A knife for my military son

You might also consider the Cold Steel American Lawman in Coyote Tan, an excellent sized and tough knife

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Thank your son for his service.
For a fixed blade, the Buck Vanguard

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or Cold Steel Master Hunter would also be good choices, and well within your budget

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as would the SOG Seal Pup Elite

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and one of these would be mighty handy
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Lapedog said:
They actually make a Leatherman tool designed for cleaning and maintenance of m16/m4 type rifles. There probably is not a better tool for someone going into the military. Most times I hear they just end up leaving the fixed blades behind because either they are too bulky and heavy for not enough use benefit or they have a commander who will not allow them to take them with them.

The tool is called the Leatherman MUT
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This Leatherman Mut and a Cold Steel Recon 1 Folder would be a nice.
The Recon 1 is a Nice Folding Knife with a great feeling Handle(Design is perfect for my big hands, no slip) and Good size Blade(4in). You should be able to get it with Serrations as well.
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I believe some Military units have actually carried them before?

For Fixed if you need to go that route, the Cold Steel SRK (SK5 Blade) is also a Tough knife as well.
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These are just a couple Cold Steel knives that came to mind, others have posted great knives from other manufacturers also!
Hope it’s easier on you too choose with the help here!

Thank your Son for his Service!
 
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Fallkniven F1. Compact, but big enough to be versatile in the field. Stainless VG-10 blade, so he doesn't have to worry about rust. VERY easy to carry on a belt, or vest. It disappears. Can be had for less than $100 if you shop around.
 
I would recommend TRC M-1, the knife designed for military and approved as NSN item...
Right size (maybe a little on bigger side) but tough and reliable for sure...

Full tang with ELMAX steel and Kydex sheath.
Take a look here: TRC M-1

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Steven Jealouse said:
Hello all,
My son is about to commission into the US Army as a Field Artillery Officer and Id like to buy him a knife as a present when he graduates. Something durable and useful for when he is in the field and the day he eventually deploys. I know little about knives but I am thinking of some sort of fixed blade given its inherent strength? Should it be a multi purpose knife that can do anything, or should it be more focused and then he have a folder for smaller tasks?
Im open to advice. If im going down the wrong track let me know.
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You may try Emailing the guys at Spartan Blades. The owners are both veterans. Their knives are top notch. Being that your son is going into the service they may work something out with you.
 
There are many reasonably good knives and a lot of them are very affordable. Pick the knife best suited for the purpose and learn to KEEP IT SHARP.
 
Your son is going to be an officer and in a field where he's not going to be walking anywhere. Artillery is transported by trucks, and he's not going to be a grunt. A nice multi use folder like a SAK will do very well, as would a basic Leatherman. He'll have about as much use for a fixed blade as a trombone. I spent 10 years in the army engineers before being medically discharged because of injuries sustained on active duty. This period included a tour in Vietnam with the 39th Combat Engineers, 1967-68. Never once did I need a fixed blade. They issues us the Camillus made MK2, but they got shoved down in a duffle bag and never carried.

What did get the ever lovin dog poo used out of it was the issue M-lk-818, also called the 'demo' knife. This was an all steel scout knife type of pocket knife, and it was so highly thought of, you cold trade one in Saigon for a case of "33" or some other things that we don't need to go into. SAK's were also highly prized and the Buck 110 for sale at the PX for all of 12 dollars was carried by ever single swinging Richard in fatigues. Stateside, the Camillus scout knife was till widely used.

Your son will likely never need a fixed blade, but he'll use the heck out of a Leatherman or SAK. If they had Leatherman's back when I was in, I'd have had one for sure! He won't need to be hacking on anything because his men will have shovels and axes in the platoon tool chest on the truck for clearing set up sites for the artillery. That's what enlisted men do. Your son will be giving orders to the ranking NCO, and not doing grunt work himself.

Get him a good quality small pocket size flashlight. It doesn't have to have a zillion lumens, just be able to find his way to the latrine in the dark without breaking his neck, or to read a map in the command tent figure out where the rounds need to go. Or find something in his foot locker at night without turning the lights on. A small single AAA that can be hung around his neck on a lanyard and tucked in his shirt will do.

A set up like this will do well and be able to be carried all the time. It will go unnoticed in his pocket until needed.

Don't over think it.
 
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jackknife said:
Your son is going to be an officer and in a field where he's not going to be waling anywhere. Artillery is transported by trucks, and he's not going to be a grunt. A nice multi use folder like a SAK will do very well, as would a basic Leatherman. He'll have about as much use for a fixed blade as a trombone. I spent 10 years in the army engineers before being medically discharged because of injuries sustained on active duty. This period included a tour in Vietnam with the 39th Combat Engineers, 1967-68. Never once did I need a fixed blade. They issues us the Camillus made MK2, but they got shoved down in a duffle bag and never carried.

