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Creek’s Top 2 Wild Edible Plant Reference Books: Thoughts & Review

October 9, 2012 By 9 Comments

If you’re into survival, then you need a few good Wild Edible Plant titles in your survival library.  Finding the right ones can be a little overwhelming – trust me, I’ve bought about every wild edible plant guide there is over the past 15 years.  Some of them are completely worthless, some are vague and some contain downright wrong information.  There are 2, though, that stand out in the crowd and have become integral references in my study of Wild Edible Plants over the years.  These 2 guides are:

  • Peterson Field Guide of Wild Edible Plants by Lee Allen Peterson (I use the Eastern/Central North America Guide but they make guides specific to other parts of the country)  We sell these in the WHO Store HERE.
  • The Forager’s Harvest by Samuel Thayer (or any other book by this author – they are ALL good)

I like these 2 guides for completely different reasons and they complement each other well.  Below is my 2 cents on each one along with PROS & CONS.   At the end of this post I’ll also list a few great web-sites for referencing wild edible plants.

Peterson Field Guide of Wild Edible Plants

As far as Wild Edible Plant reference guides go, this one is the most detailed and complete of any manual I’ve ever seen.  Not only does it list pretty much every edible plant in this region but it also lists poisonous look-a-likes as well.  Each plant is illustrated by a black and white line art drawing – which is a huge frustration for me.  However, the illustrations are really well done and the color photo supplement in the middle does show some of the most popular edibles but it certainly doesn’t list them all.

The Peterson guide includes the following information in each plant description:

  • Names – common and scientific
  • Description with Line Art Illustration
  • Where found
  • Parts Used
  • Season of Availability
  • Use and preparation

However, all of this information is listed in one small paragraph for each plant.  Thus, the information is limited to just the absolute basics and necessities to be accurate.  After reading the very factual and to-the-point descriptions you are left wanting something more substantive and personal.  This guide almost feels like a science book instead of a real world experience with the plants.

PROS:

  • Includes a lot of plants – a very comprehensive listing
  • Includes poisonous plants as well
  • Lists all edible parts and also the ideal season of harvest
  • Small Color Photo Supplement in middle of book

CONS:

  • Black and White Line Art Drawings versus color photos
  • Includes only the facts and nothing more
  • No photos about harvesting or preparation

 

The Foragers Harvest

As far as reading goes, this is by far one of my favorite books on wild edibles.  It is clear that the author, Samuel Thayer, is passionate about this subject.  There is no doubt he has a personal experience with every plant he discusses.  Many wild edible books are just regurgitated information from other sources and you can tell the author hasn’t really harvested and prepared the plants they are discussing.  Thayer is the complete opposite.  His very detailed accounts of harvesting and preparing various wild edibles are evidence of years of experimentation, study, trial and error.  This guy knows what he’s talking about and can back it up with very personal relationships with each plant.  Unlike the Peterson Guide which just lists what parts are edible, Thayer details exactly how to harvest the plants and gives very specific advice, tips and tricks that can only be learned from experience in the field.  He has a deep appreciation and reverence for wild edibles which comes through in his writing.

And, this book contains color photos of the plants in a variety of stages and harvest.  Thayer also talks about exactly how he eats many of the edibles.  For example, he writes ” I most often consume butternuts in hot cereal.  A simple recipe, fit for the gods, is cooked wild rice with uncooked butternuts, served hot, sweetened with maple syrup.”  And he does this with every plant he talks about.  After reading his book(s) there are no mysteries how to eat the plants that he lists.  He tells you exactly how he does it and it doesn’t get any easier than that.

PROS:

  • Incredibly detailed information in all respects
  • Color photos of the plants in the wild, during harvest and during preparation
  • Very personal accounts of harvesting and preparing each plant

CONS:

  • I’d love to see him list MORE plants.  This book, for example, lists 32 plants and I was left wanting more…  The book is 350 pages so you get an idea about how thorough he is when discussing the wild edibles

 

How I use the Guides

By now, I am very familiar with nearly every wild edible in this region and consume them on a regular basis – some more often than others.  With that said, it’s still wise practice to cross reference harvesting with a couple of solid field guides.  As you can see in the photos below, I study my wild edible guides and make my own personal notes in the margins.

I am in the process of building an on-line photo reference library of wild edibles in different stages/seasons for free reference here on the web-site.  This has been a work in progress for 3 years and I’m hoping to have it on-line by next fall.  I have taken meticulous photos of many wild edibles in all seasons, during harvest and during preparation.  I think it will be a very useful reference guide for those of you interested in incorporating more wild edibles into your daily diets.  For now, though, below are a couple of great web-sites that have some good free wild edible references:

Harvesting wild edibles is one of the most rewarding survival skills I practice and for those of you who have been looking for a couple of good field guides I hope this post has been helpful.

How about you – what are your favorite Wild Edible Field Guides?

