Person Knifes on Field Excercises

[CADPAT SOLDIER]

Are there hard and fast rules regarding personal knifes on field excercises? I am looking at getting a M9 bayonet and sheath (gotta' love ebay) and I see older staff use similar knifes. would something like and bayonet/ reproduction bayonet be acceptable for a cadets on excercise

 

[sgt_mandal]

If it's bigger than 6 inches, forget about it. It will be confiscated, or shuld be. Why do you need a bayonet?  ??? :

 

[ouyin2000]

the way my DCO explained it to me,

if the blade of the knife is larger than your thumb, it is too big to bring on a cadet exercise

the only thing you will really need a knife for is cutting twine to tie up your half shelter...and you certainly do not need a bayonet for that

 

[sgt_mandal]

No, it's 6. Maybe you were restricted to 4 becuase you are still quite junior. I know I was restricted to around that teh first couple of times we went out.

 

[chrisf]

Anyway you don't need a big knife, any knife that you'd ever need can be found good enough on a small "swiss army knife" look-a-like at a dollar store.

Or better yet, a real swiss army knife... I bought mine some 11 years ago... with the exception of a couple of nicks in the can opener, it's as good as the day I bought it (And that includes having been run over by a truck, being seized competely shut with salt  after swimming in the ocean with it and forgetting it was in my pocket, not once, not twice, but thrice, and god only knows what other abuses I've subjected it to). For the $25 it would cost you to get a real one, you'll have it the rest of your life, so it's money well invested (I know somone will ramble about the benefits of a multi-tool, but I don't carry a multi-tool around with me when I'm not working, it's heavy and it's bulky... and it doesn't have a bottle opener...)

Reference the length, a long knife larger then a swiss army knife isn't really going to serve any purposes... unless it's a machete... ask if you can carry a machete.

 

[sgt_mandal]

unless it's a machete... ask if you can carry a machete.

Was that a serious suggestion?

 

[2414 RCACC]

Speaking as an officer, the rule at my corps is 6".  Any longer than that and it stayes in the office for the weekend.  If you are caught with it in the field, it is confiscated until annual.  If anything longer than that is needed, it will be issued to you in the field ( that includes machettes).

 

[condor888000]

To my knowledge there is no hard and fast rule. In other words, ask the CO.

Personally, we're "not" allowed to have them. Most have at least a small folder or multi-tool, espically instructors...

EDIT: Before I get flamed for disobeying orders, my CO knew I had it and allowed me to carry it.

 

[primer]

Common sense allways work A Gerber is a good tool  and maybe a Jump Knife that all you need.....

 

[gunner56]

The rule in 1292 LDSH RCACC where i volunteer is,folding pocket knives only,although if it goes in a pouch like a Buck 110,or S&W Paraglide,that's ok too.

 

[squirl]

at my corps the only people aloud to bring knives out in the feild are seinors who have completed their NSCE because when you complete it you are given a grohman rabbit skinning knife its a pretty handy knife we can also carry other knives . and depending on who it is some carry carry a hatchet. hope this could be some help.
peace

 

[dano]

We never had a problem with junior or senior cadets with knifes.
If juniors do have them on their person. The seniors hold on to it for them until they need it for something and then we take it right back.
The largest knife I've seen brought by one of the senior cadets is 6in. Its generally known that the seniors are not crazy about knifes sizes in this corp.

 

[Zedic_1913]

We have had some cadets bring some pretty "exotic" knives .... of course we too confiscate them.

I have had occaision to use a machette, we used to do some field exercises on one of our CIs property ... so one advance party we cut down a tree and made a flagpole for the HQ site.  We also had to clear paths to the biv site areas and such.  Of course it was only senior cadets that used them.

My Platoon WO when I was in CL (2001) always carried a few knives on his belt ... he had one that you could see sticking out the bottom of his tunic.

 

[WO2 Gubbels]

  On my weekends, no one had knives, if they did they would all be taken by myself or my 2IC.  If anyone over flt sgt and up wanted to bring one, they had to clear it with myself first, it's been our rule for as long as I can remeber.  I normally bring a small one, about 3 inches i leave my kbar at home.

 

[gt102]

Well a Multi Tool or Swiss Army Knife should be allowed...   They could need it at sometime throughout their weekend.

agreed, Just knifes that are over 3 inches arnt really needed... and are more of a nuisence then anything else

 

[chrisf]

Was that a serious suggestion?

Quite... anything over a swiss army knife is largely useless, with the exception of perhaps butchering, until you reach machete size. And I was serious about asking if you can carry a machete, as they're going to say no anyway.

 

[ouyin2000]

But sir, what sort of weekend would a cadet be going on that would require them to carry a machette?   Has your corps ever done anything with machettes?

i would never allow one of my junior cadets to use a machette, and would even be wary of how the seniors use them

in my old corps, a group of the seniors did have to be issued machettes for a period of time, in order to clear out our biv site after a summer of overgrowth...so there are times when they would be issued

 

[Sgt_McWatt]

This one time, I had a cadet bring a USMC Kah Tab, right on his belt. I was like you may as well just go and give that in at the office before you even get on the bus.

 

[primer]

i would never allow one of my junior cadets to use a machette, and would even be wary of how the seniors use them.

Back in 97 or 98 CC4C Blackdown ARMY Cadet Training Center was tasked to help build and clear the Canada Trail from Coast to Coast. I was a Platoon Commander then. My platoon cleared over 400 feet of dense over growth along an old rail line. I had no problems with my cadets using the tools that were given to them.The tools were Axes,Hatchets,Gas powered weed eaters, Had held bow saws and yes they had Machetes.

The cadets that were in my Charge we CL

They are tools

 

[cpl-cam]

Mr. Bergen,
When I was on SAR (and you were on overland) the rule was 4 inches if I recall (it was over a year ago, cut me some slack). However the rule varries depending on seniority, there's a good reason you don't see level ones with more than pocket knives.