Les,About your Original Military Career Brend #2...?

P

Phil Squire

Joined
Jan 6, 1999
Messages
146
Les wrote.....,
"How do you figure a Walter Brend #2 is not a custom made knife??? Just say no to drugs!

Not only is this a custom knife, it is the best tactical fixed blade on the market. Bar none.

It is the knife I carried throughout my military career. While I saw other knives around me breaking and falling apart, to include every factory knife of the day and Randall's. My Brend never failed.

I put my Brend through a tougher test than the in the "lab" tests. I was a Infantryman using this knife on a daily basis. Not hoping it would hold up, not wondering if it would hold up. This is the knife when I got on the planes loaded with "live" ammuniton. I chose to possibly bet my life on."
-----------------------
Les,

I would appreciate the specs on your Original Walter Brend #2.
What year was it made?
It's heat treat at the time?
Blade Steel?
Thickness of steel stock,etc?
Could you post a pic of that esteemed and faithful companion?

That you chose the Brend over all others for your career and bet your life on it, speaks volumes. Any info would be appreciated, and thanks again .

Stay safe and all the best, Phil <----<

(Longing for a Handmade Customized Custom)
smile.gif
 
Hi Phil,

My Brend model 2 was purchased in 1985. It was a D-2 8 1/2" model 2. The blade stock was 1/4". As to heat treating you would have to ask Walter about that. At the time I got my knife I knew nothing about heat treating or metalurgy. It had Walters riginal handle. He is now on his 3rd generation of this handle.

This another reason why I like Walter's knives so much, constant improvement.

Today Walter is still using D-2 upon request. Most of his knives are ATS-34, although I found out he is changing to 154CM. He is also cryogenicaly treating the blades.

As for my original knife, when I was in Korea I gave it to one of my soldiers. He was an excellent soldier who had been selected for Special Forces. He had lusted after the knife for a whole year. We went through SERE training together with the 1st SF group. After it was over I gave him the knife. I was headed to work underground in a big vault so I knew I wouldnt be needing it. Besides it gave me an excuse to buy a new one!

Currently, I have a Model 2 with a Sub-Hilt in D-2 (thanks John). While it is for sale I am hoping no one buys it.

As Walter has begun work with Micro-Tech his custom work has fallen farther behind and his prices have gone up. I still consider Walter's knives to be the best.

However, I have begun work with David Broadwell and Jim Siska to build knives that will compliment Walter's big knives. David and I have just completed the MLR series of knives (consists of 5 knives). Jim Siska and I developed a two knife set. Both David and Jim are world class knife makers I would recommend you look at their knives.



------------------
Les Robertson
Moderator
Robertson's Custom Cutlery
http://www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com/rcc/makers.shtml
I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.
 
Hi Les,

Thanks for the timely and informative reply. I would have loved to see the smile on that soldier's face as you presented him with the Brend. It's interesting that Walter Brend was utilizing 1/4 inch D-2 back then.

Stay safe and all the best, Phil <----<
 
Les, I realize you guys are talking about folders. My only expereience with Brend knives was seeing Walter at the NYC Custom knife show a couple of times many years ago.
All I recall seeing at the time were fixed blades (this was always on Saturday so he may have sold any folders by the time I got there). While I was impressed with the obvious quality and workmanship what really struck was how massive his knives were. I just couldn't imagine any soldier especially Airborne or Ranger carrying one of those things because of their weight. Have his fixed blades evolved into a lighter more carry friendly size. Just curious.

thanks,
phantom4

------------------
who dares, wins


 
Hi Phantom,

Actually, no we are not discussing Walter's folders. I am talking about his 8 1/2" model 2, fixed blade.

Yes, they are heavy by comparison to some of the other knives I carried in the field that BROKE!

A knife to an infantryman is not a fighting implement. It is a tool.

