Cold Steel Knives In Combat

[caine]

Never took a pic with it. no digital cam then in 2003.

 

[KenHash]

Deleted

 

[The Whip]

I haven't met all different branches of the US military in person and for sure no Seals. But the US ones which I have met and other Nato members like UK, France, Netherlands and Germany all had their pants tied above their boots. Lots of seals in the first picture don't do it. Was the picture taken off duty or are they generally a bit more relaxed with the less important stuff?Also their uniforms look like they haven't been washed or worn for very long yet. Do the new uniforms nowadays hold their colors longer , wrinkle less and stay in shape (a bit stiff) even when worn or did they all just receive new stuff, maybe even just for the photo op?

I have no idea about the cleanliness of their uniforms, but boot blousing is generally a straight-line infantry practice. Naval commandos in combat zones are not necessarily going to have their boots bloused. In that photo, you'll also note a lack of uniformity in footwear, shirts, insignia, and weapons. U.S. special operations troops are often given a wide degree of latitude in their gear choices, particularly on the front lines. I think the prevailing attitude is that if you have the fortitude and mental discipline to operate in small bands in enemy territory, you can choose your tools to get the job done.

I can see 2 knives. One is on the very right back row and one on the very left front row. I've no idea which one the 2nd one is. Also CS?

I believe it's an SOG SEAL Pup in the older generation Kydex sheath.

-Steve

 

[Jens Schuetz]

I have no idea about the cleanliness of their uniforms, but boot blousing is generally a straight-line infantry practice. Naval commandos in combat zones are not necessarily going to have their boots bloused. In that photo, you'll also note a lack of uniformity in footwear, shirts, insignia, and weapons. U.S. special operations troops are often given a wide degree of latitude in their gear choices, particularly on the front lines. I think the prevailing attitude is that if you have the fortitude and mental discipline to operate in small bands in enemy territory, you can choose your tools to get the job done.



I believe it's an SOG SEAL Pup in the older generation Kydex sheath.

-Steve

Thank you Whip.

The blousing they told us was to help keep chemicals out but maybe that was made up and they just wanted to protect the pants from mud thorns and fraying, or simply to show off shiny boots.
Thinking about it, maybe even too much, I can see how letting a camouflaged pant leg hang over the usually single colored boots might help you not being spotted when lying in position.
And you are right, I also noticed the better one gets the more they let you get away with.

The kydex sheath looks not bad. Way better than that floppy Nylon contraption which I have.

 

[LEGION 12]

A few more.

SGT Martinez. Sorry, couldn't find one in which he's holding the Hatamoto.

82nd Airborne paratrooper holding his Frontier Hawk in Afghanistan.

Female Marine wearing her SRK in Afghanistan.

Green Beret loadout, including Recon Tanto (camouflaged, above Endura).

-Steve

That's a Fort Turner hawk. http://www.fortturner.com/store/endorsements.htm

 

[The Whip]

That's a Fort Turner hawk. http://www.fortturner.com/store/endorsements.htm

Whoops, my mistake! That photo came up at least twice when using "Cold Steel" in the search parameters. Man, Google and Bing have become horrible search engines within the past year!

Good catch there, LEGION 12. I appreciate the correction.

-Steve

 

[LEGION 12]

No problem I just remembered seeing it before .

 

[Colt6731]

I took an old school Tanto and a SRK on my first tour to Iraq in 2004-2005 with the US Army. I also gave one of my battle buddies my Recon Tanto before we left on that tour. We were in 161 INF, 3rd BCT, 1st Cav. I carried that SRK all over the place and don't have one pic that you can see it. My 2nd tour in 2007-2008 I carried both a Strider VB and a Strider EB-T and left the Cold Steels at home.

 

[The Whip]

Another Green Beret who chose to go to war with Cold Steel. This one elected to carry a Trail Master.

_____________________________________

The SEALs sure seem to appreciate Cold Steel, too. This one's wearing a first-gen Spike.

Happy Easter to all!


-Steve

 

[average gimp]

I know that there's also the video testimonial by 82nd Airborne SGT Joseph Martinez, who killed a would-be terrorist in Iraq with his Hatamoto. I'd like to include his video, but I don't know how to embed them. Perhaps someone else with the know-how could do so.