Remember, it’s not IF but WHEN,

Creek

About Willow Haven Outdoor & Creek Stewart
Creek Stewart is the Owner and Lead Instructor at Willow Haven Outdoor - a leading Survival and Preparedness Training Facility located on 21-acres in Central Indiana.  For more information on Survival Courses and Clinics offered at WHO, click HERE.  Creek is also author of Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit and The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide.  You can contact Creek directly at creek@willowhavenoutdoor.com.
 
 

Filed Under: Featured, General Survival, Harvest & Processing, Product or Company Spot Light, Survival Movie and Book Reviews, Wild Edibles & Recipes

Product Review: KA-BAR 5704 ZK (Zombie Killer) Chop Stick Machete

September 25, 2012 By 1 Comment

**Note** This is a GUEST POST from Bill Anderson. Bill is an avid survivalist and has worked in the commercial natural disaster and hurricane preparation industry providing first response for natural disasters including hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike.

As an outdoor enthusiast, I own several different styles of machetes that I use for different purposes. My pack always includes a Woodman’s Pal, Latin and Bolo machete. I am constantly on the lookout for new styles or an “improved version” of the machete. I am a huge fan of the Walking Dead series and I was excited when Creek asked me to try out the new Zombie Killer line of KA-BAR machetes and write a review.

KA-BAR provides the following description for their line of ZK machetes:

In an ever-changing world, the need for preparedness has never been greater. Without notice the game can change and the rules no longer apply.

Questioning your gear at a crucial moment is not an option. Whether setting up a camp or securing your perimeter, ZK knives are designed to perform under the most rigorous, unexpected and apocalyptic situations.

This is my review of the KA-BAR 5704 ZK (Zombie Killer) Chop Stick Machete:

I am not going to go into details about how nice the packaging is (and it is). I do not care about the box. I choose a machete for its functionality and features.

Specifications:

  • Blade Length: 9”
  • Overall Length: 14-5/8”
  • Weight: 1.25 lbs
  • Thickness: 0.205”
  • Steel: SK5
  • Made in Taiwan

 Features:

  • Angled blade: Ideal for cutting limbs and clearing brush
  • Full tang: Durable
  • Pry bar tip: Useful for opening doors, sewer drains, etc.
  • Pry bar hook: Located at base of handle
  • Neck Knife: Additional blade included with Chopstick
  • Interchangeable Glass Filled Nylon Grip: Reduces fatigue and slippage
  • Nylon Sheath: MOLLE compatible with a micro sheath for neck knife and large stuff sack with Velcro pad
  • Lime green shoe lace: Ideal for lashing

 When unpacking the Chopstick the first thing that I noticed was the ZK Apocalypse symbol on the blade.

Unfortunately just beneath it at the base of the blade it reads “Made in Taiwan”. I was a little disappointed by this.  I prefer to purchase American.

There are a few features packed into the Chopstick. The “Zombie” green handle can be changed out to a black grip that is included. The sheath is MOLLE compatible and very well built.  (More details on the sheath to follow)

 

Functionality:

Having unpacked the Chopstick, I was anxious to put it through some field tests so I set out into the woods.  The machete has a nice weight to it, but it is not evenly balanced.  The bulk of the weight lies along the cutting area of the blade, so when it is out stretched in your hand, your wrist has a tendency to turn downwards.  It was immediately apparent that the machete does not come with a sharp edge.  I set to work trying to chop through random saplings only to find that I was expending entirely too much energy.

 

I had checked the sharpness of the blade before setting off into the woods and decided it would be in my best interest to pack a sharpener. Prior to sharpening the blade I wanted to compare the difference to the machete straight out of the box and after sharpening it so I took a 2” caliper branch and made over 20 chops to the branch. After sharpening the ZK Chopstick I made 12 chops just a few inches to the left.

 

 

The rounded handle and beveled grip should allow the user to make repetitive chops while reducing fatigue and hand cramps. In my experience, my hand was feeling the shock after the initial attempts to cleave through the branches with a dull blade.  I think this was made worse by the uneven weight of the blade.

A unique feature of the ZK Chopstick is the tip of the blade.

 

 

The blade itself makes for an excellent pry bar. In an urban survival scenario the pry bar could be utilized to pry open a variety of things from doors, man-hole covers, etc. In addition to the pry bar tip there is also a hook at the base of the handle.

 

 

I am assuming the hook could also be used as a smaller pry bar, but due to the width of the hook as well as its size I do not believe there are many practical uses for it.  It also has a rounded edge and I do not believe it was designed to be utilized as a gut ripper. However, I did find it useful to support my pinky finger at the base of the hook when gripping the handle. This allowed me more flexibility when gripping the machete and enabled me to grip the handle further back from the blade.

 

The ZK Chopstick also comes with a neck knife.

