HomePosts Tagged "best survival kit"

I like knives. Actually, there aren’t many knives out there that I can’t respect on a certain level for their utility and in some cases beauty. Knives come in all shapes and sizes and have various compositions and specialties. They have different configurations and nomenclature and if you take a look around carefully you will see a high percentage of guys carry at least one clipped to a pocket. I must not like them as much as some people though because I don’t have that many of them.

Apparently I am an oddball too because if you run the circles of preparedness websites there are thousands of knife reviews and commentary. You can look at EDC pictures and there is always a knife or five in there. Bug Out bags will sometimes have two or three knives hanging off of them along with the machete, hatchet and the small key chain knife/flashlight combo. I started thinking the other day about all of this as I walked the aisles at a gun show I was visiting. Second only to guns are knife displays and they are well represented. I usually stop and glance at every table unless they are selling something like pet brushes that get all of the hair off with one whisk of the brush or ladies handbags or salsa. Not that there is anything wrong with selling any of those items, it’s just that when I am at a gun show, I expect guns; not cat grooming. although my cat does need a serious brushing though now that I think about it.

Gerber LMK II – Great knife for the price.

There are long tables of knifes in every color and dimension. I stopped and checked out an old M9 bayonet at one of the first tables and felt the big tug of nostalgia. I had an M9 that I bought myself. We weren’t issued those in the Army but I spent my own money on one and sharpened it frequently. Up until I mistakenly left my gear unsecured and my platoon sergeant took it to “teach me a lesson”. I never saw that knife again and I have always hoped that some form of justice was visited on him later in life. Seeing that old knife brought back some of those memories and I thought for just a minute about getting one again. I know that if I picked one up now my platoon sergeant wouldn’t take this one but after a long 3 seconds I thought better of it and placed it back on the table. I already have a nice Gerber LMF II that I got a few years back that is about the same size and suits me just fine.

I have talked about my Spyderco Tenacious that is part of my EDC and I love that knife but I have been looking for a backup in case I lose that one. The backup is really just an excuse to buy one for my daughter who has bugging me for a “real knife” for a while. The Spyderco knife I have is wonderful, very reasonably priced at around $38 and I would love

Spyderco Tenacious G10 – My everyday carry knife.

to have another one. For some reason, Spyderco knives are poorly represented at the gun shows I visit, but this time there was a woman who had several of them in her case next to the Kershaw and Benchmade folders so I was excited for the opportunity to purchase another one. Looking at her prices they were about $20 too high so I walked on again. Was there something wrong with me? Why wasn’t I buying any knives? The guys on YouTube all seem to have dozens each!

It occurred to me that maybe the reason why I can’t bring myself to actually purchase a new knife is that I have a few already that I feel more than meet the needs for anything I can think of. The simple fact is that I don’t think I need any other knives. I know there are people who collect knives so this is not directed at you but for the average person looking; how many knives do you need? Before I deal with the issue of quantity, let’s talk about how to find the best Survival knife for your purposes.

What will you use your knife for?

First we should talk about what you need a knife for. The answer to that is simple, isn’t it? Knives have a million and one uses. From cutting shavings off a stick to make tinder for a fire to cutting paracord or other cordage to lash your survival shelter together, you just can’t really match the utility of a good knife. Most days my knives only see action opening packages that my wife gets from Amazon, but frequently my trusty knife is called to do some really serious work like whittling sharp points on sticks for my kids’ marshmallows over the fire or opening up something sealed in plastic like that new coat hook my wife wanted me to hang last weekend. All kidding aside, knives are extremely useful tools and no self-respecting Prepper would be caught without one. A sharp instrument and the knowledge of how to use it are one thing separating us from animals, right?

OK, so a knife is useful that we can say without question. It is smart to always have a knife on you because you never know what you might need it for and when. This means you ladies too. There is no reason you shouldn’t carry a knife in your purse and it could even save your life if you didn’t have any other means of self defense.

What to look for when selecting the best Survival knife

Blade Shape – There are a lot of different blade shapes and each was designed for different tasks. Similar to how each of those knives in that big block you have sitting in the kitchen have a different strong suit, the blade shape of your knife will determine what it is best for. Some shapes are designed to take the impact of a rock or stick on the backside so you can use the knife as an axe.

