What do police officers (or military, or whatever your service was) ACTUALLY use, from what you've seen?

[Blues]

Sort of like when you were watching an episode of COPS, you could tell who the gun guys were. It was sometimes painful watching some of those officers trying to clear a handgun they'd taken off a perp. I'd sit there and yell instructions at my tv.

I can't stop thinking of Gil Scott-Heron now...

 

[Hashishiin]

I carry Spyderco (Bradley 2, Native Salt 2, Endura or Tasman), Cold Steel American lawman or the occasional Emerson + a leatherman. I have seen one Benchmade triage out there, some Gerber paraframes, and a bunch of Leathermans, Swisstools and some Gerber MT’s.

Why do they carry MT’s? No clue. Everyone carries MT’s, but still use the knifeblade on the MT’s as a screwdriver instead of the actual screwdriver. Which in turn forces me to ask them if they are idiots.

I am curious why they would use it for that purpose, too. I am about to buy a very small MT, and my carry, if I'm going "out out" for a day, would look like: First off, my pocket prybar!!, Microtech or similar small, stylish, gentlemanly folder like a Case or a Chaparral, a Leatherman Wingman for all the tools, a PM2 and a waved Yojumbo/Matriarch/Endura. Some guy talked about his brother, who was a cop, and this makes even more sense in that profession. The pocket prybar is AMAZING and will save me so many knife tips and LM screwdrivers from prying... it's very small, you can get 2, 3 and 4 inch versions, I have the 4" curved Widgy. I rec it to everyone!

I can't stop thinking of Gil Scott-Heron now...

That's what I said when I first saw his name!
Angeeeeel dust! *BAW BOM...BUM BA-BA...BUM-BUM-BA-BA*

In Germany Pohlforce knives were pretty popular among policemen some time ago. According to a friend who is into knives and a cop nearly all of his younger colleagues either had one or wanted one (mostly the Mike Five). A (female) friend of mine who is a cop carries a locking Victorinox Ranger though. Some members of a tactical police team here in Germany carried Extrema Ratios.
In Italy I witnessed a harbour policeman cutting a line with a custom Extrema Ratio BF2T once.
Last but not least I once saw the member of a French anti terror unit in full gear with a Bastinelli RED V2 strapped to his chest in live TV. But that hardly qualifies as EDC.

I remember looking at Extrema Ratios in my dagger phase, remember admiring them greatly! Seems European cops like nice fixed blades! No fixies among the American cops?

 

[G. Scott H.]

I can't stop thinking of Gil Scott-Heron now...

Someone asked me recently here if my screen name was a reference to Gil. I told them it was my actual name (first initial, middle name, and last initial) and they just happened to coincide with Gil's name. I don't mind the association, though. A very talented dude.

edit: There you go. It was Hashishiin who asked. We posted at the same time.

 

[Blues]

I remember looking at Extrema Ratios in my dagger phase, remember admiring them greatly! Seems European cops like nice fixed blades! No fixies among the American cops?

On tactical teams.

(I always carried a neck knife under my polo shirt. I didn't work in uniform but for SRT ops.)

 

[Hashishiin]

In general, I think that might be true. Remember, the '90's were the hayday for "tactical". You just weren't cool if you didn't have a Strider or Emerson. All the new recruits full of piss-and-vinegar wanted or had one. If nothing else, guys like Mick and Ernie moved the knife industry forward in ways that were not seen before. Like them or not, their influence was undeniable.

Oh, man! Today, I feel sometimes embarrassed for my waved Matriarch 2 with a ring on it... I am not a cop or anything, but I guess that tac-thing has a place in every young dude's heart, perhaps. I would of course never have that as my "main" knife, just lightly carried on my right, I forget about it.

Oh yeah, they were definitely influential, that much is undeniable. I'm just hearing way more "Spyderco, Benchmade..." from the old heads and more "Chinesium, crap, except for my gifts" from what I perceive to be newer cops. Interesting stuff.

Someone asked me recently here if my screen name was a reference to Gil. I told them it was my actual name (first initial, middle name, and last initial) and they just happened to coincide with Gil's name. I don't mind the association, though. A very talented dude.

That was me

On tactical teams.

(I always carried a neck knife under my polo shirt. I didn't work in uniform but for SRT ops.)

Dang, Blues, it seems like you have had a pretty wild history! Training under what seem like some pretty impressive folks and working for the SRT. I imagine you have a treasure trove of experience and stories from those times.

 

[Blues]

Dang, Blues, it seems like you have had a pretty wild history! Training under what seem like some pretty impressive folks and working for the SRT. I imagine you have a treasure trove of experience and stories from those times.