 

 

KA-BAR’s idea to include a neck knife with their line of ZK machetes is great. Unlike the machete itself, it actually has a nice edge to the blade right out of the box. I love this concept as it gives the user the ability to cleave through brush and branches with the Chopstick while having a smaller blade for intricate details or bush craft. As said, the concept is great, but the reality….not so much. The neck knife is made in China and in my opinion is not worth the time they took to stamp it. It appears to be made from a very low grade steel and I found it very uncomfortable to grip in my hand barely being able to get three fingers around it.  In my opinion, the handle needs to be longer.  I considered wrapping the handle portion in paracord but if I did that then it would not fit in the micro sheath. That being said, nobody is purchasing the ZK machete line for the neck knife, so if you own one or are considering purchasing one I would recommend changing out the neck knife for a sturdier better built neck knife.

Sad, but true:  My favorite thing about the ZK line of machetes is the sheath.

 

 

As previously mentioned, the sheath is MOLLE compatible though it does not include straps. It would be necessary to purchase a set of Blackhawk or Condor straps to attach to other MOLLE webbing. It has a large belt loop allowing the user to attach it to any size belt. There are two lashing holes at the top and bottom of the sheath. The sheath has a Velcro pad on the front of the large stuff sack allowing you to add your favorite “Zombie Hunter” patch or any other patch that you like. In addition to the adjustable Velcro straps and snaps for the machete there is and additional micro sheath with snap for the neck knife. The front stuff sack is huge. I am 6’2” and can fit my entire hand in it. It would be ideal for storing a sharpening stone and a mini survival kit while still leaving room to spare. Once again the ZK logo is displayed (back of sheath)

 

After using the KA-BAR ZK Chopstick in the field I have decided that I will not be including it in my gear.  I really had high hopes for this machete because I am both a KA-BAR and Zombie fanatic.  I had wanted to make a home for the machete in my zombie apocalypse kit alongside my DEET free Zombie repellant and Hornady .40 cal Zombie Max rounds.  There is no doubt that the machete looks tough and after sharpening the Chopstick, it was very proficient at chopping and splitting wood. However, there are several other machetes on the market including the Bear Grylls Parang (See previous review by Creek) that do a better job and are more comfortable to use.  The retail price on the KA-BAR website is $79.41.  Hummmm.  It is manufactured in Taiwan, the weight distribution of the blade is off, and the neck knife is more of a novelty than a functional knife.  In short, my favorite thing about the machete was the sheath.  There are much better options in this price range.

 

All that being said, , if you are a collector or a zombie apocalypse fan, then the ZK Chopstick (along with the other machetes in the KA-BAR ZK line) is a cool novelty blade to display.  I have no doubt that if the zombie apocalypse was to ever come, it would be a very good tool for splitting a few zombie skulls.  But for everyday use in the woods, I believe there are more practical machetes on the market.

 

**Note** This is a GUEST POST from Bill Anderson. Bill is an avid survivalist and has worked in the commercial natural disaster and hurricane preparation industry providing first response for natural disasters including hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike.

About Willow Haven Outdoor & Creek Stewart
Creek Stewart is the Owner and Lead Instructor at Willow Haven Outdoor - a leading Survival and Preparedness Training Facility located on 21-acres in Central Indiana.  For more information on Survival Courses and Clinics offered at WHO, click HERE.  Creek is also author of Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit and The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide.  You can contact Creek directly at creek@willowhavenoutdoor.com.
 
 

Filed Under: General Survival, Guest Posts, Product or Company Spot Light, Uncategorized

The Solo Stove: When you just want to go Au Naturale

September 4, 2012 By 7 Comments

When it comes to Bugging Out (and camping in general) I’m always testing new gear and trying to hone my kit to find that perfect mix of products and tools that feel ‘just right’.  It’s been a while since I’ve changed out an important component of my kit because quite frankly I’ve been fairly satisfied with the items I’ve been using.

I’ve been on a big push lately to find a natural fuel stove that I really like.  I carry an Esbit folding stove with solid fuel tabs in my Bug Out Bag and I’m fine with that.  The Esbit is a perfect little stove for 1-Cup meals in a 3-day disaster scenario and works very well.  I’ve even used the Esbit with natural fuel before, but it’s not ideal.

When I go camping or take bush trips to practice skills I like to cook over an open fire, but sometimes I like the option of using a small cook stove as well – especially when I’m trying to be discreet or really want to leave-no-trace.  There has also been a fire-ban here in the mid-west for most of the summer due to the drought- making open fires illegal.  I really like the idea of using a small pack stove that works well with naturally gathered twigs, sticks, wood shavings, pine cones, etc…  versus one that is dependent on other fuel: solid fuel tabs, alcohol, canister gas.  

Call me old fashioned, but I just like a wood fire.  I see enough chemicals in my daily life and I really don’t feel like burning chemicals when I’m in the woods.
I also wanted one that was compact, lightweight, durable and affordable.  After a lot of research I decided to go with the Solo Stove.  I’ve heard about this stove from several of my students so I was excited to try it out when it showed up in the mail.

