Choosing the Fred Perrin Military Bowie: The Story Behind a Special Forces Knife
- Marco Damaso
- Nov 10
- 7 min read
At the beginning of the establishment of the new Special Forces unit, Army Reconnaissance Detachment 10 (ARD 10), in 2003/2004, we decided to procure a dedicated knife for the future operators. In this blog post, I will outline the requirements and evaluation process that led to the selection of the Fred Perrin Military Bowie as the combat and utility knife of ARD 10.
The Requirements
Combat-utility knife. We wanted a dual-purpose knife that operators could rely on both in combat and during survival situations. It had to be equally effective as a fighting weapon and as a practical field tool for everyday tasks.
Full-size. Although the general trend at the time was shifting toward mid-size knives for operators, we deliberately chose a full-size model. Beyond its practical value, the knife was also intended to serve as a symbol — presented to each operator upon completion of the basic Special Forces course.
Lightweight. Many full-size knives on the market were massive and unnecessarily heavy. Since operators already carry a significant load, keeping the knife lightweight was essential. Our target weight was approximately 300 grams, striking a balance between strength and portability.
Slasher and thruster. As a combat weapon, the knife needed to perform effectively in both slashing and thrusting actions. The blade geometry and balance were therefore critical to ensure efficiency and reliability in close-quarters situations.
Chopper. One of the primary field tasks in reconnaissance and survival operations is cutting and processing wood. The knife needed to excel in chopping, allowing operators to build shelters, prepare fires, or improvise tools without relying on additional equipment.
Robust. Durability was a non-negotiable requirement. The knife had to withstand the rigors of combat and fieldwork without breaking, bending, or losing its edge. Reliability in all conditions was considered a fundamental safety and operational factor.
Test procedure
Once the requirements were defined, the next step was to establish a simple yet effective test procedure to validate them. After consulting with several subject-matter specialists, we designed a series of practical field tests focusing on the knife’s cutting performance, durability, and combat efficiency.
Slashing. The slashing and cutting test was conducted on a suspended 20 mm (ca. 3/4”) hemp rope. The objective was to determine whether the knife could make a clean cut, whether it could do so repeatedly, and how well it retained its edge after multiple cuts. This test provided a direct measure of both sharpness and cutting geometry.
Chopping. To assess chopping performance, we used a wooden stake measuring approximately 5 × 4 cm. The stake was struck repeatedly, with a 90° rotation after each blow. We recorded the number of strikes required to sever the stake and evaluated how comfortable and efficient the knife felt during the process. This helped determine its suitability for field tasks such as wood processing and shelter building.
Robustness. The robustness test evaluated both edge integrity and overall structural strength. Nails were placed on a hard surface and cut by striking the knife’s spine with a hammer, simulating extreme use scenarios. In addition, the knife was thrown and dropped onto hard ground to assess its resistance to impact, potential tip damage, and handle stability under harsh conditions.
Thrusting: To test penetration performance, the knife was thrust into a Level IIIA soft body armor panel using a spike grip. This allowed us to evaluate its effectiveness as a combat weapon, as well as the durability of the blade-handle connection under high-stress impact forces.
These tests provided a comprehensive picture of each knife’s real-world performance — not only as a tool, but as a piece of equipment an operator could truly depend on in any situation.
The Knives
Selecting the knives for testing was not an easy task. We decided to focus on three high-quality production models from Europe and the United States — each of which had been developed for, or already adopted by, certain Special Forces units.
You might ask, why not custom knives? The main reason is availability. Securing custom-made knives in larger quantities is significantly more difficult and generally unsuitable for military procurement processes, even though it can be a valid option for individual operators making private purchases. For example, Randall knives — among the most respected custom blades — currently have a waiting time of up to seven years. For the record, we were also obliged to test a fourth, medium-quality knife that had been pushed on us through the procurement chain of command.
For reasons of professional confidentiality, I cannot disclose the specific brands and models that were tested.
The Evaluation
The results of the evaluation were a disappointment — none of the tested knives passed our test procedure. In short:
Most blades failed to cut the suspended hemp rope even once and lost their edge immediately.
Many edges chipped during the robustness (nail/impact) test.
