R.A.T.
Randall's Adventure & Training
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2004
- Messages
- 10,400
This was sent to us by a military SERE instructor. We cannot use their name or any specifics due to regulations but we thought yall might find this interesting.
Jeff
> Mike,
>
> Here is some initial feedback on the RC-3 following our Cold Weather
Training:
>
> Scenario:
> All students began the training by wading into a stream chest deep,
extracting themselves out of the water and conducting a re-warming drill.
After that first day, students moved approximately 1.6 - 3+ KM each day
over mountainous terrain. Students spent the nights in various types of
shelters that they constructed each night. Since the knife may be the only
cutting tool that a downed aviator may have, the knife was also used for
tasks that may be better done by other tools such as saws.
>
> Review:
>
> Initial impressions:
> The knife is very well made with excellent attention to detail. The
knife was shaving sharp right out of the box.
>
> Usage:
> During the training, the knife was used to cut down saplings
approximately 1" in diameter, strip the sapling of branches, batoning the
knife into wood to cut notches, cutting paracord, opening foil MRE pouches
and other misc cutting tasks.
>
> The sapling were cut down by bending the sapling to approximately 45° and
then forcing the knife through the sapling sometimes working the blade back
and forth until it cut through.
>
> Short Term Review:
>
> The first item of training was a water immersion and re-warming drill.
While the sheath has a drain hole in the bottom and much of the water
drained out of the sheath, enough water remained to freeze the knife into
the sheath and ice also formed on the handle and knife blade. It was
possible to apply enough force to remove the knife from the sheath without
damaging the sheath. In fact, no damage was done to the sheath due to any
cold induced brittleness.
>
> During the handling of the knife, a thin pair of wool-synthetic blend
liner gloves was worn. Because of the handle construction (full tang with
micarta slabs on the sides), metal was in contact with the hand. While the
knife felt cold, it was never uncomfortable while wearing the liner gloves.
Also, the grip never seemed slick while wearing the gloves, even though
some ice formed on the handle as a result of the water immersion.
>
> Saplings were cut down as described above and the knife was used to strip
branches from the sapling by running the blade down the sapling and slicing
off the branches.
>
> The knife performed well when struck with a baton through wood. The
knife was driven through the wood both along the length of the wood and
then perpendicular to this to create a notch in the wood.
>
> After cutting saplings and branches as well as being batoned through some
wood, the knife was no longer shaving sharp, however, the knife had no
problems cutting any of the other material such as paracord, foil pouches,
etc. Following the training the knife was easily re-sharpened using a
Spyderco Triangle Sharpmaker.
>
> So far the RC-3 has performed very well. Let me know if you have any
questions.
Jeff
> Mike,
>
> Here is some initial feedback on the RC-3 following our Cold Weather
Training:
>
> Scenario:
> All students began the training by wading into a stream chest deep,
extracting themselves out of the water and conducting a re-warming drill.
After that first day, students moved approximately 1.6 - 3+ KM each day
over mountainous terrain. Students spent the nights in various types of
shelters that they constructed each night. Since the knife may be the only
cutting tool that a downed aviator may have, the knife was also used for
tasks that may be better done by other tools such as saws.
>
> Review:
>
> Initial impressions:
> The knife is very well made with excellent attention to detail. The
knife was shaving sharp right out of the box.
>
> Usage:
> During the training, the knife was used to cut down saplings
approximately 1" in diameter, strip the sapling of branches, batoning the
knife into wood to cut notches, cutting paracord, opening foil MRE pouches
and other misc cutting tasks.
>
> The sapling were cut down by bending the sapling to approximately 45° and
then forcing the knife through the sapling sometimes working the blade back
and forth until it cut through.
>
> Short Term Review:
>
> The first item of training was a water immersion and re-warming drill.
While the sheath has a drain hole in the bottom and much of the water
drained out of the sheath, enough water remained to freeze the knife into
the sheath and ice also formed on the handle and knife blade. It was
possible to apply enough force to remove the knife from the sheath without
damaging the sheath. In fact, no damage was done to the sheath due to any
cold induced brittleness.
>
> During the handling of the knife, a thin pair of wool-synthetic blend
liner gloves was worn. Because of the handle construction (full tang with
micarta slabs on the sides), metal was in contact with the hand. While the
knife felt cold, it was never uncomfortable while wearing the liner gloves.
Also, the grip never seemed slick while wearing the gloves, even though
some ice formed on the handle as a result of the water immersion.
>
> Saplings were cut down as described above and the knife was used to strip
branches from the sapling by running the blade down the sapling and slicing
off the branches.
>
> The knife performed well when struck with a baton through wood. The
knife was driven through the wood both along the length of the wood and
then perpendicular to this to create a notch in the wood.
>
> After cutting saplings and branches as well as being batoned through some
wood, the knife was no longer shaving sharp, however, the knife had no
problems cutting any of the other material such as paracord, foil pouches,
etc. Following the training the knife was easily re-sharpened using a
Spyderco Triangle Sharpmaker.
>
> So far the RC-3 has performed very well. Let me know if you have any
questions.