Before I get too deep into this post, here are the specs directly from the Solo Stove Web-site:

  • Fast to boil: 8-10 minutes to boil 34 fl oz of water
  • Fuel: Burns sticks, pine cones and other biomass
  • Packed size: Height 3.8 inches, Width 4.25 inches
  • Assembled size: Height 5.7 inches, Width 4.25 inches
  • Weight: 9 oz
  • Materials: Hardened 304 stainless steel, nichrome wire

The compact stainless stove comes packed is a little drawstring bag – this is a good thing as I will mention later.

The pot holder is stashed up-side-down and to set it up you just flip it upright.  Notice the cut-out in the pot holder.  This is the spot where you drop in additional twigs and sticks as the fire burns.

The Solo Stove is a double walled design and the outside wall has cutouts that feed the fire inside with plenty of oxygen.

For intense breathability and so that ashes don’t get in the way, there is a wire fire platform inside.  This feature is critical to the efficiency of this stove.

Now that the general overview is finished, I will be writing this post in 3 sections: PROS, CONS and FINAL CONCLUSION

SOLO STOVE: PROS

  •  Traditional Fire: I love building fires.  I also love practicing starting fires.  The Solo Stove maintains the authenticity of the fire building process.  You still have to start a fire, you still have to fuel the fire with twigs and sticks and you still get the added bonus of having a real wood fueled flame.  Nothing takes the places of a small calming camp fire companion.  You hear the sticks pop and crack as they burn versus the annoying roar of a canister stove or the sizzle of solid fuel tabs.  This is a true stick built fire stove.
  • Au Naturale:  When I go into the woods, I want to keep things as simple as possible.  The Solo Stove burns all natural fuel.  I’ve never in my life been camping in an area where you couldn’t find fuel for the solo stove.  I carved up the little piles of fuel below in about 5 minutes from a few sticks in my yard.  It literally uses small twigs and sticks as fuel. NOTE:  I started the fire with a Dryer Lint PET BALL. ALSO NOTE: It had rained all morning and the sticks and twigs below were slightly moist.

  • FAST:  This thing heats up fast.  It only took about 4 minutes to bring my cup of pine needle tea to a rolling boil.  I was shocked.  I was really impressed with how incredibly easy it was to get my moist kindling going.  Though I haven’t done it yet, there is no doubt a few dry leaves and some small twigs would be all you’d need to get a Solo Stove fire blazing.
  • EFFICIENT: Wow, is this thing efficient.  You can see by the beginning photos and the last photo up above how much kindling I burned.  I expected there to be a can full of ash.  To my surprise, there was just a thin layer of white ash in the bottom of the stove.  I’m no physicist, but whoever designed this stove knew what they were doing.  They call it “Gasification” on the web-site.  Here’s the quote: “A unique gasification and secondary combustion process lets our stoves achieve a highly efficient and more complete burn. This means you’ll use fewer twigs to achieve a boil. It also means less smoke.”  Whatever that means…it works.  Below is the picture of my ridiculously small ash pile which I made disappear with just one puff.
  • Compact & Lightweight: I don’t mind the size at all.  It tucks away nicely in my Get Home Bag (which is where I’ve decided to keep it).  For those of you who carry a pot, it will probably slide right in it.  It is super light too – only 9 0z.  During use, the stove gets pretty hot.  However, due to the double walled design it cools down very quick and is ready to stow away in just a few minutes.

SOLO STOVE: CONS

I’ll be honest, I don’t have some serious critiques for this stove.  However, I’d like to point out a few things worth mentioning.

  • I thought my ex-girlfriend was high maintenance: If you want to do other things while cooking your dinner or making your tea, forget about it.  This stove is so efficient that it require constant attention.  You have to pretty much be fueling it from start to finish as it lays waste to whatever you stick in it’s mouth.  It’s not like a canister stove or even a traditional camp-fire where you can set out a pot and then do other things.  You have to feed this hungry beast – constantly.

  • SOOT: Because you are burning natural wood and/or biomass, get ready for your pot to be a little sooty.  I personally don’t mind this but if you are the anal type, this might be a deal-breaker for you.
  • Simmer Me Gently: This stove pretty much has 2 settings: FULL ON and OFF.  If you want to simmer something, this might be a little tricky.  Maybe I just didn’t mess around with it enough to figure it out, but I thought this was worth mentioning.

 

FINAL CONCLUSION

So if you, like me, are looking to go AU NATURALE with your stove fuel, I’d definitely recommend considering the Solo Stove.  I’ll be keeping mine in my Get Home Bag.  I always prefer open pit camp fires, but the Solo Stove is the next best thing when you don’t have that option.  From a Survival/Preparedness perspective, it’s a great piece of kit to have on hand.  You already have enough fuel in your back yard to run this stove for countless meals or boilings.  In a time when other fuels might be difficult (or expensive) to come by, you’ll never run out of fuel to keep this little guy burning strong.

The Solo Stove is $69.99 from http://www.solostove.com.  I honestly believe this is a very fair price – especially considering that you’ll never have to buy fuel again (gas, tabs, alcohol, etc…)  I can testify that I think the stove is durable enough to last many, many years.  As long as you don’t abuse it, I actually can’t identify a part that could break or malfunction.

