Mk 3 MOD 0 Diving/Survival Knife: Issued knife of the U.S. Navy SEALs

Often people ask "what is the knife Navy SEALs use?". The short answer is- whatever knife they want/purchase to carry. Most of the time in the military this is a decision based on personal preference or choice.  However most military personal get issued a knife/bayonet/multi-tool based on their MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) or basically "job". The Mk 3 MOD 0 Diving/Survival knife manufactured by Ontario Knife company happens to be the SEALs issue knife during BUD/S. This knife is also used by Reconnaissance Marines at the Combatant Divers Course in Panama City, Florida.

This particular knife comes from Uncle Sam's Retail Outlet. We recently covered the USMC Survival Kit, also from Uncle Sam's Retail Outlet. They offer some of the fairest prices on military issued gear that I've seen locally or on the web. They are a surplus retailer, so inventories often fluctuate. If your interested in an item, I suggest going ahead and ordering it before they run out.

The Specs:

Manufacturer: Ontario knife company
NSN: 1095-00-391-1056
Blade Length: 6 inches
Total Length: 10.75 inches
Weight: 10 ounces
Blade Material: 440 Stainless Steel
Blade Thickness: 0.17 inches
Hardness: 49-54 HRC
Finish: Black Oxide

The Mk 3 MOD 0 was designed primarily to be used as a tool and this is evident by the features of the knife. Their is a striking butt that can be used for hammering, a serrated saw edge on the the spine, as well the ability to pry with the thickness of the blade. The knife also features a clip point with a very up-swept tip. Since this is an issued knife used for diving; I believe they chose 440 Stainless Steel for two reasons. One being somewhat corrosive resistant and the other being its a cost effective metal to mass produce. Another benefit would be the simplicity of sharpening in the field.  The Black Oxide finish would also facilitate in protecting the blade from rusting.

The handle is made of a black high-impact molded plastic. Featuring a checkered grip with "USN" markings in the center. The handle feels very solid and provides a good grip when wet or with gloves on. The handle also offers a lanyard and lanyard hole at the butt of the knife for even more security.

The sheath is also constructed of the black high-impact molded plastic. The knife can be affixed to web gear with a brass hanger or used on a belt loop. The sheath also comes with a leg tie down strap, which is common with dive purpose knives. Another feature that I really like is that the sheath actually locks the knife in with a pressure spring. So the knife stays secure in the sheath without the handle strap being snapped closed. This is a addition in safe guarding a dive knife, as well as saving the Navy's money from knives being lost in the ocean. Often Operators will attach a Mk 13 MOD 0, Signal, Smoke, and Illumination (basically a smoke and signal flare combination) as well as chem-lites.

So if your looking for a dive knife that has been proven by Operators, this would be a good place to start. Its a very solid knife for a great price and offers a bit of nostalgia.

For this knife and other military gear check out www.unclesamsretailoutlet.com