What makes a good SERE knife?

koyote said:
Honestly, I find that to be a relatively useless idea as anything but an extraction tool for a vehicle.
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A regular unsharpened crowbar would work as an extraction tool just fine. I meant it as an exaggeration. Most SERE knives, to me, are just too thick to make really good knives for what they will mostly be doing, which is cutting, not prying. Maybe I haven't been shot down over enough enemy territory to know how valuable those thick sharpened pry-bars really are.
 
shangchi108 said:
A regular unsharpened crowbar would work as an extraction tool just fine. I meant it as an exaggeration. Most SERE knives, to me, are just too thick to make really good knives for what they will mostly be doing, which is cutting, not prying. Maybe I haven't been shot down over enough enemy territory to know how valuable those thick sharpened pry-bars really are.
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Oh, I wasn't picking on you. My answer for a SERE knife as posted waaaay back above is much lighter and about as un-crowbar shaped as you can get.

I see vehicle extraction as a specialized activity for a specialized tool. Not something I want to compromise my knife's performance for.
 
shangchi108 said:
From what I've seen of most knives designated for SERE use, I'd say the ideal SERE knife is a sharpened crowbar.
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I think over time "they" , what is seen marketed for this task in the open market, went from one extreme to the other on weight and thickness....with maybe some over compensation of perceived weaknesses taking place. I sure wouldn't take a FBM but I wouldn't want a Case hunting knife either...but given a choice only between these two I would take the Case.
 
I would choose the Fallkniven F1 for my SERE knife.
It is light enough to be carried around all the time, it is made for that just purpose (kept in a pocket on the left calf on a SwAF flightsuit) and it is just a plain knife on steroids.

Yes, it is not a good chopper, but it works well when batoned on :)
I know you people like big knives but you should carry it around all the time.

An example: a jet pilot (F18, MIG29, JAS39, Tornado, whatever) ejects over "friendly" ground. The SERE is then just a SR and you can just sit down and wait for the medevac :). If the weather is bad he might have to survive, like civilian people has to do in the same situation. He has to make fire, shelter etc. That is what the F1 is great for.

If you end up in hostile territory the E and E does not require a knife.
Also if you have a bigger knife you might get tempted to pound on things.

About the layer thing. You can have a 4" blade in your belt or in a neck sheath and a multitool in your pocket. The absolute minimum is a folder and a firesteel.
 
ZombaiO said:
I would say that the Ranger knives from J.P. Peltonen - the M95 (6'' blade) and the M07 (5'' blade) would make uperb SERE knives.Tough as hell and great slicers :thumbup:
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I agree totally, the M95 Ranger and M07 are excellent knives, they don't seem to have much of a following here in the States, unfortunately. I currently carry the M95 as my "go to" knife, about 6'' of forged Finnish carbon steel, sharp as hell, and the handle is great. Sheath is wonderful, mine is leather with plastic lining, but kydex is available (why didn't I get that version??) The knife is much lighter than comparable knives I have seen, and the zero ground edge is the best feature. Why hasn't anyone seriously considered the Gerber Prodigy?? It is the LMF 2 without that heavy pommel, and separated tang (the electrical insulation feature) It has a pointed extended butt tangndshields" that will shatter glass, aircraft plexiglass, skulls, whatever! The 12c27 stainless is such an underrated steel, it kicks S30V's butt in many ways, namely SHARPNESS,and RE-SHARPENING EASE, very important, it is my favorite stainless, bar none, and I am a carbon guy, if that says anything!
 
lol wow holy thread resurrection :) i honestly think this is one of the oldest thread res's i've seen.

on topic, most knives in this thread would work great for anyone.
 
As You were Gentleman,
I hate reading post's on one of my favorite subject's and see some beautiful gear you men use. Makes my mouth drool, I soon will be 64 infact in a couple of month's and survived a few scrap's in the wilderness with less expensive tool's and perhap's not as pretty nor as expensive.
Yes I have used strong steel for batoning e.i, 5160 in my Ontario 10" blade, 1/4" thick, paired with a Gerber Freeman in the S30V 4" blade, and a pocket knife I wear around my neck, its a pocket knife by Simmon's called "Ol'Ern, I believe its a ATS-34 great knife, and a Sierra folding saw, and a Estwing 14"sport axe. A bit heavy, but like I said with a few scrap's I'm 64. So I think the gear is O.K. a bit heavy but O.K. today I lighten thing's up and use a Blind Horse Bushcrafter (thinner handle so my hand is used to holding it and my neck knife), and a Himalayian Import M43 Khukuri but with a 10" thinner blade, still in 5160 steel, same neck knife, and saw. God willing and an extra year of experience I hope and wish I can someday get nice gear like you boy's have, but I think I have good enough gear to go play Rambutt in the Wilderness.
Regards,
Paul
 
There is a lot of discussion about what makes the ideal SERE knife. Here is THE original SERE design from one of the Father's of the SERE program, CSM Dan Pitzer (Special Forces). He knew what a SERE knife needed to be. These were made by custom knife maker- Bill Maynard.

