If there is one fixed blade to recommend to anyone as a bug-out or survival knife, it would have to be the serrated back Glock Field Knife.
A Glock knife?
What most people don’t realize is that knives or more correctly bayonets such as these, shower curtain rings and entrenching tools were the bulk of what Gaston Glock made before venturing into the firearm sector in the early 1980s.
Developed in close collaboration with the Austrian military as a bayonet for the ubiquitous Steyr AUG, known in Austrian service as the Stg-77, this may be one of the late Gaston Glock’s finest creations. The blade is crafted from rugged carbon steel and fashioned into a clip point profile. The hilt is injection-molded polymer and it secures into a versatile one-piece sheath made in the same manner from the same material.
It has a perfect mid-point balance and the knife feels simply indestructible. Most impressive are the spine serrations which really work if you have need of a pocket saw while out in the woods.
Most people pass on these as an afterthought due to the low price point but they probably represent the best sub $50 knife money can buy.
The polymer sheath is ambisextrous, has a drain hole, utilizes an ingenuous locking retention tab and a versatile belt clip that lets you attach or remove it without having to take off your belt. The retention tab ensures that the knife stays in its sheath when required and can quickly be unlocked by the act of drawing it,
Like most outdoor blades, there are a few secondary tools besides the saw-back spine. Its cross guard works great as a bottle opener and its butt can be used to hammer in tent pegs if needed.
According to the knife throwing fans, these knives are great throwers because in addition to the great balance, the handles are virtually indestructible.
They are offered in a variety of colors such as Dark Earth, Olive Drab, Gray and of course Midnight Black to match the polymer frame colors of the pistols. The Model 81 sports the spine serrations while the Model 78 has no serrations. These numbers were taken after the years they were introduced in inventory to the Austrian Army, 1978 for the Feldmesser 78 and 1981 for the Feldmesser 81 to be more precise. Feldmesser translates into English as “Land Surveyor”, in case you were wondering.
It is not the greatest slicer in the world due to the thick working edge on the blade. While it wreaks havoc on cardboard boxes it sucks for preparing meats for your Charcuterie board. Think of it as more of a chopper for use around the campsite and not something you produce at the steakhouse when they run out of knives.
Some users have the blades reground, resharpened and change the profile of the blade. While you can do whatever you want to your knife to make it more effective, this can be a mistake. If you need a keener and thinner edge to process game or slice meat, just buy a different knife. This is first and foremost a tool designed and intended for hard use in the field.
Let’s talk about the steel for a minute. SAE 1095 is a carbon steel composed of 98.5% iron, 0.95% carbon, 0.4% manganese, 0.05% sulfur, and 0.04% phosphorous. It is a low-cost steel but is still a very tough one.
As you can see in the chemical breakdown, it lacks chromium. Chromium is the element that makes a steel stainless. The phosphate coating will protect the steel somewhat from rust and corrosion but be sure to clean and oil the blade properly if you do get it wet.
That said, unless you live right on the ocean or on the banks of one of the Great Lakes, you can leave the Glock Model 81 in your car, truck or RV for years and not have to worry about it turning into a rusty spike when you go to use it.
Just like their handguns, the Glock Field Knife is a no-nonsense workhorse that may not wina beauty pageant but it will get the task at hand done. Plus, they are inexpensive enough to make great gifts for friends and family who are inclined toward the outdoors and might have a need for a rock-solid working camp knife.
Made in Austria, just like the pistols, these budget friendly field knives reflect Glock’s values of being pragmatic and economical. Whether or not you own a Glock pistol, a Glock Field Knife should be in everyone’s bug-out kit.
Specifications
Type: Knife
Knife Type: Fixed Blade
Make: Glock
Model: 81 Field Knife
Blade Edge Type: Plain w/Saw
Blade Material: 1095 Carbon Steel, HRC 55, phosphate-treated
Blade Finish: Electrophoretic Coating
Overall Length: 11.4-inches
Blade Length: 6.5-inches
Handle Material: Polymer
Handle Color: Dark Earth
Weight: 7.13 oz
For dealer orders visit www.davidsonsinc.com
For consumer purchases visit www.galleryofguns.com
