Building shelters is pretty old school. I've done it and Florida has palmetto palms which are prime shelter material. The fronds can easily be woven into a wind and rainproof panel and the panel grouped to form a lean-to or, with enough effort, a comfortable hut.

It used to be popular in the 20s and 30s to create elaborate shelters, camp beds and various accouterments but it went out of fashion as more people got into the woods and the damage became clear to even the the most callous observers. Some early Boyscout jamboree sites still show obvious damage after sixty years.

Constructing a shelter out of saplings and brush isn't often done any more. Even in survival situations. Mostly because there are better options, most emergency shelters center around a tent or tarp which can produce a wind and rainproof shelter in a couple of minutes. You could spend a lot of time and effort building a shelter using vegetation and end up with something half as good as what you could get in two minutes with a tarp. Even lacking a tarp or tent a brush shelter usually doesn't require you to chop anything.

Actually no he would not. He would probably only live a day or two longer than everyone else.
"Slim" it should be understood is classic Brit understatment. After all 99% chance of death does call for a certain amount of class when discussing it.

Note about us Brit's: The more desperate it gets, the more understated we get.

And he makes no bones about keeping a deathgrip on your machete if it goes pear shaped.

I believe it was one of Scott's men, on the ill-fated return from the South Pole, who, ailing and sick, arose and said, "I shall be gone just a little while." Whereupon he exited the tent,out into the storm, and was never seen again.

Talk about a stiff upper lip.....

Interestingly, Scott was mentioned on the radio last night. Yesterday was the anniversary of Amundsen's successful first to the South Pole. They mentioned also the Scott expedition which got to the pole some 35 days later -- and then succumbed to the elements on the return journey.

They mentioned also that the Amundsen expedition killed some of their dogs for food. In the context of this thread I half wonder what knife they used for the task. (shudder)

~~~changing gears~~~

In terms of actual experience with larger knives, I did take a two day survival course last month. I brought along an M7S military survival knife, which is a fairly large knife. I did find it useful in shelter making although I generally don't carry it because of its size and weight.

HJ

I always find humor in a survival knife that isn't carried due to size and weight. Not much of a survival knife if it isn't on your person.

Some off the cuff statistics: 90% of any job is just being there and 90% of real survival knives are folders . . .

Yeah, I was thinking that as I typed my post. However, I do carry that big knife in my car kit, just not on the trail. On the trail, where weight and size are more of an issue, I've been carrying a Kershaw Antelope II which weighs about 5 ounces and some change. Far more manageable than the more than a pound M7S.

I don't doubt that for a minute. The knife you'll carry is the knife you'll use. The "perfect" knife that's in the drawer back home isn't so, well, perfect, is it? I've tried to get real with myself about what I'll consistently carry. I just picked up a Morakniv 840 Clipper which weighs in at 3 ounces and some change. There's very little excuse not to carry a fixed blade when something that light and cheap is available.

HJ

I agree with the knife you always carry will be the one you will use.

One thing to remember is if you are going into a know area that you need a big knife then I would carry one. Basically carry the right tool for the element you go in, I always keep a big chopper in my BOB but not on me.

If you travel in some countries or by ship, train, bus or plane, you will probably not be allowed to carry any knife or in some cases they may have you put it in checked luggage. And when something goes a muk (plane crash,train wreck, ship sink or what have you) it is highly possible you won't have any knife on you and the point would be mute. So, depending on the terrain and country would determine what I carry. I don't need a chopper in the desert but if I go in the jungle I will have one. When traveling I usually have to buy what I need on site than to fool with customs. I haven't been to any country yet where I can't get a knife or lighter on site.

Your right Leigh, but I have to admit the British humor in dangerous situations always amuses me. I think it is a very good trait to keep ones mine always lighten upped.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Oates

And that was the last act of a very brave man who was a dead man - and knew it.

And contrary to what has been written in modern times, Scott was neither stupid or incompetent. Just dreadfully unlucky.

My everyday carry is a Leatherman Charge Ti which gets used 3 to 10 times every day.

The backup in my pocket is a Chris Reeve small Sebenza, which seldom gets used, but when it is needed, it works great.

Both of the above are legal in San Francisco, Oakland, and Modesto; which have restrictive knife laws.

Whenever I go out on the trail, I also carry a BK77, 7" fixed blade, which always seems to get used daily. I have used this to start help build a fire after an un-expected dunking in cold weather.