Air Force Survival Knife - Opinions?

Both the Ka-bar and the pilots survival knife are true classics and have served in so many places and hands that they really have earned a place in any collection. They really are standards by which to make comparisons.

In their own right they still do the job the were designed to do. You can spend alot more money for better knives, and they really are better, I'll grant you that. I've used these two from Canada to Paraguay and many points in between and they have served me well.

I have so many memories attached to my Ka-bar that I left it behind in my brothers gun safe when I came back to Brazil this time. It's now an heirloom.
I want my son (3) to have it some day. Mac
 
x39 said:
I think they must be mistaken, I've never seen one in stainless. The one on their site looks like a regular run of the mill AF knife.
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yeah i really doubted it was stainless. anyone know of the M-9 bayonet? is that stainless? i was thinking about buying one.
 
I have a Spec Plus
http://www.flyingtigerssurplus.com/big-id-11-shbgid-534.html

It has been used for prying, cutting wood (doesn't replace a hacksaw, but makes for a good upper body workout), and wardrobe modification. I don't have much trouble keeping it sharp and I'm lousy with a stone. (Actually, it's one of the few knives I'll touch with a sharpener. It's relatively sharp and built like a brick--so I'm not too worried.)

Edit:
My only real complaint is the loop for the lanyard on the bottom of the sheath. I used to wear it belt mounted, tied into place (on my thigh) by the lanyard but the stupid plastic ring broke.
 
skammer said:
The saw is not for cutting aircraft skins but making 90 degrees grooves in branches for trigger snare trapping. ;)

Skam
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The saw is not for cutting aircraft skins but making 90 degrees grooves in branches for trigger snare trapping. - Skam
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No kidding, I am surprised! I never would have guessed that.... in 17 million years!
Thanks,
iBear
 
x39 said:
jamesraykenney said:
P.S. does anyone have the Delux version of the AFSK?
Two of mine have the metal tipped sheath, and yes, it is definitely worth it! I think I got them from Brigade Quartermaster. By the way, the latest Cabelas Shooting supplies catalog has the AFSK on sale for $19.95, item no. XS-51-6837, and it shows the knife with the metal tipped sheath. You can probably find it at www.cabelas.com as well.
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ARGH!!!!!
I just ordered one for $30 or so!!!
Now I have to order another one for $19!!!!
How can I pass THAT price up!
Well, this way I can take the cheep one and mod it to my hearts content and still have a stock one for the collection(I do USE knives in my collection, but I do not like to modify them too much.)
The $19 one will be great for 'experimenting' on. Cabelas says it may have some 'storage' wear on it anyway.
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Storage wear means rust, dried out handle, and corroded snaps on the sheath.

I put some sno seal on the handle, steel wool on the rust, and soon will replace the snaps. It's still a great deal, sharpens up great and holds a great edge. This is one knife that I truly enjoy and don't feel bad about using hard...
 
If there is only "storage wear"on them then I'd say go for it. Mine looks a whole lot worse than what was described and I wouldn't part with it for $19! I wish I had seen this offer before I left for Brazil last month. Mac
 
mpw said:
Plus, you can hammer tent pegs without worry. Try that with a Randall...
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Try that with a Randall...
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If I ever get one, I sure wouldn't hammer with it. But, even my Khuks are way to beautiful to chop with. Soon I'll bend under the stressful pressure from Munk and chop with them.... maybe... maybe not!
Smile,
iBear
 
jamesraykenney said:
ARGH!!!!!
I just ordered one for $30 or so!!!
Now I have to order another one for $19!!!!
How can I pass THAT price up!
Well, this way I can take the cheep one and mod it to my hearts content and still have a stock one for the collection(I do USE knives in my collection, but I do not like to modify them too much.)
The $19 one will be great for 'experimenting' on. Cabelas says it may have some 'storage' wear on it anyway.
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Here is the address for that $19.95 Camillus special.
Camillus Military Survival Knife
Item Details
ITEM: XS-516837
PRICE: $19.99

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/purchase/products-found.jhtml?_requestid=24960
 
Useful little knife, had the opportunity of being a small part of the original testing and evaluation for the Marine Corps and Navy. That was back in the late '50's.

Ka-Bar (regardless of who made it) was preferred but the blade length gave an overall length just a bit too long to be comfortable climbing in and out of cockpits (or wreckage).

Marble's made all the original prototypes, and in several blade lengths, and they were beauties.

That deep fuller is of course pure Marble's Ideal, just like the Ka-Bar.

