Spear or Frog Gig in the BoB?

ROCK6

ROCK6

Joined
Feb 8, 2004
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I was reorganizing my "survival closet" and ran across an old frog gig I meant to put in my trapping kit bag. Got me thinking about carrying a dedicated spear head or frog gig for the kit...anybody else keep one or the other in their kit?

I was thinking about Cold Steel's smaller Bushman...that would make a great backup blade and could be used to make a small spear. I personally like the little gig...not much of a defense weapon, but would make a great tool to spear fish, frogs, etc...with some practice!

I guess the frog gig and a small Bushman would round out my trapping bag...anybody else?

ROCK6
 
actually I keep 2 in my bag, they are cheap here...like 3.00 per gig so I figured why not
 
ROCK6 said:
an old frog gig ... I personally like the little gig...not much of a defense weapon
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Rock, Don't underestimate a frog gig as a SD weapon. Pick parts of your body and think of being impaled, poked, or struck vigorously in that part with a gig at the end of a staff. You should be able to see its potential.... :eek:

Personally, faced with a gig, I'd worry about my eyes and throat area, plus center mass where so many vital organs exist, often covered with simply soft tissue. But even being impaled by a gig in a non-critical large muscle mass like the bicep or thigh muscle would incur lots of pain and offer the wielder of the gig some ability to counter or control actions of the impaled individual. Imagine being impaled by your frog gig in your front thigh muscle, then having the gig head violently wrenched inside the muscle as you are simultaneously getting a series of rapidly executed face-smashes with the shaft of the weapon pivoting on that buried gig head. IMHO that should make a decent SD counter-measure to an aggressive person.

Danger is less in the nature of the object than in the intent and ability of the individual. As someone else so succinctly put it, "Don't confuse the weapon you have with the weapon you are."
 
GIG,GIG,GIG!!Great all around survival tool.Great for frogs,fish,snakes and even game(holds them while empailed)Barbed tines are a great invention and work great.And also as mentined above are deadly when aimed at the throat or eyes.
 
Thanks for the graphic explanation RokJok :D I guess I was more focused on penetration over stabs at extremities, and yes the damage to flesh would be pretty bad from a gig. Outside of a large brown bear or charging moose/elk, I would assume all other 2 or 4 foot predators would think twice after the first jab. Glad to see a few others packing a few gigs or spearhead in their kit. Now, just need to get out and do a little gig'in practice :)

ROCK6
 
I have a CRKT STIFF KISS in its plastic sheath laced to the back of my Spec-Ops Survival Sheath. It's just the trick for those little jobs the fallkniven A1 is just a little big for. Kinda the old dirk and mini blade concept. By its design the Stiff Kiss is flat with plenty of holes and cut outs that make it a fast spear head. With a little more time I could saw a slot in the end of a stout shaft and slide the Stiff Kiss right in. A final lashing of para cord and little rosin would make a more durable spear.
Spears are one of man's earliest and most basic tools. Do not underestimate a simple sharpend hardwood or bamboo stick especially when fire hardened. they are quite effective. I have amde fishing spears by splitting a stick and propping the split open with a small stone and lasshing it in place. Cut backwards barbs on the inside if the "Y" and you have a great fishing gig.
 
Every BOB should have a CS bushman or mini bushman. Heck of a knive and versatile. I have both with big one in the car and little one in the BOB.

As for the gig we use the 5 pronged fish gig with a 1/4" of steel welded across the upper portion for support when we gig fish and it does well for frogs too. Keeps the prongs from bending or spreading if/when you hit a rock. Also the fish gig would make devistating damage as a weapon. I' ve ate many a fine meal cought by the gig.....



Dean
 
besides fish and frogs, in a REAL survival situation even in urban areas they would be great for small game such as rats, cats.....great way to "pin" down on then finish them off with a club.
 
Just a note in regards to pain/damage in a violent encounter. In any kind of ampted up situation you don't tend to feel any of that. My brother recently was working on a roof top, lost his footing and got his leg impaled on a piece of metallic strapping which went into, and out of his leg, taking a large part of the tissue out with it.

He didn't feel it at all during the accident, nor for some time afterwards. A few times I have had similar incidents, the worst one I smashed my hip so bad I was limping badly for days, very difficult to use stairs, no ability to jump/run etc, but yet immediately after it happened I had little discomfort.

The worst I ever heard of personally was one of my aunts who had a clothes steamer get clamped on her arm accidently, severe burns, but she felt nothing.

I would not count on pain being much of a factor in any kind of conflict, its just too unreliable.

I also have friends who have worked as orderlies in various institutions and they have countless stories of people doing serious harm to themselves to get out of restraints.

Just something to think about.

-Cliff
 
I plan on geting one of the Hossom Harpoon when it is available from Ontario. It can be used exactly like a gig or a spear, and a few versions will be available.
 
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