I will be sending some knives to Brian Carlson in IRAQ for worthy soldiers in the 10th Mountain Division. I also sent a knife via Smokey Mountain Knife Work's Knife for a Soldier program. While I am happy to help our guys, and will contine to do so, I was wondering, do the armed forces no longer provide Kbars or some other knife to out troops? I have heard there is insufficient armor on Humvees, a lack of flak jackets, etc. Have issue knives gone by the wayside as well?
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Military Knife Issue
- Thread starter Willieboy
- Start date
silenthunterstudios
Slipjoint Addict
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2005
- Messages
- 20,039
I have read on here that some enlisted men get Kabars, the Kabar style Camillus, Benchmade autos and Victorinox SAK's. That's some. Most only get a bayonet, if that, from what I've read here and in knife magazines. Most buy Spydercos and CRKT from the base PX.
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2005
- Messages
- 161
My buddy who is a Marine and spent nine months in Iraq had to purchase his own KaBar, but stopped carrying it because it was to large and heavy to be practical. Everytime he sees my Para Military he wishes he had that over there. Of course he always said that the Marines had a MUCH smaller budget than the Army, so maybe those guys get knives.
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2004
- Messages
- 971
Spent 3yrs as a Grunt in the Corps and never got issued anything but those crap M7 Bayonets. However the Corps has recently adopted the new Ontario bayonets with the serrations and all, which would serve well but I don't know how common they are in the Sandbox.
I too had to buy all my knives,to include my Ka-Bar; however, they swithched to the new bayonets as I was getting out.
I too had to buy all my knives,to include my Ka-Bar; however, they swithched to the new bayonets as I was getting out.
ohen cepel
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2002
- Messages
- 3,509
Some guys in the Army are issued knives or multi-tools. However, it's usually a unit purchase. Not standard policy from what I have seen.
I was in the Marines in the mid 1990s. In my experience, I only saw the Ka-Bars get issued to those that rated pistols. The tactical folder craze was just getting started then and I saw a lot of the Benchmade/Emerson CQC-7s.
Funny thing was that I ran into very few folks that were into knives besides myself. The few folks that were into knives had some nice stuff though.
Funny thing was that I ran into very few folks that were into knives besides myself. The few folks that were into knives had some nice stuff though.
In the 80's we were issued the M9 Phobis II bayonet along with our weapon (U.S. Army). Other than that, we could sign out a Pilot Survival Knife from supply. That's the cheap Camillus or Ontario made carbon steel 5" sheath knife. Any other knife you wanted to use, you had to buy it yourself.
- Joined
- May 22, 2002
- Messages
- 1,485
USMC late 80's to ealy 90's
Only issue I ever got was a bayonet.
I Carried a SAK always and a Buck 110 also.
Only issue I ever got was a bayonet.
I Carried a SAK always and a Buck 110 also.
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2005
- Messages
- 1,909
that's funny the marines over here all got issued benchmade auto folders. The AFO model. A lot of guys in my unit got issued the old bayonet and the entire unit got issued gerber gators. Some of the medics got issued HK auto folders. It really has to depend on if the unit is willing to put money into ordering good equipment or not.
Some Marines got Strider MARSOC's, individually numbered.
But most of the time its private purchase, and not too many care. You can open an MRE pouch with your bare hands, and from what I've seen, the 10th Mountain uses paracord in whole spool lengths.
A SAK, folder, and multipliers should be in everybody's kit. Then they can break their own . . .
But most of the time its private purchase, and not too many care. You can open an MRE pouch with your bare hands, and from what I've seen, the 10th Mountain uses paracord in whole spool lengths.
A SAK, folder, and multipliers should be in everybody's kit. Then they can break their own . . .
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2005
- Messages
- 622
I used a Benchmade Emerson design tanto folder (CQC?) I had from high school and a leatherman. Never issued anything special as a paratrooper, in scout platoon, and even in lrs. The M9 bayonet was it and they weren't any good. I remember a few of us put them to the test and they broke at the tang several times.
Most guys had multi-tools and a few had some nicer tacticals. But if you wanted something special you had to purchase it yourself. I even had my own leupold rifle scope if I ever wanted to attach it to my weapon. We did do a group purchase, though... I remember our units getting spending money that we put toward platoon and squad tools. Things like saws, hatchets and even a notebook computer for powerpoint training presentations, etc. But we never bought knives for everyone. Problem was that having knives would of made it so we had to keep track of them like everything else. Another sensitive item would of just added to the headache, especially considering a knife could be easily lost in training, combat, or even stolen in garison.
Most guys had multi-tools and a few had some nicer tacticals. But if you wanted something special you had to purchase it yourself. I even had my own leupold rifle scope if I ever wanted to attach it to my weapon. We did do a group purchase, though... I remember our units getting spending money that we put toward platoon and squad tools. Things like saws, hatchets and even a notebook computer for powerpoint training presentations, etc. But we never bought knives for everyone. Problem was that having knives would of made it so we had to keep track of them like everything else. Another sensitive item would of just added to the headache, especially considering a knife could be easily lost in training, combat, or even stolen in garison.