Sourdough Crackers-NOT Hardtack.

Ingredients

1 C Whole Wheat Flour or White Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 C unfed ("discarded") sourdough starter

1/4 cup (4 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 Tbsps. . dried herbs of your choice, optional

  oil for brushing

  coarse salt (such as kosher or sea salt) for sprinkling on top

Instructions

Mix together the flour, salt, sourdough starter, butter, and optional herbs to make a smooth(not sticky), cohesive dough.

Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a small rectangular slab. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to a couple of hours, until the dough is firm.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Very lightly flour a piece of parchment, your rolling pin, and the top of the dough.

Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough to about 1/16" thick. The dough will have ragged, uneven edges; that's OK. Just try to make it as even as possible.

Transfer the dough and parchment together onto a baking sheet. Lightly brush with oil and then sprinkle the salt over the top of the crackers.

Cut the dough into 1 1/4" squares; a rolling pizza wheel works well here.

Prick each square with the tines of a fork.

Bake the crackers for about 20 minutes, until the squares are starting to brown around the edges.

When fully browned, remove the crackers from the oven, and transfer them to a cooling rack. Store airtight at room temperature for up to a week; freeze for longer storage.

Yield: about 100 crackers, 20 servings.~~~Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan

Sourdough Pizza Crust

•Sourdough pizza crust? Why not? For one thing, you get added protein and also this crust can go from quite sour to "can't even tell it's sourdough," depending on how recently you've fed your starter. Even if you want very little (or no) tang, the vigour of the starter enhances the pizza dough's rise. Even the merest hint of tang comes across as rich flavor, which marries beautifully with the usual pizza toppings of tomato, cheese, vegetables, and meat.

•You’ve been looking for ways to use the "extra" cup of starter, the one, nowadays  you're directed to discard with each feeding; this is another good solution for you thrifty bakers who hate to throw anything away.

•

•Ingredients

•1 C sourdough starter, unfed (straight from the fridge)

•1/2 C hot (not boiling) water

•2 1/2 Cs  Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

•1 tsp. salt

•1/2 tsp. instant yeast

•Stir any liquid into the sourdough starter, and spoon 1 C starter into a mixing bowl.

•Add the hot water, flour, salt, yeast,. Mix to combine, then knead till smooth and slightly sticky, about 7 minutes at medium speed using a stand mixer with dough hook. Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased container, and allow it to rise till it's just about doubled in bulk. This might take 2 to 4 hours; it might take more. A lot depends on how vigorous your starter is. For a faster rise, place the dough somewhere warm (or increase the yeast). To slow it down, put it somewhere cool.

•For two thinner-crust pizzas, divide the dough in half, shaping each half into a flattened disk. Drizzle two 12" round pizza pans with olive oil, tilting the pans to coat the bottom. Place half the dough in each pan. Cover, and let rest for 15 minutes. Gently press the dough towards the edges of the pans; when it starts to shrink back, cover it, and let it rest again, for about 15 minutes. Finish pressing the dough to the edges of the pans.

•For a thicker-crust pizza, drizzle olive oil into a jelly roll pan (10" x 15") or half-sheet pan (18" x 13"), or similar sized pan; or a 14" round pizza pan, tilting the pan to coat with the oil. Shape the dough into a flattened disk or oval. Place it in the pan, cover it, and let it rest for 15 minutes. Push the dough towards the edges of the pan; when it starts to fight back, cover it and let it rest for 15 minutes. Finish pushing it to the edges of the pan.

•Cover the pan, and let the dough rise till it's as thick as you like. For thin-crust pizza made from fairly fresh starter, this may only be an hour or so. For thick-crust, using an old, little-used starter, this may take most of the day. There are no hard-and-fast rules here; it all depends on the vigour of your starter, and how you like your crust. Once you make it a couple of times, you'll figure out what time frame works for you.

•Towards the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 450°F.

•For a thicker crust, pre-bake the crust for about 8 minutes before topping. Top, then bake till toppings are hot and cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 minutes. For thin crusts, bake for 4 to 5 minutes, then top and bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or till toppings are as done as you like.