More than some, less than others.

I had the opportunity to train with some really excellent organizations over the years. SEALS, domestic LE departments, and from overseas both SAS and GSG 9 who were invited to come over and share their techniques and tactics. Worked alongside some great departments here and abroad as well...including the RCMP, Quebec Provincial Police, Metropolitan Police (London), and Brazilian Judicial Police in Sao Paulo.

It was fun while it lasted. (For the most part. Like anything else.)

 

[gazz98]

My neighbor down the street works for the Sheriff dept. He was carries a Byrd Cara Cara rescue knife. Decent quality, light, easy to open one handed, and won't break the bank. Apparently most of his dept carries a serrated folder of some kind.

 

[Boattale]

More than some, less than others.

I had the opportunity to train with some really excellent organizations over the years. SEALS, domestic LE departments, and from overseas both SAS and GSG 9 who were invited to come over and share their techniques and tactics. Worked alongside some great departments here and abroad as well...including the RCMP, Quebec Provincial Police, Metropolitan Police (London), and Brazilian Judicial Police in Sao Paulo.

It was fun while it lasted. (For the most part. Like anything else.)

There oughta be a song. Or at least another verse to one we already know....

 

[Boattale]

I was USMC long ago. Carried a demo knife and later on a 110. Saw a couple of Gerber Mark II's on Lieutenants. Saw a lot of 110's on belts. Kabar's and Bayonets were checked in and out of the Armory and not carried except in the field. And not all that often even then. This was in California and Okinawa. Viet Nam was different I'm sure.

 

[jdswitters]

USMC helicopter hydraulics mechanic, late 80s and early 90s. One day while I was in OJT the Marlboro folks were in the parking lot of the PX promoting the marlboro bucks or whatever campaign. I seem to recall I got a Victorinox spartan for 10 empty cig packs and carried that for several years. The reason a hydraulics mech loved the spartan is that the cork screw was really good at removing o-rings.

Cheers,

 

[Hashishiin]

My neighbor down the street works for the Sheriff dept. He was carries a Byrd Cara Cara rescue knife. Decent quality, light, easy to open one handed, and won't break the bank. Apparently most of his dept carries a serrated folder of some kind.

I was thinking of getting a waved version of that, couldn't believe they made waved Byrds.

More than some, less than others.

I had the opportunity to train with some really excellent organizations over the years. SEALS, domestic LE departments, and from overseas both SAS and GSG 9 who were invited to come over and share their techniques and tactics. Worked alongside some great departments here and abroad as well...including the RCMP, Quebec Provincial Police, Metropolitan Police (London), and Brazilian Judicial Police in Sao Paulo.

It was fun while it lasted. (For the most part. Like anything else.)

Brazillian, domestic, overseas, underseas, I've worked everywhere, man, I've worked everywhere...

 

[1911bphil]

I carried a Gerber Folding Hunter when I was in the US Navy. Most of my shipmates carried a Buck 110, but I wanted something different. I also carried and used a marlin spike. This was from 1983-1987. I would carry Leatherman if I was in the service now. My edc has changed a lot since those days.

 

[hank_rearden]

Wasn't a service man myself but this is what I saw cops and security people often use: anything from cutting the clothes off an accident victim to touching up their (shaved) mustaches.

or this

I wonder why Stanley doesn't make knives or multi-tools anymore?

 

[Hashishiin]

I carried a Gerber Folding Hunter when I was in the US Navy. Most of my shipmates carried a Buck 110, but I wanted something different. I also carried and used a marlin spike. This was from 1983-1987. I would carry Leatherman if I was in the service now. My edc has changed a lot since those days.

This reminds me! Now that I am into knives, I gotta ask my Navy bud what knife he carries, and if I don't like the answer, I'm gonna send him a knife. He works in a nuclear sub. One of the best people I have ever known.

How has your carry changed, though? Downsized?

Wasn't a service man myself but this is what I saw cops and security people often use: anything from cutting the clothes off an accident victim to touching up their (shaved) mustaches.

or this

I wonder why Stanley doesn't make knives or multi-tools anymore?

These are nice. Solid choices. I'd love a T-88 or whatever that Electricians knife is called. I love TIMELESS designs. Case, Opinel, Higonokami, Laguiole, K55 Mercator, Douk-Douk... I own all these knives, want all the versions, and there are more yet to add to the list, like this piece of classic Americana. What is the top one called again? I remember it had a simple name like Soldier's Knife or something.

