How to Survive With Only a Knife

Knife-only survival is the ultimate technique you will ever have to master. For most people, that is the worst-case scenario when they are in the wilderness.

Luckily knives are multipurpose tools and can be enough to get you through the day. That is why I try to master as many knife skills as possible because I love outdoor adventure.

Here you will learn how to survive the wild with only a knife.

Step 1: Build A Shelter

The easiest way to use a knife is to create a nest; it won’t take much of your time and energy. Collect moss, pine needles, and leaves from around you and put them in a big pile.

The pile should resemble a single mattress; make it as high as possible. This pile will trap your body heat and help you stay warm when it’s freezing outside.

Tuck yourself in by pooling over the debris over your body every night. Use your knife to chop boughs and lean them against a sturdy tree branch for shelter on rainy days.

Step 2: Find Food

Food and shelter should be your priority in an emergency. Your knife will help you forage efficiently; you can look for fruits, tree nuts and edible herbs.

Be careful when eating wild fruits and herbs. If you don’t know the plant, it’s best to avoid it.

You can also use the knife for fishing. Find a sturdy stick that is almost two inches thick and eight feet long. Carve the tip to make it a reliable fishing tool.

The tip should be about ten inches. Once the tool is done, you can garden the tip using any leftover hot coal for some minutes.

You can then use it to pin a fish and the knife to prepare it. Clean the fish using your knife to get it ready for cooking.

The knife is also helpful for hunting and preparing your hunted meat or any other food. You will also use it to clear the way when you are walking around.

Step 3: Make Fire

Use the knife to find a fireboard and a spindle from the many sticks and branches surrounding you. Woods like cypress, poplar, cedar, and elm are easy to create friction with.

If you know how they look, you can quickly locate them and take a few sticks. Your fireboard should be a bit wide and thick.

Carve a hole on the fireboard using the same knife. The hole should slightly resemble the spindle stick you have collected. Sharpen the spindle and get rid of any rough spots.

Take a thin bark or piece of leaf and put it under the board to collect the falling coal. You should also gather some dry material and tinder before you start the friction.

Make something that looks like a bird’s nest; only use things that can easily catch fire. It should be close to you because you need to transfer the fire quickly.

You should then get your spindle in position and start the friction. Use slow motions at the beginning and then go as fast as possible while exerting pressure on the spindle with your body weight.

When you repeat the same motion, you will soon have amber, and you can transfer it to your tinder. Blow it slowly to create flames and keep feeding the flame with sticks to keep the fire going.

Cut small branches and shave off bark using the knife to sustain the spark. Ensure your sticks are kindling-friendly sizes.

Step 4: Make Tools

A sharp enough knife can be used to make all kinds of tools. You can cut long strips from tree barks to make ropes.

Cut the bark strips into even smaller strips and weave them. The ropes will be strong enough to do anything around your camp.

Use the knife to cut bandages from your clothes if you injure yourself. You can easily get hurt while surviving in the wild, and that is why you need a first aid kit.

Let your creative side shine, and try to make all the tools that come to mind. You would have created your own survival kit without realizing it.

Security is essential when you are surviving in the wilderness. The knife itself can be a self-defense weapon, or you can use it to make other things that keep you safe.

Knife-only survival knives are usually bigger than camp knives because they have to be used to make other extensive tools.

Now you know the most important survival tool you need to pack when going on adventures.

Here Is How to Survive With Only a Knife

Step 1: Build a shelter

Step 2: Find food

Step 3: Make fire

Step 4: Make tools