Frank Pearmain

A crossbow is better for survival than a bow. The reasons behind the choice include accuracy, ease of use, maintainability, and portability, although I would be happy for either one in a survival situation.

You can start a charcoal fire with rubbing alcohol, due to the composition of rubbing alcohol, including flammable ingredients that will take a spark well! There are, however, techniques you can use that will improve your chances of getting a fire going with this method.

The optimal edge angle for a machete depends on what you use it for. Whatever the angle, the blade needs to be maintained to the point that it is sharp enough to shave with but still with enough metal behind the edge to support the impact of heavy blows.

Not all machetes have a hole near the tip of the blade. The hole seems to have come about once these tools became mass-produced. It is a consequence of the manufacturing process.

A good bushcraft knife is better than an axe for survival purposes due to its superior versatility. However, this choice will mostly be decided by personal preference.

An axe will most definitely cut through bone, and different axes will perform this task better and more effectively than others. The cut will however not be clean and therefore an axe would not be suitable in all situations for this task.

Burnt wood or charcoal has the potential to hold heat. This means that if you can apply a heat source to it, the charcoal can eventually become red hot and will have sufficient heat to ignite a fire. This has application for emergency situations or where you have issues with your tinder!

When considering whether the BIC or Zippo lighter is best for survival, you need to consider the survival conditions you are most likely to encounter and pack the lighter that best fits your circumstance. Or, if you are a true survivalist, pack one of each in your gear!