Knife Care and Maintenance

Caring for your knife is just as important as choosing the right type of knife. I'd choose a low quality knife that's been well cared for over a top quality blade that's been abused any day of the week.

But what goes into caring for a knife? It's more than just sharpening your blade once every six months. In this article I'll detail the steps required to care for and maintain your knives.

Ten Things to Know about Surviving

A Simple Lean-To Shelter. Courtesy of
Flickr User Erik Fitzpatrick

You've heard of the ten essentials. Here's a list of ten simple rules to always follow when in a survival situation. This list is mostly in order of importance, but of course situations will dictate if and when you will stray from these rules.

Every Day Carry Survival Gear

Although many people obsess over having a fully stocked Bug Out Bag, few consider survival items they should carry every day.

An Every Day Carry kit is just that, something that you'll carry with you at all times. The reason for this is simple: survival happens when you least expect it. Of course a hurricane or an earthquake can happen - and that's when your BoB comes in handy. 

But what if you're out on a day hike, and get lost. Or driving somewhere in the desert and your car dies (and you don't have your BoB in your car). Having a few items you can lightly carry can make the difference between life and death. 

Best Survival Socks

Its finally getting cold in Southern California. It was still 80 degrees the first week of December but now, a week before Christmas, I've finally broken out my wool socks.

A Pair of Hand Knit Wool socks. Image courtesy of Flickr user AnnaKika

Keeping your feet both dry and warm in a camping/hiking/survival situation is paramount. You loose a lot of head through your extremities, especially your feet, and this can cause a serious problem when out in the wilderness.

Cotton socks are currently the king of footwear. They're cheap, and comfortable, and many people wear them every day without a problem, But they're not the best choice for winter survival.

Choosing the Best Survival Knife

A good knife is probably the most important tool you can have in the wilderness. Many people carry knives (usually pocket or multi-tool type knives) on a daily basis. But what is the best knife to have?
The answer depends on your situation. If you’re out in the woods for a weekend of camping, you can probably do well enough with a good Swiss-Army Knife or Leatherman. If you’re in a survival situation you’ll probably be wanting something more substantial.

Image courtesy of flickr user Bill Bradford

Before we get into the best options for each situation, lets go over some knife basics.

Basic Knife Anatomy

In this post I'm going to write about the basic anatomy of a knife. Not all features will be present in all knives, although some are basic, others are not entirely necessary, depending on your situation.