What knife for a Blackhawk Pilot

J

jagger67

Joined
May 26, 2009
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My nephew will be graduating from Blackhawk School in Ft Rucker, Alabama next year. Any suggestions on what knife to get him for graduation? He is required to carry a folder of some sort with a special blade/attachment for cutting his harness if needed. I was thinking more along the lines of a fixed blade. Any suggestions?
 
The benchmade triage is a folder that has a main blade and strap cutter. If you want a fixed blade, Ontario has their ASEK (aircrew survival egress knife) which has a fixed blade and a separate strap cutter that goes into a pouch on the knife's sheath. And if you want, look for some strap cutters and get a folder or fixed blade to go with it.
 
I agree, the Benchmade Triage would be a great choice for a folder. The belt cutter in independent of the main blade and performs quite well; also comes in a variety of styles. As far as fixed blades...Hopefully other members can fill you in on that.
 
He may not be able to carry a fixed blade. He would have to talk with his CO about it.

As for a folder...he can order automatic knives and he should be getting one issued or given money for one.

If you get him something, make sure it's a quality company, and more importantly high end materials. ( Benchmade, Spyderco, Combat Elite, etc...)

If your life depends on getting the hell out of the bird fast...you want a $20 chance? Or a quality knife you can use without any doubt of it performing?

Don't forget he may need a knife he can fight with. There's a reason he has to go to S.E.R.E. for his MOS.

As for a cutting tool...Benchmade (among others) make a safety cutter just for seatbelt/harness strapping.

http://www.benchmade.com/products/7

I'm not too familiar with knives that have the cutout in the handle for strap cutting. I've used them, and they aren't as good as a safety hook or open serrated blade.

If you wanted the best of both worlds...get a folder with at least a partially serrated blade.

Sorry I couldn't be more help with a specific model. And I don't mean to sound like a D bag...but, what if he doesn't like what you pick? Guys are VERY picky with their knives...especially if your life may depend on it. I won't even buy a knife made from certain steels regardless of brand.

Personally if I were you...I'd just get the safety hook. It's something he would attach to his vest and pretty much never take off. Always there, always in the same place. Good thing for something you may have to use while upside, disoriented, and wounded.

I hope my insight helps, and again...no disrespect intended
 
EagleEye509 said:
He may not be able to carry a fixed blade. He would have to talk with his CO about it.

As for a folder...he can order automatic knives and he should be getting one issued or given money for one.

If you get him something, make sure it's a quality company, and more importantly high end materials. ( Benchmade, Spyderco, Combat Elite, etc...)

If your life depends on getting the hell out of the bird fast...you want a $20 chance? Or a quality knife you can use without any doubt of it performing?

Don't forget he may need a knife he can fight with. There's a reason he has to go to S.E.R.E. for his MOS.

As for a cutting tool...Benchmade (among others) make a safety cutter just for seatbelt/harness strapping.

http://www.benchmade.com/products/7

I'm not too familiar with knives that have the cutout in the handle for strap cutting. I've used them, and they aren't as good as a safety hook or open serrated blade.

If you wanted the best of both worlds...get a folder with at least a partially serrated blade.

Sorry I couldn't be more help with a specific model. And I don't mean to sound like a D bag...but, what if he doesn't like what you pick? Guys are VERY picky with their knives...especially if your life may depend on it. I won't even buy a knife made from certain steels regardless of brand.

Personally if I were you...I'd just get the safety hook. It's something he would attach to his vest and pretty much never take off. Always there, always in the same place. Good thing for something you may have to use while upside, disoriented, and wounded.

I hope my insight helps, and again...no disrespect intended
Click to expand...

Absolutely NO disrespect taken, EagleEye!!! In fact, I had wondered about that very thing exactly....that a knife IS a very personal item. I might spend a lot of money and then he may not like it and not be able to say anything about it. I think I'll have to think of something else.
 
As an army pilot he will be issued the Ontario ASEK. It's a survival/breakout knife and also comes with a separate seat belt cutter. Have you looked into tomahawks at all? We have several pilots that like to carry them. I would think a tomahawk could be very valuable in a downed aircraft scenario.
 
jagger67 said:
Absolutely NO disrespect taken, EagleEye!!! In fact, I had wondered about that very thing exactly....that a knife IS a very personal item. I might spend a lot of money and then he may not like it and not be able to say anything about it. I think I'll have to think of something else.
Click to expand...

Grab the safety then. Very handy in places other than a bird too. I keep such things in my truck, Med kit, 3-day bag, etc...

