I love this channel and the honesty and humility that juts pours through. You are a very honest reviewer and one of the few that juts does it for the fun and for the rest of us. This gives us a different perspective into the knife world, as a civilian that has never had the honor of serving, and may not know what the military uses for harder use applications. Tbh, we all want what the military gets because many times that is what’s tested and reliable, and made at an affordable and reproducible rate. Thank you for serving, and thank you for your channel.
I was in the army for a couple years, and this is spot on. I carried a CRKT M16-14zsf most of the time and loved it. I never worried about beating it up. The only thing I didn't like about it was the blade being ground on only one side, which made sharpening a little more complicated. I also carried a Leatherman Wave, although I was issued a Gerber.
Honestly, very interesting. A thousand years ago as ex-USN Vietnam, on all ships, in all deck divisions, we carried and used BUCK 110s; all day, everyday. I still have my not so pristine yet fully functional in all ways, made before 1967 110. It's out in the truck with my valuables standing by on the Mckinely wildfire GO evacuation to happen or not happen.
Emerson Commander and Leatherman Wave, absolutely. Those two are what I carried on deployment. I also recommend carrying some kind of small fixed blade on your kit.
Hi, great vid, I’m with Israeli Air force C-SAR unit and serve as a flight surgeon. My first issue was a German made (talk about irony) hunting knife. Have been issued along the years leatheman, SOG and gerber multi tools. And most recently and my favorite leatherman MUT and latest I heard we will be getting issued knife wise first edge(didn’t get it yet but waiting). I carry on my flight suit a CRKT m-16 which fits perfectly in the arm pocket and the MUT on my vest. Hope this helps as foreign yet friendly military counterparts go... All the best and keep up the great vids. Dr. I ,
I am a paramedic, i carry a victorinox tinker or a LM wingman or skeleool , depending on my task. I just realised while typing this comment that I actually do not carry single bladed dedicated knives ever... hmmm... interesting
25 years and going, and my list is much like yours. Most younger Soldiers are on a pretty tight budget, many will shop at the PX, and the vast majority are not knife snobs. Cheap and available beats “full flat grind profile” every day.
6 years USMC, 24 years law enforcement (9 to go). I currently EDC the CRKT M16 that you showed - the M16-04KS. Suit and tie these days and it doesn't tear up my pockets and it is sturdy enough I can trust it for defense. I also have a CRKT M16-14ZLEK law enforcement knife with a seatbelt cutter and glass break I carry in my EDC go bag. I have the Cold Steel Recon 1 Tanto that you showed in a full tactical bag for situations requiring extreme hard use. It has the strongest lock of any folder that I have used and if I had to go into combat with a folding knife - it is the one I would choose.
When my nephew deployed, I gave him a Benchmade Bugout in Ranger Green and a Leatherman Skeletool. So far he reports that both of them are holding up well and he loves the Bugout because of how strong and light it is.
I've carried the Spyderco Manix 2XL as my EDC for 6yrs & I absolutely love it ! I just received the SOG Seal XR Flipper as a Christmas gift & will be carrying it into the new yr. Both knives are amazing & I'd recommend them especially if you're a lefty like I am.
I had just about every knife and multi-tool I owned in the military stolen. That is why I started my making my own tool kits with really cheap tools that I knew I was going to use on the daily. My most used one was a small double ended pry bar that I sharpened on the flat to a secondary chisel grind to use as a knife if I needed it. This fitted into my molle webbing. What would I recommend today? Hultafors chisel knife. It's pretty much indestructible and sharpens pretty easily. It's like 8 bucks so breaking or loosing it is not a big deal. Another great tool is a paint can opener. Great for removing brass casings that get stuck in the chamber. As for the multi-tool substitute, just get a regular phillips head screw driver and a pair of needle nose pliers that you can just put on your molle webbing. Also secure everything with paracord and ranger bands accordingly. I was medically retired from the Army back in 2006 and did a tour of Iraq. I've been helping as many people I can when it comes to military matters since, so hope this information helps someone.
I am not military but I am a first responder LEO and love the Wave and Trekker; but always carry either the Buck 110 or Spyderco Para 2. Not exactly budget friendly but they are all functional. I carry the Cold Steel Tanto Recon as a backup. Anyone of the knives you talked about are good for everyday carry.
I never served in the military, but I survived growing up in the worse parts of L.A. I carry the Recon 1 Spear Point S35vn Desert Warrior Edition. Thanks for the video my Bladed Brother 👍⚔️✝️🇺🇲
I recently picked up a version of the Victorinox Trekker you showed in the video. It’s a blackened version, OD green stamped U. S. and is available to the military really cool to have it
i was to the army for 1.5 year.i was carry a victorinox swiss army knife.the most used tools was the blade,the scissors,the saw,the can opener the screwdrivers(the phillips head works fine to remove the rifle rivets),also the flat head as pry-bar as well.also the toothpick because the most times,no time there to clean my teeth.the tweezers with a paracord string is nice to clean the rifle barrel.
@@nikgyver7 good choice, i work at an engineering company sometimes in the field sometimes in the office and i use the yellow victorinox evolution. in my opinion the best victorinox at that size and i had tons over the years. check it out. 15 functions i think
I really like the CS Recon 1. The Emerson is also one that I’ve carried. I think it’s the CQC 7. Leatherman wave without a doubt. I almost forgot, I have used the Benchmade Adams’s. That one is a beast!
Here's what I recall from my 30 years in the military, either issued, available from IEU or purchased through AAFES: 1980s: Camillus MC-1s, all- stainless US and black handle electrician's; 1990s Original Leatherman and Gerber Multitools; 2000s Gerber, Benchmade, SOG and some of the others you mentioned... Also, Ontario was the issued aircrew survival knife. Good video, Thanks for sharing!
