Knives Used by U.S. Navy SEALS
Aug 3rd, 2007 by Jason
Tough Knives for Tough Men
There is no “one” knife used by all Navy SEALS. There are, however; several knives of such quality that they are used by many SEALs.
These knives are among the toughest mass produced knives available.
Navy SEAL Knives
The United States Navy SEALs are one the world’s most elite combat units. The training lasts 11 months, and puts recruits through some of the most grueling challenges imaginable, including “hell week” during which trainees get a total of about 4-hours sleep.
After training, SEALs perform some the most dangerous and secret missions required. When you’re miles away from any possible re-supply, and the only things between you are certain death is your training and your equipment, you have to have the best of both. One of the most important pieces of equipment is a knife.
Mission Knives’ MPK Ti (Multi Purpose Knife - Titanium) is an impressive knife. The blade is titanium and very rugged. According to Mission Knives, it “survived continuously under seawater four years without any signs of rust or corrosion.” The handle is made from Hytrel, a DuPont product known for its toughness, broad temperature use, and chemical resistance. It is reinforced with the ballistic fiber Kevlar (another DuPont product.)
The sheath is also made from Hytrel/Kevlar and offers a variety of strap down methods.
The MPK Ti is available in 10 and 12 inch models. The suggested retail price for the 10″ model is $426. The 12″ model is $426.
SOG’s SEAL Knife is a popular knife made from AUS 6 steel hardened to 56-58 RC. The 7″ blade is powder coated to reduce glare. The handle is made from DuPont’s Zytel.
The sheath is Kydex, a durable alloy manufactured by Kleerdex. It features a groove which allows the knife to cut cord or rope without being unsheathed.
In a head-to-head comparison the SOG SEAL was outperformed in almost every category by the MPK Ti, but at an MSRP of $165.00 the SOG SEAL is much more affordable.
The SEAL Pup is a smaller version of the SOG SEAL. It has an overall length of 9″ and a blade length of 4.75″. Like the SEAL, the blade is partially serrated AUS 6. The Pup comes with a standard nylon sheath, but a SOG Groove%u2122 Kydex sheath is available for an additional $25.00.
At $93.00 it’s a nice knife at a fair price, especially if you can pass on the sheath upgrade.
Aqualung Master Dive Knife - Recommended in the U.S. DIVERS MARITIME OPERATIONS EQUIPMENT GUIDE
A favorite among the SEALs. Its heavy steel butt is great for hammering. The 7″, partially serrated, 420 stainless steel blade is thick enough to use for prying.
At $59.95, you can’t go wrong.