Oh, and Stanley still makes knives or, those cutting boxtool things, to the best of my knowledge? Some Brit was complaining about finding a Stanley boxcutter package in a park on Twitter not too long ago. Ierno. Never used a Stanley but I did want to give the Milwaukee Fastback a try, just cause I bought a pair of useless cutproof gloves that I sliced through with a half-dull Mora, and they're known to do random lil exchanges like that.

 

[Dergyll]

I had one buddy who deployed with a strongarm...

One carries a leatherman surge.

I have a few buds from the Meriden volunteer firefighters, and they don't carry anything lol, despite what tacticool channels and companies like to think. I think one of them has a big dedicated pry-bar, but if they have to break that out then you know it's bad...

 

[scdub]

Mostly Benchmade and Spyderco and a few Cold Steels in my Dept as well among cops that carry a knife (around 75%??).

In my observation, probably 50% carry a backup handgun, and those without a knife generally don’t carry a second weapon (or extra latex gloves, or a tourniquet, or extra AR magazines, etc.).

I consider them imaginatively impaired.

 

[Hashishiin]

Mostly Benchmade and Spyderco and a few Cold Steels in my Dept as well among cops that carry a knife (around 75%??).

In my observation, probably 50% carry a backup handgun, and those without a knife generally don’t carry a second weapon (or extra latex gloves, or a tourniquet, or extra AR magazines, etc.).

I consider them imaginatively impaired.

I was waiting for a Cold Steel mention. Way, way stronger than any ZT knife, I'd expect some cops to rely upon these. And no wonder the carry of tools is proportionate with general readiness!

 

[Blues]

I was waiting for a Cold Steel mention. Way, way stronger than any ZT knife, I'd expect some cops to rely upon these. And no wonder the carry of tools is proportionate with general readiness!

I think it's very easy to overstate the importance of a particular tool or its robustness.

I've climbed, backpacked, canoed, x-c skied etc from the northeast, to the Rocky Mountain and Sierra west, as well as Alaska and rarely had a particularly well made knife or tool along with me, (generally speaking), for many of those years.

A modicum of care and know-how trumps what you carry in most instances...in my experience. Either that, or I'm just lucky to still be here.

As enthusiasts, it's easy for us to become intoxicated by our own Kool-Aid.

(Of course I've gravitated to higher quality over the ensuing years.)

 

[Storm 8593]

Did nigh on 15 years in the NZ Army , carried a Leatherman PSTII for most of it on my belt. Cutting, prying , replacing half my electricians tools as a pinch, did all I needed. We also got issued Victorinox Centurions (now called the Nomad IIRC) which I saw a few lads using. There was a few Benchmades/Spydercos around, but they were pretty rare as the exchange rates are not kind.

 

[killgar]

These are nice. Solid choices. I'd love a T-88 or whatever that Electricians knife is called. I love TIMELESS designs. Case, Opinel, Higonokami, Laguiole, K55 Mercator, Douk-Douk... I own all these knives, want all the versions, and there are more yet to add to the list, like this piece of classic Americana. What is the top one called again? I remember it had a simple name like Soldier's Knife or something.

The "electricians" knife is designated TL-29, the all-stainless camp-style knife is a "DEMO" (model 1760).

My father was a civilian employee at North Island Naval Base here in San Diego for around 25 years. He worked in supply and these two knives were abundant and lying around all over the place (they used them to open boxes). Over the years my father brought home maybe a dozen of each. He'd drop one in his pocket at work to use, forget that it was there, bring it home, and then forget to bring it back to work, then just pick up another, and so on.

My first "big" knife was a TL-29, and I first learned to sharpen a knife with a DEMO.

In grade school I made some money selling both knives to my school mates. Between the size of the knives (they were considered big) and the military connection, they were very popular.

The TL-29 was often paired with a set of electricians pliers, and they came with a special leather sheath with a top compartment for the knife, and a bottom holder for the pliers.

The problem with the DEMO knives was that it was hard to find an all-around good one. The majority of the ones that passed through my hands had serious issues. Either the blade had serious play, side-to-side or front-to-back, and/or the screwdriver was so stiff they were near impossible to open, even with the little peg/stud. The TL-29's that I had were of higher, more consistent quality.

Today I have one TL-29 (from my father), and I have a set of the electricians pliers (also from my father). I've used the pliers extensively, including just last week doing some custom wiring on one of my motorcycles.

I had a few more TL-29's, and a half dozen DEMO knives prior to my last move, but they were all junky, so I left them behind. I had one of the leather sheaths for the TL-29/pliers, but I sold that.

You didn't ask me, I just felt like sharing.