What knife would you carry if fighting in Ukraine?

When I served, (11b), and didn't know squat about knives, I carried a cheap Gerber multitool and a cheap partially serrated Gerber back lock, and a small pocket stone. They all worked well enough for what typical daily tasks I needed.

Today, if I could go back to those days knowing what I know now, with much more experience, and a keener appreciation of knives and steel, I would have used my sign on bonus for a little bit less drinking and invested into a waved karambit (the easy deployment on the blade, even with operator gloves on, via ring+wave would have been convenient AF, and the hawkbill blade would have murdered MRE's, packaging tape, and most notably hooking into zip ties with ease, which by far were the 3 most common uses), a Leatherman MUT simply for the added convenience of the shooter's specific tool set incl. w/ the multitool, and a small relatively inexpensive 4" fixed blade, like an ESEE3 w/ the molle compatible sheath because it would have been handy to have a fixed blade also, although I wouldn't want something much bigger adding much more weight to my overall gear....

That being said, anything in between those 2 options would work.
 
At age 72, I will stay at home.

But the question could be rephrased for me as: What knife would you give?" And that changes a few thgings. If young warfighters are equipping themselves for combat, cost will be an issue. Coming up with good gear at your own expense is well, . . . expensive.

By limiting it to knives only really simplifies all aspects of discussion.

First of all, nothing from a custom maker.

I would focus on higher-end "combat-utility" knives. It is my belief that a dagger profile blade limits the utility of a knife when it comes to balancing weight and usefulness along with everything else, they carry. This eliminates a large swath of really cool looking 'COMBAT" knives. This utility over stabber came to me from an active duty Marine who had experienced the "surge" into Iraq in 2004/2005. A Seal Team-6 or Delta assaulter might feel differently.

My choices would range from a "modern" Ka-Bar through something from Chris Reeve in a belt knife. Any leather sheath would be replaced by something in a stoutly made webbing model.

I would also be looking at a combat oriented multitool, perhaps something black from Leatherman, Gerber or Real Avid.

A high-end pocket folder would also be in my mind. Something hefty from Spyderco or CRK maybe.

Exact model? I just don't know all the offerings, but the cost for me to support one young relative would be the least consideration.
 
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I doubt I would be involved in any hand to hand fights, or taking out sentries and/or guards at "O-Dark:30". "Real Life" isn't like the movies.
Since WW2 knives on the battlefield have been used far more often for mundane tasks, such as opening boxes, ration packs, cutting bandages, etc.; not as a "weapon".
Therefore, a "fighting knife" wouldn't make a lot of sense. Personally, I'd much rather have an "extra" mag or two of ammo for the rifle or pistol taking up the same space on my belt than a "bad arse" "fighting knife". 🤔😊

Even in WW1, the knife was mainly used for mundane tasks. How often did the "enemy" cross the no-man's land between the trenches, and make it into the trenches of their opponents, where a knife would possibly be useful as a weapon? "Not very." is the correct answer.
 
I would have one of these, which has a knife blade, and a lot of useful tools.

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And somewhere I would want to have one of these near by, as you can dig a hole, or chop with it.

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In so far as huge, fearsome combat knives, nah. Trying to take down someone armed with one of these.


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and all you have is a knife, that would be a losing proposition, no matter what you see in the Marvel Comic book movies. Besides, the guy with an AK47 has buddies, and they are all going to respond in kind.
 
The Ukraine isn't anything like the 20 years of chasing bandits through the hills the US just finished up. This a full fledged modern war and I guarantee you will be wanting that entrenching tool with all the explosive ordnance both sides are throwing back and forth. I would still like a light but reasonable size combat utility knife on my belt. Don't bother telling me its useless against a AK-47. I know of more than one time that was proven wrong in Viet Nam. Murphy rules the battle field and anything that can go wrong will. P.S. The Russian army doesn't use AK-47's anymore and and hasn't for decades.
 
disclaimer: I have zero experience in this arena, so my thinking may be way off.

If you could get direct feedback from the people who need the supplies, that would be the ideal option rather than sending things they cannot use. Imagine that some of the supplies would make it to the civilian population if the military can't use it.