@@lonewanderer3603 Marines '77-'81, I bought a K-Bar at the PX for $14.95 (Camp Pendleton). There were others who bought Camillus in the company, 4 in my platoon. Within 5-6 months 9 of 10 Camillus's were broke. But only 2 K-Bars. I haven't even considered a Camillus since! Most of us carried the K-Bar in the field on belt or on H-Harness, along with Buck 110's, either on belt or in pocket. In addition, I carried a Gerber Mk 1 Boot Knife, on belt or boot. Then I had a Gerber Multi Tool, on belt or cargo pocket. I generally carried the Gerber Mk 1 most of the time in my boot, even on Liberty. I found a S&W Fighting Knife in '98 at a knife store in Scottsdale, AZ. The box said 'Fighting Knife', but it was basically a 'Boot Knife', which is why I bought it.
Being a early 80's Veteran, the choices weren't as broad. I carried a Old Timer on my belt with a braided lanyard and a Swiss Army with saw blade and sissors in my pocket. Keeping your blade sharp was key and we judged each other on how sharp you kept your blade more so than what name was on the scales.
Same era for me......Buck 110 on the belt, a Swiss Army Spartan, and a Camillus AF Survival Knife on the web gear. Choices weren't abundant and money was tight. I knew some guys who had Gerber Mk I and IIs but they were expensive and prone to breaking. Didn't have much "tacticool" gear back then!
Pfft I got that beat, living in the jungle of Borneo, I had to make my own machete out of spring steel from a jeep and my 'knife' was a piece of flint I knapped myself or a broken piece of glass from a bottle. What do you old timers know about that, with all your comforts. Swiss what!? Cami.. what!? Gerb...what!? get the fuck outta here with that cosumer nonsense.
I'm EX- AF myself, an work construction for a living, an one thing I stumbled on to along time ago was "BUCK BANTAM KNIVES" . I have them for a work utility/ beater knife, an one large one for EDC, an one for hunting strictly, $ 30.00 an under an made in the U.S.A. not China, an they work beautifully and are ergonomic to the hand, try one, you mite just switch over to buck, IMHO.
Great video. The Gerber Paraframe was my 1st intro into the knife world when i enlisted into the army. Carried it almost everyday. Good intro/beginner knife though but overtime not very desirable as an edc.
My son is in the Navy and I wanted to get him a knife he could carry daily. From what he told me, under his Command they had some pretty restrictive regulations on knives. With that said, I bought him a Benchmade Mini Bugout and customized it with after market scales and thumb studs. They knife looks awesome and its one of a kind. I sent it out to him and he absolutely loved it and it complied with his Command requirements. Great little EDC knife.
I always carried a Victorinox Spartan & a Leatherman on my belt. On my LBE I carried a Buck 110 Survival (mentioned in the other reply) then after Desert Storm I started carrying/using the OKC Marine knife.
Love the CRKT knives in 30-$60 range, they take a beating and hold an edge better than people think. Personally love the safety features. I tried switching to the more expensive spyderco para, and really didn’t like it (although it IS better steel). Went back to CRKT and there I shall stay.
I own a few CRKTs. People who've never owned one like to trash talk the 8cr13mov steel they commonly use, but someone in that company knows a good deal about heat treating, because they perform pretty admirably for a cheap budget Chinese steel. I dropped my Fossil from about 8 feet up on a ladder onto concrete and was sure I'd broken it. Only damage was a small Nick on the blade that I was able to take out after about 5 minutes hand sharpening on a basic two sided stone
that swiss army unit does the job, solid, great tools, and it is nice to be able to actually feel it in pocket, I have owned a few of the trekker model, and they never fail great video
Not a military man but I am a firefighter. My Cold Steel Spartan is with me every day even on the fire line. I trust cold steel with my life and the lives of others. There's no doubt in my mind that military personnel would carry the CS brand.
That's a badass knife to carry everyday, a bit overkill though, can't see them being much use in a fire, mobility might be an issue too. I only carry mine when I am on delivery duty.
I carried one of spyderco's Byrd line called "Cara Cara 2"(FRN grip) for three years as my EDC and it was so tough and lightweight and stood up to everything I put it thru that it never ceased to amaze me, especially based on how little it cost. I don't know which american made spyderco model it most closely resembles, but I bet the Byrd knife cost 75% less than the spyderco.
Was issued with a SOG plier and a Victorinox Trekker. Carried and used them throughout my service. I find them more useful than any of my tactical folders.
The Victorinox is standard issue in my country (Singapore). Our conscrip.... Uh... Enlisted men (which is all males over 18) get those from day 1 in Basic Military Training.
For me in 1970 it was The Buck 110. Saw no other knife where we were. And my son n law was issued a Gerber multi tool, the one where the plier slips out the front. Gerber??? Blacked out.
I own emerson cqc7bw. Ive used lots of knife brands like kershaw, coldsteel but Emerson knife has the best quality out of all. Yes, it is expensive but its worth the money.
They only things they sell on base in the PX and tactical shops (easily accessible places for soldiers) are gerber, buck, leatherman, some crkt and benchmade.
