The importance of the knife
- Thread starter Scottishwanderer
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In survival - quite high, it's an important tool.
In camping - hardly necessary
In bushcraft - quite useful but not essential
In camping - hardly necessary
In bushcraft - quite useful but not essential
nooo, just joking. A bit more specs would be great 
You need water, shelter, food, fire.
A knife can help you with all of those, if you know how to use it to obtain them.
So it's about knowing how to use one, not about having one.
I often say if I could only take one thing with me, it would be my Jerven bag. The second thing would be some sort of container.
Then I might start thinking about a knife. But I could make something if I had to, they did it in the Stone Age.
A knife can help you with all of those, if you know how to use it to obtain them.
So it's about knowing how to use one, not about having one.
I often say if I could only take one thing with me, it would be my Jerven bag. The second thing would be some sort of container.
Then I might start thinking about a knife. But I could make something if I had to, they did it in the Stone Age.
In the desert, very little, same for the open ocean.
In the forest though, now thats different. i can provide the basis to create all the other tools you may need. if you didn't have one, you could make one, but then you have a knife !
In the forest though, now thats different. i can provide the basis to create all the other tools you may need. if you didn't have one, you could make one, but then you have a knife !
Problem is, the most bomb proof natural ways to make fire, usually mean needing a knife.
One lesson that was drummed into me at scouts, in my youth, was that if you see your kit disappearing over a cliff and you can only grab one item you should grab your knife. If you know how to use it properly it will keep you alive. Probably not actually true in all environments but it does cover a lot.
When the knife law thingy was all over the press in the UK I did try walking without it. It made me feel really uncomfortable. Having taken advice from the local constabulary I have now returned to carrying it if Im out walking in an isolated area, much better
.
When the knife law thingy was all over the press in the UK I did try walking without it. It made me feel really uncomfortable. Having taken advice from the local constabulary I have now returned to carrying it if Im out walking in an isolated area, much better
.
Fire is much more important than a metal knife you can use a sharp rock if you need a cutting tool loads of em around and free...
Not around here. The nearest rock bigger than a pea is a couple hundred miles away.
BOD
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
As Santa says it depends on where you are.
Out in the bush at home in Oz water and shelter from the sun are number one.
Don't need a knife to catch lizard, frogs and insects to eat
Out in the bush at home in Oz water and shelter from the sun are number one.
Don't need a knife to catch lizard, frogs and insects to eat
forestwalker
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
For short term survival (say 1-2 weeks) a knife is not really important here. For long term one would need some sort of knife or knife substitute.
In my area a knife is a luxury item but a machete is truly essential to survival. Here the machete will literally touch on every aspect of survival in the wilderness from opening a path, constructing a shelter, harvesting vines for water or lashing, preparing materials for fire, harvesting wild edibles such as palm hearts, constructing traps, etc. The machete is the master key that unlocks the jungle environment, without one you would be hard pressed.
