Since ancient times, man has protected and saved a knife. In the period of development of scientific and technological progress, the need for it, as in a constant satellite, disappeared. However, in extreme conditions, this item may be sufficient means to survive. The progress of technology has touched the knives for survival, but its standard remains the army knife with a mass of additional functions.
Purpose knives for survival
The best survival knives are designed by order of the armies of most states. The real breakthrough was the emergence of a hollow knife handle, in which you can place the necessary minimum of vital items.
Utility knife has become a constant companion of any tourist. It suits a lot for what:
- getting and cooking;
- construction and repair of the dwelling (shelter);
- manufacture of wooden, stone, bone and metal tools and instruments;
- kindling fire;
- manufacture and repair of clothing;
- orienteering;
- protection from wild animals and intruders;
- provision of medical care.
In order to combine all these functions in one product, development engineers spent more than a dozen years. Improved blade configuration, materials. Modern steel is able to withstand huge loads, and the functionality of knives for survival can surprise anyone.
Unique versatile knives for survival
In order to kindle a fire, a survival knife was developed with a flint. The hollow handle of some elite specimens holds medical and household needles with tufted threads ready for use.
Large knives have a long wide blade with a large cutting edge, sharpened to the sharpness of a scalpel. Butt wide and massive. It is strong enough to allow them to hammer in nails, chop nuts, flatten soft metals. No folding knife possesses such characteristics.
The presence of a compass causes controversial opinions. This blade has to be made of a non-magnetic alloy, so the decision to equip an army knife for survival with a compass is clearly not the best.
How to choose a tourist knife for extreme situations?
Any survival expert will confirm that the knife is the most important item in camping equipment. Therefore, his choice should be approached thoroughly, assessing the many factors of suitability, convenience, functionality and reliability.
Immediately you need to decide what system it should be. The folding knife is convenient when carrying. It is not bulky and takes up little space. Some models contain 21 items, and are able to perform more than 30 types of work. How much you need it - decide for yourself.
With regard to the length of the blade can give advice. It should be in the range of 9-15 cm. A universal knife of greater length will be uncomfortable and heavy. Exception - if you are heading to the jungle. Then you have to use it as a machete. A smaller blade will be uncomfortable due to the small length of the blade.
Cutting edges are of two types:
- smooth (smooth);
- sawtooth (serreytor).
By choosing a copy with the cutting edge of the latter type, you can easily cut synthetic materials, cut wood, bone, and sometimes even metal, but here lies one drawback.
Sharpening such a blade requires special conditions and devices. In the field it is not possible. And blunted once, the versatile knife turns into a metal high-tech baton. Therefore, if you are going on a campaign for a long time, it is better to purchase an exhibit with a smooth cutting edge.
Also important is the thickness of the blade. If the blade is too thick, then with a knife it is difficult to perform small, painstaking work. Too thin can break. The optimum thickness range is 4 to 6.5 mm.
Recently, carbon steel has become popular. This is due to its outstanding performance in strength and ability to resist dulling. However, if such a knife is not used for a long time, the blade will rust. Corrosion propensity is the main disadvantage of this material.
There are additives to alloys that can provide additional resistance to wear. For example, chrome does an excellent job with this. And in order that the blade does not suffer from the effects of aggressive media, vanadium is introduced into the alloy. Zirconium dioxide is used by domestic manufacturers for the manufacture of ceramic knives for survival.
Comparison of elite copies of Western and domestic production
The cult knife for survival of Jungle King can become the favorite satellite of the tourist. It contains a lot of useful items and is able to perform a large number of functions. The Spanish manufacturer has developed three generations of this brand. The capsule inside the knife handle contains:
- a set of needles and pins;
- set of fishing hooks;
- tweezers;
- pencil;
- sterilized blade;
- adhesive plaster;
- pill compartment.
Kit in different versions is different. The equipment includes flint, and in the sheath a skinner knife is hidden. It will help to remove the skin and cut up the animal, it can be used as a screwdriver, can opener, chair or jail. In addition, the sheath contained:
- rubber harness for dragging wounded limbs or for a slingshot mounted on a retractable metal antennae;
- a mirror with icon tips on how to correctly send distress signals;
- a container containing iodine for wound disinfection;
- bottle with anti-mosquito liquid.
The scabbards are wrapped with twine, which in skillful hands turn into a string. The basis for the manufacture of the blade was chrome-molybdenum-vanadium steel alloy (59 units of hardness). The total length of 22 cm, of which 10.5 is a blade. The handle is hollow, and a compass is mounted in the face-openable lid.
This monster is opposed by the domestic survival knife HB 1 01, despite the fact that it is inferior to its opponent in overall characteristics. This representative of the genus is one of the best in the world in terms of functionality, reliability and unpretentiousness. General characteristics:
- blade - 160x30 mm;
- blade thickness - 4 mm;
- saw - 10 cm;
- string - 400 cm;
- weight - 750 g;
- overall dimensions - 33x5.1 cm.
The contents of the hollow handle are also impressive:
- fishing line;
- match grater;
- reel for fishing line;
- hooks weights;
- awl with pin and needle;
- 4 meters of thread;
- wind matches.
Sectional sheath sliding. They are hidden folding lightweight knife with a mass of functions, like a Western opponent, a blade straightening bar, a liquid compass, wire cutters for wires with a diameter of 3 mm. During its publication, it was truly a great knife.
Beauty and impressiveness due to the functionality
There is another exhibit worthy of claiming primacy in the fight against the previously described. This is a survival knife "Alligator", the completeness of which is not much different from the above models. There is even a scalpel. The saw is located in the sheath, which caused the desire to test it.
However, it was not that sawing off the branch was impossible - but it will take a very long time. I had to just cut it. The knife itself while walking rattles the scabbard. You can lay the bottom of the foam rubber, but agree: buy a new thing, and immediately proceed to the elimination of defects? ... This was to deal with manufacturers.
The best knife for civilian tourists in 2018
This is the most catchy-looking specimen from the family. We present you a survival knife Ganzo g8012. Polymer handle can be of any color. And all the colors are noticeable, bright. It is good to lose it almost impossible. The handle configuration is made "under the arm". The knife is comfortable and beautiful.
Its design provides flint. You can strike the fire with a heel built into the butt. Plastic sheath. The body kit is underdeveloped, because somehow it is “wildly” screwed to the sheath with two self-tapping screws - and this is in the 21st century! The shear fits a stroporez - these are two converging blades.
Practice has shown that this model copes with the fabric (natural and synthetic), leather, thin branches. With it, you can make great toothpicks. The rest is just an aesthetic, reliable and convenient knife that is worthy of being taken with you on a camping trip of any complexity.
