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Points To Consider When Purchasing A Survival Knife

August 20th, 2010

The lacking of appropriate supplies in an outdoor unexpected emergency has long been the cause of death for several which could have made it if a proper disaster kit had been readily available. At least one item that every single kit should need in the event you are outdoors is a survival knife. A survival knife really should be made with 1 purpose in mind, trying to keep you alive until finally you are rescued.

A survival knife generally has a smooth sharp edge for hunting animals or preparing meals. This specific smooth edge also assists in field sharpening. The knife typically has a serrated side for cutting tree braches for fire wood or shelter building. Serrated blades perform far better on clothes, and animal skin, but are usually time consuming to sharpen in the field. A survival knife could possibly also have a hooked blade for cracking open cans or cutting rope. Cutting and chopping is going to be the knife’s main purpose. The perfect survival knife though is definitely one which will attain the jobs you will need it for and fits within your own hand comfortably.

A survival knife handle will need to be rugged, comfy and very easy to grip in any weather situation. Leather-based and bone will be popular choices for the grips. A survival knife should also have a full tang. Full tang knives really are 1 piece that continues into the handle. The hollow handled blades are not going to stand the rigors of hard use from a survival predicament and will need to be avoided. Everyone appears to think that a large, heavy knife is the best survival tool. This is not the real true. The ideal survival knife is actually between 4 and 6 inches wide. A knife of this particular sizing gives a excellent compromise of proportions and control. A large blade can certainly do every little thing a smaller knife can do, but a small knife can’t perform everything a big blade can perform. You merely will not need an large knife for any kind of job you may very likely be challenged with in the rough outdoors.

A survival knife should not be so costly to invest in, however make sure to acquire a respectable one. It will need to come with a fixed blade, full tang, reliable handle, and a protective sheath. The actual knives may be built of a wide range of material, but a carbon steel knife will certainly not rust if used on a regular basis. Survival Knives with carbon steel usually tend to maintain a sharper edge, longer in comparison with stainless steel. The knife features superb edge retention, however the edge can also be restored with reasonable ease even in the field. In case you gets a option, the carbon steel is the way to go.

To conclude, take great care in buying a survival knife because you might rely upon it to save your life. Pick out a survival knife that is strong and seems secure and solid in your own hands. You really don’t have to spend a lot of money on it however make sure to get a reputable 1 that will hold together in rough circumstances.

Interest in seeing more? Want to see an actual survival knife plus more? Before you buy, visit us for more research to get the best knife for you. Also you could visit our sister site about foldking knives for even more ideas. Check here for free reprint licence: Points To Consider When Purchasing A Survival Knife.




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Identifying Bowie Knives

July 29th, 2010

A Bowie knife is a specific thing, even though the term is loosely applied to most any large hunting knife. A Bowie knife has distinguishing features that make it very specialized in certain ways and very versatile in others. The principal difference between a Bowie and most hunting knives is that a Bowie was designed to be a dual-purpose device in a specific regard: It was designed both for utility and as an implement of self-defense. The design carries the name of its original carrier, Jim Bowie, a legendary frontiersman and one of the fighters at the Alamo.

Bowie knives always have clipped points. This feature is the end part of the blade where the center of the blade dips below the spine. Though this feature is attractive, it offers far more than looks. In a fight, this narrow portion of the blade is lethal in its ability to penetrate deep into the body with little effort. This creates what is called a false edge along the back of the blade. Some users sharpen this edge. Outside of fighting, however, this modification has little practical usage and may make the knife more dangerous to the user.

Unlike most hunting knives, a Bowie knife has a wide and angled hand guard. This is also principally designed for its utility when fighting. The hand guard can deflect other weapons away from the user’s hands-hands and arms are major targets in knife fights-and also prevents the user’s hand from sliding up the blade if it meets heavy resistance from a thrust. As much as a Bowie is a tool of the frontier, it is also a weapon of war and its namesake owner was legendary for his skill with this particular weapon.

Bowie knives are always single-edged knives. The back of the blade is sometimes altered to provide more utility. On some knives, there are saw portions or a sharpened section along the false edge of the blade clip. These are user customizations, however, and this knife is always a single edged weapon when manufactured to traditional standards. While double-bladed knives may be a bit more deadly, they are very impractical for any kind of work and oftentimes endanger their user when pressed into service for such mundane tasks as cleaning game.

