Today there are many varieties of knives - from kitchen to military. According to the type of blade, they are distinguished: double-edged, with a straight, lowered or inflated butt, tanto, etc.
Knives for survival appeared not so long ago - in the second half of the last century. They should both serve for the safety of their owners, and ensure survival in extreme environments. Often attempts have been made to create a knife that combines the functions of both weapons and tools. The beginning of their mass use refers to the period of the First World War. Much later, the Soviet developer Kalashnikov, who was famous for inventing the model of the machine of the same name, created a folding cold steel with a large blade. The idea to create a
universal knife for survival gradually took hold of the minds of the best designers. Some models that worked well under normal conditions quickly became unsuitable for use in a specific environment. They were made of highly alloyed stainless steel, equipped with a developed guard, a hollow handle made of light alloy.
A modern survival knife is often a whole set. It may include an auxiliary skinner and complex sheath, on which nippers, slingshots, saws, even devices for launching
signal rockets can be located
. A survival knife is often used as a saw. Some models can be used as insurance and a fulcrum. Their handle is most often hollow - it is necessary to place NAZ (survival kit) in it.
Often, in the Hollywood action movies, the main characters use huge knives. And indeed, there was a time when such devices were popular. In addition, the desire to put as many functions as possible into the knife makes it bulky, inconvenient to use. However, such models are now gradually phasing out of use, they are rarely produced. Recently, survival knives are becoming increasingly small. Developers often sacrifice size and functionality. The best knife for survival is not bulky and too equipped, but practical and compact.
Some models are made not of steel, but of titanium. Such knives are light weight and high resistance to various types of corrosion. However, they are inferior to steel in hardness and durability of the cutting edge.
Today, such devices are multifunctional. They not only ensure the personal safety of their owner, they are also used in battle or in extreme situations. Combine the functions of a weapon and a universal tool. Often included in the kit of any NAZ. Some knives can be turned into a more formidable weapon by planting on a pole (in fact, making a spear). If the handle is short and does not allow this, then such models are often used as a machete or cleaver.
Rescue knives - this is one of the most interesting modifications. Usually they are small in size. Their blade has a high instrumental saturation and may contain different types of cutting edges and saws. Such models began to be created relatively recently.
Before you buy a survival knife, familiarize yourself with its characteristics. It should have a solid and solid design and be made of high quality material. As for bulky cleats, it is better to abandon them.