When I was in the Army, I always had 2 knives on at all times. The first was a Case Muskrat my grandfather gave me when I turned 13 and I carried it every day since I recieved it with the exception of my training period. The second was a Buck 110 Anniversary model with better quality steel than normal. The sheathe was poor quality and broke after about a month of hard use. That saw me carry it in my thigh pocket for the remainder of the time I owned it. It felt like carrying a brick in your pocket but it also felt sturdy. I cut open MRE cases, opened ammo crates, even a hefty ratchet strap that got tangled around a 5 ton trucks front axle. It only broke when my buddy asked to borrow it without telling me what he was doing and tried to pry open a trailer ring hitch on a truck that had pretty much rusted or frozen shut from what he told me. All I know is he came back to me with a knife that's blade was snapped clean off at the choil. He bought me a cheaper one from Walmart that came with a nylon sheathe I threw away as a replacement and i still carry the knife to this day
Am ex UK military used to always carry 1 of the original leatherman multi tools got it many years ago since then have generally carried a Swiss soldiers knife have recently got a leatherman rebar. Really enjoying it.
A great deployment knife that is cheaper than the Emerson but does the same thing is the Spyderco waved Endura. Much lighter and slimmer than the Emersons but still sturdy with a skeletonized steel reinforced handles and a good blade steel in VG10. 4 in blade.
Great list, thanks! I need to catch up, missing a few (never served but thanks for your service). The couple of military guys I knew one was a Marine and had a Kbar, the other had a Gerber Applegate Combat Folding Knife, Serrated Edge [05780]. The civilian version of the German Swiss Army knife you mentioned was the Forester, I like it in general but the front edge of the blade was blunt and had serrations on the front half of the blade (the first ever I have seen like that), plus it has the toothpick and tweezers.
That or it was on sell or now something you can but on eBay or Amazon for cheap but not too cheap. Gerber or Spyderco. Now wherever you look at a Benchmade i do this 😬 when i look at the price.
I spent 70$ on mine but that was when it was brand new. I love it. :D that 12cr27 is noice. I routinely leave far more expensive knives behind when I leave the house in favor of it. The smaller m16 variants rock as well, despite the "cheap" blade steels.
So with a couple of exceptions these are all commonly found at the PX/BX/NEX and i think thats why people carry them. They are convenient to pick up so people dont have to go looking.
Good review by the way. On my single deployment I carried a benchmade griptilian . I have owned the Spderco manix 2 and the emerson cqc7w and the recon .All excellent blades.
I was Army from 1985-2004 & the first fixed blade I bought from the PX was a Buck 110 Survival knife. I still have it & have never seen another one like it. It was a BEAST!! But I still managed to break 1/2 inch off the tip.
I had a KaBar and a SAK. Used the latter so much more than the full sized knife. Now this was back in the day before email so some things have changed. I really liked the early leathermans and of course one hand deployers are great. When I deployed wasn't sure what to expect and since the only "issue" pocket knives were either a TL29 or a Camillus utility knife (I preferred the TL because it felt better in the hand). Now the products at the PX and in the system are so much better.
Female soldier carrying a kabar at her chest went to a mosque to investigate a shooting. A guy grabbed her rifle and she was fighting for her rifle. She tool the kabar outta the sheath on the molly thingy with her right hand and she put it through his ribs into his heart. So kabar should be mentioned. The d2 is super awesome.
@@mutlee299 you are welcome. I should have added it was undet his left arm where she entered his chest with the kabar. A guy I work with, who I really dont like, was with her and witnessed this, maybe not directly but just after it happened.
In the early 2000s my dad carried a benchmade issued to him not sure what model but that’s the knife that was in his pocket from what he’s told me and a cold steel srk on his vest while overseas
During my deployment I had a Manix 2 (not the lightweight version), a Mcusta Tactility with black micarta scales with a "Damascus" blade, and a Spyderco Rubicon. I had a Leatherman Charge also during the deployment. I saw someone else with a Boker Plus Jim Wagner Urban Survival Pen Knife and I believe another person owning a Gerber 06 Automatic.
I had an original Paraframe that was larger than the current productions. I miss that knife a lot. It was tough and took it everywhere. Sadly I lost it somehow.
The wave really is a great multitool, my only complaint with it is the slight heaviness and the jagged design. Most probably don’t want to admit it’s a bit heavy and bulky but at 8.5 oz it’s among the heaviest leatherman has to offer, I also have a blast and I find myself grabbing and carrying that much more often as it does everything I’ve ever needed it to but at 6.9 oz and a more compact smoother design it carries in my pocket much easier, and is almost not noticeable on my belt.
I will say though I miss the diamond file on the wave when I have my blast, that’s a great little file for sharpening and de-burring whereas the regular file on the blast is pretty much only good for softer materials.
Great list myself im a Gerber 06 fan either assisted or auto i own a few different choices but it has never let me down. Appreciate your time and your service. Take care....
John Alessi That widely varies but I can tell you that each unit has their own (big) pot of money that they seemingly get whatever gear they desire. The only one I knew had a Recon 1 but each has a different preference and philosophy.
Nice review. Me=retired Canadian paratrooper/recce ...deployed carry=German Army field knife gun taped to left shoulder webbing Swiss army knife with "spork" etc for kicking around camp. Later, in the AirForce, SOG multi-tool and Spydero-what-ever-was-handy when leaving for work :-)
I carry a CRKT M-16 14-Z, it has a partial serration and the Auto-Loks Mechanism. It opens and closes fast using one hand for both operations. I like the additional safety feature of the Auto-Loks System it makes the knife very secure to use doing a heavy task. You are assured that it will not close on your fingers. I really like using my Cold Steel XL Voyager Tanto, it opens with one hand and you can close it with one hand but it is shorter in time to use two hands. What I am mostly concerned with is getting the knife out with the blade open as fast as possible. Cannot use automatics where I am, so they have to be manual open. It's a little on the large side but my Cold Steel Rajah 2 opens like the Emerson as it leaves the pocket that it is mounted in. If you want a larger blade that is cost effective, I have two Cold Steel Luzons, they open and close with one hand. That's right, I have two, one for each hand.
