wmartin@STL-06SIMA.ARMY.MIL (Will Martin) (06/05/90)
From: Will Martin <wmartin@STL-06SIMA.ARMY.MIL>
This is directed to anyone out there who is a Navy SEAL, was one, or has
any contact with current or former SEALs. I'd appreciate any responses that
might explain the following:
In the current issue (Summer 1990 [Vol 2 No. 2]) of FIGHTING KNIVES magazine,
there is an article beginning on page 59 about the knifemaker George Lainhart,
who makes a line of knives for Navy SEALs, and who made the knives used in
the film "The Abyss".
This article contains an extremely annoying example of the writer/editor
playing childish "Nyah - nyah! I know something you don't know!" games
(by which I feel they are betraying their trust to provide factual
information to their readership). The text contains the following
statement:
"Although a six-inch blade, only the first four are ground to a cutting
edge. The reason for this short cutting base has to do with some SEAL
tactical concerns, which we won't go into here. The maker will fully
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
grind the edge should you wish it." [emphasis added]
The illustration of the knife has various legends pointing to the
features, with the one pointing to the two-inch section of blade with no
edge on it, in front of the guard, reading "You know the reason for this".
Well, I DON'T know the reason for this. I find this sort of game-playing
offensive and irritating, especially in a publication I've paid for by
subscription to provide me with *information*, not snide comments.
I would appreciate it if anyone could tell me the real reason for this
unusual blade configuration. It might be something as simple as the
SEALs having a regulation restricting the carrying of non-issue knives
with blade lengths over 4 inches. (It would be strange if an elite unit
like the SEALs would have any such restrictions; such organizations
often have lots of unusual weaponry, and tend to cater to individual
idiosyncrasies, not restrain them...) It might be more complex, if the
allusion to "tactical concerns" means anything.
Many knives have a chunk of unsharpened blade in front of the guard to
allow a handgrip further up the knife, allowing a longer blade to be
controlled more finely for delicate or careful work (like skinning).
If this feature had not been mentioned by the writer with these arch
references, I would have just assumed the design was to get the leverage
and mechanical advantage for prying that a 6" blade offers, while
allowing the knife to be used with a "choked up" grip up on the blade
itself for finer cutting tasks using only the 4" cutting edge. The fact
they made such a big deal about this seems to indicate the rationale is
more than this. I hope the wide range of experience in sci.military
will provide the truth about this.
Regards, Will
wmartin@st-louis-emh2.army.mil OR wmartin@stl-06sima.army.mil
PS - I will be writing the magazine to complain about this and ask for
the truth, but I have no real expectations that they will be any more
forthcoming in their reply (if there is one) than they were in their
article. It would be gratifying if the net provided the answer and I
could throw that in their faces, if they remain uncooperative... WM