Your knife pick for WWII

BoulderTroll

BoulderTroll

Joined
Feb 28, 2009
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125
No, I didn't put the wrong war in the title...;)

Lately I've been on a WWII movie kick, and it's gotten me thinking about the following: If I were a Merrill's Marauder, Darby's Ranger, or member of the Devil's Brigade, what knife would I pick?

I'd love to hear your choices, as well as maybe an explanation on why you'd pick it. Keeping in mind, that just like for the servicemen in WWII, your knife is but one of many things you're carrying...a 3lb chopper might be awesome for survival, but maybe not so awesome once you throw those 30cal ammo belts and tripod over your shoulder. It would have to fill all the roles, sentry elimination/ fighting knife, prying open wooden ammo crates, making kindling, punching holes in K-Ration tins, etc. Would you pick an M3 Trench knife, Randall, or Kabar? Or is there a modern super-steel knife you'd take instead, like an Infi steel Busse or Lam CoS Fallkniven?

And before anyone asks, I haven't made up my own mind yet. I'd like to hear some thoughts and discussion that may sway me one way or another. This thread is just for fun, so please keep it in that vein. There are no wrong answers. I'd guess I'm not the only person who watches movies and wonders what gear or choices I'd make differently.
 
Hmm, if one was operating covertly and be unfortunate enough to get caught with the wrong kinda of knife, it could spell summary execution by axis forces...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commando_Order
A mora and opinel could turn out to be life saving kit ;-)
Though i suppose on second thoughts, it might make any opposing force to think twice about closing in once the sight of a kukri is involved.
Yeah, war is brutal, but having a cumbersome edge tool might physically hinder progress on the road to victory; secretly though, anyone serving the war efford with k.p. duty has to be amongst ww2's greatest unsung heros...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/KP_duty
With any luck, i might even get an elite french legend to sit out the war
Or an axe ;-)
https://m.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/ivan-pavlovich-sereda-ussrs-heroic-cook.html
 
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I'd like to carry what I think is called a Lange Messer..
" Lange Messer ("long knives") are one-handed swords
used by Bourgeoisie (middle-class civilians) for personal self-defence."
-Wikipedia search for"messer".
qxjcGfz.jpg

(Condor CTK1020-21.4HC Messer Sword)

I like the appearance of a clip pointed knife.
Even though it isn't a chopper it is balanced in a way
that would be ideal for for close quarters combat
and in a pinch the knife,sword,blade?
could be used as a chopper...

Realistically I'd choose a roach belly knife..
RQ5hhKy.jpg

(Cold Steel Roach Belly, aka my desktop knife :D)

With a steel that is resistant to corrosion,
that is tough and easy to sharpen.
I like the look of an upswept blade.
I'm probably going to move around
a lot and get myself in some tight
spaces, that messer is gonna bug me if
I do get in a confined space.
 
GIRLYmann said:
Hmm, if one was operating covertly and be unfortunate enough to get caught with the wrong kinda of knife, it could spell summary execution by axis forces...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commando_Order
A mora and opinel could turn out to be life saving kit ;-)
Though i suppose on second thoughts, it might make any opposing force to think twice about closing in once the sight of a kukri is involved.
Yeah, war is brutal, but having a cumbersome edge tool might physically hinder progress on the road to victory; secretly though, anyone serving the war efford with k.p. duty has to be amongst ww2's greatest unsung heros...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/KP_duty
Click to expand...

Wow! Thanks for the link to that Wiki article on the "Commando Order", I'd never heard of that, and considered myself a "WWII buff". One of the most fascinating things I read in it was that an Associated Press war correspondent was executed as a "commando". :eek: Learn something new every day.
 
User27 said:
I'd like to carry what I think is called a Lange Messer..
" Lange Messer ("long knives") are one-handed swords
used by Bourgeoisie (middle-class civilians) for personal self-defence."
-Wikipedia search for"messer".
qxjcGfz.jpg

(Condor CTK1020-21.4HC Messer Sword)

I like the appearance of a clip pointed knife.
Even though it isn't a chopper it is balanced in a way
that would be ideal for for close quarters combat
and in a pinch the knife,sword,blade?
could be used as a chopper...

Realistically I'd choose a roach belly knife..
RQ5hhKy.jpg

(Cold Steel Roach Belly, aka my desktop knife :D)

With a steel that is resistant to corrosion,
that is tough and easy to sharpen.
I like the look of an upswept blade.
I'm probably going to move around
a lot and get myself in some tight
spaces, that messer is gonna bug me if
I do get in a confined space.
Click to expand...

Not bad choices. I've always liked the idea of the Lange Messer/ Grosse Messer. Even though double-edged swords have been made famous by the media, I think single edged blades were far more commonly in the medieval age than we give them credit for. I know personally, with my lack of skill, I'd be far less scared of slicing myself with a single-edged sword. But I agree, for all around routine use in the field, a shorter blade would probably be more useful. That's a nice Cold Steel.
 
I only recently learned about the 225Q, thanks to a member here, Mikael W. It looks like a very solid choice. :thumbsup:
 
Well I would be a trader to my forum if I didn't pick the M43 khukuri .

They typically had a pretty thin blade so weren't too difficult to cart around. Formidable knives to be sure;)
 
If I am limited to knives available during WWII then most likely a Randall model 1 All-Purpose Fighting Knife

If I can have any knife I want, it would surely be a Brend Model 2
 
Ron Sabbagh said:
If I am limited to knives available during WWII then most likely a Randall model 1 All-Purpose Fighting Knife

If I can have any knife I want, it would surely be a Brend Model 2
Click to expand...

Nope, for the sake of this thread, no limitations to what was available. This is you as you are now, with all available options, being teleported back to WWII. And those Brend Model 2's are gorgeous!
 
BoulderTroll said:
Not bad choices. I've always liked the idea of the Lange Messer/ Grosse Messer. Even though double-edged swords have been made famous by the media, I think single edged blades were far more commonly in the medieval age than we give them credit for. I know personally, with my lack of skill, I'd be far less scared of slicing myself with a single-edged sword. But I agree, for all around routine use in the field, a shorter blade would probably be more useful. That's a nice Cold Steel.
Click to expand...

Tank You :p, the photo wasn't taken by me
by the way.At first when I said realistically
I was thinking about running around with the
heavy weight of the issued gear and the added
weight of the messer.I agree, it would be way
more comfortable to use a knife than a sword
at a routine task, swords are too big to be
used as kitchen knives :D.Also if I didn't mind
the idea a a big secondary edge facing me I
would have chosen a Cinqueda they are big
and scary and have two sharp edges like
the Microtech OTF's.
 
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