The knife is the most crucial piece of gear in any survival or bushcraft situation. With a good knife you can fell trees, cut branches, chop wood, carve utensils, cut plants and roots, start fires, build wind shields, defend yourself and much more. I bring my knife around in my daily life as well as in the forest. And I can't remember the day it did not come to some use. I use it for everything from cutting an apple to carving spoons. I will start by explaining the different parts of a knife. How the parts affect usage and what you should consider when choosing one. I will then discuss the different types of survival knives before going on to how to use them efficiently, how to care for them and finally comparing some popular models. The different parts of a knife. This is a modified Marttiini knife from Finland. (Click to enlarge.) A kitchen knife is almost impossible to use for carving, while a carving knife throws away your carrot pieces when you cut. (Don't b