Knives of GIs’ lives: Blades were made in crucible of war

Sierra Vista Herald, Sierra Vista Arizona ^ | Bill Hess

[SandRat]

Jon Carpenter, owner of Trapper Jon's Knives, displays two sharp-edged tools used during World War II. On the left is a spax which is still used as a breakout instrument on larger aircraft. On the right is a theater made knife using a bayonet built by a soldier. (Mark Levy-Herald/Review)

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[SandRat]

The Cutting edge of ground combat.

[RadioAstronomer]

I carry a Gerber MK-II and a Gerber MK-I backup when I am in the field.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Nice post. I live right outside SV. I'm gonna have to check this place out when I get back.

[indcons]

To all: please ping me to threads that are relevant to the MilHist list (and/or) please add the keyword "MilHist" to the appropriate thread. Thanks in advance.

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[stm]

I traded a pair of desert boots for a Gorka (their spelling) knife. It is razor sharp and quite a weapon. It is serialized and has a unique sheath.

[Ciexyz]

btt

[Blue Jays]

Hi RadioAstronomer-

The Gerber MK-I is nice and I own one...and I've found it's essentially a dagger and doesn't have a useful "belly" for typical cutting chores. My latest preferred fixed blade for around the campsite is a Busse Steel Heart variant.

~ Blue Jays ~

[Candor7]

This is my favorite knife blade, a Scottish dirk, 14 in. blade.

[HairOfTheDog]

This thread seems an appropriate place to plug Hobbit Hole knives :~)

Please support our Hobbit Hole Pocket knives for the troops project.
FR thread here: Help us support our troops! [Knives for Soldiers] Update: 1,000 shipped (Currently over 1,600)

[MadJack]

I still have my Kabar from 30 years ago. I've chopped brush, dug holes, opened c-rats, cut wire, and a myriad of other things with that old clunker. Not as fancy as some, but still a great knife.

[SkyPilot]

Camillus knives have a great legacy of supplying combat knives as well.

Poor old company is on hard times right now (union labor trouble).

Gerber knives are the absolute best in my opinion.

[Dumpster Baby]

I have a knife made by my father on Guadalcanal. I don't remember what the steel blade used to be, but the laminated handle was made of discs of plexiglass, aluminum sheet metal, and brass sheet metal taken from a Japanese Zero fighter and its 20mm cannon shells. The cast aluminum parts of the handle were made from melted Zero aluminum, and molded in plaster molds with plaster given by a Navy corpsman. In the pommel a small picture of my mother's face was inserted and sealed in with a small disc of Zero plexiglass.

That's a keeper.

[Neidermeyer]

Randall makes some nice ones .. http://www.randallknives.com/index.htm

[BnBlFlag]

"I still have my Kabar......"
Me too!

[river rat]

Roger that!

The instant I saw my first Randall Model 14, it was a given one would be mine.

Wish I could have afforded it when I needed it.

SOG is offering some very fine and functional knives for a very competitive price.

Semper Fi

[RadioAstronomer]

Nice knife! Way Cool!

The Mark-II

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerber_Mark_II

Is a pretty good knife. I really like it.

Around campfires I find my Estwing:

http://www.bobwards.com/bobwards/servlet/item/features/803493-01

and my faithful scout knife very useful.

[RadioAstronomer]

This is my favorite knife blade, a Scottish dirk, 14 in. blade.

WOW!

I too have a really old blade. It is a German long sword made about 400 years ago.

[RadioAstronomer]

I still want to buy a SOG Gov-Tac.

[300winmag]

I still have my Kabar from 30 years ago. I've chopped brush, dug holes, opened c-rats, cut wire, and a myriad of other things with that old clunker. Not as fancy as some, but still a great knife.

That's what we hope is said about our Hobbit Hole knives, 30 years from now. We give away several styles, most from Camillus, but a number of favorites from Gerber, CRKT, and other manufacturers, too.

Part of the reason we decided on knives (and other tools) is because it's highly unlikely anyone will have around the candy, socks, or toiletries they were given as gifts, 30 years from now. Any way of thanking the troops is good, we just wanted something useful and durable.