Iraq & Afghanistan faves?

T

tangstamp

Joined
Jun 29, 1999
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What are the folding knives preferred by the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan? Thinking of picking up a new EDC. Thanks.
 
I carried a Benchmade 522 Presidio Ultra when i was in Iraq. When i got it the thing was razor sharp and I managed to cut my finger wide open while on mission...no big deal! Anyways I really like the axis lock feature that it has and it makes for one hand opening and closing, plus a very smooth opening even in the sandy enviorment.It keeps a good edge that will last a while. I would highly recommend it...good knife for a good price.
 
benchmade griptillian too, if you loose it your not out a fortune. i always carried a multi tool to.

cricket
 
I'm interested to see what guys are carrying in theater. I'm headed to Afghanistan in a couple months... Woohoo...
 
I carried a Spyderco Millie while I was in Afghanistan. It'll be going with me next trip too. Along with a few others.
 
Not a folder but worth consideration.

PA110041.jpg
 
Ha. I was gonna suggest a SAR4 or a boss jack but seen the "folder" statemet by the op. Nice ESEE though.
 
Leatherman or gerber multi tool, it's kinda all you need. There are no baddies to stab (unless you're doing something wrong, really screwed up, or you are a super secret fantasy commando) or fire wood to split.

Lots of MREs to open, zip ties and rope to cut, and various crap to pry open.
 
My Millie played a big roll in food prep. We bought goods from the locals, and me being one of the few knife guys was tasked with most of the cutting chores in making dinner.
I used my ESSE 4 for investigating IED's, and cutting blocks of C-4, and whatever else tough chores needed to be done. I was very happy with this combo. And to be honest my Leatherman Wave barely got any action.
 
BTW if you're thinking about a fixed blade I would go with a ESEE, they also have a great mil discount if you order through them.
 
I was in Iraq last year (Camp Anaconda, Balad), and I don't think anybody really carries "tactical" for defense purposes any more than the regular civilian at home does. They carry for the same EDC purposes as most other people; opening packages and whatnot. The most popular knives seemed to be whatever was readily available in the PX. At Camp Anaconda, that was mostly Benchmade, Gerber, and CRKT. Same stuff the average Joe carries back home. Really no difference at all. In fact, I've seen more civilian's here at home carrying more tacti-cool stuff than the guys in Iraq carried.

Lots of Gerber multi-tools, too, by the way.
 
A buddy of mine did a tour in Iraq a few years back. He carried THREE cold steel spikes. Yeah, three at once. He also carried an M16 A2 AND and M14. Along with full ammo load out for both rifles. They wouldn't give him a pistol Haha.
 
OK, this isn't even hard. get a ZT mudd blem from kershawguy. you will not be able to kill the thing unless you take it apart. besides, it is kind of an axis lock.
 
I carried a Case Seahorse Whittler slip joint. Three blades beat one, especially since the smaller blades have more utility. I've carried a bunch of other stuff too, but for any kind of outside the wire it was usually a fixed blade. I found a clip on "tactical" knife just dead weight that gets stuck hooking on to stuff it doesn't need to.
 
thegeek574 said:
OK, this isn't even hard. get a ZT mudd blem from kershawguy. you will not be able to kill the thing unless you take it apart. besides, it is kind of an axis lock.
Click to expand...

+1 Gave one of thes to my buddy when he went to Afghanistan he came back a few months ago, he's back at his job as a canadian border guard and still has it in his pocket.
PS when it first came back it was still covered in afghan dirt and still opening like butter
 
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