Five Ways a Swiss Army Knife Could Save Your Life

Sure, we use Swiss Army Knives for loads of different things nowadays, from tightening a screw on a kid’s bike, through to removing packaging from a new purchase. It’s easy to forget though that they have a more serious side – a side to them designed to be the ultimate survival tool, and to get you out of sticky situations.

For many of us, it’s tough to imagine a situation whereby a Swiss Army Knife might be useful, but there are absolutely loads – especially if you’re the outdoorsy type. If you ever do need to use a Swiss Army Knife for serious reasons, you need to make sure it is of the highest quality possible, so it pays to buy the best. This means you should buy from a specialist like Carlson Knives, who know exactly what you’ll need.

Just to prove that there are some situations where a Swiss Army Knife can be invaluable, you’ll find five listed below, some of which are more serious or likely than others…

Autoamputation

Okay, so autoamputation is just a fancy way of saying… cutting off your own limb. The thing is, for climbers and other adventurers, a situation whereby this is needed could arise – although it is unlikely. Proof of this is found in the story of Aron Ralston, the guy who got his arm stuck under a boulder in Utah. Unable to free it, and alone, he knew that the only way to escape was to do the unthinkable, and he did.

But imagine if he hadn’t had the implement to do it? Or imagine that he did, but he simply hadn’t taken good care of it, leaving him with a blunt blade. His actions aren’t ones many people want to think about, but with them, his fate would have been much worse.

Stave Off Starvation

If you find yourself alone in the wilderness, the first thing you’ll need is water. But after a while, you’ll need food as well. The natural world is full of more meat than a butcher’s shop, but most won’t have the stomach to prepare their own meat. It is possible with a Swiss Army Knife though, although the mess you make might well be huge.

Of course, you’ll need to be able to catch your meal before you butcher it though, and a Swiss Army Knife can help hugely when it comes to making traps or other hunting implements. Just don’t watch Bambi before you head out on your next trip to the wilderness though, otherwise you might find yourself surviving on berries instead…

Self-Defence

Sure, carrying a knife around the city isn’t a great idea – in fact, in many countries (including the UK) it’s just downright illegal in most situations. You’re not likely to get attacked by a wild animal in the UK either, save for a curious badger or over-friendly deer. Other parts of the world do have some pretty scary critters though, and a knife at least gives you some chance of fighting them off.

Okay, so your chances of surviving a bear attack with just a Swiss Army Knife are pretty slim, but wouldn’t you rather have at least some chance of living to tell the tale? And if you did, just imagine the stories you’d be able to tell at the pub!

Emergency Repairs

Car broken down in the middle of nowhere? If that’s the case, you’re best off calling the AA. If they aren’t able to attend though, you’ll need to make repairs on your own, or face a long walk to the nearest village. That long walk is how many horror films start though, so it’s probably best not to try it. So, how about using your Swiss Army Knife instead?

Of course, you are going to need some knowledge of mechanics to attempt this, as simply poking around with the screwdriver probably won’t do much good. If you do have the knowledge though, you might be able to bodge together a solution, and save yourself from spending a night sleeping in the back seat.

Medical Problems

For medical problems that aren’t quite as severe as autoamputation (see the first point) the Swiss Army Knife could provide the answer. It probably isn’t best to attempt to use them at home, as you should call a doctor instead, but there aren’t too many doctors around when you’re lost in the middle of Africa, or in the midst of Alaska though.

The tweezers, scissors and knife can all have their uses, although you can use your own imagination to work out what they are. It might not be the most fun thing you’ll ever do, but these on-the-fly medical repairs could save your life.

So, there you have it: five ways in which a Swiss Army Knife could save your life. Of course, you probably won’t ever have to use one in this way, but better safe than sorry, right?