Current Military and Law Enforcement Knives

sabre cat said:
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IIRC, the fixed blade was what we knew as a Pilot Survival Knife and had a hexagon pommel.

The funny is that both of these knives are becoming collectibles.
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Yes, made by Camillus


GIRLYmann said:
we should probably add...
knife-jpg.jpg

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/steel-...cial-pocketknife-supplier-to-us-army/43322670
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There we go. That's the kind of info I'm looking for :thumbsup:
This is pretty recent, 2017, and it's a option for enlisted to buy, not necessarily issued. Neat that U.S. is stamped on it. And it appears to be a Victorinox stock item rather than a made-to-order knife from a branch of service.




tgtodd said:
SMF1.jpg


NSN #1095-01-531-5015
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Any more information on this Strider?
Branch of service or time period?


So far it sounds like LEOs don't get anything issued.
I have seen some YouTube videos with LEOs praising the Ka-bar TDI "Law Enforcement Knife."
I guess it's something they have to buy on their own. Interesting that it's named a law enforcement knife.

KA-1482 by D P, on Flickr
 
marcinek said:
Pinemoon Pinemoon , you "liked" the idea that they might get SOG Seal Pups and CS SRKs. Get one of those. Liking certain knives is rarely about reality.
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Yeah , I "liked" the reply because it had some information. I'm not looking to buy anything. This thread is about discovering if military innovation still drives some of the latest offerings from our knife manufacturers.
 
Ye
comis said:
I think the same model is currently in use for Swiss Army, and probably German Army as well. I have seen many branches of police and military around the world has its insignia printed on this same model, but not sure they are 'issued' to those branches.
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Yes, it appears other countries forces are using it
From the article:

Many other armies around the world, including those in Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore and Norway, already use the knife, officially called a “Knife Combat Utility”. Its features include a wood saw, tin opener and various screwdrivers.
 
I retired from the Army after 22 years.

Usually knives/multi-tools were issued only as part of a unit deployment and not as a soldiers usual issue items. Sometimes though, there would be a MOS that had some different tools, etc and a knife may be included.

Multi-tools are mostly issued now. Usually a Gerber and usually a one-handed opening 600 series. Sometimes something more specialized would be issued if necessary (for example an engineering unit might get the ones with the blasting cap crimpers whereas the scout unit might get the standard 600).

Knives I had issued to me were of varying models and makes usually purchased and issued by the unit. I received a ton of Benchmade Griptilian, Gerber 06 auto and some various different brands. Again...usually this was the supply sergeant and maybe the commander picking something. If they were a knife person...you might get something cool. If not, it probably sucked.

Here's a few things to remember:
1) most soldiers when I was in didn't give a rats hoot about things that makes us salivate here on the forum. Knife steels, blade grinds, etc...they don't care. Soldiers typically buy cheap, abuse them, lose them, buy again. It WILL be used to pry, scrape, etc. They'll probably never be sharpened.
2) Super steels are a PITA to sharpen for a soldier. On more than one occasion I sent knives back home while deployed because I didn't have the opportunity or time to properly sharpen one. Sounds like blasphemy here on the forum...lol.
3) Expensive knives grow legs and walk away. That $300 knife you wanna buy for your nephew's graduation from basic training and AIT? don't do it. The greatest thieves in the world are privates in the military.
4) depending on your unit, fixed blades may not even be authorized. Just because it's got an NSN, it doesn't mean its authorized. Its totally up to the commander and their policy. This is especially true in garrison. My last unit I was in was a combat arms battalion on a TRADOC (training) post. The garrison commanders policies were specifically geared to the AIT students in school. (no knives in barracks, etc). This caused us a ton of headaches because we had to follow those policies. Our battalion commander tried multiple times to get a permanent party policy letter/exemption, but the garrison commander wouldn't budge from her policies. (we were authorized to carry multi-tools so thats what we carried).
5) whatever the PX carries is usually what soldiers are buying.

hope I've helped
 
Gideons said:
Says right on the handle... MCSOCOM DET 1 which was a pilot program in 2006 to form a Marine Special Operations unit. This was the program that created the United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strider_SMF
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Very helpful and interesting, thanks.
The first USMC unit-issued knife in 60 years.
Looks like 300 were produced, half for the unit, half for the civilian market. There's one of the originals on the bay for $3,200 right now.
Can't tell for certain, but the civilian Strider SMF looks to be out of stock/production. Here is a modern knife with military roots, and might be one of the most current examples, we'll see.
 
Jocephus1 said:
I retired from the Army after 22 years.

Usually knives/multi-tools were issued only as part of a unit deployment and not as a soldiers usual issue items. Sometimes though, there would be a MOS that had some different tools, etc and a knife may be included.

