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Watched some youtube reviews of knives yesterday instead of going outside and working on the property. I get that way sometimes - especially on Saturdays - then I feel guilty for not working.
That aside, I noticed that a lot of the reviewers were talking about and demonstrating batoning and chopping abilities of "survival knives". For the most part, I consider this abuse of a knife. I get that in an emergency situation a person may find that they need to misuse/abuse a tool to get an important job done, but from what I have seen, many of these people seem to consider such abuse of the tool as a regular use - even when they have a better tool.
Can I use the pommel of some knives as a hammer? Yes.
Can I use the tip of a knife to pry on something? Yes.
Can I use the knife as a digging tool? Yes.
Should I be surprised when continued use of the knife this damages the knife? No.
Would I prefer it doesn't? Yes, but it won't surprise me when using a tool the wrong way damages that tool - which is why I would not do it if I can - I would preferably use a different tool.
When I am working on my property, if I need to accomplish a certain task, if I do not have the required tool on my person I go to my truck or my shop and get that tool.
When I need to get a chainsaw unstuck from a log - I go get a wedge and use the back of an axe to pound it into the cut. When I need to dig a hole I use a shovel. When I need to cut thick wood I use an axe, or a saw. When I need to cut brush, I use a brush-cutter (brush hook or machete like tool). When I need to split wood, I use a splitting axe. When I need to make kindling, I use a hatchet.
I do these kinds of things quite often - at least several times a week most of the year. If either of my grandfathers (one a farmer, the other a woodsman - both worked in the outdoors most of their life) had seen me misusing a tool the way some of these survival knife "experts" use them - they would have at least taken the tool away from me with a stern talking to about not misusing tools and then shown me how to do it correctly with the right tool.
I carry a pocket knife on my person almost always - my keyring is attached to it. I do not carry a "survival knife" very often - I don't need to make traps, prepare game, or make shelter in my woods. I live at my BOL, I have shelter and food and water, I don't hunt anymore (if I have to, I can take deer off my any of my porches).
I probably should practice some of these things, but if I have to walk into the woods with the purpose of doing something, I take a few tools with me - a smallish knife like my Fallkniven F1, probably a brush cutting tool, and maybe a hatchet (especially if I am going any distance or time). The knife is probably the one thing I don't carry with me as I just don't need to use a knife that often for anything except cutting cordage and my pocket knife is generally adequate for that.
If I was hunting medium to large game (deer or larger) I would most probably take a hatchet/belt axe with me - I usually have. Splitting that pelvis bone is difficult with any knife in my experience, as is severing the spine if you are quartering an animal to get it back to a vehicle.
That aside, I noticed that a lot of the reviewers were talking about and demonstrating batoning and chopping abilities of "survival knives". For the most part, I consider this abuse of a knife. I get that in an emergency situation a person may find that they need to misuse/abuse a tool to get an important job done, but from what I have seen, many of these people seem to consider such abuse of the tool as a regular use - even when they have a better tool.
Can I use the pommel of some knives as a hammer? Yes.
Can I use the tip of a knife to pry on something? Yes.
Can I use the knife as a digging tool? Yes.
Should I be surprised when continued use of the knife this damages the knife? No.
Would I prefer it doesn't? Yes, but it won't surprise me when using a tool the wrong way damages that tool - which is why I would not do it if I can - I would preferably use a different tool.
When I am working on my property, if I need to accomplish a certain task, if I do not have the required tool on my person I go to my truck or my shop and get that tool.
When I need to get a chainsaw unstuck from a log - I go get a wedge and use the back of an axe to pound it into the cut. When I need to dig a hole I use a shovel. When I need to cut thick wood I use an axe, or a saw. When I need to cut brush, I use a brush-cutter (brush hook or machete like tool). When I need to split wood, I use a splitting axe. When I need to make kindling, I use a hatchet.
I do these kinds of things quite often - at least several times a week most of the year. If either of my grandfathers (one a farmer, the other a woodsman - both worked in the outdoors most of their life) had seen me misusing a tool the way some of these survival knife "experts" use them - they would have at least taken the tool away from me with a stern talking to about not misusing tools and then shown me how to do it correctly with the right tool.
I carry a pocket knife on my person almost always - my keyring is attached to it. I do not carry a "survival knife" very often - I don't need to make traps, prepare game, or make shelter in my woods. I live at my BOL, I have shelter and food and water, I don't hunt anymore (if I have to, I can take deer off my any of my porches).
I probably should practice some of these things, but if I have to walk into the woods with the purpose of doing something, I take a few tools with me - a smallish knife like my Fallkniven F1, probably a brush cutting tool, and maybe a hatchet (especially if I am going any distance or time). The knife is probably the one thing I don't carry with me as I just don't need to use a knife that often for anything except cutting cordage and my pocket knife is generally adequate for that.
If I was hunting medium to large game (deer or larger) I would most probably take a hatchet/belt axe with me - I usually have. Splitting that pelvis bone is difficult with any knife in my experience, as is severing the spine if you are quartering an animal to get it back to a vehicle.