Knives, Swords, and Sharpened Steel

I got my family each a ResQme car escape tool as stocking stuffers last Christmas. There was eye rolling. Earlier this year there was a car accident in downtown Toronto. A woman driving distracted drove through the guard rail off a bridge into Lake Ontario. Broad daylight, in front of plenty of people the car only fell about 10 feet to the water. The police dive team was activated and they recovered the young woman's body several hours later in about 40 feet of water. There was some public criticism of the police for not rescuing her. The police response was that, given the time required to mobilize the dive team, they are a recovery team not a rescue team. He went on to say that in the event that you drive into the water your best chance of survival is to save yourself in the first minute or so before the car sinks, opening the door or breaking the window, cutting/removing your seat belt and getting out. Apparently texting your friends that your car drove into the water won't help.

https://www.amazon.com/resqme-Original-K...rds=resqme

I was the longtime forum administrator for a survival website. People buying 'survival knives' need to figure out what it is you are going to survive, and  avoiding behaviours that get you into a fix thinking to exchange them for the level heading thinking, alfa leader to get out of it. Most of us spend a lot of time in a vehicle. If you don't have a knife with a windshield punch and safety blade for cutting restraining belts get one. My #1 survival item? A quality sleeping bag that will keep you alive long enough to do all those TEEVEE
tricks later. toss in some water and food, some manner of stove and a first aid kit a few steps above the joke in the company front office but not beyond your skill. You can toss
a kit together on the cheap too. An Old Hickory kitchen knife isn't much different from what Daniel Boone carried, 100' of grandmother's clothes dryer ( cheap rope, if you plan on using a parachute buy paracord) cheap tarp, a mess of $1 lighters from the liquor store, some GI wool gloves, watch caps and a decent flashlight and you're a survival Tyranosaurus Rex compared to 99 percent of people.

Great post! Thanks for sharing!


If I have my bugout kit with me, it's not really "survival". When I had a vehicle with doors, I always had a small selection of utilitarian knives and multi-tools, a -25* mummy bag, an ultra-light fly rod and a selection of flies suitable for all 4 seasons in my area, and usually a full 200' climbing rope in a bag, if not a full rack of gear. I only own a motorcycle these days, so I couldn't carry a full range of gear if I wanted to.

I use paracord that contains at least 1 strand of core that can be shredded and used to build a tinder nest if you are in a vegetation-free area, or the dead of winter in several feet of snow, and is also suitable for making a small body lanyard if I find myself at the top of a cliff, and I need to be able to lean out and look for a route down. When I go out hiking in the desert, I try to carry at least 2 knives that will accomplish the widest array of tasks from heavy to refined cutting, chopping and digging as necessary. I know how to make a couple different varieties of trap, and where I live, small animals are plentiful from lizards and cottontails to pheasant and grouse. I carry a magnesium striker when out "in the field" as well, because none of it is worth a darn if I can't cook, prepare water, or stay warm...

I do want to get one of those handy seatbelt rescue cutters though. A very handy tool to have...

I got my family each a ResQme car escape tool as stocking stuffers last Christmas.  There was eye rolling.  Earlier this year there was a car accident in downtown Toronto.  A woman driving distracted drove through the guard rail off a bridge into Lake Ontario.  Broad daylight, in front of plenty of people the car only fell about 10 feet to the water.  The police dive team was activated and they recovered the young woman's body several hours later in about 40 feet of water.  There was some public criticism of the police for not rescuing her.  The police response was that, given the time required to mobilize the dive team, they are a recovery team not a rescue team.  He went on to say that in the event that you drive into the water your best chance of survival is to save yourself in the first minute or so before the car sinks, opening the door or breaking the window, cutting/removing your seat belt and getting out.  Apparently texting your friends that your car drove into the water won't help.

https://www.amazon.com/resqme-Original-K...rds=resqme

Mark, they are inexpensive and seem to get positive reviews so I ordered one.  Of course, most of the reviewers stated the resqme had never been used and it was hoped would never have to be.  (Hey, that works for me. )  Still, it can't hurt to have one in the car.

