Battle Blade(s), which one and why?

[Fallschrimjager]

I've had more than a few, looking for the"ultimate" knife,it's out there somewhere. Now, depending on my mood or the mission I'm stuck between my Randall #14 and my newest addition,a Strider WB for fixed blade. For pocket/folder I'll go with my Swiss Army and Cold Steel 4" folder.
What do you use?

 

[mwinter]

having never been a soldier, my dos cents on a battle blade might not be worth 2 cents....

however...
for use as a defense blade i believe that relies heavily on the training/experience of the user. i know there are many durable, high quality utility knives that would work well as defensive knives...but many purpose built 'social' knives simply dont work well when used for light prying, digging and chopping out in the weeds.
From personal experience in law enforcement, camping, and emergency work, I can recommend the Becker line---durable, good sheaths, and well thought out designs.
Also, Cold Steel--the larger stainless tanto designs are very robust and versatile.
Strider----absolutely excellent.
Gerber--BMF and LMF...expensive but very durable.
folders---I have several Spyderco and Benchmade models....i don't ever want to rely on a folder for anything but emergency utility work and concealment...I'll always pack, grab, or carry a fixed blade if given the option.

 

[OwenM]

I just wish I'd had knives like my Busse Basic #5, and BM 710HS back when I was in (1/325 AIR).

 

[crecy]

I agree that given the choice it's fixed blade all the way. I have a 7" Randall #1 that I like a lot. Also an integral hilt 6" 52100 ball bearing steel drop point made by a local ABS knifemaker, Ed Schempp. Love the way it moves. A 6" Ruana Jr. bowie that was made and signed by the old man himself is my emotional favorite though. My partner on many journeys.

For everyday I like my Benchmade Emerson tanto on a fob. I keep a CRKT PECK in the other pocket for little jobs.

Keep searching, (and if you find that ultimate knife don't let anyone know, they might not let you buy any more!!)

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Si Vis Pacern Parabellum
Semper Ubi Sub Ubi

 

[glockman99]

Fixed-blade:

Cold Steel Recon Scout
Cold Steel Stainless Tanto

Folder:

Cold Steel Ex-Large Gunsite
Cold Steel Ex-Large Clip-Point plain Voyager

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Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
glockman99@hotmail.com
ICQ# 53675663

 

[bruce]

Not to insult your intelligence or typing skills but, unless you did so on purpose, it is spelled, "fallschirmjager", i before r.

I've enjoyed my Randall #14 but have recently fallen in love with a Mad Dog ATAK Hunter for military carry.

Bruce Woodbury

 

[Fallschrimjager]

I before R, I'll have to write that down somewhere. Couldn't be my typing skills or lack of,It only takes about a hour a page.
Guess I'll go re-register.
OwenM-do you keep in contact with any of your Red Falcon's,you know where there going?
Give a call back to Bragg.

 

[vector]

Personally, i prefer a fixed blade 6-7.5 inches and a multi-tool. I won't carry a folder in this case 'cos the sand and dirt might damage or even ruin the pivot and locking mechanism. SOG Seal 2000 would be the likely choice since i've used it before and it works great. Mutli-tool would probably be a Leatherman.

 

[Sergiusz Mitin]

Battle blade, hmmmm...
Let me ask with whom you are going to have blade-to-blade battle in modern war?

As to me if I would be soldier (now I'm not but I have some experience in this matter) I would choose as light knife as it is possible. SPYDERCO Bill Moran Featherweight, Fällkniven F1, BENCHMADE Nimravus or GERBER Yari would be among my very first choices.

Don't believe me? No problem! Please come to the start of 6-kilometer field run with full soldier's equipment and GO!

[This message has been edited by Sergiusz Mitin (edited 01-27-2001).]

 

[Quarterstaff]

Cold Steel SRK and Cold Steel 4 inch clip voyager. Both are relatively cheap and common enough to be beaters. Also easy to replace. A multi-tool such as the LM Supertool would also be on the belt b/c its usefulness.

 

[Burke]

Hey, how smart is someone who jumps out of planes anyway?

 

[Fallschrimjager]

The way I look at it is like this, I if am a
Cop, Constuction Worker, Hunting Guide...what ever,I want the best I can find and afford. A pro at what ever he does should search out the best that suits his need. For the Construction worker that means spending some hard earned $ and buying the best equipment so it wont break when he needs it most.
Buying light weight knives just to save a few ounces will set you up for failure at the worst time. Now I'm all for keeping my kit as small as possible,but I wont skimp on survival items if they are proven to me and I know they won't fail me.
Blade to blade combat,talk to your Commrads serving in Kosovo about the amount of knife wounds over there. Mostly local ethnic violence,not against "Peacekeepers" but there has been some bladework over there. As far as short, fast movements with full kit or long medium,slow ones, it's just a matter of training.
When the recruter said something about Airborne I thought I was going to fly a plane or something like that,I said yes and next thing I know I'm up in a plane and someones pushing me out.......

