Survival and The Survival Knife: Everything You Need to Know and More

George Ure and Gaye Levy, Contributors
Activist Post

Modern communication has brought world-wide events more intimately into our lives than ever before in history.  By its very nature news focuses on the sensational, and the presentation and implication of events are so enhanced that a mudslide in Colombia burying a villages gives us the impression that we will be next.

And it is true.  Extreme natural occurrences (earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.) in distant locations seem to be on the verge of happening outside our very window.  All of them remain a threat – here, now and in the moment.

The threat of a natural disaster seems to be increasing and whether real or not; our mindset is affected because the effect of such a disaster threatens our sense of safety and security.  As technological advancements in our modern world make our lives comfortable our sense of foreboding over a natural disaster escalates.

A flick of a switch or a press of a button and we can watch someone a half a world away make tea.  By pressing another button we can even talk to them as they heat the water.  If we do not want to watch tea steeping, we press a button and watch lava from a volcano in Hawaii pouring into the ocean.  And if we become bored with that, a turn of a switch, or press of yet another button and we can be whisked in a machine to a restaurant downtown, without significant physical effort.  While traveling, we can press more buttons to listen to music, adjust the ambient temperature, adjust our seat, and, more incredibly, heat the seat.

At home, a flick of a switch and we have light at night (with degrees of intensity if we wish). We can adjust the temperature in our home effortlessly, and sit in a comfortable chair and watch the forgoing tea making, and lava flowing, and all repetitively if so desired.  All this happening through the medium (and perhaps miracle) of technology.

In some paradoxical sense, as our social and personal well-being increases, so also the anxiety and uncertainty about our life increases.  We contemplate the possible loss of our comforts.  The cataclysmic events that take place throughout the world, from which people survive and stoically endure and rebuild, may seem insurmountable and even unbearable to us in our modern world.  On our TV screens we watch how emergency services and government responses break down quickly, even in those countries we normally associate with modern technology and resources.

In our own country we have experienced massive calamities that would destabilize other societies.

Comparatively though, we in America seem to be unique in our response to catastrophes.  For the most part our skill at adaptation, plus our access to — and movement of — resources and equipment on a large scale help us cope.  This, coupled with our unique ability to organize and work together decisively to survive and recover often masks the severity of these events, and as a result we may marginalize their effect no matter how devastating.

Survival has been a common and successful theme in literature throughout history.  Stories abound about devastation visited upon the earth and society, and of man’s struggle against calamities natural and man-made, seemingly beyond his control.

These stories follow a common pattern.

Man is left facing a world devastated, distorted, and degraded; the environment and society is destroyed, destabilized, or mutated, and only a small group of survivors remain, reduced to an elemental state of existence and thrust back, if you will, to a primitive condition where personal will and basic tools make the difference between survival, preservation, or extinction.

Cinema has also been effective with this theme; showing us the possible, probable, and improbable, effects of diabolical technology run amok, meteoric threats from outer space, and natural disasters of epic proportions coupled with the fulfillment of ambiguous prophecies of ancient lore.

Also popular today are movies based on actual experiences of men and women caught up in survival situations.

All this brings us to a recent interest in survival; that is, the effort to maintain life when technological functions; electricity, mechanized transportation, and social services fail.  In effect, when we are suddenly booted back 200 years.

This interest is bolstered by the perception that natural disasters seem to be increasing in frequency and intensity.  And often, these disasters appear to overwhelm the efforts of modern resources to quickly reestablish previous conditions and essential services.

Another aspect of survival is when an individual or family are caught in a situation where they are forced to rely upon whatever materials or knowledge they possess at that moment in order to continue to live.  We have all heard, seen or read about men and women who have had to confront survival situations as a result of extreme weather conditions, sudden natural disasters, or accidents or injuries while driving, flying, diving, hiking, sailing etc.  The recent movie 127 Hours brings into sharp relief how easily we can be caught in a survival situation.  There are literally thousands of similar stories from around the world.

From factual stories to movies, personal survival has a particular appeal perhaps because it involves man at his or her most basic, totally dependent upon the application of his intellect, without recourse to outside guidance to manage his or her situation.

There are hundreds of survival and survival-type movies.  Here are a few we find entertaining if not informative (putting the first Rambo movie aside):

• The Snow Walker
• Cast Away (the scene where the man looks at the multi-purpose pocket knife during his visit with his ex-fiancée is especially good)
• I am Legend
• The Road
• Defiance
• Heaven Knows Mr. Allison
• Touching the Void
• Fly with the Hawk
• My Side of the Mountain

Now this article is not about movies or survival, it is about a tool.  The tool is not new; in fact it may be the oldest tool that man has utilized throughout history, and has not changed significantly over time.

This tool is the knife.

The Knife As a Tool

From Folsom points, to obsidian blades sharper than a razor, to bronze, iron, and steel, the knife even more that its relatives the sword, the spear, or the axe, has been the essential implement or tool most intimately associated with man.

