A few questions for longtime military owners/users in the woods.

S

SuzukiGS750EZ

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Dec 30, 2008
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Hey guys. I'm sure you know the love for the military that I have. I mainly use my military around the house. This is my first knife in S30V and i feel like i haven't pushed the limits of it yet. Normally it will be used to cut open taped packages, cut line for the weed wacker, beak down cardboard, open plastic bags, etc. Since I EDC it mostly, i want to know how far i can push it without damaging it. I just took it apart today for the second time since i've owned it and cleaned it all out, lubed it and loc tited it. What i normally do that i would like to consider using the military for is whittling in the woods, maybe slashing off a few branches/prickers. Cutting fishing line. Ya know, woods stuff. I have a fixed blade that I use in the woods, but in the off chance i randomly find myself in the woods with my military, i want to know what i can use it for. A pet peeve of mine is getting the knife disguisting and having to strip it down to clean it. The reason i don't like doing this is because this is mostly when bad things happen. As organized and careful as i am, accidents do happen. On the other hand, i would like to be able to soak my knife and clean it that way, but i'm afraid water behind the liners or elsewhere that i can't get out won't escape and will sit there for a few days. I know to be careful with the tip, so that shouldn't be considered in use. Thanks guys! I love the look of the black blades all worn and the clips, hoping mine will eventually look like that.
 
It's a well balanced steel. I've used mine to clean a bunch of fish, deer, and some whittling without any problems. I even let a friend borrow my Military while fishing, and he used a hunk of rock as a cutting board. No real damage at all. I remember reading a jungle review of the Military from someone from RAT Cutlery before they started producing knives, and it was a glowing review. Avoid heavy prying with just the tip and it should be fine.

Also, with the Millie's open design it should be easy to rinse the blood and guts out without taking anything apart.
 
I like to hold mine with my ring finger on the rear handle swell and my pinky finger hanging off or resting against the handle and hack away at thorns and vines that are in my way. Holding it like that makes the knife "blade heavy" and really gives you some power. Also i landscape every day and even when my pocket is so full of grass and dirt that the liner lock barely engages, all i have to do is rinse it out and shake it a few times, and its absolutely fine. The military is a beast.
 
I've stabbed mine through drywall at work. When I've run RG6/Cat6/Cat3 cables, they are all in one junction box. I mark the drywall where the jbox will fit in, and start scoring. Worked welland kept somewhat of a useable edge.
 
I like to drop an S90V blade in a Ti Military handle. Fewer parts, more corrosion resistance, more wear resistance on the edge, and a stronger lockup.
 
tiguy7 said:
I like to drop an S90V blade in a Ti Military handle. Fewer parts, more corrosion resistance, more wear resistance on the edge, and a stronger lockup.
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Wouldn't there be a problem with putting a liner lock blade into a framelock as far as the lock interface is concerned, or have you already done this? If so how was the lockup?
 
S30V is perhaps my least favorite of the modern steels, but for whittling in the woods (which I have done extensively with the Military and Paramilitary) it works quite well.

Good luck on the worn black blade look...I have been working mine pretty hard off and on for over a year now and it still looks pretty black except the edges of the spine which are getting a little silvery.

 
Aren't the black coated S30V blades supposed to be a point or 2 softer than the uncoated blades? I think just about any knife should be able to whittle wood and chop briars without worry. I would only worry about custom blades that are run really hard and ground really thin as they might chip some while whittling if you twist out of the cut.

Just go use the knife and don't pry with it. You will get all kinds of answers asking about everything a knife can handle. The best way to figure out what knives can handle is to go out and use them and pay attention to how they behave.
 
Sal has put to rest both rumors about the ti frame lock being stronger, and the coated blades being a lower hardness. Truth is, with the nested liners in the G10 and the stee liner lock, it's just as strong as the frame lock but lighter.
 
the military works great in the woods. any wittling it will do great in that aspect s30v is amazing with wood in my experience. honestly i think s30v is one of the best steels to use when cutting wood. it performs very well. again thats my opinion. like others have said obviously no prying, if you need to pry get a pry bar or screwdriver etc etc. the military will handle many woods tasks, no prying/battoning etc.
 
Sorry, but how can you get the knife "disgusting" if you never use it for anything a box cutter can't do? I almost thought your post was a joke at first until I saw people were earnestly responding. My advice, use the knife for what it's designed to do, cut stuff. It's a freaking tool.
 
Because my other folders have had fish slime, animal stuff, built up sap, sand, wood dust, etc. Normally I disassemble them.
 
unit said:
S30V is perhaps my least favorite of the modern steels, but for whittling in the woods (which I have done extensively with the Military and Paramilitary) it works quite well. (Just a suggestion,try sharpening your S30V blade to an angle of 15 degrees and see if it becomes your favorite blade steel.)
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The only problem I've had with mine has been in sand. Got some really fine grit in the tang/lockbar interface, and had to take the whole knife apart to get the lock to disengage. That was in Kuwait, though, so it's not likely to be an issue outside of a desert environment.
 
unit said:
S30V is perhaps my least favorite of the modern steels, but for whittling in the woods (which I have done extensively with the Military and Paramilitary) it works quite well. . . .
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I completely agree about S30V. It is a decent steel but it's also my least favorite. Just don't like the way it seems to lose the super sharp fresh off the stones edge rather quickly, although as many have said, it holds a "working edge" for a fairly long time.
 
Nothing to worry about. Hot water shower when you get back to civilization to get the sap, guts and mud out. Then spray it clean with WD 40. I find that the new smart straws "foam" up really well to get into everything. Then lube your pivot, wipe it down and you're good.
 
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