Most Joes I’ve seen usually will carry the Gerber And CRKT, because AAFES generally only has those two brands and Benchmade (3x the cost). Some are issued BM autos, but have to give them back, anymore.
How come there aren't any cheap Emerson wave knives? I like how it opens up as you take it out of your pocket but not I'm not paying over $100 for that
On ship carried a Buck110 on my hip or a Swiss Army on my hip. Got to say got more work done with the swiss. Also carried the swiss in foreign ports no one gave a second thought about the swiss.
@@BudgetBugout Must admit, that's even more surprising. Though now that I think about it, One friend carried a half serrated model while in the Navy. And have seen several Army Reservists using that model. Though that was more than a decade ago. Perhaps it used to be more common back then. Also wanted to say I really enjoyed the video. Thank you for uploading it.
Time tested? Just because a knife is carried by people in the Military isn't a good test because you have to look at what exactly the "people" in the Military actually did for a living. Example I lived in the field as a grunt in the USMC but many worked in an Office and used their knives to open mail and poggie bait. Back when I was in there weren't companies donating knives like benchmade we had to buy our own knives other than our issued K-Bar fighting knife which I carried daily for sure as well as a bayonet. My folder I bought myself was a simple Gerber called a "bolt action" USA made folder. It is a simple folder with a frame mounted spring lock and a hollow hard plastic type frame that did not flex and is still with me today 30 years later. There is no blade play at all and the frame will not flex when you pinch it. The blade steel is some kind of flat stone wash stainless carbon combo and it doesn't have a speck of rust on it despite being on me during many many many days and nights out in the field in temperatures over 110 degrees and as cold as below freezing. I wish Gerber still made knives like this one.
Interesting I've recently watch 2 clip's from x seal's talk about knives and the only thing they cared about was did it hold an edge and was it function-able without being to big or small.
8:10 i miss my leatherman pulse had a file AND scissors (that would cut pop cans to thin paper no issues) . now its like you are looking out on a good tool...... can have the file OR scissors, not both but ya get a leather awl...... . .
I love this channel and the honesty and humility that juts pours through. You are a very honest reviewer and one of the few that juts does it for the fun and for the rest of us. This gives us a different perspective into the knife world, as a civilian that has never had the honor of serving, and may not know what the military uses for harder use applications. Tbh, we all want what the military gets because many times that is what’s tested and reliable, and made at an affordable and reproducible rate. Thank you for serving, and thank you for your channel.
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A man who uses a Gerber when his life is on the line is truly a madman.
I used a Buck knife for my 20 years in the Navy. Then I passed it down to my son when he joined the Army.
DC maintenance was made easier with my Buck .
Good solid, unpretentious sometimes you don't need to spend a fortune
Which model?
❤️
That is the most badass yet heartwarming thing I have ever heard. Thanks for ur service
I was in the army for a couple years, and this is spot on. I carried a CRKT M16-14zsf most of the time and loved it. I never worried about beating it up. The only thing I didn't like about it was the blade being ground on only one side, which made sharpening a little more complicated. I also carried a Leatherman Wave, although I was issued a Gerber.
Honestly, very interesting.
A thousand years ago as ex-USN Vietnam, on all ships, in all deck divisions, we carried and used BUCK 110s; all day, everyday.
I still have my not so pristine yet fully functional in all ways, made before 1967 110.
It's out in the truck with my valuables standing by on the Mckinely wildfire GO evacuation to happen or not happen.
Ditto on the Buck 110. 👍
Emerson Commander and Leatherman Wave, absolutely. Those two are what I carried on deployment. I also recommend carrying some kind of small fixed blade on your kit.
Microtech curahee - perfect small fixed blade
Good tools.Have a Wave. My Emerson is the old CQC 7.
Carried my Benchmade Nimravus
Hi, great vid, I’m with Israeli Air force C-SAR unit and serve as a flight surgeon.
My first issue was a German made (talk about irony) hunting knife.
Have been issued along the years leatheman, SOG and gerber multi tools.
And most recently and my favorite leatherman MUT and latest I heard we will be getting issued knife wise first edge(didn’t get it yet but waiting).
I carry on my flight suit a CRKT m-16 which fits perfectly in the arm pocket and the MUT on my vest.
Hope this helps as foreign yet friendly military counterparts go...
All the best and keep up the great vids.
Dr. I
,
The German knife, was it a Puma by any chance?
And now Germany is talking about buying a 🚀 defence system from your country… talk about irony 😉. Greetings from Germany.
I am a paramedic, i carry a victorinox tinker or a LM wingman or skeleool , depending on my task. I just realised while typing this comment that I actually do not carry single bladed dedicated knives ever... hmmm... interesting
25 years and going, and my list is much like yours. Most younger Soldiers are on a pretty tight budget, many will shop at the PX, and the vast majority are not knife snobs. Cheap and available beats “full flat grind profile” every day.
6 years USMC, 24 years law enforcement (9 to go). I currently EDC the CRKT M16 that you showed - the M16-04KS. Suit and tie these days and it doesn't tear up my pockets and it is sturdy enough I can trust it for defense. I also have a CRKT M16-14ZLEK law enforcement knife with a seatbelt cutter and glass break I carry in my EDC go bag. I have the Cold Steel Recon 1 Tanto that you showed in a full tactical bag for situations requiring extreme hard use. It has the strongest lock of any folder that I have used and if I had to go into combat with a folding knife - it is the one I would choose.