All tested knives performed poorly as choppers.
Most knives failed to penetrate the Level IIIA body-armor panel in the thrusting test.
In addition, all the knives exceeded our weight requirement, each weighing around 350 grams. We were aware of this beforehand, but finding full-size knives under 300 grams had proven difficult.
In other words, after exhaustive testing we were back to square one — the available production knives did not meet the operational requirements.
What to do now?
At that stage, our foreign military consultant — who had been involved in the project from the beginning — mentioned that he knew Fred Perrin, a French knife maker who might be able to design a suitable blade. He reached out to him, and we agreed to wait for the first prototype to be produced.
When the prototype finally arrived, the consultant asked me to close my eyes and placed the knife in my hand. I still remember the moment clearly — a mix of surprise and mild disappointment. The handle felt unusually slim, the large index-finger groove awkward, and the knife itself seemed almost too light. It didn’t give the initial impression of the robust, full-size combat knife we had envisioned — but boy, was I to be proved wrong!
We immediately subjected the Military Bowie, as it was designated, to the same rigorous series of tests used for the previous knives. The prototype handled the slashing test with ease — it consistently severed the suspended 20 mm hemp rope multiple times without noticeable edge loss. In the chopping trials, it outperformed all previous contenders, requiring significantly fewer strikes to cut through the wooden stake while feeling comfortable and well-balanced during repeated blows.
During the robustness trials, the blade resisted chipping when nails were struck and survived impact and drop tests without any structural failure. Finally, in the thrusting test, its geometry and point design allowed it to penetrate the Level IIIA body-armor panel more effectively than any of the other knives we had evaluated.
After the formal tests, I decided to push it even further. I pierced and cut through the lid of a 200-liter (55-gallon) steel drum several times and struck the edge repeatedly against the harder steel of the barrels edge — all without causing any damage to the blade. The least I can say is that I was deeply impressed.
After witnessing that level of performance, I couldn’t help but think of Frank Richtig’s legendary demonstrations of his blades’ toughness — hammering them through iron and steel objects and then proving their sharpness by effortlessly slicing through sheets of paper.
Fred Perrin Military Bowie
After a short iteration period with minor adjustments to the knife tip and the scabbard’s retention system — visible in the photos — we decided to adopt the design as our standard issue. The knife selected met both our operational requirements and the logistical realities of military procurement.
As its name suggests, the Military Bowie features a selectively quenched, Bowie-style blade made from XC75 (1075) carbon steel. The knife measures approximately 28 cm in overall length, with a 16.5 cm blade, and weighs around 210 grams. Its most distinctive feature is Perrin’s unique index-finger choil — an effective alternative to a traditional guard that provides excellent grip and control. This design allows the operator to maintain precise handling during slashing or chopping without needing an overly tight grip, enhancing both speed and cutting efficiency.
Why the Fred Perrin Military Bowie?
Meets dual-role requirements. The blade geometry and balance delivered exceptional performance in both combat applications (slashing and thrusting) and practical field tasks (chopping and general utility).
Weight and handling. The finished model was considerably lighter than our original target, achieving an ideal balance between sufficient mass for chopping power and lightness for comfortable carry.
Edge and structural robustness. The combination of steel selection and precise heat treatment provided the edge retention and structural strength we required; the knife withstood aggressive use without failure.
Production availability. Despite being a custom design from an established maker, it could still be produced in the necessary quantities — avoiding the long lead times and logistical challenges typical of full custom blades.
Symbolic value. Beyond its functional excellence, the knife became a powerful symbol of achievement — the ceremonial field knife presented to operators upon completion of the basic Special Forces course.
Lessons Learned
This selection process reminded me of several important points — or rather, hard lessons:
Stay curious and keep an open mind. Too often we become prisoners of our own assumptions about how something should work or be built.
Real-world testing is indispensable. Only by putting equipment through realistic conditions can we truly assess its value and reliability.
Reputation isn’t everything. Off-the-shelf prestige or marketing claims do not guarantee suitability for a specific unit’s operational needs.
The Fred Perrin Military Bowie wasn’t chosen because it was the most famous or the flashiest — it was chosen because it passed the tests that truly matter in the field.
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