You’ve done a good job on emergency preparedness. You have your survival kit packed, your emergency food storage organized, your clothing set aside, and the rest of your survival supplies arranged. But have you also considered a selection of knives for your survival kit and how you might use them?

If you have to evacuate and rely on your survival supplies and skills or any length of time, you are going to want high quality knives at your disposal that you can count on. Hunting, cooking, self-defense, slicing and carving are a few of the tasks that you may need a good knife for. Will you want a kitchen, bowie, pocket or tactical knife? You don’t need a whole collection, but a few well thought out tools may make a world of difference when you’re in survival mode.

The first consideration when purchasing a knife for emergency preparedness is purpose. A fixed blade bowie that you can carry in a sturdy sheath on your belt, with a cutting length of seven to nine inches and a partial serrated edge, is a useful general purpose knife.  For cooking and eating it’s a good idea to keep a chef’s knife with your emergency food storage. And finally, a  high quality multipurpose tool with a sharp folding knife will prove invaluable during an evacuation.

The next consideration should be the construction of the knife. Thick, high-carbon, stainless steel with a thin cutting edge will provide the strongest, most maintenance free blade that will hold a sharp edge. It will be rust-resistant and bend under pressure without breaking. The knife should feel well balanced when holding it, and the handle should fit comfortably in your hand with a non-slip grip. Consider a handle made of a composite material, as a wood handle is flammable. You may also want a hollow handle where you can store matches and other small supplies, but beware that many hollow handle knives are cheaply made. Also look for a handle with a stainless steel butt cap that can be used as a hammer.

Think about safety when packing, both for the knife AND for you. Protect the cutting edge of the knife with a sheath, and vacuum pack the knife to avoid corrosion.  Keep the knives stored where you might need them and where you can easily see them.

Finally, remember to pack a sharpening stone and a honing steel with your emergency preparedness kit so that you can maintain the cutting edge on your knives.  As with any survival skill, practice sharpening your knives before you are in an emergency situation. Paying extra for high quality knives now will pay off immensely when you need to depend on them for your safety and comfort.

-Gary Jenkins-