If any tool stands out in the all-purpose view of outdoor gear, it would be a survival knife. This knife will assist you in things such as camping, hiking, hunting, or general outdoors exploration. Sure, cell phones are very convenient during emergencies, but they also have limitations, such as if there is no service or it runs out of battery. A survival knife ensures that essential tasks get done without any help from nearby people.
Whether cutting wood for a fire or preparing food, making temporary tools or shelter, giving first aid, or probably self-defense as an absolute last resort, a quality fixed-blade survival knife can be your most invaluable tool. It packs tremendous functionality into one compact, lightweight, yet always accessible package.
A survival knife will never disappoint you when you are far from civilization. It will cut and chop its share to help you survive until somebody finds you.
This article will discuss how to use survival knife to develop valuable skills that could sustain you in a survival situation.
1. Cutting Wood
One of the most basic yet important outdoor skills is cutting wood. When camping or in a survival situation, you may need to cut dry kindling or small pieces of wood to start a fire, trim branches to build a shelter, or even cut larger pieces of wood for tools, weapons, or campcraft purposes.
A sturdy survival knife with a partially serrated blade can easily get through small branches and trim wood into usable pieces. Look for a knife with at least a 3 – 4 inch blade length for cutting wood.
Hold the wood firmly and saw through it with steady, even strokes in a back-and-forth direction. It is best to apply more downward pressure and less sawing action on thicker wood pieces.
2. Preparing Food
Whether hunting, fishing or just needing to cook over a campfire, being able to prep meat and vegetables is essential. A sharp survival knife lets you gut and clean easily in small- to medium-sized games.
Make a shallow cut around the anus of the animal and gently cut upwards to reach the guts. Then, slice down the belly and reach inside to remove the guts in one piece. Slice and fillet fish, chop vegetables, slice meat into portions – a sharp blade capable of delicate work makes food prep tasks fast and efficient. Carry a smaller backup blade for more detailed food tasks as well.
3. First Aid and Self-Defense
Hopefully, you’ll never need to use your survival knife for an emergency, but it’s comforting to be prepared just in case. A sharp, fixed-blade knife around 3-4 inches can cut away clothing for wound access in a pinch.
The blade tip could carefully remove a splinter or tick when no tweezers are available. While non-violence is always preferable, a survival knife can double as a last-resort self-defense weapon if needed.
Maintain a responsible mindset and store it safely unless facing danger in the wilderness. De-escalation and avoiding threatening situations are always better choices whenever possible.
4. Making Cordage and Knots
Strong cordage is necessary for hundreds of outdoor activities, from tying tarps, building simple tools, hanging food, making snares, and replacing broken shoelaces. With a knife, you can make useable cordage from plant fibers.
Look for bark fibers on trees like basswood that can be peeled off in long strands. Possibly, even inner bark from certain trees may work. Grasp the fibers firmly at one end and slowly scrape down their length with the flat of the knife blade to separate them.
Once you have a good quantity, twist them together. Weaving or braiding thickens them into the cord. With some practice, a survival knife allows you to make your cordage from natural materials.
5. Sharpening Other Tools
While a survival knife should ideally come pre-sharpened, even high-quality blades occasionally need touch-ups in the field.
Learning to sharpen with a survival knife lets you keep all your tools in top condition. Look for a knife with a 90-degree spine you can use as a sharpening rod. Stroke the blade of your axe, hatchet, or other knives along the knife spine using light pressure.
Hone the edge on a leather strap or scrap of denim sewn to the sheath for finer sharpening. With practice, basic sharpening skills extend the lifespan of all your outdoor gear.
6. Signal Scenarios
Whether lost hiking or in need of rescue, signaling can mean the difference between being found or facing dangerous circumstances alone in the wilderness. A survival knife allows creative signaling options.
Carve arrows or messages pointing travel directions into tree trunks or soft ground, which may be spotted from the air. Slice bark shreds or grass strips into long strips to weave into visibility-boosting garlands across tree branches.
Whittle softer woods into plugs, chips, or bars to raise clouds of bright-colored smoke day or night when burned. With some ingenuity, even basic signaling becomes possible with just a sharp, fixed blade.
Key Takeaway
A quality survival knife is far more than just a sharp tool – it represents empowerment, capability, and self-reliance in the outdoors. With some basic knife skills practice and a responsible mindset, this versatile fixed-blade companion allows you to accomplish essential survival tasks.
Always use proper knife safety and store it safely unless truly facing risk. With the appropriate safety habits developed over time, a dependable survival knife feels like an extension of oneself when exploring remote wildernesses far from help.
