The Desert Island knife.

BobM · Post by **BobM** » Sat Mar 01, 2014 9:41 pm

A machete is probably the most practical but if I had one I'd take a Randall Model 18. With what I own now probably a Becker Machax or Bk7.

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:14 am

Here is my Handmade Bowie, it has a sharp fine point that I really could dig a splinter out of my hand with, and believe it or not, it's a great squirrel skinning knife, actually my favorite squirrel skinning knife, because it's fine sharp point can get under the hide to rip a leg open if needed, and it's also a good chopper that works great for chopping the feet and head off. It has a full tang and a brass pommel that can be used as a hammer. Choke up on the handle and it is light in the hand, slip back on the handle and it becomes more blade heavy and does pretty good for light chopping, etc.

I also like this knife because the metal is not super hard to sharpen and could be sharpened on a rock if needed.

I put a custom Buck 110 in the picture for size comparison.

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:21 am

But then again, if that island did have any dangerous animals like the big cats or other things that might need killing, then I don't know, but I wouldn't feel too bad, if I had my Hog sticking knife along, but that's really all it made for is killing something, but it excels at that.

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:26 am

I like this big Western Bowie, also, and would not feel too deprived if I had it along. I have used it a quite a bit.

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:30 am

A couple of my utility knives, pretty good choppers but but not worth a lot for anything else.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 5:15 am

7.62 Precision wrote:
Ysabel Kid wrote:That is a tough one, because as much as I love a good, large bowie, I wouldn't want to be digging out splinters with it, or anything else that requires a lot of precision. Desert = warm = probably thinking more on making tools rather than cutting wood to keep warm.
I agree. Also, most places in the world will have some type of driftwood that can be utilized for fires and for building, but not all. The coast of Siberia and islands on that coast did not get much driftwood at all, due to the currents, while Alaskan Islands had an abundance, leading to centuries-long wars between Siberian and Alaskan natives over driftwood.

Also, we generally think warm when we consider the word desert, though some deserts are cold. The original term desert island, however, meant deserted, and was interchangeable with the term deserted island, so to be completely correct, a desert island could be in any climate, so when we say desert island today, many people think of tropical climates, but the original meaning of the term was uninhabited, so it could be anywhere. Needs could be much different on an island with a sandy shore and coconut palms from an island with rocky beaches, tide pools and spruce forests, or a grassy island with pebble beaches and seabirds nesting on cliffs.

I would say that a geographic location would be necessary to really say what knife you would want.

My thoughts too.
Wherever you find yourself in a survival situation you will only have the tools that you have to hand, hopefully you will
have chosen the right tools depending on the type of terrain you will find yourself in.

Gobblerforge · Post by **Gobblerforge** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 7:17 am

Not much need for a jungle machete here in Ohio. I think I'd lean towards a full tang clip point with about a 3-4 inch blade. That should handle most jobs from splinters to dinners. But then, I'm also a blacksmith so I see the worlds junk as supply for my craft. 90% of the folks are gone so there is a lot of scrap. One wrecked car spring and there are blades and axes and tools for years.
There is a line I have liked and added to when giving advice to the future.
"Don't get rid of your dirt, canning jars or scrap piles. You're gonna need them."
Gobbler

walks with gun · Post by **walks with gun** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 9:32 am

As much as I like my big knives I would probably want my old leatherman, with that I could make a spear, or maybe fix whatever got me on this danged island in the first place.

madman4570 · Post by **madman4570** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 9:45 am

jeepnik wrote:
madman4570 wrote:A NAX

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHvE_Zn_pPI
So, tell us where you got it.

Think now they are pushing the 2.0 version as of 2014 ? its a tad cheaper but the original I think is much better ?
Not sure if the NAX original is still available. Why? no idea?
http://www.gearupcenter.com/

Got mine from a knife dealer on Ebay for $199 shipped.

Should see what it does to a hard coconut with one swipe.
Dude had two only and said they were hard to get.
Bought both, gave one as a gift. I got a gun in return.

But for an island deal where they might be women on it, only one man

that will do.
A good sneak up in the pitch black whether dude has a gun or not about 3am while snoring he crept up slowly, ever so silently and WHACK!

