My grandfather gave me my first knife and sharpening stone when I was seven (7) years old. It was a small folding blade pocket knife. He told me that one sure thing of owning a knife is that I would get cut. He also told me, if I kept my knife sharp, I would not have as many accidents as I would with a dull knife.
He was right on both accounts. My mother had a fit.
I am now sixty-three years young. Ever since my grandfather gave me that little knife, I have always carried some sort of a knife on my person every day. I now own many folding lock blade and sheath knives.
I have learned over the years, a non-lock blade knife is very dangerous. I have stopped carrying them because the blade can fold back on your fingers while using them and cut you. I learned that lesson the hard way.
Being cut by your own knife during a disaster is NOT something you need to happen. During a disaster, any medical services are usually overwhelmed or nonexistent.
I have always lived in metro New Orleans. I have weathered all of the hurricanes that have hit southeast Louisiana, including Katrina.
The day before Katrina hit, I decided to upgrade from a small folding lock blade pocket knife that I normally carry and go to a larger sheath knife. I have a Randall RAT 7 sheath knife that I use when I go in the woods and camping. I found out quickly that a large sheath knife was NOT the knife I wanted to use because every time I sat down in a chair, the knife punched me in the ribs.
I then tried a large folding lock blade, a Buck model 110 knife in a belt sheath. This knife worked well but I soon found out that it was just a knife. There were a lot of jobs that I had to stop and get just a screw driver or a pair of pliers in order to complete.
I then remembered that I had a Leatherman Wave, multi tool in my knife box. I took the Buck knife off and put on the “Leatherman”. It worked great! I used that multi tool numerous times in the days after Hurricane Katrina.
There are many companies that make good multi tools, “Gerber”, “S.O.G.”, “Leatherman” and Victorinox to name a few. There are also as many companies that make junk. Just remember, you get what you pay for. The last thing you need is anything that you use during and after a disaster to fail and possibly injure yourself.
I have been told that the military is now issuing multi tools to the troops when they go through survival training because they have more uses that just a knife.
Hollow handle, fixed blade, survival knives are NOT a viable option. They are normally weak and break at the point where the knife blade attaches to the hollow handle.
Be sure that you check with your local law enforcement before carrying any knife concealed or openly. The laws change drastically from state to state and from county to county.
Also remember, if Martial Law is declared in your area, the laws as you know them are suspended. You then need to check with the governing authority to find out what is allowed and not allowed.
Hurricane Katrina did not hit Southeast Louisiana. Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, totally destroying two small towns in which I had volunteered only weeks earlier. I mean literally wiping every building off their foundations.
What “hit” southeast Louisiana are the outer bands of storms from Katrina; the real problem for southeast Louisiana was the levee breach.
I spent many years volunteering with the world’s largest disaster relief agency, primarily in southeast Louisiana, working many a disaster there, including the devastation from tornadoes spawned by Andrew in St. John Parish.
My concern is that so many people want to connect what happened in Nawlins with Katrina, and that is not the truth of the matter. If the levee had held, Nawlins would have had a much smaller problem. I do not want to perpetuate “revisionist” history, therefore, it is important to me that the truth be told.
Hey, Ladies! Head on over to the Forum and check out a post from WE2 on “Go Girl” under “General Preparedeness/Ladies Only”. And remember, you’ll need to “Introduce” yourself before signing up the first time (this is an anti-Spam feature through WordPress).
If martial law is declared in our area, I won’t be contacting the “governing authorities” for anything, period. If you weren’t already on the radar, you will be after contact.
Here’s a great word today from Chris @ PreparedChristian.net
http://preparedchristian.net/spiritual-preparedness/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PreparedChristian+%28Prepared+Christian%29#.UfaHQax_1Rw
Since starting the blog my goal has been to bring a Christian worldview to preparedness, to show Christians that preparedness isn’t a sin and is, in fact, it’s very biblical.
Most articles are about preparedness. I wouldn’t say this means faith took a backseat. This is mainly because I have covered all of the areas of the Bible that I know of that pertain to preparedness. Today the tables turn, and preparedness, while still involved, IS going to take a back seat to faith.
I’ve put in a lot of road time over the last month, some of which was spent in prayer and some enjoying God’s creation. I also spent some of that time listening to audio books, one of which some of you have recommended; The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn. I’m not done with the Harbinger, so this isn’t a review. In truth, it is only part of the reason for me writing this article. Before I go any further, I want to say that this isn’t Chris on his high horse judging anyone. What I have to say in this article goes just as much for me as anyone else.
I’m not a prophet, just a watchman on the wall. That being said I am not trying to be alarmist either, but I am concerned that something is on the horizon that will require us to be anchored in Christ. I am reminded of the parable of the sower. Jesus tells of a farmer who spread seed. Much of the seed perished for various reasons and only the seed that fell on fertile soil flourished.
Anyone who knows anything about gardening knows that you have to pamper soil to ensure it stays fertile, adding compost and mulch, as well as making sure it’s watered. My point is, just because you were in fertile soil when you took the seed of faith and you grew in Christ, that doesn’t mean you can rest. No, you must tend the soil, feed it and protect it. If you don’t, the weeds can come back in and choke out any growth or pests can damage it.
READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE AT THE LINK PROVIDED ABOVE.
I had read an article that the USMC has added the “three blade carry” to it’s loud out,
a) Fixed Blade
b) Locking Folder
c) Multi-tool
Badger359: for those of us who are militarily challenged, what is a “loud out”?
Hi 7H, It’s a phrase used to mean a system & equipment one carries as part of there regular gear worn.
The knives I commented are part of a larger system used by the military. The term “Load Out” is a newer term then from my old school days (80’s), The Brits prefer the term “Kit” or “Belt Order”
Ah, gotcha! Thanks. Every day is an ejumakashen! It’s all good.
The article is about a knife selection for different jobs and all you can get out of it was where Katrina “hit”. It was Katrina that caused the damage in New Orleans. Perhaps you should make the storm a little less personal and focus on the good information in the article. The storm happened but does not need to be relived every time someone mentions it. As for Revisionist History that is what you are guilty of when you try to assert your opinion about how it should be written of in a blog on the internet.
You are right, the article is about a knife. I’m sorry you feel as you do. I do, however, KNOW where Hurricane Katrina made landfall, and it was not New Orleans; the levee breach was the issue in New Orleans. Ask anyone who was with the Army Corp of Engineers in the Southeast Louisiana district at that time, or anyone who worked for the geology department of any of the universities in New Orleans. I am simply making the point that it is NOT correct to associate the direct hit or landing of Hurricane Katrina with the New Orleans; that is NOT what happened.
http://www.weather.com/newscenter/hurricanecentral/2005/katrina.html
The weather channel still has the path available online, at link above.
There is a great post today from creek at willowhaven:
Dear Lord, Help me to be like my knife.
http://willowhavenoutdoor.com/featured-wilderness-survival-blog-entries/dear-lord-help-me-to-be-like-my-knife/