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Post by sparky on Aug 26, 2009 21:35:36 GMT
Heck I like them all!!! Long ones, short ones, fat ones, skinny ones, curvy ones, straight ones, heck you name it I'll like it. ;D On a note more to the point of the tread- Using a survival knife in a "fictional survival" situation. When I was about 17 or so..... First blood (Rambo?) came out. One scene in the movie bugged me when I saw the movie, heck still does. He was hunting; so Rambo ties his big a** knife to a pole gets up into a tree and throws it into a boar (I think). I remember thinking to myself, self what is he going to do if he doesn't kill the pig and it runs away with his big ..um.. knife? So self answered back and said he'd be screwed. Why didn't he just sharpen the pole with his big ..you know.. knife and then throw that instead? I mean it's better to lose a stick than a big ..ah.. knife IMO. Even though I realize it's a movie It's always bugged me. So everyone here's a PSA for you, not that anyone needs it but, don't throw your big ..well.. knife away Sorry that's been festering for awhile, I feel better now though ;D Rob
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2009 21:50:49 GMT
Actually, Sparky-AKA-Rob, that's a very valid point. Setting aside the questionable utility of the Rambo knife itself, one should take care not to be taken in by myths about use, either. While I would love to know how to throw knives and axes, and there might be a few cases in which it's the thing to do, I think we can all agree that it's better to keep your weapon than give it to the other guy. Similarly, any other activity that comes with the risk of "giving away" your one absolutely irreplaceable survival tool should probably be... reconsidered. Related to your example is the technique of using the knife-on-a-stick as a fishing spear, which we are taught in survival school as a quick, easy option. Nowhere do they tell us to throw the spear into the river and hope we can swim after it. Heh. And you also reference a point that's come up in this and the Survival Sword thread: that the knife's greatest combat and hunting utility will be in crafting other, better weapons, like snares, dead-falls, spears, bows, etc. So get a good knife, and also learn how to use it and think before you do. Use your imagination, sure; after all, it is the innovative and mentally engaged who will survive. But analyze your own ideas honestly and intelligently, avoiding excessively dangerous or risky options. Don't kill yourself and don't throw away your knife. It's Operational Risk Management, yo!
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Post by sparky on Aug 27, 2009 0:18:56 GMT
Related to your example is the technique of using the knife-on-a-stick as a fishing spear, which we are taught in survival school as a quick, easy option. Nowhere do they tell us to throw the spear into the river and hope we can swim after it. That's too funny ancient. That reminded me of a time in the BSA when I made a fishing spear out of a skinny branch with my......... um .......... pocket knife. Actually got a blue gill with the darn thing. I don't know who was more surprised, me or the fish ;D Rob
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2009 0:36:07 GMT
This is why we include this little thing called "fishing line", then what you do is tie the line to your spear by drilling a hole through it, then we drill a hole through another piece of wood and this is what we call a "handle." What you don't do however is tie your one survival knife to the pole, instead you take your spear and make a point and then fire harden that point and then fish with that, that way if the fishy swims away with your pole, you don't lose the one thing that might be needed to save your life. As to a knife costing half of what a sword does, if that knife will be needed to save my life I will spend as much on it as a sword, it pays to buy the best when your life depends on it. Ancient: Here is another knife maker who might interest you. You commented on carrying small things with you like fishing line and whatever, well there knives have a hollow buttcapped handle so you can store things inside your knife as well; www.chrisreeve.com/pffixed.htmSomething like this would make a great survival knife;
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2009 1:15:47 GMT
We are specifically steered away from hollow-handled knives because of the need to have a solid tang going all the way through, in case you need to pound the pommel on something or pound something on the pommel, e.g. batoning it into a piece of wood to begin a split, OR when you have to use the thing as a pry bar, applying a lot of lateral, bending pressure to the handle.
A better idea, I think, then storing the little Tier 1 things in your knife might be to store them in a little bag in your canteen. That way, you also encourage yourself to keep your canteen handy, which is a good habit. On the flight vest, we of course have a little pocket for that stuff, and a sheath for the knife.
(That company's full-tang knives look pretty nice, though.)