In fact, optimistic anthropologists estimate the existence of knives to extend 2 million years into the past.

The basic form of the knife has not changed meaningfully over time.  Its primary function to pierce or cut (slice) remains the same; that in itself is extraordinary given man’s tendency to want to change, adapt, modify or rearrange any contrivance, device or utensil he can get his hands on.

Myriad survival books have been written, and the implement most commonly recommended for survival is a good knife.  Same thing in movies.  For example, the climber in the movie 127 Hours, uses his knife to free himself from the stone that has fallen and trapped him.

Since this article is about survival knives it seems appropriate to start by looking at some factors that make a knife a useful possession.  To quickly name a few attributes:

• A knife is small compared to a saw, axe, sword, spear, etc. and therefore more easily carried on one’s person or in a portable container.
• The shape and function of the knife is simple and does not require any complex process to put it into action.
• Maintenance of the knife is easy, does not require elaborate care or complex or cumbersome equipment.
• A knife possesses some versatility; it can perform a limited variety of tasks without changing its basic form.

For our needs, we are interested in a knife with a shape, size, and design that is more geared toward survival or emergency situations. There are hundreds of brands of knives and knife manufacturers, all producing knives which they label “Survival Knives”.  In fact there are so many brands and styles that the average person who simply wants a knife that is sharp, easy to operate and maintain without getting into the esoteric science of types of steel, handle material, and manufacturing process, can become discouraged looking at the range of options.

So how does one choose the right survival knife?

We want to make the best choice possible, without paying an outrageous amount for what is basically a piece of metal with minimum moving parts, if any.  We want a knife that can perform one or two basic functions and their variations.  And of course, in a survival-type knife we want a sturdy implement that will hold up under some degree of stress.

Types of Survival Knives

In order to make a somewhat educated evaluation of the type of knife we want, it is worthwhile to acquire some knowledge about the variety and manufacturing of knives.

Essentially, there are two styles of knifes: folding blades, and fixed blades. Folding blades, or pocket knives, are knives where one or more blades are folded inside the handle.  Fixed blades are knives such as hunting knives, daggers, etc. These knives are large, consist of one piece, with the cutting blade at one end and the handle at the other end.

Multi-purpose knives are generally folding knives and contain various blades and modifications, such as the well-known Swiss Army knife. The more modifications a knife has the more it is compromised in performing a knife function to its fullest.  Nevertheless these knives are useful and very popular.

For our survival knife, an important requirement is toughness; the blade should not break easily, it should hold a sharp edge, and it should be large and massive enough to perform tasks normally beyond its basic capability, i.e. chopping, prying, twisting.

Before we get into selecting a survival-type knife we should know a little about their construction.

The fixed blade knife consists of the following:

• Blade: the working part of the knife. The blade may be plain or serrated, or partially serrated.
• Tang: The tang is the part of the knife that forms the handle. There are 3 types of tangs. A stick tang is a narrow nail-looking protrusion at the end of the knife where the handle is attached. This is a common and cheap way to manufacture the handle. It is not strong and is subject breaking or bending when significant stress is placed on the blade.
  • A partial tang is where the tang is the approximate width of the blade but only extends part way into the handle. A drawback of this type of blade is the handle has a tendency to break above the end of the tang.
  • A full tang is where the tang is approximately the same width and thickness as the blade and runs the full length of the handle. The advantage to this is readily apparent. The handle and the blade are strong and essentially one piece when in operation.
• Edge: The cutting surface of the blade.
• Grind: Grind is that part of the blade that is shaped or beveled down to the edge, the cross-section of the blade.
• Spine: The spine is the back of the blade, the thickest part of the blade. It provides the strength to the blade.
• Ricasso: The flat section of the blade at the junction of the blade and the knife guard.
• Choil: Where the blade is unsharpened and indented where the blade meets the handle (at the ricasso).
• Guard: A barrier between the blade and the handle. The are two common types of guards: a partial guard that extends down to protect the hand from sliding onto the blade, commonly found on hunting knives. Full guard extends out from the handle on both sides, commonly found on combat knives to protect the hand from an opponent’s blade; also found on survival-type knives.
• Fuller: A groove along each side of the blade where stock is removed by grinding, commonly referred to as a blood groove, but its real purpose is the lighten the weight of the blade.
• Blade Profile: The shape of the blade, how it is ground and the form of the blade.
• Straight: The blade is straight along the spine from handle to point without a curve.
• Clipped point: The point of the blade is curved at the spine to give a dagger-like point.
• False Edge or Reverse Edge: Where the forward top edge of the blade (spine) is thinned and left unsharpened.

Now we would like our survival knife to be sharp and to stay sharp as long as possible during work.

The process that distinguishes the sharpness of a blade is called tempering.  Tempering is a science, an art and a skill. The detailed chemical and forging factors that are involved in making the ideal blade are beyond the scope of this article; nevertheless, we want to have some idea of the type of blade and its capabilities when we examine our survival knife.

