airforce issue

stripperclip · Post by **stripperclip** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 5:54 am

given to me years ago by a retired pilot who carried it thru viet nam.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v21/s ... okouts.jpg[/pic]

vintovka · Post by **vintovka** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 12:27 am

You have a USAF parachute knife. These were standard issue when I was with the 430 Tac fighter Squadron (F111s) 1967-1975. It is a switchblade with a special cord cutting blade for cutting parachute lines if have chute malfunctions or are hung up in a tree or about to drown. Most break the switchblade mechanism fairly easily as they were a low bid item. Still a bona fide Viet Nam relic.

BOLOMK1 · Post by **BOLOMK1** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 8:07 am

A bit of apocrypha concerning these:

Supposedly they were designed with the switchblade mechanism on the "hook knife",this makes some sense because when needed the hook would be needed "FAST".But when the design reached the production floor,the story goes,someone who did not understand why the hook was there,decided it was a mistake and swithed the switch to the knife blade!

I offer this only as a story I was told years ago when I first started skydiving.

BTW,I recently sent my old one in to Camillus for repair and got it back with a brand new one and a note warning me that Federal Law prohibited some people from owning or shipping them!

vintovka · Post by **vintovka** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 12:22 pm

Even worse they gave these to F111 pilots along with the worst/cheapest survival knife you can imagine. They were so bad either the blade would break or the sheath would tear with minor use. Most carried a Randall or something better instead of either issue ones. If you want to see an F111 (with crewmen) just found just 2-3 years ago search coltman and ranger 23.