•Remove from the oven, and loosen the edges of the pizza with a table knife or heatproof spatula. Carefully lift it onto a cooling rack; you can serve it right from the pan, if desired, but a cooling rack helps keep its bottom crisp. Serve hot.

•Yield: one 14" round, or rectangular thick-crust pizza; or two 12" round thin-crust pizzas.

•Be aware of some sourdough dynamics here. The less-used your starter, the more liquid on top, the more sour it's likely to be; using a starter that hasn't been fed for weeks will yield a pizza crust that rises slowly, and tastes quite tangy. This type of crust is handy when you want to make dough in the morning, and have pizza ready for dinner. On the other hand, a starter that's fed regularly will yield a less-sour crust, one that will rise much more quickly. This is a great "weekend" crust, as you can shape it at 8 a.m., and have pizza for lunch.~~~Al (Alex-Alexander)D Girvan.

FRUITED SOURDOUGH SANDWICH BREAD

This soft sourdough loaf is studded with sweet raisins and tangy apple pieces. I like it served simply toasted with melting butter; or as a grilled cheese sandwich with apples .

Ingredients

2/3 C sourdough starter, fed or unfed

2/3 to 3/4 cup lukewarm water*

1 Tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil

1 tsp. to 4 Tbsp. sugar, to taste

1 1/4 tsps. salt

2 1/4 C Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/4 C potato flour or 1/2 C instant potato flakes

1/3 C rolled oats, traditional

2 tsps. instant yeast

1 C diced Granny Smith apple (about 1 small apple), peeled or not

1 C raisins, golden ,dark, or both

*In summer, or during hot/humid weather, reduce the water by 1 Tbsp.

Instructions

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, the bowl of an electric mixer, or the pan of your bread machine, and mix and knead to form a smooth yet sticky dough. If you're kneading by hand, you'll want to keep your hands well greased.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and allow it to rise for about 90 minutes. The dough will become puffy, though it may not double in bulk.

Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.

Gently deflate the risen dough, and shape it into a log. Place it in the pan, cover it lightly, and allow it to rise until it crests at least 1" over the rim of the pan, 60 to 90 minutes.

Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the bread for 40 to 45 minutes, tenting it with foil after 15 to 20 minutes; it will continue to brown slowly. When it's done, the bread will be golden brown, and will register 190°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the centre

Remove the bread from the oven, and after a couple of minutes turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool.

Yield: 1 loaf, about 12 to 16 servings.~~~Al (Alex-Alexander)D. Girvan

MULTI-GRAIN SOURDOUGH BOULE

Ingredients:

•1 C boiling water

•1 C Harvest Grains Blend

•2 Cs sourdough starter, fed and ready to use

•1 3/4 Cs White Whole Wheat Flour

•1 3/4 Cs Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

•2 1/2 tsps. salt

•1 1/2 tsps. instant yeast

•2 Tbsps. vegetable oil(preferably olive)

•

•Instructions

•In a large mixing bowl, or the bucket of a bread machine, combine the Harvest Grains Blend and boiling water. Let cool to lukewarm

•Add the fed sourdough starter and the remaining dough ingredients, and mix and knead — by hand, mixer, bread machine or food processor — until you've made a soft dough, adding additional water or flour as needed.

•Cover the dough in the bowl, and let it rise until it's almost doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

•Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased work surface, and gently fold it over a few times to deflate it. Shape it into a large round.

•Place the round on a lightly greased baking sheet, and cover it with lightly greased plastic wrap. Or place in a round covered baker, about 4.2-quart and 10" diameter, that's been sprayed with non-stick baking spray and sprinkled with sesame seeds or cornmeal, and put on the cover. Let the loaf rise until it's very puffy, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F.

•Just before baking, brush with water, and sprinkle with seeds. Use a lame or a very sharp knife to make four slashes across the top of the loaf, in a crosshatch pattern.

•Bake the bread for 40 minutes. Uncover the loaf if in a covered baker, and continue to bake 10 to 15 minutes, until the loaf is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 190°F. (A loaf baked on a baking sheet will need to bake for 38 to 45 minutes total.)

