Useful for tasks including food prep, construction, crafting tools and weapons, medical treatments, and more, handheld blades can be literal life-savers in many types of emergencies and survival situations… including a Zombie attack.

Buying a blade isn’t always an option, and it turns out that it isn’t always necessary either. The Hack-Knife Survival Blade is a simple solution for an EDC knife or backup blade for your Bug Out Bag. It incorporates a tip that doubles as a flat-head screwdriver, high-strength double edged blade (straight edged and toothed), and 3ft of 80lb test micro cord that should help get you through even the roughest of times in an apocalyptic world or everyday survival scenario.

As with all of our DIY or Die Trying projects, we kept versatility, durability, and ease of craft in mind with the Hack-Knife Survival Blade. You wont need much to make one, just a few tools, a bit of hacksaw blade and about a 1/2 an hour (more if you get fancy with the blade shape or cordage).

Tools: Clamp or bench vise, tin snips, metal file (medium and fine tooth), sandpaper, red brick and/or sharpening stone, grease pen or permanent marker, and lighter (optional)

Materials: 12″ Hacksaw blade, hockey tape, and 3.5 feet micro-cord (optional).

Step 1. Carefully mark and cut the hacksaw blade in half with tin snips. Use the grease pen to draw the shape of blade you want to create (do this on the NON-TOOTHED side of the blade halves), leaving about 3 1/2″ for a handle area. (Note: We chose a modified Straightback blade shape for it’s proven versatility and strength, but you can experiment with others as seen here).

Step 2. Secure one half of the hacksaw blade to your workbench with a c-clamp or vise, leaving the marked area of the blade hanging just over the edge of the bench top. Work away the excess metal with firm steady strokes of a medium-toothed file and define the basic shape of the blade. Fine tune the shape with a fine-toothed metal file.

Step 3. Work a rough edge into your Hack-Knife with the fine-toothed file, carefully adding a 25-30 edge down the length of the blade, but not the handle area. Once you have a basic edge on one side, flip the blade and repeat the process… being careful to not over-grind the edge and remove too much material.

Step 4. Fine tune and hone the edge of the Hack-Knife by carefully dragging it across a metal file as seen in the photograph, and finishing it on a red brick, fine grit sandpaper, or ceramic shard. (see: How to Hone an Edge)

Step 5. Tightly wrap the handle area with grip tape, leaving the rounded end of the Hack-Knife uncovered to use as an attach point for micro-cord, etc.

OPTIONAL STEP:

Micro-Cord Guard and Attach Point: By leaving the rounded end of the blade open and available for tie downs, you can add a few feet of micro-cord (80lb test or higher) to your Hack-Knife Survival blade. This will give you both an additional tool for survival and a guard for your hand so it doesn’t slip forward on the blade.

Tightly weave three 1ft strands of micro-cord together, securing the ends with a lighter. Feed the cord through the end of the Hack-Knife handle and tie a secure loop. To use the braided micro-cord as a guard, simply place three fingers in the loop and hold the blade with the loop blade side down.

The ability to have an EDC knife that allows for detailed work with a variety of materials, sawing, food prep, emergency cordage, and minor tool work, truly is priceless. A small reliable knife like the Hack-Knife Survival Blade could easily mean the difference between a relatively easy night in an apocalypse… or your last night on earth. And while it might not open up a Zombie head with ease, it can make everyday survival a whole lot easier.

* Zombease, and the staff of Zombease, do not condone the use or making of weapons or tools for use against living beings; and we do not condone or recommend violence or the use of weaponry as practice for Zombie fights. We are not responsible for any accidents, damage to persons or property, and/or loss of life occurring from the information listed above.