Civil Air Patrol and knifes

[dman12323]

Are Civil Air Patrol cadets allowed to have knifes for an ftx?I heard,that the knife could only be 3 inches,but then I heard 7 inches.So Im just wondering,how long is your knife and what s the brand name?Thanks for the help!

[HGjunkie]

General rule of thumb is nothing bigger than the palm of your hand.

[a2capt]

Better than a general rule of hand .. that it not be longer than your thumb.

Cadets, or most anyone, do not need a KA-BAR for a training exercise, or the real mission for that matter. It's just another piece of equipment to be hard kewl and then "everyone" has to get one because "xxxx has one" kinda thing.

[IceNine]

The rule is actually written somewhere, maybe the training guide.

No more than a 3 inch blade or 7 inches total.  I have been in CAP ES for a lot of years, I carry a leatherman and a typical folding pocket knife.

a2capt had it right, I always use 3 fingers the thumb is about the same. 

Just remember you aren't hacking your way through the jungle, you are cutting paracord or some other task that takes more that fingernail clippers but less than a steak knife.

[JoeTomasone]

UDF/GT Task Guide:

"e.  Restrictions on Knives:  You may only wear a sheath knife if authorized by your team leader.  Sheath
knives cannot have a blade longer than 6" or a total length of greater than 11".  The sheath must adequately
secure the knife and protect the wearer from the blade.  If authorized, sheath knives will be worn only on the
pistol belt or carried inside the pack.  The following knife types are not authorized: boot knives, butterfly
knives, switch blades, double edged knives, "Rambo" style survival knives, or knives with retracting sheaths. 
Machetes or hatchets can only be carried by senior members when needed for that specific sortie.  No knives
may be visible when the member is performing crash sight surveillance duty. "

[Ozzy]

Exactly. I have two knives that I bring with me when my squadron bivouacs. The first is a pocket knife I bought for about $15 that I use for pretty much everything, from fire making to shelter building. The other is a fixed blade I keep in my 72h pack. Does it ever come out? Rarely. Is it within regs? Yes, the blade is 6 inches and its overall is 10.5 inches.

edit: Is it a beautiful knife? Heck yeah!

[JohnKachenmeister]

Our Group established a policy that only SM's can carry fixed-blade knives.  Cadets can carry folding knives.

And as far as the "Kewl" factor, testosterone requires competition.  We have found cadets comparing how many specialty blades their pocket knives have-- like a cadet is ever going to need a corkscrew!

[GTCommando]

UDF/GT Task Guide:

"e.  Restrictions on Knives:  You may only wear a sheath knife if authorized by your team leader.  Sheath
knives cannot have a blade longer than 6" or a total length of greater than 11".  The sheath must adequately
secure the knife and protect the wearer from the blade.  If authorized, sheath knives will be worn only on the
pistol belt or carried inside the pack.  The following knife types are not authorized: boot knives, butterfly
knives, switch blades, double edged knives, "Rambo" style survival knives, or knives with retracting sheaths. 
Machetes or hatchets can only be carried by senior members when needed for that specific sortie.  No knives
may be visible when the member is performing crash sight surveillance duty. "

Beat me to it, Sir! I had it pulled up and was just about to post it.  :clap:

As far as the need for actual field knives, it's one of those things that are occasionally useful, and therefore a good thing to have in your gear. I carry a Winchester field knife my uncle gave me. It's got a 4 1/2-inch blade, and comes in at just under 10 inches if I remember correctly. I've used it occasionally to chop small firewood or to prepare my favorite helping of SPAM, but as other members have said, you won't be hacking through brush with it. If the need to do so ever arises, that's when the SMs pull out their machetes. 

[a2capt]

A Cadet needing a corkscrew? Hey.. you never know when a knot might need to be dug out of deadwood to slide something through the hole. A corkscrew can help with that!

[RRLE]

We have found cadets comparing how many specialty blades their pocket knives have

And the winner is: http://www.geekologie.com/2006/08/wenger_introduces_the_super_ul.php

[GTCommando]

^Whoa...

[JohnKachenmeister]

A Cadet needing a corkscrew? Hey.. you never know when a knot might need to be dug out of deadwood to slide something through the hole. A corkscrew can help with that!

Whiskey - Tango - Foxtrot -- over.

[Kojack]

Best idea is a folding lock blade style knife.  Can't close accidentally on fingers but get the paracord cut done.

We had it as a written policy at one squadron and finally 2b'd a cadet because he refused to not carry varieties of survival knives.  Mommy during the hearing?  "I've been in lots of situations where his knives have saved our lives". 

Of course, she couldn't actually NAME one of them.......

[a2capt]

Saved lives.. lots of situations. LOL. Maybe they are related to that extreme guy from down under.

But then again, they have a whole TV production team including first aid rig and vehicles following.

[lordmonar]

It is simple really.

Fixed blade knives have their place.....and if you feel naked in the woods with out.....put it IN your pack.

That's what I tell my ground teams.

[manfredvonrichthofen]

I have no problem with cadets participating in GSAR having knives so long as they stay inside of the regulations, 6 inch blade, no longer than 11 inches total. I can think of a few situations where a fixed blade survival type knife
This


Not this


could be of better use than a pocket knife. I couldn't imagine having a curriculum for S&R where we expect cadets to be prepared to be lost for a day and survive and not allow them to have a knife in that situation. One of the things that we all have to know (cadets included) is how to setup a shelter. Granted this can be done in most situations with just a poncho and 550 cord. However there are things to do when lost that would be easier done with a fixed blade than a pocket knife.

Besides is anyone going to allow a cadet on a GSAR that they don't trust with a knife?

[Phil Hirons, Jr.]

Besides is anyone going to allow a cadet on a GSAR that they don't trust with a knife?

:clap:

If you want someone to get the job done then they need the tools.

[Eclipse]

You call that a knife?



THIS is a knife!

[manfredvonrichthofen]

No, this is a knife.


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[Phil Hirons, Jr.]

No, this is a knife.


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

SPORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!