Strider SMF

Infobox Weapon
name= Strider SMF
origin= San Marcos, California, USA


caption= "Numbered Civilian Version (C0060) of the Strider MARSOC SMF"

type= Folding Knife

is_bladed= yes

service= USMC
used_by= DET-1
wars= War on Terror, Operation Iraqi Freedom
designer= Mick Strider & Duane Dwyer
design_date= 2002
manufacturer= Strider Knives
production_date= 2003 through present
number= 300+
variants= MARSOC Numbered Version, Civilian Numbered Version, Unmarked Version, NSN Knife
length= 9"
part_length= 4"

blade_type= Drop point S30V Steel
blade_steel= S30V
hilt_type= G10 and 64AVL Titanium
sheath_type= Cordura Pouch or Pocket Clip

The Strider MARSOC SMF is a framelock folding knife that was specifically developed for Detachment 1, the first SOCOM unit of the United States Marine Corps. The Strider SMF was the first knife issued to an individual Marine Corps unit in over 60 years and the first tactical folder issued within the USMC.

Materials and Construction

The SMF knife is manufactured by Strider Knives of San Marcos, California.Larsen, John A.(2003)"Strider Marine Special Ops Folder", "Tactical Knives Magazine", September ] The knife features a 4" drop point flat ground tiger striped blade of CPM S30V steel. The handle is composed of a fire anodized titanium frame, oil impregnated bronze bushings, an oversized pivot screw 0.19" in diameter, and a textured G10 glass-reinforced plastic scale with an incorporated backspacer.Gardner, James. (2005)"Duel of the Titans: two exceptional folders exemplify state-of-the-art","Guns Magazine", June 2005.] The National Stock Number (NSN) for the SMF knife is 1095-01-531-5015.Cascio, Pat. (2007)"The Strider Folder","Knives Illustrated", June 2007, Vol21, N 3, pp 47-51.]

The latest version of this knife (generation 2 and above) includes the Hinderer Lockbar Stabilizer, a mechanism designed by custom knifemaker Rick Hinderer and licensed for use by Strider. The lockbar stabilizer is a metal disc contained in the titanium lockbar which is designed to preserve the life of the framelock by preventing overtravel and flex. The original knives designed for the Marines' SOCOM unit in 2003 do not include this feature, but subsequent versions do.

MARSOC Version

The last time the US Marines issued a knife to an individual unit was in 1942, when a variation of the Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife was redesigned by Lieutenant Colonel Clifford H. Shuey and produced by the Camillus Cutlery Company of Camillus, New York. That knife was called the U.S. Marine Raider Stiletto and was issued to Marine Raiders until the unit was disbanded in 1944.Rogers, Patrick A.(2003)"Marines New SOCOM Pistol", "SWAT Magazine", December 2003 page 52] ¹

When DET-1 was formed and their equipment being chosen they decided not to use the traditional Marine Ka-Bar nor did they go with a dagger design as the Marine Raiders had been issued 60 years previously. Instead they chose Strider's SMF folding knife as their issued blade.Raiding the Past: New spec-ops unit harks back to WWII Raider battalions, "Marine Corps Times", October 2003]

The MARSOC SMF knife is marked with the date of the Marine unit's activation (030620 or June 20, 2003) as well as "DET-1" on the frame. In addition, the Military version bears the insignia of the Marine Raiders."Model #SMF: Strider Knives", "American Handgunner Magazine", March 2004]

The initial run of this model consisted of 300 knives. 150 for the men in the unit and 150 similarly marked knives for collectors whose purchase offset the cost of the knives for the military.Haskew, Mike.(2006)"At the Heart of the World Class", "Blade Magazine", Volume 31, Issue 5.] There are several small differences between the military and civilian versions of this knife. Military issued knives began with an "M" in the serial number, whereas the civilian counterpart was preceded by a "C" in the serial number. The Marine version also features a Coyote Brown colored G-10 scale and backspacer, whereas the Civilian version's scale and backspacer is made of black G-10. The Civilian version also lacks the Marine Raider Insignia which is stamped on the blade of the Marine version.

After rigorous field testing, including parachute jumps, the unit's Commanding Officer, Colonel Robert Coates remarked that the knife was "selected by, built for, and issued to the Marine Corps SOCOM Detachment." [Haskew, Mike.(2006)"The Big Uglies", "Blade Magazine", Volume 31, Issue 9. Page 25]

References

Footnotes

* Note 1: According to Pat Rogers: "An example of this is the fact that for only the second time in Marine Corps history, a knife was selected by, built for and issued to a specific Marine Corps unit—the Strider MCSOCCOM. The Marine Raiders of the Second World War, from which the Det has traced its lineage, were the first to have a knife made for them. This was the USMC Stiletto, made by Camillus Cutlery, a copy of the Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife, with 14,370 made. (The second Raider Bn adopted the Collins #18 Bowie knife—a commercial knife not made especially for them. Commonly called the “Gung Ho” knife, less than one thousand were issued."

ee also

*United States Marine Corps
*Marine Expeditionary Unit
*Force Recon
*MCSOCOM Detachment One
*Strider KnivesLists:
* List of weapons of the U.S. Marine Corps
* List of individual weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces
* List of modern weapons

External links

* [http://www.striderknives.com Strider Knives, Inc. official site]