Best survival knife?  Depends on the situation to be survived.  If it was Orcs, I'd take one of these.  ;)

LOL, only if I could make it glow like that

Ultimate Bushcraft Kit Giveaway

Jan said, "LOL, only if I could make it glow like that"

Jan I doubt you could ever make Sting glow.  It only glows when orc or goblins are near.

I know it has been seen in other places but it is amazing to me that EPA pays these folks to see if the smells leaves the property????

Tobias,

Well I have met some folks that COULD be goblins

It would seem that someone has an issue with an African-American on the block.  Looks like a bunch of BS.

I just amazed that there is even an official you can call to complain about this that HAS to go investigate it instead of laugh and hang up

It seems to be another example of EPA overreach.

That is totally stupidly ridiculous!

www.besthuntingknives.org/best-survival-knife/

Downton Data, I don't much care what someone picks for a survival knife.  Assuming one checks the specs for the type of steel, and heat-treat reputation, lots of knives will make good survival knives.  I like "destruction" tests to help pick a knife.  Knives that pass "destruction" tests should be excellent survival knives.
My favorite type of survival knife is a fixed-blade with a blade length of 6" or longer, because batoning firewood under survival conditions requires length enough to have a substantial part of the blade on the other end from the handle to beat on with the baton.  As the article mentions, what one wants a knife to do is very important.  I don't think you can do everything with one knife.  A 6"+ blade will help you cut poles for your shelter, and baton larger pieces of wood into that mid-sized stuff between fuzz sticks/kindling and big fire logs, or lash it to a 6 ft. staff to make a spear for defense against predators, but is a bit long for skinning, or carving a wooden spoon for your survival camp, or smaller jobs around camp.  And, a big knife isn't the best fillet knife for fish.  If you can't fit an axe or hatchet in your prepper pack, a pocket chainsaw will do, along with about three knives, a big-un, a mid-size (4" or so blade), and a small folder, like a Whittler or Stockman.  The smaller knives can either be packed in, or attached to, the outside of the pack.  I have no use for serrated or partially serrated blades as  they are hard to sharpen.  The guy doesn't seem to like Nylon sheaths, but if there is a plastic insert, or a Kydex sheath, I think Nylon or Kydex will outperform leather which doesn't like foul weather much.

Austin City Council members passed a preliminary plan in April to put restrictions on smoke from barbecue restaurants. Some Austin residents complain of the barbecue smoke saying they can’t enjoy their homes they purchased before some of these restaurants moved in.

The city council’s current proposal will require smoke diffusers and will also limit the amount of time that restaurants can smoke. These restrictions will require at least $100,000 in extra investments for most barbecue restaurants as they will be forced to buy extra smokers along with severely expensive diffusers, and in some cases will have to lease or purchase more property.  One business expert told council members that these restrictions will certainly kill all but the largest barbecue restaurants in Austin. It is effectively a ban on barbecue restaurants in a town known for its barbecue.

I did a search on ikc for "bearing block", which didn't turn up any hits, so here goes.  I was down a rabbit hole on YouTube the other day, and came across some old codger making a bow drill kit.  Now, you think of a bearing block as some mechanism to help you bear down on the top of your bow drill rod to keep it steady, like a rock or a divot in your knife handle made for that purpose. The guy on the YouTube video said he keeps one in his pocket all the time, so he is never without it.  He sells them on his site, but I moved on without checking on his "bearing block" However, it struck me that his "bearing block" looked similar to a wheel bearing.  And within moments, it hit me.that an old Timken wheel bearing is just the thing for a bearing block for a bow drill.  Of course, you have to find one small enough to fit in your hand with a relatively small center so your makeshift bow drill shaft/spindle will fit without going through the hole.  So, there you go.  Keep a Timken wheel bearing in your pocket, and you'll have the most friction-free bearing block on the planet for your bow drill kit. 

Sorry to play Negative Nellie but how would you like the smell of Bar-B-Que permeating your furniture, drapes, clothing and daily lives AFTER you had moved into the area...Knowing about it in advance is an altogether different matter, then only you are to blame.

What about a feed lot, swine farm or a sewage treatment plant moving into the neighbourhood after you purchased--same bloody difference--and in all cases your property value just decreased significantly...

Howard,

WOW, great idea.  Nice trip down the rabbit hole.

Just saw a video of what you should do to prepare for survival.  You'll see just how far Steve Hanner is ahead of most of us.  The Brits have this all figured out.  Don't know why nobody told us.  Warning: bad language.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pDTiFkXgEE 

ROFL!!!  Ok the language was a bit rough but boy howdy is he right!

That was great, Howard!  