If any of you guys out there are using a different natural fuel stove I’d love to hear about it in the comments section – I’m sure others would as well.

Remember, it’s not IF but WHEN,

Creek

 

About Willow Haven Outdoor & Creek Stewart
Creek Stewart is the Owner and Lead Instructor at Willow Haven Outdoor - a leading Survival and Preparedness Training Facility located on 21-acres in Central Indiana.  For more information on Survival Courses and Clinics offered at WHO, click HERE.  Creek is also author of Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit and The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide.  You can contact Creek directly at creek@willowhavenoutdoor.com.
 
 

Filed Under: Everything FIRE, Featured, General Survival, Product or Company Spot Light

Ontario Air Force Survival Knife Review by JJ Johnson of RealitySurvival.com

March 19, 2012 By 18 Comments

This is a guest post by JJ Johnson (JJSERE1). JJ is a former USAF Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) Instructor and currently runs his own survival blog which can be seen here:http://www.realitysurvival.com.  He also has a YouTube Channel with several survival/self-reliance related videos which can be found here: http://www.YouTube.Com/user/RealitySurvival

When Creek offered me the opportunity to do a knife review on the Ontario Air Force Survival Knife I jumped at the chance. It had been about 12 years since I had last used one as a USAF Survival Evasion Reaistance and Escape (S.E.R.E) Instructor at the USAF Survival School at Fairchild AFB. But I had a lot of fond memories of the using the knife in the field, so I figured it would be a good trip down memory lane. The only Air Force Survival Knife I still personally owned at the time was glued to a plaque on the wall in my man cave. But a new acquisition changed that and I was in business! Wow, did using this knife again bring back a ton of memories!

I haven’t done a ton of knife reviews in my short career as a blogger, but I have purchased and used a whole lot of knives over the years. So as I review this knife I will do my best to convey my own process for selecting a knife and determining its strengths and weaknesses.

Most people might say that the first consideration in selecting a knife is the price. Personally I think the first consideration should be the knife’s intended use.
All knives are not created equal and you shouldn’t really expect a knife to do a job that it wasn’t intended to do. So this brings up a good question. What was the Air Force Survival Knife intended to do? Well, it was built to be packed away and stored in USAF Survival Kits and not used until an emergency. Which in a way is similar to much of the equipment in our own Bug Out Bags. Typically most of a Air Force Survival Knife’s life would be packed away and not used until an emergency situation dictated its use, to assist in helping our down Airmen return with honor. But once unpacked it needed to be able to do everything from aiding the Airmen in escaping a downed aircraft to building fire, self defense, or whatever else needed to be done to help the survivor meet their basic needs.

Knowing what the Air Force Survival Knife was built for immediately gives us some insight into what a few of its strengths ought to be. First, the knife should be relatively maintenance free since it is made to be packed away for several months at a time. And that is true.

The USAF Survival Knife comes with a 1095 carbon steel blade with a Rockwell Hardness of 50-55 according to http://www.ontarioknife.com/catalog/item/11. The blade is treated with a rugged zinc phosphate finish on it to keep it from rusting during storage. The stacked leather ring handle, which is very comfortable and easy to grip even while wearing gloves and wet is also relatively maintenance free. So if you are considering buying a Air Force Survival Knife to put in your Bug Out Bag, 72 Hour Bag, or Get Home Bag you won’t have to worry about constant maintenance and rust precention as you might have to with a non-treated steel blade.

Its also worth noting that the Air Force Survival Knife was intended to be paired with a small four bladed pocket knife. Which was supposed to be able to accomplish the finer cutting tasks that a downed Airman may have to accomplish, such as striking a ferro rod or cutting feather sticks, processing, small game, etc. Primarily the Air Force Survival Knife was made for those brute force type tasks like batoning through a piece of wood, digging a Dakota Hole Fire, digging a seepage well to get water. Or allegedly even sawing its way through the aluminum skin of an aircraft. I’m not sure if that is even possible, but if it were I imagine that would take a considerable amount of time and effort! In any case,there is no doubt that it was built to be a multi-purpose tool, not just a cutting tool. Many people are probably saying to themselves right now “What?… Use a knife for digging or sawing your way through metal”. Well yes…USAF Aircrew Survival kits and vests have to be small and lightweight. As such including a shovel, saw, and axe isn’t an option on most aircraft. So it falls to the Air Force Survival Knife to carry the burden of many tools.

The multi-use design of this knife is at least partially responsible for its softer steel. Some people will claim that any knife with a Rockwell hardness under 57 is junk. While it is generally true that knives with a higher Rockwell rating hold an edge better than those with lower ratings, harder isn’t always better. Again, I go back to intended use. Harder knives are more brittle and prone to breakage under “extreme” circumstances. The edge of a harder blade is also more prone to chip off, making resharpening very difficult. A softer knife is more malleable and is more likely to bend under pressure than break. If you only have one knife to depend on, you don’t want it to break! A bent knife can still be used safely. Since it was designed to be a multi-use tool and not just a cutting tool having a harder steel in this case could be a detriment.