When my nephew deployed, I gave him a Benchmade Bugout in Ranger Green and a Leatherman Skeletool. So far he reports that both of them are holding up well and he loves the Bugout because of how strong and light it is.
I've carried the Spyderco Manix 2XL as my EDC for 6yrs & I absolutely love it ! I just received the SOG Seal XR Flipper as a Christmas gift & will be carrying it into the new yr. Both knives are amazing & I'd recommend them especially if you're a lefty like I am.
Thanks for the video and for your service. My younger cousin just got into the Air Force. So proud of him. God bless and have a great weekend.
Bennny Bustdown I appreciate it! Congrats to your cousin as well!
I had just about every knife and multi-tool I owned in the military stolen. That is why I started my making my own tool kits with really cheap tools that I knew I was going to use on the daily. My most used one was a small double ended pry bar that I sharpened on the flat to a secondary chisel grind to use as a knife if I needed it. This fitted into my molle webbing.
What would I recommend today? Hultafors chisel knife. It's pretty much indestructible and sharpens pretty easily. It's like 8 bucks so breaking or loosing it is not a big deal. Another great tool is a paint can opener. Great for removing brass casings that get stuck in the chamber. As for the multi-tool substitute, just get a regular phillips head screw driver and a pair of needle nose pliers that you can just put on your molle webbing. Also secure everything with paracord and ranger bands accordingly.
I was medically retired from the Army back in 2006 and did a tour of Iraq. I've been helping as many people I can when it comes to military matters since, so hope this information helps someone.
I am not military but I am a first responder LEO and love the Wave and Trekker; but always carry either the Buck 110 or Spyderco Para 2. Not exactly budget friendly but they are all functional. I carry the Cold Steel Tanto Recon as a backup. Anyone of the knives you talked about are good for everyday carry.
I never served in the military, but I survived growing up in the worse parts of L.A. I carry the Recon 1 Spear Point S35vn Desert Warrior Edition. Thanks for the video my Bladed Brother 👍⚔️✝️🇺🇲
In my experience with military friends and family the Buck 110 and the Cold Steel Recon 1 seem to be the choices along with the Leatherman Wave
My EDC knife is a Benchmade Emerson 970SBT.
Bought it for about $200 back in 1996 and it’s still going strong today
I recently picked up a version of the Victorinox Trekker you showed in the video. It’s a blackened version, OD green stamped U. S. and is available to the military really cool to have it
i was to the army for 1.5 year.i was carry a victorinox swiss army knife.the most used tools was the blade,the scissors,the saw,the can opener the screwdrivers(the phillips head works fine to remove the rifle rivets),also the flat head as pry-bar as well.also the toothpick because the most times,no time there to clean my teeth.the tweezers with a paracord string is nice to clean the rifle barrel.
model?
@@pianoingels7128 my edc is the swiss champ.
@@nikgyver7 good choice, i work at an engineering company sometimes in the field sometimes in the office and i use the yellow victorinox evolution. in my opinion the best victorinox at that size and i had tons over the years. check it out. 15 functions i think
I really like the CS Recon 1. The Emerson is also one that I’ve carried. I think it’s the CQC 7. Leatherman wave without a doubt. I almost forgot, I have used the Benchmade Adams’s. That one is a beast!
I always had my issued Gerber mp600 on me. Most of the time I also had a manix2 also. I've been retired for 14 years and still carry the same combo.
Here's what I recall from my 30 years in the military, either issued, available from IEU or purchased through AAFES:
1980s: Camillus MC-1s, all- stainless US and black handle electrician's;
1990s Original Leatherman and Gerber Multitools;
2000s Gerber, Benchmade, SOG and some of the others you mentioned...
Also, Ontario was the issued aircrew survival knife.
Good video, Thanks for sharing!
I don't know about the 80's, but Camillus turned into a really shit knife maker.
@@lonewanderer3603 Marines '77-'81, I bought a K-Bar at the PX for $14.95 (Camp Pendleton).
There were others who bought Camillus in the company, 4 in my platoon. Within 5-6 months 9 of 10 Camillus's were broke. But only 2 K-Bars. I haven't even considered a Camillus since!
Most of us carried the K-Bar in the field on belt or on H-Harness, along with Buck 110's, either on belt or in pocket. In addition, I carried a Gerber Mk 1 Boot Knife, on belt or boot. Then I had a Gerber Multi Tool, on belt or cargo pocket. I generally carried the Gerber Mk 1 most of the time in my boot, even on Liberty. I found a S&W Fighting Knife in '98 at a knife store in Scottsdale, AZ. The box said 'Fighting Knife', but it was basically a 'Boot Knife', which is why I bought it.
Being a early 80's Veteran, the choices weren't as broad. I carried a Old Timer on my belt with a braided lanyard and a Swiss Army with saw blade and sissors in my pocket. Keeping your blade sharp was key and we judged each other on how sharp you kept your blade more so than what name was on the scales.
Same era for me......Buck 110 on the belt, a Swiss Army Spartan, and a Camillus AF Survival Knife on the web gear. Choices weren't abundant and money was tight. I knew some guys who had Gerber Mk I and IIs but they were expensive and prone to breaking. Didn't have much "tacticool" gear back then!
Pfft I got that beat, living in the jungle of Borneo, I had to make my own machete out of spring steel from a jeep and my 'knife' was a piece of flint I knapped myself or a broken piece of glass from a bottle. What do you old timers know about that, with all your comforts. Swiss what!? Cami.. what!? Gerb...what!? get the fuck outta here with that cosumer nonsense.
shino88 I am asking you a serious question could you please tell me what you used as an anvil?
