This is a guest post from an outdoors hunting writer. Just to bring something different to you about knives. And so I can learn something too.
-Ben Branam
Many readers may be accustomed to knives well-suited to self-defense situations. However, these knives are not the same as those used by outdoorsmen. Here’s a guide on selecting a knife for the wilderness.
What is the Difference?
For self-defense, it’s all about quickness and lethality. A dagger kept in a boot can be withdrawn quickly and thrust forward. An assisted opening knife can be stored like a pocket-knife and also deploy its blade quickly. Some are designed for skilled knife fighters. With wilderness survival knives, the differences may seem subtle at first glance, but the design of the blades has significant effects and can make you more efficient at certain tasks.
Metallurgy
Before we get into types of knives, a discussion on the different types of metals used is necessary. The two most popular metals used for wilderness survival knives are carbon steel and stainless steel.
Stainless steel gets its name for its resistance to rusting. If you live somewhere that gets very humid, you may want to go with stainless steel. Stainless steel sometimes gets a bad rap for being soft and breaking easily. In reality, this is mostly a problem with cheaper knives. The stainless steel used in different knives is not necessarily the same, and higher-quality ones should last fairly well. This isn’t to say you should spend exorbitant amounts of money on a stainless-steel knife, but the cheapest options may not cut it.
Carbon steel knives are known for holding their edges incredibly well, and they also sharpen easily. They tend to be stronger than stainless steel knives, but they rust more easily. They’re kind of the inverse to stainless steel knives. If you don’t live in a very humid area, carbon steel is likely the best option. If you do, then you may have to worry about your blade rusting.
There are other types. Damascus steel is sort of a luxury item. It is renowned for holding an edge better than all others. The metal itself is beautiful and is often handmade by artisans. Laminated steel is a combination of carbon and stainless. The blade is made of a carbon steel piece between two pieces of stainless steel. The outside doesn’t rust, and it has the structural integrity of carbon steel. This is a pricey option though.
Different Knives for Different Situations
The differences between knives don’t stop at tactical and survival. Knives have a lot of purposes, and there are different blades for each purpose.
Hunting knives tend to be large, although it depends on what you are hunting. Bowie knives are classics, and they are still practical today. The blades are huge, and they have an unmistakable curve to them. The straighter side of the blade can be used for slicing meat, and the curved side is useful for removing skin. For smaller animals, or just for enhanced precision, there are smaller knives with curved blades that can be used. In general, a straighter blade is usually better for when you want to actually hunt animals with the knife, such as boar hunting. The more curved designs are better for gutting and skinning animals.
If you’re going fishing, you may want to bring a fillet knife. It has a long, slightly curved blade. The edged part of the blade tends to be wide. It is great for scaling and gutting fish.
”Rambo” survival knives are essentially long wide knives meant for wilderness survival. They get their name from the knives used by Rambo, although they do have practical uses. They tend to have hollow handles that can store a small survival kit. The blades are comparable to a skinnier bowie knife. The cheap ones are usually the ones marketed as Rambo knives, but they tend to be shoddily built and targeted at people looking to buy it for the gimmick. If you want to buy one, simply search for survival knives.
Also, whether you count it as a knife or not, a machete could be the tool you need. They are good for chopping larger items like branches and brush. If you’ll be in an area with dense vegetation, this is a great tool to bring. Also, you could easily bring this and a regular size knife at the same time.
Jack of All Trades
It is hard to beat the timeless simplicity of a pocket-knife. These knives are found in the pockets of everyone from outdoorsmen to people working in shops to people working on home improvement projects. They consist of either a mostly straight blade with a pointed tip or a slightly curved blade. They aren’t the best at scaling fish, skinning squirrels, or other common uses, but they will get you through those situations. There are knives with more pros in certain areas, but an all-around pocket knife brings lots of gains in other areas. If you’re going into the woods, but don’t have a specific task in mind that you need a blade for, this may be the best option.
Another “jack of all trades” is the multitool. The Swiss Army Knife, and similar tools, offer a lot in addition to their knife blades. They come stacked with tools like scissors, pliers, serrated blades, and bottle openers. You can find a lot of different combinations of tools on any given one.
If you’re new to knives, don’t stress too much about what you go with. Simply figure out what purpose you have, find the knife that suits that purpose, and buy one within your price range.
By Jay Chambers