Managed to get Marble's to sell me one of the 6 inch bladed version, that I truly treasured. A few years later I gave that knife to a Navy Corpsman who I owed, big time.

Marbles refined the design, but did not get the Gov. Contract. An original Marble's is quite valuable today.

Oh, about the teeth, don't know (or particularly care what anyone is teaching about their purpose today) but the original design reason was to be used for cutting your way through the skin of a downed aircraft, those teeth are blocky because you might encounter heavier struts and braces, still aluminum but much heavier than skin.

There was quite a bit of debate at the time about making it a wood saw, and some were made up that way, but they worked poorly and tended to bind in crumpled aluminum.

Getting out of the plane was and is today absolutely the first priority!

Issue sheaths were just like Ka-Bar, fell apart in less than a year in the tropics, as you might expect. As the sheaths weakened they tended to cut the front or worse the back of the sheath, therefore the added metal reinforcing, but that was much later mid-'60's and Ontario production, IIRC.

Handy little knife, but as has been pointed out, the top guard needs to go, and the handle is a bit small and too round.

Around that time there wasn't much room in a cockpit, and fighter pilots in particular tended to be on the average to small side. The handle size is intentional.

Most of us thought the spear idea was lame, better use the knife to make a spear. But the Brass just loved the idea of being able to tie the knife on a stick, and you all knew who won that one.:)

Think they are a bargain at anything under $35 or so. Good idea (early in this thread) to pair one with a Mora, a stockman or a SAK, for the small fine control use.

Just one old Geezer's memories and comments!

Regards!
 
5knives said:
Managed to get Marble's to sell me one of the 6 inch bladed version, that I truly treasured.
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I have a six inch bladed Camillus in my collection. Thanks for the info, great post.
 
longbow50 said:
I like the blackhawk just fine, but for the money, look at the Spec Ops sheath. The difference in price between them and blackhawk is minimal and even though I don't have experience with the SO sheath, it looks like a good one with a larger pocket, which makes for more gear within easy reach. Besides, I believe they're made right here in the good ol' USA and I believe the blackhawk is an import, but my sheath wasn't marked as such.
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As I now understand,some of the Blackhawk Sheaths are made in the USA as well and some imported.The imported one's should be marked if I'm not mistaken.
 
why is tying the knife to a stick so funny? havent any of you guys played rambo as a kid? its fun to pretend your hunting corrupt cops with your moms kitchen knife tried to a tree branch, and terrorizing your neighbors aint bad either. but it does have some good survival application dont you think?
 
Has anyone actually tried tying one to a stick? I left the guard on mine for the time being, but have thought about removing it. One the one hand, it offers the knife a bit of versatility, but on the other, it's a pain in the rear sometimes. ;)
 
longbow50 said:
Has anyone actually tried tying one to a stick? I left the guard on mine for the time being, but have thought about removing it. One the one hand, it offers the knife a bit of versatility, but on the other, it's a pain in the rear sometimes. ;)
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Tied a knife on a stick?

Sure, you get a weak and poorly balanced spear. You run the risk of poking something, say Mr. wild pig, and then watching your binding break or loosen, or your stick breaks, then you have to wave farewell to your knife as it bounces down the trail, stuck about 2 inches into Mr. pigs butt.

But more to the point, if all you have going for you is your knife, you're in deep ..... ahhh ..... stuff ... yeah that's it stuff, already.

You do not want to lose control of your most valuable tool by throwing it or by "tying it to a stick". Better to use the knife to sharpen the stick, and if you can't find something to use for a point, then fire harden (not char) the stick. That way the worst thing that can happen is that you lose your stick and have to make another.

Leads to the whole area of why, in a survival situation, you have to operate as a total pessimist, "What is the worst that can happen if I do _____?"

Think that way and you will always walk around stuff, not step over or put a foot where you can't see all around it, thereby avoiding twisted ankles and dual punctures from stepping on Mr. Diamondback.

You'll also hang onto your knife, and the only thing you'll tie it to is yourself.

The upper hand-guard prevents you from putting pressure on the spine at the base of the blade with your thumb or forefinger. That would be where you want it for power and control, but with the guard in place, you can't.

The lower guard is enough (really too long, gets in the way) to keep your hand from sliding forward onto the edge if you actually found yourself stabbing something.

Sorry Folks, don't mean to sound like I'm lecturing, most of you know this stuff already ......

But you know how us old farts love to ramble on, Sorry!

Regards,

:)
 
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