Posts
.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
What knife do troops, Army Special Forces and SEALs use?
There’s often an allure when it comes to knives issued or used
(more on that later) to one special forces group or another. People in
general look up to them and manufacturers want their products to be
associated to these groups because it translates into larger amount of
sales. It’s a known fact that if a knife becomes the “official” knife of
x group, a Y % of sales is guaranteed. I think it’s an interesting
topic to cover. On one side its just interesting to know what the
different forces carry, on the other its more food for thought regarding
your own choices and making up your mind on what to go for when it
comes to selecting a knife, may it be a utility knife, a knife maybe for
a SEK kit or even for defense.
What actually gets Issued
If
you listen to manufacturers, it seems that every special operations
group carries not one, but a hundred different knives. Knife
manufacturers and custom makers send their knives to the different
special forces hoping they will choose to carry their product. Some
aren’t fit for the job, others are very nice tools, but most end up in
boxes where they pile up by the dozens.
Lets first take a look at what actually gets issued.
M9 Bayonet:
Officially adopted by the United States in 1984, Charles A. "Mickey"
Finn creation is a utility knife bayonet that is also an effective wire
cutter when combined with the scabbard. The 7 inch blade strongly
resembles its previous incarnation, the Buck 184 “Buckamster”.
Ontario 6141 MK 3 Navy Knife $92.99
OntarioMKIII Navy Knife:
The Mark 3 has a 6 inch 440A stainless steel blade and is standard
issued to Navy SEALS. Rumor has it these are dumped pretty soon after
training. In spite of this there’s nothing wrong with the knife itself.
The knife can be used for prying, as a hammer, and the tip will
penetrate well when used as a weapon. The steel could be better but
really for its intended use its more than adequate and many people have
found it to be an outstanding utility/GP knife.
Ontario 6504 OKC3S Marine Bayonet:
Marines get their own knives, issued exclusively to the United States
Marine Corps. It sure is a well made solid knife with a sound and
functional blade shape. The 8" blade is made of 1095 steel. The handle
is made of grooved Dynaflex. It's a bit on the larger side, but there's
not a lot that can go wrong with this knife.
KA-BAR: The
tried and true KA-BAR is provided to Navy SEALS upon graduation. On One
side there’s the SEAL logo and on the other there’s the name of a SEAL
that has died in combat. Except for these engravings, it’s a typical
K-BAR with its leather grip and sheath. This knife will rarely get used
for obvious reasons.
The KA-BAR itself is still in active
service with the Army, Navy (as the USN Mark 2 Utility Knife) and USMC
(Knife, Fighting Utility). It has a 7-inch blade made of 1095 steel
which is a very good steel for such a knife. Combined with its time
proven design, it is indeed a tool and weapon that can effectively
perform a number of tasks without compromising.
The KA-BAR is a
legend in the knife world but it is not perfect. A modern-day survivor
might want to avoid the leather washer grip and sheath which can rot and
go with synthetic versions. Dont fall for the negative hype though.
Well taken care of leather handles and sheaths can and have lasted for
centuries, even with honest hard use and a bit of abuse. I happen to own
a couple knife with leather sheaths that are over a hundred years old
and the sheatha are still very much functional. The narrow tang is also a
weaker design compared to a full tang and can bend under enough
leverage. Again, it can take a lot of hard use, and even if bent
slightly the knife is still functional. On the other hand the narrow
tang makes it much lighter than a full tang version.
ASEK Survival Knife:
The Air Crew Survival Egress knife made by Ontario entered service with
the U.S. Army in 2003 but is often chosen by other branches as well
because of its practicality and light weight. The 1095 blade is 5 inches
long, the generous cross piece means the hand wont be slipping forward
when used as a weapon or trusting during use.
Yarborough: Made by Chris Reeve, its also available for civilians as “The Green Beret Knife”. The
“Yarborough”, is a tough, practical knife, made of CPM S35VN stainless
steel with a 7 inch balde. The Yarborough is received by the Special
Forces upon graduation. Like with the SEAL KA-BAR, chances are that it
will be treasured rather than used by the person that receives it.
What actually gets Carried
Issued
doesn’t mean used. In some cases what a person got issued isn’t what he
liked, or they are looking for something else. Maybe they want a
smaller, lighter knife or maybe a better one, so they leave the issued
one behind. In that case a visit to the nearest PX/BX offers other
commercial options to choose from. The criteria still follows the same
guidelines though: Around 6 inches long, tough yet light and hopefully
not very expensive. Each person will pick whatever it is they favor.