•Remove the bread from the oven, let sit in the baker for 5 minutes, then turn out and cool on a rack.

•Yield: 1 large loaf.~~Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan.

NUTTY-FRUITY SOURDOUGH

•Ingredients

•1 C(about 8 ounces) fed sourdough starter

•1 C water

•3/4 C pumpernickel flour

•2 1/2 Cs (10 3/4 oz.) All-Purpose Flour

•1 1/2 tsp. salt

•1 tsp.instant yeast

•1 1/2 cups Fruitcake Blend or the dried fruits of your choice

•1 cup cut nuts (pecans, walnuts, or almonds)

•Instructions

•Mix all of the ingredients (except the fruit and nuts) by hand, mixer, or bread machine till you've created a smooth, elastic dough. Because the consistency of sourdough starters vary, you may need to add a bit of extra flour or water; the dough should be medium-soft but not sticky. Add the dried fruit and nuts, kneading until they're evenly incorporated. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

•Turn the dough onto a lightly greased or floured surface, and form it into a fat log. Place the log into an Italian stoneware baker that's been greased on the bottom, or onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover the loaf, and let it rise for 1 hour, or until it springs back very slowly when lightly pressed.

•If you're baking in a covered stoneware baker, place the bread into a cold oven, set the oven to 400°F, and bake for 40 minutes. Check the bread, and bake for a bit longer, if necessary; the internal temperature should be about 190°F when measured on an instant-read thermometer. If you're baking on a sheet pan, preheat the oven to 375°F, and bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until the bread is brown. Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a rack. Yield: 1 loaf.

•Tip: Need some sourdough starter to get started? See my step-by-step directions for creating your own sourdough starter from scratch.~~Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan 

SOURDOUGH BUNS English Muffin Style-Only Better.

•Though they look like English muffins, these big, buxom buns aren't "holey" enough for that label, and therefore I like them much better. They have a relatively smooth, fine-grained, moist interior, which we love. And their hint of tanginess makes them an ideal breakfast sidekick to bacon and eggs, as well as entirely appropriate for lunchtime sandwiches.

•

•You'll need eight 3 3/4 to 4-inch metal rings, such as our English muffin rings to bake these buns.

•Ingredients

•

•1 Tbsp. instant yeast

•1/2 C water, approximately

•1 cup sourdough starter, refreshed

•2 Tbsps. sugar

•1 1/2 tsps. salt

•1/2 C dried whole milk or Baker's Special Dry Milk

•3 Cs  Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

•2 Tbsp. butter or oil

•1 egg

•cornmeal (for dusting)

•Instructions

•Mix all of the ingredients together -- by hand, mixer, or in a bread machine or food processor -- just until the dough comes together; it will remain slightly sticky and soft. Turn it out onto a well-floured surface, and let it rest for 30 minutes.

•Roll the dough into a 16 1/2 x 8 1/2-inch rectangle approximately 1/3 to 1/2-inch thick. Cut it into eight 3 3/4-inch (approximately) circles; our cutters work well here.

•Dust a baking sheet with cornmeal; grease the English muffin rings (or other round, metal rings approximately 3 3/4 inches in diameter), and place them on the baking sheet. Fill each ring with a piece of dough; sprinkle the tops with cornmeal. Place a baking sheet on top of the rings and dough, and let the buns rise for 40 minutes.

•Bake the buns in a preheated 375°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until they're lightly browned top and bottom. Remove them from the oven, and turn them out of the rings after cooling for 10 minutes. Yield: 8 buns.~~Al(Alex-Alexander) D Girvan

BUTTERY SOURDOUGH BUNS

BAKE

22 mins. to 25 mins.

•TOTAL

•3 hrs 42 mins. to 4 hrs 55 mins.

Ingredients

•1/2 C sourdough starter, fed or unfed

•3 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

•2 1/2 tsps. instant yeast

•1 Tbsp. sugar

•1 1/4 tsps. salt

•1 large egg•5 Tbsps. soft butter

•C lukewarm water•TOPPING

•4 Tbsps. melted butter, divided

•1/4 tsp. paprika, optional

Instructions

•Combine all of the dough ingredients in a large bowl, and mix and knead — using your hands, a stand mixer, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle — to make a soft, smooth dough.