SOG Seal Pup – Great knife and reasonably priced.

Blade Steel – There are dozens of different types of blade steel out there and probably millions of opinions on which is best for your knife. The steel is made up of varying amounts of carbon and iron but there are other alternatives out there like ceramic knives. Each different type has their benefits but it largely comes down to strength and hardness. A harder knife holds an edge better, but if your knife is too hard, it will be less tough; which means if you hit or drop the blade it could break. For a great list of blade composition types you can read this post on the Blade HQ site.

Serrated Edge – Serrated edges have their uses and I would recommend having some of the blade serrated. You can use this to cut through cordage like your thousands of feet of paracord or even bone if needed. The edges can be re-sharpened if you have the right sharpening stone.

Full tang – For the strongest knife you want a blade that extends all of the way to the end of the knife. This is called “full tang” and simply means that the knife is one single piece of metal. This is going to be far stronger than a folding knife and less prone to breaking when you need it.

Handle – You want a knife that feels good in your hands and the surface needs to be conducive to a good grip. You don’t want a knife that will easily slip through your fingers if it is wet. For this reason I would recommend that you always try out the knife you want to buy in person. You need to physically see how it feels in your hand. Is it too large or too small? Do the finger grooves fit you nicely?

What knives should you avoid?

If you grew up in the 80’s you probably witnessed some of the Rambo phenomenon. Rambo’s knife was a beast. I think it was something like 14” long and you could saw down a tree with it. There was a group of knives that came out after this movie that had a survival kit inside the knife so that when you unscrewed the cap on the end of the handle (which also happened to have a compass) you got fish hooks and matches and various little items similar to what you see people pack inside a Survival tin. The knives were very poorly made and would fall apart quickly. That of course didn’t stop me and my teenage self from wanting one very badly.

A knife shouldn’t be complicated but it should be well built. Don’t buy a gimmicky knife trying to cut corners. You should buy a great knife at a decent price and let it do its job. Save the matches and fishhooks for your Bug out Bag.

How many knives do you need?

The million dollar question is how many knives do you need? For me personally, I look at this in a few different ways and again, I am not talking to the collector. If you just love knives then by all means go out and buy as many as you want. For the average Joe, I would start with a great folding knife that you can carry with you every day. This should be part of your EDC and it should be something you are never without.

Ka Bar knife has been proven tough for over 50 years.

I have two knives that I carry on me every day in most cases only because my Leatherman has a knife too. Could I get by with only one knife? Of course, but I have options. So that’s two knives I own now. What about when it isn’t the easiest or best idea to carry my larger folder? Let’s say I am dressed up for work or a funeral, what would I carry then? They make the smaller Leatherman Juice just for this purpose that fit nicely in your pocket and don’t require their own holster. Ok, that’s three knives so far.

Lastly I have my big knife. For me, this is my Gerber LMF II that is big and sturdy enough for any post-apocolyptic needs I might have from chopping wood for a fire (yes, you can do that with a knife) to stabbing zombies in the head. I almost never carry this around because it is so large that you can’t stick it in your pocket obviously. Would I have this strapped to my side if the SHTF? Yes I would. If I am going anywhere up to and even camping in the woods, my little folder is just the right size and weight. I could buy another medium sized knife like a K-Bar or a SOG Seal pup, but I think I am ok with the folder and the leatherman. Your mileage may vary.

For each member of my family, we have a multi-tool and each person has a folder. Eventually everyone will also have a full-sized devoted survival knife but that is really all I can ever see needing. Sure, I could point to the two is one and one is none rule to say we should all have 4 each, but that seems like overkill. Besides, I still like wandering the aisles at the gun shows and who knows. I may still find that elusive perfect knife that I have to have.

So, how many knives do you have and what do you carry with you.

I like knives. Actually, there aren’t many knives out there that I can’t respect on a certain level for their utility and in some cases beauty. Knives come in all

You know that the flame’s gone in your love light when your wife gives you a lighter for your birthday. Just pulling your leg. Anyway, the real reason why I got a lighter for B-day is rather much more banal than that. Last year, during our Amazon holiday, I lost mine while touring the jungle. Couldn’t recover the damned thing, despite retracing my every step.

