Yep...Coast Guardsman...They never told us that we had to do it but we all carried a knife on our belt... Some used folders some fixed..I still have the fixed blade Buck knife I carried on my belt while in the service...One of the smaller fixed blades the Buck Caping knife. However if I was going to do it all over again i'd be a bit smarter. See one of the reason you carry a knife on a ship or boat is if you get pulled over the side by a rope, hawser, or net etc etc....Your suppose to cut yourself free. Now what I would make sure is that my knife had a serrated blade not a smooth blade.. Something that going to cut real fast!!!!!!
So......even you guys that ride the small craft now... Canoes, Kiyaks, row boats, sail boats...best to carry a knife and probably because how fast the serrated blade cuts make sure thats the kind of blade it should have. Um wonder too? If the serrated blade would be good for the tree hunters too... You never know when your going to have to do some serious cutting hanging from a tree. Probably need a knife that opens easy too.. Fixed blade, folder, or maybe a knife with a lanyard to attach around your wrist so you don't lose it????Serrated or smooth blade? Um if I was back in the USCG I'd probably use a Gerber serrated Gator!!!!! or next time I take the canoe out..It's going to be a serrated blade knife for sure!!!They cut faster!!!

You make a lot of good points, no pun intended, thanks for the info.

I will take your advice next time I take to the seas, and carry one of my knives w/ a serrated blade.

a while back a fella I worked with told me he had slipped out of his tree stand and he had a harness on so it caught him and he was able to grab the tree, however his knife was in a spot he couldn't reach real well and it took him quite some time to get to it and cut the strap so he could shimmy down the tree. Ever since then I carry my knife in the front pocket of my HSS so I can get to it if need be.

All the U. S. Military aviation units use to carry a orange push button knife.. The push button activated the blade.. It also had a sharp blade that was in the shape of a J.. When opened this was to cut your parachute cords should you get hung up in a tree..

Beautiful little knife.. I see them a knife shows from time to time ..

Um maybe people that hunt from tree stands should purchase one of those Fireman or Police knives that are heavy duty blades that you can cut right thru a seat belt...???

my buck 110 works on most everything else so I'm hoping it will work on my HSS harness if need be.

uncle buck, I have 3 of those that you speak of, one I was given at SERE school however, my dad went thru SERE in the late 60's and the one he was given has a nice chrome blade and is of better quality. I think they are made by ontario knife, I will have to check I have 2 brand new ones still in the paper bag and oil paper.

They are a beautiful knife too..Just the color would make it excellent for a hunting knife. Orange if you laid it on the ground you would see it...I too have one and your right about the mfg.

In 1970, I had one while I was in the service. Believe they were made by Camillus Cutlery back then (Camillus also made other military knives at that time)

Yet another military knife that Camillus made was a black pocket knife.. It had a regular knife blade and a full screwdrive blade. One of the blades you could stip wire with it too. It was designated as an electrian knife..

Back when I still hunted from tree stands, I carried a Spyderco serrated blade folding knife clipted to my neck band or chest pocket, where it was easier to reach than in a pants pocket. Thankfully I never had to use it!

I carry a Buck Mini Alpha fix blade everywhere. Fits on my belt or Filson bib suspenders or as a neck knife like the SEALS use in a pinch. I like the way a serrated cuts until it gets dull. I have 1 and never could get it to resharpen as good as it should be on the serrated part. Since I have less than 0 tolerance for a working knife that can't be sharpened (by me anyway) I moved on to the Mini Alpha and luv it.

i find a serrated blade don't cut as good as a sharp smooth blade....i've seen a serrated blade be hard to start cutting as it grips rope and if you don't have the right leverage to get it started it just snags up and go no where....seen many other guys have troubles as well as my own experience with a serrated blade, not bashing but just adding what i've seen and dealt with .......bob

....

I had my 110 strapped to my side for my 6 year Naval stint.

when i'm in a tree, i keep a pair of folding screw in tree steps in my leg pockets of my pants. just in case...

Always carry two on the ice.... never know..

I have a camillus black blade pocket knife,always on my side. Don't leave home without it...

I just bought the leatherman skeletool, and I carry it everywhere. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the other leatherman tools, but I never used anything but the pliars, knife, screwdrivers, and bottle opener. This has all of those and they're all easier to get to than in the other tools. And you can open the knife without opening and closing the whole tool.

Ok so, who actually served in the USN?

Me.

Me 2

Me 3 And my Buck 110

My hats off to you three gentlemen and to all who serve.

Knives are just plain cool.

I have trouble deciding which one I want to carry for the occasion.

me too

Thanks for yer service! Any other Navy Vets/Peeps?