Author of Be Ready for Anything and Bloom Where You’re Planted online course
If you missed the previous challenges, you can catch up here:
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Day 3
- Day 4
- Day 5
- Day 6
- Day 7
- Day 8
- Day 9
- Day 10
- Day 11
- Day 12
- Day 13
- Day 14
- Day 15
- Day 16
- Day 17
- Day 18
- Day 19
- Day 20
- Day 21
- Day 22
Today’s Challenge
There is an uptick of preventable injuries when emergencies happen and the injuries I’m speaking of are completely unrelated to the disaster you’re facing. The reason a lot of folks get hurt when using the tools they’ve put ahead for an emergency is that they aren’t accustomed to using those tools.
Things like chainsaws, axes, and even that big knife in your bug-out bag can turn against you if you don’t handle it carefully and comfortably.
So tonight when you’re making dinner, use your big prepper knife in the kitchen for cutting up food. (After washing it carefully of course!) If you do this regularly, you will be more comfortable with it when it’s time to use it out in the field.
You may need to sharpen your knife after using it like this. You can find a video about sharpening knives here. This is another really important skill to have and many folks have no idea how to do it.
What kind of knife do you have in your emergency supplies?
Do you have a big hunting knife in your emergency supplies? A different kind of knife? Share with us how you used it in the kitchen and whether or not you felt comfortable with it.
I use my Katana sword for cutting watermelons and cantaloupes all the time. And, of course, I use my larger Buck sheath knives for the tougher kitchen chores with some regularity in addition to field dressing and skinning larger game.
It may seem odd, but it’s actually very efficient to use these tools in the kitchen. You buy a $150 -$200 beef tenderloin roast for making filet mignon steaks, and the last thing you want to do is mangle them with some cheap kitchen knife that’s been through the dishwasher 500 times, stored loose in a drawer and sharpened once or twice.
Practice makes perfect, and one should never look like a monkey “molesting” a football when using their own tools. Proficiency is a virtue in EVERY area of one’s life.
Upvote just because of the katana idea.
Beats the heck out of a Swiss Army camper.
Hubby bought me a multi-tool for my “get home” bag. I used it all the time at work, and the nursing home I worked at never said anything about the couple of “large-ish” knives that were part of the set. I mostly used the pliers to fix clasps on the resident’s clothing, and kept it on me for our “soft target” shooter drills – I’d unscrew the window after blocking the door so that whomever was able could climb out and get away.
I got started early. I first slashed my thumb accidentally with a gift pocket knife when I was only 4. In grade school years I was making camping knives from old used metal files by using a slow moving grinder to avoid ruining the temper in that steel. For backpacking in the mountains later with the Boy Scouts, I never needed any more than a pocket knife. In later years I acquired a lot more.
I still have my father’s machete that I once used to chop cattle feed daily, but I never have a need to bring it into the kitchen — any more than I’d roll a Shopsmith into the kitchen, pivot it upward into drill press mode, and chuck it up with mixer blades to use as a blender. The point is that it makes little sense usually to use bigger tools than are needed for smaller tasks, unless you’re out in the sticks somewhere and a bigger tool is all you have.
My favorite grocery package / box / packet / etc opener is a 2-1/4“ long Victorinox classic swiss army knife which stays in my pocket all the time, and everywhere, except where TSA thieves are about. Yes, I have several full tang camping knives, but in the kitchen they just get in the way. A carbon steel blade will hold an edge better than a stainless steel knife, but must be cleaned and dried immediately after use to prevent rusting. Stainless steel knives are actually rust resistant — not truly rust proof. BTW, if you lay something that’s already rusting up against a “stainless” steel knife, the “tramp iron” effect cuts in and over time can begin rusting that so-called “stainless” steel knife blade.
