Al Mar SERE Operator 5" Fixed Blade - Opinions

I just received my new Al Mar SERE Operator 5" Fixed Blade knife and I am quite impressed with it. Interestingly enough most of the folks over at BF seem consider this knife a "pure fighter" however in my initial experiece I tend to think it would be an excellent candidate for a survival knife. In comparing it with my CRK Shadow III (a knife commonly thought of as a very capable survival knife) the only disadvantages I see in the SERE Operator are that it is thinner (although that could also be an advantage in many situations) and therefore not as capable for prying or punching through fire doors, and of course that it lacks the hollow handle that the CRK has. The steels used on both knives (S30V on the SERE and A2 on the CRK) seem perfectly capable. What am I missing here? What are your opinions in general of this knife strictly as a survival knife?

Thanks.

Craig:

My $25.00 carbon steel, Hungarian made Kalishnakov bayonet with a saw back, metal scabbard, and a wire cutter looks more like a survival knife than your Al Mar SERE operator "shiv". The Al Mar is a fighter blade.

Bountyhunter

Okay but why? I just don't get it.

Brian:

Double-edged, spear style blade.

Double-edge makes slashing in multiple directions easier without changing hand grip on the knife, and for cutting flesh on both edges of the knife if thrust into flesh.

Spear style blade makes deep thrusting easier for killing style attacks, and will penetrate multiple layers of clothing easier. The old style, and some of the newer bullet resistant vests could stop bullets, but some knives were able to penetrate them. Don't know about current bullet resistant vests as I have been out of that field for a long time.

Bountyhunter

It's not double-edged. I realize it's hard to tell from the pic but the only thing you could cut with the back of that knife is warm butter. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Brian:

That is a work-around tactic for places that do not allow possesision of a double-edged knife. It is easily sharpened by virtue of its design. The Italian stilettoes I sell have the same feature in a much more spear-pointed design.

Bountyhunter

Brian,

I recently started a thread on Bladeforums asking for recommendations for a 5" pure fighter. As a result of that thread, I just picked up a SERE Operator myself.

Certainly, one could take this thing out into woods. In fact, I remember reading that some military school or other test drove this knife. But, I do think of it more as a fighter. The long unsharpened false edge serves to enhance point penetration (good for fighting, don't care for survival) and bring the balance back towards the handle (good for fighting, not good for survival), but it also will serve to slightly weaken the tip and the blade as a whole (no problem for fighting, bad for survival). In addition, the edge feels very thin -- I haven't cut with it yet, but I expect it to be amazing. Thin edges for bleeding-edge "cut whatever you touch" performance is required for a fighter, but weakens the edge a bit. REasonably thin stock also serves to make the knife light and fast -- good for a small fighter, not as good for a survival knife.

Like I said, I look at it as more of a fighter than a backwoods beater, but I've heard this knife has been through some military testing and holds up to a lot. Note that "SERE" stands for Survival-Evasion-Resistance-Escape, and although the name itself doesn't prove anything, again I've heard that for that kind of work, where you expect to be much lighter on the woodwork and much more nimble, it's done its thing. I probably wont' be batoning it through any big logs or anything though. Let me know how the knife fares in your testing.

Joe Talmadge

Hey Joe,

Nice to see you over here at ETS. I am quite familiar with your thread over at BF. I read through it quite thoroughly before purchasing the knife. You make some very good points about blade shape, thickness, geometry etc, and these are certainly valid points. I have recently found myself in an increasing number of environments where firearms carry (yes fully licensed civillian carry) is not permitted however carrying a knife still is. Where I live a knife is perfectly legal to carry almost anywhere (obviously not in schools, court houses and a few other exceptions) as long as it is not a thorwing knife, switch blade or buttlerfly knife, is single-edged and has a blade of less than 5.5". With this in mind, I purchased my SERE Operator more for defensive uses than for survival although I feel strongly that any knife I carry needs to be capable of handling a survival situation. After initial examination I was certainly curious why it is considered a 'pure fighter' by most people. You have done a lot to explain that. I must say that all-in-all I am quite impressed with this blade. It was well worth the $130 I paid for it. Oh and BTW... I don't think I'll be batoning any logs with mine either unless I have to in order to survive, in which case I think it will stand up to the test. I'll stick with my CRK Shadow III for hiking and camping.

Brian:

Funny you should mention throwing of knives. I have done quite a bit of it in my younger days, and was very good at throwing while riding my bicycle at full tilt. The blade on your SERE operator has the type of blade I prefer for throwing as it slips thru the fingers very smoothly.

Check out "The Great Throwzini" website for more throwing information.

Bountyhunter