Guns are the first priority for long-term survival in terms of defensive weapons, but a long knife or short sword can be a good multifunction backup. I think that this has been true throughout history. Even if you had been a Greek or Roman, you wouldn't pull your sword until you ran out of everything that you could shoot or throw (i.e. spears and bows). The Roman Gladius swords and Samurai Wakizashi swords were around 16 to 20 inches, and the Greek swords were even shorter, 10 to 14 inches. These swords are good models of a practical length for a side arm weapon. Based on my martial arts experience, I prefer an Asian style blade, but you need to find something that you are comfortable with. While some have suggested modifying a cheap machete, which would work in a pinch, I would rather purchase something now that is designed for the task and made out of a good thick steel (Machetes are stamped, not forged). You want something that is a high carbon steel .6 to .9 percent carbon depending on length, preferably tempered. Here are some brands that make their knifes and swords using that standard:
Kabar, Fallkniven, Gen2, Cold Steel, Windlass Steelcrafts, Scorpion Swords,
CAS(Hanwei), and Schrade(Old Timer), among others.
I think the take away here is that it is a good idea to have a well built, all-purpose blade with you at home that is at least 10 inches long with a point that can stab if needed. I would never want to bring a knife to a gun fight, but if I was forced into a knife fight, I think I would want something more than just your average pocket knife. That is the whole point. However, if the hard times go on long enough, everyone may run out of ammo, in which case, we may be using spears and bows for primary defense, and maybe even knives and swords. I personally own several swords of various types, and I consider them to have value in terms of defense, however, currently there are laws that govern the carry of such dangerous weapons, so be careful. YouTube is full of young teens making sword cutting videos, but they fail to realize that you can easily sever a limb, and swords are not toys. Survival is about life and death scenarios and although survivalism is a hobby for some people, preparing and learning survival skills is ultimately about saving lives and protecting yourself and your family.
I want to also note, that although this post is relating to the use of knives for defense, and not directly related to knives for wilderness survival, there are many things that are common to both uses. You should check local laws, but in Texas, you can carry a knife with a blade up to 5.5 inches on your person, but you can have a longer knife if you are camping or hiking. Again, I would recommend a thick, carbon steel blade made by one of the companies listed above. I am partial to Kabar, but these are all good brands. In the field, I carry a Kabar BK-2, which is 5.5 inches long in my backpack, and a Kabar "Johnson Adventure" Potbelly on my belt, which is 7 inches long. The uses for a knife in a wilderness survival situation are endless. Practical survival requires some form of cutting tool, if you don't bring your own into the woods, you will need to know how to make one if you want to survive. At some point, I will do a post on stone knives and tools, which I have used in the field before.
-Richard
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