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

It's been my experience that Police Officers, Firefighters and EMS break down into two groups; "Knows" and "Don't Knows". "Knows" carry a quality folder (sometimes a small fixed blade) or two and a quality multitool. "Don't Knows" usually aren't carrying anything ("Hey man, can I borrow your knife?") or, if they are, it's usually the cheapest thing they could find at the local gas station. They're always surprised when their POS self destructs during use.

As I've told all that I've trained over the years - 50% of our jobs as human beings is education. Keep educating all you "Knows" out there!
 
I used Spyderco Enduraā€™s and Police with an occasional Kabar TDI. Most officers I worked with did the same because I was the ā€œgun guyā€ everyone asked for advice.
 
I was a jet mechanic in the mid 70's and carried a Buck 110. I just retired in 2021 from the St Lois Police Department and carried a Boker Kalashnikov and a couple of gas station knives. Didn't want to carry anything real expensive, it was too easy to loose or break what was carried.
 
I was former active duty Marine Corps infantry, currently a firefighter/EMT, and work very closely with city police officers.

In my experience regarding the military, the overwhelming majority use whatever is sold at the base PX or sold at the uniform stores. Usually the knives are the low to mid priced Gerber, Kershaw, or SOG folders. Outside of those brands itā€™s mostly the cheap and generic Chinese made knives that have a more tactical look. A very small amount of people would carry a Benchmade. My Lieutenant in the Marines gave me his AFO 1 on my first deployment to Iraq and it was my main utility knife.

In my current job itā€™s the same across the board between police and fire. Occasionally Iā€™ll see a mid range Spyderco or a black class Benchmade but unless the person is specifically into knives, itā€™s never really anything more than that.

Currently my on duty EDC as a firefighter is a CRK Sebenza 31 and an Emerson CQC-15
 
From what I see anything in the low to medium price range if at all. I would guess their choices are limited to what a local knife/supply store sells which is usually low to mid range the mid range stuff being marketed as high end by the store owner with a close to retail price. They usually know very little about blade steels, locks, and what are the best quality brands. They likely would have no idea how to choose if ordering on line.

Mention of spending $100.00 on a knife may elicit a gasp or a look as if you are foolish.

There is some rational to that attitude since really good knives are available at low prices but they likely would have no clue as to which are the good buys and the not so good (penny wise pound foolish) buys. They are also likely to abuse them at some time or another in which case a budget knife is a better choice.

Any fantasies by military people about big heavy combat knives will be quickly resolved when they have to deal with and carry the thing all day along with the rest of their gear.

Don't climb all over me for this it's just an impression limited to my small world and I am aware that not all LEO and Military people are like this.
 
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Multiple LEO's in the family (City Cops, & State Patrol), and also multiple Military (Army, Marine, Navy). I have seen no correlation between them, or most I have had contact with, regarding choice and use of a daily knife carry other than - Generally, simply considered a semi-disposable tool to cut things and/or pry things. This is obviously not representative of all, simply my experience. Interestingly, I would not carry any of them (by choice). Shows what I know ... LOL (then again, I have always been infatuated with personal use of hand tools based of how they perform task at hand and have daily carried since before entering Cub Scout program).

Man Without A Knife.JPG
 
My name is Centermass, and Iā€™m a LEOā€¦ and a knife guy. Personally, I carry a Benchmade Presidio 5000 axis auto and a Victorinox Small Tinker everyday on duty, and have for years.

Itā€™s true, many cops are not knife dudes. I try to educate others about the benefits of quality gear, but like many here have said, a lot of cops carry gas station or S&W knives because they A) donā€™t want to lose an expensive knife, or B) are probably doing things with knives that knives arenā€™t really meant to do. Over the years, Iā€™ve tried many brands and models, and the aforementioned combo works best for me.

17 years on, and Iā€™ve never lost a knife on duty, nor have I ever had to cut a seatbelt or bust a window where my knife was the only available, or remotely best option, so Iā€™ve never really subscribed to those options as rationale for choosing a duty knife. But thatā€™s just me.

B216FF45-CA30-4F14-AE35-92D202CBDE27.jpeg
 
Centermass said:
My name is Centermass, and Iā€™m a LEOā€¦ and a knife guy. Personally, I carry a Benchmade Presidio 5000 axis auto and a Victorinox Small Tinker everyday on duty, and have for years.

Itā€™s true, many cops are not knife dudes. I try to educate others about the benefits of quality gear, but like many here have said, a lot of cops carry gas station or S&W knives because they A) donā€™t want to lose an expensive knife, or B) are probably doing things with knives that knives arenā€™t really meant to do. Over the years, Iā€™ve tried many brands and models, and the aforementioned combo works best for me.

