Battle Blade(s), which one and why?

Actually, to really pick nits, the second 'a' in 'fallschirmjager' is an 'a umlaut', as pointed out above. The 'a umlaut' is rendered in English as 'ae'. Thus, without the umlaut, your name should be 'fallschirmjaeger.' For an interesting website on german paratroops, see this:
http://www.luftwaffe-hist.demon.co.uk/Contents-Frame.htm
Note that the schlager with the MP 40 has the safety on. Hmmm...technically, that would be like calling a paratrooper a straightleg, so let's call him a 'jaeger.

As far as a survival knife goes, try one of these:
<A HREF="http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=306668&a=2279510&p=33384541&Sequence=0&res=high" TARGET=_blank>
Thumbnail
</A>

From the top, the Mad Dog ATAK2, the K2K, the Mako, and the pygmy ATAK. All 1/4" 01 steel, selectively tempered and hard chromed.

Walt


 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Walt Welch:
As far as a survival knife goes, try one of these:
.......
From the top, the Mad Dog ATAK2, the K2K, the Mako, and the pygmy ATAK. All 1/4" 01 steel, selectively tempered and hard chromed.</font>
Click to expand...

Oh boy... hope the wrong people don't stumble into this thread...
eek.gif


This might get good.

I guess I'll have to add the WB to my list of possible Striders to get.

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I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts. -- John Steinbeck
Dog does not eat dog. - Juvenal

iktomi

[This message has been edited by rockspyder (edited 01-31-2001).]
 
OK for the last time, now I know, it's I before R and all that cr*p. Is this a spelling bee (Can you use it in a sentence? Fallschirmjager is a very hard word to spell.) or are we talking Combat Blades here? Im tring to get the spelling thing worked out(I wrote the form to try to change it. OK?)
To Mick and the guys at Strider
Knives,thanks for a great product. Some interesting thoughts at that site you posted Mick. Although I didn't get the cord wrap being "hard on the hand" thing.
 
Fallschrimjager
Yes, some knife attacks against soldiers in Kosovo occurred but what it has common with the question which knife the soldier should be equipped with? If cops sometimes are attacked with baseball bats does it means that baseball bat necessarily should be among cop equipment?

As to at least one of my mentioned knives as survival tool. Fällkniven F1 is uniform survival knife of Swedish military pilots, probably soon it will serve in the same role for USMC pilots.

Don't you confuse somewhat knife reliability with knife strength? If you are going to use any equipment in non-characteristic for it role (compass as hammer or knife as prybar for ex.) it is quite hard to buy adequate reliability even for a lot of money.
 
I liked my Cris Reeve Project.

Most Battle Blades are cheap because thats all soldiers can afford.
 
Brothers & Sisters of Steel,
Geschwister Fallschirmspringer,
Nice CQB cutlery by Strider
(http://www.striderknives.com/).
But what folder is in the front pouch?
And for you folk whom have not experienced freefall, "dope rope", jump-towers, black-hats or airborne in any OTHER fashion:
http://uspa.org/.
"AIRBORNE...All the WAY, Sir!!!!!!!!!"
Regards,
Lance Gothic
Shibumi
 
Sergiusz Mitin, I didn't bring up blade to blade combat/knife fighting ,you did as a question on why big blades are picked by some. So, for your question about why not give cops bats,we do. PR-24 side-handle batons,riot sticks,ASP Batons ect.
As far as toughness and reliability go I think you can't have one without the other. Especially in a combat/survival knife. I have not see the knife you speak of and it's issue to USMC Pilots. I hope some good comes of it,they deserve better than what they have now. I went through the US Air Force Arctic Survival School in Alaska and brought my Randall#14, the rest of the students were issued Air Force Survival Knives,JUNK. Didn't hold a edge,bent into J and S shapes if used for any nunber of not-so-hard tasks. From gathering firewood to making shelters, I hope the blade you speak of will serve better.
About the knife wounds in Kosovo,I know as well as most people reading this,it's more about training and situational awareness than blade style or size.
Green Jacket,I agree most guys can't afford most of the better blades,unless they are willing to make that kind of commitment or sacrifice, but most will get something made by Ontario,or some type of K-Bar. Which if that is all they can afford or that is all they can get at that time good, it's better than what they had prior. Keep it sharp and in good condition,put it in a good sheath and it will serve you for years. That why I asked what kind and why. Oh yea,and to learn how to spell Fallschirmjager.
 
Fallschrimjager,
This was just analogy: soldiers in Kosovo were attacked with knives - let's give them fighting knives. Cops sometimes are attacked with baseball bats - let's give them baseball bats instead of ASP batons
smile.gif

However I'm not sure that knives soldiers in Kosovo were attacked with were highly priced hi-tech battle knives or handmades, greatly probably it was some kind of cheapest kitchen knives. Does it means we should equip our soldiers with similar ones?
confused.gif


Now reliability vs. strength. Just my humble opinion but this is not the same until you do not use your knife as prybar. By all means I can rely on my SPYDERCO Bill Moran Featherweight as far as I need knife for cutting but it is not strong at all if used as prybar. Just try to use your watch as hammer and you will see how unreliable it is in this role.
Can this knife be used as occasional weapon? Why no? but please remember that knife-to-knife fight is something exceptionally rare in modern war or even special operation. If things would stand differently American SOCOM would train knife throwing and wouldn't purchase H&K SOCOM pistol with silencer.

