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Best 'in country " knife"?

rummy
For real question. Someone very close to me will be deployed soon and if there are any sandbox vets reading this what do you recomend for a personal big knife to carry.
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • Spider7115
    Ka-Bar: Faithfully serving America's military since 1942. Available in Army, Navy & USMC Models.

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  • sandwarrior
    Hard to beat the K-bar. There is also Camillus M3's (no longer made). If you want to go High dollar there are Randall's. Of course then there are a number of custom knives as well that fit that bill. My choice would be the Harsey designed Yarborough knife (Green Beret knife). It was pretty much thought out to be the best balance of a working tool/fighting knife.

    Edit:

    That knife was made by Chris Reeve.

    Edit II:

    I personally prefer my SOG Gov-TAC. They run between $70-$100
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  • hijumperrs2
    kabar #1217 full size or the kabar #1250 smaller version ( i really like this one)
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  • Spider7115
    quote:Originally posted by hijumperrs2
    kabar #1217 full size or the kabar #1250 smaller version ( i really like this one)


    Yep, the 9" version is much easier to carry than the fullsize 12" model.
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  • MrM1A1
    I have many knives, but the best I've come accross are the Chris Reeve Green Beret, or the Camillus/Phrobis M3. The M3 is one BAD knife. Ka-bar, as a staple of field reliability, definitely should be considered. Not sure on your budget tho...FWIW[;)]
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  • TexasSS
    Very simply put. Strider. I have one that i used to carve out loopholes in hides for three deployements. Some scratches in the finish. THATS IT. They are milled from a solid block of carbon steel and I have never seen a K-BAR come close to the durability. Its hard to get one sharp enough to shave with but thats what a damn pocket knife is for. If he honestly ever has to use it, I can say I WOULD trust my life with mine. Just research the company. Theyre expensive but in this case you do get what you pay for.
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  • dbain99
    If you looking for a fixed blade Ka-Bar seems to be the way to go.
    If you want a large folder I would strongly suggest a Cold Steel Recon. Its wicked sharp, tough as nails and has a great locking mech.
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  • Wolf.
    The wait on the Randall knives is long, so it is pretty much out of the running unless you buy a used one. Even the used ones are expensive $300-$400++. If you do go this route, I suggest the Model 14-Attack. It can come in various handle styles and guard styles. It is a sturdy piece and will do about anything from removing heads to opening the top on a 55-gallon drum. You can find Randall knives (Randall makes several different knives for wartime use) on the GunBroker website and on the brandX auction site, too.

    The K-Bar previously mentioned is an excellent military and sportsman's field knife, in my opinion and is the only "inexpensive" knife I recommend. I do not think it is available in stainless steel....maybe the enhanced versions are, but I suggest you avoid any stainless steel knife. The K-Bar knives (leather-ring grip and leather sheath, marked with branch of service) are generally priced from $50-$60+ and are the K-Bar knife I recommend. I disagree with the earlier advice regarding the blade length option and suggest you buy the standard, longer blade knife, for a whole lot of reasons, all related to saving your life and for general utilitarian use. As I said, I also suggest you buy the STANDARD knife, with the leather handle and sheath and WITHOUT the partially serrated blade (just keep your knife raxor-sharp like you maintain all your war equipment). Also buy a small, medium stone to carry with you or a diamond steel hone.....buy both in my opinion.

    WHATEVER YOU BUY, even if you buy a Randall knife, I suggest you get a CARBON STEEL blade instead of a stainless steel blade. There are decent stainless alloys out there in knives and these "good" SS alloy knives are generally pretty expensive, because most are custom knives. Most SS knives are junk, in my opinion (I am not going to get in a metallurgy debate with some "expert" here on the forum), are virtually butter soft and do not hold an edge, so my advice is that you do not even consider one....and don't ask the sales person, either, because 49 times out of 50, they are just blowing smoke.

    (The opinionated......)Wolf.
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  • coledigger4
    Just for my 2 cents, I am NOT considered an expert by any means but, after years of hunting and guiding hunters who had no idea what to do after the animal fell, I would advise with the others against stainless steel. My best knives are no longer shiny silver but more of a mutli color which I was told was a high carbon steel. I have dressed 2 or more animals between sharpening without much problem. I cannot say the same for the stainless knives I have used.
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  • Bergtreffer
    I agree with coledigger4, a good carbon steel blade is a lot easier to put an edge on, and keep the edge. Stainless steel can be difficult to get really sharp, and keep sharp. I have a lot of knives, and at one time I worked as a professional knife sharpener. For a keen edge, I prefer carbon steel. In addition I really like the Schrade knife sharpening kit. It provides guide rod and various grit stones, and a angle setting device so that a person can hone a blade at a precise angle. The Schrade sharpening equipment will put an edge on steel that can be used for shaving. When I worked at knife sharpening and honing, one of our tests determined if we could dry shave one or two hairs off of an arm. Go with the carbon steel.
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