I need a knife for a friend in the army

J

jwblack911

Joined
Dec 15, 2011
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710
so my good friend decided it was a good idea with a wife and kids to just join the army. he has always carried a knife since i got him hooked a few years back. but he has been using a few gerbers which all have broken tips, and a byrd that he cracked in half

but long story short i need some advice from some guys that have been through their time and have experience. i hear some guys use a strider and others buy gerber because things get stolen.

so thats where i need advice, do i get him a cold steel? or a endura? or a izula? im not sure what is most useful or what is most practical or what is even allowed so any advice would be appreciated

thanks
 
"what is allowed" is pertinent. Might wish to wait until he gets to permanent station, then he will know. Multi-blade is usually good; opening MRE's, etc. Lighter is better.
 
Sonnydaze said:
"what is allowed" is pertinent. Might wish to wait until he gets to permanent station, then he will know. Multi-blade is usually good; opening MRE's, etc. Lighter is better.
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What is allowed will be- only issued items and sometimes not even those.

The important question is what he will be doing in the Army.
 
jwblack911 said:
others buy gerber because things get stolen
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And other things get lost. And the chances of him using a knife in hand-to-hand combat against the Taliban is about 1 in 1,000,000, even if he's Special Forces. Therefore, no expensive knives or tacticlol Tanto-point knives. The extra weight and being the envy of other guys won't help him, at all. In fact, I would suggest a cheap Ka-Bar Dozier Folding Hunter ($20). Give him a small whetstone to keep it sharp and bring him to a junkyard and have him practice cutting seat-belt straps and fabrics, and you might just save his life:


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From my experience I would say a SAK or a Multi-Tool but not something expensive cause things get stolen and lost.
And as a primary blade maybe the ENLAN EL-01 it's really cheap but it's a really hard use folder.
 
Magnaminous_G said:
And other things get lost. And the chances of him using a knife in hand-to-hand combat against the Taliban is about 1 in 1,000,000, even if he's Special Forces. Therefore, no expensive knives or tacticlol Tanto-point knives. The extra weight and being the envy of other guys won't help him, at all. In fact, I would suggest a cheap Ka-Bar Dozier Folding Hunter ($20). Give him a small whetstone to keep it sharp and bring him to a junkyard and have him practice cutting seat-belt straps and fabrics, and you might just save his life:


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I couldn't agree more. This was my gateway knife that got me through my first 10 years in. It is small, light, and relatively cheap. Also easy to sharpen. I still love this knife. It will be my boys first single bladed folder once they've shown the can handle their SAK.

On a different forum I asked a similar question and the best answer I got was a Spyderco Pacific Salt serrated edge. This is the only knife I'd consider other than the Dozier. It's light, relatively inexpensive compared to equally equipped blades, and it will take a LONG time before it will ever need sharpening due to the SE's hardness. The rust proof H1 runs around 63-64 RC, meaning it is HARD, meaning it will dull slowly and it is indeed RUST PROOF.

I'd still pick the Dozier for above mentioned reasons, but the Spyderco, for the money, has better features. I'd be really happy with either. You're a good man for do doing this.
 
Do US soldiers get issued clasp knives that some others do? Im talking about basic folders with a sheepsfoot blade, an awl and sometimes a second blade or can opener. From what I have heard the quality varies but the good ones are supposed to be quite decent.
 
Kershaw Blur in my opinion will suite him well . Fast deployment . Not to expensive . Cool looking knife . Can be used as a tactical knife with great traction for grip . Good length . I like this knife a lot and I don't think you will go wrong with this one . Unless you what to spend $100 + on the knife then look into ZT .
 
I know times have changed but back in the day the Army didn't allow you to have anything that wasn't issued to you.Everything you had when you came in right down to your socks was boxed up and sent home.Right now he'd likely appreciate letters from home and a few bucks in the envelope.:)When he gets to his final duty station ask him what knives he's allowed to carry and go from there.
 
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Chris Larrikin said:
Do US soldiers get issued clasp knives that some others do? Im talking about basic folders with a sheepsfoot blade, an awl and sometimes a second blade or can opener. From what I have heard the quality varies but the good ones are supposed to be quite decent.
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Our "issued" knife is a bit different, being of the Boy Scout pattern with a large non-locking blade, a can opener, a bottle opener/screwdriver and an awl. Google-fu "Demo knife" for pictures. This isn't a general issue item and in 8 years in the Army I saw a lot of them, but never found out how to get one!

