COLD STEEL - SRK (Military Knife) - The Knife of the Navy Seals

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 I was tempted to title this post beginning with "Military Knife" at the beginning, since although it is commercially sold (I bought mine in Fleet Farm) it is a standard issue to Navy SEALS for their B.U.D.S. training (although I ended up adding it at the end!).  According to the packaging it is "embraced by the Military and Special Forces community," although it would be privately purchased, possibly at the PX on a military base or installation.  I have an affinity for military-style knives, and those preferred by military and law enforcement, since they subject their knives to very demanding situations.  I believe I read somewhere that some members of the CIA may also use this knife. 

The SRK stands for "Search Rescue Knife".  Although I am not military, I am an active volunteer firefighter who has participated in some search and rescue operations with one of our mutual aid departments.  I would be tempted to strap it on my belt this summer if called in for a search and rescue operation.  The knife is simple in design, but substantial in weight coming in at 7.9 oz.  My Ka-Bar 1211, another military knife (described in a separate post), by comparison, is a heavier knife at 11.2 oz. The steel is SK-5w,  a Japanese high-carbon steel, equivalent to American 1080 steel, known for its high toughness and hardness.  The blade length is 6", an inch less than my Ka-Bar.  So, although smaller and lighter than my Ka-Bar 1211, it appears that it could handle the same challenges, albeit with a little less weight to carry, something that might be worth considering for search and rescue.  The sheath is a combination of polymer and nylon, seemingly the same as the one with my Ka-Bar. The handle is Kry ex (a rubberized material), and appears easy to grip and hold.  It is made in Taiwan. 

As with any knife I'm sure you can find videos and posts that take issue with this knife, but the fact that military and law enforcement trust it is enough for me.  

On Nothing But Knives (https://www.nothingbutknives.com/top-survival-knives/) they state: "It would be hard to overstate the amount of use and abuse this design has seen over the years. It has a brutally simple shape that makes it an effective tool in a lot of situations, and people of all kinds have packed it into all those situations.

The rubber handle provides a firm grip and the neutral shape makes it equally comfortable in any grip you might care to use. The clip point gives the tip a little more piercing power, and the tough tool steel makes it one of the toughest knives on here.

The main thing you’ll need to worry about with the SRK is the rust-prone steel. The black finish on the blade will help a lot with that, but it’s not foolproof. If nothing else, you need to make sure the edge gets dried off regularly."

  

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