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2009 1:23:45 GMT
In terms of survival knives I am really starting to fall for a couple of the shorter scrap yard knives, there is one especially at the moment that is just plain sexy and would probably make a great kitchen knife as well; and this one;
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2009 2:09:50 GMT
A big NO! as to them being used as survival knives, but they are both fantastic blades. The Scrapper 4 can be pretty hard to find. I would go with the Scrap Muk and pair it with a larger blade. The 154CM is a nice stainless and the Muk is a modern rendition of a classic design.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2009 2:12:17 GMT
Why would you say they can't be used as survival knives and why are they hard to find? They are on sale on the website.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2009 2:12:30 GMT
My preferences have gone through several evolutionary processes since this thread started, but now I'm starting to realize it may be better to get a really good knife right away, even if it's half the price of a sword. I too am considering the Ranger RD7, as it seems the best bang for the buck. Any naysayers? If I were to get this one, would I want a micarta or g-10 grip, I wonder? Thanks for further enlivening the thread, ancient. I find Micarta to be a grippier surface. I wouldn't do G10 unless I found a color combo I had to have.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2009 2:21:00 GMT
We are specifically steered away from hollow-handled knives because of the need to have a solid tang going all the way through, in case you need to pound the pommel on something or pound something on the pommel, e.g. batoning it into a piece of wood to begin a split, OR when you have to use the thing as a pry bar, applying a lot of lateral, bending pressure to the handle. While I tend to agree with that in most cases, if you find yourself with a hollow handled knife, one of the Chris Reeves blades is the only way to go. Unlike most run of the mill hollow handle blades, his series is machined out of a single piece of A2 steel. While I'm not fond of some of his S30V knives, the A2 has always been impressive from what I've seen. I was remiss in not adding it to my list for you. A better idea, I think, then storing the little Tier 1 things in your knife might be to store them in a little bag in your canteen. That way, you also encourage yourself to keep your canteen handy, which is a good habit. On the flight vest, we of course have a little pocket for that stuff, and a sheath for the knife. Most survival sheaths have a nice pocket for essentials. Anything that would have fit ion a knife handle will fit in there + some. (That company's full-tang knives look pretty nice, though.) Boutique super stainless does not a survival knife make.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2009 2:23:36 GMT
Why would you say they can't be used as survival knives and why are they hard to find? They are on sale on the website. No, they aren't. The only one actually for sale is the S5LE, which is an AWESOME little knife and probably the cheapest price of INFI you will ever see. I say the previous two knives are not good for survival by themselves simply because they are too small and (relatively) weak to accomplish many tasks.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2009 2:27:57 GMT
The thread that just won't die. It... survives. Also, you used the word "remiss." Congratulations, you have defeated the Internet.
Duly noted about the Reeve knives.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2009 2:38:44 GMT
the internet had it coming
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2009 2:39:13 GMT
Good threads should live on, this is a good thread
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2009 4:47:53 GMT
Yeah, but now that we're taking it so off topic it'll die in a day or two.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2009 6:00:40 GMT
Why would you say they can't be used as survival knives and why are they hard to find? They are on sale on the website. No, they aren't. The only one actually for sale is the S5LE, which is an AWESOME little knife and probably the cheapest price of INFI you will ever see. I say the previous two knives are not good for survival by themselves simply because they are too small and (relatively) weak to accomplish many tasks. Yeah, Scrap Yard lists prices but their [url=http://shop.scrapyardknives.com/category.sc;jsessionid=B425F6A200BB8A0760A16290F9447356.qscstrfrnt03?categoryId=4 ]order page[/url] is nigh empty. From SY I like the Son of Dogfather LE, but with that style of knife the Ranger RD-7 is easier to obtain, cheaper, and from my research would be no loss of quality. Good threads should live on, this is a good thread Then why'd you kill it? Hehe.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2009 6:25:25 GMT
Again, I just have to pint out that the Ontario renditions of the RD7 have a distal taper that may sacrifice some chopping ability for weight. I can also tell you that 5160 is a hell of a lot easier to sharpen than SR77, but at the cost of strength and edge retention.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2009 6:33:09 GMT
Thanks for pointing that out again. But even considering those two things, the RD-7 would still be a decent chopper and have very good edge retention, would you say?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2009 18:37:41 GMT
I would think so, Berethorn. It might lose some efficiency, but you can't expect perfect efficiency in all roles from a knife that is versatile enough to perform all roles. The main thing is ensuring that the distal taper doesn't render it too weak at the tip for prying jobs.
In any case, it should be easy enough to dig around the Ontario versions and get the non-tapered ones if it's an issue.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2009 20:21:46 GMT
I resurrect the thread to announce that the search is over! I have indeed purchased a Ranger RD-6 knife, made by Ontario Knife Company. Even better, I had this one customized by Justin himself at Ranger Knives, who removed the coating and gave the handle a more ergonomic shape, for surprisingly reasonable rate too. And while this beast of a knife is almost overkill, I can rest assured that it should last through some extreme circumstances. Blade length: 6 in. Total length: 11 3/4 in. Blade thickness: 1/4 in. at the spine Weight: 430 g / 15.2 oz Handle: Micarta "black" (looks more like olive to me) Admittedly the pictures aren't very good - they distort the blade length. Tell me off if this is picture overkill.
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