The video on knife sharpening is very limited. It only mentioned one knife grind of 22.5 degrees. There are at least FIVE different knife grinds, as discussed in the article below, each for different purposes, depending on your needs.
https://knifeup.com/different-grinds-and-the-use-of-a-hollow-grinding-jig/
The presenter also only mentions using a whetstone for grinding, without mentioning that a little water, or better, honing oil, improves the grinding result greatly. He also does not mention the readily available diamond surface sharpening plates. Harbor Freight carries those in several different grits, both in backpackable or pocket sizes as well as shop bench configurations. And again, a little water or better, some honing oil, vastly improves the sharpening result without clogging up the sharpening plate’s surface.
The presenter does not mention serrated edges much on knives. The common wisdom is that smooth edges on knives work best to cut materials that nature provided, while serrated edges sometimes provide an advantage in cutting man-made materials. So when you’re shopping for knives, don’t expect to hear that wisdom from the “happy to sell anything we’ve got” salesmen. I personally don’t like the knives with smooth edges on the far half of the cutting blade, but serrated edges on the near half. Very often you need that smooth edge as close to the handle as possible to control delicate cutting, such as slicing up thin shavings for a fire-starting fuzz stick. That’s far more difficult to do if the smooth half of the knife is a long way forward from your handle grip.
If you’re in the emergency responder business where you frequently need to cut through man-made materials, your needs for a serrated edge might be greater.
Here’s a discussion of the basic sharpening process (but NOT how to sharpen serrated edges, which requires a whole different tool set plus know-how — again, not covered in that video):
https://www.wildernesstoday.com/how-to-sharpen-a-blade-hunting-survival-knife/
Oh, not mentioned in that last sharpening article is the idea to grind an inch or two on the spine (the back edge) as close to the hand grip as possible — on either a full tang knife or any folding knife that has some kind of lock to keep the blade open when in use. If you grind just barely enough on that back edge spine to create two much sharper 90° edges, that makes you a handy spark scraper for your firesteel. That’s a nice backup in case you lose the scraper that probably came with your firesteel.
–Lewis
Great response, Lewis. I’m going to look into that sharpening link. I always shied away from serrated blades because they’re notoriously difficult to sharpen on your own.
I carry a diamond impregnated honing rod on my belt along with my 110 Buck folding hunter. It’s made by EZE-LAP. I see they still sell them on Amazon. Got mine at a brick and mortar store. They last forever and just a few strokes gives you a VERY sharp edge. It can even be used to sharpen fish hooks in a pinch. And if I want to go the extra mile, I’ll follow up with a fine Arkansas oil stone. I used to use ceramic rods, but I found them unreliable in the long run. They clog quickly and are prone to breaking.
I also carry a legacy Super Leatherman Tool on my belt. That thing literally IS “super”! I sent it back to Leatherman last year for repair. They sent it back just like new for free. Sharpened the bone saw and everything.
Thanks again for your input.
Bear Grylls once said that a combination blade is the worst of both worlds. (He then endorsed a line of products from Gerber with just such blades on most of the knives). Selling out aside, I tend to agree with the notion. I have a saw on my multitool should I need it, and a folding saw for the backpack. That’s good enough for me. Aside from a cute little truckstop keychain knife, none of my knives have serrations on them.
Regarding Stainless Steel; I had a friend who worked in a metal stock warehouse. He told me that whenever stainless steel is in contact with a metal other than more stainless steel, it looses it’s stainless property and rusts just like regular steel. Any amount of contact affects the entire piece.
Day 22 is missing.
Thank you! Sorry about that – fixing it right now. 🙂
I have been using my bugout bag knife over the last 3 weeks while on a road trip. For things like peeling fruit, cutting cheese and other grocery store food, opening MRE pouches (which seem devised to withstand all methods of opening, including power tools!!) I feel a lot more comfortable with it now.
My BOB holds 3 knives, K-Bar combat knife, a 6 inch Mora knife, and a Swiss Army knife. I like my Swedish Mora so much I have 4 of them and use one regularly in the kitchen for food prep.