Done.

[youtube]zCbSUox3W84[/youtube]

 

[The Whip]

Done.

Awesome! Thank you, average gimp! That story is worth re-telling, and now people can hear it for themselves outside of the Proof video.

-Steve

 

[farmer ted]

I took an old school Tanto and a SRK on my first tour to Iraq in 2004-2005 with the US Army. I also gave one of my battle buddies my Recon Tanto before we left on that tour. We were in 161 INF, 3rd BCT, 1st Cav. I carried that SRK all over the place and don't have one pic that you can see it. My 2nd tour in 2007-2008 I carried both a Strider VB and a Strider EB-T and left the Cold Steels at home.

I was in 3rd ID, followed you guys in 2005. I had been given a SOG Desert Dagger to take, but we were told we couldn't take fixed blade knives, just had our Gerber multitools, weren't even issued bayonets. We took a commercial flight to Kuwait, at the pre-flight briefing the stewardess told us we couldn't take any knives on the flight as we're sitting there with our rifles

 

[willc]

I was in 3rd ID, followed you guys in 2005. I had been given a SOG Desert Dagger to take, but we were told we couldn't take fixed blade knives, just had our Gerber multitools, weren't even issued bayonets. We took a commercial flight to Kuwait, at the pre-flight briefing the stewardess told us we couldn't take any knives on the flight as we're sitting there with our rifles

That is a bit strange you couldn't take a knife on that flight.
My old unit took a commercial flight to Germany and I had an M16 between my knees and my .45 in a shoulder holster and no one said anything about knives.
I think I just had a Tinker and a little Gerber EZ Out at the time though, my bayonet was in my duffel bag I think.
Even in 1987 I thought it odd carrying weapons on a nice looking jumbo jet.

 

[Spartan00]

I haven't met all different branches of the US military in person and for sure no Seals. But the US ones which I have met and other Nato members like UK, France, Netherlands and Germany all had their pants tied above their boots. Lots of seals in the first picture don't do it. Was the picture taken off duty or are they generally a bit more relaxed with the less important stuff?Also their uniforms look like they haven't been washed or worn for very long yet. Do the new uniforms nowadays hold their colors longer , wrinkle less and stay in shape (a bit stiff) even when worn or did they all just receive new stuff, maybe even just for the photo op?

I can see 2 knives. One is on the very right back row and one on the very left front row. I've no idea which one the 2nd one is. Also CS?

They are lax on that kind of stuff. Older story I read about when ST6 was just up and coming and someone was wanting to show them off to this admiral.

Admiral walks into a bar and says he sees all these men with long hair, big beards and just really "unkept men" is the term I believe he used.

Man turns to the admiral and says this is ST6 and admiral looks at whoever and says in the US navy? Looked disgusted and walked out. That may of came for marcenkos book, not sure.

 

[Jens Schuetz]

They are lax on that kind of stuff. Older story I read about when ST6 was just up and coming and someone was wanting to show them off to this admiral.

Admiral walks into a bar and says he sees all these men with long hair, big beards and just really "unkept men" is the term I believe he used.

Man turns to the admiral and says this is ST6 and admiral looks at whoever and says in the US navy? Looked disgusted and walked out. That may of came for marcenkos book, not sure.

Lol. I can imagine that kind of scenario. :-D

Maybe its a time issue as well? When thinking back, all this stuff like parading, shoe polishing, shirt folding, tank engine polishing and what not was either there to teach discipline or keep us busy. If one doesn't waste time with these less useful things I'm sure there's more time for better training.

 

[J W Bensinger]

I can vouch for Big Army being weird about taking blades on the charter aircraft they moved us around in-when we came back from JRTC (9-11 happened while we were in the box) we were supposed to stow all cutting implements (ha!) and same coming back from kosovo in '02-our families had to wait an extra five hours to pick us up because some private's bayonet (which is for some reason a sensitive item like a weapon or NODs) went walkies in the hold of the plane.
They're also weird about blade length in some cases-I carried a 7" field knife I made when i first got to Drum, but they had to be 6" or less, so I went with an srk. Good knife.
While I don't doubt that a recon tanto will penetrate an AK mag, I do kinda question whether youcould apply that much force quickly enough without just shoving the dude back-that's a lot of acceleration under very challenging circumstances.