Keep in mind that not everyone is a knife fanatic or collector, so
choices vary. SEALs and Special Forces guys tend to know a bit more
about them and will often buy their own quality knives. Some of the most
common choices are:
Cold SteelSRK:
The SRK is tough, affordable and made of AUS 8A Stainless. Yes, there
are better knives, but its very hard to beat for the money. Keep in mind
troops aren’t exactly swimming in money. For around 60 bucks a soldier
gets a 6 inch knife that is well designed with classic lines, a
comfortable handle and just over 8 ounces. It can tolerate considerable
abuse so it wont shy away from poking holes into tin cans or being used
as a prybar. Those that need or want something bigger and don’t mind the
weight will go for the Cold Steel Recon Scout.
Ka-Bar Becker BK7 Combat Utility Fixed Blade Knife: Another
popular choice. The BK7 is a heavy 7 inch knife but it compensates by
getting more knife in exchange for that extra weight. It has a wide
blade, made of 1095 steel and the full tang gives it that extra
resistance you might be looking for.
SOG SEAL Team Elite and SEAL Pup:
These actually honor their name and are often chosen by Navy SEALS
looking for a good knife. 7 inch AUS8 blade with a nice penetrating tip,
the tang is extended so as to use it as a hammer/glass breaker/skull
crasher. Its light, under $100 bucks and has been tested extensively for
tip abuse resistance and water corrosion. The SEAL Pup is a shorter version of the same knife at 4.75”.
Busse BossJack: There’s
at least one Special Forces team that I know of where one of them
ordered a Busse Boss Jack for each of the members. The knife is pricy,
but then again the steel, craftmanship and abuse resistance are
outstanding. I know that Busse knives are often chosen by both SF and
SEAL guys that know a thing or two about knives and appreciate the
quality. I’ve reviewed the Boss Jack before so check my youtbube videos
if interested.
Fallkniven A1 Survival Knife $195.61
Fallkniven: The A1, F1 and S1
are common choices for service men looking for an excellent production
knife within reasonable price ranges. These Swedish-made knives are of
outstanding quality, with excellent steel being used and properly heat
treated. People just are not let down by Fallkniven knives. They aren’t
cheap, but the VG10 steel used is excellent, they are light, resistant
and have a classic, time-proven blade geometry that works very well for
most tasks.
While writing this article I received an email from a friend of mine that was Army Special Forces, here’s part of his reply:
"I was issued a Gerber Multiplier as a tool before the SF thing, was issued a M9 bayonet at every unit over the years and after SF--as with all graduating SF guys--got a Yarborough knife. The Yarborough is a good knife, but for various reasons I never carried it in the field (liked others more, didn't want to screw it up, etc.). I tended to carry, for a larger belt knife anyway, a Fallkniven A1 or S1, depending on the year and what I was doing.The Fallknivens are some of the best field/combat/fighting knives I've ever had, and quite durable with use. They make some nice hunting type knives, too. Swedish company, but they sell in the states and UK a fair bit."
What
gets issued isn’t always the best but you still know there’s a certain
standard, so military issued knives can be great budget choices for
prepers and survivalists. Then of course, for a bit more money there are
options that can offer more. Be careful though. Sometimes companies
advertise their knives as super doper Chairborn Commando, put a crazy
price tag on them, and the knife still cant do for you what the humble
KA-BAR can.
FerFAL
Monday, October 3, 2011
Topics for the SelfReliance Expo
I’ll be in Salt Lake City in a couple more days. I already have the topic of the presentations down to, day 1 : What happened in Argentina in 2001 and the similarities with current events in USA Day 2: How to prepare for an economic collapse. Each will last about an hour and then there will be plenty of time for questions. I still wanted to know if there’s a specific topic you guys would like me to include as well. Most of you that follow the blog already heard all this a hundred times but for those that don’t I must start with the basics like I do in radio interviews. Still, if there’s any specifics you’d like me to consider just leave a comment here.
Take care and see some of you soon!
Join the forum discussion on this post
Take care and see some of you soon!
Join the forum discussion on this postFerFAL
Sunday, October 2, 2011
What to do in case of a home invasion?
With home invasions becoming more common in spite of the record decrease in crime across USA, there are a few things people should keep in mind.
Defending yourself against criminals without weapons is like trying to make a cake without eggs or flour. If you follow any of the advise in this blog one of the things you probably have is a gun, hopefully its not too big to maneuver inside close quarters. If you don’t have a gun, a large pointy chef knife will have to do. Get one of these if you cant legally own guns in your current location. Besides the gun (or knife) there are certain items that are very desirable to have at hand. A tactical flashlight, hopefully something powerful like the previously reviewed MTE lights that have 1000 lumens and a cell phone in the bedroom. You may want to add body armor to that list. Yes, its expensive but then again a) Its probably worth around half of the gun in your hand b) It increases your survival rate to 80% (give or take) when facing attackers armed with handguns.
