Knife Based Survival Kit

[Mistwalker]

I recently put together a knife based survival kit,( and then I got help my wife put together one more suited to her needs.)

I start with a Ka-Bar hardsheath, it works well with all versions of the standard seven inch fighting/utility; ka-bar, ontario, camillus, case, marbles, you name it. It also happens to work well with this Cold Steel ODA. I am thinking this will now be the knife that is stored in my pack in the truck....., most of the time...., when I get through doing tests with it.


Here is what the KA-BAR "replacement" glass-filled nylon sheath looks like out of the box.

I first cut the blet loop and sewed in a side release webbing buckle.

Then I wanted to add this pouch from another knife sheath for a firestarter and things, but the slots in the sheath were too narrow, and in the wrong place for that because the pouch would interfere with releasing the retainer strap.

So I had to make the slots a little larger, moving them down some also. I started out by clamping the sheath down and drilling some holes in it, in line with the slots.

Then I take a small saw blade and connect the holes, and rasp down the sides of the new section of the slot.

Now the pouch fits.......

But the velcro is in the wrong spot......

so for now I just moved it over, and will sew abigger piece on it after the next time I am over at the brainerd army store and buy some.

and this is the result so far....Oh and I love the thong Lisa made for it while I was in the shower one night.

This is what it has in it so far, a mag stick, a firesteel, some fish hooks, and some fatwood slivers, there is room for split shots and some fishing line. I am setting it up for fishing because I am going to go camping in the river bottoms next weekend before winter ends....., avoiding the cotton mouths, I like the winter fog on the river, and the cold river air makes the fire just that much more special.

and now that I have cut the magstick down some, there is room for some larger pieces of fatwood if needed. I plan on wrapping some braided nylon twine around the sheath for use in shelter building, snares, or fishing...., but all I have at the moment is white so I'll either get some green or stain the white with some walnut shells. Then this and my canteen will be my basic life support system.

I wanted to add some cordage to this sheath so I looked around at nylon twines and cords for something small but strong. At Rock Creek Outfitters I found some small fifty foot rolls of some gold nylon braided utility cord by "Adventure 16" that is relatively small but is rated at 200 lb test. They don't take up much room whole, and they were just under $3.00 a roll.

So now I've cut some notches in the lower part of the sheath to acomodate it and managed to wrap twenty feet of cord and secure it to the sheath.

Then I sewed some to the flap of the pouch and double wrapped it not only securing the flap but further securing the pouch to the sheath.

Also I did some mods on the sheath it's self so that it will now accomodate the handle and thicker blade of my SOG bowie knife.

So now I am going to shave down the bar of magnesium some, remove some of the excess plastic on the handle of a scout model firesteel, and then I'll have enough room for a plastic "card" wrapped with some fishing line and some luers, and a small signal mirror. Then just between this knife and the paracord bracelet I wear I will have the abilities to; cut....,whatever, start several fires for warmth, cooking or signaling, find direction, open tin cans, fish with either a bated hook, a lure, or make a gill net and have a combined total of 32 feet of cordage for shelter making, building a small raft or other contingencies.


Here I have it finished. This project is the end result of the tests of several knives and sheath systems and a combination several parts taken from the sheath systems, and added items. The nuts and washers are improvised weights until I get back to a sporting goods store, and I want to add some snare wire to the sheath as well. I had to do some more cutting on it to get the new legstrap on.

Knife......................................SOG Classic Bowie with 6.35" blade
Sheath...................................Ka-Bar Kydex sheath for 7" blade
Leg Strap................................Gerber LMF II Infantry
Pouch.....................................Ontario M-9 Bayonet
Fire Steel.................................Light My Fire Army model
Cut down Mag. Stick.................Doan Mach. & Tool
P-51 Can Opener.....................Shelby Co.
30 feet 20lb test fishing line.......Stren
8 fish hooks.............................Eagle Claw baitholder
Fatwood.................................Mother Nature
2 Strike anywhere matches........Blue Diamond
28 ft 250 lb test braided cord....Adventure 16
I meter parachute cord.............U.K. MOD

All securely attached

In a neat little kit.

I added the fishing line, hooks, and some flies

I got 20lb test line thinking it more versatile,but now wonder if for fish of this size I wouldn't be better off with the 10lb line.

Then I decided to put the fishing kit to the test....

