Good Knives Save Lives...

Copyright 2012 - Human Spirit of Adventure

I love a good knife. In a survival situation, a good knife will save your life.

They are such handy tools to have around in everyday life, not to mention during the course of an adventure. In survival situations, they will help you with building shelter, finding food, first aid, defense, and a myriad of other things that pop up.

When I was in the Army, I once had a Platoon Sergeant who made the comment "Good knives save lives" and I have found that to be true on more than one occasion. In fact, the very first time I used my Gerber Mark I was to cut a suspension line away from my parachute that had wrapped over the canopy and was causing a "Mae West". Once the line was cut, the canopy inflated fully and I safely landed without injury.


I have a vast collection of blades... literally hundreds of them. But in survival situations, there are really four of them I depend on most.

The first is my Gerber Mark I (Pictured left above). This knife has been with me for over 22 years. I first acquired it when I was in the Army. A gift from a girlfriend. As mentioned earlier, this knife saved my life several times and I will never leave home without it. Gerber makes one of, if not the finest blades available.

The second is my Victorinox Swiss Army knife (Pictured above at bottom). Not enough can be said about the Swiss Army knife. It is likely the most versatile knife ever made. This blade has been used by campers, hikers, outdoors-men  and military units all over the world. It is the forerunner to most popular multi-tools on the market today.

The third is a no-name brand, Chinese-made blade that I bought for $5 at a flea market (pictured center above). I never expected the knife to hold up under any condition, nor hold an edge for very long. Amazingly, it has surpassed every expectation. I have cut rope, vines, paracord, meat, and a list of other things with it and the blade has never dulled, corroded, or rusted. I have used it as a screwdriver and a pry bar with no damage. Who knew that it would hold up so well? I don't think I would want it as my only option in a survival situation, but given that it has proven itself  it is a better option than many other brand-name knives that I own.

The fourth is a knife I carry every day for use at work. It is a Ka-bar folding knife (pictured right above). very sharp, hold a good edge, and is versatile.

When it comes to survival knives, my suggestion is to do your research, find the knife that fits your needs, and experiment with it at home before taking it on the trail. You don't want it to let you down when you need it most.