•Place the dough in a lightly greased container — an 8-cup measure works well here — and allow the dough to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until it's just about doubled in bulk.

•Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.

•Roll and pat the dough into a rough rectangle approximately 12" x 16". Put 2 tablespoons melted butter in a small bowl, and add the paprika, if desired; it's there for color, and accentuates the buns' swirl, but omit it if you wish. Spread the dough with the melted butter.

•Starting with a long side, roll the dough into a log.

•Cut the log in 1" slices, using a sharp knife, or a piece of dental floss looped between your fingers.

•Lightly grease two 8" or 9" round cake pans. Arrange 8 buns in each pan.

•Cover the pans, and let the buns rise for 60 minutes, until they're noticeably puffy. Don't let these buns rise too long; you want them to have enough rising power left to expand nicely in the oven. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

•Uncover the pans, and brush each bun with some of the remaining melted butter.

•Bake the buns for 22 to 25 minutes; they'll colour only slightly.

•Remove the buns from the oven, and turn them out of the pan onto a rack. Brush with any remaining melted butter. Serve hot or warm. To reheat, place the buns on a baking sheet, tent lightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 10 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven.

•Wrap any leftover buns airtight, and store at room temperature for several days. For longer storage, wrap airtight and freeze.

•Yield: 16 buns.©Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan. All rights reserved

SLINGS AND SLINGSHOTS

Slings are mentioned in the bible; (David and Goliath as a military weapon), and they are very simple to manufacture. You can make a  sling by tying two pieces of cordage, about two to three feet long, at opposite ends of a palm-sized piece of leather or cloth. That's all there is to it. So, they must represent a very practical and serviceable  tool and weapon--right!

Yea, Right!

They require room to use; and so, are not of much use in the bush.To use, place a piece of rock or a small stone in the cloth or leather pouch and wrap one cord around the middle finger and hold it in your palm. Hold the other cord between the forefinger and thumb. To throw the rock, spin the sling several times in a circle and release the cord between the thumb and forefinger. Practice to gain proficiency.

PROBLEM--this may take years--but when, and IF, you gain proficiency; the sling can be very effective, against smaller game, in an open field.

So, How About a Sling-shot?
Everyone knows that they can be very accurate, and they can be very powerful. They do not require a lot of practice-- not as much as a sling--after-all, a few years ago, every young boy carried one.

But, you are in a survival situation--not on a reality TV show--rubber inner-tubes are now almost extinct. Did you think to pack a sling-shot; or at least some rubber tubing, and some steel balls in your survival kit?Yea, I know you would have; this little reminder is for the "other" 99,999% of week-end adventure, bushcrafters,survivors that would not have.

Quoted ,From Other Websites:

“Before this weekend’s bushcraft, survival, camping trip, I was in my local supply center. I was going to pick up one of their daisy slingshots, so I could take it camping with me. When I got to the counter to pay, I was asked for my driver’s license. I am clearly over 18, so I decided to ask about this process.

The cashier informed me that this wasn't just for age verification, but that they entered your license number and details into the system and it was tracked by State Police. Ok…what the heck? Needless to say I don’t like that, so I didn’t buy that slingshot. Here I am now, in the forest. I have a Swiss Army knife, a Leatherman Wingman and NO SLINGSHOT.

What would I ever do now? I know…

 I’ll make a bushcraft survival slingshot.

 First things first.

 I needed to find a forked branch. I found one and used the saw on my Swiss Army Knife Hiker to saw it off the remainder of the branch. Once that was done, I had my bushcraft survival slingshot frame.

We’ve now come to the more challenging part. Where in the world could I find something rubbery or springy for my bushcraft ,survival, slingshot propulsion system? I decided to hike back up to the road, and walk along it to see if I could find some litter or discarded auto parts that might fit the bill. After hiking along the road for a little over an hour, I came across a bicycle inner tube. Not exactly what I was looking for, but it “should” work. I put the inner tube in my outer pack pocket and headed back towards camp.

