Question for military or ex military personnel (soldiers)

[Seriousbladeno1]

I d like to get involved military or ex-military personnel from arround the world that served or still serving on active duty and ask them following questions :

1.) How many fixed blades do you usually carry on various assignments in the field and what exactly they are or (were)? brands /models

2.) Do /did you prefer to invest significant amount of money for desired premium knife of your own choice,even investing a lot of money or - rather relied on affordable option of average knife,or army issue only?

3.) What knife surprised you very much and never let you down and what knife failed and let you down when needed?

4.) What "all around" fixed blade would you recommend to other soldiers based on your own experience? (here you can also specify weather and climate conditions if any in particular)

5.) How do you maintain your edge /knife in field, if you do? (sharpening /oiling etc)

Thanks for all replies.(doesn't need to go necessary from point 1 to point 5) please post photos of your military knife companions - if possible!

 

[Ankerson]

I d like to get involved military or ex-military personnel from arround the world that served or still serving on active duty and ask them following questions :

1.) How many fixed blades do you usually carry on various assignments in the field and what exactly they are or (were)? brands /models

Only one, KA-BAR USMC.

2.) Do /did you prefer to invest significant amount of money for desired premium knife of your own choice,even investing a lot of money or - rather relied on affordable option of average knife,or army issue only?

Nope

3.) What knife surprised you very much and never let you down and what knife failed and let you down when needed?

None..

4.) What "all around" fixed blade would you recommend to other soldiers based on your own experience? (here you can also specify weather and climate conditions if any in particular)

Ka-BAR worked fine for me in every climate, was in all of them.

5.) How do you maintain your edge /knife in field, if you do? (sharpening /oiling etc)

Small stone. .... CLP......

Thanks for all replies.(doesn't need to go necessary from point 1 to point 5

Answers are in red.

USMC - 1982 - 1986

 

[shinyedges]

Most soldiers buy knives in the PX, I carried a cold steel recon 1 with ultra lock. I was issued a Gerber multiplier 600.

We lug around alot of gear as it is. Other units and soldiers carry different gear depending on their needs.

Special forces tend to carry different gear as their day to day needs are different than regular soldiers.

How's your DUK's holding up?

 

[GREENJACKET]

Modern military are so sophisticated that a multitool is the better option. Maybe a large folder might be handy sometimes, like a Spyderco Military.

Really a fixed blade doesn't get much use. The all round utility blade, such as the Kar Bar, is as much knife that anyone is going to use, or be willing to carry. Absolutely no reason to spend big money on something that is tool first, knife second. Should be expendable and replaceable. (Too expensive and soldiers will swop it for beer). Frankly big knives get in the way and are just more to carry.
The military works as big team effort, there are few occasions that anyone works alone, or is left out on a limb.
There are specialist blades, such as machete's and golocks for certain conditions like jungles. Military engineers have big toys toolbox for real work.

Just think what they are going to be used for and how often????? Don't need much knife to open a MRE.

Only knife buffs, or those who grew up using one, carried anything half good, if anything. Being a self confessed knife enthusiast I carried a Chris Reeve Project II, but it rarely got used. My multitool, SAK, and folder did. I'd only carry something like the Project if theatre conditions warranted it; not many do today. All very job specific, really the Kar Bar type combat knife is pretty redundant in todays battlefield. Either the kit is provided or the speed of battle too fast. Far too much firepower for the combat knife's traditional back up role. Everything else cutting wise can be done with a good folder.

 

[shinyedges]

I was in one of the last units to do the bayonet course, I've heard they no longer even do it. If that tells you anything.

 

[ourgon]

I'm not soldier or ex-soldier but... Howard E. Wasdin, former SEAL from Seal Team 6, was carrying personal Swiss Army Knife on his duty and later in Somalia Microtech L-UDT, just because it was given to him with the rest of equipment. He mentioned also some small Spyderco, when he was off-duty in bar with other operators and everyone had one Spydie, it was in 80' so probably C01 Worker.

 

[Topcatpt]

1. one a Ontario bayonet(issued gear) that looks like the ka-bar usmc knife (did buy my own ka bar when I was a boot, took it to the field once didn't use it and never carried it again)
2. never a expensive knife I had a cheap balisong my buddy got me(field entertainment/mre opener) and a gerber multi tool(most used for gear maintenance)
3. none
4. cant recommend never really used the fixed blade
5. quite honestly I didn't maintain any edge at that time

USMC infantry 2001-2005

 

[Ironbut]

I carried a Camillus Pilots Survival Knife, a smaller version of the Marine K-Bar & it got used for everything. That was 50 years ago though & there may be better options now. I do know that if multi-tools like the Leathermans & Gerbers were available back then, it would have gotten a lot more use than the knife.

