A friend of mine on Instagram (Alleghenyfrontier is his handle) posted up a 1986 article from Outside Magazine on his page about a week back. The article covers the author’s interview with Col. James Rowe. Originally assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam, he was captured and held as a POW for five years (Five Years to Freedom is the book detailing his story). He was one of only 34 American prisoners who actually managed to escape imprisonment during the war. He is credited with starting the US Army SERE program; and this is primarily what this article focuses on. I heartily enjoyed reading through this piece, and figured the crowd here probably would as well. With permission, I’m posting up the photos my friend had on his IG. I copied and zoomed in to read the full article, and it was well worth it. The section on Col. Rowe’s personal 3 tier survival kit was very interesting as well. Hope you all enjoy! Would love to hear your thoughts and/or discuss. Wouldn’t be that surprised if a couple folks on the forum had actually met the late Col. Rowe. Either way, an interesting read from someone who actually lived survival for an extended period of time.
I’m honestly really intrigued by the concept of Col. Rowe’s knife recommendation. I learned outdoors skills from folks to whom a fixed blade was the ONLY way to go for a “survival” knife; and to have someone to whom survival was an integral part of life recommend a folding knife....Kinda blew my mind a bit. To be fair the Al Mar SERE is a very robust folder, but the idea of a folder as the primary cutting tool still seems a bit foreign to me. Definitely something I’m going to contemplate a bit more. (Maybe will have to pick up a SERE and get some more dirt time with it). Anyway....some of my thoughts.
I think the modern internet concept of a folder being a "pre broken" knife is silly. Before the internet told them that they were wrong plenty of folks survived and thrived with folders. Most that didn't even lock. Many, many people have used a folder for everything from running a business to providing food for their families for a long time. Simple steels and common blade shapes. If one can keep a logging operation going and then dress game for the table while stripping wire, cleaning carbs, turning screws, etc, etc, then surviving in a extraordinary situations shouldn't be an issue as long as the user is mentally strong and makes good decisions. The indian not the arrow is not my favorite saying, but it absolutely applies here.
Back in the forevermore ago we small fish we taught to use a braided line to go under/over the belt to hold a Puma lockback inside the trousers. No loss even if you went swimming unexpectedly and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a broken lock 110-112. ( Col Rowe, Carlos Hathcock, Maj. Plaster…these men were Gods in our eyes.)
Agreed, software over hardware. Looking back in my memory I remember different stories of mountain men doing a lot of their “woodsmenship” with folders (non locking most probably). I think even on one of Hugh Glass’ misadventures he only had a folding Jack knife. Interesting how ideas change. Always wonder if what’s old will become “new” again. We’ll see.
Mine was a“Master” I think. It did look similar but stainless bolsters and checkered black plastic scales. The lanyard line was subjective to each person, mine being about about 6” long. The idea being to go under/behind the web belt that was part of a standard utility uniform with the knife inside the pants rather than in a pocket. Years later the ambiguous multi tool became almost a part of the belt but I still had my folder looped off behind it for many years on.
A folder wouldn't be my preferred choice for an only knife, but with the Triad lock from CS, there are definitely folders out there that can take a beating in a survival situation. Even a regular back lock like a 110 is pretty strong. My issue is more with the handle ergos and how hard it is to clean a properly dirty folder sometimes, in this regard a fixed blade can never be rivaled. As for the Sere 2000 - that was one mean slicer, but mine developed such a nasty blade play after moderate use, that I had to let it go. Awesome design, but not very durable. Their VG10 was excellent though.
I learned that from an uncle when I was young. I still do that with SAKs. When running or boating I've not found a better way to keep them secure. Plus you get a little extra cordage on your person, which has come in handy a few times. I've used bankline a lot in the past but now primarily it's the firecord paracord stuff. I understand the logic behind what you are saying, but I've processed a lot small wood for fires with Victorinox knives with the slide lock and Spyderco Enduras. Both I learned to keep the blades unlocked and at a 90 degree angle. Keeping folders clean is never something I've really spent time on but I did encounter a time or two where my Spyderco lockback wouldn't lock open because of wood residue or small bone fragments (squirrel). That is definitely a concern when using only a folder. Benchmade, and other makers solved that issue with the open design but when they went almost completely to s30 or similar for their steels I pretty much gave up on them. The only one I currently own is a Presidion Ultra in 440c. I consider it a very good knife.
Thinking on this still. Did all these men recommend the folder on braided line? Wanted to make sure I wasn’t misinterpreting.
a braided line (versus a loop ) similar to what people do today with the artisan bead , was less tangle prone than just a singular line. This is funny and not politically correct now but the teacher here was a veteran of the SE Asia/Vietnam era and he opined that the folder carried in the groin could slip past the initial pat down if one was captured in the field as the Asian enemy was quite…fastidious…and unlikely to want to feel up another man’s crotch. I never carried mine there but in the age before pocket clips it was a good way to have a folder that was neither outside on the belt, nor loose or prone to fall out of a pocket. Mine would be just below the belt line inside the waist hem in the standard area you would probably have your Leatherman today. PS: my line was a 3 strand braid from a green nylon about 1/32” . Producing a slightly stiffer cord about the same diameter as a single strand of paracord that we use today. Just an fyi.
It's still a good place to conceal things that might be found during a quick search or in tight spaces where pickpocketing is an issue. Not only do most folks not want to go rubbing on that area, but it's also not GENERALLY socially acceptable to stare at a guy or girl's lower abdomen. Besides being an option to carry survival tools, I sometimes stick cash, credit card, ID, etc in a Chum's surf wallet on some cordage attached to my belt and tuck it in that area. It works well in crowded concert venues or when doing activities where I could lose things out of my pocket easily.
