Big Army Knives

[Bill Harsey]

Neither Chris Reeve or myself have much contact with Big Army and would appreciate anyone who is part of or has some insight commenting.

Is there still a need for a fixed blade knife in Big Army?
Does anyone in Big Army carry a fixed blade knife and if so what kind(s)?

[Bill Harsey]

OK, has anyone seen any soldier in the United States Big Army wearing any fixed blade in the field?

[Kyobanim]

My data is 30 years old but when I was in we had a specific uniform that was designated by higher ups. And the only knife we were allowed to carry on the uniform was the bayonet.

I've seen current pics of conventional units with troops hanging knives on the uniform. Maybe this will spark some conversation.

[Pete S]

Originally Posted by Bill Harsey

OK, has anyone seen any soldier in the United States Big Army wearing any fixed blade in the field?

Not "Big Army" but was on the "Big" side of the USMC.

As far as fixed blades for utility, I never chose to carry anything larger then the SOG SEAL pup on the small side and KBar on the large side.
They would cut what and when I needed them to.
Most of the time I carried the SOG.
If for some reason I had to drop or leave it, I wouldn't be heartbroken.
Striders and the like are nice knives, but I would lose my mind if mission dictated that I would have to leave a $300+ knife somewhere on the battlefield.

The newer USMC M8 bayonet is way to big in my opinion.
It focuses to much on the utility side of things making it bigger than it needs to be.

[PRB]

Soldiers still carry them but they are more for day to day utility than anything else and a folder generally works as well.
The only 'large' knives (crew served) that I note are on support troops not field troops.

[dmgedgoods]

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[jwt5]

I always carried a folder clipped to my pocket in garrison and overseas.

The only time I carried a fixed blade was when I was overseas and I had it on my vest, nothing too large though...

And I concur with dmgedgoods, the only time I really used it was for 550 cord and MREs...

[bravo22b]

My experience may not be as current, but in my infantry unit I would say about a third of the guys carried fixed blade knives. I carried a Ka-Bar for a while, and I knew a few guys who carried SOG or E-K knives. My personal experience was that it took up valuable space on my LBE, and being a carbon steel blade, needed maintenance. I stopped carrying my Ka-Bar because I could do 90% of what I needed a knife for with a small folder, and it took up less space.

I agree with the comment that I probably wouldn't want to take a $$$ knife to the field so I wouldn't have to worry about it being lost or stolen.

But, for ease of use and quick access, a small fixed blade in a sheath that could be released with one hand might be nice to have.

[TOMAHAWK9521]

Mr. Harsey,

Since I'm a blade enthusiast (freak), I always carried way too many sharp and pointy things in the field. In my early days I was stupid enough to lug around a crew-served machete but have since scaled down a bit. My knees and broken back started talking to me so I had to be a bit more practical. However, I still carried my SF in Iraq last year.

My impression of Big Army's opinion on knives and other bladed weapons is that they are too war-like and therefore politically incorrect. Plus, there's the risk-adverse mentality that someone might cut themselves. Not to mention they don't go well when everyone is supposed to be dress-right-dress.

I will admit that carrying knives was much easier before the army decided to dump an extra 50+ pounds of sh*t on us in the form of body armor and all the other new gadgets we are given to attach to our once lightweight carbines. The lack of room on one's equipment and the sake of one's own health may also be playing into the lack of big fixed blades in the field.

[Frank Trzaska]

Originally Posted by Bill Harsey

OK, has anyone seen any soldier in the United States Big Army wearing any fixed blade in the field?

Aviators still use the Knife, Hunting, 5 inch blade but are being replaced by the new ASEK system. Just an updated version with modern materials and new sheath fixtures for multiple mounting. The flight suit and harness / chaps still have the built in pockets for these knives. There is also a new pouch that fits the MOLLE system for mounting on a vest.

EOD uses several depending on circumstances from the non sparking / non mag copper beryllium utility knives to the large M11 that is nothing more then an M9 without the bayonet fittings. Titanium is replacing the Beryllium slowly but all the non mag EOD tools in general are still beryllium.

There is a strong drive towards the smaller strap cutter knives. Billed as non offensive and life saving these are working their ways through the systems. The USMC just let a contract for their first batch from Ontario. It is a no frills version (read cheap) of the one that is standard in the Army ASEK knife system.

What are you planning...?

All the best
Frank Trzaska

[Bill Harsey]

Mr. Trzaska,
Welcome aboard and thank you for your comments. It's been way too long since we last spoke. Cannot announce the project yet but it has been in the works for two years now.

I'm a little concerned about the kinder and gentler Army. Can you guys still carry firearms?

[Vermonter]

Big Army doesn't do fixed blades ever since someone figured out that you can order a gazillion Gerber auto knives and give 'em to Joe and make him feel like a cool guy. I carry a Randall, but that's really more cheese than useful. For a conventional guy like me, about 15 weapon systems will have to fail before I am using a 'combat knife' on anything but an MRE. My multitool sees much more action and abuse.

I think there are two reasons you don't see many big fixed blades in line units. The first is that a big ass, but cheap, knife is often purchased by 11B's straight out of OSUT when the hit up Ranger Joe's before going to their duty station. They are then roundly fucked with, and rightfully so, by their seniors who know that big piece of crap is just one more thing to hump and nearly useless for a budding young 203 gunner.

The second, and more pertinent, is the risk adverse attitude of many commanders out there. When we first went over the berm a weapons discharge was nothing to report. Before long, though, we were doing 15-6's anytime you lit a guy up. I actually had a knife fight go down in my BN and the shitstorm that arose after that was amazing. I watched an O-5 actually question an E-6's tactical plan that allowed an enemy to get that close. Never mind that the dude was supposedly dead and they were doing a to standard EPW search before he started to struggle. But that's another story.

And yeah, the fixed blade Fobbit ninjas give knives a bad name, too. The fueler guy with the no shit sword on his back at CSC Scania was awesome.

[caveman]

I keep a 4" applegate/fairbain folder clipped in my pocket and I use it constantly. I can't think of a single task I'd need a bigger or fixed blade knife for. Of course it would also be an unusual day for me to go outside the wire.

SOG, SOG PUP, and KABAR, are the "field knives" of choice, plus a folder in the pocket.

TG

[Basenshukai]

I carried my Yarborough in Afghanistan, and will again.