Your picks for hard-use "Military Combat" fixed blades

Y

YoungCutter

Joined
Sep 17, 2001
Messages
1,218
Hey folks,
as we all know, in this day and age, options for a big hard-use "battle blade" are much greater than they were a mere 30-some years ago. Many companies produce high-quality fixed blades for use in the field, and the number of custom makers who do are virtually infinite.
So just for yucks, I thought it'd be fun to hear from my fellow forumites as to just what some of your favorite "big, military-style field knives" are and why, even if you don't actually own them. Pics are also extremely welcome, and yes, feel free to tell us about your customs as well!

I'm really looking forward to your responses.
 
YC,
From my experience, the Busse Battle Mistress-E (or the SH) is one of the best rough use combat/utility blades. I see through the hype and the crap that some knife companies use to advertise a products that are no better than anything 50 years ago. However, from my experience with my BM-e and Busse Combat, I would say that I have found the best for my needs. I have used my BM for harsh chopping and throwing. I have chopped it through deer pelvises and leg bones, used it with a baton for splitting wood, pryed with my full body weight on the tip, and many other abusive no-no's for knives. Sure sometimes the edge got dings from hitting rocks and other metal, but the steel resharpens very easily with a ceramic and leather. I am not about hyping a certain knife or company though. I am sure that had I decided on some other big knife out there, I would have been more than pleased too.
When I first got my BM-e I thought it too be too small and uncomfortable. The handle scales after all aren't flush with the profile of the metal in the handle. But after hours of use and turning my once crinkle coat knife into a smooth coat and no coat blade, I realize that I have found the one!
Just some thoughts,
Regards,
Luke
 
I think a Natural Outlaw, or a Satin Jack might be a good choice.
The reason I mention the Satin Jack, is that it is a quicker knife with a blade that too me seems like it would fair better in a stabbing situation.
 
If I were in the military and going into combat, my list would be short:

1) Strider
2) Simonich
3) Hossom


Why? 'Cause these guys know what they are doing. Mick and Duane, Rob and Jerry know that guys with their blades would be putting their lives on the line, and fel a responsibility to build their knives accordingly. THis would make me feel a little safer.
 
Originally posted by YoungCutter
options for a big hard-use "battle blade" are much greater than they were a mere 30-some years ago.
Click to expand...
Shoot, I'd never heard of Busse or Strider two years ago, much less ten years ago when I was climbing into BDUs every day. Knives by these makers are far beyond anything I even thought of owning back then.

My choice:
Busse Natural Outlaw-great all around size/design. Big enough for serious work, and compact enough to carry comfortably on an LBE. Very versatile, and the best steel out there.
 
It seems people forget about the KaBar. I've had mine for 15 years now, and I've used for everything from prying open boxes to chopping down small trees and cutting up kindling for fire. My only beef is the sheath, but I'm fixing that with a Kydex in the very near future. I would recommend a KaBar to anyone.
 
While I'm not an expert in these areas of "tactical extreme" like some claim to be, but I know how to give a knife a work out.

I've had a KBAR USMC for many years now. I have used that knife to cut, stab, skin, chop, pry, throw, hammer, screw, dig, cook, eat, whittle, sear, everything you could imagine.

In my opinion, spending $300.00+ for some superduty-tactical-wondersteel-spaceage-plutonium coated-self proppelled-omnidirectional-autographed pretty boy with a cute name knife is just plain unneccesary.

I think I gave $35.00 for my KBAR :) ;) :D

All ya gotta do is sharpen it, put a little oil on it and it will be there to abuse another day.
 
I am not a knife "nut" but being a career US Army Ranger (17+ years) I have been through my fair share of feild knives.

The criteria for a tactical "Grunt's" knife will of course vary by who you ask.

IMHO a grunts knive gets used for camping type use 99.9999% of the time and will most likely never see the blood of the enemy on its edge. Because of this it should be first and foremost INEXPENSIVE. The Army ain't paying enough for me to go get a custom and then drag it through ________ (you choose and insert-deserts, jungles, mountains). For many years a camillus or Ka Bar has done the trick but recently some very good inexpensive knives have hit the market. Haven't had my hands on it yet but the BK&T combat utility-7 looks like it would do the trick. Currently I have a BK&T Companion on my LCE and it is one tough knife.

Real rangers don't carry rambo knives when a tough feild knife and a leatherman will get it done!!!!

