Knives Part I

What type of knife is the best one to put in my 72 Hour Bag? There are many types of knives and blade styles. Choosing the right fit for you can be a daunting task. Lets break down some basic types of knives. This topic can spur a ton of opinions and claims that this knife is better than that knife much like people who talk about stopping power of one bullet versus another. Here's my philosophy on knives. They are a tool and should perform at a high level when abused, so buying a really expensive survival knife could be useless when you may end up using it as a shovel and at that moment its ability to be a shovel is way more important than who designed it and your bragging rights that you spent $500 on a one of a kind hand made knife. Having said that, I believe in quality and sometimes paying a little more is worth it. So it's a delicate balance to find the right fit for you. On a last note, I've said it before and I'll say it again. I refer to a knife in your 72 Hour Bag as a tool, not a weapon. Don't think you are Jason Bourne and will be able to save the day. In the end it will get taken away from you and used against you. If you are faced with a knife in a fight the first stab wound you should receive is in your ass from running away. Knife fights never end well. Your best case is that you'll bleed out after your enemy and that's not a good scenario. Think of this item as an edged tool and that's all.

Types of blades

There are a couple types of blades I'd like to address before getting started. There's a straight blade and a serrated blade. I feel for a survival knife it's best to have both combined onto one knife. The straight blade is good for cutting things like meat, leather wood and so on.

 The serrated blade works like a saw and can be used to effectively cut rope or very tough objects.

 The two combined on one blade allow the knife to be very versatile. There are parts to a blade which are important to mention. There is the tip or point, the blade, the heel and the spine. There is of course the handle but for now I'm going to focus on the business end. The tip or point should be thick in width and not too shaped into a tapered point, it will break easily when under pressure.


The blade can have a variety of shapes and thicknesses to achieve many tasks, one such shape is called an onion blade. You can see the curve of the blade makes it fatter towards the end of the blade. This makes the end weighted and very good for slashing or hacking.

Another is a karambit - which is a particularly nasty fighting knife. It's intended purpose is to cut rope, but you can see from the shape of the blade how vicious it would be if it came in contact with your arm or neck and the attacker rolled the blade around a curved surface.

Parts of a Knife

The heel is the edge of the blade closest to the handle and is actually a good place to do your fine intricate cutting. If you need to use the tip to do fine cutting work grab the blade and only reveal the smallest amount the tip of the blade, it is much safer this way. The spine is the back of the blade, traditionally the dull side. Make sure it is beefy, to allow you to use a log and beat the back of the knife into wood to split it. There is the handle and the tang, a full tang refers to the part of the blade which goes all the way through the handle to the end which is called the butt or puno. Some punos have a pointed end to allow for striking. A full tang knife is best because it is stronger. Remember this is a tool and if need be, beat the shit out of it to accomplish the task at hand. Don't abuse your knife, but don't baby it. If you chose wisely your knife will take the abuse.

Types of Knife Blade Shapes:

There are many types of blade shapes where it becomes the point. Each has a specific reason for it's design. The first two are the blade types I think are the best design for your 72 Hour Bag.

There is the drop 555, often found on Swiss Army Knives. It has a good solid end which is very strong and easy to control. There is a good long edge for a good cutting stroke.

The Spear Point this blade has an exceptional tip strength because of the mass of the blade tapering to the point, it still has a reasonable point to accomplish tasks that require poking holes and can be affixed to a pole to make a spear. The blade has a long cutting edge giving the user great control. This is one of the best blades for a 72 Hour Bag.

The needle point tip it used mostly as a dagger and is most often a double edged blade, meaning it is sharpened on both ends. This is not a good blade for your 72 Hour Bag and illegal in California.

Gut Hook is good for skinning and cleaning animals when hunting, it's very good for slicing because it has a blade similar to the drop point but because of the hook it has it's limitations. Not really a good knife for the 72 Hour Bag unless you plan on field dressing wild game on your way home during an earthquake.

The Clip Point is a familiar style if you've ever owned a Buck Knife. It's a very good blade but the tip can be weak because of it's tapered point. It works well for piercing objects and it's long smooth blade makes it very good for slicing. this is an acceptable blade for a 72 Hour Bag if you accept it's limitations.

