INSTANT SURVIVAL TIP: Knife Tricks!

Posted in: Featured, Instant Survival Tips

By John A. Heatherly, Author of The Survival Template

photo by alexkerhead

The following is a list of small things that can make a big difference in the care and use of knives. Have you tried any of these?

1 – Use graphite/pencil lead to remove rust from hard to reach places on a knife. It works wonders by just “scribbling” away the rust.

2 – Use a lanyard to secure your knife to a belt or other piece of clothing. I have seen pocket knives dropped in deep snow that shoot straight to the bottom, as body heat on the knife makes it dive bomb in an unpredictable fashion!

3 – Sand or loamy soil can make a fantastic “scrubby-pad.” Take a small amount of earth and place it in the center of a piece of cloth (like a washrag or even a piece of parachute.) Wrap the sand or soil inside the material and start scrubbing. Many have used this type of round scrubby to clean metal that is caked with burned food or with char from the fire.

4 – Carry a pen-style knife sharpener in your pocket and hone your knives after each use. This saves time in the end as you can avoid a marathon knife-sharpening session at the close of the day.

5 – Many all-metal pocket knives can be boiled occasionally as a means to clean them. If you are uncomfortable boiling the entire knife, hold the blade in boiling water to clean it.

6 – In a dry, desert environment, sand can constantly build up in knives. Simply blowing the sand out of a folding knife after every use can make a big difference.

What other “knife tricks” are out there?

(13) Readers Comments

Tim
February 10, 2012 at 9:28 am

Great list of tricks!

I do indeed use a lanyard on my knife, and it makes finding in my pocket so much easier!

How about this one: Goo Gone is a great way to get sticky junk off your knife (tape residue) – but if you don't have any, an orange peel works just about as well! Get the blade damp with juice from the inside of the peel and use the outside to wipe… Works with just about any citrus-y fruit.

Reply
John A. Heatherly
February 10, 2012 at 6:30 pm

Awesome – I will try the citrus, even though my wife is a Goo Gone fanatic!

Reply
David
February 10, 2012 at 9:05 pm

My every day folder is a Camillus with 5" blades, one is a wider and heavier, I use this a my rough service blade for digging and prying stuff, the other is my cutting blade and kept sharp.

Reply
Rocket Man
February 10, 2012 at 11:59 pm

Keep a sharp knive in the glovebox of your car. It can come in handy!

Reply
- TheSurvivalMom
  February 11, 2012 at 12:01 pm
  
  That\’s for sure! I don\’t know how many times we\’ve needed a knife and were grateful for the one we keep in the car. I also keep a k-bar in my purse.
  
  Reply
John A. Heatherly
February 11, 2012 at 4:32 am

David – your use of 2 different blades on the Camillus would have been a good addition to the list above. I use to carry 2 small knives – 1 for fire-starting with a metal match and one that is kept sharp – much like you do with yours.

Reply
Charles
February 11, 2012 at 12:15 pm

Cigarette lighter fluid can be used in lieu of Goo Gone; it works just as well, just does not smell so nice, and is much cheaper.

Reply
Chuck B
February 14, 2012 at 6:34 am

1) Buy a good knife. You can't cheap out here and hope to depend on it later.
2) FInd someone to teach you how to really sharpen a knife. That knowledge is invaluable. Oh.. buy a strop.
3) If you have arthritis, look at assisted opening knives. They open fast like a switchblade and are very easy to use, but check your local laws…
3) If you are headed to the woods, carry a good fixed blade knife along with your folder and your whittling knife

What? Besides a hand axe, doesn't everyone carry three knives when they go camping?

My wife once asked "How many knives do you need?" I answered "I don't understand the question."

Reply
- koensayr
  February 20, 2012 at 4:56 pm
  
  LOL! Chuck, you can NEVER have too many knives or flashlights!
  
  Reply
xqtr
February 16, 2012 at 2:35 pm

And don't forget…. the best knife, is the one, you have on you, the time you need it…

Reply
Don
February 19, 2012 at 9:13 am

My metalurgey teacher at a trade school I attended studying Welding said that a temperature of 160 to 180 degrees F could change the molecular structure of steel. Carving a roast with your best knife is taking a chance, but boiling it in warter would not be good for the knife. Don

Reply
Paul
March 1, 2012 at 10:51 am

A little triflow lubricant on a folding knife’s moving parts keeps things smooth and rust free.

Reply
jim
March 3, 2012 at 8:09 am

Don’t pry with your knife. Get a gerber shard or artifact, or even a very small pry bar that fits the key chain. Or here is an interesting one http://countycomm.com/straightwidgybar.html

Reply