Knife: SEAL standards and yours

golok

golok

Joined
Oct 20, 2000
Messages
4,453
Sometimes, I find myself rather amused by people wanting only knives that up to SEAL standards.

Those Special Forces guys have different needs and they use knives in quite different circumstances as opposed to ordinary Joes like most of us.

If I am not wrong, most of us don't really put the knife to the ultimate test. For example, getting out of an overturned truck or something like that. For that kind of situation, a crowbar would be more advisable.

Seriously, any quality kind would be just fine by 90 per cent of us. For that remaining 10 per cent, I guess they really know what they want.

In my opinion, the knife that suits the general population would be a SAK. Statistics have proven it. It is the most confiscated knife of all times. Just ask all the airlines.

On the hand, if a knife knut only collects SAKs, that would be rather boring, so.... :D
 
Ever think that the reason they the most confiscated knives in the world is because people can afford to have them confiscated.

Surely you do not think that a most people that own large fixed blades approved by the SEAL's wear them where ever they go.
 
Aside from the abilities of the knife, two large criteria in SEAL (and other such selections) are price (means cheap) and availability (make many fast). Most people don't have such constraints, and thus even if you needed the same basic requirements you would often be better off than an "actual" SEAL knife by shopping around and having the focus just on performance.

-Cliff
 
I find it interesting that although the government (yes, this includes the military) is known for inefficiency, "red tape" stupidity, and paying way more for things then they are worth; people will line up to buy something because it is the "official choice" of some government entity.

Would you want to buy a car designed by a federal beurocracy?
How about a computer?

Do SEALS use knives? Yeah, probably.

Do I care? Nope, not really.

I have a far better idea of what I want my hand tools to do than they ever will.
 
It is a known fact that SEALS take good knives and turn same into TOTAL BEATERS and take the best knife made and THRASH IT TILL IT DIES.
 
I don't give a rat's ass who uses the same knife that I use/own (be it SEALS or Girl Scouts), just as long as it works for ME when it need it to work.
 
Originally posted by Chris Keller
It is a known fact that SEALS take good knives and turn same into TOTAL BEATERS and take the best knife made and THRASH IT TILL IT DIES.
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Does this mean something?
 
I've got official military-approved hammers available, just $250 each.

And if you insist on Seal-approved knives, you should also insist on US Air Force-Approved toilet seats. They're just $350.
 
seal knives are for armchair commandos. I think most of those seal knives have edges which are durable but are too thick for efficient daily cutting. you don't see seal team members cutting up veggies, shaving hair etc do you?

anyways, to each his own....
 
Why did the US Navy pay several hundred dollars each for hammers?

The answer is that initally they did not. The hammers in question were for tool kits on submarines. On a submarine, every tool goes in an exactly fitted, padded place in drawer. This serves three very important functions. First, it assures that tools will be exactly where they should be in an emergency. Second, it makes it very easy to take inventory so that the sub won't put to sea for an extended mission without all necessary tools. And, third, it keeps the tools from rattling around creating noise which can give away a submarine's location. When these subs were first fitted out, off-the-shelf hammers were purchases at conventional prices and the drawers were fitted accordingly. Later, the manufacturer discontinued that model of hammer. So, when replacement hammers were needed, they couldn't find any to exactly fit in the fitted drawers. It was determined that while it seems terrible to pay hundreds of dollars for a stupid hammer, it would be cheaper to have the required hammers custom-made than to refit the tool drawers.

Now, if I was, today, to go out and buy a hammer, which one should I get? Should I buy the official US Navy-approved hammer for $300? I don't have a fitted, padded drawer that my hammer needs to fit into. So, I'd probably be better off just buying a good quality hammer for maybe $10. It won't be Navy-approved. But I don't have the unique requirement that the Navy has so I don't need to spend the bucks they pay for a hammer.

Sometimes, the military selects things based on criteria that just don't apply to other people.
 
i believe one of the reasons why the government ends up paying so much for stuff is that it is very hard for companies to get paid for their stuff. The government is notorious for being extremely slow in paying off their bills; therefore, the companies hike up the prices to make up for that
 
I find it interesting that although the government (yes, this includes the military) is known for inefficiency, "red tape" stupidity, and paying way more for things then they are worth; people will line up to buy something because it is the "official choice" of some government entity.
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You're comparing the monster machine of the military to the very small Spec Ops groups. They choose to carry what knives work for them, not some Army-issue thing...:rolleyes:. Any knife "selected for the SEALs" (or whatever) is more/less a suggestion for them.