Now, I am not saying that I prefer all of my personal knives to be of a lower Rockwell hardness. I am just pointing out some of the reasons the Air Force Survival Knife is the way it is. Of course as with any government acquisition cost may have also been a factor. One of the obvious downsides to a softer blade is that it will not stay as sharp as long. Which is why the Air Force Survival Knife comes with a sharpening stone attached to the sheath.

My personal preference is to use a three knife system for practicing wilderness survival techniques or during bushcraft trips into the woods, hunting, etc. The first knife in the 3 knife system being a small pocket knife. My favorite is the Victorinox Farmer Silver Alox. The second knife to be something comparable to a Mora MG or Kershaw Antelope Hunter 2, both have thinner blades with a high rockwell hardness and are good at fine cutting tasks. The third knife being a bigger utility knife with at least a 6″ blade, that is tough as nails. So that I can beat on it and abuse it without worry of it breaking. The third knife could be a wide selection of knives but my favorite is a Muela Mirage (not sure if its still made anymore). I have heard that the Ka-bar BK-7 (Becker Combat Utility) and Rat-7 by Ontario are also excellent larger knives, but have not had the opportunity to use those yet.

If your looking for more of a two knife system to save weight and cost, the Air Force Survival Knife and a pocket knife is a good combination that can and will help you meet all of your needs. I know this with certainty, because I have personally trained more than 500 Airmen and seen thousands graduate the course who were all using that exact knive combination during the USAF Survival School. Don’t get me wrong they are not indestructible but they are pretty tough and the combination of the two can handle most all tasks required.

Strengths and Weaknesses

In my opinion the Air Force Survival Knife’s biggest strength is in its spine. The tang is a partial tang. It goes fully through the handle, but narrows down to a portion of the blade width to allow the leather stacked rings to go over it. Even so it can take a serious beating. I have seen these knives build thousands of split wood fires without breaking. Literally I mean thousands. We had a supply unit at Fairchild AFB that would supply each new group of students for each new class every week. And while the students changed out; the equipment issued was used over and over. Sure after several years of constant abuse some of the Air Force Survival Knives looked more like the shape of a banana than of a knife, but they still kept going just like the Energizer Bunny.

The biggest weaknesses of the Air Force Survival Knife are probably its ability to do really fine cutting tasks. As well as its lateral strength. Prying hard sideways, as with many knives will result in a bent knife, but it probably won’t break. The bevel right out of the factory is a bit too steep (wide) in my opinion. I think regrinding the bevel to a more narrow bevel helps to make the knife better at making heart wood shavings, feather sticks, etc.

Improvements that you can easily make to the Air Force Survival Knife

Some of the improvements I made to my new Air Force Survival Knife are as follows. I removed the top portion of the finger guard so I can choke up on the knife. I slightly sanded off the outer portion of the rough parkerized finish, so it doesn’t hold so much gunk on the blade. But left enough of the finish on the blade to help protect it from rust. I also filed off a few places to make the knife easier to use with a ferro rod. I also filed down the front two inches or so of the spine where it is sharpened out of the factory, so it doesn’t cut up a baton when doing a split wood fire. I also added a ferro rod and loop to the sheath and swapped out the factory sharpening stone for a 3″ Smith’s Diamond Stone. It sounds like a lot, but it actually took less than an hour to make all of the changes, including regrinding the bevel.

How does this knife rate?

Overall, I think the Air Force Survival Knife is a pretty good option for a Bug Out Bag, or Get Home Bag, personal survival kit, etc. Especially considering that you can get these knives up for around $50.00 (give or take) that’s not bad at all. Ratings are always a bit subjective to people’s personal preference and past experiences, but as a “One Knife Option” I would give this knife an overall rating of 6.5 out of 10. But as a part of a two knife system, I would give this knife an overall rating of an 8 out of 10. That rating may seem a bit high for some knife buffs. But its based on my personal experience of seeing hundreds of students using this knife paired with a pocket knife and being able to consistently meet their needs. It should also be noted that this knife has met the needs of the USAF since circa World War II and it has been used in some pretty extreme wilderness conditions worldwide.

Take a look at the video below to see a montage of me putting my new Air Force Survival Knife to the test in the field over the past couple of months.

Have you used this knife before? If so how let us know how you would rate it, both as a 1 knife option and as a part of a 2 or 3 knife system?

Thanks for reading and commenting! For more survival and bushcraft information, gun, knife and gear reviews please visit http://www.RealitySurvival.Com

Cheers

JJ Johnson

This is a guest post by JJ Johnson (JJSERE1). JJ is a former USAF Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) Instructor and currently runs his own survival blog which can be seen here:http://www.realitysurvival.com.  He also has a YouTube Channel with several survival/self-reliance related videos which can be found here: http://www.YouTube.Com/user/RealitySurvival

About Willow Haven Outdoor & Creek Stewart
Creek Stewart is the Owner and Lead Instructor at Willow Haven Outdoor - a leading Survival and Preparedness Training Facility located on 21-acres in Central Indiana.  For more information on Survival Courses and Clinics offered at WHO, click HERE.  Creek is also author of Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit and The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide.  You can contact Creek directly at creek@willowhavenoutdoor.com.
 