Fällkniven F1 certainly could take much more abuse if this should be an issue. I could place it among the world's strongest knives in comparable dimensions. Please visit them at Fällkniven and look through "Test" section. They are one of very, very few manufacturers who have published authentic strength data on their knives.

For more my impressions on mentioned knives please follow the links I have put in my first post in this thread.

 
First of all the analogy of a "watch as a hammer" is completely irrelevant to a "knife as a prybar". A knife has similar shape and thickness to perform such a job.
I have carried many things on missions, but I have never carried a prybar. I know that breachers carry Hulligan tools and Sledges, but that is primarily a cop thing. Knives are weapons yes, but sometimes they have to be used in the place of other tools.
Knives also have a great importance in modern warfare. They provide the ability to silently kill an enemy, or to enhance hand to hand fighting. Bayonets were used effectively in recent conflicts as a psychological weapon as well as physical. History has taught us the shear effectiveness of edged weapons, regardless of technological advances.
I prefer to carry multiple knives into the field, but I always make sure that I have my STRIDER WB. It is strong enough to dig hides, cut into vehicles, cut open padlocks, chainlink fences, conex boxes etc. I know that if I lose everything I will still have an effective means of survival and wreaking havock on the enemy.
If I could recommend another Knife I would, but why by knives for $50 that will break when you need them most. Even an E-3 can save the 300 bucks for something that may save his or his buddie's life. Cut back on the beer and strippers for a month or two and buy a damn Strider.

www.striderknives.com
www.soegear.com

S/F

Out
 
Quarterstaff Mick makes those. If I'm not mistaken I believe those are droppoints next to the tanto's.
If you go over to the Makers section you'll see he has a forum called Strider Knives.

Rick

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You may think it's funny but wait till it's your turn.
 
What! MAD DOG!!! Why, their hard chrome is ... well, hard.
biggrin.gif
(Looks like the wrong person stumbled onto this thread Rockspyder)

What was that Sean Connery line from the Untouchables? "Isn't that just like a ***. Bringing a knife to a gun fight."

Best battle knife: 2" Opinel. Anything bigger will chafe and give you a really bad rash. Anything more expensive, and you'll be sad when it rusts. God knows the last thing we need are sad, rashy soldiers.
wink.gif
(My on-the-ground in the Vietnam "conflict" buddy tells me he carried a big ass bolo.)

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As far as the soldiers being attacked in Kosovo by cheap kitchen knives or whatever they could lat their hands on,I'll agree. But I did see one Serbian Soldier with a Cold Steel Tai-Pan dagger on his web-gear. I wanted to know how(where)he got it but times were a tad bit tense at that moment.
Even if the other guy is armed with kitchen knives is no reason to do the same if you have a ways and means to do better. It just adds to your edge to lay him out.
As far as knives being over shadowed by high-tech weapons,yea I like all that high speed stuff,but sh*t happens,batteries die,optics break,weapons malfuntion. I know my knife won't do any of those. And if quarters are too tight for handguns or carbines your knife is all that you can count on. Then as Mr.Joshua also wrote,you might have to remove a sentry or some poor slob between you and your lines in your E&E lane.
So,all this cool guy talk aside,what other kinds of Combat Blades are being carried out there? What about folders? What did you carry prior to the blade you have now? Why did you change?
 
Well for me, just me and my ColdSteel San Mai III Trailmaster with ColdSteel Recon Tanto as backup...

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Irìd Ghibht Dhé Agus An Ban-Rìgh
"Through the Grace of God and the Queen"
 
Ditto the Strider. For a pure hard core battle "tool" you cannot beat a Strider. They make something for most needs or likes, but I like the WB as the best all-round, does everything well, and a few things great blade. I have done things to Strider WB's that would break just about anybody elses knives. Those things were done during life and death circumstances, or when the "appropriate tool" was unavailable. These tools aren't for everbody, but for those that are operating for real in ugly places, they are for you. I trust my life to a Strider everyday, and I don't see that ever changing. I just started carrying a Strider custom folder (NOT the Buck version)-talk about a brute-oh my. For pure self defense, concealable stuff, I have had great luck with Ernie Emerson's knives as well.

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He who advances is sure of heaven-He who retreats of eternal damnation.
 
I've seen more SAK's than anything else. Leathermans and Gerbers multitools are catching on fast. You see both more than self bought fixed blades.

You have an assault rife that when it stops turns into a club, or you could even use that dodgy bit that fixes on the end.
I can shoot a pistol very well so I would consider carrying one; most people can't so it wouldn't be worth the weight penalty - better to carry more 5.56 ball.

I still like my CR Project.
 
You know that much of what a soldier does with a knife is not fighting; but the knife should be capable in that regard as well.

Get the Chris Reeve Project 1 and never look back. Strider, Busse and others make good knives, but the Chris reeve One Piece range, especially the Project 1 is about the most useful companion a soldier could ask for in a fixed blade knife.

I have nothing against picking up a beater/loaner and the SRK is great for that but YOUR knife should be the P1.

While I got you spending money at CRK, you should look at the Sebenza as it's a great folder. If you want really good value in a use/beater/"might get lost" folder I find the Columbia River Knife & Tool M-16 to offer an aweful lot for the money.

A leatherman Wave is great all around for convenience and pick up a LM SuperTool for when afield.

 
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