 

[J W Bensinger]

More pictures of SEALs carrying Cold Steel. Perhaps they trust the brand because of their exposure to the SRK during BUD/S?

Not the best photo, but the SEAL on the far right is wearing what looks to be a Safe Keeper II.

SEAL carrying a Safe Keeper III. I believe these guys are with SEAL Team Six.

-Steve

That top photo is of 12" action figures. Not trying to be a douche...but I don't know any tier one guys who would be caught dead with their finger in a triggerguard in a hooah pic. Dude on the far right has his finger in the guard. They're all weirdly stiff too. Like I said, not trying to be a douche but it's kinda obvious if you look close

 

[Sidehill Gouger]

I can vouch for Big Army being weird about taking blades on the charter aircraft they moved us around in-when we came back from JRTC (9-11 happened while we were in the box) we were supposed to stow all cutting implements (ha!) and same coming back from kosovo in '02-our families had to wait an extra five hours to pick us up because some private's bayonet (which is for some reason a sensitive item like a weapon or NODs) went walkies in the hold of the plane.
They're also weird about blade length in some cases-I carried a 7" field knife I made when i first got to Drum, but they had to be 6" or less, so I went with an srk. Good knife.
While I don't doubt that a recon tanto will penetrate an AK mag, I do kinda question whether youcould apply that much force quickly enough without just shoving the dude back-that's a lot of acceleration under very challenging circumstances.

Some years ago I tried to stab a combat knife from a well known ABS Mastersmith through an AK magazine. I broke the point and the maker was not happy! AK magazines are normally sheet steel, not aluminum like ours. It would take some serious stabbing to go through one (was it loaded? that adds another factor) and still have enough force to penetrate the guy behind it. Sorry, I would have to disbelieve the story.

 

[The Whip]

That top photo is of 12" action figures. Not trying to be a douche...but I don't know any tier one guys who would be caught dead with their finger in a triggerguard in a hooah pic. Dude on the far right has his finger in the guard. They're all weirdly stiff too. Like I said, not trying to be a douche but it's kinda obvious if you look close

Evidence? Are you sure you're not thinking of this photo, which is definitely of toy dolls?

If your assertion turns out to be true, I want to know where I can buy a toy soldier wearing a uniform that has a miniature Safe Keeper II attached, as that would be quite cool! Cold Steel must be REALLY popular with SEALs if the toy makers are adding its knives to their SEAL action figures!

Some years ago I tried to stab a combat knife from a well known ABS Mastersmith through an AK magazine. I broke the point and the maker was not happy! AK magazines are normally sheet steel, not aluminum like ours. It would take some serious stabbing to go through one (was it loaded? that adds another factor) and still have enough force to penetrate the guy behind it. Sorry, I would have to disbelieve the story.

Yeah, I don't believe that one, either. I'm sure that a Recon Tanto will punch through an AK magazine, as Cold Steel has demonstrated that feat in the Proof videos with several models. But through a full (or even empty) mag on a vest with enough force to kill the guy wearing it? Um, no.


-Steve

 

[J W Bensinger]

Evidence? Are you sure you're not thinking of this photo?

If your assertion turns out to be true, I want to know where I can buy a toy soldier wearing a uniform that has a miniature Safe Keeper II attached, as that would be quite cool! Cold Steel must be REALLY popular with SEALs if the toy makers are adding its knives to their SEAL action figures!




Yeah, I don't believe that one, either. I'm sure that a Recon Tanto will punch through an AK magazine, as Cold Steel has demonstrated that feat in the Proof videos with several models. But through a full (or even empty) mag on a vest with enough force to kill the guy wearing it? Um, no.

-Steve

Look really carefully at the guy on the far left-foot position (he's on the edges of his boots-who stands like that) and some of the body positioning. The dude with his finger in the triggerguard is the big tell-no self respecting infantryman does that-let alone tier one guys. Dude would be a laughingstock.
Compare the masks too.
I think the Malaysian guy who did them sculpted a lot of that gear, but you can get a LOT of 1/6 scale kit on ebay.