 

[Velitrius]

As a card-carrying FAA certified Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic and veteran with vast experience in working on military aircraft, I can affirm that there is no such thing as a perfectly good airplane. On the flip side, there are no perfectly good parachutes, either. Toss a coin... in or out, it's a fun ride.

If we are talking about street battle here, I run for it. Sorry to be of no help there. If I were being drafted back into the service, I would order a custom blade from whichever mastersmith around here had the shortest waiting list and the biggest pile of 52100. If they wanted me on the boat tomorrow, I'd have to grab a Marine Combat Knife from Camillus down here at the store.

Biggest knife battling I do nowadays consists of me, the wife, and the checkbook.

 

[OwenM]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Fallschrimjager:
OwenM-do you keep in contact with any of your Red Falcon's,you know where there going?
Give a call back to Bragg.</font>

Haven't been in touch with anyone there in about 7-8 years, maybe more. Noone to call

If they've been called out, the call would just get redirected to a switchboard where someone tells me "No, he's not here. Neither is he. No, I don't know when they'll be in." That's what happened last time I called during a callout, anyway. Same thing two weeks later. Always wondered what was up, since drills were usually overnighters.

To tell the truth, most of our guys were cheese-dicks and buddy-f'ers, IMO. Maybe I was just in the wrong company. Still miss the jumps and being in the field-always liked Camp McCall, though (and yeah, the road marches, too).
Ever have an air-mobile get screwed up, and then have to hump back from Sicily after running around all night? Sucks.

I think back then, I had a SAK, a SOG Pentagon, and a Ka-bar. Used the SOG's serrated edge for cutting honeycomb when rigging HMMV's for jumps (11H). Other than that, the SAK did most of the little stuff. I was actually surprised at how little I needed a large knife, but always thought it best to have one "just in case".
Adding a SAK or Leatherman to the Busse and BM 710 I mentioned above...
Owen

Burke, it beats walking! Besides smart or dumb doesn't matter. When it's time to GO!, you've been geared up for so long without being able to take a pee, you'd jump without the chute. Securing your weapon is the second thing you do after hitting the ground

[This message has been edited by OwenM (edited 01-28-2001).]

 

[Burke]

I'd rather be the chute packer than the guy who wears it. That way you don't ever hear any complaints.

 

[Karsten]

Hallo Fallschirmjäger,

your name is German origin, it is spelled "Fallschirmjäger".

Greetings from Germany,

Karsten Schlüter

[This message has been edited by Karsten (edited 01-28-2001).]

 

[dogboye]

Never having really needed a battle blade, since I've never been in, I don't know how little I could get by with. So, I would probably go for the toughest, meanest fixed blade that I have seen, that being one of the Striders. Don't know in particular which one, but most likely an MT. Although for absolute worst case, probably a BT. I figure that I would break long before that thing did.

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I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts. -- John Steinbeck
Dog does not eat dog. - Juvenal

iktomi

 

[Mr_Joshua]

The STRIDER is definately a good choice. I can tell you positively that they have been tested time and time again in real world combat situations, and in real bad guys. My favorite is the WB, but the MT and BT are both excellent knives.
As to the comment about modern war not requiring the use of Knives as weapons; ammunition is not unlimited, your extract bird may get shot down and you may find yourself surrounded by Sommalis, are you going to give up? Or are you going to gut as many as you can before you get wasted?
Also, silent sentry removal is still an active concept in warfare, and you may not have a supressed weapon.

S/F

out

 

[Fallschrimjager]

When you get deployed to a no-sh*t zone or your in the middle of an alert where there are no time outs allowed. This is not the time to wish you had spent the extra money and bought the best you could. I've always been a little warry of the other guy who would rather freeze or do without than spend some money on his profession. Training is to teach you how to do the right things at the hardest times,it's also there to show you what works for you and what doesn't. Issue boots gave you blisters, spend some money and buy some Danners. Issue web gear fell apart and could have been better thought out,spend some more and buy Eagle or SOE. Issue Pilots "Survival" knife went dull just looking at it(I didn't see one of these"survival"knives at S.E.R.E school)and don't even bring up that thing they call a Bayonet,thats right spend even more and buy yourself a Strider (WB,MT...)or a Randall or whatever high quailty knife you can afford and it fits your needs. Once you kit is up to your standards and works for you rather than against you would be suprised how much better off you'll be. Becouse once the sh*t starts it's too late for any crying.
It's funny,the same guy that would question me on why I pay what I pay on my equipment(knives,boots,nylon) is the same clown who always in the field says he wishes he had some those or one of these. To each his own. Mr Joshua...your arm please

 

[Mr_Joshua]

Not the damn lighter again. Now my hair won't grow back.