Elements of Steel

Alloys affect the durability, sharpness, strength and toughness of knife steel. Here are some important steel alloys.

• Carbon: Knife edge steel should contain >5% carbon.
• Chromium: Increases wear resistance, corrosion resistance. Stainless steel.
• Molybdenum: Prevents brittleness, maintains steels strength at high temperatures.
• Nickel: Adds toughness
• Tungsten: Increases wear resistance.
• Vanadium: Contributes to hardness, and wear resistance, allows blade to take a very sharp edge.
• Blade Steel:  Blade steel is the type of steel used in the manufacture of a knife, sword, axe, hatchet, etc.

Blades are made from a variety and mixture of materials, most common carbon steel, stainless steel, tool steel and alloy steel.

Some additional terms:

Carbides: Hard particles formed in steel when carbon bonds with iron. Carbide types influence wear resistance, and toughness in steel.

Edge stability: Ability to hold a thin highly polished edge. Finer carbide structure increases the ability of the steel to hold sharpness with acute highly polished edges.

Grain size: Steel is made up of grains, decreasing grain size means increased toughness and strength.
Strength: Different steels have different strengths, measured by a calculation called Rockwell hardness (Rc.)

Toughness: Ability to resist chipping or breakage.

Wear Resistance: Ability to resist abrasive wear. Important for slicing and cutting, especially items like rope, cardboard. Generally greater wear resistance means the steel is more difficult to sharpen, so less wear resistance may be preferred.

Steel: All steel rusts.

The type of steel your survival knife is made of is sometimes etched or stamped into the blade. Often however, there will not be a code and the most you may know is whether or not you knife is made of stainless steel.

Stainless steel is popular for knife blades because it resists rust and staining.  In addition. here are a few compositions of steels used in quality knives. The numeric codes are too numerous to include, however here are some principle ones used today.

• 400 series: the most popular choices for knife makers because it is easy to sharpen and rust resistant.
• 420HC is used extensively by knife makers. HC stands for High Carbon.
• 440A is used primarily in inexpensive stainless steel.
• 440C is considered a high-end stainless steel, one of the most common alloys used for knife making.
• A2 is air hardening tool steel, frequent choice for combat knives.
• 1095 most popular for knives, i.e.. KA-BAR.
• 5160 popular with forgers, generally used in bigger blades that need more toughness.

Finally, there are some considerations to take in to account as we select our survival knife, mainly, what kind of survival are we contemplating for use with our knife?

Typically we will want an emergency tool to cut our way out of our automobile, a knife to cut firewood, skin game, build shelters, and more of what we like to call “rough” work.  So, for rough work and general survival here are some suggestions.

1.  Look for a full tang knife.
2. Avoid hollow handles.
3. Survival knives generally come in two types of steel, stainless or carbon. Stainless steel resists corrosion, and some say it does not hold an edge well, however, 440C, 440HC, are high-end stainless steels and popular for knife making.  Carbon steel, excellent qualities but rusts and requires maintenance. Steels such as Muela knives contain Vanadium, are excellent quality steel.  Nevertheless, steels vary by manufacturer.
4. Blade (length): Most survival knives are between 6 to 12 inches, with 7 to 9 inches the most versatile. Any bigger and we are talking Rambo, and the knife becomes unwieldy to handle.
5. Blade (Thickness): A good general rule is about 3/16 – 4/16 of an inch thickness. You do not want a survival knife that is “ whippy” or has a lot of flex to the blade. You need a knife that can withstand wood chopping or prying.
6. Sheath: A belt loop, a lower attachment or hole in the bottom of the sheath for strapping the knife to your leg and permit drainage of moisture from the sheath. The strap that closes around the knife. A cross-strap, where the handle meet the sheath is considered the best.

Some Knives to Consider

And finally here are some great knives to consider for your survival needs.

SOG Specialty Knives, TF3 Trident
Zero Tolerance G10 with Speed Safe
Ka Bar USMC Utility Knife
SOG SEAL Team Knife
Cold Steel SRK

In Summary

There is no such thing as the perfect survival knife since individual needs and budgets may vary.  Our best advice is to pick a knife, use it for awhile, then add a second knife to add functionality and additional usefulness.  Whatever you decide, be sure to use your knife in various situations now.  Become skilled and proficient while time is on your side.

Good Luck!

Introducing Strategic-Living: a practical and useful online magazine providing inspiration and guidance as we make our way through the maze of changes that are coming our way. In collaboration with my friend and colleague, George Ure, Strategic-Living will offer a synthesis of Urban Survival and Backdoor Survival with much more detailed tips, tools and strategies for creating a vibrant and sustainable lifestyle wherever your path may take you. Think of Urban Survival and Backdoor Survival as your roadmap and Strategic-Living as your detailed guidebook. Here you will find articles and photos, diagrams and how-to’s, and a healthy dose get-out-there and do it with kick-in-the-ass inspiration.