A Bowie knife is generally a very large knife, being anywhere between 6 and 12 inches long. While there are longer models made, they are essentially novelty items. A real Bowie is as precise as it is large and deadly.

Dave is the owner of an online bowie knife and glock grip extension store.

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How To Start A Fire Without Matches Or A Lighter

July 18th, 2010

Although once an essential skill, the ability to start a fire without matches or modern devices like cigarette lighters is all but lost. Nevertheless, anyone can learn how to do this and successfully start a fire in any weather.

Fuel, oxygen and heat are the essential elements for fire. In this article, we’ll especially consider your options for generating sufficient heat to ignite wood, since that is the most likely fuel you would be relying on in a survival situation.

Without a flame from a match or lighter, how can you generate enough heat to start fire? First, you could use an old method the Indians used - rubbing sticks together. Well, it’s a bit more involved than it sounds, but nevertheless, that’s the idea. Friction between pieces of wood can in fact create a coal which can then be used to ignite tinder. The most common way to do this is with a drill or bow and drill combination. We’ll look more closely at this method in a future article. Here’s the bottom line - people who have learned to start a fire this way carry with them another method since they understand just how much work is involved in starting fire this way. So let’s turn to another method - sparks.

The right kind of steel can be useful to create enough sparks to light tinder. It can be a very small piece making it convenient to carry with you, ready for use at any time. One real benefit in the use of a fire steel is that if it’s good quality, it will work even if it’s wet. There are all kinds of them on the market, it just depends upon your favorite style.

In closing, a quick word about tinder. There are many natural materials, such as bark shavings, dead moss gathered from trees, and dry grass. If you’re serious enough about being skilled at fire starting that you’re willing to carry a fire steel, you might also consider keeping a tiny container with tinder in it - such as cotton mixed with Vaseline. In any case, even with a fire striker, practice is essential to become skilled enough to be able to start a fire under any conditions.

This article was written by Griz Garzo, who is passionate about wilderness survival and primitive skills, including firestarting.

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Adventure Annual Vacations Bring About Exciting New Adventures For Each Family Member

July 15th, 2010

Some individuals think an excellent vacation involves a peaceful time near a beach or up in a mountain cabin. They have dreams of being treated as a member of high society without a care in the world. For some people, a fabulous vacation includes adventure!

These are people who like to stay active. They enjoy mingling with fellow travelers. Is this is bio of you? Are you tackling a decision of what kind of adventure travels you want to try on your next vacation? Choosing the right adventure trip can be difficult. There are so many options available! These are some of our top adventure vacations.

Do you enjoy photography? Have you always dreamed of photographing the world’s most famous locales? Photo Explorer Tour can make your dream come true. These are international tours led by internationally renowned photographers. The company comes up with tours of places throughout the world. If you are unsure of your desired destination, that is fine. You can join a group, after making travel plans that are convenient for your time schedule. Photo World Tours plans specific tours to specific places on specific dates. Just join any tour group and go with them wherever they are, when you have vacation time. Enjoy the spontaneity of it!

Shark Diving is not really light and easy but it is thrilling! The Shark Diver Company has diving packages that allow you to dive with the sharks in California and Mexico. These types of adventure travels are not cheap. Most are around three thousand dollars per person. But most of these vacations are at least five days long. Make sure you have your diving certification before you go, though. You wouldn’t want to have to sit up on the boat the whole time!

Are you a food connoisseur? Do you tantalize the idea of learning about and taste testing cuisine from around the world? How about going on a culinary tour? For obvious reasons, Italy is among the most popular of destinations for food connoisseurs who want to have the experience of tasting cuisine it its “native habitat.” Ireland, Spain and Greece also offer fabulous “culinary tours.” In addition to tasting the food after it’s prepared, by “native” chefs, these tours also allow you to learn how to cook a variety of dishes on your own. This is a terrific adventure travel for a chef on the rise or any lover of food.

There are a variety of ways “adventure travels” can be defined. For some it involves death-defying activities such as scaling the world’s tallest mountains or putting oneself into an extreme climate condition. For some it includes some type of challenge they are not accustomed to, such as driving cattle, hiking on other terrain, etc. Still for others, adventure travels involve learning new things while maintaining a fairly easy pace.

