Florida. It's all sand here. Further inland it turns to clay and a bit of small gravel here and there. A couple hundred miles north into upper Alabama you start to get some rocks bigger than gravel
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The importance of the knife
- Thread starter Scottishwanderer
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A knife is the number one important item.
They are the oldest tool made..... For a good reason....
With a good knife you can make other tools or other items needed...
They are the oldest tool made..... For a good reason....
With a good knife you can make other tools or other items needed...
Is this the "youcan only have one item, what is it?" scenario or the "you must survive as long as possible, do you need a knife?" scenario? I could probably get by without a knife in the latter as the other items I would have would replace it or at least take the necessity for a knife down a notch (I.e a tarp or tent means no need to cut branches for a lean-to, axe is multi use- cutting and chopping etc). In the first scenario, I think a knife would probably be one of the top items on my list, but depending on the location, conditions and length of time, I may choose something else instead.
That said, I carry a knife at all times unless in an airport or at court
That said, I carry a knife at all times unless in an airport or at court
BOD
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
This is quite true. In the jungle a big knife is the No 1 item.
I once was out away separated from my group without a parang / machete just a silly 3" folder ( well made but of limited value).
Movement in the direction I needed to go might have been impossible without a big knife and with only an inch of water in the canteen could have meant a very unpleasant time or unpleasant end.
Will never travel in the jungle w/o a big knife and will keep it and my pack with me on the planes.
an axe or jungle type blade would be much better in most climates, you can cut big branches with them which makes it a much more useful tool all round..
a good knife is always better to have than not though..
a good knife is always better to have than not though..
Spot on post. Knife and survival would depend on so many variables, climate, terrain etc and these factors would dictate the blade needed so is a knife necessary in survival? A blade of some sort is.
For survival, look at your priorities:
1) Shelter - don't need a knife if you've got a sheet of some sort or are digging in the snow. I'm sure you could fashion a debris shelter without one but a blade would make things easier
2) Location - can't see how a knife would be much use here
3) Water - no knife needed unless you're trying to split open plants to drink the fluid inside
4) Food/Fire - picking berries, insects, fish etc. no knife essential. For making fire, not really needed although to make a fire bow without one could be tricky
So, in conclusion, perhaps not as essential as one might think. I carry a Leatherman but it's more for the pliers & scissors than the blade
1) Shelter - don't need a knife if you've got a sheet of some sort or are digging in the snow. I'm sure you could fashion a debris shelter without one but a blade would make things easier
2) Location - can't see how a knife would be much use here
3) Water - no knife needed unless you're trying to split open plants to drink the fluid inside
4) Food/Fire - picking berries, insects, fish etc. no knife essential. For making fire, not really needed although to make a fire bow without one could be tricky
So, in conclusion, perhaps not as essential as one might think. I carry a Leatherman but it's more for the pliers & scissors than the blade
1. If you have no shelter you can make something with a knife. (Would you normally have a shelter in a survival situation?).
2. Location....... Not sure how your answer helps here....
3. Yes you answered that one yerself... And to make a digging stick or other...
4. Food. To make harpoons, Spears etc... Fire making equipment etc...
So, in conclusion, perhaps more essential than one might think.
1. You can find/make shelter without a knife, so not essential
2. If you're trying to locate where you are, a knife won't help as much as a compass, so not essential
3. As discussed
4. Useful, but not essential.
I stick by my post, a knife is not essential but I'd rather have one in the unlikely event of finding myself in a pure survival situation
2. If you're trying to locate where you are, a knife won't help as much as a compass, so not essential
3. As discussed
4. Useful, but not essential.
I stick by my post, a knife is not essential but I'd rather have one in the unlikely event of finding myself in a pure survival situation
1. If you have no shelter you can make something with a knife. (Would you normally have a shelter in a survival situation?).
2. Location....... Not sure how your answer helps here....
3. Yes you answered that one yerself... And to make a digging stick or other...
4. Food. To make harpoons, Spears etc... Fire making equipment etc...
So, in conclusion, perhaps more essential than one might think.
I'm with Spandit- the thread is asking how important a knife is- yes, as you have pointed out, it is useful to assist in achieving the priorities of survival, but it is not essential. There are ways around the problem if you don't have a knife, it's just less efficient. People survived since they arrived on the planet without knives, they just achieved less (by modern standards- i.e. if we are to look at things in a materialistic way).
? Huh....
You really have contradicted yerself there....
The key word is "Important"......
In most survival situations People without any cutting implement do far worse than those with.