Using a limb I found on at the lake, some spider wire a Crapie hook and...,hhhmmm....,some left over pizza crust I managed to catch a few Bluegill

The four I caught

They were all lively little fellows, and yep that's the pizza crust on the tree limb, I hope you all enjoyed your Saturday morning as much as I did mine.

All in all it's a pretty handy kit.

 

[korvin karbon]

excellent post, thank you.

 

[Mistwalker]

excellent post, thank you.

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it, The one I helped my wife make takes a somewhat different approach...,

I'll try to post it later tonight

 

[Squidders]

good for da zombies i'm sure.

 

[Tengu]

That was terrific, you are very talented.

I have altered pouches but not like that

My moras too small for that treatment but I do have bigger knives (and machetes)...I feel inspiried...

Nice pics too

 

[redneck]

good job, well done..ps what do Bluegills taste like?

 

[Mistwalker]

good for da zombies i'm sure.

I'm confused about this one.

 

[Mistwalker]

good job, well done..ps what do Bluegills taste like?

A lot like Bream

 

[Dan1982]

Knife is a bit "Rambo" for me but a nice little post anyway!

Nice one mate!


Dan

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

Good kit

I do question the can opener though ? Unless you have the cans with you i guess !

 

[Mistwalker]

Good kit

I do question the can opener though ? Unless you have the cans with you i guess !

39 Uses for the P38
This list of P-38 uses was compiled by Steve Wilson, MSG Proponent NCO, Dept. of the Army Office of the Chief of Chaplains, The Pentagon. It is posted at the Ft. Bliss Air Defense Artillery Museum among other places:

1. Can Opener
2. Seam Ripper
3. Screwdriver
4. Clean Fingernails
5. Cut Fishing Line
6. Open Paint Cans
7. Window Scraper
8. Scrape Around Floor Corners
9. Digging
10. Clean Out Groove on Tupperware lids
11. Reach in and Clean Out Small Cracks
12. Scrape Around Edge of Boots
13. Bottle Opener
14. Gut Fish (in the field)
15. Scale Fish (in the field)
16. Test for 'Doneness' When Baking on a Camp Fire
17. Prying Items
18. Strip Wire
19. Scrape Pans in the Field
20. Lift Key on Flip Top Cans
21. Chisel
22. Barter
23. Marking Tool
24. Deflating Tires
25. Clean Sole of Boot/Shoe
26. Pick Teeth
27. Measurement
28. Striking Flint
29. Stirring Coffee
30. Puncturing Plastic Coating
31. Knocking on Doors
32. Morse Code
33. Box Cutter
34. Opening Letters
35. Write Emergency Messages
36. Scratch an Itch
37. Save as a Souvenir
38. Rip Off Rank for On-the-Spot Promotions
39. Bee sting removal tool (scrape off w/ blade)

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

OK, you win

 

[galew]

Great post, now I have another project to add to my list, I got to make me one

 

[Grebby]

39 Uses for the P38
This list of P-38 uses was compiled by Steve Wilson, MSG Proponent NCO, Dept. of the Army Office of the Chief of Chaplains, The Pentagon. It is posted at the Ft. Bliss Air Defense Artillery Museum among other places:

1. Can Opener
2. Seam Ripper
3. Screwdriver
4. Clean Fingernails
5. Cut Fishing Line
6. Open Paint Cans
7. Window Scraper
8. Scrape Around Floor Corners
9. Digging
10. Clean Out Groove on Tupperware lids
11. Reach in and Clean Out Small Cracks
12. Scrape Around Edge of Boots
13. Bottle Opener
14. Gut Fish (in the field)
15. Scale Fish (in the field)
16. Test for 'Doneness' When Baking on a Camp Fire
17. Prying Items
18. Strip Wire
19. Scrape Pans in the Field
20. Lift Key on Flip Top Cans
21. Chisel
22. Barter
23. Marking Tool
24. Deflating Tires
25. Clean Sole of Boot/Shoe
26. Pick Teeth
27. Measurement
28. Striking Flint
29. Stirring Coffee
30. Puncturing Plastic Coating
31. Knocking on Doors
32. Morse Code
33. Box Cutter
34. Opening Letters
35. Write Emergency Messages
36. Scratch an Itch
37. Save as a Souvenir
38. Rip Off Rank for On-the-Spot Promotions
39. Bee sting removal tool (scrape off w/ blade)

Not wanting to seem strange but out of those 39 uses 36 could in be done with your knife or a stick or your hand. All execpt 1 Can Opener (this can be done with a knife but isn't the safest thing in the world) 27 Measurement (assuming you need units) and 37 Souvenir (although you could make one with your knife and a stick)

Nice work on the sheath mods though and those can openers are great assuming you have canned food.