And how about a family vacation? Instead of packing the kids off for summer camp, why not pitch a tent right next to them. There are so many activities besides the classic marshmallow roast and ghost-story-telling. Stay busy by fishing and hiking or play team sports like badminton or volleyball. Even better, sit in the sun with a book and eat a popsicle.

The key to having a real adventurous vacation is to get out of your comfort zone while still having an enjoyable time. Get out and do it!

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Bushcraft Survival - Entertainment Or Essential?

July 13th, 2010

What do you call the creative use of natural things to provide for your survival? Bushcraft survival. The phrase has been made popular by TV survivalist Ray Mears and Les Hiddins (The bush Tucker Man). It involves using natural cordage, bushcraft knives, building natural shelters, eating wild edible plants, starting fires without matches or cigarette lighters, and obtaining and purifying water in primitive situations. Although early American mountain men and the Indians were masters of these skills, they have been pretty much forgotten these days.

But is there a practical use for these skills today? It turns out that interest is growing in bushcraft survival especially among outdoor enthusiasts such as backpackers, climbers and hunters. A variety of situations can arise in which it could mean the difference between life and death to know some basic wilderness survival skills.

Yet, there is another reason to learn the basics of survival, namely the increasing likelihood of catastrophic scenarios resulting from terrorism or natural disasters. In fact, knowing them could mean the difference between life and death.

There are a variety of ways to learn these skills, from books and videos. While many videos are available on youtube, there are also websites devoted to the development of bushcraft survival skills. But really, the bottom line is to try out the various techniques yourself after reading about them or watching them demonstrated in a video. It’s one thing to know about them, and quite another to know, by experience, how to do them. With practice, you can become very proficient in the art.

One of the best ways to learn Bushcraft survival is by doing it together as a family. Children enjoy developing these skills plus, it helps them to become more confident in problem solving using only what is at hand - a skill that could really pay off later in life. That’s all for now. We’ll have more to say later about specific survival skills and equipment that could make all the difference. See you then.

Read more articles by Griz Garzo about Bushcraft Survival by visiting http://www.bushcraftsurvival.net. Also published at Bushcraft Survival - Entertainment Or Essential?.

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The Survivalist’s Guide To Being Prepared

June 13th, 2010

In this day and time, nothing is for certain except the uncertainty of these times! Smart families create an disaster checklist so they are not caught off guard in case of a man made or natural disaster. A lot of people realize this is a wise idea, but seldom is it acted upon. If you are overwhelmed in trying to figure out what needs to be included for this checklist, the following will help and is an overview that states what should be in an emergency preparedness checklist.

Your first step is to assemble something often called a disaster supply kit. This pack needs to contain important or advantageous items that would aid you to use during a disaster or emergency. It is vital the pack be portable, or at the very least easy to carry. A few great ideas for this could be a plastic type of container that has handles, or an oversize backpack.

After you have chosen a container for your pack, you need to gather the different items that it requires. The first item that you will need surrounds information. A written document or list that has your family’s information, like contact numbers and family doctors, is vital. If your family has children than it would be a good tip to have their names and ages written down.

One of the most vital items are often first aid equipment. Accidents are going to happen during a disaster, most especially during drastic emergencies like earthquakes or floods. As such, if you or anyone in your home takes prescribed medicine, that should be inside the kit too, with other relevant items like hearing aids and glasses.

Water is a necessary part of life, and as such should be included in either your kit, or within easy reach of the pack. It is recommended you have one gallon for one person per day. Aside from nonperishable foods, like canned meats and granola or protein bars, it can also be a good idea that you have a hand operated can opener included, too.

Aside from rain gear and good footwear, extra or backup clothes need to be with your pack, too. Other items, like a flashlight, sleeping bag, blanket, and battery powered radio and extra batteries are important, as well. Two other items often overlooked in a survivalist bag are duplicate car and house keys, as well as a moderate supply of money. Both these items need to be in your emergency kit. If young children or infants reside in the home, think about having their required necessities in the kit, as well.

