Knife for a Soldier

AusLoX

AusLoX

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I want to get my cousin, a new boot(marine), a solid fixed blade. I was thinking something in m4 or 3v but I'm not sure if it's a good idea to go with a non-stainless. Suggestions?

Pics, specs, and any info.

No budget.
 
Without a budget, it is gonna rely on whether or not you think your cousin will want or have time to maintain it. Really it doesnt take much for a carbon steel, but still.

Look at Entrek, they are extremely well made, and though they are 440c, Ray Ennis knows what he is doing. I reviewed one and beat the crap out of it and it took it with pride.
If you think he needs something more "tool like", look for something with a rubber or plastic handle, such as scrapyard knives or most coldsteel models.
 
People really seem to like they're Becker bk## knives which are considered to be like sharpened pry bars, so maybe check them out. ( if he's a marine, then what about a kabar mk2 combat utility knife, they've been used by millions of soldiers since ww2 ) and I would think they've become a tradition by now.
 
No budget?
Get him a Busse, or a Survive!
Or something custom; bigchris here on the forums has a good reputation and following.

Quality non stainless should not be an issue, especially for a military giy, where proper equipment maintaince is an integral part of the lifestyle.
 
I personally like fixed blades that are carbon steel with some type of coating. Check out TOPS apache, screaming eagle. Blackjack knives are great too.

If you feel like gandering, check the knifemakers market on the forums. A lot of very talented crafters here, and a majority of them will do something custom for a fair price too.

Only recommendations beyond that are, g10 handles, and it needs to have some type of hilt on it. A friend of mine served in iraq and lost 2 fingers when he had to use a knife in close quarters and when the blade impacted his target his hand slid off the handles and on to the blade.
 
strategy9 said:
No budget?
Get him a Busse, or a Survive!
Or something custom; bigchris here on the forums has a good reputation and following.

Quality non stainless should not be an issue, especially for a military giy, where proper equipment maintaince is an integral part of the lifestyle.
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I was thinking Busse. I have a KA-BAR and TOPS. Another one I was thinking is the benchmade nimravus or the fixed Adams? What about Winkler? Thoughts on those?
 
photo.jpg
 
What about Eee? An Esee 3, 4, or 6 would be better than good, and not cost a fortune. Plus a no questions asked warranty.
 
Winkler makes some real nice knives too... All great choices.

I love my Kabars and ESEE is a great company, TOPS as well, but to be honest, if someone was getting me a gift without a budget in mind, I would much rather take a Winkler, Spartan, Hazen, Busse, etc... I mean, knives I most likely wouldn't buy for myself any time soon due to finances and such. The others make fine knives too, they cut just fine, and are certainly more budget friendly, but as a new boot, your cousin can easily afford any one of those for $100 or less hisself, where he can pick which one suits him best as a "beater" if he so chooses, so I say, if you are in the position to financially, and are intending on getting him a nice knife for a gift, and money isn't a huge deal up to a few hundred bucks, then why not buy him something truly a step above in design that he may never have even thought of buying for himself. Maybe even have it engraved with his initials and date of graduation. The nicest fixed blade I own was a gift from my wife, an Arno Bernard. She knows I love knives, and knows I love his designs, and it means that much more to me then had I bought it myself, because its from her...

That said, why not consider a Rockstead KON or DON? ;)
 
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If your friend is a new boot, you might want to hold off on the expensive knife until he has a good idea of what he is going to be allowed to carry. He will be issued good useful edged tools, and a lot of the fun knives might be things that he is actually not allowed to carry or wear. It would be a shame to get him a Busse or Spartan just to have him not be able to carry it until it walks off on its own.

As much as I would say that a Spartan Difensa or Chris Reeve Pacific are amazing knives, if I were buying for a new boot marine I would opt for something a little less extravagant for now. If you were to get him a classic KA BAR USMC, or a KA BAR Becker (BK7 would be my advice), you would avoid spending multiple hundreds on a knife he might never get to carry, but you would still be getting him an outstanding knife.
 
Are you buying it as a tool or as something to poke people with? Because really for a tool it's hard to beat a leatherman and for poking people a dedicated fixed fighter (Applegate etc)would be better.

