Deployment with a BK10?

L

Lawrence Helm

Joined
Jul 24, 2014
Messages
328
Having been an engineer for just about half of my 80 years, I don't like to leave a subject until it is exhausted and so, having found Becker knives, I'm not willing to stop buying them until I have everyone that I think I need. I have the BK2, two of them in fact, and sheaths that if they aren't great are at least serviceable. I have a BK7 which I tend to think I'll hike with more often than the BK2, but I am awaiting delivery of a custom sheath from Skystorm late next month. The BK16 is down in a range already covered by knives I'm happy with, such as the 3/4 sized USMC Ka-Bar. I can't justify the BK11 for hikes. Besides, I already have a Ka-Bar Heavy Bowie.

So just yesterday I took a hard look at the BK10. It stands up to all the tough-stuff Youtube reviewers like to do. Its a bit lighter than either the BK2 or BK7 and might be more comfortable to take on a hike. It is I'm quite sure much better than the Schrade SCHF10 which I looked at as carefully as I could on another thread and found wanting, as anyone can read if they have doubts. I'm not having any doubts about the BK10. At first I didn't like the point, but the idea of it is growing on me. One reviewer went into detail about how the BK10 could be used as a weapon. The point was excellent for that he asserted and demonstrated by thrusting the knife repeatedly into a tree. At this point he recommended the knife to those about to be deployed overseas.

I mentioned in another thread that when I was about to be deployed to Korea during that war, we weren't issued any knives but were allowed to bring our own. I went to a knife store, asked advice and came away with a Case hunting knife with a bone handle (this was in 1952); so the idea that Marines and others about to be deployed to the Middle East today are choosing to take along BK10s intrigues me. Does anyone know anything about that?

Lawrence
 
In all honesty, as long as you have some sort of sharpened edge somewhere on you, you'll be able to tackle 90% of what you need to - the vast majority of people aren't going to be knife fighting or batonning their way through a Rambo movie. That being said, it's nice to have that option.
 
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calc said:
In all honesty, as long as you have some sort of sharpened edge somewhere on you, you'll be able to tackle 90% of what you need to - the vast majority of people aren't going to be knife fighting or batonning their way through a Rambo movie. That being said, it's nice to have that option.
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Calc,

You're misreading me, but I was probably ambiguous. I frequently am. Yes, I do hike regularly and yes there are potential hazards where I hike, but I'm not worried about them and in fact am more worried about my wife's schnoodle, Duffy (relative to coyotes) than I am about myself. I carry a Walther 22 to scare off the coyotes. Occasionally they are persistent -- but wouldn't want to shoot one -- all things discussed on other threads. No, I am really curious about whether modern Marines and Soldiers are, as I was back in the USMC before being deployed to Korea (in 19520, invited to bring their own knives and if some or many are taking the BK-10.

Lawrence
 
Have no Idea about deployment but I love the BK-10.

Well I hated the clip point and wanted a better woods knife so I dropped it.

Heres my baby:
59DD295A-A1D0-4F93-9A90-AA986D011328-3644-0000026316E20CC7_zps510de6e8.jpg


After some use:
2259d77e4d635735a70d9acae0d914a6_zpsd803c990.jpg
 
Lawrence Helm said:
No, I am really curious about whether modern Marines and Soldiers are, as I was back in the USMC before being deployed to Korea (in 19520, invited to bring their own knives and if some or many are taking the BK-10.

Lawrence
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Ah, I understand. There may be a few, hopefully someone who knows will chime in.
 
I Googled the subject and found some people say you could bring your own knife -- most said yes as long as it wasn't something outrageous like a sword. I found this site where a guy was given a knife with a 14 inch blade by his grandfather and wanted to take it on deployment just to be able to tell his kids one day that he took his grandfather's knife into battle. The responses he got were interesting. The biggest danger seemed to be having the knife confiscated by Customs when trying to take the knife home: http://terminallance.com/forum/index.php?topic=5502.0

Given the things I read, I would imagine someone could take a BK10 on deployment. There may not be anything written down in the regulations, but if someone had something like this in his locker box, it would pass for personal gear. I can't imagine it being confiscated. As I mentioned I took a hunting knife with a blade as long as the BK10 to Korea and home again -- don't remember going through Customs however.

Lawrence
 
GSO1962 said:
Murph has deployed with one, and it seems I read in one thread that he got "up close and personal" with it on one occasion.

This thread may interest you.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/982947-Beckers-Not-a-Military-Thing?
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Thanks! I think your referenced thread provides the answer, especially the quote on page 2 of the thread from Ethan Becker --I assume it is okay to quote him -- hope so:confused:

Actually there are two Beckers with National Stock Numbers (NSN's) the Campanion Bk2 SG and the Tactul BK 3 SG with the SG standing for Special Government......The BK 2 is partially serrated as per military request.......The Army quit buying them after Camillus went tits up and never got back in the habit.....l.

Military personnel private purchases are a big part of our business actually and this makes me damn proud.......Very proud indeed........

The Seven was designed specifically to "modernise" the venerable marine combat or KaBar ......I did this at the request of Will Fennell who was new products guy at Camillus back then.... the Combat Bowie was very loosely patterned on a knife designed by Bill Moran for then NRA pubs writer, editor Ken Warner when he wanted an 'Any thing, Anywhere blade when he went to Vietnam as an NRA correspondent.........Americans have been carrying big Bowies to war since the Mexican War and, with good reason.......They are hellatiously useful camp and field tools and if ya gotta stick somebody they will do the job.....

All Best.....

Ethan


Lawrence
 
GSO1962 said:
Murph has deployed with one, and it seems I read in one thread that he got "up close and personal" with it on one occasion.