@@alundavies8402 His head, of course...
tokr72 I asked you an honest question and you come out with this nonsense?
I'm EX- AF myself, an work construction for a living, an one thing I stumbled on to along time ago was "BUCK BANTAM KNIVES" . I have them for a work utility/ beater knife, an one large one for EDC, an one for hunting strictly, $ 30.00 an under an made in the U.S.A. not China, an they work beautifully and are ergonomic to the hand, try one, you mite just switch over to buck, IMHO.
Great video. The Gerber Paraframe was my 1st intro into the knife world when i enlisted into the army. Carried it almost everyday. Good intro/beginner knife though but overtime not very desirable as an edc.
My son is in the Navy and I wanted to get him a knife he could carry daily. From what he told me, under his Command they had some pretty restrictive regulations on knives.
With that said, I bought him a Benchmade Mini Bugout and customized it with after market scales and thumb studs.
They knife looks awesome and its one of a kind. I sent it out to him and he absolutely loved it and it complied with his Command requirements. Great little EDC knife.
My theoretical choices would be a Leatherman of some sort and the Broken Skull. When I'm working hard, those two items are in my pocket!
I always carried a Victorinox Spartan & a Leatherman on my belt. On my LBE I carried a Buck 110 Survival (mentioned in the other reply) then after Desert Storm I started carrying/using the OKC Marine knife.
Love the CRKT knives in 30-$60 range, they take a beating and hold an edge better than people think. Personally love the safety features. I tried switching to the more expensive spyderco para, and really didn’t like it (although it IS better steel). Went back to CRKT and there I shall stay.
Same here
I own a few CRKTs. People who've never owned one like to trash talk the 8cr13mov steel they commonly use, but someone in that company knows a good deal about heat treating, because they perform pretty admirably for a cheap budget Chinese steel. I dropped my Fossil from about 8 feet up on a ladder onto concrete and was sure I'd broken it. Only damage was a small Nick on the blade that I was able to take out after about 5 minutes hand sharpening on a basic two sided stone
that swiss army unit does the job, solid, great tools, and it is nice to be able to actually feel it in pocket, I have owned a few of the trekker model, and they never fail great video
Not a military man but I am a firefighter. My Cold Steel Spartan is with me every day even on the fire line. I trust cold steel with my life and the lives of others. There's no doubt in my mind that military personnel would carry the CS brand.
I've very, very glad that you aren't a firefighter in my city.
That's a badass knife to carry everyday, a bit overkill though, can't see them being much use in a fire, mobility might be an issue too.
I only carry mine when I am on delivery duty.
Surprised I didn't see a griptilian good vid man👍🇺🇸
I carried one of spyderco's Byrd line called "Cara Cara 2"(FRN grip) for three years as my EDC and it was so tough and lightweight and stood up to everything I put it thru that it never ceased to amaze me, especially based on how little it cost. I don't know which american made spyderco model it most closely resembles, but I bet the Byrd knife cost 75% less than the spyderco.
Was issued with a SOG plier and a Victorinox Trekker. Carried and used them throughout my service. I find them more useful than any of my tactical folders.
The Victorinox is standard issue in my country (Singapore). Our conscrip.... Uh... Enlisted men (which is all males over 18) get those from day 1 in Basic Military Training.
Can you keep them?
which model they get?
@@pianoingels7128 One Handed Trekker
@@proforce1497 Yes
For me in 1970 it was The Buck 110. Saw no other knife where we were. And my son n law was issued a Gerber multi tool, the one where the plier slips out the front. Gerber??? Blacked out.
Randall Kelley I believe it’s the gerber mp 600
I own emerson cqc7bw. Ive used lots of knife brands like kershaw, coldsteel but Emerson knife has the best quality out of all. Yes, it is expensive but its worth the money.
They only things they sell on base in the PX and tactical shops (easily accessible places for soldiers) are gerber, buck, leatherman, some crkt and benchmade.
Easy to overlook that!
Makes sense...
Crkt m21-14sfg was my choice. Got mine at a navy exchange, I buy way more high class knives now but I always have an m21 in my collection
When I was in the Army, I always had 2 knives on at all times. The first was a Case Muskrat my grandfather gave me when I turned 13 and I carried it every day since I recieved it with the exception of my training period. The second was a Buck 110 Anniversary model with better quality steel than normal. The sheathe was poor quality and broke after about a month of hard use. That saw me carry it in my thigh pocket for the remainder of the time I owned it. It felt like carrying a brick in your pocket but it also felt sturdy. I cut open MRE cases, opened ammo crates, even a hefty ratchet strap that got tangled around a 5 ton trucks front axle. It only broke when my buddy asked to borrow it without telling me what he was doing and tried to pry open a trailer ring hitch on a truck that had pretty much rusted or frozen shut from what he told me. All I know is he came back to me with a knife that's blade was snapped clean off at the choil. He bought me a cheaper one from Walmart that came with a nylon sheathe I threw away as a replacement and i still carry the knife to this day
Your friend sounds like an asshole.
Sure you did buddy
Am ex UK military used to always carry 1 of the original leatherman multi tools got it many years ago since then have generally carried a Swiss soldiers knife have recently got a leatherman rebar. Really enjoying it.
4yrs later still an awesome list!!!
Great video with great options
The new CURRENT BEST military folder is the ZT0223! Such a TOP QUALITY overbuilt badass knife, with a classic military fixed blade look in a folder
The Cold Steel Recon 1 (S35Vn steel) rules ! But i preffer the spear point version
A great deployment knife that is cheaper than the Emerson but does the same thing is the Spyderco waved Endura. Much lighter and slimmer than the Emersons but still sturdy with a skeletonized steel reinforced handles and a good blade steel in VG10. 4 in blade.