It didn’t feel like losing a lighter; it was like witnessing the end of a great friendship. Hell, I have so much of those things that I can probably open up my own tobacco shop; but that lighter was the first thing I bought after getting my very first paycheck. The Tin Man, as I liked to call my Zippo, never left my pocket for 20 odd years – it was there for my first kiss, first breakup, and even on that day when I said “Yes” to my ‘lovely’ wife.

Oh, well, que sera, sera, as the song goes. Now, the reason why I’ve decided to write this article is that this new gadget my wife got me for my B-Day is very neat. And because I’m such a grateful S.O.B, I just had to find out just how much money would my wife be willing to spend on my happiness and well-being.

While messing around on Amazon looking for my gift, I stumbled upon several neat survival lighters. So I figured to share with you people a couple of tips on how to choose the best lighter for your bug out bag or car’s emergency kit.

Why should I look for in a survival lighter?

At the end of the day, there’s not much difference between a survival lighter and a regular one – you can use both of them to light up your morning or after-sex cigarette and to whip out a campfire. However, the major difference between them is the amount of damage one can take before keeling over.

For instance, most Bic or corner store light will fall apart if you step on them or drop in a body of water. Moreover, all survival lighters have some sort of weatherproofing – some have water-resistant cases which can take the same pressure as a capsulated watch, while others have grates that prevent wind from putting out the flame.

Anyway, choosing a reliable survival lighter is much harder than you realize. Keep in mind that your fire-starter is part of that inner-circle of survival items called stuff to stake your like on. Would you spend $20 on a survival knife knowing that the blade might shatter during the first use? Of course, you wouldn’t. The same thing goes for survival lighters. Now, to make things easier for you, I have prepared a small list of, let’s say, purchasing criteria.

Reliability

There’s no point in spending $200 or $300 on a lighter if you know that you’re going to use it only once. On the other hand, if you really want to purchase something you can stake your life on any day of the week, money shouldn’t be an issue. Yes, there are fancy lighters which can go as high as $500.

However, those are more what I want to call a bourgeois gratification, rather than an item that can save your ass in a shit hits the fan situation. You should also know that design and construction materials also dictate a survival lighter’s reliability. Of course, the ones made from steel can take more punishment compared to one made from plastic, aluminum or alloy, but they tend to heavier.

Bottom line: if you want a lighter to stake your life on, don’t be a cheapskate or send for smelling salts after seeing the price tag. Remember that items will be with you for at least 10 years, if not for life.

Type

You know the saying: there’s more than one way to skin a cat and to start a fire. Survival lighters come in many shapes and sizes – the most common ones use an electric arc, butane, and flit to produce a flame. Zippo lighters, for instance, have no need for an electric spark since they rely on flint and highly-flammable fuel. If you want a more interesting gadget, you can always try out a plasm survival lighter, which use electricity to produce well, a plasma bolt capable of melting anything in mere seconds.

There are also the so-called windproof lighters that use electricity to produce a flame. The latter variety has been designed to operate in various conditions: heavy rain, snow blizzards, strong winds. Moreover, even a low-cost windproof lighter can light up at a max elevation of 80,000 feet.

Bottom line: there are four kinds of survival lighters – butane, Zippo-types, plasma, and windproof lighters. Some use fuel, while others rely on electricity. Each have their pros and cons; for instance, Zippos have a very long lifespan but require a bit of maintenance.

Plasma survival lighters are extremely useful in setting ablaze even soaked wood, but require a USB or outlet for recharging. As for butane lighters, they’re cheap, can be found literally anywhere, but they do tend to jam a lot.

Portability

Not all lighters are the same – some are flat, others are odd-shaped. The lighter’s design will ultimately dictate the gadget’s portability; of course, it’s easier to pocket a Zippo or similar model since the shape allows for it. You should also keep in mind that the lighter’s additions will also affect portability – remove weatherproofing, the lighter’s more, well light. On the other hand, you can end up with a survival lighter that’s heavier than a brick.

Bottom line: survival lighters should feel comfortable in your pocket, where they belong.

Direct flame

It refers, more or less, to the height of the flame. Some survival lighters, like Zippos, can produce a two or even three-inch flame, depending on how much of the wick sticks out. This can come in handy in situations where you will need more light or a source of heat for cooking purposes. Bear in mind that lighters producing this kind of flame are not weatherproofed.

