not another collection


here's one knife my dad has had for a very long time. a vietnam war era US M7 bayonet. this one is made by Imperial Schrade and comes with the standard issue USM8A1 scabbard.

it's a typical fighting knife, designed for thrusting and stabbing rather than cutting. the narrow steel blade has a full edge along the bottom side and another edge on about 3" on the front of the top side. this design allows the blade to be thrusted and retrieved quickly. this one has the full solid tang blade.

military spec M7 bayonet...
M7_1.jpg


the knife itself...
M7_5.jpg


this one has been in our family for decades.
 

another two knives to add to the ever growing collection...

Schrade_2_S.jpg


the top one is the schrade old timer guidemaster, bottom kinife is the schrade old timer trailboss.

recently purchased off e-bay, but sad to say, was disappointed with the quality of both knives. they looked good in pictures, stainless steel blades, non slip handles, full tang construction, etc. but when they arrived, i was surprised that the trailboss, which was quite a large knife, was so light (it's got a 143mm blade). after feeling the heft of the ontario and the balance of the SOG, these knives felt cheap. definitely not heavy duty.

on a good note, the non-slip handles had a lot of grip and were large and confortable. they weren't too soft, but just had enough 'give' to cushion any heavy blows. (not that one would be tempted to use any heavy blows with these knives.)

if you're looking for a hunting/survival/bush knife, look elsewhere. i wouldn't recommend them for the types of tasks demanded on such knives. these knives are, in my opinon, better suited to light duty camp tasks, e.g. chopping up bait, preparing food for cooking, vegies, etc. i'd be hesitant to use them to split wood or pry stuff.

one saving grace, these knives were made in the usa before shcrade got bought over by taylor cuttlery and transfered their manufacture to china. in a way, i guess one could consider them as collectible based on that.

Schrade_3_S.jpg
 

well, collecting knives is just as bad as collecting gear i reckon. just purchased another one. my wife is going to kill me... (better keep the collection in a safe place so she can't get her hands on it!)
 

it has arrived... the Becker/KaBar BK2 Campanion

this beast, and it is a beast of a knife, is 5 inches of solid 1/4 inch thick steel stock. nothing fancy about the design, a drop point with a simple straight blade. being carbon steel, it's easily sharpened and holds an edge well. the handle is large and comfortable for heavy and light work. at half a kilo weight, it's one of the heaviest short knives i've seen.

the knife in it's kydex sheath.
Becker_BK2_1.jpg


here it is... the BK2. it's pure function, nothing fancy, just a simple and effective tool.
Becker_BK2_2.jpg


i thought i'd compare it to the SOG seal pup to give some idea of the size of this thing. the width of the blade makes the SOG absolutely puny...
Becker_BK2_4.jpg


this is why the BK2 weighs so much. check out the thickness of the blade compared to the SOG. one would be hardpressed to snap such a thing! the SOG is 4mm at it's thickest point, while the BK2 is 6mm thick almost right up to the tip.
Becker_BK2_6.jpg
 

another fixed blade... the ontario RAT-3 (1095 carbon steel model)
a smallish survival knife, about 3-7/8 inch blade, just bordering on survial knife size. full tang construction with canvas polymer grips. a beautiful black coated drop point blade, good balance. the sheath or case is a hard plastic which locks the blade firmly in place, too firm. but i guess it'll loosen up over time. the sheath has attachments to allow the knive to be carried horizontally. one beef, i find the handle a tad small. but overall a very nice knife.

the knife in it's plastic case...
RAT-3_1.jpg


the RAT-3
RAT-3_2.jpg


RAT stands for Randall Adventure Training. this group specializes in training special forces and other paramilitary units in the art of survial. i guess 3 is for the 3" blade.

flip side of the knife showing the maker "Ontario".
RAT-3_4.jpg
 

well, it's been a while... a couple of new additions to the collection:

a Wenger Ranger 61. Unlike it's cousin, the Ranger 56, this one does not have a saw, but it has a one hand openable blade.

here it is closed...
DSC_0027s1.jpg


opened... it was on sale (again with a 35% discount, i couldn't resist)
DSC_0028s.jpg


The other addition is my first Spyderco knife.
it's a folder, as is typical with spyderco, and has a serrated blade in a hawk bill blade design.

the spyderco tasman salt...
DSC_0032s.jpg


opened...
DSC_0035s.jpg


the knife is designed for outdoor use in any condition. the H1 steel blade is claimed to be impervious to rust, as are the stainless steel rivets and lock mechanism. the hawk bill blade design is suited to cutting in the downward or upward directions, e.g. if you are cutting line or rope. it's also great for slicing open game for preparation but not for cutting up your vege and meat or peeling fruit.

hooo yeah!!
 

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Interesting.Thanks for sharing.
 

wow the spyderco looks cool. is it really rust-proof? am thinking of using it as a dive knife. how will it take prolonged submersion in sea water?

how much did it cost?
 

wow the spyderco looks cool. is it really rust-proof? am thinking of using it as a dive knife. how will it take prolonged submersion in sea water?

how much did it cost?

well, that's what Spyderco claimed. a few people have done some reviews of the knife on youtube, and that claim seems to hold up. i wouldn't recommend it as your primary dive knife, the blade is too thin for prying work. maybe as a utility blade to cut cordage or netting. the hawk bill design is well suited for this type of work. there's no need to thrust then slice down or up, simply slice downwards or upwards and whatever you are cutting automatically gets gathered up by the blade.

the SOG seal pup is made specifically to be corrosion resistant and with the kydex sheath, would make a good dive knife.

the spyderco cost me about AU$80. it's a bit pricey cause spyderco is pretty rare in australia.
 

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