Knives And Sharpeners Are An Important Subject To Cover
Published by Montana Jim on 2010-02-28 16:46:25
Knives and sharpeners are an important subject to cover. I carry
more than most people but I believe that the knife is the most
basic and important of survival tools. I also carry at least one
multitool.
As far as knives, all blades are designed to do different jobs or
functions. I carry a large folding blade that has a belt clip built in.
This allows the user to draw it quickly if needed in an emergency.
I prefer this blade to be half serrated.
This type of blade can cut quickly through rope but also be used
to spread mayo on a sandwich. Get a really good one with good
steel in it, not a cheap one.
We had a potentially dangerous situation on one of our trips. A
33 mule that was saddled got twisted up in his rope and it was
panicking. Before long, it had the rope twisted tightly
around its neck. If it wasn’t for a sharp serrated knife, it could
have been injured.
A larger fixed blade is another good choice. This can be used to
skin animals, make a shelter and other camp chores. I prefer
knives with a rubber type handle or other non-slip material.
As far as sharpeners go, I carry several diamond rods to put a
quick edge on and finish it with a ceramic crock stick. A
suggestion is to take time to touch up your cutting edge more
frequently than to let the knife go dull before re sharpening.
I also carry a small folding saw in my pack and a very small
hatchet. I know this may sound like a lot but I will guarantee you
that if you ever get caught in a survival situation, you will be
thankful to have these tools. They don’t weigh as much as you
may think and you will have peace of mind.
All of these tools are great but if you don’t have the training or
knowledge of how to use them, they become useless. I
recommend that you read up on survival manuals and even take a
course at a survival school if possible. The book stores are full of
these books and one that is excellent is the Air Force Survival
Manual.