Great list, thanks! I need to catch up, missing a few (never served but thanks for your service). The couple of military guys I knew one was a Marine and had a Kbar, the other had a Gerber Applegate Combat Folding Knife, Serrated Edge [05780]. The civilian version of the German Swiss Army knife you mentioned was the Forester, I like it in general but the front edge of the blade was blunt and had serrations on the front half of the blade (the first ever I have seen like that), plus it has the toothpick and tweezers.
Fairbairn Sykes, douk douk, and a sharp machete old school
That victorinox is one of my favorite knives ever.
The recon 1 tanto has been my daily. Such a incredibly enjoyable knife.
is it any good for edc & for bushcraft etc? I love the shape.
When I was in... basically anything available at PX 😂
That or it was on sell or now something you can but on eBay or Amazon for cheap but not too cheap. Gerber or Spyderco. Now wherever you look at a Benchmade i do this 😬 when i look at the price.
I'm a army and Navy veteran and carried the Gerber gator for about $20 at the base exchange
Hi I'm a retired Army veteran I carried a M16-14zsf in Iraq from 04-05 it didn't let me down still have it
I just received my CRKT M16-04KS today. On sale on Amazon for $40!!!
I spent 70$ on mine but that was when it was brand new. I love it. :D that 12cr27 is noice. I routinely leave far more expensive knives behind when I leave the house in favor of it. The smaller m16 variants rock as well, despite the "cheap" blade steels.
So with a couple of exceptions these are all commonly found at the PX/BX/NEX and i think thats why people carry them. They are convenient to pick up so people dont have to go looking.
Agreed, pick whats available. Px probly supplied with big contracts, same MO as beer companies
Good review by the way. On my single deployment I carried a benchmade griptilian . I have owned the Spderco manix 2 and the emerson cqc7w and the recon .All excellent blades.
I was U.S.Army 84-94 early on I saw a lot of Buck knives so I carried a buck 110 and replaced it with a cold steel Voyager after desert storm.
Me With Knives Very interesting! I’ve been carrying a Buck 110 to work each day for the past 4 months and I’ve been very satisfied with it!
I was Army from 1985-2004 & the first fixed blade I bought from the PX was a Buck 110 Survival knife. I still have it & have never seen another one like it. It was a BEAST!! But I still managed to break 1/2 inch off the tip.
@@andrewwright01 they will replace that for you for around $10.
@@The4cp Thanks Brother, but I broke the tip on it back in 1989. I filed it down and put another point on it. Not sure if Buck would honor it.
Voyagers are hard to beat for a hard working pocket knife.
I had a KaBar and a SAK. Used the latter so much more than the full sized knife. Now this was back in the day before email so some things have changed. I really liked the early leathermans and of course one hand deployers are great. When I deployed wasn't sure what to expect and since the only "issue" pocket knives were either a TL29 or a Camillus utility knife (I preferred the TL because it felt better in the hand). Now the products at the PX and in the system are so much better.
Nowadays being a civilian I carry the benchmade Bugout, the Leatherman Juice S2 and the OO mini pocket flashlight. They all work jeans or shorts.
Female soldier carrying a kabar at her chest went to a mosque to investigate a shooting. A guy grabbed her rifle and she was fighting for her rifle. She tool the kabar outta the sheath on the molly thingy with her right hand and she put it through his ribs into his heart. So kabar should be mentioned. The d2 is super awesome.
Thanks for sharing. She is bad-ass
@@mutlee299 you are welcome. I should have added it was undet his left arm where she entered his chest with the kabar. A guy I work with, who I really dont like, was with her and witnessed this, maybe not directly but just after it happened.
In the early 2000s my dad carried a benchmade issued to him not sure what model but that’s the knife that was in his pocket from what he’s told me and a cold steel srk on his vest while overseas
The first knife i bought from the shoppette in AIT was the CRKT m16-14t
I always carried a 6 inch stiletto switchblade during my service. Always came in handy after a game of poker
During my deployment I had a Manix 2 (not the lightweight version), a Mcusta Tactility with black micarta scales with a "Damascus" blade, and a Spyderco Rubicon. I had a Leatherman Charge also during the deployment. I saw someone else with a Boker Plus Jim Wagner Urban Survival Pen Knife and I believe another person owning a Gerber 06 Automatic.
I’ve been using the spyderco paramilitary lately and i live it for the things i need to be able to do in the army
The kershaw Emerson Wave can be found for less than $50 on Amazon.
I had an original Paraframe that was larger than the current productions. I miss that knife a lot. It was tough and took it everywhere. Sadly I lost it somehow.
The wave really is a great multitool, my only complaint with it is the slight heaviness and the jagged design. Most probably don’t want to admit it’s a bit heavy and bulky but at 8.5 oz it’s among the heaviest leatherman has to offer, I also have a blast and I find myself grabbing and carrying that much more often as it does everything I’ve ever needed it to but at 6.9 oz and a more compact smoother design it carries in my pocket much easier, and is almost not noticeable on my belt.
I will say though I miss the diamond file on the wave when I have my blast, that’s a great little file for sharpening and de-burring whereas the regular file on the blast is pretty much only good for softer materials.
Blooper at the end is cute.
I carried the Cold Steel Voyager! I still have it. It's a helluva knife. I carried it throughout the entire time I was in the Army.
I carried the Gerber in the Navy. Good little knife for simple stuff.
