If you had to take one knife to war

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I was a rifleman (Infantry) in the Australian Army and the issued knife we carried were a M9 bayonet. We were also issued a pretty useless clasp knife. What I actually carried was, when the bayonet was not required, was firstly a SOG Seal Pup, and later a ZT 0121. Nice and small and easy to put on your webbing (belt kit). The biggest knife I saw someone carry without being laughed at and called 'Rambo' was a SOG Government. As for folders, the only knife issued only to certain units was a spyderco rescue 93mm. I personally carried a few folders, from an Endura to a Strider SNF (still wish I had that one) and a ZT0550. I still carry the ZT and have an ESEE 4 in my bag as a Part time Emergency Responder
 
If I was going back to war I'd take some of the same knives I took every other time I deployed.

Folder:
Old Timer 3 Blade Stockman (USA Made) I still carry that knife every day.

Fixed:
a custom that Ed Schempp gave me not long after I'd joined the Marines
(sorry its the only picture I have of it)
DSCN0601.jpg
 
Leftytwogunz said:
I don't know, I'd prefer my knives to cut and my rifle to shoot the bullets.

I honestly don't know if this thread is based in fantasy land or a presumed real world scenario. But a lot of these suggestions are not very well thought out. Sorry guys, but a 2 pound Busse isn't appropriate on a ship, plane, helo, armor, urban combat or any realistic scenario where you are toting guns, ammo and a belt and pack full of gear. They are nice to chop at trees in the back yard but that's about it.

Anyone who is seriously considering what knife to bring if they are entering the military or about to be deployed take particular notice of what some of the actual veterans said that they have carried in this thread and don't put too much thought into ninja swords, bullet knives or any other fantasy stuff. It also might be interesting to take note of some of the actual knives that have been issued to the military to get some ideas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_individual_weapons_of_the_U.S._Armed_Forces

When I was in I regularly toted an M-14 and it's very heavy 7.62 20 round magazines, a Beretta 92 with spare mags, armor, helmet, radio etc. Guns, gear, water and ammo is very heavy when all added up and a super heavy tank of a fixed blade just isn't realistic. If I ever had to go back I'd take an SMF in a secure MOLLE pouch.
Click to expand...

I agree
The replies that are based in real life are from soldiers that have served

My war was the Gulf War, where I was in an Israeli SAR unit using complex heavy rescue tools
Every time a rocket came over we were in gas gear and in convoy for deployment

A Camillius Demo knife and a small pair of water pump pliers was exactly what I used effectively
 
neeman said:
I agree
The replies that are based in real life are from soldiers that have served

My war was the Gulf War, where I was in an Israeli SAR unit using complex heavy rescue tools
Every time a rocket came over we were in gas gear and in convoy for deployment

A Camillius Demo knife and a small pair of water pump pliers was exactly what I used effectively
Click to expand...

Very cool. I traded an old flak jacket for one of those in very good condition, I have it in my closet, a very cool piece of military history.
Thank you for your service as well.

mwH-kWwF9g-5RnE5w9I4rJQ.jpg
 
I must say after seeing all the pics of Glock knives I want to pick up one or seven of 'em for the collection... ;);):D

Here is one knife of mine I'd happily carry; even despite the heavier weight. My much loved Busse TGLB:

16077826283_f6b9507064_h.jpg



I made some tight fitting kydex pants for it as well:

17001890685_9abfeff1ca_b.jpg
 
BUSSE TGLB for fixed.
Strider SMF for folder.
Leatherman MUT is always in the bag with a Leatherman Wingman to make an awesome pair.
 


I can't believe it... I just scored the knife I carried on my body armor when I was in Iraq, not THE exact same one but the same model. I lost it in December 2003, it came off my vest during combat. I'm very fortunate to find one over a decade after they stopped making them... in like new condition!

I would still carry this knife in combat today.

 
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No folder for me but a thin, light stainless fixed blade with a 4" pointy but plain looking utility blade seems like it would be nice...something <$100. It would need a good small kydex sheath. Preferably something with a straight forward g10 handle and a finger guard only on the edged side.
 
Anyone remember a story in Blade mag years back about paratroopers in WW2 who landed in the water and had no knives to cut themselves free? It was one of the beach landings (Omaha? or another). Some family member go every anniversary and throw knives overboard.
 
Leftytwogunz said:
I don't know, I'd prefer my knives to cut and my rifle to shoot the bullets.

I honestly don't know if this thread is based in fantasy land or a presumed real world scenario. But a lot of these suggestions are not very well thought out. Sorry guys, but a 2 pound Busse isn't appropriate on a ship, plane, helo, armor, urban combat or any realistic scenario where you are toting guns, ammo and a belt and pack full of gear. They are nice to chop at trees in the back yard but that's about it.

Anyone who is seriously considering what knife to bring if they are entering the military or about to be deployed take particular notice of what some of the actual veterans said that they have carried in this thread and don't put too much thought into ninja swords, bullet knives or any other fantasy stuff. It also might be interesting to take note of some of the actual knives that have been issued to the military to get some ideas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_individual_weapons_of_the_U.S._Armed_Forces

When I was in I regularly toted an M-14 and it's very heavy 7.62 20 round magazines, a Beretta 92 with spare mags, armor, helmet, radio etc. Guns, gear, water and ammo is very heavy when all added up and a super heavy tank of a fixed blade just isn't realistic. If I ever had to go back I'd take an SMF in a secure MOLLE pouch.
Click to expand...

Except for the limitations of what you will be allowed to carry, if you think only about the functionality of what you are bringing, then you are approaching this from the wrong end...: Fixed-blade knives are mainly morale-builders, and most elite units (and others) allow the soldier to bring whatever he likes (true, most don't choose to go over 7", probably to their detriment)...

There often isn't much in a front-line environment to cheer you up, so the advice to bring a bare-bones, functional but no-frills piece of junk (like a Ka-Bar for instance), because you really don't need anything more, isn't quite the well-considered advice it appears to be at first glance (be very much aware of on-base thieving though: I don't think anybody will care)... Note how prized are war souvenirs: Anyone who says that your basic need for some frills -and anything more than the bare bones minimum-, simply go out the window just because you're in a front-line environment, is not looking at the whole picture...

The weight argument is valid, but rather moot these days, when even APC's are air-conditionned, and everything is so heavily motorized... For a few ounces, I'd say carry the biggest blade you like that still has a thin edge bevel base, so that it cuts well: If it cuts well, it hardly matters what it is... The thinnest V-edge bevels I know of are usually Randalls, and a few of the old Al Mars (maybe the deeply hollow-ground SOG Super-Bowie is similar). Avoid the now-common convex edges that are hard to re-sharpen in the field, though they do start out very thin as well...

Gaston
 
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Gaston444: What do you mean that convex edges are hard to resharpen in the field? Just "stropping" them across a stone or rod seems to do it & you COULD always sharpen them like a scandi grind- it's just not optimum. It'll put a working edge back on it, it'll just screw up the curve of it (at least temporarily, since it seems you could just re-slope it later).
 
I´m new at the forum, then I think that this topic is pretty amazing.

Well, thinking about that (blades that I own) I would choose:
Fixed: Esee Laser Strike OR Cold Steel SRK
Folder: Manix 2 OR ZT0566

Blade that I dont own (but I will):
Fixed: Busse TGLB
 
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