I got my family each a ResQme car escape tool as stocking stuffers last Christmas.  There was eye rolling.  Earlier this year there was a car accident in downtown Toronto.  A woman driving distracted drove through the guard rail off a bridge into Lake Ontario.  Broad daylight, in front of plenty of people the car only fell about 10 feet to the water.  The police dive team was activated and they recovered the young woman's body several hours later in about 40 feet of water.  There was some public criticism of the police for not rescuing her.  The police response was that, given the time required to mobilize the dive team, they are a recovery team not a rescue team.  He went on to say that in the event that you drive into the water your best chance of survival is to save yourself in the first minute or so before the car sinks, opening the door or breaking the window, cutting/removing your seat belt and getting out.  Apparently texting your friends that your car drove into the water won't help.

https://www.amazon.com/resqme-Original-K...rds=resqme

Mark, they are inexpensive and seem to get positive reviews so I ordered one.  Of course, most of the reviewers stated the resqme had never been used and it was hoped would never have to be.  (Hey, that works for me. )  Still, it can't hurt to have one in the car.

They are inexpensive and reasonably compact. I like that they hang on your keychain so in the event that the vehicle is jostled around or upside down, you always have it within reach. It pulls free from the key ring portion exposing the seatbelt cutter and allowing you to use it in the intended way. Its best to have it and never need it, worse to need and not have it and even worse to need it, have it but can't find it because its fallen under a seat.

I was the longtime forum administrator for a survival website. People buying 'survival knives' need to figure out what it is you are going to survive, and  avoiding behaviours that get you into a fix thinking to exchange them for the level heading thinking, alfa leader to get out of it. Most of us spend a lot of time in a vehicle. If you don't have a knife with a windshield punch and safety blade for cutting restraining belts get one. My #1 survival item? A quality sleeping bag that will keep you alive long enough to do all those TEEVEE
tricks later. toss in some water and food, some manner of stove and a first aid kit a few steps above the joke in the company front office but not beyond your skill. You can toss
a kit together on the cheap too. An Old Hickory kitchen knife isn't much different from what Daniel Boone carried, 100' of grandmother's clothes dryer ( cheap rope, if you plan on using a parachute buy paracord) cheap tarp, a mess of $1 lighters from the liquor store, some GI wool gloves, watch caps and a decent flashlight and you're a survival Tyranosaurus Rex compared to 99 percent of people.

Great post! Thanks for sharing!


If I have my bugout kit with me, it's not really "survival". When I had a vehicle with doors, I always had a small selection of utilitarian knives and multi-tools, a -25* mummy bag, an ultra-light fly rod and a selection of flies suitable for all 4 seasons in my area, and usually a full 200' climbing rope in a bag, if not a full rack of gear. I only own a motorcycle these days, so I couldn't carry a full range of gear if I wanted to.

I use paracord that contains at least 1 strand of core that can be shredded and used to build a tinder nest if you are in a vegetation-free area, or the dead of winter in several feet of snow, and is also suitable for making a small body lanyard if I find myself at the top of a cliff, and I need to be able to lean out and look for a route down. When I go out hiking in the desert, I try to carry at least 2 knives that will accomplish the widest array of tasks from heavy to refined cutting, chopping and digging as necessary. I know how to make a couple different varieties of trap, and where I live, small animals are plentiful from lizards and cottontails to pheasant and grouse. I carry a magnesium striker when out "in the field" as well, because none of it is worth a darn if I can't cook, prepare water, or stay warm...

I do want to get one of those handy seatbelt rescue cutters though. A very handy tool to have...

Hey Chris, I just had a business idea - survival/emergency kit for bikers. If you have saddle bags or bins you could obviously stow stuff in there but if you don't want that stuff on your bike how about a jacket and/or chaps that have basic survival/emergency items securely and safely stowed on/in the jacket? A bunch of well placed pockets to keep the stuff you need. It would have to be done safely, you wouldn't want some survival tool sticking into your body in the event you ever had to lay the bike down. Wearable survival gear, like those bracelets made of 10' of paracord but more.