What one will do for women!

Could the dude have helped getting off island ? maybe but who wants to leave.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 12:58 pm

walks with gun wrote:As much as I like my big knives I would probably want my old leatherman, with that I could make a spear, or maybe fix whatever got me on this danged island in the first place.

I think that'd be my choice as well, but if the "rules" allowed me to consider my Leatherman the "Desert Island Tool" I got to have, so I got to pick a separate "Desert Island Knife", then I'd go with one of the bigger machete type ones...

Of course maybe the rules would let me also have a Desert Island Boat, too...

Mescalero · Post by **Mescalero** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:02 pm

I thought most of these "islands" were tropical?

jeepnik · Post by **jeepnik** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:22 pm

Mescalero wrote:I thought most of these "islands" were tropical?

Aleutians aren't tropical. The islands off the southern tip of South America aren't tropical, the islands off Antarctica aren't tropical. Heck, the islands off the coast of Southern California sure as heck aren't tropical, and I've been either on or fished near them all.

Post by **Old Savage** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:26 pm

Mescalero · Post by **Mescalero** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:26 pm

I thought the reference word was desert.

Post by **Old Savage** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:54 pm

That would appear to be correct.

jeepnik · Post by **jeepnik** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 8:44 pm

Well, like I said, "desert" island it won't matter cuz you'll die of thirst right quick.

Streetstar · Post by **Streetstar** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 9:51 pm

4-5" drop point hunter.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 4:08 am

Mescalero wrote:I thought the reference word was desert.

I was using the Wikipedia definition of a Desert Island.......I think most people think of Desert Islands as warm, sandy palm fringed places but the islands off the coast of Britain are anything but...

Gobblerforge · Post by **Gobblerforge** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 6:36 am

Sorry. Thread warp.

It's been a long winter.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:02 am

Gobblerforge wrote:Sorry. Thread warp. It's been a long winter.

It sure has.....

walks with gun · Post by **walks with gun** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:42 am

I don't know if I like this thread, I want at least two knives. I keep thinking how many times I've used my little Old Timer pocket knife to dig out slivers and other minor surgery that would be harder to do with a large blade. Do I have a dog on this Island, If so I'll nee my Leatherman to pull porky quills.

Post by **Old Savage** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:46 am

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_island

appears to fit the tropical type.

walks with gun · Post by **walks with gun** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:55 am

We'll now I'm thinking I better have a saw backed machete, sooner or later some pretty young thing is going to swim up on the beach and before you know it, I'm remodeling the biffy, then maybe adding on a extra room for when her family comes to visit, then there goes my little thatched den, now its a craft room. thanks guys.

Mescalero · Post by **Mescalero** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:58 am

Quit complaining, my gun room is packed to the rafters with the daughters "chick" stuff.
She is moving out this weekend, who knows what I will find after her stuff is gone.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 12:19 pm

Old Savage wrote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_island

appears to fit the tropical type.

Check out terminology....

Perhaps I should have stated deserted island any where on the globe.

Post by **Old Savage** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 4:18 pm

That would produce a variety of different answers.

we wish you Brits would learn English

And, pay attention to the pictures on the references you use.

Something like this might give you a hint to the clime.

Or actual desert

Grass plains

Rocky coast

Did I mention actual desert

Madman, New York any warmer now?

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 5:48 pm

I wondered how long it would be before we found footprints in the sand !!............

J35 · Post by **J35** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 6:40 pm

And to think Tom Hanks made it 5 years with just a sharp rock and a ice skate blade on his little island .

-------J

jeepnik · Post by **jeepnik** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 7:02 pm

J35nut wrote:And to think Tom Hanks made it 5 years with just a sharp rock and a ice skate blade on his little island .

-------J

Yep, it's amazing how things can go in a movie. Heck Gilligan and friends were stranded for years, and the genius professor never figured out how to patch a little hole in the boat.

Post by **Old Savage** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 8:29 pm

Gk, gotta give me credit for holding off

Foot prints

GoatGuy · Post by **GoatGuy** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 9:33 pm

GK -Recycled ad nauseum.

