The knife is the most essential survival tool for anyone who ventures into the wild. Although it can cut through woods, it can also be used for other tasks. However, with some knowledge and practice, it can also do many other jobs and replace heavier or less useful tools.
We will only be focusing on a single fixed-blade knife for the purposes of this article. While folding knives are useful, they can be dangerous and cause injury to the user if they close suddenly.
Red Head Expedition Fixed Blade Knife has a full-tang. This means that the metal of your survival knife extends through the handle. The knife should be made of high-quality steel. The majority of people prefer knives with blades between 4 and 6 inches. However, some prefer longer or shorter blades.
Although survival knives can do almost everything any other knife can (gutting, skinning, fighting, filing fish), they are not great for detail work and are too heavy to be used for combat. If you need to do specialty work, a specialty knife is the best choice.
A survival knife is a great tool for any situation.
There are nine reasons
1. For making firewood, a large, heavy knife can be used to cut and split wood into smaller pieces. Simply hold the blade against the log and hit it with a stick to chop. Split logs by laying the blade on the grain like an axe. Then, pound the blade through the log. Although it’s not as efficient as an actual axe, it does the job well in a pinch.
2. Shave Tinder — This survival knife can be used to remove bark from deadwood, cut birch bark, and turn dry branches into tinder. This fine material can be used to create a spark and/or a fire.
3. Whittle Tools — Your knife is the most important tool you have. It is best to not attach it to a stick or spear as you may lose it. Instead, sharpen the stick to a point, then cut the knife down to the tip. For catching small fish or other small games, you can force the points apart using a small rock or stick.
A survival knife can also be used to remove fish hooks, traps, and other tools.
4. Start a fire — You should have matches and a lighter. But what if they fail? You should always be prepared and have a ferrocerium rod in case of an emergency. For a torrent of hot sparks, use your knife as a striker. This type of fire should only be attempted in a controlled setting. Although it is not as simple as using a match, it is still reliable as long as you have good tinder. You can make this chore even easier by carrying a few Vasoline-soaked cotton ball to catch sparks and ignite quickly in all weather conditions.
5. Dig a hole — While this isn’t a good use of a knife, it can dull the blade and cause damage to the knife. However, if you have to dig (for example to find bait or dig a toilet), then a knife will work and serve a lot more functions than a shovel.
6. You can build a shelter using a survival knife. It is useful for cutting down branches and it is very versatile. Begin by cutting some evergreen branches for padding. Next, build a lean to over the boughs with a few sturdy branches and more boughs. (Depending on the climate, palms are amazing in the tropics).
7. Stake out Lines — Use a knife to stab into the ground, stump or tree to quickly make a stake. You should not do this as it is easy to make a stake out of a tree limb. However, it could be useful in the desert.
8. First Aid — Cut strips of clothing or cotton material with the knife to make a bandage. The knife can also be used to cut splinters in a pinch. But be careful!
9. Hammer — The pommel or handle of the knife can be used as a fine hammer when needed. For safety, put the sheath on first. These knives often have a point at the pommel that can smash a window in an emergency.
