One of the problems we have with some of the knives we use at camp, are the weak sparks produced by the back of the blade when striking fire steels.

Some of our students will also try blade of their knife to strike the steel rod in the attempt to create a better spark. However I discourage this technique. Its very hard on the edge of the knife and with some blades it may cause a nick on the edge. The high heat also may have an effect on the edge making it brittle and more prone to breakage. Not sure, maybe someone could help us out on that.

The Seal Pup straight edge has a spine rasp as the back of the blade for notching, filing, and thumb placement. We have discovered that the rasp works excellent for creating large easily made sparks with much less effort by using the Seal Pups rasp.

The rasp does gouge the strikers some, but worth it for the great sparks the rasp produces.

I am really impressed with this technique and this just adds another positive application for this knife in the field.
SOG Seal Pup Straight Edge Elite – http://sogknives.com/store/E37.html

SOG also has a great information page on their blog – Knife Buyer’s Guide. Great info on blade steel and a glossary on knife terms. Check it out – http://sogknives.com/store/buyers-guide.html

Happy chopping!
Lappy

2) KA-BAR Cutlass Machete: chop chop chop chop chop. Too big and heavy for an everyday knife, but if you’ve got a lot of wood or bamboo cutting (or digging) to do, it’ll get it done in a fraction of the time it’ll take with even the best of 6″ blade knives. And the recurve blade, once you learn the physics of it, adds an exponential to your chopping power. Really.

3) A good Swiss Army or multi-tool, with lots of little oddball pokers and screwdrivers and pliers and scissors. Some things—like drilling tiny holes (quickly) just can’t be done with a “survival” knife…..and it fits easily into the Gerber’s sheath pouch. Way cool.

I’ve got a Randall Adventure knife, too, for BIG chopping chores, which, alas, I almost never carry, unless I KNOW for sure that I’ll be chopping enough wood to build, say, a wilderness cabin or if I have to cut down, say, a giant redwood. Seriously, though, I keep it in the jeep, usually, but if I’m planning on building a lean-to out of heavy timber, or some such laborious chore, I’ll take it along—hidden inside my pack….it looks pretty damn silly and/or threatening, depending on how much of a momma’s boy the slackjawed guy eyeballing it is.

A word about handles: don’t expect ANY knife to fit YOUR hand…unless you just happen to be the guy whose hand metrics were used to design the knife in the first place. That said, a bit of judicious whittling will, with patience and sticktoitiveness, net you a knife that is literally made for your hand. First, though, use the knife for a few weeks, doing all the various chores it’ll be called upon to perform. You’ll begin to feel where it’s too fat, where your ring finger would like to wrap a bit further, where your thumb might like a bit of swell, etc. Then go at it VERY slowly, methodically removing one film-thin layer at a time, then using the knife until you’re sure of the next mod. My handles are all a continually evolving, just like my hands.

Serrated blades are also VERY difficult to sharpen, and a skilled hand and special tools are required (a rounded steel/file or a triangular ceramic). A normal edged knife can be sharpened by a simple whetstone, ceramic sticks, or even a river rock or the leather of your belt.

Also beware of the 50/50 blades that are half straight edged and half serrated. These still have ALL of the problems of a fully serrated blade, and leave you with only half the blade usable for field chores. The only time a 50/50 blade is fully usable is when it is used for stabbing, such as when the knife is lashed to a pole for use as a spear.

I’d rather spend $30 on an average decent straight edge blade than hundreds on the latest Hollywood or XYZ magazine newly released “tactical” serrated wonder chopper.

I’m not necessarily promoting K-bar knives, but like he says, serrated edged knives should be left at home in the kitchen not brought out into the field. I have students who bring serrated knives to camp and it does not take long for the complaints to begin. Serrated knives to not carve! Simple as that!

What serrated knives are good for besides in the kitchen, would be if you are in the medical, public services, and military professions. Serrated knives can be handy for cutting seat belts, or thick heavy nylon material. Handy for cutting people out of crashed vehicles or downed aircraft.

