What do Real Military Men/Women Carry

moxie said, "I've been retired for quite a while now, but "in my day" very few soldiers/airmen could afford even knives sold in the PX/BX."

I say, Rubbish! Troops don't make much money but they buy what they want. It's the old "needs/wants" issue. If a trooper wanted a knife, he could put off that stereo purchase a while. I can't number the stereo system I told my 1SG to box up when I did a walk through on a saturday morning and found loud music competing from every room!
 
bruce said:
Troops don't make much money but they buy what they want. It's the old "needs/wants" issue.
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I've never been in the service but if I were, judging by the person I was when I was of that age (18-mid 20s or so), I'd buy a decent multi tool or SAK and then spend the rest on beer and women. :) Hey, just being honest! :D
 
It's almost a cliche - Remember the line most often heard in B-grade action movies, where a soldier would turn around and tell his buddy - "I owe you one" ? Well, guess what? It's a fact, a soldier is always short on money. He carries whatever Uncle Sam gives him or tells him to carry. He can consider himself luckier if he had family or friends who actually rewards him with a really good knife for having enlisted into the forces.
Let's just say, soldiers today are much more informed about "cool gadgets". So if you intend to "present" away anything, at least consider asking him his opinions first.
 
A: Coast Guard
B: E-3 pay and married
C: Issued: Myerchin folder with a marlinspike on the back (not "tacticle" but cuts line like butter and the 'spike does a number on the hitches and bends). Also a Gerber folder that could go in the drink for all I care (but it's G.I.).
D: My opinion? The government has treated me well, and gives me the tools to do the job as well as a pay check and health care for an honest days work. Maybe the military has changed, but I don't have the cash to go around dropping any sort of money on the knives I'd like to have, unlike some of the posts I've seen here stating otherwise, and yeah, I manage my money with the help of my wife.
E: What do others carry? Myerchin's fixed blade with the 'spike in the sheath (very nice, our Station gives these to those who get Cox'n qualified (boat driver)). Never seen a Spyderco Salt series on a Coastie, but they look freakin' sweet, just can't afford it). And a slew of Benchmade Griptillians, probably the most popular non-issued.
 
...it's a question of priorities. Most would rather blow hundreds (thousands, maybe?) on Xbox 360s, laptops, games, DVDs, Ipods, cell phones and other crap then invest in top quality optics, lights, knives or other gear.
 
I beat up a XM-18 by Rick Hinderer and a Swiss Multi tool. Will vary carry with a Queen carbon steel trapper, and a SAK Executive.
 
My Marine son is taking a Emerson CQC-7 and a Leatherman Wave (Bootcamp graduation gifts) when he deploys to Iraq. As an O 311(Rifleman), he doesn't want to have to lug around any more gear than he absolutely needs. And he figures these will fill the bill for most of what he'll need.
 
In 2005 I frequented the Px in Baghdad often, and the only two fixed blades they ever had in stock was Kabar std mil and Cold Steel SRK. I saw an awful lot of SRKs come and go, but the Kabars didn't move all that much. The other was Leathermans and a few different folders, but those didn't seem to move much either.

I packed a LT Wave and two SRKs. I saw gate guards (the poor soldiers standing sentry/gate duty at various locations around town) carry mostly issue, with a few LTs and a few others. The most out of place was one soldier packing an AK bayonet in a scabbard at Steel Dragon. I saw the same general diversity in personally bought knives as most of the others that have posted here.

Were I to go back, I'd probably take my battle rat, the SRKs and my Wave again. I ain't planning on ever going back. Now that all my friends there are dead or left the country, there's nothing there that interests me.
 
CT96 said:
...it's a question of priorities. Most would rather blow hundreds (thousands, maybe?) on Xbox 360s, laptops, games, DVDs, Ipods, cell phones and other crap then invest in top quality optics, lights, knives or other gear.
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Hmm...Out of the 12 or so E-4's and below that live at our station (yeah, CG stations are small) only one person has a video game console, and only one other has a laptop. Two or three people have ipods, and everyone has a cellphone to call home.