 

Filed Under: Featured, General Survival, Guest Posts, Product or Company Spot Light, Survival Knives, Blades & Cutting Tools

Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome 12 more colors to the 550 Paracord Line-up!

February 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

We all know what a cool and multi-functional item 550 Paracord is the a survivor – here’s a running list if you are wondering: http://willowhavenoutdoor.com/general-survival/i-need-your-help-550-uses-for-550-paracord/

I’ve had many requests for other Paracord colors.  So, I partnered with Atwood Rope Company to bring you 12 more Paracord Colors – ALL MADE IN THE USA.  From High Visibility Orange to Blue Candy Snake, there is a color in this line-up for everyone.

The new colors are available in our on-line store as well as in our survival shop if you are attending a Survival Clinic this summer or fall.  We have a wooden military ammo box full of paracord that you can dig through.  Here is the on-line link if you want to see them: NEW PARACORD COLORS

 

That’s it for now…

Creek

 

About Willow Haven Outdoor & Creek Stewart
Creek Stewart is the Owner and Lead Instructor at Willow Haven Outdoor - a leading Survival and Preparedness Training Facility located on 21-acres in Central Indiana.  For more information on Survival Courses and Clinics offered at WHO, click HERE.  Creek is also author of Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit and The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide.  You can contact Creek directly at creek@willowhavenoutdoor.com.
 
 

Filed Under: News & Updates, Product or Company Spot Light, Survival Cordage

My Cool New Board Game: OUTDOOR SURVIVAL – a game about wilderness skills

January 5, 2012 By 3 Comments

Survival blogs can get pretty serious sometimes so it’s nice to toss in a not so serious post every now and then.  I thought I would share with you the new Board Game I picked up a few days ago.  That’s right, I said BOARD GAME – old school, right?  But wait, it get’s better… you are going to be jealous.

Don’t plan on picking this game up at your local shopping center either – it’s from the early ’70s and looks every bit of it.  Believe it or not, the title is OUTDOOR SURVIVAL – a game about wilderness skills.  I’ll tell you how I got mine at the bottom of this post.

Does that look ’70s or what?  I haven’t even played it yet but I’m pretty stoked to sit down this winter and play a survival board game by the fire.  It doesn’t get much better than that.

That’s the back of the box.  You like how I threw the Wetterlings Camp Axe in the photo for general effect?

Produced and marketed by The Avalon Hill Company and Stackpole Books, this board game is 5 games in one.  Below are the awesome scenarios:

  • LOST: in which all players take the part of a most inexperienced woodsman and make survival decisions to get out.
  • SURVIVAL: places experienced woodsman in emergency situations.
  • SEARCH: a game of experience versus inexperience – three players trying to locate one who is lost.
  • RESCUE: searchers must not only find a lost party but return all to safety in good shape.
  • PURSUE: the hunted and the hunters, escape, people after people, or man chasing beast.

Sounds awesome, right?

The game board itself represents approximately 13,000 square miles of woods, rough terrain, mountains, plains, rivers and lakes that players must navigate through and around using survival knowledge.

The game even comes with what they call a SURVIVAL PRIMER which is a great little book about wilderness survival skills that covers the basics about shelter, fire, navigation, first aid, etc…  I looked through it and it’s actually some great information.

 

So it seems that actually knowing some survival skills will give you an ‘edge’ in the game.  I hope this means I never lose, but I doubt it.

A Quote from the box: What each player knows – or wants to learn – becomes quickly evident as he decides which way to go, where to look for food and water, what risks to take.

So by now you’re thinking, DANG – where can I get this cool old game?  I got mine on EBAY.  I was searching for some old survival books to throw on the bookcase at Willow Haven and came across this gem.  I can’t believe I’ve never heard of it.  Just search OUTDOOR SURVIVAL BOARD GAME.  As of when I wrote this post there were several available.  If they all get snatched up, just check back later as I’m sure more will come on-line.

So, now, I just need to find someone who wants to play a Wilderness Survival Board Game.  This may take a while…

Board Game + Survival Learning – why didn’t I think of this!

Remember, it’s not IF but WHEN,

Creek

About Willow Haven Outdoor & Creek Stewart
Creek Stewart is the Owner and Lead Instructor at Willow Haven Outdoor - a leading Survival and Preparedness Training Facility located on 21-acres in Central Indiana.  For more information on Survival Courses and Clinics offered at WHO, click HERE.  Creek is also author of Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit and The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide.  You can contact Creek directly at creek@willowhavenoutdoor.com.
 
