Question to all active / veteran Military soldiers. What knife did and do you carry?

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Grenadier guards (1986-92 )

Wail I was in I carried a sak explorer .and a wooden handled lock knife made in Sheffield . very similar to the Buck 110 .when I started my service the British army were still using the SLR(FN FAL) . when the change over to the SA80 came I kept the SLR bayonet . and carried it through out my 6 years .
 
A mora heavy duty and leatherman on my webbing, and a spyderco tenacious in my pocket. A small seb when im knocking about on camp and any number of things when im home. Just acquired a crkt bearclaw that will be deposited somewhere on me when deployed, there will be zero use for it, I just like knives lol.
 
USMC GSE Mechanic 76-90-Vic Champ.(plierless)
Now it's a Kershaw Shallot & Opinel 6/7 or an old Imperial stockman.
 
I carried a Cold Steel Recon 1 and a SOG Seal Pup in Afghanistan. And a gerber multitool, which I probably used most often.
Back in garrison now I carry my umnumzaan and hinderers. No point in not carrying nice things when you can and when they won't get swiped out of your pockets by little kids.
 
Upon arrival into my unit I was issued several knives -the M1 bayonet -cool, big, multi-purpose, but necessary, an unknown brand machete -I traded that almost immediately, and a Leatherman multi-tool, and a Barracuda dive knife.
Then everyone in the unit was given a Spiderco knife (police type?). It was nice because it was flat (wasn't bulky to wear everyday on my belt), but wasn't too keen on the serrated edge.
THEN, we all discovered (again everyone in the unit was issued) a Kershaw Wildcat Ridge and a Corral Creek (ABS handles). I have never looked back. I still carry some form of Kershaw's Original Officer Ranch series (still with the ABS handle). The knives are very sturdy and have a heavy feel and stand up to a lot of abuse. They don't look fancy, but I'm not out slaying dragons, I'm just a retired military guy eecking out a living.
 
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USMC KaBar, issued a bayonet, a TL-29 and a Gerber boot knife (I still have them)
EDC carry these days are a SpyderCo Tenacious and a Victorinox SwissTool.
Depending on what I'm doing out in the woods, I'll carry a Condor Tavian, Cold Steel Kukri, or a modified cane knife.
 
SAK in my pocket, when out in the field, sometimes a Buck 110 on my belt. This was 30 years ago, long before there were leathermans. I would probably go with a Swisstool these days. MOS 72A.
 
USAF 66-71. Lots of different knives at different times including Buck 110 and 120, AF pilot's survival knife, Gerber MkII, Randall 5" and a funky dagger I picked up in the Philippines. The dagger was the only weapon of any kind I had during Tet 68 in Saigon and started my obsession with knives.
 
Yeah I have to agree with a lot of people who said nothing expensive.. Things tend to get "borrowed" pretty frequently. I stocked up on Cold Steel Recon 1's. They fit in my pocket, take abuse, are easy to sharpen, and can be found for around 50 bucks.

When I'm spending the day in the office, maybe I'll carry one of my ZT's. Other than that.. my camping gear has a ZT 0300 and a ZT 0200. Anything else I own that I care about keeping only rides with me when I'm wearing jeans.
 
Randall and a SAK...used the SAK a whole lot more!! Now its a Dozier and a Swisstool


2Panther
11B4P
RVN..68-70
 
Kabar folder, gerber or a crkt when I was in. All were tanto and purchased from the exchange. Didn't know enough then to know what I wanted. Pm2 or a native 5 these days.
 
Geez, that was a few years back. Nothing real fancy. The two I remember most were both from CRKT. A M16-02 and a Marzitelli Prowler. I was assigned to the Corp of Egineers as a medic and normally did not use a knife that much for my MOS but did often when helping the Combat Engineers. I remember some of the Demo and Pioneer boxes had Camillus or Ontario folders in them. I always wanted one of those knives. Now I look at them and think how poorly they are made. It seemed to be a big deal when we started getting the Gerber MT in through supply.

I still carry a Prowler sometimes, but the M16 I keep around just because. Now days, a US made Kershaw Zing, a Cutco lockback, plus a Benchmade Grip seem to get more pocket time than most other knives I own.
 
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Back in the day I carried a Buck 112 in the sheath on my belt.
Right beside it was a no-brand stubby fisherman's pliers with side cutting jaws in a homemade sheath (this was prior to the multi-tool).
Most of the time I also had a Craftsman medium trapper slip-joint or a SAK Camper in my pocket.
Looking back, I used the Buck almost daily (mostly mundane chores). I still own and sometimes carry it (still in the original sheath)

Not much different from today, other than the knife is a Benchmade Doug Ritter folder and the pliers are typical Leatherman.

Cheers, Ed
edh3007
 
I was US Army Infantry during the peak period of OIF and OEF. I carried a SOG Flash II on my strong side, front pants pocket. I used it for mundane tasks (like opening MREs).

I also wore a Gerber Applegate-Fairbairn Combat Folder in the complimentary nylon sheath, horizontally, on the small of my back. When worn in this fashion, the weapon was obscured by my uniform shirt and was easily deployable with one hand. I never used it for anything and always lied to people about what it was. Since the pouch said "GERBER" I told people it was a multi-tool.


 
was issued a gerber multitool that has been in my bag for 15 years, and i always had one of my own creations, but also rotated through a fallkniven S1 (which i added a brass guard on) or F1 and have never left home without a spyderco endura folder... things are just handy as hell for everyday and never get in the way. I never believed in "buy cheap, users" ...bring a good one (or two) and it'll be with you when you need it.
 
I usually carry a Ritter Griptilian. Most usually carry cheap knives from Gerber, with Kershaw being common as well. The most common higher end knife that I've noticed seems to be the Benchmade Griptilian.
 
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