Best equipment for survival from EDC to SHTF

Rider - August 4, 2020

Gear

The truth needs to be told about the survival equipment that is out there and is not worth the money.  Start out with knives. I have over 25 knives. Not all great ones. But I didnt know.  So lets start with knives and move from there to other items.  Dont believe that one company has the best price and their beliefs of what works. Unless you seen in action and held in your hand only then can you tell whats good and whats junk.  So the discussion here is what do you have that works. Not wants on sale. 

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Would you mind sharing which of the 25+ knives you have that you felt would be worth getting again?  Might be a good way to get the coversation started.

 

First I believe in not buying very expensive knifes over 100 $. Because if I lose them in the woods, it makes me upset. They are pleanty of good knives under 100$. From my experience living in the woods for two weeks at a time. I have a 350$ randall survival knive, with serrated side for cutting trees and a brass hollow handle with a compass inside the butt of the knife. Scares me to death to lose that in the woods becuase I would not replace it.

 I believe you should have 3 types of knives for survival.

1. A pocket knife that is used as a utility knife for small things like opened a package, cutting string, cutting small objects. Case sells a folding knife that is around 60$. It has two blades and the size and make of the steel is good. The small case folding knive, one blade that sells for 39 $more or less, the steel does not stay sharp. Very disppoiinted in that blade. Although they are collectors of them for the colors. Not into that. If you buy a knife, use it to for what its meant for or else what good is it. 

2. A camp blade for cutting meat, dealing with bigger objects. ESE 5 versus ESE 6. I believe the 6 is just a longer blade but thinner than ese 5. I went with the 5 because of the thickness of the blade for batoning and skinning. 

3. Becker 7 versus Becker 9. The 9 is too close to having a machett. I bought the 7 for 80 bucks. By the way the ese 5 and becker 7 are both made of the same kind of steel. Becker blades are cheaper than ese blades. Both are great blades.

All my knifes except folding knives have attachable molle. Include in the molle is ferro rod with striker , sharpening stone, a collapsible metal straw for blowing on the fire, and a small amount of material to ignite the fire. Cotton with vasoliniie or lent from the dryer. Lent from the dryer best yet, goes up fast. I used a cigar tube to put the lent in.

All of my knives have 550 cord attached with a small compass from SUN. Be careful  not to use the compass to close to the knive, becuase you get a false reading. The knifes that are very heavy I wear across my body, not on the waist. I make my own utilty belts and sheaths out of leather. I have started making sheaths with kydex. Both have pros and cons. 

You dont want to skin an animal with 7 inch blade. Its to awkward o handle. Folding knife will work but you will get it filthy with blood and hair in the moveable parts of the knife.  Then you got to clean it. The ese 5 is best to use and is easy  to clean.  Or coarse this my take on my experince and you experience is valid to your uses of knives. I haven’t talked about sheaths that comes with knifes. That another whole discussion.