As a Infantry Officer in the 101st Airborne (Air Assault)I carried my knife on the right side of the web gear in a SAS style nylon holster. This sheath had an extension strap so the knife was actually attached to your thigh. Because of this I personally did not notice the weight of the knife.

As a rifle platoon leader this did not pose a problem as I was only carrying an M-16. Once I became an TOW or Anti-Armor Platoon Leader I had my choice of .45 or Rifle. I chose both. Consequently, I kept the knife where it was and wore a Tankers holster. A type of cross draw holster that was worn underneath the web gear. Different commanders tried to sway me to just one weapon, both as a Platoon, leader, CO Executive Officer, Staff Officer and Company Commander. I used to look at the room full of officers and say "all those who are sniper trained and instructor qualified on the M-16 raise their hand. Oddly enough, mine was always the only one who's went up.

I usually travelled with 3 layers of knives. First was the Peter Bauchop or Al Mar Pathfinder Machate and a small Sere folder in the pocket. On my web gear I wore the Brend and a Swiss Army Champion in the pocket of the sheath. On my belt I wore a large AL Mar SERE Folder, as tactical folders did not exsist at that time. Personally I feel the Al Mar SERE was the best factory folder ever made.

I went in these layers as, the Ruck would be the first thing to go, followed by the web gear. Even if I lost all of my equipment I would still have my .45 and SERE folder. This would give me an edge that most would not have.

So as to the Brend being too heavy, no it is not. My advice is to leave some of the chow and snivel gear behind.

So yes, Army Airborne, Air Assualt, Ranger and Special Forces personnel do carry Walter's knives.

As for Walter making a smaller lighter knife. Check out the LDC F4. Walter does make most of his models in a 6 1/2 to 10" range. So you could get something smaller. Be prepared to wait 3 years (if he is taking orders now).



------------------
Les Robertson
Moderator
Robertson's Custom Cutlery
http://www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com/rcc/makers.shtml
I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.
 
Thanks for the info Les. Although I never served in the military if I had I would haved outfitted myself very similarly to the way you did. I based my comments on discussions I've had with military personel. Every year in the spring we have a Public Employees exhibition on the Mall in Washington D.C. The DOD always has a great display. I always have a great time checking out the displays and talking with the soldiers. What always amazes me is the lack of knowledge and interest in knives by MOST of the troops I talk. I've shown many of these guys the first Spyderco they've ever seen. There maybe one or two guys a year that carry a custom or high quality production knife and usually a couple of guys that say one or two guys in their unit do so but in general that seem to make do with the POS issue stuff. Was it like that when you were in? What do you think accounts for this? I'm sure a lot has to do with price considering what enlisted personnel earn but when your ass is on the line is ANY price too high?

thanks,
phantom4

------------------
who dares, wins


 
Hi Phantom,

My experience has been that generally the people who need them the most are the ones who dont have them, Military, Law Enforcement, Swat, Paramedics, etc.

Generally, cost is the greatest barrier. Most of the indiviudals are woefully underpaid. As for military personal, as I stated knives are viewed as tools to be used/abused. So they buy the cheapest they can get away with. Also, if you live in the barracks you have to store your knife in the arms room.

Consequently, most military people just have a old pocket knife.

I was stopped by my Bridgade Commander (Full Colonel). I was wearing a new Camo Gortex coat. He asked me if I should be wearing something like this as my soldiers would not be able to afford a jacket like this. After all I have to know what weather conditions my soldiers are dealing with. I replied, Sir, you can purchase this Gortex Jacket for $25 per month (with no interest) from clothing sales. Soldiers literally piss away more beer than that on a weeked downtown. It is jut a matter of priorities. He nodded, I saluted and he walked away.

I saw him a week later with the new Gortex Jacket.

Because most soldiers dont use a knife on a daily basis. They see no need to buy one.

Personally, I dont drink beer. Maybe that is why I have $100,000 worth of custom knives here at the house.