Warthog
 
To build off of Warthog's post.

No, it is not really good policy to make your knife (or any) equipment decision based on 'What the Gov't issues'. They have a lot of other considerations, many of which come LONG before quality!

BUT, it may be worthwhile to pay attention to what the actual individual operators CHOOSE to use, especially if they spend their own money to get it. If they are issued 'Knife-X' and they discard it and choose to carry something else because they have used knives for serious things and know what works, then their opinion might be worth listening to, and their choce is likely a good one.

On the other hand I'll bet there's a lot of serious operators who really DO know what they're doing, and what works best, but who still just use whatever knife is available or issued and they get by just fine.

DON'T BELEIVE THE HYPE (but also know what is and ISN'T hype...)

-John
 
because they have used knives for serious things and know what works
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Here's an interesting question: If I don't even know what these "serious things" are, then how likely am I to ever be involved with them? Should I choose my knife based on its ability to do things that I don't even know about, that I can't even name other than "serious things."

Choose your knives based on their ability to do the sorts of things you need/want to do with them.
 
I'll bet there's a lot of serious operators who really DO know what they're doing
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Yes, and I'm one of them.

No, not a military special ops sort. But I am an "operator" of sorts, of different sorts. I get things done every day. I'm serious about them. I know how to do them. And I like to think that I do them well.

I'm an operator. And I choose my knives to help me accomplish my missions.

My missions may not involve infiltrating the enemy prison camp or blowing up a bridge, they're more likely to be unwrapping school supplies or setting up a computer desk. But those are my missions and I need tools. I select my tools based on MY missions, not somebody else's.
 
It's very easy to find fault with someone's opinion when you only quote parts of sentences (but then it's no longer that person's opinion, it becomes your perverted presentation of words which had previously been used to express another person's opinion).

Bear in mind that I used phrases like, "...might be worth listening to..." and "...may be worthwhile...".

OF COURSE your needs in a tool are different than those of a Navy SEAL!!! I'm not advocating selecting your letter opener based on what SEALs chop bad guys in half with, that's foolish.

I'm saying that if the need for which you require a knife might in any way reflect the needs of a Spec Ops Type then it MIGHT be worthwhile to consider the choices of those Spec Ops Types.

If you think about it, is it more sensible to make selections based on your own (perceived) needs and the 'best' tool for those jobs or does it make more sense to consider ALL opinons which may (or may not) apply to your situation and only then discard irrelevant ideas (and tools).

FOR EXAMPLE:

You seem to laughingly dismiss the silly idea of a SEAL's need to infiltrate an enemy prison camp as being the slightest bit relevant to an average Joe, but what if that average Joe would be using his knife digging in the yard, removing shrubs, or cutting baling wire or other such dirty work. Might a SEAL's opinion on corrosion resistance, edge holding, ergonomics, or 'toughness' be useful to Joe?

I think it might.

-John
 
My younger brother is a Navy SEAL. When I read this, I just had to call him and ask what he carries. He told me he has a Kabar. He said most carry cheaper knives so that if they get lost or damaged, no big deal. When I was an Army Paratrooper, I think one guy had a pricey knife. His was a Gerber BMF. It just goes to show you that as far as individual purchases in the elite military groups go, marketing has little pull.
 
A lot of folks are arm chair commandos and want to get stuff that's overbuilt to suite their fantasies. That's OK. Some folks really have hard uses, so they figure it it's good for service X, it's good enough for them. But most of the time, it's like those SUV's that rarely go off road. It's nice to have the ability to do, even thought you don't daily have the need to do.
 
Originally posted by golok
On the hand, if a knife knut only collects SAKs, that would be rather boring, so.... :D
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I collect knives that interest me and those are SAKs. I have a few other knives but they're all users. I'm never inviting you over to see my collection. :(
 
Hey...
Is there any chance we could get somebody from MIssion Knives to comment....or Mad Dog?

It would be great to actually see what the written specs are.

I for one have heard about the specs ...but never have seen them posted.

Maybe it would mean more if it had some solidity to it. I have seen SEAL TEAM APPROVED on so many knives I lost track. How would somebody get a hold of the spec sheet for SEAL reqirements?

Just stirring the pot...

Shane
 
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