Survival and Emergency Preparedness

I like the handle on that Buck. They’ve been making good knives for a very long time.

I’ve still got both the LMF II and Bear Grill’s in the car and going strong.

IMO most of the knives promoted as survival knives are impractical for anything other than batoning. Watch YouTube reviews and you'd get the impression that knives were invented for that task alone. Too thick to be efficient at more necessary tasks such as camp chores, game processing, food prep or field craft. All of my bags have a Victorinox Trekker and a short, thin machete. The Trekker is an amazing tool with a practical main blade, a very good saw blade (you'd be surprised how handy and efficient) and a few other tools. All in a very neat compact package. The machete works as a light chopper, delimbing tool and personal defense.

I've tested this kit on weekend outings. Works for me.

My hiking/camp knife is a re-curve style, sort of a mild Kukri shape.

I observe that the thread picked up again.

I wish to discuss some things about a survival knife:
1. the skills are not in the knife, they are in the person.
A boy may be given a $15 Mora knife in Scandinavia. He knows that he does not have to chop up a tree to survive. He learns how to do rural agricultural skills like skinning animals, building a fire, making finder tinder, making a staff or a bush shelter by observing and doing.
Just the skills are not in a rifle. People are being impressed into the Russian Army right now and going into combat having shot less than magazine of an AK47 or the equivalent.

2. you can learn most survival skills using a knife, not by buying a book on knives or a 40 topics in one book.
I suggest that you buy a. used Boy Scout Handbook, and b. used merit badge books. You are told what skills are needed for the highest rank of Eagle Scout and what are the specific requirements for each merit badge.
I was an Eagle Scout and was in the army 50 years ago. I was in shock at how my kids had no survival skills whatsoever. They didn't get the skills when they were handed an M14 in Basic Training.
A study of injuries in Vietnam demonstrated that over 1/2 of the casualties were on the first 30 day sweep. So, a 30 day practice sweep under safe conditions was done in country first.
If you think I am full of it, read about the casualty rate among conscripts in the Russian Army.

3. You will not learn combat knife fighting by reading a book. Find a basic Filipino stick fighting course and take it a few times and you will learn the movements in a knife fight.

A few years ago I ran across a Bahco 2444 Carpenter knife which is made by and is identical to the Mora Clipper but in stainless. Found a place online that was selling them by the case @ $3-4/each so I bought a case of 15. I gave them out to my brothers and kids and It's what I carry while hunting and is in all my go bags, vehicles etc. You can still buy them for about $8/each now.



I wrap the sheaths in paracord and add a strap made from a bicycle inner tube to hold the knife in it's sheath just in case. I've gutted a lot of deer, turkeys and skinned squirrels with them.

That's Mora on the left with orange painted cap from before I bought the Bahco (on right)



The orange color is helpful in finding the knives when gutting a deer/animal as you tend to set them down on the ground and lose them on occasion. I used to paint my Mora's caps orange and put an orange stripe on the sheath.

Another set of Moras/Bahco, unlike the Mora, the Bahco has a stainless steel blade



If I need to chop stuff I use a machete or a hatchet, not a knife.

When I was looking for pics of my Bahcos I ran across this one of an old machete that I had broken. I think it had a 18" blade. I ground it down and made a handle for it. About a 12" blade now. I also cut down the sheath. Did that maybe 10 years ago. The handle was eventually wrapped in paracord. It's up at the woods house somewhere. Going to have to dig it out. It may be inside the ATV box. Blade is about a foot long now. It was intended as a camp knife. I don't think I've ever used it.

It was old and rusty machete so I cleaned it up and painted it red to preserve it.

Mac66 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 11, 2023 9:25 am A few years ago I ran across a Bahco 2444 Carpenter knife which is made by and is identical to the Mora Clipper but in stainless. Found a place online that was selling them by the case @ $3-4/each so I bought a case of 15. I gave them out to my brothers and kids and It's what I carry while hunting and is in all my go bags, vehicles etc. You can still buy them for about $8/each now.



I wrap the sheaths in paracord and add a strap made from a bicycle inner tube to hold the knife in it's sheath just in case. I've gutted a lot of deer, turkeys and skinned squirrels with them.

That's Mora on the left with orange painted cap from before I bought the Bahco (on right)



The orange color is helpful in finding the knives when gutting a deer/animal as you tend to set them down on the ground and lose them on occasion. I used to paint my Mora's caps orange and put an orange stripe on the sheath.

Another set of Moras/Bahco, unlike the Mora, the Bahco has a stainless steel blade



If I need to chop stuff I use a machete or a hatchet, not a knife.

Those Bahco Carpenter knives are the best thing since sliced bread. You talked about them on the first SEP board years ago and I ended up getting a couple of cases (long story but they screwed up the order and after about a month I called and they sent out another order. Then of course both orders came in. They said keep the first one and I only got charged for the one. So deal).

I've given out quite a few of them and they are favorites of the ladies for sharp kitchen knives. And of course for the packs they are a no-brainer.

Strayz wrote: ↑Thu Oct 08, 2020 6:22 pm In my get home bag I have of all things a Mora. Very generic and if something happens to it I will not be heart broken. It is the carbon steel version and hot (Boiling) Vinegar patnia'ed so it will not rust. It is very sharp and I have a stone in the bag for it. My back up knife is a folder ZT 560. I do not plan on batoning with any of my knives and I think it is a bad practice, use a small axe for that job.

I am not a bug out type of person, I am a gete home person and bug in. I plan to fall back to here in any emergency, We did it during a 7.1 earthquake 3 years ago so we are tested and ready, short of anything other than uprising against the government (That follows a different set of plans). I can not imagine having to run away. I came out here to get away from all the people breathing my air.

I'm not a bug out person either. Doesn't matter what happens. As far as knives go, I have several folders, including an old Buck 110, that my 1st wife bought me when I (we) were stationed In W Germany from 1978-81. Some with features like, seat belt cutter, hardened glass breaker, if I come up on a traffic accident and I'm the first on-scene. I EDC those w/clip on. I only wear cargo pants or shorts, depending on the time of year (Rural SE Arizona). I have several Hunting type fixed blade knives. Skinning/gutting knives, but the largest knife I own was made in Turkey, w/a 10" blade that's like the old Bowie Knife. Heavy and sturdy. Also, Hatchets, axes and some Machete's. I'm not a knife fighter, but have been in a few and have the scars to show for it (not pleasant memories).

To be honest, being new here, I really don't know how responding to posts 4 years old will be received. I'll give it a shot anyway.

Responding to Bob's posting.
1. A Buck 110 is fine for a survival knife. In 1977, I was in various places . . . Afghanistan, Pakistan, SE Asia hilltribes with my late wife. I carried 5 knives and she carried 3. If you would have limited me to one knife, it would have been the Buck110.

2. Some mentioned Moras. A Scandinavian boy will skills can make it with an inexpensive Moras. For a while, I would buy Moras and modify the knives and sheaths. Now, I have given a number away to relatives.

3. I first responded to the thread 4 years ago. I think my fixed blade count is closer to 100 - I was a dealer. Two of the fixed blades sitting next to the computer - One is a Peltonen. It is a Mora on steroids . . . and the issue knife of two armies. The other is Spartan-Harsey which should be the combat issue knife of the US army. A fairly recent knife . If you want something with a shorter blade that was designed as a survival knife for the Swedish air force pilots, it would be the Fallkniven F-1.