- A knife is a short tool consisting of a blade and a handle. The U.S. Marine Corps is part of the U.S. Navy, although it almost constitutes its own branch of the armed services, specializing in expeditionary warfare.
- The most famous Marine Corps knife is the Ka-Bar. Originally a hunting knife, the Ka-Bar was picked out of a hunter's catalog in 1942 as a replacement for existing knives, which were considered unsuitable for duty in the Pacific. Although Marines carried many types of knives during World War II, the Ka-Bar became the most common and popular, and continued in service after the war. The simple, tough, basic design of the Ka-Bar has kept it in service ever since, and now the knife is virtually synonymous with Marine Corps service. Modern Ka-Bars are made with a tool steel blade and synthetic handle.
- The Marine Corps has other knives in its inventory, including the Strider MARSOC SMF, the Gerber Mark II and the MPK. A related item is the OKC-35 bayonet.
- The Strider SMF is a folding knife with a frame lock, and is the first folding knife ever issued by the Marine Corps. The Gerber Mark II is a light, double-edged, wasp-waisted knife that is common throughout the U.S. military; it has been in service since the Vietnam War. The MPK series of knives were developed to meet the requirements of U.S. Navy SEALs, and were later adopted by the Marine Corps as well. Finally, the OKC-35 bayonet is the Marine Corps's own bayonet design for the M-16 rifle. It bears a resemblance to the famous Ka-Bar and has a heavier construction that the Army's M9 bayonet, with an eye to enabling the bayonet to punch a hole in body armor.
- Marine knives are used to cut wood and roots, dig trenches, open cans and engage in hand-to-hand combat.
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