M53 Combat Knife

== M53 Combat Knife ==
The M53 Combat/Utility knife was a model of combat knife issued to UNSC personnel throughout the Human-Covenant War and Postwar periods. Intended for heavy-duty use, the M53 was constructed of Titanium-A alloy with a corrosion-resistant coating and could be equipped with a bayonet lug for the M932 DMR or BR55 battle rifle. 
=== Design Details ===
The M53 Combat Knife was created to serve as a heavy-duty knife for UNSC troops serving in harsh conditions, features a sturdy Titanium-A blade and corrosion-resistant, non-reflective coating. The M53 was originally created by the ONI Materials Group for use by Spartan-II and Spartan-III commandos, but was later issued to other branches of the United Nations Space Command under contract from Misriah Armory. The standard M53 blade was capable of piercing Covenant nanolaminate armor, and if used by augmented personnel could also penetrate energy shielding in the same strike. The grip was interchangeable and could be swapped to fit a number of uses. 
=== Usage ===
Although the M53 was available to all branches of the UNSC, it was deemed too bulky for use by most personnel. This ultimately led to the M53 falling out of standard service, with production limited exclusively to custom orders. The M53 still saw use with Spartans, however, as their augmentations eliminated the main drawback of the unwieldy blade. Its capability of easily piercing Covenant energy shielding an armor made it especially useful for close-quarters combat aboard Covenant starships, and it was often included alongside standard-issue UNSC EVA equipment. 
In some sections of the UNSC Navy, it was tradition for the crew of a decommissioned starship to have a set of M53 knives made from the hull of the ship.