The Sheepsfoot Blade is great for whittling and carving, it's nose is very strong and makes it a good knife to grab towards the tip because of its long dull spine. It also will help prevent stabbing because there is no real point. This is a strong blade and would be good in a 72 Hour Bag if you aren't going to need to punch holes through leather or anything else.

The Trailing Point Blade has another weak tip, but it's designed for skinning and slicing. I wouldn't put this one in my bag either.

The Tanto Blade is known to have a very strong point but I've seen them break, the blade edge is straight and doesn't curve well into the point. I'm not a fan of this knife, there's just not enough going for it to use as a tool. It may work great as a Samurai sword, but not for a knife you're going to use as a tool.

More in Part II Next week.

Orienteer without a Compass

Finding your Direction

I'd like to write about a technique for finding your direction without the use of a compass or an electronic device like a smartphone. It's a common practice for people on tech scouts to pull out their iPhones and use an App to tell which direction the sun is going to set but if you have an analog watch the process is quite simple and usually faster than calling up the App. If you have a digital watch you can accomplish the same task but you'll probably want to draw a watch face on the ground and follow the same principals. This is a technique I've used many times when hiking because sometimes even if you have a compass you will second guess it. There have been many times where you get turned around and you will swear your compass is wrong. For this reason many people will carry two compasses so they can verify that their compass is indeed still working. But if you understand the principals outlined below it's a great way of finding direction even if you don't have a compass. 

Here's what you do: 

Orient your body so you face the direction of the sun and using a finger I create a shadow which bisects the hour hand and the 12. The picture below shows it is 9am. When you do this the 3 will point West (the direction the sun sets), the 12 will point South, the 9 will point East and the 6 will point North. That's it.

Using this principal to the picture below we can see it is 5:30pm, by bisecting the 5 and the 12 the 3 points West. During the height of Summer the sun will set a little closer to the 4 and in the height of the winter it will set a little closer to the 2.

Okay, now the only tricky part is if the previous clock were at 5:30am. In this case you need to under stand that the sun will be ahead of your hour hand like the following example:

Here's the thing about that tricky part, if it's 5:30am and the sun is coming up you should know that's East anyway so it's a moot point but I wanted to at least cover the weak link in the system. 

If you have a digital watch apply the principal by drawing a circle in the ground and then use a stick to hammer into the ground creating a shadow which runs through the middle of the circle. Use the time on your watch to then draw out out the hands of the watch like an analog watch. Just make sure you orient the numbers so the shadow bisects the hour hand and the 12.

Light

Light:

It's kinda what I do, but lighting a scene is completely different from illuminating a small encampment when backpacking. Or in a worst case scenario lighting your shelter for the night when trying to get home and you are someplace less than desirable when you're cold and wet. Lets face it, we are used to having everything in our lives lit by something. Most even sleep with the dim glow of a digital alarm clocks. How many of you have been with out light? I mean absolutely no way of creating light and knowing you're going to be in the dark till the sun pops up. I'm guessing not many. Even those of us who venture into the back country for days or weeks at a time have some way of creating light. But if you are with light and in the dark, not knowing what creepy things are going to go bump in the night it can be a scary night with your arms wrapped around your shins and your knees drawn up tight to your chest to keep warm. 

We discussed the need to have three ways to make fire in your kit and how vital it is to turn on channel 13 (your campfire) while you are trying to get back to your home. But there are other ways to have a small light which will give you comfort till dawn.  Some of the tools you may want to add to your 72 Hour Bag are candles, flashlights or chem lights. I'll discuss each and their strengths and weaknesses.

Candles:

The first are candles, they're light weight and fairly fool proof. There are a billion kinds, from making them out of an orange peel, a stick of butter or made from the typical bee or paraffin wax. The principal is simple, you take a wick which is flammable and feed it with a fuel source so the wick doesn't burn up quickly. Candles are time tested and will go for hours. In a pinch one candle in a snow cave will raise the temperature enough to prevent you from freezing to death (if done correctly!). Here's the problem with the typical wax candle: they won't last in your 72 Hour Bag in the trunk of your car in Southern California.  Below you can see two types of candles, one is the bare candle and the other is a fancy pop up lantern style.

