It must go back to my many years as
a soldier in the U.S. Army, but I also
remember my dad teaching me that
safety is always important. If you are
not armed with weapons other than
your knife, taking the time to construct
something that has some “stando”
ability is vastly worth it.
I typically pull out my knife and start
right in on a good spear that is at
least 6 to 8 inches taller than I am, to
provide me good distance between
myself and a predator. I only lash my
knife to a spear shaft if I need it for
hunting and taking down something
significant; I don’t like tying up my
only survival tool for long, as I will
need it for other tasks ahead.
As the situation draws on, the need
for a place to get out of the elements
will become a necessity. Sure, you
could gather what you find on the
ground and make a hasty shelter, but
when you add the survival knife to
the task — utilizing it to chop down
sturdy poles, vines, and branches
full of green leaves — you can build
a shelter with a better chance of
keeping you warm and dry.
Fire and Water
A survival knife plays a key role in
fire-making on many fronts. First, if
you are without modern means to
start a fire, you will be able to use the
survival knife to gather what you need
to make a primitive fire kit, whether it
is a bow drill set, a hand drill, fire plow,
or some other means.You’ll need to cut fire boards and a
spindle to size and prepare them, and
any other items required to get you
that much needed spark. Even if you
have a modern fire starter with you,
the survival knife will come in handy
to help chop down or prep the hefty
amount of firewood you will need to
keep warm and safe from unwanted
pests and predators.A survival knife can also be used to carve
a wooden bowl or make a birch bucket,
providing a container to collect and pu-
rify the water you will need — just throw
in a few hot rocks from the fire to make
it boil. It can also help in the construction
of a primitive water filter.Food
Of course, the survival knife will play“THE VERY TASK OF GUTTING AND CLEANING FISH, OR
SKINNING AND BUTCHERING GAME, IS DRAMATICALLY
SIMPLIFIED WHEN YOU HAVE A GOOD KNIFE.”
a key role in securing food in many
ways, from making necessary weap-
ons for hunting and protection to the
construction of various traps.The very task of gutting and cleaning
fish, or skinning and butchering game, is
dramatically simplified when you have
a good knife. The knife is also important
for the preparation and processing of
other food items into consumable sizes.
I have also used my knife around camp
to make life much easier by whittling
out eating utensils and cooking tools. I
have used my knife to build a smoker for
drying out meat to preserve it, as well as
in the construction of carry pack baskets
to haul all the food and other items we
may need once we leave camp.Priority Survival
Tasks
The Core 4 priority survival tasks are key
to anyone finding themselves suddenly
thrust into a very bad situation. These
tasks are essential to you making it out
alive. Imagine how di¦cult they would
be without a good knife by your side.Regular survival tasks are easier and
more e¦cient with a good survival knife.
It could be the dierence between liv-
ing and dying, wherever and whenever
you’re on the Edge of Survival. KIWeb Time
Check out the
author’s official site at
EJSnyder.comLeft: A knife is
essential for building a
fire board.
Right: A knife makes
short work of cleaning
fish and skinning/
butchering game.AD INDEXADVERTISER.......................................................PAGE
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