USMC blade advice needed

Horn Dog said:
If US Marines shouldn't carry Busse Combat Knives, who should?
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It is not a matter of shouldn't, it is a matter of what can be used. Why not carry a Battle Mistress attached to some sort of custom thigh rig? Because it won't get used! Marines carry a lot of stuff and it can get kind of heavy and lets not forget that one thief running around. A smaller discreet sturdy knife is a good choice. Especially if an individual does not even have an MOS yet. He could be a Messman! ;)
 
charger02 said:
A smaller discreet sturdy knife is a good choice.
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i think the active duty is plenty discreet - but of all the knives I've handled thus far this one packed the most power and strength into the smallest possible package (the rat tail on the right). it was strong with okay cutting geometry, but it didn't was a single mm on extra uneeded handle or edge. it was pure economy :thumbup:
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I like the usmc ka-bar design. BUT! It does need a Jerry Busse touch. I'm talking about the basic same shape and look but a Busse combat usmc.

Every other knife maker out there has tried but came up short. The best i've handled currently is the ka-bar D2 version.

Imagine if you will the same blade shape but a little thicker and wider. A well done blood grove,tiger hide micarta handle, skull crusher and so on. Pick your sheath, blade finish, and HELLO BABY! WHY NOT!

A guy has to dream since the killa-z pictures are hiding right now.
 
I've been to Iraq twice...a 6" knife is pushing the upper limits of what they will be able to carry, and in some cases it will have to be left behind.

An AD is just too small, stay between a Meaner and a SAR 4/5 size knife and he'll be able to use and carry it every where.

It's all about public image in Iraq right now, you can't look threating when you're out in public.
A 4" or 5" knife can be tucked away under a belt or strap and will be accepted, larger knifes don't have the right image.
Meaners are nice but I would get something in a .22" - .27" range, it will be used to pry open ammo cases, dig with, cut food, play chicken, cut banding straps, used as a handle to move razor wire, etc, etc...
If it were me doing it over again, a SAR$4 would be my choice.
Not too long, heavy blade, that serration stuff on the spine to hold on to stuff while you're moving it, heavy handle to beat in pegs or beat open crates, SAR 4 would be sweet and it's only $327 Bucks.
Also a good pair of pliers with heat treated cutting edge, he's a grunt, he'll be bending wire either in HESCO's or razor wire.
The razor wire is hardened and will destroy cheap pliers and the best multi tools with the first snip.
 
I'mGatMan! said:
This seems like pretty sound advice. Or, maybe you can get him a Busse, and then help him ugly it up REAL well so that it's not so pretty anyone wants to steal it. I would DEFINITELY prefer a Busse over a Kabar...but what Jarhead said makes great sense.
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I'll second (third?) the advice of these two young men.

It seems pretty sound to this old soldier.:thumbup:

I've got a lot of Busses ... but there's a Ka-Bar in there, too.
 
There's a lot of good information, both reasoned opinion and experience, in this thread. I would recommend leaning in favor of the experience.

Isn't the Marine Corps bayonet serrated? That would take care of that argument.

Compare this thread to Marsh's tactical vest thread.
We're talking about a knife for a guy who will be going into combat with a 70 lb. load that he can't drop when the shooting starts. Used to be you had 20 lbs. of combat gear and 60 lbs of backpack and "tactical camping" gear. You could drop the pack when the shooing started. Can't do that anymore.

1WhoBuys is right on track, and there are a lot of reasons for this, not just the weight factor. Size matters because you don't want some big thing flapping around on a leg or belt, or taking up too much room on a vest. Even if it's going in a pack... don't forget that 70 lbs... that pack needs to be light as well, or at least as light as is feasible. That's why so many Busse Combat blades fit the bill. Complaints that they don't cut well miss the point. In a combat zone you should have a folder and a multitool for cutting. The fixed blade is for busting things, and if it cuts stuff that's cool too. A Meaner Street with a 4" blade of .19 stock will bust a lot of stuff and keep going. If you need more than that it's not a 6" blade of .25" stock, although that will definitely help and if you're man enough to carry that more power to you... but a dedicated breaching kit is in order. Let's be real, if you're kicking doors for a living you probably picked up some breaching kit along the way. But back to the basics, you still need a fixed blade. So, do you need a fixed blade as a breaching tool? Not if you're prepared. Why add an additional 6-10 ounces to your own kit when PFC Schmitty has 35 lbs of mauls, wrecking bars, axes and wedges on his back?
 
The AD size will be greatly useful. I was thinking Ash1, but honestly it is big, and heavy in the cg size.

He will love the AD for sure. Make sure he never leaves it out anywhere.
 
Toughness, weight, and price lead me to the scrapyard knives and something under 5.5" in length.
 
I was in the Corps from 1970 to 1976, so my view is a bit dated. You never saw big knives in the field. Anything bigger than an issued ka-bar got you called "John Wayne". Weight is a concern because you carried everything. It seems that grunts today are loaded with twice the gear we had. After two years I got an MOS change and worked on the runway-never saw even a ka-bar after that, only pocket knives. Your MOS really dictates what knife you need. I would wait until he knows what his MOS is and then buy the correct tool. You do not want to give a PFC a big expensive knife of any kind.
 
Well, the kid made PFC and I'm understanding the whole order of rank now.

Turns out he's getting placed into "Mobil T" from what I've been told and he should move up in rank in a bit when he completes training for this MOS. I am going to shoot him an AD .20" in an Okuden A1/Tek-Lok rig when he moves up. Should I wait until he makes Corporal or is it safe to let him have it when he makes LC?

Thanks again guys, and thank you all who have served as well:thumbup:

Kev
 
LMAO, Motor T is what I meant...I just got off the phone arguing Mobil one and Amsoil with my buddy...but that's another thread;)

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