What did get the ever lovin dog poo used out of it was the issue M-lk-818, also called the 'demo' knife. This was an all steel scout knife type of pocket knife, and it was so highly thought of, you cold trade one in Saigon for a case of "33" or some other things that we don't need to go into. SAK's were also highly prized and the Buck 110 for sale at the PX for all of 12 dollars was carried by ever single swinging Richard in fatigues. Stateside, the Camillus scout knife was till widely used.

Your son will likely never need a fixed blade, but he'll use the heck out of a Leatherman or SAK. If they had Leatherman's back when I was one, I'd have had one for sure! He won't need to be hacking on anything because his men will have shovels and axes in the platoon tool chest on the truck for clearing set up sites for the artillery. That's what enlisted men do. Your sone will be giving orders to the ranking eco, and not doing grunt work himself.

Get him a good quality small pocket size flashlight. It doesn't have to have a zillion lumens, just be able to find his way to the latrine in the dark without breaking his neck, or to read a map in the command tent figure out where the rounds need to go. Or find something in his foot locker at night without turning the lights on. A small single AAA will do.

Don't over think it.
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I've never served due to being born with too many bones in my feet and the pain makes it very difficult to march and all. That being said... J jackknife seems to know his stuff. I already made my suggestion but that is from the outside looking in. I appreciate his service kind sir!
 
I rarely needed a fixed blade but, used the snot out of a folder during my enlistment.

First, set him up with a SAK. Say, an Alox Farmer or Pioneer from Victorinox. They are about as close to a "demo" knife as you will find anywhere; plus, they are easy to sharpen. Both are very lightweight and take up little room. The Farmer offers a saw and the Pioneer gives you a panel to engrave his name. FWIW, the Pioneer is the civilian version of the Alox Soldier model, issued to Swiss troops from 1962 through 2008.

Second, a decent locking folder is a given for any soldier in this day and age. Any good Spyderco should work nicely, as would a Benchmade Griptilian or Cold Steel American Lawman. Ontario offers both the RAT and the Utilitac series of knives. Any of these knives should work well for anyone in uniform.

With the Vic SAK and a modern locking folder, you have a suitable knife for any field or garrison environment. Just add a flashlight and multi-tool of some sort and your set.
 
He'll never use a fixed blade knife. I suggest a multitool and/or an alox Swiss Army Knife --- Victorinox Farmer. Don't assume he'll be issued a multitool. That is entirely unit dependent, and as an officer he may be expected to provide his own (again, unit dependent).
 
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leghog said:
He'll never use a fixed blade knife. I suggest a multitool and/or an alox Swiss Army Knife --- Victorinox Farmer. Don't assume he'll be issued a multitool. That is entirely unit dependent, and as an officer he may be expected to provide his own (again, unit dependent).
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Agreed. Chances are, he'll never use a fixed blade. I can only remember wanting a fixed blade over a folder once, maybe twice, the whole time I was in (1976-2002).

As for multi-tools, I remember when they first came into the system. The old non-locking, pre MP600 Gerber. Remember those?
At the time, my unit issued them by MTOE and MOS. Of course, I was not issued one. I thought they were pretty cool though.

Today, I can't picture going anywhere without a Leatherman Wave or a Gerber MP600 nearby. Normally, I have one in the Jeep and another with the SHTF gear.
 
I also carry a Benchmade AFO II and I love it. It’s a great knife and I’ve had it since 2003!
 
Serving the United States he deserves a made in the USA knife.
 
Beyond just some generic tool, something a little special and not likely to be broken would be the Cold Steel stainless SRK, or, with a stronger tip but discontinued, that flatter and more discrete CS Tanto series that ranged from the 6" Kobun to the 7.5" Oyabun (even up to 9"). Now these, with the nicer non-plastic sheaths, are nearing $200 or more on Ebay. I find the Oyabun grip much flatter than the SRK, and yet it is swelled just right: It is a uniquely pleasing to hold grip. It is thinner edged and thus sharper than a regular CS Tanto, but not weak. The older ones have a laminated plastic-leather "combination" sheath that looks luxurious, won't scratch yet also won't lose its shape (due to the plastic lamination). Tantos are very appropriate to prying containers and puncturing them, and many in the military carry them (as they do the Cold Steel brand in general). No Metal in the handle means no conductivity and a very light weight: Under 8 ounces.

The Japanese made stainless ones look very beautiful, without being garish once sheathed.

Gaston
 
Or buy a USA made knife for a USA service person,
 
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