Home invasions and attacks to your household can vary significantly. The following list is an estimation for most typical incidents. Adjusting and adapting as needed is important but this will give you a general guideline to think of.
1)React. If something woke you up at night, if something got your attention, react to it. 99% of the time its nothing, just another house noise, the cat, the wind, etc, but you have to act on all of them because its that 1% that you react for. It gets to a point where you jump out of bed/your seat immediately. One thing that must be avoided at all costs is freezing, the inaction, staying still after hearing a sound to see if you hear it again. You must react, not wait.
2)Go for the gun and flashlight. Grab your weapon and light (don’t turn it on) immediately. Sometimes you have a few more seconds, sometimes you don’t. React as you would in a worst case scenario. If the gun is in a safe near the bed, remember to open it before going to bed. The firearm should be ready for use, within immediate reach but still out of the reach of children. Children should be trained not to touch your firearms but don’t ever count on that alone.
3) Regroup the family. This will depend on how many family members there is, their age and the house floor plan. The objective here is to get the family together in a defendable position, usually this would be the master bedroom. If you can clearly hear intruders breaking in then wake the wife and have her go get the kids while you stand protecting the corridor where the attackers are coming from. Once you have all the family members accounted for in a room, only then can you consider the potential intruders. This seems obvious but is very important. Too often people confuse their own family members with intrudes with disastrous consequences.
4)Once you have everyone in your room, if you feel you have a couple more seconds you can put on your body armor vest. If you still hear noises, now is when the wife or yourself should be calling the police.
5)Here is where people will have different opinions and the possible correct actions are as many as individual scenarios. When everyone is accounted for and the police has been called you can either hold your position in the room or go check out the noise. The textbook says don’t go clearing a house on your own. Solo house clearing is suicide if you go by the manual, but then do you want to wait until your attackers completely break in and risk a gunfight in your bedroom with your wife and kids? In some cases, say you hear attackers kicking the door down, making yourself noticed and warning them that you are armed may send them away as I explained in an incident that occurred to my dentist. In that case, that was enough. What if its not? Then you have the legal and moral ground to defend your life and your family. In other cases where someone sneaked in you might want to surprise the home invader using your flashlight, this will also work towards positive identification. Even with all family members accounted for staying in a room until told its safe to come out, you simply never shoot before identifying. It might be a drunk buddy, stoned neighbor, friend of your kid’s friend that crashed in the family room couch, NEVER shoot before identifying. Check for weapons as well. A gun or knife means you shoot, you don’t risk it. At indoor ranges your life is clearly at risk and you’ll be lucky to survive if he attacks with either one, a knife being just as dangerous or more so than a gun at such distances.
The situations will all be different, in some you’ll want to move stealthily, in others made yourself noticed, in some stay put with your family and in others take the fight elsewhere if it comes to that. This is just a bare bone guideline. Be armed, have the minimum tools, account for all family members and don’t ever shoot without identifying first.
As America keeps getting safer according to statistics, violent robberies and home invasions where they didn’t occur before are becoming more and more common. Such a strange occurrence, still it’s better to be ready for it.
Take care,
Join the forum discussion on this post
Defending yourself against criminals without weapons is like trying to make a cake without eggs or flour. If you follow any of the advise in this blog one of the things you probably have is a gun, hopefully its not too big to maneuver inside close quarters. If you don’t have a gun, a large pointy chef knife will have to do. Get one of these if you cant legally own guns in your current location. Besides the gun (or knife) there are certain items that are very desirable to have at hand. A tactical flashlight, hopefully something powerful like the previously reviewed MTE lights that have 1000 lumens and a cell phone in the bedroom. You may want to add body armor to that list. Yes, its expensive but then again a) Its probably worth around half of the gun in your hand b) It increases your survival rate to 80% (give or take) when facing attackers armed with handguns.
Home invasions and attacks to your household can vary significantly. The following list is an estimation for most typical incidents. Adjusting and adapting as needed is important but this will give you a general guideline to think of.
1)React. If something woke you up at night, if something got your attention, react to it. 99% of the time its nothing, just another house noise, the cat, the wind, etc, but you have to act on all of them because its that 1% that you react for. It gets to a point where you jump out of bed/your seat immediately. One thing that must be avoided at all costs is freezing, the inaction, staying still after hearing a sound to see if you hear it again. You must react, not wait.
2)Go for the gun and flashlight. Grab your weapon and light (don’t turn it on) immediately. Sometimes you have a few more seconds, sometimes you don’t. React as you would in a worst case scenario. If the gun is in a safe near the bed, remember to open it before going to bed. The firearm should be ready for use, within immediate reach but still out of the reach of children. Children should be trained not to touch your firearms but don’t ever count on that alone.
