Defending the Pilot's survival knife

Most of the historical info below comes from two or three great articles written by Frank Trzaska for knifeworld magazine and from Robert Schmeling's great book on the Marble arms and poly-choke company. Thanks to both of those individuals for the information.

There have been lots of U.S. issued pilot's knives throughout history, from the giant folding jack knife of world war two to the Collins 18 machete (later widely known as the Raider bowie). But here I'm just going to throw out some facts and thoughts on what is commonly known as the "Jet pilot's survival knife".

The beginning of the knife we know today as the Jpk (jet pilot knife) started officially in 1952 when the Navy Aeronautic Equipment Board decided a new knife design was needed for pilots. This new knife would be officially called the mil-k-8662 "knife, survival, pilot's".
The specs for this new knife were: 5" blade length, 9 3/4" overall, 1095 parkarized blade, stacked leather handle and guard and pommel were to be of low carbon steel. These were issued from 1953 to 1957 and were not what we know as the "Jet pilot's survival knife". This was it's first form.

In October 1954 Marble's knife company offered improvements to the NAEB on the current pilot's knife. 
Here's what they offered:
A 5" blade based on their Expert model, Sawteeth on the spine, an aluminum hex head pommel (this is the first appearance of the bolt head on a pilot's knife) and a olive drab tenite (type of plastic) handle.
The government, in all of it's wisdom, insisted on a 6" blade. Marble's didn't make an Expert model with a 6" blade so they submitted a 6" Ideal model for review. This is where the famous fullers in the Jpks come from that we all know so well today. The Ideal came standard with fullers in the blade.

Testing of the prototype was conducted by the NAEB, some of which included the knife being able to:
"cut through dense underbrush, drive a nail through a 2" board and saw through an aircraft fuselage."

In August 1957 Marble's offered to make 5,000 jpk's to spec and also allow a government rep to come and learn the process of how they manufactured the knives so that the government could share the information with any maker. Marble's also included all blueprints and specs.
A government rep showed up at the plant in September 1957 to complete the deal.

It's sad to say but Marble's never got the full contract to make the pilot's knives for general issue. When the government opened up bids for the manufacture of the knives a few months later they stipulated that only small companies were allowed to bid, leaving Marble's high and dry. Camillus was awarded the contract.

In 1962, due to complaints from pilots, the blade length was shortened to 5". The same length Marble's originally submitted in the very beginning.

With heightened involvement in the Vietnam war, Milpar was added as a manufacturer around 1962.
Around 1967 the date and maker stamp was moved to the pommel of the knife and is still done that way today.
Around this time Utica was also added as a maker of Jpks. 

Around 1969 Ontario knife co. was added as a manufacturer and is still making the pilots knives today.

So why am I reprinting these facts here? Because the Jet pilot's knife has served a long, distinguished history as not only a combat weapon but more so as a survival tool. These knives have been used successfully by pilots for over 50 years to survive (not pretend survive) in peace time and combat situations. They deserve a spot in the "bushcraft" knife category in my opinion. Probably more so than any other I can think of. More than a woodlore, nessmuck or kephardt knife. Way more. Why? Because of a proven track record, actual evidence. Not opinion given by anyone but real, long lived use. 

I know that they could be better, I hear the boo birds saying that they've seen pilot's knives broken in use. I hear that. Obviously they aren't perfect. They are factory made and anytime you make something in quantity you're going to have a less than ideal product in the end. But the government needs tens of thousands of knives when they need knives. They can't wait years to get a few so they make due with what they can get.

But that doesn't mean the design itself is weak. Not even remotely. The process in which they are made is less than ideal to make the toughest knife possible but the design itself is more than sufficient for any kind of general woods work.

"Hidden tangs are weak, full tangs are much stronger." Heard it a lot. The first part of that statement is not entirely true. Factory hidden tang knives are at times weak because they (by necessity) can't (not won't) pay as much attention to heat treat and construction as a custom maker can. It's just fact. The factory's goal is quantity. 

But, once again, does not make the design itself obsolete. A well made hidden tang is just as strong FOR WOODS WORK as a full tang. Anything you can do in the woods to a knife a well made hidden tang can take. It's strong enough. 
I won't go deep into that aspect because it's a whole other animal. Here's a video on the strength of hidden tangs, seeing is believing. 

"Sawteeth are a gimmick". Heard that a lot too, even said it in my ignorance a time or two. That statement is also generally untrue. 

Some sawteeth work better for wood than others of course but keep in mind that pilot's knives were made to rip (not saw) through aircraft bodies. And not cut a cord's worth of wood.

Sawteeth, at a bare minimum, are no different than file work on a spine of a knife. How many times have you seen people rave (rightfully so) over cool file work on a knife? Ever hear anyone say "filework is useless"? Me neither. Because it's not, it's pleasing to the eye and that's the same way I view sawteeth at a minimum.
Beyond that they are actually useful if you have any initiative at all. Again, I won't get to far into it here so here's a couple videos on saw teeth. Actually using them instead of giving opinions.

"Pommel plates or bolt pommels aren't necessary." Sort of true. Once again, a statement that sounds like fact that's actually just an opinion. The truth is that pommel plates aren't necessary if you don't hit the pommel of your knife with a wooden baton. But are they if you choose to do that? You bet they are. Things break apart if you hit the pommel of your knife and it has no plate or bolt, I know because I've done it a couple of times. 

"Why would I want to hit the pommel of my knife?" I don't know, I can't answer that question for you. All I can tell you is that I find it very valuable for how I use a knife, it turns my knife into a whole other tool. I'm not limiting myself to a few uses, I'm using the knife (that is made to do it) in as many ways as practically possible. 

That's why the bolt is on the jpk, because pilots had a use (many actually) for it.
These knives have been issued to pilots and sere instructors/specialists since they were first contracted. They've been used hard, on a daily basis by those instructors and have performed well given their factory limitations. That's an undeniable fact. 

So to wrap it up, if you've always liked jpks but never tried one because you read a book or heard a master bushcrafter say that- the design is pure fantasy, that guards get in the way (generally not true also), you need a scandi grind, you need a convex grind, sawteeth are useless, and on and on- then I encourage you to rethink it. Find a cheap pilot's knife and give it a try. Then, if you like the design you might (or might not) want to explore a custom made knife that's similar in design, you'll never know unless you try for yourself. You may be surprised how well they actually do work despite what the experts say.

God bless and thanks for reading,
Iz