Pair of Bug Out Beasts
The Benchmade CSK II and the Gerber Steadfast F/E get put to the test in the author’s mock disaster mission!
“BOB” is an acronym usually reserved for “Bug Out Bag.” This is a pre-packed bag holding the gear and supplies you may need should you be forced to evacuate your home in times of emergency. Many believe this to be a prudent ideal. However, even in areas hit year after year by hurricanes, wildfires and floods, most people have the habit of saying, “It won’t happen to me.” There is no valid excuse to put off preparing for what may come. Magazines, books, and even the Internet will teach you which gear and supplies you need for those unpleasant times. Even the Federal and local governments have set up websites and put out written materials on the subject. But for readers of Tactical Knives, we have a problem. Very little has been written on what knives would be appropriate for these situations. To make matters worse, all of the materials approved by the government totally ignore the subject of knives. That’s right, your tax dollars have paid for these materials, yet they chose to omit the subject of knives and firearms as to remain politically correct. Being “PC” has never been high on my list of things to do. So if the government won’t help you, help yourself.
Picking The Knife
Uncle Sam won’t tell you to have a knife. This article won’t tell you which one you need to buy. I will tell you what I have discovered while preparing my own bug out bag. First, the “Nessmuk Trilogy” has never done a thing for me, but the concept of having more than one cutting tool does make good sense. Like most of you, there is always a decent folder in my pocket. For men, the choice of which folder to carry is about as personal as choosing between boxers or briefs, and jumping into that subject only opens a massive can of worms. The folder you choose should be able to handle most small jobs, but it is always nice to have a backup. It is even better if your backup is capable of handling even larger chores. Moving up from a good folder, you come to the medium-sized utility knives. This fixed bladed knife can be the hardest selection for you to make and is the one I’ve tried to narrow down with my recent preparations.
September 29th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
[…] PAIR OF BUG OUT BEASTS! By Terrill Hoffman The Benchmade CSK II and the Gerber Steadfast F/E get put to the test in the author’s mock disaster mission. GRIPTILIAN UPGRADE By Ralph Mroz American expatriate Kevin Wilkins turns the ubiquitous Benchmade folder into a true work of art. […]