I kept my eyes open on the way back to camp for any method I could use to fasten the inner tube to the bushcraft, survival slingshot frame. As I was walking past a fence row, I spied a spool of some type of metal wire. It wasn’t mine, but I did stop and snip off about 12 inches of it with my Wingman multi-tool, and stashed it in my pack also. Once I got back to camp I started looking at the bushcraft , survival slingshot frame, the inner tube and the wire to see how I could make this all come together. I cut the inner tube to about 12 inches and wrapped each end around a twig, then pinched the wrapped end with some wire so that the tube couldn’t unwrap from the twigs on the ends. Then I held the bushcraft  survival slingshot frame and used the saw, from my Swiss Army Knife, to slot the arms of the slingshot, so I could slide the inner tube into them. The twigs, wrapped in the end of the inner tube, prevented the inner tube from sliding back through the slots in the arms. After wrapping the top of the arms of my bushcraft, survival slingshot with wire, to keep the inner tube from sliding up out of the slots in the arms, I was holding a fully functional bushcraft , survival slingshot.”

“Could you survive in the wilderness with only a sling shot as your weapon?

Lots would depend on your survivability. Having a means to harvest protein and animal fat would surely increase your chances.

In a perfect world, the sling shot would not be my first choice. But having options makes one more robust.”

Due to their inconsistent shape, stones tend to curve or slide off target-EVEN AN EXPERT MARKSMAN, IF USING THEM, WOULD BE UNLIKELY TO BAG ANY GAME.

How About an Arrow Throwing Sling Shot? Remember, you are lost; or in A Real Disaster, Survival Situation, you do not have a trailer load of supplies; just what you can carry and have on your person.

An Arrow Throwing Slingshot.

Note: The ring acts as an arrow support. When fired, the arrows pass through it. The ring is not intended to be used as a sight.

It must be noted: REAL “bush craft survival tools”  (all are IN REALITY the hand tools used by early pioneers, settlers, survivors, homesteaders,handymen, farmers, craftsman, stumble bums and ordinary citizens. they are NOT  play toys for macho types--kids; who never grew up. All are very, very, dangerous-can be dangerous to human life or detrimental to survival. All are illegal to use in Canada and or other CIVILIZED counties, except in extreme emergency. All must be clearly marked during the period of use; and must be dismantled immediately after the emergency situation is over. IF YOU ARE USING ANY OF THESE TOOLS TO TRAP OR KILL GAME, UNDER THE GUISE OF PRACTISING BUSHCRAFT, YOU COULD, AND SHOULD BE, CHARGED WITH ANIMAL ABUSE, DANGEROUS ACTIVITY-POTENTIALLY CAUSING HUMAN HARM, AND SEVERAL OTHER THINGS UNDER THE FISH AND WILDLIFE ACT.
 © Al (Alex, Alexander) D. Girvan

PRACTICAL/USABLE, KNIVES, POINTS, AND TOOLS; PLUS TWO KNOTS

Regular readers are well aware that I am not, at all, impressed or influenced by ALL THE BULL CRAP SO WIDELY CIRCULATED ON MOST WEBSITES, ON MOST SUBJECTS. Usually, the writers have no real knowledge, they are just recirculating advertising/merchancising propeganda. As for the subject of Survival; MOST OF THESE GUYS WOULD NEVER SURVIVE, IN A REAL SURVIVAL SITUATION. On both counts, this post serves, very well, to illustrate, just, why I'm not.

http://ushistoryimages.com/native-american-weapons.shtm

While an axe; especially a light 1 1/4 pound, belt/hand axe, light enough to carry easily; yet heavy enough to do the work it is intended to do-- that of chopping, driving stakes, and splitting wood; and a military type folding belt shovel is great--- for the light, digging, chores;

you can usually break the firewood you need, through the use of two conveniently spaced trees(avoid using a tree crotch; which will pry the crotch apart and leave the tree open to disease, fungal and insect infestation)with your hands; so, there will not, really,  be any necessity to do a great deal of chopping, (Canada's truly Indigenous peoples did very little). And, other improvised tools can be used to dig, drive stakes, or even piles--if you ever have occasion that you wish to do so but i can not imagine why you ever would in a survival situation. 
A knife therefore is your second-third fiftyith-hundredth-most valuable tool (after what ever else is FIRST-needed-Aid)  in any survival/disaster situation. 