Sua Sponte
 
I think the new KA-BAR Gen II 8" fighter is the best lowest price fighting/ulility knife on the market.
The knife has the capability to chop down smaller dead trees for firewood, can clear out an area for field of fire, tear open ammo boxes, pry open doors, will field dress a downed animal, chop out enough evergreen to make a shelter, can stir up a pot of stew. is perfectly capable to be used as a rifle rest when stuck in a tree or building and will penetrate flesh up to 8". Hell if need be the knife can be driven into a wall or tree and can be stood on.
Plus you can buy the thing for $70.
However if I was to use a military knife for whatever it will be a kukri. I think a kukri is the best all around knife in the world.

Kbar

:cool:
 
Originally posted by Ka-Bar
I think the new KA-BAR Gen II 8" fighter is the best lowest price fighting/ulility knife on the market.
The knife has the capability to chop down smaller dead trees for firewood, can clear out an area for field of fire, tear open ammo boxes, pry open doors, will field dress a downed animal, chop out enough evergreen to make a shelter, can stir up a pot of stew. is perfectly capable to be used as a rifle rest when stuck in a tree or building and will penetrate flesh up to 8". Hell if need be the knife can be driven into a wall or tree and can be stood on.
Plus you can buy the thing for $70.
However if I was to use a military knife for whatever it will be a kukri. I think a kukri is the best all around knife in the world.

Kbar

:cool:
Click to expand...

And then there is the San Mai cold steel Tanto...:p
 
TOPS has several models worthy of consideration. All are very stout. My favourite would be the Anaconda.

anaconda_image.jpg
 
Wow, some really great feedback so far.

To stir the pot a little i'm gonna ask: has anyone here tried the Timberline Lightfoot Zambezi? it looks like it'd make a top notch hard use field knife, but I wanted to know...
Meantime keep the general feedback comin' as well, I love this! :P
 
While there are many great companies/makers, my vote would have to be for Busse.

If I could (blade length limits might be in force), I would take a Steel Heart E. It's no a "pretty boy", but its toughness is amazing and can chop very well. INFI's (Busse's steel) edge-holding and edge integrity are also amazing. Plus, it is easy to sharpen in the field, and, as a bonus, it is sort of a semi-stainless.

Other great choices are the Natural Outlaw and the Satin Jack. Both nuclear tough as well. Plus, all these knives are covered by Busse's wonderful warranty (they will repair or replace any damaged knife as long as it's not intentional).

Jerry's knife designs are all well thought-out, and are high-performance. Full flat grinds, convex tips, the assymetrical edge: they all translate to high performance and great toughness, and those are only a few of the design features.

Bottom line, these knives will not let you down, nor will the company.

Here are some pics.

The Steel Heart E:

9129591-2a8b-0200006D-.jpg


The Natural Outlaw (in the middle):

9129596-8627-01BE014E-.jpg


The Satin Jack:

9129609-cc06-02000158-.jpg


Here's a Busse variant (a modified version of a regular model) :cool: :

9129648-6b4d-028001E0-.jpg
 
I think rangeratlarge has it on this one. %99.999 utility. When I get commissioned I think I will carry my Randall 14, not because I think it will be great for slaughtering Commies, but because I think it has a good design for utility (and quite a bit of sentimental value). Let's face it, if I lose my M1A2, I'll still have my M4 and M9 (plus a functioning M2 and 240C on the vehicle). If it comes to hand to hand, I'd still take a bayoneted rifle over just a knife.

Unless you are a sentry remover who, for some reason, can't use a silenced .45, there is no real reason for carriyng a "fighting knife" in the field.

What it comes down to is cots/benefit analysis. While I don't ahve any combat expereince (yet), I have camped enough to know what I wnat in a knife. If you think a Busse is than much better than a BK&T, buy it and carry it. If the KaBar is what you want, use it. Experience will tell. Most guys weither don't have the money or are jsut not willing to pay for the high dollar stuff. To each his own.

Sidenote: I have ordered a Randall # Mod 2 (one of those impractical fighting knives) because they are just damn cool. I plan to get a CK 7 despite the fact that I have a Mod 14. I am not saying it is practical, just likely.
 
I have to add another vote for the Busse Steel Heart E, if I could only have one this would probably be it. I'm slowly trying to build up enough cash to pick one up. I also love my Busse Badger, but it needs something bigger with it for a lot of field use.

Strider also makes an excellent knife. I have several and have been quite happy with them. There are several that look to be excellent field tools, and a lot of others that are more special purpose.

Walter Brend's model 2 is another design that should function quite well. The price of one might put it out of the question for some, but if I were risking my ass out somewhere, I'd be happy to pay for the best.
 
One more vote for the Busse Natural Outlaw-a very versatile, extremely strong knife in a compact package.

John
 
SOG makes some killer fixed blades, if you can dish
out the dough for a Randle I guess they are the ultimate.
 
Lots of great knives mentioned.., and I'd be fine with the new K-Bar in D2.., and save the taxpayers a whole lot of money.. :)


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
 
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