Here's a candle which is great, its a little emergency oil lamp called the Guardian 30 hour emergency candle. They sell for about $2.50 and you can buy them in a variety of places. I like these because they are sealed and generally won't leak (although I try to orient mine so they are in the upright position) and they won't melt like a candle will in the heat. Because they are sealed they shouldn't evaporate either.

Flashlights:

As you may know flashlights can be a topic much the same as Ford Vs. Chevy. Everyone has an opinion... So let me tell you mine. It would be my advise to find a flashlight which does not need to be recharged. It will sit in your 72 Hour Bag for six months and when you need it it'll be dead. Unless you figure out a way to wire it into the electrical system of your car and it trickle charges when you're running your vehicle don't bother. I know of only a couple of guys who I think could pull this off and one is named Joe. Nuff said. Another thing to look for when figuring out what kind of flashlight is battery longevity when in storage. What ever type of flashlight you look at make sure it will accept a Lithium battery. Lithium batteries have a 10 year shelf life, doesn't matter if it's a AA, AAA, C cel, D cel or 9volt. Many of us use the CR123 Lithium batteries on set and they have come way down in price so I suggest looking for one that runs on them, they pack an incredible punch. Here's the flashlight I carry every where I go:

Another good buy I recommend for every 72 Hour Bag is the 9 Volt LED light, it's micro light weight, runs for ever and is pretty bright. I bought mine on eBay for about $1 a piece and it included a Rayovac battery. I wrap a little length of mason line around the end and secure it with electrical tape so I can hang it from where ever I need to and I then have electrical tape when I need it. There's two settings, 6 LEDs and 2 LEDs. Here it is:

A mag light is handy because it has several uses, you can use it in your hand like a flashlight or unscrew the front and it becomes a base and the bulb works like a candle illuminating 360 degrees. There are a couple different kinds of mag lights. The Mini Mag Light LED version is shown below and comes is available in a standard filament bulb as well. It's available in the 2 AA and AAA version. The larger sizes are available in 2,3,4,5 or 6 D cel length. I think any of the D cel versions are too big for a 72 Hour bag, but they make great clubs to use as a defensive weapon so it's your choice.

Chem lights:

Chemical lights are a perfect addition to any 72 Hour Bag because they weigh next to nothing and they will never expire. As long as the inner core doesn't break they're good to go. There are a bunch of different kinds from white, yellow, blue and Infra Red. You can find two types, those made in the USA and those that are not. The ones made in the USA are far superior to those made elsewhere. Cyalume  is a brand made in the USA and it's the name which is synonymous with chemical lights.

Tampons & Condoms

In a prior post I listed two items I thought were important to keep in your 72 Hour Bag. A Tampon and a Condom. Both of which could get you in trouble with your spouse if you don't exactly know what they're used for in Survival situations.  There are many additional uses above and beyond these 10, but I thought I'd restrict the list at 10 items each because under interrogation it's easier to remember 10 than 30.

Tampon

1. Survival Straw - Use the tampon in the plastic applicator to suck water from a source through, This will only filter turbidity and not nasty viruses, but it's better to drink and risk a bug than die of dehydration.

image from artofmanliness.com

2. Water filter - use a plastic bottle and cut the bottom off, push the tampon down into the opening so the string hangs down. This way you can add water through the now open bottom and gravity will make the water be filtered through the tampon. This will only filter turbidity and not nasty viruses, but it's better to drink and risk a bug than die of dehydration. This image from artofmanliness.com shows the bottle with the cap on and a small hole punctured in the cap. It's an option but I think it restrict the flow too much. I take off the cap and use the string hanging out the bottom to guide the flow into a cup or bowl.

3. Tinder - Pull apart the cotton and add Lip Balm if you have it, one good spark will ignite the cotton.

4. Cotton to bandage a wound - Spread the cotton out and use it against the wound

5. Plug a nose bleed - You can cut a full size tampon down and use it in the nostril, if it's your buddy and he's kind of a dork tell him you have to leave the string hanging down so you can pull it out later.

6. Plug a bullet wound - only as a last resort because they expand as they accumulate fluids

7. Use the string as a wick for a candle - there are a variety of liquids/materials you can dip the end into to make it burn longer. Butter, oil, wax.

8. Use the string in an improvised snare or trap - Big topic. I'll try to do a post on snares and traps later.

9. Use the package to keep matches in so they don't get wet - The plastic applicator can be used as a housing for matches.