Still, however, the wise man or woman always carries at least a top quality "stock-man" knife, pictured top, or other knife; (without a lot of cumbersome gadgets; and not designed for easy conversion into a spear point--a knife is meant for cutting, puncturing, or slicing--you do not CHOP--even meat or vegetables-- and you do not ever, ever, ever, throw them.) on their person at all times and they keep it razor sharp (when quality knives are now so readily available; why would they not? A good sharp knife can be a valuable survival aid, if and only if, used thoughtfully, and properly).
When I was in the Arctic I carried a somewhat larger folding knife that also had a saw blade (pictured bottom). I have used the saw blade to cut through wood as large as a 2x4. While not perfect by any means, (short and stiff) the cutting blade is usable as a game dressing, muscle boning, skinning knife. My main job while in the Arctic was camp cook, so I usually had several other knives readily available; non the less, I have used the knife pictured to fillet Arctic char and had no problem in doing so with no loss of meat.

While, as previously mentioned, a light belt/hand or other axe, with up to a two pound head, can be very handy in any camping, and,or, survival situation; LARGER HEAVIER AXES which are designed for cutting larger logs in long term, and, or, pioneering, projects ARE NOT REALLY TOOLS FOR BUSHCRAFT/disaster/emergency SURVIVAL. 

Machetes are designed and primarily used to slash away heavy undergrowth. In CANADA, in a disaster, or an emergency survival situation, a much more compact and easier to carry meat cleaver (I was Cook and First -aid Man)will do almost as well as either an axe or machete.

REMEMBER, BECAUSE YOU NEED TO, AND WILL WANT TO; KEEP IT WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES; YOU WILL HAVE TO BE ABLE TO CARRY ALL YOUR EQUIPMENT.
It must be noted these “bush craft survival tools” are not toys for macho types; or for kids; who never grew up. All are very, very, dangerous-can be dangerous to human life or detrimental to survival. All are illegal to use in Canada and or other CIVILIZED counties, except in extreme emergency. All must be clearly marked during the period of use; and must be dismantled immediately after the emergency situation is over. IF YOU ARE USING ANY OF THESE TOOLS TO TRAP OR KILL GAME, UNDER THE GUISE OF PRACTISING BUSHCRAFT, YOU COULD, AND SHOULD BE, CHARGED WITH ANIMAL ABUSE, DANGEROUS ACTIVITY-POTENTIALLY CAUSING HUMAN HARM, AND SEVERAL OTHER THINGS UNDER THE FISH AND WILDLIFE ACT.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN  A "FIELD KNIFE"
First, always remember, as indicated by the following paragraph; much of the advice out there is pure bull-shit.
"What you want is a full tang knife made of high carbon steel with a 4-6" flat or convex grind drop or spear point blade with a synthetic handle. A full tang is when the knife blade extends the full length and width of the handle and is by far the strongest design. High carbon steel is stronger than stainless steel because it does not contain chrome which weakens the steel. Of course there are some amazingly strong modern stainless steels out there, so the general rule breaks down. However, high carbon is easier to sharpen in the field. The drawback is that it rusts if not kept dry and oiled. A 4-6" blade is the best all around length if you are only carrying one knife. Flat or convex grinds have stronger edges. I prefer a drop or spear point blade because of its tip strength."

Actually, a field knife or ANY KNIFE does NOT have to be extremely tough; which means- that while you will be wise to avoid certain features which could compromise a knife under duress, do not get fanatical about it.

Here are some you might want to avoid: hollow, plastic or synthetic handles, cumbersome knives with a lot of unnecessary gadgets, heavy knives, extremely thin, pointy tips (this does not include the extremely practical and useful, double edged, Commando- knives  of the First, and Second, World Wars; that gave the British, Canadian and "The Devil's Brigade"a reputation of being the best in the world), partial  or bolt tangs, serrated edges. 

