Hi, i'm currently stationed in Iraq and I was thinking the Raven would be a good knife for me. I'd like to steer away from the Urban Raven because I already have a benchmade 722BT that is close to the same size. I'd like to mount the raven horizontally along my belt with the handle coming out the left side. I carry my 722 in my right pocket and a leatherman tool over the right buttock. Using a ruler I estimate that the handle will protrude fully from the side of my body, that is, if viewed from the front, the hilt of the blade will *just* be obsucured by my side.
I work on the Hunter UAV and the entire regular course of my duties is set on Balad AB. I'm not exposed to direct fire and I don't have to use vehicles. With my interceptor armor on, the knife and sheath will be completely exposed as i'm rather tall and the back of the armor isn't. The interceptor armor should obscure about 1.5" of the handle viewed from the front. If I mount the knife with the supplied sheath on my left leg, the IBA will interfere with it consantly. If I mount it on the vest directly, i'll just get infurated as that is what I tried with my bayonet and it just didn't work out.
As you have probably surmised, I won't be using this as a combat knife. I need something to cut stuff all the time though and the blade shape of the raven would be far better for what i'm doing than the 722.
I'm probably going to get the raven with a regular sheath and then worry about the belt sheath later. Any suggestions?
I work on the Hunter UAV and the entire regular course of my duties is set on Balad AB. I'm not exposed to direct fire and I don't have to use vehicles. With my interceptor armor on, the knife and sheath will be completely exposed as i'm rather tall and the back of the armor isn't. The interceptor armor should obscure about 1.5" of the handle viewed from the front. If I mount the knife with the supplied sheath on my left leg, the IBA will interfere with it consantly. If I mount it on the vest directly, i'll just get infurated as that is what I tried with my bayonet and it just didn't work out.
As you have probably surmised, I won't be using this as a combat knife. I need something to cut stuff all the time though and the blade shape of the raven would be far better for what i'm doing than the 722.
I'm probably going to get the raven with a regular sheath and then worry about the belt sheath later. Any suggestions?