Needing a far lower magnetic signature when working around today's ultrasophisticated sea and land mines, the SEALs have made urchase of the MPK a priority.
FK found both knife and its well-thought-out sheath system to be excellent.

This brings up the following point. The Navy has authorized both knives for purchase by those teams affected by the TOA letter sent out on March 2, 1994.

Specific numbers of each knife have been set per team, but the SEALs are under no obligation to purchase one knife over another, or one knife before the other.

The MPK is unique in that its blade is ground from a high grade of Titanium alloy, which Mission Knives has successfully been able to harden to a Rockwell rating of 46-48. For this alloy, such an accomplishment means that Titanium can see greater use as a blade material, especially where the SEALs are concerned. Why?

	This SEAL, soaking wet from an Underwater Infiltration using a self-contained breathing device (Draeger) and armed with an MP-5 submachine gun, demonstrates that the combat knife will be worn where it is accessible with respect to other equipment (see inside lower left leg).
Standard Operating Procedure is to attach (tape) a handheld flare to the knife's sheath for signal/ illumination purposes. Such considerations drove the Ultimate SEAL Knife Challenge.

Because the vast majority of the time, the knife is cutting materials (rope, line, communications/ demolitions wire, heavy cardboard, plastic, cloth, webbing, rubber, flesh) that are far softer than the edge of the knife. Additional task considerations are chopping and hacking chores that might include carving out a field expedient V-notch for a rifle''s barrel atop a wooden fence beam (urban operations). As discussed fully in the Winter 1991 issue of this magazine, a stated Rockewell C-rating given by itself doesn't tell you "how such a rating affects the steel (or Titanium) it's being applied to... The industry has taken a generic term (Rockwell) and applied it to sell knives." In short, Rockwell ratings have been "hyped".

The unique serration design of the MPK allows for super-fast cutting of thick, wet line.This pattern does not "gunk" up after long use with fiber or debris, and allows for sure cuts and slashes the first time around.

The only area of true interest where such a rating might be important enough to consider will be at the cutting edge, and this requires a microharness test, using special equipment. "For example, a poor or hurried final grind-and-buff job can overheat the edge, destroying the temper, and leaving a softer Rockwell rating than what might be in evidence at the ricasso" (FK, Winter 1991). For these reasons, discussion about the MPK's accomplished Rockwell ratings are to be considered an important accomplishment in terms of seeing Titanium as a viable blade alloy today.

The MPK's use of Titanium allows for both a 40% reduction in blade weight over like-sized all-steel knives and superior corrosion resistance, and perhaps most importantly, there is no magetic signature present per Navy testing. Given the unique demands made upon the individual SEAL operator, he may find himself carrying well over 150 pounds of equipment into battle. Gear that is light yet superior in performance is today's goal, even when the item is a combat knife. At 9.5 ounces, as compared to the SK-2000 at 13 ounces, the MPK clealy wins this field consideration.

The primary cause of tool damage to SEAL knives is corrosion due to near-constant water immersion and use in this environment. Contrary to continued popular belief, stainless steel does and will rust depending upon its property makeup. This will begin taking place at the uncoated / plated or "raw" edge before anywhere else, and the cutting edge is the most important part of the knife - after all it's supposed to be a cutting tool. In an November 18, 1993, document, a SEAL who carried and used the MPK for six months in Alaska, the deep South, and Puerto Rico wrote "I did not wash or clean it the whole time. The knife, much to my satisfaction, did not rust one bit." This operator also dropped the knife "from a variety of heights" and "threw it at a number of objects." He then "pulled [his] own weight (185 pounds) up with it, and it performed fine." Finally, over a six month period in three opposing environments, everything the operator wished to cut with the knife was cut - and cut "well."