Serrated knives may look tough for the outdoors, but they just don’t cut it from where I stand.

I copied this comment from our Man vs Wild thread. Its written by DaveS, thanks DaveS. Here’s the link to that thread – http://www.lifesongadventures.com/newsletter/?p=44

Regarding Knives:
I do not use a serated edge blade ever ouside of my home.
While they are useful, the serations are designed to protect the cutting edge (the part above the seration). This concept was developed for use in kitchens where using ceramic and other hard surface cutting boards dulled the tradional straight edge knife quickly. Great for the kitchen but not for outdoor expeditions or survival.
I tend to go with what is tried and true.
I have only two knives I use on any outing.

1) U.S.M.C KA-BAR Fighting/Utility Knife
I don’t think you could ever go wrong with this knife by your side.
Blades are Hi-carbon USSI 1095 steel hardened and tempered to resist breaking under severe pressure and to accept and retain a super sharp edge, but also an edge that can be restored with reasonable ease even in the field.
This knife is still a favorite personal knife among many marines today.
Pic:: http://www.armynavyshop.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/3259.jpg

2) USN Mk3 Mod 0 Combat knife:
One of the standard flight knives of US Navy SEALs, combat divers and other special forces.
Pic:: http://www.specwargear.com/images/knife-Mk3-2.jpg
It has a straight edge w/ a serrated saw on the back edge of blade.
Also has a hole at base for attaching a lanyard.
It is a bit on the heavy side, but I happily sacrifice its weight for its balance and dependancy. (it is a solid knife)

And both of these knives I picked up for under $50 each at Army/Navy/Military Surplus stores in pretty good condition (aside from needing some sharpening).
I have a couple that I keep for display and nostalgic reasons, but the others I use, as it is what they were made for.

Hope this info is helpful to some.

SOG SEAL Pup Elite Review
http://sogknives.com/store/E37.html

SEAL Pup Elite has a very cool-looking 4.85″-long full tang blade with a spine rasp and an injection-molded glass handle with deep comfortable finger grooves that make the handle sit very comfortably in your hand. This knife is available with both partially serrated and straight blades – I personally prefer the straight edge. Its weight and blade thickness feel just right and overall the knife feels very solid.

Initially I bought the knife with the Kydex sheath because it is quite compact, lightweight and has a neat little feature – a grove that reveals a section of the blade which allows you to cut rope without taking the knife out of its sheath. But after trying different ways to carry the knife (including designing and sewing my own custom thigh attachment system) I realized that the nylon sheath was just better suited for my situation. First of all, it has an additional compartment which I ended up using to store my Leatherman Charge multitool. But more importantly, it has a MOLLE attachment on the back, which opens up carrying possibilities galore. Also, I was able to attach a small loop of webbing to the side of the sheath for the firesteel.

I used the knife quite extensively at a week-long survival camp and I must say I am very happy with its performance. The blade is equally good for chopping down small trees, making a throwing stick, carving a pair of chopsticks or a replica of the knife itself. About the only issue that I had with this knife was the spine rasp – I would prefer if the knife did not have it as it hurts a little when I press against it with my thumbs while carving. But it’s a personal preference and I wouldn’t hold it against this knife.

All in all, I am very happy with my SOG and would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a dependable fixed-blade knife. Would I recommend it as a survival knife? Well, it’s a highly debated question. Some say the blade should be around 4 inches long. Others rightfully note that there’s nothing a small blade can do that a big blade cannot. Yet others seek knives with hollow handles to put a small stash of goodies inside (my opinion of those knives is not very favorable). But in the end, it all comes down to personal preference – choose the blade you’ll be comfortable carrying with you at all times. For me, this is SOG SEAL Pup Elite!

P.S. Chopping down a tree with my SOG:
http://flickr.com/photos/sudarkoff/2523471368/in/set-72157605253767832/

Sincerely,

George