Escape plans are necessary, for without their use a lot of accidents can happen during disasters, primarily as a result of a lack of communication. To do this, just draw out the basic interior of the house, paying close attention to the fundamental floor plan. Other points of interest, like doors, windows, and stairs should be included in the escape plan, too.

Appliances need to be noted in your plan too. This is primarily because these items, such as refrigerators and stoves, will become hazardous in an emergency. Another important piece of information that should be included in your plan is the location of the emergency kit. A minimum of two escape routes need to be detailed from each room and area of your house. A meeting area also should be agreed on where everyone in your home meets after they are out of the structure.

Having an emergency preparedness checklist and kit is one thing. Knowing how to use the kit is another. Everyone in your home should be well versed as to where this emergency preparedness kit is and how to use its contents. It has the potential of saving the life of your family, and you as well. Regardless what your situation is, it is vital that you know what to do when an emergency happens.

One of the most important things that need to go into your emergency bag is a good Survival knife. You will find more and more uses for it than you ever thought possible if you find yourself in an emergency situation. Even something as small as a pocket knife can be very beneficial in an emergency.

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Size Considerations for a Bowie Knife

April 8th, 2010

One can purchase a Bowie knife in a broad range of sizes. To be considered a Bowie, the knife should be at least 6″ long. Many models hover around 12″ in length. There are even large examples of Bowies out there, but their practical value is arguable. Most often, Bowie knives are between 10″ and 14″ in length, excluding the blade. This means that one has several options, depending upon toward which use they intend to put the knife.

Bowie knives were designed to be combination tools. Remember, however, that Jim Bowie used his knife for both fighting and general frontier work. Most individuals will not have any real use for a fighting knife and, thus, will need to purchase a Bowie that offers them a very reliable, specific function that doesn’t require that the blade be intimidating or deadly, as was the case in Bowie’s life. Today, Bowie knife blades are chosen for the actual work they can perform.

A very large Bowie knife has two practical uses. It may be used as an implement for heavy work such as chopping and hacking. It may also be used as a display item, being that this size of knife was usually intended for fighting. These knives are great choices for campers who simply need something that can handle the toughest jobs. Some of these large knives have extra blade elements, such as saw-toothed backs, that make them suitable for even more rugged work.

Remember that one’s hand size will come into play when deciding on the right size for a Bowie knife. The knife should feel agile in one’s hand, almost as an extension of it. A very large knife can be dangerous to someone who hasn’t the strength or mass to handle it. There are additional hazards that come with the very large knives, many of them of the legal sort.

Bowie knives that are intended to be worn on a daily basis need their blade length determined not by their use but by the law. In most places, a knife of 5 or 6 inches may be worn, so long as it is clearly visible. Concealing these knives can cause a lot of problems if one is caught. Make certain that local laws permit such a knife to be worn before donning one and heading out!

Blake is a business consultant for an online bowie knife store featuring hunting knives.

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Handles for Bowie Knives

April 7th, 2010

Bowie knives come in several different options where handles are concerned. Some of these materials are designed to invoke the frontier heritage of these knives. Others are designed to provide an elegant and eye-catching feature to the knife. The most practical handles are designed with durability, grip characteristics and balance in mind. One’s hand size will affect which handle is appropriate, as will the uses toward which the knife is put.

Many handles are made out of wood. Wood is durable, it can be easily crafted into different designs and is relatively inexpensive. Walnut, Oak and other hardwoods represent some of the most popular choices where knife handles are concerned. Wood handles are usually fastened to the tang of the blade with rivets or bolts. Either way, they provide very reliable and long service to their users. Wood handles need to be protected against moisture and dryness. For knives used for hunting, wood handles may present a danger of slippage when they become wet.

Metals are another popular option for Bowie knife handles. Metals are very strong, light and offer the potential of providing a lifetime of service. They are usually scored with patterns that make them easier to grasp. They also have the advantage of being resistant to corrosion, depending upon the metals employed in their manufacture. Metal handles are found on both inexpensive and very expensive Bowies.

A composite handle is essentially a handle that is made out of multiple materials. On a Bowie knife, a composite handle is oftentimes used to reduce the overall weight of the knife. These materials are typically very durable and can provide years of reliable service. They are also usually designed to be easy to grip, even when the knife becomes wet. They are among the most popular handle materials for high-end Bowie knives.

