Gift for USAF

[Bare Rib]

Esav
שָׁלוֹם and thank you for your thoughts. Any SAK model recomendations? What model(s) did you carry?

Just a suggestion:

If you want to be REAL nice, get a small Sebbie and have initial put in it by CRK.

Bernie

Bernie I wish I could be that nice! Heck I can't even afford to be that nice to myself.

Like I said he's not a knife guy (yet) so it really would be something for practical "duty" purposes. Do you have anyother recomendations that might be in the $100 and under budget?

But I do love the idea of getting it engraved thank you.
Besides his name any other good ideas as to what I could have engraved on it that would be signifigant to an Airman--enlistment date maybe?

Also, since you are still active do you know if where you are stationed there is an audio visual engineering/editing department? If so would you be able to do me a huge favor and ask any of those folks if they have found a useful edc for there specialty?

Once again thank you all for you help in this matter, it means alot to me.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

I only carried small SAKs then, like the Cadet. I really like my Victorinox Ranger now. It's not all that small, but it's the smallest SAK I know with saw, file, and scissors, along with the usual screwdrivers, and bottle and can openers. Carried underneath or vertically next to a wallet, it becomes invisible.

It's got the right mix of tools for personal grooming, light repair work, or a day in the woods or the garden. Plus a couple of others that will keep him thinking trying to figure out what they're for.

 

[BWindham]

BR

There is an AV shop here but:

I have to tell you this. There is a suprisingly small group of people in the Air Force and believe it not, in the Army that I have met who are into, much less carry an EDC item of any type with the exception of maint/eod troops who carry leathermans and they are issued items, if its issued you are expected to carry it.

If they need a knife/flashlight they usually seek out folks like me who they know always have one.

If they deploy they think that Benchmade or Gerber is the "end all, there is no better" because that is what is issued. I am not knocking those brands, I LOVE my BM Auto Strykers/dont care for Gerbers (not made in America).

My point in this tirade is this. Get him a small quality folder with a brand name like Benchmade or Spyderco. I say this because the uninformed public recognize this brand as the best and therefore will attach a little more care in its well being (you say he is not a knife guy).

Get a knife that YOU would carry (I never buy a gift that I wouldn't want myself). Have it engraved with his initials at the least, if at all possible you could have the AF logo put on it (that would be cool I think). I bet he will love it and carry it when and where he can even if he doesn't use it at work.

The warranty and lifetime sharpening of these brands works well with those folks that don't know how themselves.

Might I make another suggestion to think about. When deployed, and eventually he will deploy, there's pretty much no way out of that anymore, a good light is a necessity. During my last deployment I might have used my knife a dozen times in 6 months but I went through alot of CR123 batteries in my Surefire 6P and Surefire E1L (going to the latrine, shower, power outages, don't want to wake roomates, ect).

No First Shirt/Commander in the world would ever say they couldn't have it in the dorms. You don't have to worry about it being confiscated at the airport or removed from your checked luggage because you can bring it on the plane with you.

I hope this helps....

Bernie

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Might I make another suggestion to think about. When deployed, and eventually he will deploy, there's pretty much no way out of that anymore, a good light is a necessity. During my last deployment I might have used my knife a dozen times in 6 months but I went through alot of CR123 batteries in my Surefire 6P and Surefire E1L (going to the latrine, shower, power outages, don't want to wake roomates, ect).

Bernie

Good thinking. New stuff out there now ... I just got a G2L (and Surefire also came out with a 6PL). The original G2 put out 65 lumens for 1 hour. The G2L puts out 80 lumens for 12 hours. The 6PL has a comparable increase in performance. Saves on those CR123s.

 

[nodh]

I was in the AF in -91 as a communications tech, did six month in Bosnia in -01 as an asst CJ7/ computer asst. and are now a civ. computer tech. In 91 I had a SAK, in -01 I had a LM PST, a Mini Maglite and a Fallkniven F1 and now I use a LM Fuse, a Fenix P3DQ5 and a Fallkniven U2.

My suggestions for a useful gift that he might use alot is a LM multitool and a flashlight. The old Wave or the new Fuse, nothing too heavy and the Fenix P3D Q5. It has variable light output. It can outshine a SF and also almost glow. It takes the same batteries as SF and use a LED instead of a bulb. Since he has a "desk job" a fixed blade will most likely not be used alot. a multitool and a good light does not offend anyone.
The tool I used most on my multi in Bosnia was the screw drivers. I did carry a F1 but the LtCol thought it was too big in the HQ. I had an S1 attached to my west but it was just looked at, never used.

So, a not too heavy multi (with Philips screw) and a light that works well (not necessary possible to outshine the sun).

With a SF you might also need a cheap keyring LED for those times when you just need to see a meter in front of you or so. If it is really dark even a 1 bucks LED will light enough to see where to put your feet and at the same time your friends dont think the BOMB has gone off from the sudden light.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

With a SF you might also need a cheap keyring LED for those times when you just need to see a meter in front of you or so. If it is really dark even a 1 bucks LED will light enough to see where to put your feet and at the same time your friends dont think the BOMB has gone off from the sudden light.

I have an Inova X5 along with my Surefire E2. It's about the same size, is practically indestructible, has 5 LEDs but isn't blindingly bright and uses the batteries from the old Surefire after they are too low to light that up. Now with the Surefire LED lights, I don't know if there will be any power left for the X5 after they're done with the batteries.