Multi-tools are mostly issued now. Usually a Gerber and usually a one-handed opening 600 series. Sometimes something more specialized would be issued if necessary (for example an engineering unit might get the ones with the blasting cap crimpers whereas the scout unit might get the standard 600).

Knives I had issued to me were of varying models and makes usually purchased and issued by the unit. I received a ton of Benchmade Griptilian, Gerber 06 auto and some various different brands. Again...usually this was the supply sergeant and maybe the commander picking something. If they were a knife person...you might get something cool. If not, it probably sucked.

Here's a few things to remember:
1) most soldiers when I was in didn't give a rats hoot about things that makes us salivate here on the forum. Knife steels, blade grinds, etc...they don't care. Soldiers typically buy cheap, abuse them, lose them, buy again. It WILL be used to pry, scrape, etc. They'll probably never be sharpened.
2) Super steels are a PITA to sharpen for a soldier. On more than one occasion I sent knives back home while deployed because I didn't have the opportunity or time to properly sharpen one. Sounds like blasphemy here on the forum...lol.
3) Expensive knives grow legs and walk away. That $300 knife you wanna buy for your nephew's graduation from basic training and AIT? don't do it. The greatest thieves in the world are privates in the military.
4) depending on your unit, fixed blades may not even be authorized. Just because it's got an NSN, it doesn't mean its authorized. Its totally up to the commander and their policy. This is especially true in garrison. My last unit I was in was a combat arms battalion on a TRADOC (training) post. The garrison commanders policies were specifically geared to the AIT students in school. (no knives in barracks, etc). This caused us a ton of headaches because we had to follow those policies. Our battalion commander tried multiple times to get a permanent party policy letter/exemption, but the garrison commander wouldn't budge from her policies. (we were authorized to carry multi-tools so thats what we carried).
5) whatever the PX carries is usually what soldiers are buying.

hope I've helped
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Thanks for chiming in. That was helpful, esp the insights on culture, thieves and such.
Yeah, beginning to see that what I'm looking for is deployed infantry issue. Gotta still be something on the belt, pack or pocket that's issued, right? I mean yeah, they got firearms, but :poop: happens. Guns jam, or you wanna be covert, etc.
What are they carrying?
 
Pinemoon said:
Thanks for chiming in. That was helpful, esp the insights on culture, thieves and such.
Yeah, beginning to see that what I'm looking for is deployed infantry issue. Gotta still be something on the belt, pack or pocket that's issued, right? I mean yeah, they got firearms, but :poop: happens. Guns jam, or you wanna be covert, etc.
What are they carrying?
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As said deployed infantry soldiers don't get issued knives in case their guns jam or they need to silently deactivate a sentry.

They get multi-tools that are used to clean their weapons so they don't jam.

Some job descriptions have them carrying shears if they're a medic or a knife if they're an engineer and need cut small stuff to do bigger stuff.

Sometimes you'll see commando style folks with a knife tucked in their gear but there is no standard.

The only military unit that honestly comes to mind that regularly carries blades other than bayonets are the Gurkhas.
 
AshesFall said:
I heard a few years ago that the US Navy Seals were carrying the SOG seal pup fixed blades, also the US Marines used the Cold Steel SRK fixed blades in training. I can't personally say this is true though because it's only what I've read, but it would make sense to me with those 2 being very durable combat style survival knives.
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My supervisor's brother is a SEAL trainer. I asked him a couple of years ago if he could ask his brother if the trainees get a knife; a couple of days later he told me he called his brother and he confirmed that both the CS SRK and SOG Seal Pup were issued for training. Don't know if they keep them or are recycled for upcoming classes, didn't ask.
 
Pinemoon said:
Thanks for chiming in. That was helpful, esp the insights on culture, thieves and such.
Yeah, beginning to see that what I'm looking for is deployed infantry issue. Gotta still be something on the belt, pack or pocket that's issued, right? I mean yeah, they got firearms, but :poop: happens. Guns jam, or you wanna be covert, etc.
What are they carrying?
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You may be better off asking what someone carried (and why) than what was issued.

Issue gear is always cool especially if you know the “why” behind the choices made but, the “why” behind personal carry items can be much more interesting.

My NSN marked Griptilian is something I have no plans to part with because of it’s versatility. My CRKT Prowler, on the other hand, is a piece of garbage but, it reminds me of many fond memories in uniform.

If I had to sell one to put food on the table, the Benchmade would go first.
 