Whichever type of Bowie knife handle is chosen, be sure to purchase a model with a full tang. This means that the metal that attaches the blade to the handle extends the full length of the handle. A rattail tang only extends a bit into the handle and, under tough usage, can easily fail. While this may seem only inconvenient, having a knife blade of 6 inches or more suddenly break free can cause very serious injuries. Good grip, sharp looks and a full tang all define a good Bowie handle. Remember that materials such as bone and wood need to be protected!

Dylan is a business consultant for an online bowie knives store featuring combat knives.

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Using a Bowie Knife as a Multi-Purpose Tool

April 1st, 2010

Multipurpose tools are all the rage with sportsmen today. These devices allow individuals to perform a multitude of tasks with one handy tool, often at a very affordable price. The Bowie knife was conceived as something of a multipurpose tool, though it is a knife through and through and using it for purposes other than cutting, slicing and other related tasks will inevitably pose a risk of causing damage to the blade.

The Bowie knife was designed to be a versatile knife, but a knife it is, in any case. Using these knives to drives screws is a genuinely horrible idea. The knife blade will fit in most screws, to be sure, and the moment torque is exerted on the screw the blade will bend, loose its edge and, probably, its bevel. In the worse cases, the knife will either break from the force or it will slip and cause injury.

A very expensive, high-carbon steel blade used as a pry bar is likely to break. The thickness of the blade should not deceive the owner. Not all forms of steel are made to endure twisting force. High-end steels are designed to be brittle and fragile by nature, as this enables them to take and hold a very sharp edge. While a Bowie may be flexible where use is concerned, it is still a knife, not a crowbar.

A Bowie knife that has sustained such severe damage may well be beyond repair. For those who’ve laid down a considerable sum for their knife, this may be a little bit more than disappointing. A high quality carbon steel blade will most certainly snap if it has too much pressure applied to it. A soft blade of a lower quality will very likely bend, nick and have the bevel of the edge destroyed by over-the-top applications.

While a Bowie knife was originally designed to be a frontiersman’s best friend, they are not designed to take the place of a hammer, chisel and a hatchet. They may be able to perform such functions in a pinch-which is part of the reason they have endured for so long-but they cannot perform any and every task demanded in the home or at the campsite without becoming damaged and, eventually, destroyed.

Dylan is a business consultant for an online bowie knifes store featuring survival knives.

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Bowie Knives and Bent Blades

March 31st, 2010

Even the most well-made Bowie knife can become bent if misused. These knives have thick blades, which accounts for a great deal of their utility. They also have very heavy blades, which makes it tempting for some users to employ their Bowie knife as an impromptu prying tool, hatchet or other device. While the rugged Bowie design is capable of handling such tough jobs, it’s inevitable that the blade will be damaged from these tasks.

The Bowie knife design was conceived with the intention that one would be availed of an excellent fighting knife and a durable, all-around survival knife. Many Bowies today, however, are made out of very expensive materials and some of those materials are specialized. The less expensive grades of stainless steel, such as 420, may be able to be bent out of and back into shape, but the more expensive types may well break before regaining their original shape.

A Bowie knife made of lower-grade steel can sometimes be bent back into shape with a simple leverage device. Sometimes, it will have to be heated and bent back into shape in a vice or on an anvil. While this may restore the straightness of the blade, there’s a good chance that the blade will be wrecked by this, as well. This is because of the temper of the blade, a feature which gives it a great deal of its utility.

A Bowie knife blade is tempered via a precise process of heating and cooling. Improperly heating the blade can destroy the temper. This will affect the edge-holding properties of the blade, the strength of the blade and its flexibility. In most cases, an individual who tries to straighten their own blade risks a ruined blade or a broken blade, which can cause serious injuries when they snap. Like all fine cutting tools, a Bowie benefits from having repairs done by an individual who understands the subtleties of good steel.

Remember that Bowie knives may be durable and reliable, but this doesn’t mean that they can take infinite abuse. They have to be maintained and they have to be used sensibly. The heavy blade may be able to hack through a small tree or piece of firewood, but this will ruin the knife. Bending a bent blade back oneself may ruin it, too.

Dylan is a business consultant for an online bowie knife store featuring combat knives.

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