1. Many synthetic knife handles are actually hollow. For a hollow handled knife, the cylinder has to be bonded, or welded, onto the blade; a bond which could be extremely weak.
2. A heavy knife is awkward, impractical, and tiresome to use--it will just pull your pants down.
3.  With a clip point or other narrow profile blade you could break off the tip; but then; the knife should not be used as a pry-bar in the first place and a narrow, flexible, blade is very useful, for dressing an animal, bird, or fish (muscle boning or filleting).
4.  Partial or bolt tangs could break the handle. But, properly used, a bolt tang will also enable the replacement of that broken handle and, the tightening of any; loose handle. 
5.  While they are somewhat easier to clean, ridged  " Sheath" knives are, primarily, "status symbols"; A quality folding knife should never fail  you, nor will you easily loose it- if -like the ridged sheath knife, it is also kept in a belt case. 
6. The edge on a hollow ground blade is no weaker than any other truely sharp edge; but, the hollow grind, while being slightly harder to sharpen,  may,ultimately, allow you to get a "keener" edge. 
7. Leather or wood handles DO NOT become slippery in the rain which is why they were the handles of choice for military knives and bayonets.
8. Leather handles are usually made with bolt tangs BECAUSE, they can  be tightened, should the leather become dry and shrink. All wood handles, no matter how hard the tree species, are susceptible to breakage but so are synthetic handles, if the knife is misused. Knives are not meant to be used as a splitting wedge or with a batton.
9. Be aware, serrated edges cannot be sharpened in the field and are difficult to sharpen at home.
10. Even a "Field Knife" does not have to be tough but if it did; there is NO noticeable difference  in the strength of stainless steel and carbon steel blades. Stainless steel is harder then carbon steel; so it will take longer, and be slightly more difficult to sharpen to a really keen edge; another but; it will keep that really keen edge longer than a carbon steel blade-one reason stainless steel in so often used in lumber mills-and why carbon steel is now virtually obsolete.

Imagine being in a survival situation without any equipment or tools except your knife.You might even be without a knife(it could and often does happen). You would probably feel very helpless.
With the proper knowledge, preparation and skills, while it may not-will not- be easy, you CAN IMPROVISE needed items. Out of necessity, you may HAVE TO fashion any number and type of tools and/or equipment.
Improvised equipment and tools may serve many purposes. They can provide a sense of accomplishment and hope. They can make life much easier and comfortable.THEY CAN ALLOW YOU TO SURVIVE. 
Improvised cutting implements, of any type, are best fashioned out of bone (from a large bird, if available) 1.quickly made, using any of several different methods 2. will handle most tcutting tasks reasonably well 3.easily resharpenable, again, by using several different methods. 4. much easier to obtain than ANY SUITABLE stone.

CLUBS
A club can have many uses. Here, we are concerned  with survival  and the TOOLS of SURVIVAL (life), not with the military or military weapons of death. We are concerned with REAL survival situations (you know, the type you are most apt to find yourself in); situations where clubs are used as a camp tool (hammer).  You hold clubs, you jab or trust with them-- you swing them(most often to drive stakes--you do not normally throw them. 
Simple Club
A simple club is a staff or branch. It must be short enough for you to swing easily, but long enough to provide some leverage and strong enough to serve the intended purpose.
Weighted Club
A weighted club is any simple club with a weight on one end. The weight may be a natural weight, such as a knot on the wood (the famous Irish shillelagh), or something added such as a stone lashed to the club. A stone with a sight hourglass shape works best. If you cannot find a suitably shaped stone, you can fashion a grove or  channel into the stone by a technique known as pecking (from the chicken or wood pecker). By repeatedly pecking the head stone with a smaller hard stone, you will eventually get the desired shape. The "tomahawk"(see illustration below), used by early North American natives, and often referred to as an axe, was really a just a club with a more, or less, sharpened striking surfaces--a stone axe is not really suited for felling trees.
There are three techniques for lashing a stone hammer head to the handle.