3) Regroup the family. This will depend on how many family members there is, their age and the house floor plan. The objective here is to get the family together in a defendable position, usually this would be the master bedroom. If you can clearly hear intruders breaking in then wake the wife and have her go get the kids while you stand protecting the corridor where the attackers are coming from. Once you have all the family members accounted for in a room, only then can you consider the potential intruders. This seems obvious but is very important. Too often people confuse their own family members with intrudes with disastrous consequences.
4)Once you have everyone in your room, if you feel you have a couple more seconds you can put on your body armor vest. If you still hear noises, now is when the wife or yourself should be calling the police.
5)Here is where people will have different opinions and the possible correct actions are as many as individual scenarios. When everyone is accounted for and the police has been called you can either hold your position in the room or go check out the noise. The textbook says don’t go clearing a house on your own. Solo house clearing is suicide if you go by the manual, but then do you want to wait until your attackers completely break in and risk a gunfight in your bedroom with your wife and kids? In some cases, say you hear attackers kicking the door down, making yourself noticed and warning them that you are armed may send them away as I explained in an incident that occurred to my dentist. In that case, that was enough. What if its not? Then you have the legal and moral ground to defend your life and your family. In other cases where someone sneaked in you might want to surprise the home invader using your flashlight, this will also work towards positive identification. Even with all family members accounted for staying in a room until told its safe to come out, you simply never shoot before identifying. It might be a drunk buddy, stoned neighbor, friend of your kid’s friend that crashed in the family room couch, NEVER shoot before identifying. Check for weapons as well. A gun or knife means you shoot, you don’t risk it. At indoor ranges your life is clearly at risk and you’ll be lucky to survive if he attacks with either one, a knife being just as dangerous or more so than a gun at such distances.
The situations will all be different, in some you’ll want to move stealthily, in others made yourself noticed, in some stay put with your family and in others take the fight elsewhere if it comes to that. This is just a bare bone guideline. Be armed, have the minimum tools, account for all family members and don’t ever shoot without identifying first.
As America keeps getting safer according to statistics, violent robberies and home invasions where they didn’t occur before are becoming more and more common. Such a strange occurrence, still it’s better to be ready for it.
Take care,
Join the forum discussion on this postFerFAL
Saturday, October 1, 2011
The second you get complacent …
So with the trip to Salt Lake City coming up I was thinking of staying Friday night with the wife and kids instead of going shooting. A friend’s phone call later and some “It will do you good” from my wife had me throwing some stuff into a bag and hurrying out the door.
You know how it is, that the one time you leave something behind because you forgot about it or you thought you won´t need it, you just happen to do? Murphy is always around the corner.
Hurrying to get things ready to shoot I apparently cut my finger with some sharp object. I only realized I got cut when I felt something wet in my hand, and sure enough, the little first aid kit had stayed in my EDC bag and in the hurry I didn’t include it in the range bag. There was some Quickclot there but all I needed was a few bandages. No big deal, I cleaned up as well as I could with some water I had and used some paper tape, once home I cleaned the cuts better and wrapped them up. Later someone saw my finger and offered bandages. It sucks when you don’t have these because you forgot your own first aid kit.
All the time I wanted to kick myself for not having the first aid kit with me, for rushing and getting complacent. This was nothing, just a minor inconveniences if anything at all, but its almost funny how even if you carry something with you at all times, the single day you forget about it in I don’t know how long, that’s the day when you need it! Happens the same with knives, or concealed carry guns. The time you don’t feel like carrying, that’s the time you need it.
I took it as a reminder and as a way to reinforce that what is carried at all times, is actually carried for a good reason.
Join the forum discussion on this post
You know how it is, that the one time you leave something behind because you forgot about it or you thought you won´t need it, you just happen to do? Murphy is always around the corner.
Hurrying to get things ready to shoot I apparently cut my finger with some sharp object. I only realized I got cut when I felt something wet in my hand, and sure enough, the little first aid kit had stayed in my EDC bag and in the hurry I didn’t include it in the range bag. There was some Quickclot there but all I needed was a few bandages. No big deal, I cleaned up as well as I could with some water I had and used some paper tape, once home I cleaned the cuts better and wrapped them up. Later someone saw my finger and offered bandages. It sucks when you don’t have these because you forgot your own first aid kit.
All the time I wanted to kick myself for not having the first aid kit with me, for rushing and getting complacent. This was nothing, just a minor inconveniences if anything at all, but its almost funny how even if you carry something with you at all times, the single day you forget about it in I don’t know how long, that’s the day when you need it! Happens the same with knives, or concealed carry guns. The time you don’t feel like carrying, that’s the time you need it.
I took it as a reminder and as a way to reinforce that what is carried at all times, is actually carried for a good reason.
Join the forum discussion on this postFerFAL
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