------------------
Les Robertson
Moderator
Robertson's Custom Cutlery
http://www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com/rcc/makers.shtml
I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.
 
Les, you make a good point about enlisted soldier wasting the majority of their base pay, but I have to put in a plug for all those lower enlisted married soldiers who are barely making it by, not to mention the E1's who are pulling 632 dollars a month, base pay. Most American's don't realize that an E4 with a wife and child, if the wife remains at home to care for the child, qualifies for WICK and food stamps. This state of affairs is a travesty, that those Americans who execute our nation's foreign policy and defend our Constitution are forced to live in poverty. I can't begin to tell you all the guys I knew who had to hold down an extra job or two to make ends meet. The crux of this is that most soldiers are being pulled in too many directions with few fiscal resources to purchase what people on this forum would regard as a good field piece. Seriously, few enlisted guys are going to drop 800+ on a Brend #2, just isn't going to happen. Single SF CPT, yea probably. That is just the reality of things in Military.

Got a bit off the subject there, but on to the fun stuff.
smile.gif


Phantom, I agree that a lot of soldiers are ignorant when it comes to cutlery. Keep in mind that knives are viewed as personal tools by the military, and few units issue anything that one could keep in your pocket. About the best you can do is a Leatherman or the Gerber equivalent and that is if you and supply are close. This is to include almost all SF units. Taking the non-issue issue to an extreme, I personally know a company commander in the 325 ABN who was reprimanded for encouraging his soldiers to carry a pocketknife. Yes, this is sadly true that a large portion of the command, at least in the Army, views knives as more of a hazard than a positive tool. Soldiers are more likely to buy what is in the exchange. Luckily Spyderco usually has a decent presence in most exchanges, and thus the Endura/Delica is the model of choice usually.

So you have what amounts to almost an official bias against knives, until it is comes time to cut anything, at which the unit knife guru gets called. This is no joke; I used to be called in from an LP/OP to surrender a blade. Heck, MT and Spyderco should give me a salesmanship award as I made more soldiers into knife aficionados by showing them what a quality blade can do and selling them my own knives. Sort of like Les, I hardly own any of the knives I regularly carried in the Army; I sold them all, especially MT LUDTs. Trying to remember, probably twenty five or more I purchased throughout my tenure and subsequently sold to buddies who had never seen a knife that was as functional and cool as a LUDT. For most guys it only takes one slice with a scary sharp blade through pallet webbing or something more mundane like an MRE bag and they're hooked.

Change of direction yet again. Field blades need to be robust and durable. The adage that a sharpened pry bar makes the best field knife rings true for me, as the most abuse my knives received in the field was from prying, or cutting through light metal. Tool steel blades are king! I am not a metallurgist by any means, but I tried about every production fixed blade of any size and the ones that came out on top were always carbon steel, with the exception of the Timberline SpecWar, but was so heavy has to be cumbersome, not to mention the grip melting while supporting a pair of jungle boots over a fire in an attempt to dry them. I had to scrape the goo out of interior of the boot. Hopefully the new Busse Basic line will fall right into this category of high performance budget fixed blade. Most folks I knew carried a KBAR or if they were really high speed has some Cold Steel offering. SRK's are a blast for 40 bucks. Anyway,

Yes, there are expensive high performance knives in use my military personnel. Are the norm? Sadly not.

Quality cutting tools are essential for military personnel, and should be an issue item with TA50, but this won't happen, as some poor confused kid will attempt to open his or someone else's arteries.
 
Hi Chris,

Excellent point about the married E-1 - E-4. As a new platoon leader I was amazed that some of my soldiers had to use WIC and even receive food stamps. See military people really dont need those cost of living increases.

I realize that I was not the "norm" as far as knives that were carried and used in the field. Im glad I did it though. If not, I might have had to get a real job!



------------------
Les Robertson
Moderator
Robertson's Custom Cutlery
http://www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com/rcc/makers.shtml
I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top