USMC blade advice needed

i'm really hardcore antichoil and can't think of many knives from the busse line I would personally take into combat because of that.

but, the ones I have personally handled and liked a lot:
swamp rat - rat tail (reletively cheap but very stout for how small it is)
busse - killer b (would be expensive now)
busse - basic 5 (pretty rare :( )

things I'd be tempted to suggest but have reservations about:
hg55le (no vertical bevels)
sar5 (if it had a ground down butt.)
 
MustardMan said:
Instead of a ka-bar, how about a scrap yard or swamp rat knife? You could grab him a scrapper 5 from the SY store for a hundred bucks.
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for the price of some of the busse's mentioned, you could buy 3 or 4 of them. give the extras to his mom to send to him if his ever gets stolen in the field.
 
Bravado said:
BLASPHEMY.............!!:mad:
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Hey, now, I am NOT suggesting choosing the scrapper over a Busse, I'm only suggesting it as an alternative to the kabar. Less blasphemous to keep it in the family...

(wow, THAT could be interpreted the wrong way...)
 
I'll chime in and say keep it under 7 inches blade length and black coated. Snipers love a shiny target. It is not that Marines are clumsy, it is that officers and staff NCO's are particular to what kind of gear the jarheads are packin', and there's also a lot of sh!tbirds who slime their way through the system who love to steal and who would not hesitate to free a new PFC from a Busse.

Nothing wrong with a K-bar.
 
Never "lost" a single blade in either USMC or USA and I was in for over 21 years total. Get him something 5" or under and he should be happy.
BTW Chuck, I got you beat, broke 3 KaBars and my skins not too thin when it comes to comments:p:D

Bob
 
I'd recommend a Meaner Street that he can put on his ballistic vest, or an HG55 (available right now on Busse website) for his daypack. I'm very impressed with the HG-55 design as a modern warrior's knife, and the pricing on these is very good, not an opportunity you'll want to miss. I would recommend tan micarta on a muddy or desert sage finish will be more appropriate, more tactical for whichever environment he ends up in. The Busse muddy coating is almost identical to the Marine Bayonet handle color.

I just have to say it, the Scrapper 5 available through Busse sister (brother actually) company Scrap Yard Knife Works would make a very very nice Marine knife as well. Better steel than any KABAR I've ever come across, great size to weight, ergonomic handle... Get two, one for him, one for you, and you'll have one more thing in common.


A Jack Hammer or Satin Jack Tac is about the coolest knife a Marine could get, but it'll definitely be a daypack knife. The Randall 14 sized knife got relegated there soon after the advent of the ballistic vest. Your friend will be wearing a bullet resistant vest with ammo mags and miscellaneous "stuff" totaling 45-70 lbs... guys have ditched the 1lb knife in favor of the .5lb knife. Or worse, they ditch the fixed blade altogether. That's why I recommend the Meaner Street: it is small enough that he'll put it on his vest and always have a fixed blade handy when no one else does and he's 300 meters from the Humvee with his daypack in it. And I'll bet you my SHBA that a KABAR, D2 or 1095 either way, will break before that Meaner Street does.
 
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When I was in the Marines,I would have loved to have a Busse,Swamprat,or a Scrapyard knife.They were not around way back when.I also broke a Kabar throwing it.
 
Idaho Jarhead said:
From personal experience, I would recommend holding off on the Busse. Maybe wait and give it to him as a re-enlisting gift, or as a gift when he picks up Corporal. The first couple of years are pretty rough; especially in a war zone. Like you said, things come up missing; even in friendly environs.

Give the young man a Kabar fighter. EVERY MARINE NEEDS A KABAR!!! I promise he will appreciate it. A multi-tool like a Leatherman would be great too.

You could always give him a picture of the Busse SAR4 you plan on gifting him when he re-enlists. ;) :thumbup:
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I second Idaho Jarheads suggestion. It's really the only reasonable way to go. Let the boy gain an appreciation for the service and get used to the environment he is about to be thrust into. The Ka-bar will serve him well as it has those who have gone before him and then when he receives the Busse he will have a much greater appreciation for it's build.
 
I don't understand all the "wait until he's a Cpl" or "wait until he's been in x number of years" sentiment. :confused: His rank or how long he's been in doesn't have a bearing on his needing/using a knife.

I will agree that his unit, CO or Plt Sgt will have some bearing as some frown on bigger knives. A lot also depends on what his MOS is.

As for the multi-tool, I know a lot of people love them but I find them next to useless. I could probably count on one hand the number of times I ever used a multi-tool in the field. I'd much rather have a SAK.
 
Thanks for the great advice guys!:thumbup:

I have a better idea of how to handle this now. The idea of an "expendible" blade makes a lot of sense. I appreciate the help.
 
Opinions do seem to vary.

I have done this several times.

Add a good Multitool, the SOG seems to be the toughest, but the Swiss Tools are easier to use and not so tough on the hands.

The best way for me so far is to wait untill they are near deployment, then have them see what they will be allowed to carry, then give them choices.

No two Service people I have given Busse knives have picked the same knife yet.

A SHSH, Basic #7, a Basic #9, and an older INFI Mean Street come to mind at the moment.

Find out if the person in question has an interest in knives.

Three of those above are still in and still have the knives but are now State side so no longer carry the Busse knives every day at work.

They all still carry the Multi-tools.

They are all E-5s or E6s now.
 
