Knives: Sharp Practice

Knives are an essential item in a survival kit. A knife is one item no-one should be without when entering into a possible survival situation, but have you considered that there are many facets to a knife, from the blade to the handle, through to how you store it? For the purposes of this article we will consider fixed sheathed knives rather than the folding variety.

The shape of the blade is an area where there is considerable disagreement among experts. Just as with blade length, for many experienced outdoor pursuiters, it is down to what they prefer. It is possible to define, however, what feature in blade shape are best.

		A drop point blade is the best all round blade. In a drop point design the back (dull) edge of the blade is generally straight for approximately half of its length, proceeding toward the tip from the handle of the knife. This edge then slopes in a continuous curve towards the tip. The sharpened edge curves upward to meet the back edge, forming the point of the blade which will be nearer the back edge.
		Clip point blades have a secondary blade at the top edge, normally with small serrations. They will do just fine, provided they have a relatively short and straight clip of a robust blade. This design leaves the tip relatively narrow, resulting in a weaker tip that is more likely to break off if abused.
		The spear point blade, where the upper and lower portion of the blade meet at the exact midpoint, can be stronger than the clip point, if the point at which the edges start to curve towards the tip is well along the length of the blade. However, it isn't as versatile as a drop point.

In reality, a knife should have a sturdy point that can take plenty of abuse, yet can still be used for a multitude of survival duties.

For an all around survival knife the blade should be fairly thick, so as to be solid and stiff, rather than flexible, and very tough to stand up to abuse. It is recommended that a minimum of 5/32 inch but 3/16 would be better. Any thicker and you are starting to make weight an issue. Knives with aggressive saw backs and large teeth tend to have weaker blades. Most won't cut small pieces of wood very well and may not even do a very good job on thicker pieces.

Serrated blades are not really suitable for many of the carving and chopping tasks that a knife may be used for. Their strong suit is slicing, or sawing or tearing. They are particularly good at slicing nylon and synthetic line, rope and webbed belts and harnesses, as well as clothes and flesh. The solution is probably to carry a separate serrated edge knife or a knife with a separate serrated blade.

The material that the knife blade is made from is important in terms of its longevity and useful life. The type of steel used affects strength, toughness, flexibility and how well the blade takes and keeps an edge. Better steels, used in more expensive knives, will usually hold their edge longer and are stronger. These better quality steels are less likely to break if abused. These are important advantages that could prove critical in a survival situation, but they don't come cheap. However it isn't just the type of steel that is important, but how it is treated. The best steel, which is not properly heat treated and tempered could well be worse than a lesser quality steel properly prepared.

There is also a choice of stainless steel or carbon steel knives. Note that "stainless" does not mean "rust-proof," just rust resistant. Stainless, especially the "better" grades with high carbon content, will still oxidize and can deteriorate in a marine or mainly wet environment. Stainless steel on the other hand is a must in the marine salt water environment. In addition, less expensive stainless steel alloys with lower carbon content will not hold an edge nearly as well as a high carbon stainless or a high quality non-stainless steel blade. This is the main reason for investing in a knife with high quality steel with a high carbon content. A carbon steel blade will take some extra care to prevent rust and this is most important in storage, if the blade isn't used regularly, such as in a survival kit. To counter this oil or a suitable preservative should be used.

You are not going to replace a knife each time it goes blunt so you have to think about sharpening it. Before any trip where you might be exposed to a survival situation it is good advice to check and if need be sharpen the knife. If you don't prepare it properly ahead of time, you will waste valuable time and effort sharpening it in the field the first time.

Given the misuse and abuse a survival knife may be subjected to, it is short sighted not to carry a sharpener, particularly since there are many small models available. Any knife will lose its edge with use. A survival knife can be dulled very quickly, particularly when used by those unfamiliar with the tool or if circumstances require using it creatively for non-traditional tasks.

Man made stones are good, but work best with lubrication of some sort, such as oil. There are many mechanical sharpeners on the market and he choice is probably down to personal preference although the diamond type are considered to be some of the best. Serrated blades can be much more difficult to sharpen in the field. You can do a respectable job of sharpening a plain edge blade using natural stone but a serrated blade will be much harder to sharpen properly.

Now we come to the handle. A solid butt can be useful as an improvised hammer, particularly if it is flat sided or flat ended. A rock or even a stout piece of wood works a lot better as a hammer, if available, but there are times when one isn't to be found. A full or half cross guard or hilt will prevent accidental cuts if your hand slips. A half guard is preferred because it allows better control of the blade when fine work is necessary. A lanyard hole is a good idea to prevent loss of the knife. It is important to use a wrist lanyard while using with a knife over water or anywhere else where it might be dropped and lost.

The handle should be comfortable to hold in any position especially when damp with water or blood. Uncovered metal handles can be problematic in hot climates such as the desert where, if the knife is left in the sun for even a short time, the temperature of the metal can cause burns when picked up with bare hands.

Sheaths have traditionally been made of leather but recently synthetic nylon has begun to take over. Some sheaths also include a pocket on the front for a sharpening stone or folding knife. The reason for the sheath is to protect both the knife and you. Ideally the sheath should be lined with a rigid sleeve or have a steel reinforced bottom end to help avert the knife, especially the point, from coming through.

The sheath must be designed so that the knife is held securely and won't fall out. The method usually used is a restraining fastening around the handle, held with a metal snap or Velcro. Moulded leather sheaths do not tolerate the wet very well, so should really be avoided. There are also some very good ideas unique to individual knives.

Recently there has been an increase in the use of plastic moulded sheaths. These have the advantage of no restraining strap to forget to close, enabling the user to access the knife very quickly. They hold the knife securely, even upside down by using the elasticity of the plastic to grip the knife. They don’t retain moisture and the material will stand up to any level of abuse.

Under certain circumstances a knife can be just as much of a life saver as a firelighter or torch. While these are all must haves in any survival kit, a knife really does pay, if you can afford a particularly good quality one. The choice is bewildering but it is a good idea to think of the various uses that it might have. This will then give the buyer an idea of the kind of knife they want and then they can go for the one that they can most afford.