Whats Your Go To War Knife ?

This atm.
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I carried a Microtech D/A Socom in Mosul.
 
Probably my Emerson Super Roadhouse. Although honestly a big cold steel knife with a triadlock and either a thumbplate or a wave mod of some sort would probably be an even better folder.

I have a Wilson Combat fixed integral bowie knife that would probably be my fixed blade. You could pry the engine out a truck with that thing.
 
Going to war knife..... for me it would depend on what I am doing in this war. I suspect that most will get more use out of a Vic SAK and a Leatherman than just about any other knife-tool combo. But if I were special forces, I suspect I would be probably looking at one of my Randalls #16 or a Blackjack 1-7.
 
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I carried a Gerber MkII many years ago, now a good multitool with scissors built in and a decent folder that I wouldn't mind getting lost. Other than cutting open MRE's or the occasional crate to pry open most soldiers don't use a fixed blade much if at all. It really depends on your MOS.
 
Carried two knives in Iraq.
Cold Steel SRK and a Spyderco Native.

I picked up the Native after I lost my Gerber Folder.
I also had a Gerber MultiTool. I have been a fan of them for many years, and they have only gotten better.
I still own all three of those knives.
 
Emre said:
You may not be allowed to carry a knife for a while. You might be better off holding off until you know what you're going to be doing.

In the end, a good multi tool or one of the newer, large, locking SAK's will probably be the most useful.
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This. Most likely, you won't be allowed a knife at all during Basic, and after that it will be at the discretion of your CO. Sometimes, mission requirements (gear that cannot identify your country of origin, or non-magnetic tools for EOD are two examples) dictate what you can carry with you.

I've asked similar questions here, and in other places. A multitool will serve you better, possibly backed up by a pry bar.

In general, soldiers, even knife knuts, don't carry fixed blades. You're already sporting 80 pounds of gear or more, including armor and webbing, and anything that adds weight or gets in the way, had better have a damn good reason to be there. Knives tend to end up at the bottom of a foot locker, or get shipped home.
 
For a folder it would be between an Strider SMF, a Medford 187 and an Emerson.

for a fixed blade would be between a Bradford Guardian 4 or 5 and an Esee 4
 
A Marine friend of mine (Desert Storm, Desert Shield) kept a Kabar and a Benchmade 9053 AFO on him while he was deployed. He's carried that Benchmade almost every day since!
 
Unless things have changed, you will find that most SMs buy and use stuff like SOG or CRKT. Knives they can pick up at the exchange for little money. They will treat your knife just like their CRKT so be careful when you loan out your knife. I would also suggest that you wait until your first duty station before getting a knife. You never know about the morals of the people in Basic or AIT.

A multi-tool is a must. Personally, I would probably carry a Gerber over a Leatherman but, that's just my preference. The Leatherman is a much better MT but I find the Gerber easier to work with when I am cold, wet and tired. It is also half the cost.

Personally knowing that some soldiers are thieves, I would not get anything very costly. The two most expensive folders I would consider are Emerson's CQC7 and Benchmade's full size Griptilian h2o.

For folders, I think most of my list is about 50 bucks or less:

Ontario Utilitac 2.
Spyderco Tenacious.
Victorinox Alox Pioneer series.
Victorinox Trekker series.

For me, it would be a Gerber Pro Scout MT plus a Utilitac or SAK Pioneer.

Not really sure that I would want a fixed blade but I guess for discussion value I would go with a Glock field knife. It's a light weight proven design. When I was in, most of the people that carried a FB never used it. They would reach for a MT or folder instead.
 
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In Iraq and Afghanistan my "Go to War" knives were:

Emerson SOCFK
Emerson CQC-7
Spyderco Endura
and a multi tool of some kind (I preferred the SOG Powerplier...still do)

My fixed blades usually ended up in my boat bag or left at the FOB.

The pic below is my kit in Al Taqqadum, Iraq with the SOCFK on top.
 

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I think you should do a ten mile forced speed march with 60lbs of kit first and ask yourself the question on the finish line.

Anything more than a multitool after that is theatre and operation specific.
 
pimpnugget said:
Hey guys, I was wondering what your go to war knife, maybe a fixed a folder combo.
I'm going to be joining the army, have been putting a lot of thought recently towards what my ideal combo might be.
Ahead of time Thanks to any prior or active duty military members.
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Get a multitool or SAK and a one hand opening folder. That's all you'll need 99% of the time. Seriously.

In Iraq and Afghanistan I carried a small slipjoint folder and a SAK.
 
Yeah there is something about those Emersons that makes 'em just at home in the warzones. I don't know what it is. You have to make sure you have a good example of one. When you have an Emerson with a good stable well broken in liner lock that thing is just a brick sh*t house. I wouldn't want to take one with lock slip though.

In all honesty though the best knife to take to war for the American soldier is probably the Leatherman designed for M-16 maintenance. I believe it is the Leatherman MUT.
 
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