Knives for the Prepper.

en.wikipedia.org 

     The knives a prepper wants usually look like a dream list of double edged sci-fi killing blades.  Some are historic replicas with a good blade that works.  Some are just fluff and for me, not worth the weight to carry. 

    I have no problem meeting a prepper with an actual bat'leth.  If they are made for real life, use with an edge, sure, I could take that guy seriously.  I often encourage individuality.  In a post SHTF world, if you can wield the bat'leth, then cool.  If it's just a show piece, well then, it isn't a knife, it's a dust catcher for the wall and useless.   

     What I want in a knife is a blade that works.  I want a blade that keeps its edge but can be sharpened when needed.  I want a blade that can be used and used a lot without bending, breaking or otherwise giving me cause to curse.  

     I have several survival knives, also.  I keep one in the get home bag as a backup for just about everything.  It is a little bug out bag in a knife handle.  It is not the go to knife but good to have in general.  

www.gerbergear.com , r

     A good hunting knife is as good as any survival knife you can find.  There is a reason the Kbar served our Marines so long and so well.  It is the multi-purpose, multi-use survival, killing, cutting, digging, butter spreading knife.  Bear Grylls offers a nice hunting/survival knife.  The color added to it helps it from blending in with the ground if you make the mistake of dropping it, and it has the fire striker, whistle and sharpener.  

   

www.knifeforums.com

              The well prepared cook knows to have a good set of knives, for butchering, scraping, paring, filleting and chopping. Good knives are bought once in a lifetime as they are made of high quality materials, made to last that lifetime.  

     Some of the knives I have can go from kitchen to woods and back to the kitchen.  A good set of vintage blades can skin a deer, clean the hide, spread butter on bread and protect you and yours on a dark and stormy night. 

    I have seen dozens of pictures of good sets for sale on Ebay, and some not so great.  Do not go for the mid century  modern colorful plastic handles.  When they break, they are riveted in such a way that makes it difficult to salvage the blade, if the blade is worth salvaging.  I don't like the bone handles from that period either unless you can touch them and see their condition.  


     I believe the wood handled knives with the tang that runs the full length of the handle are the best.  This is my personal opinion.  They are reparable, they are easy care and I like the feel and balance.   There are lots of styles and kinds of knives out there. The important thing to have in any knife is quality.  Buy the best you can afford.