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From: snorthc@relay.nswc.navy.mil (Stephen Northcutt)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re:  Best Knife for a LRRP?
Message-ID: <35175@mimsy.umd.edu>
Date: 3 Jun 91 19:41:10 GMT
Sender: magnum@mimsy.umd.edu
Organization: Naval Surface Warfare Center
Lines: 51
Approved: gun-control@cs.umd.edu

I have read the replies on this thread.  They are well written
and informative, thanks to those who have put forth the effort.
Perhaps the same question can be analysed in a different way.
Suppose we define some of the functions the knife would be used
for and see what kind of knives fall out.  I hope this is OK, it
seems a bit out of charter.

Killing quietly.
	Else you would probably shoot instead.  It seems to me
most sharp, fairly stong blades work about equally.

Knife fighting.  
	I can't visualize exactly how this situation could
occur.  Seems like one party or the other would draw a sidearm.

Skinning.  
	Well, if we mean the "L", we might have to forage off
the land a bit.

Digging.

Chopping saplings.

Prying.  

Cutting wires fence to phone.

Sawing.

Eating.

I own the buckmaster survival knife (laugh all you want)  with the
hollow handle and grappling hook pins.  It chops saplings very well.
If you keep it wd40'd it draws quickly from the sheath.  It doesn't
saw for beans, cut wire, take a  super marvelous edge for skinning
or eating.  I have removed the top anchor pin for comfort.  It would
probably die if you used it for a pry bar.  If lead starts flying
around my head, then I might try digging with it.

Overall, it seems I would prefer some kind of a machete/bush sword
possibly with  a saw back.  A second small blade for skinning/eating
might be nice, I hate to skin/gut with a pointy knife.

I certainly agree with the previous posters that a dagger shape
is of limited usefulness.  So hard to keep the peas from falling
off the knife, even with honey :-)
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Stephen Northcutt (snorthc@relay.nswc.navy.mil)     News Admin