Mescalero · Post by **Mescalero** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 9:34 pm

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,
Heather,
what a lovely sight!

GoatGuy · Post by **GoatGuy** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 9:36 pm

Old Savage wrote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_island

appears to fit the tropical type.

In this instance I must agree with the good doctor.

model55 · Post by **model55** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 3:18 pm

You may also wish to consider the material the knife is made off-for instance if you have a striker,stainless steel will not get a spark from it if you are attempting to start a fire.

model55 · Post by **model55** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 3:49 pm

http://www.condortk.com/

Mescalero · Post by **Mescalero** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 4:21 pm

condor is a really practical and inovative company.
I really like their stuff.

Mike Armstrong · Post by **Mike Armstrong** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 6:34 pm

Personally I'd never be without my oyster shuckin' knife on ANY island!

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 7:11 pm

model55 wrote:You may also wish to consider the material the knife is made off-for instance if you have a striker,stainless steel will not get a spark from it if you are attempting to start a fire.

Was going to mention that. Great point

Mescalero · Post by **Mescalero** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 7:22 pm

That is why my magnesium fire starter has the mag. striker and piece of hack saw blade all in one.

model55 · Post by **model55** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 2:40 am

Need a better one myself.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:04 am

My Cold Steel Survival Edge and my Light my Fire knives both come with fire strikers and stainless steel blades, I have never had a problem starting fires with them.
They both give a better shower of sparks than the striker I bought last Saturday that came with a piece of hacksaw blade attached.
I believe the back of the blade is left rough for this purpose, I will try them with a regular stainless blade and see what result I get.

Well I just tried to get sparkes using a Mora stainless blade and no good at all, the hacksaw blade worked better.
Time to try out some other blades to compare!........

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 8:29 am

Carbon steel blades work best.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 10:52 am

rjohns94 wrote:Carbon steel blades work best.

I have just tried two carbon steel blades on two different fire steels one worked one didn't, the Cold Steel survival edge with 4116 stainless blade still got better sparks, I do not understand why as it goes against logic.
The fire steel that Light my Fire sells comes with a stainless striker, as is the blade of their firestarter knife and the knife is an excellent fire starter.

model55 · Post by **model55** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 2:48 pm

another myth shot down

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:33 pm

I've been searching the net for info on knives to use with fire steels, most people say it does not matter what the blade is made of, it's how square the spine of the blade is, if it is only slightly rounded it will be a poor producer of sparks.
My old machete will not throw a spark from the spine but will shave the fire steel with the cutting edge, throwing showers of sparks. However, I would not us the cutting edge of my knife unless I was desperate to get a fire started.

So if I'm marooned on a freezing cold island and need to keep warm or just want a signal fire on my tropical island, I must pick a knife or machete that will work with a fire steel...

tman · Post by **tman** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 5:04 pm

Ontario makes a Marine Raider knife. It's got about a 10"blade, that is easy to sharpen and holds an edge. It's my candidate for a survival knife, small machete and short sword. Well under $1oo bucks.

walks with gun · Post by **walks with gun** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 11:28 pm

I'm not going to worry about starting a fire with my knife, lucky for me the flight attendants I managed to get stranded on said previously uninhabited island found a few cases of Bic lighters along with the assortment of Smith & Wesson and Colts plus ammo the plane was carrying. Now if I'm having fun someone will find me in short notice and screw it up.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 2:37 am

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 7:36 am

walks with gun wrote:I'm not going to worry about starting a fire with my knife, lucky for me the flight attendants I managed to get stranded on said previously uninhabited island found a few cases of Bic lighters along with the assortment of Smith & Wesson and Colts plus ammo the plane was carrying. Now if I'm having fun someone will find me in short notice and screw it up.

Some guys get all the luck...

Others get Wilson.

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 1:36 pm

Just a thought, but, all those really fine, superior blades will be tough to keep sharp. The 5 dollar machetes they use in Central America are sharpened on just about any rock, or, concrete curb. Panamanian yard service was a dozen guys with their long blades...