Spending top dollar on a Strider knife is out of the question. My wife would use the knife to kill me. I love his folders, they're awesome, but I'm several pay-grades too low to purchase. Don't take this as a bag on Strider (I know how sensitive Knife makers can be after reading these forums for the last few months). He gets top-dollar because his knives are worth it. Guys at my station actually showed me his knives. I don't know how many times we scrolled through the pages and said "damn, that's kick-a$$". We just then walked away with Myerchin's on our belts and went back to work.

Of course, like it has been mentioned, it's all priorities. But rent, groceries and gas come first.
 
Before I get going here and say some things that might ruffle some feathers I want to assure you all that is not my intention. Just telling you my opinion, I have 20 years in the Army and a bunch of deployments to look back on.

First MOST service members don’t need and will never NEED a “tactical” knife. While it might seem a little indulgent to spend hundreds of dollars for a blade that may never get a bigger work out than cutting the 550 cord used to attach its sheath to your gear or open an MRE that’s fine. There is nothing wrong with having a quality piece of steel just because you like it.

I’m older and I like to think wiser than I was when I got in the Army 20 years ago, I have no illusions about my ability to take on some one with a knife who is REALLY trained in that type of combat. I served with a group of British Gurkhas, those guys ARE knife fighters. Me personally……I’ll never be in a knife fight unless I am out of ammo, can’t find a big rock and have at least one broken leg.

All of that being said I always carry an issued Gerber Multi tool. I have torn up a bunch of them but I keep using them because they give me another when one breaks. As far as a knife, I have carried the same ‘GW STONE’ for the last 25 years. My Dad passed it on to me. It has been on every hunting trip and every trip to the field and every deployment with me since I got my hands on it. It’s heavy and bulky and totally indestructible. Maybe not the perfect tool for my purposes these days but it has to go with me. I almost left my old knife behind on my last all expenses paid trip…to Afghanistan. But I could not do it, the STONE ended up in a duffle bag at the last minute. I felt almost like I do with my old bird dog that can’t keep up any more. I never have the heart to leave her behind so I load her up.
 
DFArcher said:
..... First MOST service members don’t need and will never NEED a “tactical” knife. While it might seem a little indulgent to spend hundreds of dollars for a blade that may never get a bigger work out than cutting the 550 cord used to attach its sheath to your gear or open an MRE that’s fine....
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Hundreds of dollars?

There are still some good deals on high-end, Production tactical folders.
Recently got a SOG Flash II for only $50.oo

Spyderco Delicas and Enduras are also great bargains.:thumbup:
 
Let me clarify my statement in post #181 above.

I don't think every E3 needs a $400 knife. I also don' advocate every E3 should collect $400 knives, or any knives for that matter. I only advocate that any E3 who wants a knife should not complain about spending $100 or more for a good knife! I know, some junior enlisted soldiers are supporting families or making their disabled parents mortgage payments, but most are not doing without their beer, music, videos, etc. They can buy whatever they want if they prioritize their finances.

A lot of soldiers feel that the Army should provide them with all the tools they need, and if they needed a knife, Uncle Sugar would provide them with one. Although it should be this way, it isn't. That is no reason to deny onself of a tool that will make ones deployment easier. If you need a knife and the supply sergeant doesn't have one to issue, go buy one!

So I wouldn't be responsible to anyone, I bought most of my TA-50 from the clothing sales store and maintained it myself. I'm not advocating this position, just that there are lot's of ways to may yourself more comfortable in the big green machine!
 
Monocrom said:
Hundreds of dollars?

There are still some good deals on high-end, Production tactical folders.
Recently got a SOG Flash II for only $50.oo

Spyderco Delicas and Enduras are also great bargains.:thumbup:
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Sure.....and there are good deals at Walmart for $12.98. All I was saying is its cool to buy what you want, not what you need sometimes.
 
A good, stout, reliable folding knife would seem to be a needful thing for the soldiers who are over there.
 