10. Use the cotton & packaging to create a fishing bobber - The plastic wrapper with a gob of the cotton inside can be tied to create an air pocket and attached to a fishing line. It'll work as a bobber.

Condom

1. Water Carrier - Put the condom inside your sock so it supports the rubber. It can carry up to 1 gallon of water this way

2. Fire - The rubber is made from oil and it's flammable so it works as a great fire starter to help you get other materials going.

3. To make a fire drill or bow - Twist the full length of the condom and attach it to a stick to make a fire bow or two sticks to use as a drill. Note to self: try this at home and after and hour of sweating and not being able to do it you'll appreciate that caveman who figured it out.

4. Sling shot - Nuff said?
5. Use as rubber glove when dealing with a person who is bleeding - Pretty simple huh? Think of it more as a mitten without thumbs more than a glove. Remember when dealing with a bleeding patient latex gloves are for your protection, not theirs.

6. Put over the muzzle of a gun in wet conditions - See the movie the Big Red One for demonstration, one of Mark Hamill's great performances.

7. Fishing bobber -  Easier to make a fishing bobber with the condom than the tampon... I'm sure most have had some experience with this issue during other activities.

8. Water tight container for matches or even a cel phone - This puppy can be stretched pretty big and will hold a wide variety of things you might need to keep dry.

9. Use the package as a chest seal for a sucking chest wound - If there's a small sucking chest wound tape three edges of the package down and cover the hole this will allow air to escape from the chest cavity but will press against the wound and not let air in.

10. fill with water and use to start a fire with it's magnifying properties - Really hard and probably won't work but it's in the column of "I should know this".

30 Uses of a Bandana

Ever since I can remember I have carried two bandanas in my pack when hiking. Today I carry a Shemaugh which is just a larger bandana. You can find these at a variety of on line sellers like lapolicegear.com

 I was told the colors signify the region the shemaugh came from with more contrasting colors being a region of conflict. Here you can see Yasir Arafat wearing white and black.

The shemaugh has been very useful through out its tenure in my EDC (every day carry) bag and does many things that the bandana can but has a little more surface area making it a better neck warmer and can be used in the traditional way over your head to cut the wind or keep the sun off your head. With so many military operations going on in the middle east many operators have adopted the benefits of using a shemaugh.

I can tell you that when it's cold on set, I pull my shemaugh out and wrap it around my neck, quickly getting warm and I make a fashion statement. The main point of this post is to talk about the 30 uses of a bandana. Below is a list from survivalcache.com they have a pretty good amount of items you might want to add to your 72 hour bag and he runs a good blog. I have found other lists that go up to 100 uses but I've found that 30 uses is about all I can remember and most of the other ones are pretty common sense. 

30 Uses of a Bandana:

1. Signal

2. Neck Gaiter for cold weather

3. Tourniquet (But for Snake Bites use a Sawyer Extractor)

4. Pot Holder

5. Collecting Wild Edibles

6. Sun block for neck

7. Sling (first-aid – also see medical kits for you BOB)

8. Sling (as in David and Goliath)

9. Sling (for a staff )

10. Cordage (strips or as is)

11. Washcloth/Towel (Bathe out of a Collapsible Bucket)

12. Sweatband

13. Waist pack/pouch

14. Hobo Pack

15. Padding a hotspot

16. Cleaning Patches for Firearm

17. Bullet Patches for Muzzleloader

18. Gun Wipe Cloth (with oil)

19. Toilet Paper

20. Mark a Trail

21. Dish Rag

22. Napkin

23. Eye patch

24. Pre-water Filter (like Coffee Filters)

25. Clean Glasses and other lens

26. Ear Muffs

27. Bind a stone and toss a line over a limb

28. Dust Mask (in Urban Survival)

29. Wet and wear for Hot Weather

30. Sneezing

First Aid Kit

There are a billion types of first aid kits you can get for your 72 Hour Bag, they vary as much with size and weight as they do with the skill level you may have to put the gear into use. If you have the time it is of vital importance to take a CPR/First Aid class. It's important to be able to help someone when they become injured but you may have to be the one who fixes yourself and knowing what to do will help keep you calm and stave off possible shock. During the Falkland Island war they found the better trained a soldier was the better chance they had of surviving injuries and not going into shock. Ordinary soldiers were dying with only minor wounds because they slipped into shock while soldiers who were trained at higher levels were surviving head and chest wounds and not going into shock. Remember it's of vital importance to stay at 98.6, once this has been comprimised the clock begins to tick and it's hard to stop the clock after that.