17 years on, and Iā€™ve never lost a knife on duty, nor have I ever had to cut a seatbelt or bust a window where my knife was the only available, or remotely best option, so Iā€™ve never really subscribed to those options as rationale for choosing a duty knife. But thatā€™s just me.

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Thank you for your service. I really appreciate it.
 
Blues said:
Tough crowd...šŸ¤£

Here's a few old ones...from before it turned gray.

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......how have I missed this before now........ just wow......look, each November we have a team in the Movember challenge here, I would like to make you an honourary member of our team...!!!!!!!! Between this (grey is fine) and the knuckle-dragger who can sprout a Fu-Manu-Chu in about 48rs, we are bound to win the glory and accolades that come along with this.

Oh and to stay on track, early on it was a Buck 110FG then a Leatherman. I do still keep an old Cold Steel "Rescue Knife" in the console of my car along with some other PPE.
 
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OMCHamlin said:
Funny I should read that, I just did get an original Gerber leather sheath for an old Gerber Folding Hunter off of eBay, something I'd been looking for for a long time.
I started my time with Uncle Sam in '83, and carried something like a Buck 110 from the NEX, and then later a Bucklite 112, maroon handle scales and a "Ballistic Nylon" and "Velcro" sheath. I began carrying a Leatherman after I bought the first black one I ran across, still just a PST. I remember getting butt chewings about having that on my belt in uniform, of course now they issue their modern equivalent. After the Bucklite, I carried a Spyderco Police model for the longest time.
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Yep, I just discovered the joys of the Police 4 (Lightweight, serrated K390) and it's becoming my favorite carry knife. Kicked the Matriarch 2 and... a lot of other knives out of my pocket. Like the PM2. For a bit, anyways. I'm sure it'll prove too big for SOME places. But the color honestly diffuses it -honestly, it is not just size, it's the whole look of a knife that decides how it's seen. Funny, a Buck 110 LW is another of my favorites lately.
I've heard of that happening before, the getting chewed out, that is. I sort of get a laugh if he's carrying a Stabinator 5000, making the unit look ridiculous or murderous, but the PST? Isn't that the tiny Leatherman? Why would they not what you having that? I suppose because uniformity is an important thing, I would guess.
 
Andy the Aussie said:
......how have I missed this before now........ just wow......look, each November we have a team in the Movember challenge here, I would like to make you an honourary member of our team...!!!!!!!! This (grey is fine) and the knuckle-dragger who can sprout a Fu-Manu-Chu in about 48rs, we are bound to win the glory and accolades that come along with this.

Oh and to stay on track, early on it was a Buck 110FG then a Leatherman. I do still keep an old Cold Steel "Rescue Knife" in the console of my car along with some other PPE.
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Is the rescue knife a Black Talon?
 
I know some cops carry knives from the TDI line but I can't get past how ugly it is in my opinion. I get the design utilizes muscle memory the cop already has because of the pistol-like aspect but do we really want cops confusing yet another item with their firearm in the heat of the moment? I remember not so long ago a lady cop got in big trouble for capping a guy after thinking she had her taser and announcing she was deploying it. Were I a cop I'd probably want a spyderco police model. That way no defense lawyer in the world can say you're carrying something unfit for a public servant and get some crook sympathy.
I reserve the right to change my opinion if somebody makes a "police gladius".
 
SimplyMinded said:
I know some cops carry knives from the TDI line but I can't get past how ugly it is in my opinion. I get the design utilizes muscle memory the cop already has because of the pistol-like aspect but do we really want cops confusing yet another item with their firearm in the heat of the moment? I remember not so long ago a lady cop got in big trouble for capping a guy after thinking she had her taser and announcing she was deploying it. Were I a cop I'd probably want a spyderco police model. That way no defense lawyer in the world can say you're carrying something unfit for a public servant and get some crook sympathy.
I reserve the right to change my opinion if somebody makes a "police gladius".
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As stated in an earlier comment, I recently got a serrated Polce 4 LW in K390 with a wave and it's changed the way I view knife carry, minimalizes me so much, and has inspired minimalization in other factors. I would think the wave function on Spydercos or Cold Steel would be most reliable and is very easy to get to muscle memory with some practice. I see your point about the courts, however.

Police Gladius! Nice.
 
Iā€™ve worked as a cop for too long now. I carried an Axis lock AFCK for quite a while on patrol back in the mid 2000s. Currently I edc an Umnumzaan off duty and carry a shaman with a deep carry clip in my front right pocket while working. The deep clip keeps the knife from clanking against my gun holster with every step.

Iā€™m currently assigned rural patrol in a large western state and have a Benchmade Altitude tucked in my pack for any meat yielding tasks.

To your original question about use, honestly my knife is used little at work. But I need it to be there and be ready just like my little Jframe backup gun.
 
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