The 'survival community' is oversaturated with vendors and if you did assemble a thoughtfull biker kit a dozen people will copy or cheapen it on you. One should ALWAYS carry some basics on the body in case a dedicated kit is lost ( you ride onto a frozen lake, break through, reach shore but everything was in the panniers.) People get sidetracked into philosophies that have little to do with staying alive. Ultralight or small kit; a button compass, photon LED light and SPARKLITES are wonderfull in a pocket ALTOIDS tin. But I also pack the biggest, meanest flashlight, firekit, Silva compass and topomaps available. I was laughed at for carrying a 'HUGE' international orange STORMWHISTLE ( it doesn't get any better) by a guy with a spent 22 shell he barely mimicked a parakeet with smoker's cough with. People go for image; mountain man or black tactical commando in digital camouflage which makes a lot of sense when the helicopter is flying overhead and a PINK or orange tarp will insure a rescue( except pink is the most difficult colour to see in early dawn and dusk hours. There is an exception to everything.) Your best field exercise is to go out, lay down and pretend you just broke a leg. Now, what do I do first and how until help shows up ( PLBs are cheap rentals now)? And always remember no two surivival situations are the same. Survival isn't paint by number A. build fire B. make spear to kill Bart the bear C. butcher and BBQ Bart with this 10 pound sword survival knife. Sometimes its A. deploy signal tarp B. activate PLB. C. crawl into bag with chocolate bar and gummie bears.

My daughter and i went to an outdoor show yesterday.

I came home with a new knife. A Boker Automat Kalishnikov 74.
It came in a cheesy box shaped like an AK47 magazine.

The knife is fully auto. Push a button and WHOOSH.... the blade swings out with amazing speed and a satisfying "THUNK" as it locks into place.

The handle is black aluminum with finger grooves and a nice textured surface. Closed this knife is 4 inches long.


I chose a straight edged tanto blade that is 3 1/2 inches long for an opened lenght of 7 1/2 inches.



I love this knife. Nice weight, a solid feel and fully automatic.
It is sweet.

That is a beautiful blade

Nice!

Maybe I should have posted about this months ago. The wife has to buy something for me for Christmas every year so I try to think of something she can afford. This year it was a Chefs Choice Trizor sharpener. After testing it on a few knives I've pretty much resharpened every knife in the place to the 15° angle. It removes a lot of steel to do that on some knives, but once done it's done and never needs to be redone.

Yesterday I tackled the AG Russell survival knife and after 1 1/2 hours decided I'd finish regrinding it at some future day. I was thinking it would be today (and I just thought of it). I better get started on it. :-)

CHRISTMAS KNIVES

Time to resurrect this thread.
True to form my daughter (and wife) gave me some excellent knives for Christmas.

Clockwise from left.
Buck 110 Hunter Fully automatic
Ruger Accurate
SOG Sync II



My daughter Amy gave me this. The Buck is a fully automatic opening version of the classic Buck 110 Hunter. There have been third party automatic conversions available for years. This is a factory Buck knife and covered by the famous Buck Forever Warranty.
Push the silver medallion and the blade instantly (and surprisingly quietly) snaps open. I like it.



Amy and her young man gave me this. The Ruger Accurate is a fixed curved blade knife made by Columbia River Knife and Tool (CRKT).
I love the red Ruger medallion in the handle. The knife is very sharp and fits great in my hand.



The SOG Sync II is a gift from my wife. It is a belt buckle. Push the center pivot button and the tool slides in/out of the belt buckle.



This is the buckle sans the tool and the tool opened to show all of the available tools. This appeals to the kid in me. I have a belt on order and can't wait to try this out in real world conditions.



I have two great women in my life and love the gifts.

Phil