Here's what I carry in my 72 Hour Bag:

I've done a lot of research into the different types of medical kits that are offered and I've found it's best to build your own, but this can be an incredibly daunting task especially if you aren't an EMT, Paramedic, Nurse or Physician. So what I've come up with is the Adventure Medical Kit .7 in the water tight container. It has a good amount of items to be the foundation of a good kit and still has the room to add other things important to you. Only you will know what you're going to need immediately if you're away from home for 72 hours. Pretend you're packing for a three day get away and look at any medications you need on a daily basis. They should be in there. Are you allergic to bee stings? Do you need an Epi Pen? If so, get one and put it in this kit. I have added several tubes of single use Super Glue and some sutures. I have learned how to suture but it is doubtful I would ever try to suture a wound in the field unless it were the most austere conditions. Having said that I would Super Glue a wound closed. Contained in the .7 are the following: 3-Bandage, Butterfly Closure. 2- Dressing, Non-Adherent, Sterile, 3" x 4". 1-Bandage, Conforming Gauze, 2". 5-Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, 1" x 3". 2-Dressing, Gauze, Sterile, 2" x 2", Pkg./2. 3-Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, Knuckle. 2-Dressing, Gauze, Sterile, 3" x 3", Pkg./2. 1-Gloves, Nitrile (Pair), Hand Wipe. 1-Moleskin, Pre-Cut & Shaped (11 pieces). 1-Duct Tape, 2" x 26". 1-Bandage, Elastic with Velcro, 2". 3-Safety Pins. 1-Splinter Picker/Tick Remover Forceps. 2-After Bite Wipe. 2-Antihistamine (Diphenhydramine 25 mg). 1-Aspirin (325 mg), Pkg./2. 3-Ibuprofen (200 mg), Pkg./2. 4-After Cuts & Scrapes Antiseptic Wipe. 3-Triple Antibiotic Ointment, Single Use. 3-Alcohol Swab. 1-Tape, 1" x 10 Yards. 1-Tincture of Benzoin Topical Adhesive.

In addition to the items listed above I have decked out my kit with additional items I have been trained to use and are only in the kit if the most austere conditions arise. I carry a tourniquet, and Asherton Chest Seal, decompression needle, H Bandage, Israeli Bandage, 4x4's, tape, gloves, celox and some other trinkets such as iodine tablets. 

Here's what I carry when I go running:

I carry in my running pack the Adventure Medical Kit .5 - I've added some things that are more geared towards trail running. I put steri-strips and butterfly bandages in the pouch as well as a tube of super glue. I beefed up the the band aids and I threw some Imodium tablets in there because the last thing you want is to be 20 miles away from home and have intestinal issues. The .5 comes with some good gear for the size of the pouch and its very light weight. It comes with the following: 2 - Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, Knuckle, 1 - Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, 2"x4". 10 - Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, 1"x3". 2 - Dressing, Gauze, Sterile, 2"x2" (Pkg. 2). 2 - Butterfly Closure, 1- After Bite Medicated Wipe. 1 - Mini Howler Whistle. 6 - Antimicrobial Towelette.

Here's what I carry in my EDC:

My EDC (Every Day Carry) is the bag a I carry to work every day. Because of the nature of the Film Business we must take everything with us filling all our needs for that day of work. We often have layers of clothing and tools, but what most don't have is emergency equipment to bridge the gap between set and their cars at crew parking. Below is the Condor Tactical Gear Pocket, it's at LA Police Gear for $10.99. It's on closeout so act quickly. In this pouch I keep a ton of gear and the pouch fits neatly in the leg pocket of my cargo pants. I have a ton of gear stuffed into this pouch but here's a list of the medical items: celox, Leather Man Squirt P4, super glue, band aids, tampon, condom, steri strips, 4-0 & 2-0 nylon non absorbable sutures, back up meds. 

You may be wondering about the tampon and the condom, all I can tell you is there are many uses for them other than their obvious roles. I will do a post on these uses at a later date.