20 Survival Uses For a Knife

Posted by Devin Peterson on 9/4/2011 to Outdoor Survival

1. Fire Starting - Craft a bow drill for starting fires by carving with your knife.
2. Fire Tinder - Cut off thin wood shavings to be used as tinder.
3. Shelter Building - Cut vines or sticks to size to use as parts of your shelter building.
4. Defense/Protection - Use your knife as a defensive weapon against wild animals.
5. Hunting - Use your knife blade as a makeshift spear by attaching it to a long stick. Or simply sharpen the end of the stick into a point. If you are a skilled knife thrower then that method can work as well to hunt prey for food.
6. Digging - Use your knife to dig holes for building traps, storing items, making a fire pit, setting up shelter or bedding, or disposing of waste.
7. Opening - Open cans or other containers with your knife.
8. Raft Building - If you need to build a raft the job will be much easier with the help of a sharp cutting implement.
9. Signal Device - Many knives can double as a signal mirror if they give a strong reflective shine.
10. Anchor/Peg - Use your knife to anchor objects to the ground or a tree to prevent from being blown or washed away or snagged by wild animals. Example: Stick your knife into a tree and use a hook to hang your food bag over. Or use as a tent peg or tarp peg.
11. Storage For Other Tools - Many knives come with hollow handles to allow storing other important tools such as matches, fishing gear, water tabs or whatever you want that fits.
12. Hammer - If your knife handle is made to be used as a pummel, then there are many ways you can utilize it as such.
13. Skinning, Gutting, and Cutting Meat and Food - When you catch prey it needs to be prepared properly. Having a knife will allow you to do everything you need to to prepare your food for cooking and eating.
14. Utensil - Use your knife as a fork to eat food, or use it as a.... knife... to eat food.
15. Surgical Procedures and Wound Care - We only advise that you know what you are doing before attempting operating on yourself or another person, and make sure your knife is sanitized.
16. Carving a Container - Use a knife to carve a bowl or container for storing water or food or keeping smaller important survival items together.
17. Entertainment - Although we don't recommend wearing out your knife blade if you may really need it, but it can be used for entertainment purposes as well, such as carving objects or target practice. If your knife is fragile we especially don't recommend the latter.
18. Toothpick - Get food out of your teeth using your knife after eating a scrumptuous boiled squirrel dinner.
19. Bushwacking - If your knife is big enough it may double as a mini machete, you could also elongate your knife by strapping it to a sturdy stick like an extension handle.
20. Cutting or Trimming Clothing or Extra Material - You may have too much unnecessary weight or dangerous loose hanging material you can trim off from your backpack or clothing.

Related Survival Gear: Knives

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