survival part III: the survival knife

i have been asked to post more survival info. i chose a topic often overlooked in the survival environment. that being the survival knife and its proper usage. lets start this discussion on the types of knives available.
1.) basic survival knife
a basic survival knife consists of a fixed blade of at least 10 inches in length, not including the handle. usually these knives a primarily used for camping. the handle is solid and sometimes the handle has a hammer head on the handle. a good example of a basic survival knife would be the us marine kabar knife. there is no hollow handle or any survival implements in it. the blade should not be used to cut large limbs or cable. and usually has no serated edge on the top of the blade. the steel should be 440 stainless and the knife should be american made. the blade MUST NOT BE HOLLOW GROUND!!! hollow ground blades tend to be made of substandard steel. a very good knife to avoid would be any knife blade that has pakistan imprinted on it. these type of knives are very inexpensive. but remember you really do get what you pay for. these type of knives are not designed for close combat or heavy use.
2.)intermediate survival knife
the intermediate survival knife is designed for moderate heavy use. it will usually have a serrated edge on the blade for heavy cutting of wood, rope cable, etc. the knife is heavier than a basic survival knife and the blade thickness is les than 1/4". in most cases this knife does have a hollow handle and some survival gear in it. usually this gear consists of matches, fishing hooks and line, and some VERY BASIC FIRST AID ITEMS. the intermediate surval knife is just that. its desiged for intermediate use and not much more than that but quite adequte for emergency short term usage.
3.) the advance survival knife:
the advanced survival knife is a fixed blade knife designed for heavy long term use. its blade will usually be at least 103/4 inches long with a balde thickness of at least 3/8". it will have a heavily serrated cutting edge on the top side of the blade. the serration is specifically designed for heavy cutting of thick wood upto 4 inces in diameter. the balde itself can be used much like a hatchet for chopping of wood. this type of knife will usually have a hollow handle with a compass in the cap of the handle. inside the handle will be a survival kit consisting of fishing and first aid items. these items include several hooks and sinkers, several water proof strike anywhere matches or other fir starting equipment( magnifying glass, magnesium fire starter, etc), instant drink mixes, a cable saw,knife sharpener, tylenol, water purification tablets, and a snaring device. the blade itself is highly polished and can be used as a signaling device with ease. in some cases an advanced survival knife may even have a slingshot kit in its handle for hunting very small game such as squirrels or birds. this knife is also designed for shelter construction and can be used heavily and for the long term. many advanced survival knifes also have a complete snake bite kit . advanced survival knifes are not generally used as combat knives due to their bulk and size. it is nearly impossible to conceal an advanced survival knife. the one i have weighs in at 5 lbs and has an 11 inch blade and all of the things previously mentioned in earlier paragraphs
for further info on the various kinds of survival knives and their uses i recommend checking out united cutlery on the internet of just do a google search for survival knife. you can expect to pay anywhere fron 20.00 to 150.oo for these types of knives. i purchased mine from united cuttlery for 34.95. those of you who have seen that particular knife on my webcam is the one i purchased from united cutlery. i am very satisfied with it and its accesories.
regards
archie
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