When the stuff hits the fan, and it's time to bug out, I'm going to grab the Fallkniven A1

[AntDog]

Another point for those of you planning on “bugging in”, can’t stay IN forever, right?…. If something dangerous is out there they’ll probably getcha eventually. Barring that, you’d run out of supplies and have to venture out anyway.

It’s just common sense that if you’re safe where you are, stay where you are. If you’re not, GTFO. Leave without a substantial blade at your own risk. If you wind up somewhere else comfy, that’s great.

If you don’t, at least you’ll have a useful tool to chop something barring an exit, hack up the tree that fell on your buddy’s house, pry open a door, poke into something for a handhold to climb, whatever the case may be.

 

[Drop bear]

I've actually had to leave home more than once due to natural disaster and emergency situations. I have a couple of emergency bags and a bunch of extra gear "just in case". There's a GHB in my vehicle and a BOB near my door. They have knives and tools and spare clothing and other necessities such as rations and water filtration.

The last time I had to use one of those bags, do you know where I went? A hotel. The things that I actually used from my bag were the spare clothes and hygiene items. The knives and other tools didn't see any use at all.

The first ever time I had to bug out was due to an earthquake. Guess where I went? A relative's house.

Yes there are plenty of reasons to bug out. Yes you should always have some things on standby so that you can leave at a moment's notice and be confident of having your basic needs met.

No, you are probably not going to be surviving outdoors with your knife. If you are, then be real: things are dire and you're probably screwed at that point anyway.

I still pack a bunch of outdorsie stuff for a friendly bugout.

Blow up mat, travel pillow, a gas cooker and coffee, a torch, food, my blanky. Phone powerbank.

And the thing is I have gone to a hotel. But I have been packed 5 to a room and the power was out.

So. Ok. Still no knives.(Not true I opened some cans of food) But I think splitting the difference a bit still isn't the worst idea.

And while I think of it. Get a little AM/FM radio. Which it's use only comes up in a disaster when you are holed up and you are wondering what is going on. Which for cyclones, bushfires and alien invasion is really handy.

 

[Drop bear]

Here we go. If you want an excuse for an apocalypse knife as part of your bug out bag. Here is a guy who had to chop through his roof to escape a flood.

And then live on his roof for however long it took for him to be rescued.

Be more of a bug up bag. But still.

 

[Guy McVer]

Yep. Might as well die.

I never said give up, I'm saying that you're living in a fantasy world if you are imagining a scenario that you're going to survive outdoors while having to rely on your knife.

I have knives in my BOB and my GHB anyway, because if it comes to it, I might as well try. I can make a fire and I can make pointy sticks and I can maybe last a few days in relative comfort before I get really exhausted and I start starving. But I am under no illusions. Just getting enough food will be a full time job. And neither should you be under any such illusions.

Do you think there might maybe ever come a time when you have to GTFO and won’t wind up in comfy surroundings and might actually want to live? And a knife might come in handy?

Maybe. Probably not though. And if am in that situation? I'm most likely going to die. And it's probably not going to be a comfortable death either, unless you are talking about the final moments of hypothermia, in which case I hear that you feel really warm right before you freeze to death.

Another point for those of you planning on “bugging in”, can’t stay IN forever, right?

Depends on the length of the emergency situation. How long can your supplies last? That's why I have almost a year's worth of emergency food, medical supplies, etc. I figure that's more than enough. If you ever find yourself needing more than that, well... things probably went Mad Max.

 

[scdub]

I have knives in my BOB and my GHB anyway, because if it comes to it, I might as well try.

That’s basically what we’re talking about right - tools for trying?

Seems like you understand why a knife might be a good idea, so why all the negativity?

Knives for thee but not for me?

I don’t believe anyone is claiming or thinks that they will be guaranteed to survive a disaster because they picked the perfect knife, but some knives might be better than others, and this is literally the forum to discuss those differences….

Anyway, my unknown situation bug-out go-to is my newest knife:


Which I’d pack along with a firearm or two…


…and ideally at least another couple of these…

 

[borrowed time]

My cutty choices:

Esee Junglas
Esee 5
Esee Candiru (neck knife)
CRK&T MAK-1 Rescue knife/crowbar
Leatherman Wave with bit kit
SOCP type Dagger
Gerber Milspec Concertina Wire Cutter

 

[Guy McVer]

What will you eat? How will you find fresh water? How will you discern friend from foe? How will you stay warm without alerting others? How will you keep your knife or knives sharp? How will you carry what you need? What if you lose your gear?

There are so many things that you can't account for. The one tool which matters most is not your knife. It's your brain.

I can tell you one thing. If the proverbial stuff hits the fan, I am not going to want to be stuck with a super steel knife that can't be sharpened without a diamond plate. I am going to want something soft enough to take an edge on a river stone, or the bottom of a coffee mug, or the top of a car window, or a piece of sandpaper, or a brick. The dead weight of a hard super steel would be tossed aside in exchange for the first soft cheap budget stainless knife I could get my hands on.