I suggest you read "117 days adrift". For what is probably one of the worst survival scenarios on record, to discover the fact...
The knife in survival isn't needed for shelter craft apart from a few extreme situations.
If you only had a knife then things like containers for boiling water will need a knife in our environment, knife isn't needed for fire lighting via friction too much either.
In my estemation for a hypothetical survival scenario in our environment i would say a pot ranks higher than a knife.
For long term bush living the knife is the best thing.
For in terms of long term bush living comfort becomes high priority, with the knife it's possible to make a lot of stuff thats purely a luxury item for example bowls, spoons etc
Short term though a knife in our environment would not be needed.
However anything you could make with a knife can be made with no tools it just takes longer.
If you only had a knife then things like containers for boiling water will need a knife in our environment, knife isn't needed for fire lighting via friction too much either.
In my estemation for a hypothetical survival scenario in our environment i would say a pot ranks higher than a knife.
For long term bush living the knife is the best thing.
For in terms of long term bush living comfort becomes high priority, with the knife it's possible to make a lot of stuff thats purely a luxury item for example bowls, spoons etc
Short term though a knife in our environment would not be needed.
However anything you could make with a knife can be made with no tools it just takes longer.
By 'important' I read approaching 'critical' and 'essential'. My point is that to achieve the priorities of survival as Spandit sets them out, it is in most cases possible without a knife, just much harder work. I have re-read my post and can't see a contradiction?
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My opinion is worth what you've paid for it. Bilgerat disagrees which is fine. It's a good job early humans had knives otherwise we'd be extinct by now 
The original question is one that will garner numerous opinions both ways. Most of which follow valid logic. A vehicle breakdown on a desert highway in the southwest would need a supply of water in the trunk or backseat rather than a knife. A sudden storm cutting one off in the mountains would require a knife or axe minimum (bears don't respond well to sharp rocks and live trees don't cut themselves down) Other scenarios will of course determine just how important a knife is (or is not)
But your above statement is a bit of a teaser. Survival by its very mention implies "extreme situation." And a knife will always remain one of the most versatlie general purpose tools.
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I am beginning to think that the knife would be more of a hindrance in short term survival than a benifit especially amongst those who claim to be proficient with the tool.
In our environment for short term survival (up to 3 days) the obvious priority's come into play. Shelter if possible should preferably be under a pine tree with a fire and your fuel pile as a windblock and some boughs under you.
In a pine deficient environment the other choice would be the a frame covered in any material to hand.
In winter a tripod with as much wood piled around it is best, a brush bed and a small fire.
Or a fire wood pile made into a lean to with a brush bed and huge fire.
Water doesn't need purified depending on the likelyhood of rescue, if your likely to be rescued within 3 days just drink whatever water available and take the hit after rescue.
Food isn't a priority
In our environment for short term survival (up to 3 days) the obvious priority's come into play. Shelter if possible should preferably be under a pine tree with a fire and your fuel pile as a windblock and some boughs under you.
In a pine deficient environment the other choice would be the a frame covered in any material to hand.
In winter a tripod with as much wood piled around it is best, a brush bed and a small fire.
Or a fire wood pile made into a lean to with a brush bed and huge fire.
Water doesn't need purified depending on the likelyhood of rescue, if your likely to be rescued within 3 days just drink whatever water available and take the hit after rescue.
Food isn't a priority
If it's a question of survival then, yes, I would like to have a knife.
Only a fool would turn down something that would make your life easier.
Only a fool would turn down something that would make your life easier.
Well i disagree sort of.
Extreme survival would be being in an environment or eco system which you have no familiarity with. For example me being stuck in the middle of the kalahari or brazilian rainforest. Less extreme would be an environment i'm familiar for example Temperate and some forests further North.
It would be far less extreme being in an unfamiliar environment than one i have some practical knowledge and experience of.
Any situation in environments im familiar with do not require any cutting tools for short terms survival (I have experience in temperate environment and some in Boreal environments) Nearly any forest of decent size has trees that are simple to just push down by hand or with the assistance of a pole.
Greenwood isnt needed in these type of environments short term.
Only had two bear encounters so can't really comment and i can't really comment on environments i have no experience and training in.
Our far West comes to mind. There is very little wood on or near the forest floor in some Pinyon forests. Forests of "decent" size, don't have small trees (less than 3 feet diameter) that can be pushed over; they have "decent" size trees. Firewood is obtained by cutting branches from live trees (unless you have a chain saw) Downed wood can be had but not always without expending too much energy searching. That's one of my points though; not all environs/situations will have the same needs but a knife is and always will be a general purpose tool.
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