Parachute Survival Kit

THE PILGRIM · Oct 10, 2023

Back in my day, AF Parachutes had a small minimal Survival Kit called the SRU-16/P.
And the most interesting thing in it was the - Knife.
It was an off the shelf Commercial Pocket Knife.
And the Gov bought thousands!
Funny thing is, I never actually saw that many.
I have been in Life Support areas that had hundreds of Parachutes.
Each with a SRU-16/P. They were inside the parachute!
Here’s mine. It’s a Kutmaster, made by Utica, same folks who made the KaBar.

6518John · Oct 10, 2023

You can never go wrong having a good pocket knife!

chief38 · Oct 11, 2023

I have two of those exact knives made by the same Company. Mine were inherited from my Dad 15 years ago but they are not US Gov't marked.

They knives themselves are descent but nothing special. I guess the marked ones might have more "collectors value". One of mine is in my workshop for general cutting tasks and the other is on the kitchen "junk drawer" for opening small packages and the mail.

s&wchad · Oct 11, 2023

Interesting that the USAF would issue a pocket knife with a Spey blade. Perhaps it was intended to instill fear in the enemy!

30-30remchester · Oct 11, 2023

Having been a collector of antique knives with an obsession on US made folders and military knives, I have several of these in my collection. I am far from an expert of issue survival kits but study them when I can. That being said I do not believe this particular style and make of knife was a survival kit knife. This knife is 3 7/8" in closed length. The survival kits I have seen used a Colonial mid-sized 3 3/8" folder. I have viewed maybe a half dozen parachute survival kits being opened for the first time, and all had the smaller cheaper Colonial. I have also viewed many types of various US military survival kits of varying sized being opened and never saw one of these in any of them. That doesn't mean they weren't, but I have not found photographic proof yet. As stated, I have several and my only guess about their being issued was just an issued, soldier carried pocketknife. Would like to believe different but I anyhow have not seen any evidence. There is a good chance they are not military at all but made for some other branch of government such as Corp of Engineers. I know a man that was a federal dam inspector that carried a US GOVERNMENT marked TL-29. He said they were the knife given to him as part of his job and that they had cases of them in the warehouse.

sigp220.45 · Oct 11, 2023

I got issued one of these red switchblade types with the line cutting blade when I was busy flunking out of Navigator school. When the arduous process of failing was complete they made good on their promise to make me a cop and send me to Minot. I thought I’d get to keep the knife as a consolation prize but nooooooooooo.

THE PILGRIM · Oct 11, 2023

Funny you should post the Orange Switcher.
That was also the first Knife I was ever Issued.
Remember, you aren’t Issued Survival Kit Items, including the Knives.
Those items go through life in the Various Kits until they are outdated or the entire Kit is replaced.
I have a WWII Case Jungle Machete which still has some cosmoline.
The Kutmaster I posted?
I personally removed it from a parachute kit.
If you buy one of these kits, make sure the knife is still in it.

pmanton · Oct 11, 2023

I carried mine in a pouch on my right leg with the line cutter open. I was lucky enough that I never had to use it. It's visible in this picture.

ameridaddy · Oct 11, 2023

Sidebar from a non-airborne, non-aircrew guy:
I always thought a parachute survival kit was a reserve chute.

6518John · Oct 11, 2023

Paul—you have an awfully big smile for someone who has just fallen out of an airplane!

gunbarrel · Oct 11, 2023

That Utica Kutmaster is an excellent pocket knife! If any of you want to buy a switchblade-type MC-1, I suggest you stay away from the Logan/Smyth made in Venice, Fl because the quality is not the best. Get a Camillus, a Schrade Walden, or a Colonial (Satisfied Customers – Tagged "Switchblade Knife (automatic)" – Colonial Outdoor Gear).

Here are a couple of articles/posts that you may find interesting:

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Orange "MC-1" Logan/Smyth - EDGED WEAPONS - U.S. Militaria Forum

gunbarrel · Oct 11, 2023

Here is the type of riser cutter without the switchblade.

BTW, a TL-29 is a GI issue electrician pocket knife. It comes in a pouch with small pliers.

1sg · Oct 11, 2023

I’m familiar with the SRU-16/P kit. The folding knife and other contents were sealed in a cardboard box, wrapped in foil and sewn inside a Nomex pouch. Not easy to access if you’re hanging in the trees. All of my troopers carried on their person something more practical. Here’s mine:

Muley Gil · Oct 11, 2023

30-30remchester said:
Having been a collector of antique knives with an obsession on US made folders and military knives, I have several of these in my collection. I am far from an expert of issue survival kits but study them when I can. That being said I do not believe this particular style and make of knife was a survival kit knife. This knife is 3 7/8" in closed length. The survival kits I have seen used a Colonial mid-sized 3 3/8" folder. I have viewed maybe a half dozen parachute survival kits being opened for the first time, and all had the smaller cheaper Colonial. I have also viewed many types of various US military survival kits of varying sized being opened and never saw one of these in any of them. That doesn't mean they weren't, but I have not found photographic proof yet. As stated, I have several and my only guess about their being issued was just an issued, soldier carried pocketknife. Would like to believe different but I anyhow have not seen any evidence. There is a good chance they are not military at all but made for some other branch of government such as Corp of Engineers. I know a man that was a federal dam inspector that carried a US GOVERNMENT marked TL-29. He said they were the knife given to him as part of his job and that they had cases of them in the warehouse.

The Corps of Engineers is part of the US Army. The Military Academy at West Point was founded as an engineering school. The elite graduates of the Point, such as Robert E Lee, went to the Corps.

30-30remchester · Oct 11, 2023

Muley Gil said:
The Corps of Engineers is part of the US Army. The Military Academy at West Point was founded as an engineering school. The elite graduates of the Point, such as Robert E Lee, went to the Corps.

Had a brain fart this morning. LOTS of stuff I am dealing with these days. What I meant to say was Bureau of Reclamation not Corp of Engineers.

chief38 · Oct 12, 2023

I'm sure what specific products the Military issues from time to time (especially second tier items) are subject to only one or a few people and what is available at the right price. While I'd not expect that knife to be a "military issue item" sometimes you just don't know. I can only guess they wanted a small, light, inexpensive knife that could be reasonably sharp and would just always be carried because it wasn't obtrusive.

THE PILGRIM · Oct 12, 2023

The apparent intent was to provide every parachute user a minimum Survival Kit with a knife.
So the Knives selected were standard Commercial Models.
It was Never intended to be used to cut yourself out of a tree!
That’s what the Orange Handled Switchblade is for.
We were instructed carry it in the Flying Suit Pocket just above the knee with the Hook Blade open.

kwill1911 · Oct 12, 2023

Just dropping this in...

THE PILGRIM · Oct 12, 2023

The Riser Cutter Hook Blade hung down from the Parachute Riser.
Its main purpose was to modify your Parachute to make it steerable.
You used that hook blade to cut the lines which were identified by colored tape.
Since this would have the first jump for most of us, cutting away at your chute was not something most of us wanted to do.
So later, the correct lines could be released by snaps fasteners.
This released some air from the rear of the chute and made it steerable.

sbrmike · Oct 12, 2023

I want to clear things up a bit. The common everyday paratrooper jumping a T-10 or MC1-1B orC didn't get issued these survival tools. These were issued to flight crews that used emergency type parachutes, BA-18 (memory) or similar. If you were a qualified Jumpmaster you got issued the standard sheath type survival knife, by Ontario and other makers. I am a retired US Army Paratrooper, Jumpmaster Qualified.

Parachute Survival Kit

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