 

[Blue Sky]

I can tell you one thing. If the proverbial stuff hits the fan, I am not going to want to be stuck with a super steel knife that can't be sharpened without a diamond plate. I am going to want something soft enough to take an edge on a river stone, or the bottom of a coffee mug, or the top of a car window, or a piece of sandpaper, or a brick. The dead weight of a hard super steel would be tossed aside in exchange for the first soft cheap budget stainless knife I could get my hands on.

Well ok, now we’re getting somewhere. You’ve got your list of requirements going, so next step is what specifically would you choose?

For me the scenario is a little different. I would stay put as long as I could, but there is always a chance that I eventually have to leave. The hope is that there will be some areas less affected by whatever is going on and the goal is to get to one of them. Assuming I know where that might be. That means travelling on roads, cross country, probably both. So, some foraging in urban or town environments, abandoned corner stores or markets for canned food or whatever is left, and maybe some nights outside where a warming fire would be needed. Protection along the way. Once I reach some sustainable area the next trick is to convince whoever is already there that I have something to contribute so I can stay.

I have no illusions this would all actually work in real life, but as some have said you have to try, right?

 

[Guy McVer]

I would stay put as long as I could, but there is always a chance that I eventually have to leave. The hope is that there will be some areas less affected by whatever is going on and the goal is to get to one of them. Assuming I know where that might be. That means travelling on roads, cross country, probably both. So, some foraging in urban or town environments, abandoned corner stores or markets for canned food or whatever is left, and maybe some nights outside where a warming fire would be needed. Protection along the way. Once I reach some sustainable area the next trick is to convince whoever is already there that I have something to contribute so I can stay.

I have no illusions this would all actually work in real life, but as some have said you have to try, right?

In this hypothetical scenario, do you have something to detect radiation? Because you'll have to worry about the meltdown of every single nuclear power plant in the country. How are you going to figure out where to go anyway? Where is that information going to come from?

This is exactly what I find so aggravating about this topic. It is literally a fantasy. In reality, you will die. Your knife will not matter.

 

[Guy McVer]

A much better question is "what would I want if I got lost in the wilderness?", because then you have the possibility of rescue or finding your way out. Your survival is only short to medium term, and civilization hasn't descended into chaos or collapsed altogether. Then your knife could possibly save your life. Then it becomes relevant. But instead, the whole way this topic is framed is absurd. You might as well ask what type of underwear you would want to have on if you were ejected into space.

 

[Drop bear]

I think the ranger grip 78 gives me the most options for bugging out. A big knife that can fit in a pocket. A saw, can opener, screw drivers and stuff. One hand opener. Locking.

Made in that almost rust proof victorinox steel.

Also means I can jump on buses or use shelters without getting too much scrutiny as I might if I pulled out a massive fixed blade.

I live pretty rural so bugging out is probably the better option. As my area is less likley to be defended if there is an attack. And less likley to be serviced if there is a disaster of some sort.

Plenty of refugees did it to get here. I would probably follow their example.


So when i make decisions about what i would do in SHTF I try to go off case studies rather than invent some story for my self.


i just feel it makes a more robust plan.

 

[adluginb]

In this hypothetical scenario, do you have something to detect radiation? Because you'll have to worry about the meltdown of every single nuclear power plant in the country. How are you going to figure out where to go anyway? Where is that information going to come from?

This is exactly what I find so aggravating about this topic. It is literally a fantasy. In reality, you will die. Your knife will not matter.

There is only 1 about 170 miles from me and I know just where it is. It’s not fantasy it’s being prepared. How do you think people in the past survived without all the inventions we have today???? It’s the same way, they had a knife or a sharpened piece of rock. No difference.

 

[Guy McVer]

There is only 1 about 170 miles from me and I know just where it is. It’s not fantasy it’s being prepared. How do you think people in the past survived without all the inventions we have today???? It’s the same way, they had a knife or a sharpened piece of rock. No difference.

The people of the past lived in close knit groups, where everyone had roles which worked in synergy to support the group as a whole, and not being accepted meant exile and dying alone. They developed the knowledge and skills that they had from childhood. They spent all of their time working to survive. Every tool or piece of clothing had to be made from scratch, every bit of food had to be hunted or foraged for. And they did not have to deal with nuclear radiation. Survival was a full time job that everyone had to perform. If too many people became sick or injured, then it meant the very real possibility of death for the entire group.

So yes, this is all fantasy. Now if you're talking about being lost or stranded and having the possibility of rescue or returning to civilization, that's different.

 

[Drop bear]

 

[Guy McVer]

 

[Blue Sky]

I forgot to give my choice for the one knife I would want if I had no choice but to move to a safer location that I determined by listening to the radio or shortwave, or just took a wild-a$$ed guess!

Probably this one

Or maybe