This thread may interest you.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/982947-Beckers-Not-a-Military-Thing?
Click to expand...

True, to an extent. I deployed with a BK10 my second tour of Iraq. Up close and personal was carrying it through the assault on Fallujah. I didn't use it for any hand to hand. It was basically my utility blade. I still have that knife and it's one of the few knives I don't have in regular use anymore. It's still plenty worthy, I just don't want to lose it. Mine was a Camillus version. I had a Ka-Bar BK10 briefly, but gave it to a buddy before actually using it. He needed a real knife and I knew the BK10 could handle it.

We had a pretty generous policy regarding personal gear, at least in the field. If we did a battalion hump or run we were all uniform. I carried a various assortment of personal gear like knives, web gear, etc. Most Marines didn't get much into personal fixed blades though. Mr. Helm, a BK10 would fit right in overseas and do a fine job in most any role.


Semper Fi!
 
When I deployed, I bought and carried a Ka-Bar tanto. Loved that knife, trusted my life with it. I recently found out about Becker knives and the 10 was my first. I would have carried this knife in a heartbeat and my Company would have allowed it.

odLgJTB.jpeg
 
Murphnuge said:
True, to an extent. I deployed with a BK10 my second tour of Iraq. Up close and personal was carrying it through the assault on Fallujah. I didn't use it for any hand to hand. It was basically my utility blade. I still have that knife and it's one of the few knives I don't have in regular use anymore. It's still plenty worthy, I just don't want to lose it. Mine was a Camillus version. I had a Ka-Bar BK10 briefly, but gave it to a buddy before actually using it. He needed a real knife and I knew the BK10 could handle it.

We had a pretty generous policy regarding personal gear, at least in the field. If we did a battalion hump or run we were all uniform. I carried a various assortment of personal gear like knives, web gear, etc. Most Marines didn't get much into personal fixed blades though. Mr. Helm, a BK10 would fit right in overseas and do a fine job in most any role.


Semper Fi!
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Murphnuge,

Great story, thanks. I was in the Korean "Police Action" eons ago but am reminded regularly that the Marine Corps was such a strong part of my education, first High School, then the Marine Corps, then college. Even today I notice things I do as having been influenced by the Corps, and opinions I have, which I might claim are the results of independent thinking, very often are ideas I developed (or were developed for me) in the Corps. I got out with the rank of Buck Sergeant, a rank that was discontinued for some reason -- seemed like a good rank back then though.

Someone asked to see my Case hunting knife on the General Gordon as we sailed to Japan (in those days we sailed to Japan and were flown to Korea on DC-3s). He didn't put it back in right and cut my sheath. Later at some point one of the scales came loose. One of my kids wanted it years later so I gave it to her. It wasn't in the same ball park with the BK10 I'm sure, but it wasn't a bad knife and one tends to remember knives one has become attached to.

Lawrence
 
I believe it depends greatly on your MOS and your C.O.

My brother in law is in the Marine Corps and has a great deal of latitude in what gear he carries. But ultimately in all comes down to the C. O. If he/she ain't on board with your choice, it ain't happening.
 
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rkmoore said:
I believe it depends greatly on your MOS and your C.O.

My brother in law is in the Marine Corps and has a great deal of latitude in what gear he carries. But ultimately in all comes down to the C. O. If he/she ain't on board with your choice, it ain't happening.
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Yes, I think you're right. My company C.O.s were always cool with gear, even the one we had that was a total tool. Our battalion C.O. was awesome. I was 0311 so it may have been MOS .


Added a pic, my BK10 that I carried overseas. Tradewater took this picture at the Spring gathering.

 
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my cousin is in the AF and will be going soon on his 3rd trip to the sandbox. I gave him a 17 to take with him, he said it shouldn't be a problem and that he will strap it to his pack.
 
Murph also had a BK4, but that's another story...

the bk10 is plenty worthy :D
 
I deployed with a SOG seal pup and got rid of it 2 weeks in. I carried a BK2 or BK7 every day. I received a BK10 while deployed and it stay in my chu.

photo.php
 
Lawrence Helm said:
I Googled the subject and found some people say you could bring your own knife -- most said yes as long as it wasn't something outrageous like a sword. I found this site where a guy was given a knife with a 14 inch blade by his grandfather and wanted to take it on deployment just to be able to tell his kids one day that he took his grandfather's knife into battle. The responses he got were interesting. The biggest danger seemed to be having the knife confiscated by Customs when trying to take the knife home: http://terminallance.com/forum/index.php?topic=5502.0

Given the things I read, I would imagine someone could take a BK10 on deployment. There may not be anything written down in the regulations, but if someone had something like this in his locker box, it would pass for personal gear. I can't imagine it being confiscated. As I mentioned I took a hunting knife with a blade as long as the BK10 to Korea and home again -- don't remember going through Customs however.

Lawrence
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US Customs wasn't the problem. It was US Navy Customs coming out of Kuwait that was the problem. My Benchmade AFO auto ended up in the amnesty bin even though I had a letter from the commander, and other sure-fire means/proof to ensure I could legally possess such a knife and carry stateside. It was in my checked in duffle bag. They did not care one bit and would not clear me or my gear out of country on a military only flight until I gave it up.

No amount of permission will keep the knife in your possession when you reach Navy Customs. You can take it in, but you cannot take it out. You will need to mail it home before you leave (if its even possible to do that these days, check postal regs and laws before) or my recommendation...put in it the unit connex to be shipped back.

Ultra high end Tomahawks (such as RMJ hawks) given by unit commanders to troops as a Awards (not meant as weapons) were also confiscated. This may have changed now, but when I was there nothing remotely resembling or perceived to be a weapon went through.
 
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