John McCann: Stay Alive: The Best Knives and Top Tools for Survival

There is a plethora of machetes to chose from. Ontario and Cold Steel both make a line of machetes. There are also some custom machetes available. I prefer those made by Andy Roy at Fiddlebackforge.com, as they are very well made, with an awesome edge and custom micarta handles.

There are many ways to carry a knife in the field. What you want to ensure is that your knife is safe from loss (remember it’s your primary survival tool), easy to get in and out of its sheath and protected from the elements, and also that you are protected from getting cut. The primary means to secure a knife is a sheath. The two basic sheaths are leather sheaths and Kydex sheaths. I make all my own leather sheaths and prefer them for most outdoor activity. However, for long term survival in a wet environment I prefer Kydex, as they don’t soak up the water and dry quickly. I also prefer Kydex for its ability to lock in a knife, especially if the sheath is worn upside down.

Let’s discuss just some of the basic ways to carry a knife in the field which provide for the above considerations.

Belt carry is pretty straight forward. The sheath is attached to your belt with some form of belt loop or belt clip. For belt carry I usually prefer a leather sheath, but although the positioning at the right rear side does allow easy access to get the knife out, it is sometimes difficult to return.

Neck carry is another way to keep your knife in a position for easy access. There are two main types of neck carry, right-side up and upside down. Determine what works best for you if you choose this type of carry.

I find that a pocket-type sheath needs to be carried right side up, especially if it does not have a pressure fit. A Kydex sheath which is pressure fit to the knife is the best, in my opinion, for upside down carry. Make sure the knife “clicks” into the sheath, and holds securely. I once had a knife with a plastic manufactured sheath (not Kydex) fall out of the sheath while under my shirt. It could have been a disastrous situation had I not felt it fall and land sideways at the belt line.

Leg carry is another issue where people seem to love it or hate it. I have been wearing my large fixed blade knife on a leg rig for over 10 years and prefer it in the field. I normally piggy-back my primary fixed blade knife on the outside of the rig, resulting in quick access to either blade. They are easy to get out and easy to put back. I always use a Kydex sheath for both blades and hang it from the belt with heavy nylon webbing. This provides leeway for the sheath to move forward and back, allowing me to both sit and squat without any restriction. The lower end of the sheath always has a leg strap to keep the rig from swinging while walking or other movement. I prefer this type of carry in the field, but it is not for everyone. Just another option and, of course, the decision will be yours.

The Baldric rig has been around since ancient times. It is a shoulder belt or sling which has been used to carry a sword, knife (the Romans carried their knives on a Baldric rig), bugles, drums, etc. So why bring this up under survival gear? The Baldric rig is a convenient way to carry a knife or larger blade on the outside of a coat for easy access. Of course, such a rig could be used year round, but I usually use mine in the winter, when trying to get to a belt knife under a coat is rather difficult.

A Baldric rig can be as simple as using parachute cord to hang a belt sheath over your shoulder so that it is on the outside of your jacket or coat. Some people have begun to place rigs on their sheaths for the purpose of hanging them Baldric rig style.

I make all my own leather sheaths and they all have a belt loop. I don’t want extraneous rings or loops on them when being used for belt carry. Therefore, I decided that I would make a leather adapter that would slide into the belt loop of all my leather sheaths which would provide me with two “D” rings from which I could use any type of cordage to strap it over a shoulder. I can carry just the Baldric rig adapter in a small kit, and if I went to a jacket I could carry my knife on the outside. Of course, for everyday hiking I made a leather strap to match the adapter.

The first thing to learn about knives is safe handling. I know it sounds like it may not need to be said, but knives are sharp instruments and they can cut you quickly and deeply. I have seen it over and over again, and care must be taken at all times when handling a knife. I always recall the “Blood Circle” from the Boy Scouts and we make sure students at our school understand it, as they are often working in close proximity to one another. The “Blood Circle” is the area around you. Pretend you are holding your knife in your hand, and reach out and carefully turn all the way around. If there is anyone close enough to get cut by a knife if you had one in your hand, then you are too close to that person. If a knife slips when being used, it can be another person that gets stabbed or cut.

Most safety is common sense. Don’t cut towards yourself with a knife. Don’t hold a piece of wood below the area you are cutting with a knife, but hold it above the area being cut. Most cuts seem to occur on the thumb and forefinger of the hand not holding the knife.

If sitting, hold the item being cut out past your knees. Rest your elbows on your knees when possible which will ensure you are cutting out past your knees and legs. Many injuries occur when a knife slips and the user stabs or cuts their own legs or knees.

I have often seen cuts occur because somebody set their knife down while doing something else, then turned around or reached and were cut by their own knife. When you are not actually using your knife, place it back in its sheath.

When doing any type of fine work with a knife, watch your thumb. This is especially important if cutting around a stick, by rolling it. Don’t have your thumb under the blade on the other side of the wood, but to one side or the other.

Don’t cradle work in the palm of your hand if carving or cutting out a divot. If the knife slips or goes through the item your working on, you will stab yourself in the palm.