For the OP; a good, strong one handed opener or a basic Swiss Army knife (Recruit, Cadet, Huntsman) are good choices. Try not to get something too flashy or expensive - it will get lost, stolen or broken.
 
SpookStrickland said:
It's threads like these that make me wonder why there is so much Thievery in the Military?
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There just is. I got a set of issued higher end Gargoyle sun glasses stolen out of my pack out in the desert...I was kinda at a loss because these were ARMY ISSUED..all the theif had to do was go ask for some from the supply guy and get them..instead it was easier to swipe mine...Had my KaBar either stolen or lost also..not same deal this was not issued but still...never have replaced it, it was my only fixed blade knife I owned..I dont know...same deal with Cops though...Betting you would not believe how much stuff gets stolen out of your locker or the locker room....more than you think lol and makes you scratch your head.
 
You can get ZT Blem for around $100 thing I like with that for military use is the blade and knife are a lot more heavy duty...Ive almost broke the tip on my Kershaw Leek....id never want that for heavy duty use...general carry sure heavy duty NO. Id also look if you want cheaper and easily replaced but decent at the Ontario RAT. Oh and again with what your geting depending on where he is watch or check the "assisted opening" deal..I skip assisted openers now days all together cause I go into too many places I cant carry them. Oh BTW though I have no experience personally with it I DO like the looks of that recommended Kabar Dozier. Also I can say I just got one the Ritter Mini grip or standard Griptillian/mini would do well. I LOVE the thing on the Benchmade site where you can pretty much now "make your own" you can do handles,blade(materials), I think even the clips how ever you want..I got the mini for my birthday. I love it(mine was a Ritter mini grip). I wanted the "full size" but it was sold out...I still like the full size :) .
 
SpookStrickland said:
It's threads like these that make me wonder why there is so much Thievery in the Military?
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Because you have a large population made up almost exclusivly of young men and women from all walks of life, living in a very very transient lifestyle, coming and going, transferring in, transferring out, and you know that you will never see nay of these people again. With an all volunteer military, you have a very large percentage of those people coming into the military as a way out of some inner city dump, and they are used to a life of doing what ever they need to do to get by, including stealing, to where it's a habit.

It's just a bad idea to have something really nice that may stand out, while serving in the military. People come and go too much.
 
I'm going to cross into 31 years of service in a couple months, and my suggestion is get him whatever you want. He'll either use it or he won't. I've seen absolutely everything carried, and some guys use a knife, most don't. Some units have a policy, others let you do whatever works. The only constant is he can't have one until he hits his first duty station (at least).

In many cases the military will give you a knife. I have been issued Gerber, SOG, and Leatherman multitools over the years. Back when I actually had tools assigned we had both the TL-29 Electricians Knife (usually called a Mechanics Knife) and a "Scout" pattern in the kits.

I have also been issued line cutters, breakout tools, and collapsable batons. I know troops who were issued battleaxes. (Big axes left off being part of the basic load for vehicles a long time back). Bayonets were strictly to be inventoried and hurt the Suppy Sergeant more than any enemy.

In Theater you'll find everyone inclined to carry a knife uses what works for them. Last tme out I carried a 4" fixed blade and a Whittler pattern slipjoint. The pocketknife got way more use. A major I worked with carried a nice little Automatic. One of my NCO's carried a Buck. SAKs are popular.

Most Soldiers don't carry "name" knives because, just like with guns, they're not into that. Most will get whatever they can at the PX. And after hauling a BMF knife around and never using it, most put it away and done. It's not worth hauling all the stuff you don't use around.

Last, regarding theft; it happens, but not too much. First, the penalties are stiffer in the military; second, soldiers are pretty good about making sure theives are 'discouraged"; third, you learn pretty quick to secure your stuff; and last because it's usually the locals who'll take anything they can walk off with.
 
Magnaminous_G said:
And other things get lost. And the chances of him using a knife in hand-to-hand combat against the Taliban is about 1 in 1,000,000, even if he's Special Forces. Therefore, no expensive knives or tacticlol Tanto-point knives. The extra weight and being the envy of other guys won't help him, at all. In fact, I would suggest a cheap Ka-Bar Dozier Folding Hunter ($20).
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agreed, i pack a spyderco tenacious for the size and price


alot of the guys I see who pack Striders & larger knives of that sort are either construction men like Sea-Bees or blade bosters who use then to open letters or divy up an apple

Saks and leatherman are also an excellent choice
 
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