A few common SF items

[Chopperman]

Isn't that a Gerber Mk 2 Commando fighting/survival knife?

Hi William.
Yes it is a Mk2. The Gerber was my first VN era blade. I chose it because
IMO it is a widely identified with the US Navy SEALS. I can see why. They
fit your hand very much like the Britsh FS daggers. Plus they are nearly
indestructible..

[Spitace41]

Love the John Ek knife. Its so utilitarian and functional, reminds me of the old Arkansas toothpicks Very nice collection you have there.

[Chopperman]

Thank you.
You are right, There is nothing glamorous about an
Ek knife.

The Ek was named to a 5th SF Captain serving in VN. He sent the
knife back to Ek to have a crossguard fitted to it. Instead, he was
sent a new knife. This knife then sat on display in the Ek show room.

[Mikel]

In SF training group, 1967, there was a store on the hill called the JFK Center bookstore.
They sold all manner of gear, books, and suppllies.
We ill paid youngsters dropped lots of money there.
The most popular knives were Gerbers and Bucks.
Everybody had a Buck folding hunter for everyday use.
Others bought the Gerber MkII or Buck 6 inchers or Bowies fro field use.
99% of the Gerbers were discarded or sent home due to the fact they were useless as fieldcraft items. Kinda funny, retrospectively.
I terms of weapons, I never in 4 years service, nor 43 years association with former and active SF guys ever heard of anybody killing an enemy with a knife.

[Wagriff]

I never had any complaints about My Gerber....

[Chopperman]

never in 4 years service, nor 43 years association with former and active SF guys ever heard of anybody killing an enemy with a knife.

I've got a friend that served with the 101st Airborne. He has said the same.

[Wagriff]

I can still remember the lectures... "Your 45 is Not a hammer.....your knife is Not a machete...your gun is a Weapon...it is Not a tool...your knife is a Weapon...it is Not a tool....You do Not cut brush with it...you do Not dig holes with it..."....Ah...the "good old days"...

[Mikel]

We cut brush, dug holes, opened stuff, cut things and did other chores with knives-they were tools.

You could probably kill somebody-if he didnt shoot you 1st.

[Scout]

Nice knives - all favourites of mine.
I have a slew of MKIIs, a couple of FS knives, Two EKs and a single Randall.

[Wagriff]

We cut brush, dug holes, opened stuff, cut things and did other chores with knives-they were tools.

You could probably kill somebody-if he didnt shoot you 1st.

Absolutely! But We were told that this is what bayonets and K-Bars were for. They were the "tools". Our Knives were weapons and this was pounded into our heads over and over again. But, in any case, it's all irrelevant anyway, I suppose. Every group had different trainings and instructors. I imagine some were big fans of knives and others viewed them as nail clippers and can openers. It all depended on who was teaching what, I would think.