I always think the best fighting knife is a machete, but that's probably a little ott.
 
AusLoX said:
I want to get my cousin, a new boot(marine), a solid fixed blade. I was thinking something in m4 or 3v but I'm not sure if it's a good idea to go with a non-stainless. Suggestions?

Pics, specs, and any info.

No budget.
Click to expand...

1. Leatherman Charge TTI Multi-Tool: has the basic tools + a S30V powdersteel blade with good heat-treatment, wich holds the edge for very long.

attachment.php

View attachment 615810

2. Fällkniven F1 Pro: Stainless 4" blade, 0,2" thickness, laminated cobalt steel core with tough outer sides in 420j2 steel. Thermorun handle on full lenght protruding tang.
Comes with Zytelsheath and sharpening stone in padded watertight storagebox.
The cobalt steel is easy to sharpen and holds an edge for a long time.

attachment.php

View attachment 615811


Regards
Mikael
 
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Ka-bar and Spyderco Endura .....equipment gets lost and abused so it should be quality but affordably replaceable.
 
Read what abbydaddy (post #12) said AGAIN!

So true, don't get your cousin an expensive knife that he might not be able to (or might not want to) keep with him on duty. When I was in the Marine Corps only NCO's and above were allowed to carry fixed blade knives, unless you were in a combat zone.

I suggest you get your cousin the standard Ka-Bar 7" USMC knife, it is a good knife and also a traditional knife carried by U.S. Marines. He can leave it at home until he gets to a duty station where he will be told what knives he is allowed to possess.

I have gifted the same knife to Army soldiers headed to the Middle East but bought them the model with USA marked on the blade instead of USMC.
 
A good multitool is a great Idea for a marine; a Leathermab MUT or Real Avid AR15 tool are also solid choices that incorporate the most practical weapons maintenance tools into their design that he would need to use regularly on his service weapon (in addition to the bulky standard issued cleaning kit he will have issued to him).
 
I have great respect for your cousin, as I was active duty Marine Corps myself. One thing I'll say with all due respect, he is not a soldier, he is a Marine. Soldiers are in the Army. It may seem like semantics but there is an important distinction.

As far as the knives. Get him a good Leatherman Wave or similar model with a black coating. If he deploys to a combat zone, all gear must have a subdued finish. If you want to get him a folder, a quality one with G10 handles and black or tan coated blade would be best. As far as fixed blades, he'll probably be issued an Ontario bayonet and it will live in his pack and never see the light of day. Also, he won't even be allowed to possess a knife with over a 3.5" blade while living in the barracks legally
 
Silvanus said:
I have great respect for your cousin, as I was active duty Marine Corps myself. One thing I'll say with all due respect, he is not a soldier, he is a Marine. Soldiers are in the Army.
Click to expand...

I was waiting for someone to say something. I caught it, and thought about saying something, but as a soldier (former), I had more pleasure in letting it go :D



Silvanus said:
.

As far as the knives. Get him a good Leatherman Wave or similar model with a black coating. If he deploys to a combat zone, all gear must have a subdued finish. If you want to get him a folder, a quality one with G10 handles and black or tan coated blade would be best. As far as fixed blades, he'll probably be issued an Ontario bayonet and it will live in his pack and never see the light of day. Also, he won't even be allowed to possess a knife with over a 3.5" blade while living in the barracks legally
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That's kind of why I am all for him buying his cousin a nicer quality fixed blade, focus more on the gift side of it, and less on the carry while deployed aspect. Something higher end he can put away, and still have many years later after he retires, something he can enjoy out and about around his house and while camping with his family years down the road, remembering the "good ol' days as a devil dog, and the stories he would never tell his kids".

Since he'll be issued his bayonet, no need to really buy him a KaBar usmc fighting knife, or as I said, on his salary, even e1, if he would want a different blade to deploy with, (provided he's not the type to spend all his money on strippers and bar tabs, I met a lot of Marines on Oahu in strip clubs and bar stools ;)), an ESEE or a KaBar plus a Benchmade or a Spyderco are all well in his own price range, and he can pick his own to suit his wants and needs, within his units parameters.
 
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