1: The fracas in the desert- SAK, I don't always remember the model names, but one of the varieties that had a corkscrew AND a phillips head, not too big. I also carried a Buck fixed blade, whichever model my troop was giving oout for awards in the scouts- special or woddsman or something. Lost that, got a SOG. I didn't know a WHOLE lot then, but for the time I was FMF I had a gunny who bought one and liked it. Used it, it worked.

2: the after-the-fracas stuff. Around the time my group started roatating in for the sanction enforcements and anti piracy stuff, a whole bunch of us in technical ratings were issued the original Gerber Multi Pliers, which we proceeded to take apart and customize.Still carried an SAK, though I found my first lockblade victorinox in Bahrain during this time.

3: Bosnian flights. I wasn't on the ground there, just doing flights on that profile, but aircraft go down, so my bag always had the SOG in it.

Now, as for pay. Back in the 70s we used to get fed off stuff my father stole from the mess hall because we couldn't even always buy food. a $75 knife at the time would have hurt badder than you think.

No way could I have gotten a $400 knife when I was an E-1, but by the time I was e3 I'd had enough months here and there without anything to spend money on that I could have. Honestly, unless you'd made me carry it for inspection every day, I would have probably lost something like that anyhow. I didn't get my shit together for a while.

By the time I was a second class PO, I could pretty handily have made the effort to get a $1000 knife, would have taken 3 checks- 2 if I skipped beer, but there really wasn't a need.

I had a friend going out a few months back, he already had a big bowie, so I gave him an Outrider SAK, and he uses it daily. simple stuff- the stuff you need in your pocket every day- scissors and a small saw, a blade and a can opener.
 
The answer to the original question is that members of the military carry about any brand or type of blade you can mention. I can't think of brand I haven't shipped to a member of the military. One that stands out would be the Cold Steel 13RTK. We sold over 1000 of them to the Naval air squadrons on aircraft carriers during the initial invasion of Iraq. They were bought as pilot survival knives. Another was the Leatherman Wave. We've sold hundreds of those to the Navy SEAL teams and to Coast Guard Units. Sales to Army people are usually individual sales (anything you can name) or small unit purchases - usually less than 50 knives. Some popular ones are the Kabars and the Spyderco Enduras. Leatherman tools are also popular with Army people. Heck we've sold hundreds of Smith and Wesson knives to Army units. I just got a military order today for some of the new Remington military models. Coast Guard crews tend to buy a lot of marine knives. The Myerchin are big sellers to them.

It is anything and everything. I think any knife manufacturer can make a claim that their products are used by the military and be accurate. It is a meaningless claim since it applies to everyone.
 
What rate? One version or another of an SAK is going to be incredibly useful all the time. Beyond that, it depends on what you are doing. The leatherman Crunch paired with a cybertool is perfect for electronic ratings...
 
bruce said:
I don't think every E3 needs a $400 knife. I also don' advocate every E3 should collect $400 knives, or any knives for that matter. I only advocate that any E3 who wants a knife should not complain about spending $100 or more for a good knife! I know, some junior enlisted soldiers are supporting families or making their disabled parents mortgage payments, but most are not doing without their beer, music, videos, etc. They can buy whatever they want if they prioritize their finances.

A lot of soldiers feel that the Army should provide them with all the tools they need, and if they needed a knife, Uncle Sugar would provide them with one. Although it should be this way, it isn't. That is no reason to deny onself of a tool that will make ones deployment easier. If you need a knife and the supply sergeant doesn't have one to issue, go buy one!

So I wouldn't be responsible to anyone, I bought most of my TA-50 from the clothing sales store and maintained it myself. I'm not advocating this position, just that there are lot's of ways to may yourself more comfortable in the big green machine!
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I agree completely. I enlisted 20+years ago as an E3, and was married to boot. I still saved and bought myself a Randall #14 for $224 (a fortune then), when I wanted a knife. It can be done, if one wants to.
 
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