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i haven't gone a day without carrying my leatherman charge (wave before it) in 11 years. I have never "needed" my busse's or fixed blades or folders, but I've had several instances where I needed my leatherman, fixing cars, opening windows, and all the things where screws and bolts need loosening and all you have is whats on you. I don't know about whats needed in the feild, but in ever day life I would suggest a leatherman wave (not the edition in the pic, the standard one) with a bit kit above all other personal carry tools.

the blade however is for knife work only. i've snapped the tip off 1 from general torqueing in wood while cutting paper on a wooden deck. it was a small break, 1mm of heavily thinned out tip, but still.
 
sorry, but according to the hague convention (not geneva, my bad):

SECTION II. -- ON HOSTILITIES
CHAPTER I. -- On means of injuring the Enemy, Sieges, and Bombardments
Article 22
The right of belligerents to adopt means of injuring the enemy is not unlimited.

Article 23
Besides the prohibitions provided by special Conventions, it is especially prohibited:--

To employ poison or poisoned arms;

To kill or wound treacherously individuals belonging to the hostile nation or army;

To kill or wound an enemy who, having laid down arms, or having no longer means of defence, has surrendered at discretion;

To declare that no quarter will be given;

To employ arms, projectiles, or material of a nature to cause superfluous injury;

when i served in marine corp 85-91, was told the wounds created by serrated blades made it hard for surgeons to sew up.

found these posts from les robertson from 2002:


Les Robertson
Gold Member Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Evans GA
Posts: 2,872

N2S,

You saw a broken Robert Parrish hollow handle survival knife? Where and what was done to it to break it?

I carried one as a rifle platoon leader in the 101st Airborne for over a year. It never failed. Also, the serration's on top were some of, if not the best ever put on a fixed blade.

I stopped using it not because it failed. But because while going through processing to go to Somilia I was told by a JAG CPT. that the knife violated the Genevea Convention.

Perhaps this is why many of these knives have disappeared.

Personally, I love the design of the Rambo II knife. I agree with others who posted here that the serrations could be better and the blade stock could be thicker.

Serial Numbered Sly II's run about $3,0000. Serial Numbered Rambo II's run about $2,800.00 these will also feature the black blade.

Pre-death Sly II's and Rambo II's run between $900 and $1,200.00

Yes, I have people waiting for either to show up. So there is a demand for these. Actually, it has picked up over the last two years.

Timberline (custom not factory) also made two models with hollow handles that were very nice. Gil Hibben, Tony Louis, Mike England, Collin Cox and Jim Fuller also made some nice HHF's.

The Parrish was the only one I used extensively. After returning from Somilia I bought a knife from this guy named Walter Brend.
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#18 09-02-2002, 03:19 AM
Les Robertson
Gold Member Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Evans GA
Posts: 2,872

N2S,

Thanks for the Info. I am always amazed at some of the "Tests" people come up with for knives.

I can't think of a single time I have used a knife in a vise??????

The JAG CPT did explain to me it was because of the wound created was more suspetible to infection. As such it would take longer for the soldier to get back into the fighting. I then asked him if I promised to make sure whoever I stabbed with the knife was dead would it be OK. He found no humor in this.

C. Marlowe,

Extreme is correct, the Crain hollow handle knives are excellent knives. The Parrish is also an exceptional knife. So you do have a few other options regarding hollow handle knives.
__________________
Les Robertson
Custom Knife Entrepreneur
Blade Magazine Field Editor
www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com
Blade Show 2009...Table 11M

evidently he was told the same dope.

reguardless, all the bussekin knives mentioned will serve him well.


cheers kimo
 
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BlackHills said:
I don't understand all the "wait until he's a Cpl" or "wait until he's been in x number of years" sentiment. :confused: His rank or how long he's been in doesn't have a bearing on his needing/using a knife.

I will agree that his unit, CO or Plt Sgt will have some bearing as some frown on bigger knives. A lot also depends on what his MOS is.

As for the multi-tool, I know a lot of people love them but I find them next to useless. I could probably count on one hand the number of times I ever used a multi-tool in the field. I'd much rather have a SAK.
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they said that because he's probably going to be moving a lot and is likely to lose it. or he'll be in a training commands and that seems to be where the 1 thief in the marine corps likes to hang out
 
Every once and a while I see the conversations pop up and I am mildly amused at the suggestions people throw out...for instance the current Busse offering, HG55. A young Marine carrying that would probably have it stolen or be told to lock it up and leave it there. Carrying knives attached to your daypack is a great way to get noticed by the chain of command.

Ka Bar's are an excellent INEXPENSIVE choice for a brand new Marine.
 
Alright, I think I'll still hook him up with an Active Duty and some Kydex for it. I agree with Andre on the multi tool as well...I think I'll slip him a SOG PL as well.

As far as his placement, I am totally ignorant on how they decide your MOS. Turns out he may be getting into transport type duties...he hopes to get into tanks eventually.
Don't ask me, I have no idea how they work troop placement, but this is what he laid out to me and he was really ambitious about all of it:thumbup:


I feel he can't go wrong with the AD and a Power Lock, but what are thoughts on the SYKCO S6? Would this be pushing his luck with the superior staff?
I feel it's a safe route for a mid sized field knife but he has bigger hands and I was wondering if the handles are small like a B5 or the larger mold like a B7 or Taliwhacker? I personally don't like the smaller B5 handle but the Tali handles are heaven. Which of the Scrap Yard and Swamp Rats have the larger Res-C handle?
 
I love Busses, but if you want something cheaper I would suggest a RAT RC-5. It is has a nice 5'' blade, comes with a sheath, and has a thick 1/4"" blade. You can purchase it for around $130.00. If you want a folder for around a $100.00 go with a Spyderco Military in SV30. We all appreciate what the Marines are going through for our country, may they all come home safely.
 
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