Bottom line: figure out what works best for you – a lighter that doubles up as a torch\heater during an emergency or something else.

Water resistance

For me, this is a very important factor in choosing a survival lighter. Though most lighters, ever butane ones, can take a little bit of water, they really can withstand being completely submerged. When I was 20 something, I remember going on a hiking trip with this chick from work. Later that day, I tripped and fell, obviously because I was paying more attention to her than to the road.

Long story short, my Zippo fell into a stream and had to chase it around for a mile or so. Even though it remained below the water for at least 10 minutes, it came back to life after I left it out to dry. Plasma-based survival lighters are also water-resistant, and so are the electricity-based weatherproof lighters.

My choices in awesome survival lighters

Of course, no article on survival lighters should be without a couple of nifty gadgets. So, here are my choices in awesome lighters.

  1. Zippo Emergency Fire Starter

This is the mother of all Zippos out there. Apart from the fact that the body is weatherproofed, the Emergency Fire Starter also comes with four or five tinder sticks which can be used to start a fire just about anywhere. As for shape and weight, I would have to say that it’s bulkier than a regular Zippo on account of the extra protection layer; weight is about the same.

Don’t worry too much about extra supplies like flints, wicks, cotton or fuel – you can buy everything you need from Amazon or whatever tobacco e-shop you have in the area. The tinder sticks, on the other hand, are kind of harder to come by. If you run out, you’ll need to search for a military surplus store that has Zippo products. Other than that, I can’t really say anything bad about Zippo’s take on SHTF.

  1. UCO Stormproof Torch and Utility Tape

Though I’m not really a big fan of butane lighters, I have to say that I was really impressed by UCO’s torch. This electric, butane-powered lighter has three outlets, all of them covered by weatherproofing grates. It’s very small – basically fits in that tiny penny pocket. On a single charge, it can be ignited up to 700 times. Moreover, given the fact that this is more of a torch than a lighter, it has a ludicrously long lifespan: 30,000+ uses.

It also comes with a small safety cap that packs a mini carabiner, which you can use to attach this little sucker to your belt or B.O.B. The body of UCO’s torch is wrapped in heavy-duty utility tape; if you need to patch up something really fast, you have at least 3 feet of tape at your disposal.

  1. Xikar 9660BK Stratosphere II Lighter

The Stratosphere II Lighter is as close you’re ever going to get to a plasma gun just like in the movies. There’s nothing this bad boy can’t do- the flame’s at least two inches in height, which means that it can compete with Zippo’s survival lighter without breaking a sweat. This model, in particular, is very interesting because it has an armor – yup a stainless-steel cover that protects the mechanism from mechanical shock or water.

If that wasn’t enough to convince you, get him: The Stratosphere II Lighter has a built-in blade, which can be used for chopping or self-defense. As for fuel, this survival lighter goes along splendidly with Zippo fuel or any kind of lighter fluid. When the electrical ignitor no longer works, you can always charge it up from a USB port.

  1. Electric Lighter Dual Arc Flameless Windproof Eco-Friendly Lighter

Now that’s a mouthful if I ever saw one. The Dual Arc Flameless is an all-out electrical lighter capable of producing a powerful flame via its two electrodes. On a single charge, the Dual Arc can produce 300 sparks which means that you can probably use it to light up even soaking-wet wood. This is one of those lighters for tech addicts since it doesn’t have a spark wheel, but an infrared switch. The only caveat is that you will need to bring along a power bank or seek out an outlet for recharging.

  1. Blazer CG-001 Refillable Torch

This piezoelectric beauty is more than enough to start a fire, burn paper or illuminate a small room. The flame is tall enough to burn just though anything. This particular model comes with a stainless-steel cover, which means that it can take any amount of punishment.

You can recharge it using any kind of lighter fluid. Don’t worry about running out of fuel because it comes with a small window on the side which shows just how much fuel you have left. It may not be as famous as the Zippo, but, apparently, Japan’s take on survival lighters doesn’t disappoint.

That’s about it on how to choose the best survival lighter. Don’t be a stranger and hit the comment to let me know what kind of lighter you purchased.

While messing around on Amazon looking for my gift, I stumbled upon several neat survival lighters.