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Pinemoon said:
Thanks for chiming in. That was helpful, esp the insights on culture, thieves and such.
Yeah, beginning to see that what I'm looking for is deployed infantry issue. Gotta still be something on the belt, pack or pocket that's issued, right? I mean yeah, they got firearms, but :poop: happens. Guns jam, or you wanna be covert, etc.
What are they carrying?
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Admittedly, I've been out a long time but I spent a fair amount of time deployed and I trained and worked a lot with the Army and some with the Marines. Aside from bayonets, it was largely unit or more commonly, individual specific. I got though the overwhelming majority of field time with an M9, basic Leatherman (didn't have so many options then) and little Buck 425. The M9 saw very little actual knife use and was more of tool than anything. I used the 425 a bunch! I secured it to my belt with some gutted 550 cord that I rolled up into my pocket. Belt end had a loop so easy enough to get off if the length wasn't sufficient.

We did a lot of smaller unit tactics (squad size) but if you're doing anything covert with a knife, you're either in serious doo doo or you're not a run of the mill ground pounder. That is a nightmare scenario. I want overwhelming numbers and superior firepower. Them special boys can do the ninja stuff. ;)
 
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Danke42 said:
...Some job descriptions have them carrying shears if they're a medic or a knife if they're an engineer and need cut small stuff to do bigger stuff...
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I used my shears and aidbag more than I ever used my knife.

The 12Bs that I worked with would trash pretty much any gear you gave them, especially knives.

If I had to do it again, I would carry a better pair of shears, better flashlight, multi-tool, and a better quality stethoscope.

I would also add a small strap cutter to my LBE but I am not sure what knife I would carry. Probably something not to costly.
Gear gets lost or stolen easily.
 
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Graduate from SF school and along with your Green Beret they hand you a Chris Reeve Yarborough.

They used to issue them anyways. Now though, grads can buy one.
 
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Yes if you're looking to join up and wondering what unit you want the Recruiting Sergeant to put you down for make sure to pick one that gets a cool knife issued.
 
Velitrius said:
Graduate from SF school and along with your Green Beret they hand you a Chris Reeve Yarborough.

They used to issue them anyways. Now though, grads can buy one.
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That’s my understanding. I did get a chance to do a little work with SF (nothing exciting, just some support for ranges during an FTX) but they never said anything about knives. And I did not know enough to ask.
 
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Well I heard from guys I know that served the army that whoever had a knife - had his own knife.
From cheap Chinese stuff through Cold Steel to Boker and Fallkniven.
SRK and Ka-Bar were frequent I heard.

I also might join the army this year. Most likley just pass initial training and not go further to make it my full time job (unless I really like it LOL).
I'll probs take my SK-5 Recon Tanto with me. It's large, easy to sharpen and serves me good, but most important - it's cheap :D

I also heard that some units do get knives given to them. German KM2K knives to be exact. And I also heard they aren't that happy with them.
 
I retired from law enforcement in 2008. We were not issued any knives, but most of the officers I worked with (including myself) carried knives that we purchased ourselves. I carried a Spyderco with a serrated edge. I also carried a Cold Steel push dagger tucked between my gunbelt and magazine holder.
 
6 years in the US Army followed by 28 years as an LEO and I was never issued a knife or multi tool of any kind. In the Army I often carried a Buck 112 and as a Cop I carried a variety of knives, basically whatever i felt like carrying.
 
Wow, a lot of drivel has been spewed in this thread already! I'll start by verifying some assertions about Cold Steel and SOG.

U.S. Navy SEALs (along with many other U.S. special operations and other frontline soldiers, as well as some allied troops) are issued and privately purchase Cold Steel knives, as evidenced in my thread here:

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/cold-steel-knives-in-combat.1365808/


U.S. Navy SEALs (along with many other U.S. special operations and other frontline soldiers, as well as some allied troops) are issued and privately purchase SOG knives, as evidenced in my thread here:

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/soldiers-and-their-sog-knives.1616050/


Pinemoon, I find this topic very interesting, as well. The problem is, your questions get asked fairly frequently, with the same smattering of answers, half-answers, anecdotal answers, and non-answers. The people with a lot of knowledge on the topic have stopped bothering to respond. Plus, entire books have been written about the subject, with a lot more facts, details, and verifications than you're going to find here.

From my own studies, I can tell you that just about every major U.S. knife manufacturer has had a military procurement contract for some of its knives at one point or another, including:

Cold Steel
SOG Knives
Benchmade
Mission
Spyderco
Emerson Knives
Gerber
Buck
Case
Camillus
Ontario
Ka-Bar
Colonial
Strider
Hogue
CRKT
United (Smith & Wesson)


There have also been plenty of unit procurements made with these companies. Individual unit procurements also occur with lots of smaller suppliers. A few examples include:

Winkler Knives
Mad Dog Knives
Ox Forge
Ernest Emerson (customs)
Chris Reeve
Microtech


As for law enforcement, the answers are almost as varied, though contracts are almost never used. Small-batch procurements with most of the major companies tend to dominate. And it's often specialty and tactical teams doing the buying.


-Steve
 
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