Knife I'm going to bring to Iraq

T

Tayous

Joined
Oct 22, 2001
Messages
47
Well I have gotton three choices now for the knife I want to bring to Iraq. This was based down on if I lost, broke had stolen how much would I care money wise. But it still had to be a good knife what if I did have to pull it out it would take care of bussniss. The choices are BK7, Cold steel ODA or OSS or The Tac Pig.


I have a price range that is under $80. If you have any opions please tell me.
 
I would go with the Becker: a comfortable handle that will stay attached, and it's easy to sharpen in the field.
 
All those are good choices, but I have a good friend that is on his second tour in Iraq, and from talking to him about what he used his knives for while there, for the money amount you mention, you might want to consider a 3-4 inch bladed folder and a multi-tool.

These are what he has seen being used more than anything else.

My picks would be a Buck 110 and Leatherman Wave.
 
Take a Becker BK-7 and a SOG PowerLock (or Leatherman SuperTool) with you....That's all you need.
 
I have never been to the Middle East, but I imagine a folder would get full of snad and dirt pretty fast. Get a convieniently sized fixed blade and a nice sheath.
 
Unquestionable for the money,ease of replacement and for not caring if you lose it would be Ontarios RAT7 or TAK.
 
The Last Confederate said:
All those are good choices, but I have a good friend that is on his second tour in Iraq, and from talking to him about what he used his knives for while there, for the money amount you mention, you might want to consider a 3-4 inch bladed folder and a multi-tool.

These are what he has seen being used more than anything else.

My picks would be a Buck 110 and Leatherman Wave.
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The only thing is if I have to get in to a hand to hand type combat I want something longer then my folding knife to pull out. A little background about me is that I've been to Iraq twice and both time I've been in the most major conflicts. First time my unit 1/5 took over Baghdad the second time we Raided Falljusa. I'm a Grunt so I need something to fight with. I'm a 0331 grunt so I don't get the nice new bayonets that they have.
 
Well, since you were here before you know that there is about a 0% chance for H2H but I know it could still happen. I personally like the BK-7 but did'nt bring mine because it would'nt attach to the IBA/MOLLE very well and did'nt want such a big knife on my pants belt. It might be worth getting a good sheath that is MOLLE compatible. You can probably get the CS kydex sheath to attach with zip ties or 550. I brought some larger knives with me but have yet to use them for anything I could'nt use my Gerber Multi-tool or SAK for. Take a good quality folder too.
 
Tayous said:
First time my unit 1/5 took over Baghdad the second time we Raided Falljusa. I'm a Grunt so I need something to fight with. I'm a 0331 grunt so I don't get the nice new bayonets that they have.
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What knife did you take the first 2 times?

And how many H2H fights did you have in the first two trips?

My friend is in special ops and won a bronze star during raids in Tikrit looking for Saddam and his pals, and never once did he have to use a knife, FTR he carries a Gerber Applegate folder. The only H2H combat his knife has seen was battling MRE packages.
 
For a "Fighting Knife", if you have some training, I would go with the smaller 5 -7" blade like the BK7, a Ka-Bar, Air Force survival knife (though I personally would not get anything with saw teeth) or the Cold Steel knives you have been looking at. Personally I like the UWK's design. I would definately opt for the superior strength of Carbon steel over any stainless knives though...

Assuming you have the leatherman or multi-tool thing covered, people far more knowledgable than I have already commented that you will probably never have a 'knife fight' over there & thus it is likely that your 'fighter' will pull more duty opening MRE's than it will with "wet work" :D Also, from what I hear, your unit CO may not allow you to wear a fixed blade much of the time (this seems utterly foolish to me but hey, what do I know...).

However, I would suggest that the Middle East in general is definately a 'knife culture'. Thus, a large blade may be something of a badge of honor - at least to some of the locals. If it were me, I would take as large a blade as I was willing to hump around with me - a big, bad ass Bowie, like Ontario's Marine Raider, or Cold Steel's Trailmaster would be kinda cool - but probably alot of weight to carry all the time, especially when compared to some of the smaller knives referenced above.

Here's an idea; why not carry a big carbon steel knife of middle eastern style such as one of these Jambiyas from Windlass Steelcrafts or even a HI Kukri? (perhaps a little more than the $80 you mentioned but not too much more):

http://www.atlantacutlery.com/webstore/showproduct.asp?hidProductId=400726&hidSearchPosition=5

http://store.yahoo.com/yhst-7333098713883/12inchak.html

Good luck over there my friend, whatever knife you choose :)
 
Better take something that won't bother you when carrying it, a BK10 should be big enough while still giving you a good tool to pack, or a Spyderco Moran, it's very light to carry, very versatile blade shape (about 4 in.), very good steel and it comes with a kydex sheath so you can stick it anywhere on your gear with a TEK-LOK.

