Knife is one of the most important parts of plate carrier gear, regardless of the types of operations. Knives used by ALL types of army military occupational specialties – infantryman, engineers, sappers, field artillery soldiers, special forces, medics, etc. Why? Because they can use their knife for all kinds of situations, starting from the can and bottle opening, and straight to performing the tactical and professional tasks. And you’ve probably seen that plate carrier knives. But…
What’s the most ergonomic knife placement on a plate carrier? How to attach a knife to a plate carrier? What are the best knives for plate carrier? Let’s take a closer look, and I bet – at the end of this article, you’ll probably find what you really need.
Contents
What Are The Best Plate Carrier Knives?
The best plate carrier knives (in other words, fixed blade tactical knives) are:
- Glock 81 Bayonet;
- SOG Seal Strike;
- Morakniv Fixed Blade Knife;
- Smith & Wesson CKSUR1;
- Kershaw Secret Agent
Let’s take a closer look at these tactical fixed blades for your plate carrier.
Glock 81 Bayonet – The Best Tactical Knife
One-time-classic among hundreds of fixed-blade knives. It’s a legend, like Ka-Bar, and you can see this knife on the plate carriers of the soldiers around the world. I don’t even know what to say about it that you don’t know already – it’s just perfect as is.
Glock FM81 is in service with the Austrian army and the Bundeswehr, and is also one of the two official knives of the German anti-terrorist special forces GSG-9. This classic army knife can be used for a variety of purposes: as a weapon or camping knife, to open ammo boxes or bottles.
This bayonet is made of SAE 1095 steel (aka AISI 1095 Carbon Steel), which has decent-quality mechanical and physical properties. Rockwell hardness (HRC) of the blade is 55, and the blade is covered by black anti-corrosion finish. The handle is made of polyamide, which has high mechanical strength and wear resistance. The grooved surface makes the knife easy to hold in your hand.
SOG Seal Strike – The Best Looking Knife for Plate Carrier
It looks really impressive, though. I used it for a couple of camping tasks, and I found this knife a pretty decent option to have.
The SOG Seal Strike is an excellent choice for outdoorsmen and those looking for an all-purpose knife. This knife features a drop point blade made from AUS8 stainless steel (did I say this is one of the most popular steel?), with a black titanium nitride coating, and serrated edge on both sides. It also has a deep finger groove in its handle that helps improve grip while using it. The handle also includes large divots along its length for further grip security during use.
What’s good is that SOG knives were designed and tested in the USA, and I didn’t see any negative opinions about it.
Morakniv Garberg Full Tang Fixed Blade Knife – The Best All-Purpose Knife
The Morakniv Garberg Full Tang Fixed Blade Knife is perfect for those who need tactical, but all-purpose as well. This Swedish company created a perfect knife, ideal for backpacking, camping, bushcraft and tactical purposes as well.
What’s interesting, many soldiers in Ukraine use in fields and camps other Morakniv knives – I see a lot of photos of Companion, Kansbol, and Sandvik models.
As a rule, blades are made of high carbon steel. Mora doesn’t say what kind of steel it is, but it seems like 1095 Carbon steel, and I think it’s probably UNI C100.
Its handle is ergonomically designed with textured rubber grips to give you maximum control while using it. This knife features an integrated guard at the base of the handle which adds extra protection when using it as well as keeping your hand safe from accidental cuts or slippage during use.
Smith & Wesson CKSUR1
The Smith & Wesson CKSUR1 is great for those looking for something that can take abuse without breaking down easily. This model features a 5-inch drop point 1095HC steel blade with a black finish that offers superior corrosion resistance and edge retention than other blades on this list. It also comes with an ergonomic G10 handle which includes jimping along its length and offers comfortable gripping even when wet or cold temperatures are present outdoors.
Kershaw Secret Agent
Last but not least we have the Kershaw Secret Agent which is perfect if you want something small but powerful enough to get your job done without taking up too much space in your pocket or bag! This knife features an ultra-sharp 3-inch 8Cr13MoV stain resistant tanto styled blade that’s perfect for cutting through tough materials like ropes and leather straps while still offering superior corrosion resistance against rusting or discoloration over time! Its G10 composite handle ensures maximum grip no matter what environment you find yourself in making this one of our top picks!
Where To Put Knife On Plate Carrier?
The full question should sound like: where to put a knife on plate carrier, in terms of ergonomics and ability of its quick release?
Put your knife in the best position for you. Simple as that. All soldiers put their plate carrier knives considering all other gear and equipment that was already placed on a plate carrier.
To find the best position, make a small experiment and picture the next situations:
- You have to quickly release your knife – what’s the best knife position for that?
- You’re laying down the ground, and have to quickly release your knife;
- You’re sitting in the close place (let’s say, blockage), and have to quickly release your knife;
Already did it? Fine, now I can show you the most common ways to put a knife on plate carrier.
Knife Handle Down, Vertical Placement
Pretty good position, but you’ll need quality sheath for perfect knife hold. Quite a rare decision to put knife handle down, and I didn’t seen a lot of examples of the usage. However, even this option may be applied (but not personally recommended).
Knife Handle Up, Vertical Placement
Classical and most common option. Usually sheaths attach to the molle webbing near shoulder straps, or right under it.
Horizontal Placement
As for me, horizontal placement is the most comfortable and practical way to attach a knife to plate carrier. Here’s some examples:
How To Attach Tactical Knife To Plate Carrier?
There are three types of knife sheath attachments:
- Tek-Lok clips – may be used only for the belt attachment;
- MOLLE-LOK clips – the best way to attach knife to plate carrier;
- Standart MOLLE webbing – may be used in sheath made of Cordura/nylon fabrics.
MOLLE-LOK is the best way how to attach knife to plate carrier: you can do it in seconds, just in two steps: push through MOLLE webbing, and lock it.
What Tactical Knife Sheath Use For Plate Carrier?
As for me, I ordered a custom knife sheath, created specially for my knife. But speaking about the knives sheath, there are three options available for you:
- Kydex (Holstex, Boltaron) sheath. All of this is a thermoplastic acrylic-polyvinyl chloride material used for producing sheath and firearms holsters. In my opinion, the best option for knife sheath.
- Cordura/nylon fabrics. This is a cheap (but still practical) option for all who don’t want to spend money on Kydex/plastic sheath. Most fabrics sheath quite flimsy, so usually additional straps for knife handle may be required.
- Leather. As an option, you can use leather sheath. Definitely the worst option among these three variants. Perfectly fits for storage somewhere in the dark, dry place. But if you’re going to use it in the field, remember: leather tends to absorb water; hates high humidity; may mold and stink; hates high temperatures. In other words, don’t buy leather sheaths.
When selecting your next fixed blade knife for your plate carrier, there are many factors to consider including size, material, design, weight, price, etc… So I hope this comprehensive guide gives you some insight into some of the best fixed blades available today so you can make an informed decision when selecting your next tool.