Article by CShipe
With the variety of knives available, it is sometimes hard to know which particular model is right for your needs. Here is a breakdown of some knife styles and the purposes for which they would work best."Pocket" or folding knives are smaller blades that work well as an emergency or backup knife, but really shouldn't be your only option for survival due to its smaller size and subsequent lack of strength. Because pocket knives have a folding mechanism for storage, it is important to get a knife that locks open. "Even experienced woodsmen are regularly injured by non-locking folding knives. It is not uncommon in these instances for the cut to go all the way down to the bone."A large knife primarily for military use, a combat knife is useful as both a weapon and a tool. Also called a fighting or tactical knife, it can be used for a variety of tasks including chopping branches for vehicle cover or sniper concealment and opening ammunition. Many people consider combat knives chiefly as weapons for face-to-face combat, but that type of warfare is not often engaged in militarily. The KA-BAR is the style of knife that the US Marine Corp issues to its troops. Like a combat knife, a boot knife is a fixed blade model that is designed to be carried inside your boot. Military and law enforcement personnel both find this type of knife useful as backup weapons or close combat situations."Every day carry or EDC" knives, Swiss Army knives are probably the most well known knife in the United States. Originally designed in Switzerland in 1897, a Swiss Army knife has a multitude of tools inside it for a variety of uses. Similarly, a Leatherman, created for bicyclists to easily make repairs, also has an assortment of tools including a pair of pliers. Currently, there are over one hundred different models of Swiss Army knives including a "Swiss Army Leatherman" with pliers.A machete is a larger fixed blade knife that almost falls into the category of "small sword". Mainly used in the jungle or other areas of overgrown vegetation, it is excellent for hacking and chopping tasks. Locals in tropical locations use machetes for splitting coconuts, harvesting sugar cane, or even slaughtering and portioning meat. Because of its size, a machete is more a specialized knife that should be used by skilled personnel.