Finally got to do some work with my Camillus CK-9!  I love this little knife (9" long, blade & handle each equal half the length).  Made tinder (shavings & feather sticks) with no problem at all, & split larger logs into kindling really well (pine knots not even a problem, it just curved right around them along the grain, no binding problems at all).  I knew I'd love using this knife...

DLKG,

I am glad it lived up to your expectations!  Nothing is better than having a new knife show you it's stuff!

On Aug. 28th, AMC is premiering the series, "Fear The Walking Dead".  It is about what happened when the zombies came to being and what people did to survive or not survive.  Deputy Rick is in his comma for the next 5 months.  It may be interesting on what they come up with.  Nice knife DLKG.

Nice looking knife, Dead_left.  With the wide blade, it should be a solid worker.

Okay, the 10 survivalists on History Channel's "Alone" are down to 2, and the finale is this coming Thursday.  One of my favorite guys, Alan, is one of the two remaining after 44 (or so) days.  I've learned some things, and I hope you folks have enjoyed this show.  I'm not much for "reality" TV shows, as most of those shows are less reality and more show, but this one ("Alone") is more true to real survival.

Howard I did not watch this series but am looking for it to come back in the rerun, have heard some serious nice reviews from folks I trust

Jan,

To my mind, the show's producers picked a very difficult place to test these guys' survival skills.  They are all trained survival people, not just people off the street.  However, Vancouver Island is a rough place to survive - it's a temperate rain forest off the Pacific coast.  Rains 220 days a year, No game animals as far as I can tell (nobody has seen any).  There are mountain lions, bear and wolves for predators, which is why the show had two guys drop out very early - first couple of days.  My favorite guys are Alan from Georgia, and Lucas from Iowa (I think).  Lucas I call "the builder" - ingenious guy and smart.  Alan has a great personality and has very good skills.

Hi all!  I really like the survivor show "Alone", but there seems to be a disparity in the what each contestant carried as survival gear.  Does anyone know what the rules were for choosing their gear?

They got to choose what they wanted to take.

http://morethanjustsurviving.com/alone-season-1-survival-gear/

You'll have noticed that they are all carrying different blade configurations but non of them have the huge, big blades, so prevalent in forums today.

Vancouver Island Wildlife

http://www.geog.uvic.ca/viwilds/iw.html

Shlomo this is an interesting read. Thanks for the information.

I saw one video from Joe Robinet (he dropped out after losing his firesteel).  He took at least some of his own personal gear.  

1. His personal axe - that was his grandfather's which he had re-handled.

2. His personal knife.

3. His personal sleeping bag, which he said he doesn't recommend (the brand).

Some of the later shows have an "inside look" where three contestants comment on the episodes as they play out, and Alan says he loved the Kukri knife he had.  This makes me think that it might not have been his personal knife - in the way he said it.

I haven't figured out how Lucas got to take a tree saw (a one-man version of a two-man tree saw (big teeth), while Alan had a Sven Saw (much smaller) - might be just personal choice.

I also haven't figured out why only three of the ten contestants came back for the "inside Look".  Maybe all were asked, but the rest declined.

You mean like these--Garrett Wade

http://www.garrettwade.com/a-real-hand-lumber-saw/p/20F01.01/ -- I have one and they work great.

http://www.garrettwade.com/japanese-pattern-crosscutting-timber-saw... -- I've used this one and I like it

***

http://www.garrettwade.com/a-folding-pruning-saw-for-serious-work/p... -- got this in the early fall (for turkey season) and absolutely love it.  Puts Silky to shame.

***

http://www.garrettwade.com/professional-pruning-saws/p/86B01.01/ -- Heard these were good but have no first hand knowledge.

Shlomo,

Got email about your latest post here, but somehow I don't see it.  I re-loaded the page a few times, but still no post.  Anyway, I remember seeing Lucas's tree saw only once, and it seemed at least as big as the biggest of the Garrett Wade saws, here:  http://www.garrettwade.com/professional-pruning-saws/p/86B01.01/ 

On the other hand the teeth looked like the teeth on this one-man tree saw, but not as long as this saw.  In reality, it was probably like the biggest of the saws in the link above.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnf80BMhtVM 

Took a look atthose Shlomo, thank you.  I think I like the Japanese style one best.  Looks more friendly for old hands LOL

That Japanese saw looks like the one to have.  Too many calories spent in using the big one in the YouTube video.

As you can't open them:

Japanese Lumber Saw - have used and want to purchase

Japanese Folding Saw--beats a Silky by a mile - own and love

American Lumber Saw - own and use extensively

Howard, I can't watch UTube on my system.