A Cold Steel Kobun, serrated, would be light, useful for light duty cutting tasks, can stick something (or someone), and not a big problem if it breaks or is lost. The SRK or the SRK-C would be more robust choice. The ESEE-3 may be another good choice. Personally, I would not carry a folder because a lock could fail or come open. From the videos out there, these troops are on the move and have to travel light. Actions have to be taken quickly so the fewer movements required to accomplish the task, the better.
 
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Sidehill Gouger said:
The Ukraine isn't anything like the 20 years of chasing bandits through the hills the US just finished up. This a full fledged modern war and I guarantee you will be wanting that entrenching tool with all the explosive ordnance both sides are throwing back and forth. I would still like a light but reasonable size combat utility knife on my belt. Don't bother telling me its useless against a AK-47. I know of more than one time that was proven wrong in Viet Nam. Murphy rules the battle field and anything that can go wrong will. P.S. The Russian army doesn't use AK-47's anymore and and hasn't for decades.
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If someone would gift me a AK12, I would post a picture of it. All I have is that semi auto AK47.

I did a bit of research, a number of pictures of AK47's in the Ukrainain combat zone. Saw pictures of civilians being trained with the things. In big wars, what is on the front line is not necessarily neat and orderly. I will bet there are Russians carrying AK47's, because the Russians don't have enough AK74's or AK12's. I read an account of an early Russian volunteer: lack of equipment, old equipment, lack of food..... There is never enough new inventory to handle the surges that occur at the beginning of a war.

In so far as a someone using a combat knife in hand to hand and surviving, I am sure it happened. There is a big black wall in Washington DC filled with the names of guys for whom a combat knife made no difference. Pray things don't get so hairy that all you have is a sharp knife between you an eternity.

My advice: stay away from combat zones. Industrial war is a meat grinder, and it only stops when the meat supply runs out.
 
My understanding is that much like the GIs of WW-II pushing through Europ in1944, the frontline warfighters in Ukraine dig in whenever they stop for any length of time. First a shallow "fighting position", then a fox hole, then a trench, depending on how long they have been there.

I am guessing that a good e-tool; is something needed but not talked about.

Who makes a good-to-great entrenching tool?

Please, no one suggest Caterpillar or Allis Chalmers!
 
VorpelSword said:
My understanding is that much like the GIs of WW-II pushing through Europ in1944, the frontline warfighters in Ukraine dig in whenever they stop for any length of time. First a shallow "fighting position", then a fox hole, then a trench, depending on how long they have been there.

I am guessing that a good e-tool; is something needed but not talked about.

Who makes a good-to-great entrenching tool?

Please, no one suggest Caterpillar or Allis Chalmers!
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I don't have them all. I have an East German shovel with the fold down pick. That entrenching tool is heavy, the pick adds weight. And I honestly can say, I don't like the fold down shovel blade or fold down shovel pick. Sometimes they pieces don't want to go down, or up.

I have been using the Cold Steel "Spetsnaz" shovel in the garden, and on the lawn. It is a very close copy to the Russian MPL-50. The socket is different, that is about all I can tell.


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These are great digging tools for their size. And that is the bottom line. Of course there are times I have to find an axe to chop roots, or get a pick, because the ground is too hard. There is no one tool for everything.

Based on WW1 images, this Swiss shovel is an exact copy of the WW1 German entrenching tool.

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the Swiss shovel has a 1923 date stamp. Notice, they were not welding back then, instead red hot rivets were upset to form a bond between handle shaft and blade

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The shaft is one long and heavy tube, which has to be there because of all the prying that went on.

I was able to purchase my Soviet shovels a couple of years ago, I am sure the Post Office would block anything from Russia coming in now, and of course, all the electronic bill payment avenues are blocked.

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This isn’t WW1. This is drone warfare, thermobaric weaponry, rockets, etc. Most people killed in the war, or “special military operation”.. won’t even see it coming. So my vote is for a basic swiss Army knife, something like a cadet.. maybe a Spyderco Delica or Benchmade Bugout in addition. Just something to open up the packaging of a meal or cut some 550 cord. Forget any dreams of stabbing the enemy with trench knives and bayonets. Not the way wars are fought today.
 
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