Video Preview - Disc Two

PREPARED TO SURVIVE

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CHOOSING A KNIFE
A high quality, practical knife will allow you to improvise many things you might need in a survival situation. A knife will help you build a shelter, start a fire, cut rope, prepare food and countless other tasks. Perhaps more than anything else, your knife should be chosen with great care.

What most experts consider to be a proper survival knife might surprise you. A proper fixed blade knife should have a full tang, a lanyard hole with a lanyard, a safe and comfortable handle, and a 4-6 inch blade made of high carbon steel or stainless steel. Longer blades may be appropriate in some environments.

Fixed blade knives are stronger than folding knives and are preferable as a survival tool. When you choose a folding knife, be sure that it has a positive locking blade and can be opened with one hand. Many people use a fixed blade for their primary survival knife and a folding knife as their backup survival knife.

While a serrated knife blade can make some survival tasks easier, a plain knife blade will be more useful most of the time. 5/32-3/16” thick blades are well suited for survival tasks, anything smaller will be too weak and anything bigger will be too heavy. A thick, wide, sturdy point is best for survival use. A drop point blade is typically best, although some clip points are acceptable.

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