The Tahoma Field Knife, by TOPS. I love that thing! Yes, it seems big at first, but once you’re using it, it happens to be Goldilocks Approved: the TFK is just right.
I did an experiment where I EDC’ed it for a year! That was a challenge, but forcing myself to adapt to something that large helped me devise methods of carry that no one could tell I had it on me. This experiment also yielded three separate kydex sheaths, which I made myself, so that’s a “skill” I had to learn. Anyway, thank you. You’re only as sharp as your edge.
I carry two pocket knives with me at almost all times. They have locking blades when opened for safety. I keep the blades near razor sharp at all times.
If I’m at home and have enough time to grab a bus-out bag, I’d throw in a couple of kitchen knives—a small paring knife, and a Chinese style slicing knife. Both kept near razor sharp. These are the only knives I use for slicing in the kitchen. I’d also throw in a steel or two for sharpening. Also take along a diamond sharpener that has different grits. I’m responsible for an elderly parent who can’t walk long distances, therefore my bug-out kit will have to travel in a car. Hopefully we can shelter in place.
I do not have nor would I bring a Victorianox Swiss army knife. The blades don’t lock into place. I had one once, and it closed on my finger. Very fortunate I didn’t cut a tendon. The cut was deep but clean and healed quickly. From then on make sure the blades lock safely open when in use.
I started learning how not to use a knife incorrectly as early as age 4, and not to expect that any knife would make up for my lack of awareness of its capabilities or limitations. As a result today, if I have a job that requires either a full tang knife or a locking folder, I’ll choose one that fits the job — like my folding Wenger (now owned by Victorinox) that does have the latch for the blade. On the other hand, Victorinox has an impressive variety of different models ranging from the tiny Classic models with minimum basic features all the way to the mega-model Champ that’s practically a pocket-size workshop full of tools — even without a lock. Again, choose the right tool to fit the job, and don’t blame the tool because you chose the wrong one for a particular job. I don’t think there’s any such thing as one tool that will do everything, despite the salesmens’ siren song.
I have, and like very much, a couple of those Chinese stainless steel rectangular cleavers. Besides slicing and chopping, they are a very practical way to pick up and move freshly cut produce to store or cook. I’ve found that if I keep them a wee bit less than razor sharp, they tend not to snag on things that I don’t want to be accidentally cut.
–Lewis
I use my knives large and small frequently. They are fine and I keep them sharp. I learned that lesson years ago.
In my packed bags I have a few favorite kinds and sizes of knives. Also there is hatchet in my bags just like the the one I keep for butchering.
Hatchet, large chef’s knife, skinning knife, a smaller serrated bladed very thin knife for tomatoes and other fruit, paring knife, even a mallet to hit the hatchet to sever a spine or cut off rabbits feet.
Another bag has serated blade and smooth, sharp blade pocket knives.
First aid bag has a scalpel with 100 blades in several styles. A three blade pocket knife and a bunch of suture kits.
One bag has a sheathed machete hung on the outside. Inside there is a pair of chainsaw blade type wood cutters. Somewhere in a bag is a pair of scissors and a bandage scissor.
When i was 21 I learned about the wisdom of having my knives sharp. I ran for my life. Lived in the woods hiding for 10 months. I grabbed one change of clothing stuffed in a paper grocery bag. In my pocket was 1/2 book of paper advertising matches and a 2 bladed dull pocket knife. I finally sharpened that blade on a granite boulder. Not perfect but much better. Never again will I routinely have a dull knife.
I used one of my KA-Bars to cut up last nights dinner.
The wife looked at me like I was crazy, till I told her of the challenge. Then she just shrugged and carried on.
Cutting up chicken breast was a breeze. Just like using a chef knife.
Same with the onions and garlic.
I think peeling would be a real challenge using the KA-Bar.
I have a 4″ folding knife with a serrated section near the base that I’ve used here and there for various tasks, and I have some good kitchen knives that I use all the time. I recently bought a knife sharpener to replace the cheap one I had, but I don’t really foresee any issues.