Plus...they're cheap. Not meaning quality...cost. A Benchmade will kick some a$$ and because it's basically a fully automated production...manufacturing cost are zip. How much can it cost to stamp out a piece of steel on a machine that does thousands an hour? Lol

An inflatable woman would be a good choice too. Better than the real thing...they know how to shut up! Lol

Good luck, and send my Thanks to him for his service please.
 
I like the benchmade rescue hook and a nice small blackened fixed like the Benchmade nim cub, or the Sog Northwest ranger.
 
Benchmade safety cutter no doubt.its gonna be faster than the triages cutter and safer than cutting with a knife.Also cheap.
As for the knife its up to him lots of choices.Esee-3 as a small fixed blade , zt 300 for heavy duty folder or para2 for general utility.
 
If I were you I would contact Strider Knives directly and let them know your intention for the knife. My guess is that they'll recommend a knife and you'll at least get a Military deal - potentially substantial! GREAT Mil-spec knives!
 
All good suggestions so far.

I'm not a military pilot, but when flying I always have a folder on me and within easy reach. I am pretty obsessive about keeping it sharp but if I was less inclined to do so I would carry something like a serrated Spyderco Saver Salt. Rust immune H1 steel, serrations that can cut a seat belt like nothing, and a very light knife that won't get in the way. He will probably have a fixed blade stored in the heli for survival purposes anyway. I just like a good folder on my person too in case I ever have to ditch in water and need to cut a stuck seat belt but also to make fire in case you only get out with what's on you. ( A lighter or fire steel is always on me too. )

You know him best. Get him something that he is most likely to always have on him so its there if he ever really needs it.
 
I fly AH 1 Super Cobras in the Marine Corps, I use a slim kershaw or spyderco folder that fits easily in the shroud cutter on my flight suit. Leek, Caly 3.5, or Delica. A leatherman skeletool fits nicely in that pocket too. That probly doesnt matter because Army pilots have the two piece flight suits and theyre probly set up differently.

Like people already said, the big fixed blades and auto knives are either provided by the unit or not likely allowed.

I easily get far more use out of a Vic pioneer. I use it to unscrew and open panels on the helicopter all the time as well as cutting down kneeboard size papers.

If a Swiss Army knife isn't quite what you were thinking, the skeletool has everything you need and nothing you don't. Its great for pilots.

Another good gift would be a LED finger light in either blue or green to be compatible with NVGs.
 
Used my Severtech when I worked on Blackhawks. Razor edge. It will cut thru the fuel bladder like butter. Really cold butter, but still My first choice for cutting your way out of aluminum and Plexiglas.
 
opplanet-blackhawk-cqd-mark1-knife-.jpg


Blackhawk CQD Mk I Type E!

Sorry, I couldn't resist...

On a more serious note, although it would be nice to surprise him, you should ask your nephew about his needs first, and about what his CO will not allow. It's been said in another thread that some units/commanders have other no-carry rules, over and above military regs.

Either way, if it's going to be a knife, a folder is probably the better option. He's got a lot of gear already, in a small cockpit, and a FB may simply end up getting in his way, or get stowed in a place where it cannot be reached in the aftermath of a helicopter crash.

SERE may give him some insights to his needs, as well (I'm assuming he hasn't been to SERE School yet?). The requirements of Survival School are completely different from piloting a chopper, and he may have a different perspective when he completes the course.
 
SERE equipment and pilot equipment all go hand in hand. They carry everything on them they think they may need in a survival and/or escape and evade mission. Just the other day a pilot was telling me some advise he got once to never depend on an aircraft's heater and to wear whatever cold weather gear you would need outside. Guy that gave him the advice was in a helicopter crash once and both him and his copilot almost died of hypothermia while rescue crew worked on cutting them out for several hours

A good flashlight is also a great recommendation. The army issues horrible, cheap, unreliable junk headlamps to mechanics and pilots alike. I use my zebralight headlamp several hours a day and couldn't live without it
 
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archieblue said:
If I were you I would contact Strider Knives directly and let them know your intention for the knife. My guess is that they'll recommend a knife and you'll at least get a Military deal - potentially substantial! GREAT Mil-spec knives!
Click to expand...

I agree. I believe the DB is a good choice and I think it was designed with input from end-users that needed a way to cut or pry their way out of downed aircraft. Could be wrong, but worth looking into. Also, as mentioned above, check out the Emerson SARK.

jstrange
 
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