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Caine,

I have had a few of his blades over the years. Sadly he is no longer making knives. What's out there now is it. You don't see a lot of them up for sale on the secondary market because guys that have them won't part with them.
 
I had a Maynard and sadly moved it along. A great blade! You have a nice one there. Like the J.E. Smith Book as a back drop too!
 
Thanks for posting that knife and info. I enjoyed reading it.

How long is the blade? 4.5" or 5". I like the serations it looks like a easy way to put them into the blade and be able to maintain them.

Pretty cool post JollyRoger3:thumbup:

Bryan
 
sicily02 said:
Thanks for posting that knife and info. I enjoyed reading it.

How long is the blade? 4.5" or 5". I like the serations it looks like a easy way to put them into the blade and be able to maintain them.

Pretty cool post JollyRoger3:thumbup:

Bryan
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Sir,
You are very welcome.

The SERE knife has a total blade length of 6 inches by 1.5 inches. The cutting edge is 5.5 in. and the serrated portion is 1.5 in.

Thickness is between 5/32 and 3/16 on this one. Generally they are all 5/32. Mine is a tad thicker.

Bill made these in several blade lengths (measured cutting edge) 5.5 in, 6.5 in, 7.5 in. Bill told me that the original SERE design called for the 5.5 inch cutting edge, per CSM Pitzer.

Bill also told me that the stock thickness of 5/32 was also factored into the design as being the perfect thickness for what the knife was designed for and anything thicker was not needed.

Hope this helps.

Harpoon41- thanks it is a great book.
 
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JollyRoger3, Thanks for the info. I forgot to ask about the steel thickness and width, Thanks for clearing that up lol.
5/32" is a great steel thickness.


Bryan
 
I admit that I only quickly skimmed this very interesting and informative thread, BUT is it possible that in 11 threaded pages on SERE knives, no one mentions the first and still quintessential SERE knife...the Randall Model 18 ??? And I saw only one mention of the Model 15. Near herasay guys. For shame! Joking aside, both of those knives are, IMO, perfect for the task. I'll also add a vote for the very affordable, well built , pry bar, electric insulated, hammerheaded, knife, serrated, glass breaker, built in sharpener in sheath multi tool , known as the Gerber LMF II. Downside is that it's heavy and the balance in hand is not the best. However, it's not a dedicated fighting knife and, in a pinch, you would not be badly armed. If it had a wire cutter it would be almost perfect. I use them in my larger emergency kits precisely due to their multi functional design.
 
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acropolis5 said:
I admit that I only quickly skimmed this very interesting and informative thread, BUT is it possible that in 11 threaded pages on SERE knives, no one mentions the first and still quintessential SERE knife...the Randall Model 18 ??? And I saw only one mention of the Model 15. Near herasay guys. For shame! Joking aside, both of those knives are, IMO, perfect for the task. I'll also add a vote for the very affordable, well built , pry bar, electric insulated, hammerheaded, knife, serrated, glass breaker, built in sharpener in sheath multi tool , known as the Gerber LMF II. Downside is that it's heavy and the balance in hand is not the best. However, it's not a dedicated fighting knife and, in a pinch, you would not be badly armed. If it had a wire cutter it would be almost perfect. I use them in my larger emergency kits precisely due to their multi functional design.
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Funny you mention the Randall Model 18. It was designed and intended for such situations and fills that very specific roll well. I know many do not liek the idea of a hollow handle, but you can't argue with the fact that the Model 18 has been used since 1962 and has stood the test of time. It's not an indestructable x-caliber, no knife is, but it is strong as any knife should be. I have split wood, chopped shelter poles and butchered game with mine.

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Jolly R., where did you get that neat survival capsule to go in your Model 18's handle? I'd love to get one for my 18. By the way, the Randall Model 18 is part of the permanent design collection at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. Google the design history of the 18. It's a great story.
 
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