USMC 1966-70

 

[jackknife]

I d like to get involved military or ex-military personnel from arround the world that served or still serving on active duty and ask them following questions :

1.) How many fixed blades do you usually carry on various assignments in the field and what exactly they are or (were)? brands /models

2.) Do /did you prefer to invest significant amount of money for desired premium knife of your own choice,even investing a lot of money or - rather relied on affordable option of average knife,or army issue only?

3.) What knife surprised you very much and never let you down and what knife failed and let you down when needed?

4.) What "all around" fixed blade would you recommend to other soldiers based on your own experience? (here you can also specify weather and climate conditions if any in particular)

5.) How do you maintain your edge /knife in field, if you do? (sharpening /oiling etc)

Thanks for all replies.(doesn't need to go necessary from point 1 to point 5) please post photos of your military knife companions - if possible!

To take your answers in order;
1. I had a few fixed blades, but hardly ever carried them. Had a ton of stuff to hump in the field, and a pocket knife was all that was needed. I served in the 39th Combat Engineers, 1967-68 in Vietnam, and usually just had the army issue demo knife or a SAK. Over the course of my time in the army, I served in Germany, 4 months TDY duty to Wheelus Air Force base in Libya where we extended the runways, a year as instructor duty at Ft. Leonard Wood Missouri, Ft. Devons, Massachusetts, and Ft. Sam Houston Texas. We were issued the MK2 Camillus on arrival in Vietnam, and it got shoved down in a duffle bag and was never carried. Most of my friends in our company did the same. The supply room had tons of the demo knife and the TL-29's and we used the heck out of them. Just more convenient to carry and they cut what we had to cut just fine.

2. I think it's a mistake to invest a lot of money in a knife that you will be carrying on duty. Stuff happens, and stuff can disappear. Contrary to myth, the armed services are not populated by sterling individuals of spotless character. It's also a myth put out by knife makers that a knife has to be capable of prying open a tank hatch, while the most use I had for my knife was cutting open C ration packages, opening burlap sacks, cutting twine to go between survey stakes marking foundation lines for our construction projects, and opening packages from home. Sharpened a few pencils too.

3. I had a Buck 301 stockman that I bought at the PX for cheap, and it got used very hard on construction sites all over the world. It held up great. Also the alox handle SAK's were were great. The PX sold Buck knives for cheap prices, and most of the guys just had a Buck folder or the issue demo knife from the supply room.

4. In this day and age, aside from some high speed low drag Hollywood operator, the average soldier needs a fixed blade like a submarine needs a screen door. One or two lightweight but rugged folders should see you through any real world service tour. If you're a grunt out in the field, you'll be humping about 70 to 80 pounds of stuff, and any extra weight is going to tossed. They don't even have c-rations anymore, but a knife may be needed to open the MRE packs. In my ten years of active duty in the combat engineers before being medically discharged from injuries, I served in North African desert while at Wheelus AFB, Southeast Asian jungle, American Texas brush country, and I never needed anything but whatever pocket knife I had on me. Our squad tool chest held two Ontario 18 inch machetes, and they got used once in a while. Not often.

5. Carried a small pocket stone. For oil, in a pinch, pulled the dip stick out of a Jeep and let a drop or two in the pivot. Worked fine. Other times used the gun oil that we had in the kits for cleaning the M-16.

 

[sodak]

I carried an Uncle Henry folder (Buck 110 copy) that was given to me by a friend. Nothing special, just sentimental value. I wasn't into knives back then, and nobody else in my unit was either. I used a Buck stone and honing oil to maintain it.

If I had to do it over again, I would carry a SAK instead.

US Army, 1983 - 1989

 

[marcinek]

From what I have seen countless times on this forum, knives in the military see the most use in opening food and as something to pass the time with, and that what is most often used is a good multitool.

This idea that people who serve run around with big heavy Bowies and Rambo knives is a romanticized myth.

