Want to buy a knife for a marine

Jarrett Fleming

Jarrett Fleming

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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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My best friend is at parris island right now going through hell . . . I mean bootcamp :D. Anyways I want him to have a nice surprise when he gets home. I want to buy him a nice fixed blade knife that will perform well in combat.
I have a few questions though. First off will he even be able to take a knife with him overseas?
I know that he has been wanting a spartan blade for a while now (specifically the ares), but I don't know much about them. Are they good quality?
Lastly what are some other knives that deserve consideration?
Price is not really a big deal at this point. He's been my best friend for as long as I can remember. I want the knife to be a very good quality knife after all it could possibly save his life, and it will definitely be put to work.
Thanks guys.
 
There is a pretty strong contrast between blades built for the daily chores of soldiering, and blades meant for anti-personnel work. Are you trying to get him a blade to abuse and use as a chore knife, or one best suited to taking scalps?
 
Well I guess more for chores because Im sure he will do more chores than scalping haha.
 
Most any of the traditional camp knives are good, along with the "survival/combat/whatever" fixed blade knives that litter the internet.

For a quality knife that performs...I'd think about the Ontario/ESSE RAT series knives.
http://www.eseeknives.com/rc-4.htm
Well made, decent factory sheath, available in a variety of sizes. I'd think the 4 or 5" models would be good. Personally I would have zero interest in carrying any more steel around than I need, and 4-5" will do most any chore I can imagine.
 
Oorah to your friend!...and to you for being so supportive and generous.I have two sons that are Marines, one a Sgt. the other a 2nd. Lt. and both love knives. For Marines, knives tend to be for personal chores, and not for combat. If things get to the place that they are having to call on their knives for combat, then lots of things have REALLY gone BADLY.
Also, when they are deployed, weight and space are very limited, and many have found a large fixed blade to be more burdensome. I bought my sons some nice folders. One son got a Emerson CQC-7 for graduation from Boot Camp, with his name and the Eagle,Globe and Anchor engraved on the blade ( He actually lost it at SOI, and I replaced it with a Spyderco Millie, which got lost in Kuwait (as I said, things get burdensome during deployment, and I think it got dislodged from his pocket while carrying all of his gear). The other son got a Zero Tolerance 0551, one tough folder, which he adores (and hasn't lost...whew).
The other thing that Marines find most useful, is a nice multi-tool. My son's have enjoyed Leatherman Charge XTi's, Waves, and Gerbers (don't remember the model).
I think a Leatherman MUT would be extremely useful (Though, neither my sons or myself have any experience with these.).
Just one Marine Dad's $0.02

Whatever you give, I'm sure you friend will treasure it and remember it as a reward for earning the right to be counted among the "The Few, the Proud...THE MARINES!"
 
Get him a leatherman blast

He'll thank you later for getting him this instead of a fixed blade.
 
Thanks DoctaD for your $0.02 it means a lot. He already has a zt I think its an 0300 but Im not sure, he owns a lot of nice folders. He only has one fixed blade (that I know of) its a sog seal pup. Im really wanting to get him a nice fixed and whether he takes it with him or not will be his choice Im sure that he'll appreciate it, and will be very surprised. The leatherman is a great idea I will look into that as well.
JimD esee and ontario knives are also a good choice. He was with me at BLADE when I bought my Ontario Afghan and I think he liked it. He kept going on about spartan blades though so Ill probably get one of those. I just wish I knew more about them.
 
I'd go with an ESEE-4SCP

I love my ESEE-4 and I know it will take ALL KINDS of punishment and never complain once. Take it from me (or anyone that owns one, haha) that it is an incredible design. Not to mention, if you get him the clip point version, it will increase its usability in an anti-personnel environment. In addition, I'd imagine the serrations would be useful in a combat role.

Lastly, ESEE's warranty is unbeatable. It doesn't matter what you do to it or how it breaks, they'll replace it, no questions asked. Regardless of the warranty, I seriously doubt he could break it :D
 
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Emerson15 said:
Thanks DoctaD for your $0.02 it means a lot. He already has a zt I think its an 0300 but Im not sure, he owns a lot of nice folders. He only has one fixed blade (that I know of) its a sog seal pup. Im really wanting to get him a nice fixed and whether he takes it with him or not will be his choice Im sure that he'll appreciate it, and will be very surprised. The leatherman is a great idea I will look into that as well.
JimD esee and ontario knives are also a good choice. He was with me at BLADE when I bought my Ontario Afghan and I think he liked it. He kept going on about spartan blades though so Ill probably get one of those. I just wish I knew more about them.
Click to expand...

