80's 90's knives
 

My understanding is that during the 80's and 90's there were no unique to Special Forces knives issued, but I've been asked to conduct some research for a History Channel pilot on what was commonly used by SF personnel in the field during that time period.

Would you gentlemen mind telling me what typically was carried while deployed during those two decades?

Thank you.

Mike Crenshaw (aka HSO))

Mike:

Would you mind following the site rules which you received in your registration message and which are repeated in the stickies at the top of the intro forums, introduce yourself and fill in your profile before asking for favors here?

Thank you.

TR

My apologies. I'll take care of that right away.

Try this first;

http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/...ead.php?t=1516

Then ask your questions.

Team Sergeant

Thank you Team Sergent.

I am familiar with the article in Blade and Kim is a buddy of mine. I should have thought to look for a reference to it.

If you read what was written in that thread you will find many of "us" don't agree with MSG Breed. I am also a retired Special Forces MSG and a former member of the 5th SFG(A) many of the knives I saw Special Forces soldiers carrying were not even mentioned by MSG Breed, such as the Gerber Mark II and Swiss Army knife etc. Not to mention when the Spyderco first appeared it was carried by just about every SF'er.

You are what you read. (I don't read Blade.)

Team Sergeant

Looking through my bag of old knives, I have carried the following in the time frame you are looking for, in about this order:

Fixed blade:

Issued Pilot's Survival Knife
KaBar
Kukri
Machete
Gerber Mk. II
Gerber Boot Knife
Cold Steel Trailmaster Bowie
Al Mar Fixed blade SERE
Al Mar Kukri
Brend #2

On the folder side, I always had a Swiss Army Knife, usually a Champion, and at least one of these, usually a couple:

Buck 110
Gerber FS IID (IIRC)
AF issue Camillus auto-opener
Al Mar Eagle
Spyderco (usually one of several Enduras, also have an Aluminum Police and a Harpy)
Gerber Multi-tool
Kershaw Multi-tool
Leatherman Multi-tool

Note that as salary increases, so does the quality of the gear.

After that period, but currently on my gear, in my bag, or on my person:

Leatherman Charge XTi
Chris Reeve Large Sebenza
Lone Wolf Harsey D2
Harsey Tactical Folder
Benchmade AFCK Axis Lock D2

Harsey-Reeve Yarborough Knife
Harsey Reaper
Strider ED
Brend #2
Machete
Harsey Boy's Axe

Hope that helps. Please tell the History Channel to try and get it right this time. Lots of technical errors in previous efforts.

TR

Early 80s
 

Carried a K-bar, USN Mk 2 Fiberglass sheath version, on the LBE and a Swiss Army Knife in a small nylon sheath on my pants belt.

Stashed somewhere on the rucksack was a Leatherman in a leather sheath.

I would say at that time period the K-bar with Leather sheath was carried by most guys that I hung with. Officers and single barracks rats could fund the purchase of a higher quality knife but the common folks never cried over a lost or broken K-Bar.

I think the only time the bayonets came out of the arms room was for parades, and darn few of those.

Edited to add. The SFUWO Course at Key West used the K-Bar as the Dive Tool in the 70s. The sheath was a piece of heavy fire hose and rubber band. Kept them greased and they worked fine.

I hope so to.

Thanks to the help from ya'll (english needs a good you-plural;) ) it will have a much better chance than if they had just read a book or a magazine article.

If it's any help the fellow that will be speaking in the pilot is Rob Stewart who was in the 7th and the 3rd from 82 to 95. He's a knifemaker now.

I do not recall anyone by that name, but I may have missed him.

Does he have a link to his knives or a website?

TR

Old thread, and it came up in a google search. Does anyone know the guy mentioned above "Rob Stewart"? His name came up on another board.

http://www.gunnarsanvil.com/index.php?inc_nav=bio

My team all had Randals with our team number on it. It was the knife of choice for many of us in the 60s. Still have mine and it is in great shape as well as one I have carried all though my career.