Survival Knives A good knife is a must in survival situations. A well made, full tang, fixed blade knife can be very useful, versatile, and put up with almost endless abuse. Some are made with a survival kit on the sheath or in the handle, and if not, some essentials can easily be duct taped to the sheath for a small and compact survival machine. On the other hand, a small folding knife or multi tool can be very useful and may be more practical for long backpacking trips. Some may prefer a machete, bushman, of hatchet. No matter what your tools, they are best used in conjunction with a cool head, knowledge, and experience.