Spartans are limited production blades made by some retired SF guys. Much pricier, but well made.

Their CQB tool is a good blade for a weapon to stash on a vest. Most of their customers are wearing them behind their mags on their vest, and accessing them with gloves on. Great design for the purpose.

As a general chore knife, I don't see any designs that really jump out as awesome blades with good utility/value.

To me, these are good chore knives:
http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=AMMSROV
http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=SWEDF1BK
http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=SOGS241

Everyone's idea of what's best though is really subjective.
 
Emerson15 said:
Thanks DoctaD for your $0.02 it means a lot. He already has a zt I think its an 0300 but Im not sure, he owns a lot of nice folders. He only has one fixed blade (that I know of) its a sog seal pup. Im really wanting to get him a nice fixed and whether he takes it with him or not will be his choice Im sure that he'll appreciate it, and will be very surprised. The leatherman is a great idea I will look into that as well.
JimD esee and ontario knives are also a good choice. He was with me at BLADE when I bought my Ontario Afghan and I think he liked it. He kept going on about spartan blades though so Ill probably get one of those. I just wish I knew more about them.
Click to expand...

If he seemed pretty set on a Spartan then I would go with that. BUT man they are expensive!!! lol
 
Nice being supportive!!!
I'll be going through the same hel... I mean bootcamp next year

Zts great but for a fixed blade- personally a think one of the smaller busses are the best(boss jack cones to mind) but those can be pricey depending on the one

My 2cents
 
Good friend you are. I have been is the service 14 years come Oct. I have been to Iraq twice and central America once. Over my time I have used ALOT of diff knives. Most worked for me. But like most knife nuts I am hardly happy using just one. :) My recommendations are ESEE 4, Chris Reeve Green Beret with 5.5 in blade new ones are S35V steel. Anything from Spartan knives will work also. Leatherman Skeletool with bit kit is awesome. I used mine all the time last deployment. Strider are also starting to use S35V. I have carried a few of there stuff also. Al Mar knives will also be recommened. Also check out martin knives
 
wasn't there a spec for serrations? i'm referring to an edict after a helo supposedly crashed and marines couldn't cut themselves out of their straps with plain edge kabars. Me i am a firm believer in serrations. the chris reeve pacific is part serrated. good luck to your friend.
 
My son is a Marine with the CBIRF unit out of Indian Head Maryland. He is very hard on tools (especially mine). I gave him a Srapyard Scrapper 5. He's brought it home for me to sharpen a couple of times. He beats the heck out of it, probably off duty.
 
TheCarbideRat said:
wasn't there a spec for serrations? i'm referring to an edict after a helo supposedly crashed and marines couldn't cut themselves out of their straps with plain edge kabars. Me i am a firm believer in serrations. the chris reeve pacific is part serrated. good luck to your friend.
Click to expand...

Woah, never heard of that.. but honestly if the dude is a "knife nut" im sure hes gana keep it SHARP.. even out in the field... it'll get through the seat-belts even if its plain-edged but sharp..

Serrations are useful in a situation such as that, but make a mess of cutting detail-type stuff and i find plain-edge to be far more practical for everyday chores.... + serrations are a BLANK to sharpen in the field especially..

P.S. get him his spartan HELL LOVE U ;)
 
i found this-

wikipedia: "After a helicopter crash in 1999, which resulted in the deaths of six Marines and one sailor, the United States Navy performed an assessment of their equipment and decided, among other things, that they needed a new search and rescue knife.[1][2] The Ka-bar knives issued to the SBUs (Special Boat Units) had catastrophically failed to cut the Marines free from their webbing."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SARK
 
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Thanks for all of the input guys.
TheCarbideRat Ive never heard that before Ill have to read that wiki page. Serrations would probably be very useful there. He has an ep apex and keeps his knives sharp but he wont have his apex there!
 
ok -good looking out.

there is no subsitute for serrations. anybody wanna arm wrestle about it? ;)
 
well, marines + no sex = TUFF customers ... so yeh if any jarheads accept the challenge i just *might* need some backup, ;) :D :D
 
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