the deer and I dispatched it by slitting it's throat. I had just sharpened that swiss army knife with my lansky set up and the cut went to the neck bone. I field dressed the deer with the little swiss army knife too. So there are my feelings about what to carry daily.
For survival, I prefer my cold steel SRK (survival rescue knife) as it is indestructable and has good weight, holds an edge, and is all around a bad a$$ knife.
For hunting, I like my buck lite which is the same size as their famed 110, but much lighter. I have honed it and sharpened it to the blade looks like a mirror and I can hold a section of 10# mono up and shave it into little pieces by just drawing the blade accross it.

Why this knife is so sharp, I once cut myself and all three of my sons started bleeding. The edge is so sharp, you can drop a human hair and as it lands on the blade, it will cut in two. I once cut myself just thinking about this blade.
Okay, enough, one more sip of VO and I'm going to bed. Up to "why this knife is so sharp" I was serious.
have a nice night.

[JLA]

Originally Posted by CampingJosh

Get one of the one-handed opening models. I carry this one everywhere I go. Around here, they can be had at Gander Mtn. ($50) or Menards ($35), but ordering works just fine, too.

I'm also a fan of this thing. I picked it up a couple years ago to see if I would like the style; at that price point, I wasn't expecting quality. I used it to build a tepee that summer, and it still cuts pretty well. The blade is very prone to rusting, but it keeps a decent edge, and it's got enough heft to power through just about any cut. When it dies, I'll switch to the Woodsman's Pal that Bob pointed out previously. For now, though, it serves its role well.

Yup. That Bond corn knife is just a cane machete with a 'gut hook'. Excellent design for rugged use.

[Wolf 5.7]

What is a good brand of leatherman anyways? I would rather have one than a Swiss-CrapwherethehackdidIlooseit Army knife. I swear I think I hold the world's record for most of them lost. Also, I could never get a good edge on mine.

[Country101]

Wolf, Leatherman is actually a brand. I have the Wave model and like it a lot. The knives are never going to be razor sharp, but they are tough as nails. I abuse mine all the time and have not really needed to sharpen them. Plus, leatherman has a lifetime warranty. I broke the pliers(which made the thing virtually worthless )and just kept it around thinking I could use the knives fishing or something. I sent it back and they sent me a new one, no questions asked. And I had to really abuse it to do what I did. So I will only buy the leatherman brand. And if I can find one at a yard sale somebody broke, I will buy it as well.

[aandabooks]

I just picked up a SOG Seal Pup and it is a pretty stout feeling knife. Seems like it would be good in a lot of different situations. The sheath that they are packaging it with has a pouch on the front for a good sized folder.

[The Duke]

Got a big Ek with paracord wrapped handle for survival...Couple insta-open or flipper clippers for general and defense...Going to try to find me a Swiss Army for the bug out bag this weekend...

[pops42]

well i recken i am old fashion ,the only knives i would want when it does hit the fan is my old timmer in my pocket and my 2 buck knives a 119 and a 102