Grebby

 

[Mistwalker]

Not wanting to seem strange but out of those 39 uses 36 could in be done at a with your knife or a stick or your hand. All execpt 1 Can Opener (this can be done with a knife but isn't the safest thing in the world) 27 Measurement (assuming you need units) and 37 Souvenir (although you could make one with your knife and a stick)

Nice work on the sheath mods though and those can openers are great assuming you have canned food.

Grebby

Actualy it's ability to function in these capacities only shines if you for some reason find yourself without a knife. You see a survival knife is simply whatever edge you happen to find yourself using to cut with in a survival situation whether it be; a fixed blade knife, a folder, a box cutter, a can lid, a piece of broken glass, or a sharp stone, and ummm.., I have gutted fish with sharp rocks, sticks, and a P-38 and I have to say I prefer using the can opener as it is much handier, and I'd rather use the P-38 than my larger fixed blade kinives to strip wire in tight places, and it works better than a sharp stick on cutting cloth or rubber hose. While yes a knife will work fine as a can opener it will also dull more quickly when employed this way and the P-38 wieghs next to nothing and takes up so little space that it is worth taking along, it's all in context and subject circumstances.

Thank you for for the compliments on the sheath.

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Thanks for a great post, nicely done.

 

[Grebby]

Actualy it's ability to function in these capacities only shines if you for some reason find yourself without a knife. You see a survival knife is simply whatever edge you happen to find yourself using to cut with in a survival situation whether it be; a fixed blade knife, a folder, a box cutter, a can lid, a piece of broken glass, or a sharp stone, and ummm.., I have gutted fish with sharp rocks, sticks, and a P-38 and I have to say I prefer using the can opener as it is much handier, and I'd rather use the P-38 than my larger fixed blade kinives to strip wire in tight places, and it works better than a sharp stick on cutting cloth or rubber hose. While yes a knife will work fine as a can opener it will also dull more quickly when employed this way and the P-38 wieghs next to nothing and takes up so little space that it is worth taking along, it's all in context and subject circumstances.

Thank you for for the compliments on the sheath.

Very good point. After reading my post again it wasn't the best thing in the world to post and I probably shouldn't have done so. They are a very good bits of kit and I've got 2 or 3 scattered about.

In my defence it was 3:30 ish AM and I'd somehow managed to cause the fridge to run out of cans of cider


Grebby

 

[Mistwalker]

Thanks for a great post, nicely done.

Thank you, I'm glad you liked it

Very good point. After reading my post again it wasn't the best thing in the world to post and I probably shouldn't have done so. They are a very good bits of kit and I've got 2 or 3 scattered about.

In my defence it was 3:30 ish AM and I'd somehow managed to cause the fridge to run out of cans of cider


Grebby

I took no offence Grebby, I enjoy the occasional opportunity to explain my reasons for some things and my philosophies, it keeps me thinking and on my toes. I got a little too far into a bottle of burbon for my own good myself or I would have added that they are better for scaling fish than most things that can be found in nature and that I prefer the P-51 to the P-38 but I don't care too much for the German issue ones as they are round on the ends and the "blade" is smaller.

So..., what brand of cider is popular over there? I've just recently noticed it popping up in convenient stores over here.

 

[ZDP-189]

That's a good Idea I may combine with a scratch-build sheath.

 

[Grebby]

So..., what brand of cider is popular over there? I've just recently noticed it popping up in convenient stores over here.

I prefer real cider but getting hold of that where I am is a PITA, last night was a strongbow night. It was one of those days at work for me and my missis and strongbow is the only cider in the local off licence! A couple of cans turned into a few and then all of them. Heads not too bad today though A can of strongbow hasn't seen an apple in it life. I just wish I lived in or near Somerset.

Cider is normally seen as a "kids" drink and most people grow out of it and move on to beer. I've never worked out why because its normally stronger than most beers/largers but it seems to be accepted that way over here.

I obviously haven't grown up yet The range of flavours that can be found in the real cider(and real ale, it's just not my thing) world is wonderful.

Cheers

Grebby