Rothco G.I. Pilots Survival Knife

by Rothco

Product Features

• U.S. Army- and Air Force-issue survival knife
• 5-inch Parkerized blade with serrated top edge
• Comfortable leather handle and sheath
• Includes sharpening stone with pouch
• GSA-compliant

Product Description

Amazon.com

Stay tough with the Rothco G.I. Pilots survival knife. The same knife issued by the U.S. Army and Air Force, the knife features a 5-inch Parkerized blade with a serrated top edge, along with a leather handle and sheath. GSA-compliant, the knife also comes with a sharpening stone with its own pouch.

Product Description

The Rothco G.I. Pilots Survival Knife is issued by the US Army and Air Force. Its 5" blade has a Parkerized finish and a serrated top edge. The handle and sheath are made of leather; the sheath has a pouch for the (included) sharpening stone.

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B001CZDQPI
• Item model number: 3278
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,450 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)
  • #39 in Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Camping & Hiking > Knives & Tools > Fixed-Blade Knives

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome, January 6, 2010

By 

Steve Agosto - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

I was given this exact knife nearly 30 years ago when I was in 18th ABNC, by my SgtMajor. We were in and out of South America at the time and I remember he told me that if I ever had to use it I should hollar my "war cry" first. I will never forget him. Over the years I got divorced and I lost track of the knife and actually forgot about it. I happened to think of it one night recently and looked online to see if I could find one like it. This is the exact same knife, so I ordered it. It is still as awesome today as it was then. Oh and by the way, all of my fellow soldiers were so jealous that SgtMajor gave me one and not them. It is better than the medals I was awarded.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ideal survival tool, February 10, 2009

By 

Ascetic Barabas (Upstate NY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This is an ideal survival knife. It is the sharpest knife I've ever received out of the box. The other side of the tip on the saw side is also sharpened. It is very sturdy, the grip is solid and excellent, won't slip. The guard will keep you safe. The butcap can be used as a hammer or bludgeon. The blade is just long enough to be useful but not so big that it is too heavy or cumbersome. The blade shape is good for cutting. The sheath comes with a sharpening stone and the sheath itself is good, the knife won't fall out even if you don't button the strap, therefore you can wear it in quickdraw mode. This knife could be used for combat in an emergency, although is a little heavy for that, but as a general survival tool and backup fighter it gets 5 stars.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid Survival Tool., October 20, 2010

By 

David Baker (New Haven, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rothco G.I. Pilots Survival Knife (Sports)

If you have the opportunity; pick one of these up and wrap it on a few pieces of wood HARD. You are going to notice immediately that the construction is on par with an Estwing hammer. You are going to be hard pressed to break it using your bare hands and the elements and it behaves the same way each time you draw it. The construction is A+ giving you a stocky, mid weight, super sharp, baton-able, comfortable survival quality tool, with a comfortable wearing and well designed sheath.

The saw-back (which was NOT designed for and cannot cut wood well), makes steering the blade with your thumb a bit painful until you develop tougher finger tips... You can execute most bushcraft cuts with this blade if you spend time with it. The clip point on the back of the blade is partly sharpened. I have heard of folks who have ground this down for various reasons ranging from safety to batoning strike surfaces.

Edge it came with was 7 out of 10. I got mine up to a shaving sharp (not razor, but shaving) using a standard 3 grit Lansky style sharpening vice set at 22 degrees. Currently I am able to hack apart wet maple saplings up 1/2" thick at about a 45% by pulling with both arms. 'Pencil ending' the same branches goes a quick as I can spin the wood. Can bore holes into softwoods, but not pretty holes; flared rough ones to be exact. You CAN baton with this knife, tho it's blade length will not allow for splitting maul simulations on log slices. (Most knifes won't anyway, even ones that are long enough.) There is a destruction test for this device on YouTube that is worth watching. They DO manage to break the knife, but only after subjecting it to some industrial shop style damage, nothing you would inflict in the field.

The pommel is a wonderful addition allowing the user to hammer in the field without having to go stone hunting. Comes with a fine grit sharpening stone that would be more than adequate in steady hands. Models of sheath with the puncture proofing metal bottom/back even have space for a couple of hooks and length of line to be tucked in. Sheath is heavy grade thick tool belt tough leather with thick wax twine stitching. Rivet reinforcements and metal shielding protect the user while drawing and returning the blade. Has points for tie downs. Many users braid paracord into the sheath back to keep some extra on hand. Works well with magnesium strikers but only okay with fire steel. Stab open cans with ease. You CAN chop with it, but it is sloooooow going.

Strong affordable reliable blade. Knife Dork Comment: " You could easily punch this knife thru a grizzly bears skull and have the leverage to twist the blade in big circles until it went slack. " Nuff said.