The mp600 is the number 1 standard issue multitool to the military. My father and his unit all had one
For deployment I had to carry a bayonet on my plate carrier. I have that exact M16, the 04KS, but on my hunting belt lives a kraton/kydex Ka Bar.
Great list myself im a Gerber 06 fan either assisted or auto i own a few different choices but it has never let me down. Appreciate your time and your service. Take care....
Kershaw is offering some of the Emerson designs in more budget friendly versions...
Kershaw is shitty
@@cockyplopsnigga They have a D2 waved knife out that is much better than their 8cr13mov crap.
What equipment do you see special forces guys carrying knives, guns, multi tools, ext...
John Alessi That widely varies but I can tell you that each unit has their own (big) pot of money that they seemingly get whatever gear they desire. The only one I knew had a Recon 1 but each has a different preference and philosophy.
I love a good CRKT tanto blade knife! Very handy in many situations.
I always saw the SOG flash in use everywhere and the crkt m6 and the gerber paraframe.
Recon 1 Tanto is one of the most indestructible knives out there.
Nice review. Me=retired Canadian paratrooper/recce ...deployed carry=German Army field knife gun taped to left shoulder webbing Swiss army knife with "spork" etc for kicking around camp. Later, in the AirForce, SOG multi-tool and Spydero-what-ever-was-handy when leaving for work :-)
I carry a CRKT M-16 14-Z, it has a partial serration and the Auto-Loks Mechanism. It opens and closes fast using one hand for both operations. I like the additional safety feature of the Auto-Loks System it makes the knife very secure to use doing a heavy task. You are assured that it will not close on your fingers.
I really like using my Cold Steel XL Voyager Tanto, it opens with one hand and you can close it with one hand but it is shorter in time to use two hands. What I am mostly concerned with is getting the knife out with the blade open as fast as possible. Cannot use automatics where I am, so they have to be manual open. It's a little on the large side but my Cold Steel Rajah 2 opens like the Emerson as it leaves the pocket that it is mounted in.
If you want a larger blade that is cost effective, I have two Cold Steel Luzons, they open and close with one hand. That's right, I have two, one for each hand.
I had a fixed blade..... when I was in. 5”.
They did not have these knives except the Swiss but it was very expensive...
Forget the knives. Where do I get the orange shorts? They were awesome!
Emerson commander in the front pocket, a leatherman signal on the belt, and a spyderco reverse on the front chest of my IOTV.
Love my Emerson Commander
I carry m21 14sfg , in rotation wave, victorinox tinker, trekker and many other saks
I'm liking that CRKT a lot. Might pick one up...40 bucks on Amazon. I like the Cold Steel also, but I'm not paying 70 bucks for a folder.
Ya get what ya pay for
@@randomguy-z2l eh it's a folder not a fighting tool
Leatherman various models are what I had on deployments. For jobs requiring something more heavy duty, I would use my M9 bayonet.
Carried the Victorinox Champion the most. Also the Victorinox Trekker is now made for the US Military
Most Joes I’ve seen usually will carry the Gerber And CRKT, because AAFES generally only has those two brands and Benchmade (3x the cost). Some are issued BM autos, but have to give them back, anymore.
Most are issued/carry a multi tool
How come there aren't any cheap Emerson wave knives? I like how it opens up as you take it out of your pocket but not I'm not paying over $100 for that
There are alsp kershaw/emerson knives with the wave feature that are less expensive
On ship carried a Buck110 on my hip or a Swiss Army on my hip. Got to say got more work done with the swiss. Also carried the swiss in foreign ports no one gave a second thought about the swiss.
My was CRKT M16-14D in 2008 now it in my collection
Kinda surprised that the Gerber Gator folding knife wasn't on the list.
Honestly I've never seen anyone in the military carry it. It's also not sold in any military base that I've been to (10 years of service).
@@BudgetBugout
Must admit, that's even more surprising. Though now that I think about it, One friend carried a half serrated model while in the Navy. And have seen several Army Reservists using that model. Though that was more than a decade ago. Perhaps it used to be more common back then.
Also wanted to say I really enjoyed the video. Thank you for uploading it.
Just a FYI :- The Victorinox trekker variant has been militarized and is now issue with the military in Germany, Switzerland and the USA.
Time tested? Just because a knife is carried by people in the Military isn't a good test because you have to look at what exactly the "people" in the Military actually did for a living. Example I lived in the field as a grunt in the USMC but many worked in an Office and used their knives to open mail and poggie bait. Back when I was in there weren't companies donating knives like benchmade we had to buy our own knives other than our issued K-Bar fighting knife which I carried daily for sure as well as a bayonet. My folder I bought myself was a simple Gerber called a "bolt action" USA made folder. It is a simple folder with a frame mounted spring lock and a hollow hard plastic type frame that did not flex and is still with me today 30 years later. There is no blade play at all and the frame will not flex when you pinch it. The blade steel is some kind of flat stone wash stainless carbon combo and it doesn't have a speck of rust on it despite being on me during many many many days and nights out in the field in temperatures over 110 degrees and as cold as below freezing. I wish Gerber still made knives like this one.
Interesting I've recently watch 2 clip's from x seal's talk about knives and the only thing they cared about was did it hold an edge and was it function-able without being to big or small.
Great review. I've had a Gerber paraframe close on my hand during use. Not too cool. I'm a huge SOG fan for a folder.
8:10 i miss my leatherman pulse
had a file AND scissors (that would cut pop cans to thin paper no issues)
.
now its like you are looking out on a good tool...... can have the file OR scissors, not both
but ya get a leather awl......
.
.
I'm surprised to not see a Gerber 06 auto
John Rodriguez agreed. Since its standard issue