hehehe i see we posted at same time! NICE!
This "U.S." marked Trekker reminds me more and more of all the allegedly "Official" SAR and Navy Seal watches, that are neither issued nor used by USAF, USN and USCG Search and Rescue personnel (for downed pilot extraction) or U.S. Navy Seals. There's much hoopla among watch collectors about military watches when the reality among U.S. service personnel is the actual ones procured by the U.S. government and issued to a handful of personnel on an as-needed basis are small, cheap, very simple and very innocuous timepieces. The latest ones I've seen (around for over 20 years now) have plastic cases, the subdued sandblasted stainless steel ones having been dropped since the 1980's.The U.S. hasn't had a "military" folding knife in its inventory for military personnel use since the MIL-K-818E (I think it was the "E" revision) was dropped from the inventory in the 1990's. Even it was never a "standard issue" to military personnel, but was primarily a part of the tools and equipment contained in several different sets, the most notable of which was the infantry platoon demolition set. AFAIK, there hasn't been one in the inventory since then. Obviously the bayonet has been around in one form or another since the Continental Army was created by the Second Continental Congress on June 14, 1775. Unlike a number of other armies around the world, AFAIK there never, ever has been a standard issue utility pocket knife for the U.S. Army, USMC, USN, USAF or USCG. Even the MIL-K-818 that was created in 1944 during WWII was never a standard issue item in all its years in the inventory, but a discretionary one that could be requisitioned for specific purposes.Just because the LLC trying to market these things to government agencies has a CAGE code and a NSN for it does NOT mean that there is even one of them anywhere in the GSA supply system, or that DLA (Defense Logistics Agency) has bought a single one of these, or that a single one of them has been issued by the U.S. Government a single uniformed service person (i.e. soldier, sailor, airman, marine or coast guardsman). It's my considered opinion, having worked in and around U.S. Army logistics that it's all marketing hype by the guys trying to sell them, and that's VERY commonplace with many companies trying to sell all manner of "stuff" to the U.S. military.Edit:Sales of individual clothing and equipment items like this to the U.S. Government for the military services is all about numbers. The authorized strength of the U.S. Army in 2014 was just over half a million, and that's only active duty. It does not include U.S. Army Reserve or Army National Guard. If you could convince Congress to buy every active duty soldier their very own Trekker, and just the active duty ones, you'd sell a half million of them. At $60 apiece, assuming a 100% markup above cost, you'd make $15 Million profit on active duty U.S. Army alone. Get it into the USMC (active duty only) as they wouldn't want to be left behind the door without theirs, and that's 190k marines, and $5.7 Million more in pure profit. All for a couple guys who formed a LLC and have a small rented office. The knife is a pass-through and they've got their hands out collecting a fee like a toll booth on a toll highway for every one that passes through them. They provide nearly zero "value added" to the knife. All they're doing is eliminating the need for Victorinox to manage a potential U.S. Government contract. If any one of the principals in the LLC is a minority, they get preferential treatment above and beyond he preferential treatment and assistance they're already accorded as a "Small Business." The general public is not aware of things like this unless they're directly involved in U.S. Government contracts.John
Australian Navy SAK?How the hell do I not know about this?Does anyone have any info on it? Jaya, do you have a pic that shows the writing on the side of it? (The NSN appears to be rendered as a series of Xs, which is not particularly useful for the keen collector....)
Some picture of it I took during Indodefence 2016 at the Victorinox booth...(Image removed from quote.)(Image removed from quote.)Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
During WWII the US military issued millions of pocket knives of one kind or another. Some were marked; many were straight commercial products. Not every one was issued a knife (not every one was issued a bayonet), but they were definitely in the supply chain. In addition to the stainless Camillus, other 4-blade utility knives, electricians knives, sailors knives, and pilots knives were in wide-spread use.
Quote from: jaya_man on November 24, 2016, 05:35:27 AMSome picture of it I took during Indodefence 2016 at the Victorinox booth...(Image removed from quote.)(Image removed from quote.)Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkThat curved marlinspike on the blue handled one is very interesting. New tool?
Is there a secondary market for the USA model?Cheers
Quote from: ColoSwiss on November 24, 2016, 10:01:13 PMDuring WWII the US military issued millions of pocket knives of one kind or another. Some were marked; many were straight commercial products. Not every one was issued a knife (not every one was issued a bayonet), but they were definitely in the supply chain. In addition to the stainless Camillus, other 4-blade utility knives, electricians knives, sailors knives, and pilots knives were in wide-spread use.Jeez how old do you think I am?
Quote from: papercut on November 25, 2016, 04:30:10 AMIs there a secondary market for the USA model?CheersA couple of my friends was able to get hold of it.. But I don't know where they got it from...A member in this forum has one as well...
Quote from: HarleyXJGuy on November 25, 2016, 05:02:17 AMQuote from: ColoSwiss on November 24, 2016, 10:01:13 PMDuring WWII the US military issued millions of pocket knives of one kind or another. Some were marked; many were straight commercial products. Not every one was issued a knife (not every one was issued a bayonet), but they were definitely in the supply chain. In addition to the stainless Camillus, other 4-blade utility knives, electricians knives, sailors knives, and pilots knives were in wide-spread use.Jeez how old do you think I am?I heard you were digging latrines for Gen. Pershing.
(Image removed from quote.)Victorinox went through the process to have a National Stock Number (NSN) assigned to this multitool so that it can be ordered through normal unit requisition.Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
Quote from: Hud33 on November 26, 2016, 06:35:16 AM(Image removed from quote.)Victorinox went through the process to have a National Stock Number (NSN) assigned to this multitool so that it can be ordered through normal unit requisition.Sent from my XT1254 using TapatalkJust about anyone can get a CAGE code for their company and a NSN (NATO Stock Number) assigned to something they'd like to sell to the military if they know how to go about it. Just because it "can be ordered through normal unit requisition" doesn't mean some company or battalion supply sergeant will ever see one delivered to them. All it means is someone can fill in all the blanks on a requisition form and submit it. If the requisitioning unit (1) is not authorized to requisition the item, or (2) it's not in stock in a warehouse somewhere, they'll never see it. Failing either of those invites scrutiny. Better have a very credible story ready to justify it that doesn't set off the BS detectors ("That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!"). In addition, the cost of them would come out of the requisitioning unit's annually allocated budget, and attempted requisitions for items like this attract attention from higher levels of command as it's coming out of their budget too."Every soldier in my command needs a pocket knife" doesn't cut it. The rationale for such a requisition has to explain in detail why it's mission critical, why current issued equipment is insufficient, and the dire consequences of every soldier not having one. It was a misguided marketing ploy, hoping units would start ordering them to ignite a grassroots bottom-up demand for DLA to buy them. The U.S. Army's logistics system doesn't work that way, especially for items that would be issued to individual soldiers.John