 

Filed Under: General Survival, Product or Company Spot Light

Creek’s Survival Knife & HedgeHogLeatherworks.com Company Spotlight

November 29, 2011 By 16 Comments

It goes without saying that using a Survival Knife is a big part of my life.  I’ve used many survival knives over the years and have learned a lot about what I like and don’t like.  I get TONS of questions about Survival Knives – Which ones are the best? What features should it have?  Size? Shape?  In response to all of these inquiries, I recently wrote an article for www.ArtofManliness.com titled How to Choose the Perfect Survival Knife: The Top 6 Most Important Features.  In this article I do a very thorough review of what I think are the most important features of a survival knife.  It’s a good read and you can check it out here:

http://artofmanliness.com/2011/11/29/how-to-choose-the-perfect-survival-knife/

 

Here is also a video discussion I filmed about my Survival Knife thoughts:

I am also asked ALL THE TIME which knife is my GO-TO Survival Knife.  Currently, the Survival Knife I have chosen to use (and also the one I featured in the article mentioned above) is the Blackbird SK-5 Survival Knife designed by Paul Scheiter – owner of www.hedgehogleatherworks.com.  The knife is made in America by Ontario Knife Company – which has a rich history in making outstanding knives for military and civilian use.

I won’t go into all the details about Paul’s Blackbird SK-5 in this post.  He does a great job of detailing the knife’s features and benefits on his own web-site here: http://www.hedgehogleatherworks.com/Blackbird-SK-5-Survival-Knife-p/bbsk-5.htm  I’m telling you this information not because I get some kind of kick-back if Paul sells knives or as some kind of blog advertising deal, but simply because I like to share with readers when I run across a company (especially in the survival industry) that I think is worth mentioning.  Actually, Paul doesn’t even know I’m writing this post.  So, below are my thoughts about Hedge Hog Leatherworks.

Hedge Hog Leatherworks Company Spot-Light

I first found out about Hedge Hog Leatherworks a few years ago on a survival forum.  At the time, Paul was making custom leather knife sheaths for a few popular survival knifes like the Tom Brown Tracker, the Becker BK2 and the Ka-Bar Army Fighting Knife.  My first experience with Hedge Hog was when I purchased a Tom Brown Tracker knife and custom leather Sheath.  Below, you can see my Tracker knife with it’s factory kydex sheath and Paul’s aftermarket leather sheath.  Which one do you like best… no brainer – right?

I was incredibly impressed when I received the sheath (4-6 weeks production time).  These custom made leather sheaths are the epitome of true American Craftsmanship and you just don’t see much of that these days.  They aren’t cheap but I learned a long time ago that in life, you pretty much get what you pay for.  I went through a ‘maturity’ process when it came to my camping and survival gear a while back.  I decided to save up for the best item I could afford rather than purchase a cheap one that I would eventually have to replace anyway.  For example, I’d rather have 1 really great $100 knife than 10 crappy $10 knives.

Needless to say, several years later when Paul announced the release of his own survival knife I was pretty excited to get my hands on the Blackbird SK-5 w/ leather sheath upgrade.

Paul has a fairly extensive history in the survival circuit and has some great videos on YouTube that you should check out some time.  I knew he would have put some time and thought in getting this project right.  He did not disappoint.  I have nothing but good things to say about the Blackbird.  It’s an awesome knife that will last me for years to come.  If you come to any of our clinics here, it will be the knife by my side.

Chapter 11 in my new book How to Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag (5/2012) is titled TOOLS.  In this chapter I talk a lot about the survival knife and I asked Paul to send me a few of his other sheaths so that we could photograph them.  Below are a few of the shots we took of his other sheaths for the Ka-Bar and Becker.

Becker BK2 Knife with Factory Sheath and Hedge Hog Leatherworks Sheath

Becker BK2 Knife with Factory Sheath and Hedge Hog Leatherworks Sheath

Becker BK2 - Horizontal Carry

Becker BK2 - Horizontal Carry

Ka-Bar Knife with Factory Sheath and Hedge Hog Leatherworks Sheath

Ka-Bar Knife with Factory Sheath and Hedge Hog Leatherworks Sheath

 

Ka-Bar, Tracker and Becker Knives in Hedge Hog Sheaths

Ka-Bar, Tracker and Becker Knives in Hedge Hog Sheaths

 

Bottom Line

I thought you would appreciate knowing about a small company that takes pride in what they do here in the good ol’ USA.  By the way, the Blackbird won BEST KNIFE OF 2011 by Field & Stream Magazine.  I thought the Blackbird was my best kept secret but now I guess the cat is out of the bag.

What is your survival knife of choice?  There are many great ones out there – which one have you chosen and why?

Remember, it’s not IF but WHEN,

Creek

 

About Willow Haven Outdoor & Creek Stewart
Creek Stewart is the Owner and Lead Instructor at Willow Haven Outdoor - a leading Survival and Preparedness Training Facility located on 21-acres in Central Indiana.  For more information on Survival Courses and Clinics offered at WHO, click HERE.  Creek is also author of Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit and The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide.  You can contact Creek directly at creek@willowhavenoutdoor.com.
 
 

Filed Under: Featured, General Survival, Product or Company Spot Light, Survival Knives, Blades & Cutting Tools