 

[jackknife]

This idea that people who serve run around with big heavy Bowies and Rambo knives is a romanticized myth.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

A myth put out and encouraged by knife makers who wish to sell over priced and over hyped knives to young soldiers who haven't been in long enough to have found out the truth yet!

 

[BladeScout]

This subject has been touched upon many times - a forum search is your friend.

As I and others have mentioned - large fixed knives are not lugged around to any great extent. Thats purely a myth from watching too many silly movies.

(Cue input and pics about knives being carried in the field).

Multitools are not as sexy but of far greater use.

As a grunt told mentioned to me in the field: "If it dont say bang or BOUM or can be et - I dont carry it."

Bottom line: If you let your enemy in so close, that you need a knife (any knife) to defeat said foe, you've just made a grave and potentially fatal mistake.

 

[BladeScout]

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

A myth put out and encouraged by knife makers who wish to sell over priced and over hyped knives to young soldiers who haven't been in long enough to have found out the truth yet!

Yes, hype brought to the easily exited tactical couch ninjas - just look at Strider.

 

[DocT]

Most of the time I had a small Buck pocket knife, plus either a 110 if I was issued a bayonet. Or, I carried a 103 I modified by removing the hump if I was issued a 1911A1. It all depended on the type of unit as to what I was issued. I carried a small stone in a pouch to sharpen the blades.

 

[GREENJACKET]

Ask any soldier if on a "ten miler" combat endurance run if he would like to carry a Busse Battle Mistress and he will tell you where to stick it.

We have all heard the saying: "don't take a knife to a gun fight".
Well the military ones goes:
Why use a knife when you can use a handgun?
Why use a handgun when you can use an assault rifle?
Why use an assault rifle when you can use a grenade?
Why use a grenade when you can use a mortar?
Why use a mortar when you can use a tank's main armament?
Why use a tank when you can use Artillery?
Why use Artillery when you can use Air Power?
More than that just Nuke the f....

 

[SCWillson]

I carried a medium Buck stockman (not sure of the model as sadly I lost it years ago) when I was on active duty. Never needed anything bigger.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

Not military myself, but a close friend in the Navy carries a SOG Multiplier and a Cold Steel Talwar 4". He used to carry a Spyderco Superleaf that I gave him, but he lost the damn thing. As for maintenance, the maintenance he does is handing them to me whenever he's back in town and having me sharpen them.

 

[znapschatz]

I was in one of the last units to do the bayonet course, I've heard they no longer even do it. If that tells you anything.

Way back when, we trained on bayonet. Supposedly, it could double as a field knife, but I never carried it for anything but scaring my sparring partner.

Modern military are so sophisticated that a multitool is the better option. Maybe a large folder might be handy sometimes, like a Spyderco Military.

Really a fixed blade doesn't get much use. The all round utility blade, such as the Kar Bar, is as much knife that anyone is going to use, or be willing to carry. Absolutely no reason to spend big money on something that is tool first, knife second. Should be expendable and replaceable. (Too expensive and soldiers will swop it for beer). Frankly big knives get in the way and are just more to carry.
The military works as big team effort, there are few occasions that anyone works alone, or is left out on a limb.
There are specialist blades, such as machete's and golocks for certain conditions like jungles. Military engineers have big toys toolbox for real work.

Just think what they are going to be used for and how often????? Don't need much knife to open a MRE.

Only knife buffs, or those who grew up using one, carried anything half good, if anything. Being a self confessed knife enthusiast I carried a Chris Reeve Project II, but it rarely got used. My multitool, SAK, and folder did. I'd only carry something like the Project if theatre conditions warranted it; not many do today. All very job specific, really the Kar Bar type combat knife is pretty redundant in todays battlefield. Either the kit is provided or the speed of battle too fast. Far too much firepower for the combat knife's traditional back up role. Everything else cutting wise can be done with a good folder.

My one knife while on active duty was a Kamp King scout pattern pocket knife. I used to open C-ration cans and other mundane purposes. I don't even remember if I ever sharpened it. I had my KK 15 years until giving it to a girl friend, who promptly lost it.

From what I have seen countless times on this forum, knives in the military see the most use in opening food and as something to pass the time with, and that what is most often used is a good multitool.

This idea that people who serve run around with big heavy Bowies and Rambo knives is a romanticized myth.

All these posts are right on the money.

 

[marcinek]

Yes, hype brought to the easily exited tactical couch ninjas - just look at Strider.

It seems that all the old schoolers really needed was this....