NOTE: DO NOT  attempt to lash and tie the head stone to the handle using knots as illustrated,(you will not be able to tie the knots or lashing near tight enough and it will come undone---whoever drew this diagram, originally, knew very little about the subject) as shown in the above diagram--use instead the WHIPPING METHOD diagrammed below. The simple or weighted clubs are the only ones practical in a survival situation

This is the same method  used to: "whip" the ends of cordage or rope, and since pre-historic times, by farmers, to tie grain or storage bags. It is also, with very little alteration, variation, or in the case of the double; addition; the very same knot that anglers refer to as a bait/egg loop, when fishing for Arctic Char, Northern  Pike, Pickerel Perch, Salmon, Steelhead; actually most any predatory fish.

The Single Bait/Egg Loop Knot is the  same knot that is used to "whip the ends of cordage or rope.

The Double Bait/Egg Loop Knot

© Above 5 images , Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan. All Rights Reserved

Note:My apologies, some of you may have tried tying this knot and run into problems. This would be because at image 3, I inadvertently neglected a step in my original instructions. TO THIS POINT YOU HAVE A BASIC, SIMPLE, WHIPPING KNOT.
BRING YOUR LINE THROUGH THAT INITIAL LOOP YOU MADE; BEFORE GOING THROUGH THE HOOK EYE; OTHERWISE KNOT WILL COME APART.  Unlike the conventional Egg Loop Knot, this knot has a bait or egg loop as part of the knot-plus the loop formed when the leader is passed through the eye of the hook the second time.(shown in image 5).

©Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan. All rights reserved.

I add two more steps, as shown above, (long leader line, now cinched controls front loop; short line the second loop-- near yellow label)which I find holds my bait better; but I know of nobody else that does so:

1. Bring leader length back and pass it under bait loop.
2. Pass it. once again, through the hook eye.

Whether you are Fashioning a axe or club, tying a grain sack, hang man's knot, whipping the end of a rope to prevent ravelling,   tying a single or double egg loop fishing knot; while, they may look some what different, at first glance, they are, basically, all the same knot.  Use them well, and for the purposes intended. Save yourself a lot of grief.

SPEARS
Like clubs, spears are used for thrusting; not throwing. In a survival situation, spears do not have  many practical uses--used mainly  for fishing. Therefore, while points may be attached, they are not really necessary and involve extra time and work better used to accomplish something else--more worthwhile.

KNIVES AND POINTS
NOTE: Some stones such as chert, flint, obsidian, or quartz can have and hold edges very much sharper than the finest steel razors but they chip or break easily. In a short term survival situation, their usefulness is not worth the labour or work required to produce them..
BARK
Bark is easily shaped and it can be heat tempered to take and hold (almost glass-- or at least about the same hardness as copper or bronze) to take and hold a keen edge. A knife made from bark can work very well for slicing--they will even cut through wood.
BONE
Bone, like bark is relatively easily shaped. Some bone, like bark, will take a very keen edge, and like bark, some bone can be further heat tempered but they are usually not as brittle and do not chip or break as easily as stone. It is amazing just how rugged and serviceable they can be.
While whale bone, if, and where, available, is very, very, versatile; generally speaking, the best bone for knives, needles, or points comes from sea birds, poultry, or the smaller animals (quite similar to poultry bones, the bones of a fox are good). Bones from larger animals (excluding horn or antler) are often softer and do not hold an edge as well.
WOOD
Like bark or bone, wood is easily shaped and can be tempered; but wood (except bamboo, which is a grass, not a true wood and is not generally available in most areas of Canada) still will not hold a keen edge. However, for most POINTS; wood is all that is really necessary.
NOTE: While in most survival situations you would not be using  arrows-when arrows are used to shoot birds and small game they are usually blunt, with no point at all-.for very practical reasons, they are easier to recover but still do the job.

FIRE HARDENING/HEAT TEMPERING
Bark bone, or wood can all be hardened or tempered using high heat. If a fire is possible, dry the blade portion over the fire (or other dry, high, heat source, hotter the better, until the bark, bone, or wood (or minerals and resins there in) actually start to melt; but do not allow the material to char,(burning,charring= oxidation)will actually break down and soften the surface of the bark, bone, or wood and render it less suitable for your intended purpose.
© Al (Alex, Alexander) D. Girvan-2012 All rights reserved