I'm not a warrior so that's just my 2 cents on this thread ;)
 
Tayous said:
The only thing is if I have to get in to a hand to hand type combat I want something longer then my folding knife to pull out. A little background about me is that I've been to Iraq twice and both time I've been in the most major conflicts. First time my unit 1/5 took over Baghdad the second time we Raided Falljusa. I'm a Grunt so I need something to fight with. I'm a 0331 grunt so I don't get the nice new bayonets that they have.
Click to expand...


That's really weird. You've been to Iraq twice and you don't know what knife to bring? Sounds like you did ok without some H2H combat knife. Most of the people here on Bladeforums have never been to Iraq.

I've never been in a battle or anything close to it but i'm guessing if you need to use your knife in a fight you've already done something wrong. All that firepower gone to waste.

Anyway, i'd suggest getting a Howling Rat and a Leatherman. If you need something bigger go for the Camp Tramp. They've got a good warranty. I think if you actually manage to break it they'll replace it. Although if you lose it they won't give you a new one.
 
I'm too d--m old for the mid-east, but my conflict was on the other side of the world. From 1972 till 1975 I was in Uncle Sam's pickle suit service and the most carried knife in the army was the Buck 110. EVERYONE had one on their belt. The other most popular knife was the service issue 4 blade utility knife, the boy scout type of thing with the stainless handles. The most used thing a knife was for was opening c-ration boxes and odd cutting jobs.

My MOS was in combat construction so we were an engineer co. so some of the more frontline combat guys carried the old Kabar, made by Camillus, or the Camillus pilot survival knife.

I don't think you are going to see movie style hand to hand exept in some nightmare. If you do then something has gone awfully wrong and even then you will not see hand to hand. You'll just get shot. Maybe cruel thing to say, but true.

From my own service in a combat zone a modern multi-tool and a good one hand folder like a spyderco will be the best thing to have. Stay away from expencive stuff- they'll just dissapear when your in the shower. I think some of the units are even issuing the Gerber multi's.

Hard to believe but sometimes you can't even have a big fixed blade, depending on your C.O.
 
I had a Cold Steel OSS before I started to hang out on this forum and learn more about knives. :o Don't buy one. It's basically a crappy knife made to look like a classic subhilt fighter. Rubber guards and low-end 420 steel! :rolleyes: Why did I ever do it? :footinmou
 
Before anymore arm chair commandos chime in to say what or won't happen and how if it does happen its cause someone did something stupid, read this thread: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=297831

If the poor guy wants to be prepared for anything don't start in with a lecture on how he should have aimed more carefully. Sometimes the **** hits the fan.


Now for the purposes you've listed and the knives you've listed I would probably pick the becker. I haven't handled them personally but I read quite a bit about them here and all of it was good. It will serve a good role as a utility knife, and has the ability to fill other roles as well.
Another thought is a Kabar. They fall well within your price range and were deisegned just to fill this purpose, it is called the "fighting utility knife" after all. http://www.1sks.com/store/kabar-usmc-black-fighting-utility-knives.html
I'd probably pick the traditional one myself
http://www.1sks.com/store/kabar-standard-usmc-fighting-utility-knives.html

Hope that helps, and thank you for serving our country :)
 
I would say this. Bring yourself a Leatherman, Tactical folder or whatever you prefer, and if you want a bigger knife I would say the Becker. I am currently in Iraq as a contractor, and I mostly use my folder, but I must say that my Leatherman came in handy in a few emergencies. Since we are not allowed to have a weapon (read rifle) I have a few fixed blade knives with me. I feel pretty safe, I just hope that I dont need to use them in that fashion, but if so I hate to be the poor bastard on the other end.

In case some of you are curious to what I actually have over here, well here goes. Leatherman of course, CRKT M16, Tom Brown Tracker and Scout (couldnt resist), MercWorx Equatorian. I feel pretty safe. And yes, they all can shave hair fairly easy.

Lee
 
OH and I forgot, I have even been bouncing around the idea of getting an ATC VTAC. There have been hadji's caught about 25 yds from my trailer in the middle of the night and no hadji's (Sorry Iraqi's) on base after 5pm. I tell you, coming from VA to here, sure was an eye opener.
 
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