There are two other items that I rave about from Garrett Wade.  The first is their Japanese Hatchet

http://www.garrettwade.com/japanese-hatchet/p/19S13.01/

I use this next to the fireplaces to make kindling when an Estwing Fireside Friend is too large - absobloodylutely amazing and the second is their

Japanese Hand Axe

http://www.garrettwade.com/super-sharp-japanese-hand-axe/p/11P23.06/

I'm also after this hatchet but have never used it - I really like bearded designs

http://www.garrettwade.com/product.asp?pn=69A01.11&green=AC3E99...

Shlomo, I could open them from the email.  It just took a while for your ikc post to show up on my system. Thanks for re-posting the pics.

That Japanese hatchet is one mean looking tool.  I would not want to get in its way.  It might make a good survival tool - hatchet, draw-knife, defensive weapon, and a great blade with which to baton logs into kindling.  The other Japanese hatchet & axe look good, but I grew up with a carpenter's hatchet and because of that I prefer it, but I have never tried Japanese hatchets.  I do like Garrett Wade stuff, and go through the catalog from cover to cover when it comes in.

Shlomo,

I'm thinkin hard on that Japanese hatchet.  It doesn't look like full- tang, which would be my preference, but for $69.95, it might be worth a try.

Shlomo,

My interest in the Japanese hatchet is moving south.  garrettwade.com doesn't tell you that the blade is wedge shaped - flat on one side and beveled on the other.  Found a review of it, mentioned it is wedge-shaped.  Bad for me because I am a Lefty so the bevel is on the wrong side for me.  However, while exploring YouTube for Japanese hatchets I found that there are Japanese makers that produce a standard two-bevel (one on each side) hatchet, so I might be able to get one after all.

Also, and this is related to survival as well, While looking for reviews of the Japanese hatchet I stumbled upon this Japanese guy, who lives in Japan, and reviews a bunch of knives/survival knives.  His English is a bit difficult to understand, but with some effort, I think you can understand what he is saying.  He reviews all kinds of things, including a survival knife from New Zealand, Bark River, BK-2.  He also has videos on sharpening with water stones, and re-profiling knives from regular grind to convex grind.  Here's a video of him talking about Bark River S35VN steel.  He seems to know his stuff. (Virtuovice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4m-wCKB2Ao

Here's another video on Bark River CPM-3V.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNOgcUIha_Q

Do you have a different Bug Out Bag for winter?

My bug out bag stays the same year round.  Because of my situation here the only thing I bug out for is storms.  When tornadoes are threatening, we go to our church for shelter.  It is one mile from our house.  

My bug out bag contains such things as a weather radio, a scanner, flashlights, extra batteries.  When we do have to bug out we also throw in my wifes good jewelry and her medicines.

Same situation here Charles.  A fire on the mountain may be the only thing we would bug out for.  The basement would be where we would likely go for most emergency situations, I keep the same medical supplies down there that I do up here and the wood stove is down there.

I also never thought of a winter bug out bag in Florida.  Thats why I started thinking about it now I guess 

Another thing I never needed to think about before?  What about Case?  What if he had to bug out with us? 

Charles, never thought of lefties with the hatchet.  Two daughters are and it seems to work okay for them but then again it is almost always used for firewood so precision chopping isn't a factor.

******************

We don't have bug out bags but we carry survival packs in all the vehicles and those remain the same winter or summer.  With the equipment inside they're actually geared for winter but in summer you just don't use or need all the extra socks and long johns.  About every three month we change out the food stuffs and yearly the meds.

We don't have any natural disasters to speak of in my area and for ice damage or freak snowstorms we just hunker down and let the events blow themselves away.  We heat with wood, have backup solar and wind battery system for electricity, super insulated house with solar heat panels and a Trombe wall opposite side of the attached greenhouse.

Shlomo,

I haven't made a move on a double bevel Japanese hatchet because on a rare visit to the local grocery store, they were selling a Farberware cleaver for half price.  $6.00 seemed like a very reasonable price for a "kindling hatchet".  Will give it a try this Fall.  It's front heavy so it should work.

Howard, Let me know how that works out for you.  I am thinking it will be a good fit for kindling hatchet 

JJ, you know us well.  If I bug out so does Case!

Shlomo,

Had to look that one up

True genius!

That is smart!  What a concept!

I see lots of good ideas here.  I take my bug-out bag with me when I leave the metro area.  I have a case of MRE's in my pickup tool box.  Also, tools, small ax, machete, para-cord, heavy nylon rope, tie downs, sleeping bag and tarp.  Of course I am packing all the time and have numerous mags with me.  I am gearing up my lever action .44 mag. Marlin with a sheath.  My Rem. 870 with extended tube and 20" slug sighted barrel is already set up in this manner.  Bandoleer of 50 rounds of buckshot at the ready.

As are as a bug-out situation, if you are alert with new feeds and check the right websites, you can get a good idea if things are going south in your area or across the nation.  Be alert...stay alive.