PraiseforTheTacticalKnife

“I’ve really enjoyedThe Tactical Knife. JamesMorganAyres has gotten downthroughwhatseemslikemilesofwordsandopinionsfromthosewhomostlyarenottrained.Hehasdefinedwhatreallymatters.He’stherealdeal,beenthereanddonethat.”

—WayneGoddard,MasterSmithoftheAmericanBladesmithSociety.

“IthasbeenauniqueexperiencetogettoknowJamesMorganAyresoverthesepastyears.Heiswellknownforhisruggedstyleoftestingandfairandrealisticevaluationsoffieldtools.Jamesisatrueprofessionalanduseshisownyearsof‘realfieldtime’experienceinSpecialForcesto‘hardtest’knivesandtools.Ihavecometorealizethateachknifethathetestsandreviewsisareflectionofhisabilitytouseanddependupontheknife’sabilitytoperformundercontinualstress and in rugged environments. The quality of the reviews and the finephotosaddtotheenjoymentofthereadersofhisbooks.Jameshasgotgreatempathyforthosewhoreadandusehisreviewstofinalizetheirownchoiceforapersonalknife,afterallitistruethat‘yourlifemaydependuponit.’”

—MikeFuller,President,TOPSKnives

“It’s hard to imagine a book on this or any other subject that is moreencyclopedic,betterillustrated,ormorefuntoread.Knifeloverswilldrooloverthisone.”

—JimMorris,authoroftheawardwinningWarStory,andSpecialForcesMajor(retired)

“Imustadmit,Iwasexcitedatthethoughtofadefinitivebookontacticalknives.Why?AsalongtimespecialoperationssoldierandknifemakerIwascuriousastothedefinitionofa‘TacticalKnife.’Ithenquicklyrealizedthatasasniperandcombatveteran,Ishouldprobablybetheguywhoknows!Thereinliesthereasonforthewritingofthisbook.Mr.Ayres’definitive,well-illustratedguidetoatask-specificgenreofkniveswillbeamainstayofmyknifereferencematerial.”

—CurtisV.Iovito,SFC,USArmySpecialForces(retired),SpartanKnivesLLC

Copyright©2014byJamesM.AyresAllphotoscopyright©2014byM.L.AyresunlessotherwisenotedAllrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereproducedinanymannerwithouttheexpresswrittenconsentof thepublisher, except in thecaseofbrief excerpts incritical reviewsorarticles.All inquiries shouldbeaddressedtoSkyhorsePublishing,307West36thStreet,11thFloor,NewYork,NY10018.

SkyhorsePublishingbooksmaybepurchased inbulk at specialdiscounts for salespromotion, corporategifts,fund-raising,oreducationalpurposes.Specialeditionscanalsobecreatedtospecifications.Fordetails,contacttheSpecialSalesDepartment,SkyhorsePublishing,307West36thStreet,11thFloor,NewYork,NY10018orinfo@skyhorsepublishing.com.

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CONTENTS

ForewordbyMykelHawkeIntroductionQualificationsDedicationAcknowledgments

PARTONE:HISTORYOFTHETACTICALKNIFEChapter1:OriginsoftheTacticalKnifeChapter2:EarlyTacticalFoldersChapter3:LongKnivesChapter4:TheBowieKnifeChapter5:WorldWarIandWorldWarIIChapter6:TheColdWarandVietnamEraChapter7:KnifeTestingandTrainingatSmokeBombHillChapter8:RandallKnivesatSmokeBombHillChapter9:KnivesoftheSixties,TacticalandNotSoTactical

PARTTWO:MODERNDEVELOPMENTOFTHETACTICALKNIFE

Chapter10:TheEmergenceoftheContemporaryTacticalKnifeConceptChapter11:TheDevelopmentoftheModernTacticalFolderChapter 12: The Development of the Modern Tactical FixedBladeChapter13:MaterialsandDesignoftheContemporaryTacticalKnife

PARTTHREE:CHOOSINGATACTICALKNIFEChapter14:WhoNeedsaTacticalKnife?Chapter15:BigKnifeorLittleKnife

Chapter16:SharpPryBarorSlimSlicer—TheMedium-LengthKnifeChapter17:TheInternationalTraveler’sTacticalKnifeChapter18:TheTacticalFolderChapter19:TinyTacticals

PARTFOUR:USINGYOURTACTICALKNIFEChapter20:BasicSkillsChapter21:Self-DefensewiththeKnife

PART FIVE: FIELD REVIEWS OF A SELECTIONOF CURRENT TACTICAL KNIVES WITHCOMMENTSONTHEIRMAKERS

Chapter22:KnifeReviewsAlMarKnivesBarkRiverKnivesBeckerKnife&ToolCo.BenchmadeKnifeCompany,Inc.BokerUSA,Inc.BrowningBuckKnivesBudNealyKnifemakerBusseCombatKnifeCo.ChrisReeveKnivesColdSteel,Inc.ColumbiaRiverKnife&ToolCondorTool&KnifeCrawfordKnives,LLCDanielWinklerKnivesDPxGearElsaFantinoEmersonKnivesInc.ESEEKnives

FällknivenABFredPerrinGerberLegendaryBladesKA-BARKnives,Inc.KellamKnivesWorldwide,Inc.KnivesbyMaceVitaleMoraofSwedenMykelHawkeKnivesOntarioKnifeCompanyPohlForceUSARandallMadeKnivesSOGSpecialtyKnives&Tools,LLCSpartanBladesUSASpyderco,Inc.StriderKnivesSVORDTOPSKnivesVictorinoxSwissArmyInc.WayneGoddardMasterBladesmithZeroToleranceKnivesConclusion

DFOREWORDBYMYKELHAWKE

eathcomestousall.EveryWarriorknowsthis.Henotonlyunderstandthis,he embraces it and spends all of his days making ready for it. AWarrior

knowsthateveryengagementmaybehislast.So,heavoidsthemwhenheisable.AWarriornevermakesthefoolishassumptionthathisopponentwillbeeasilydefeated,becausetounderestimateafoeisaninvitationtodisaster.

Tothisend,aWarriorstudiesallweaponsandallwaysthatcanhelphimbebestprepared forbattle toprevent that inevitabledeath foras longaspossible.Short of hand-to-hand combat, the knife is the most intimate among thepantheonofweapons.Thestickandstonemaybeolder,buttheyarebluntandtheir death brutal. The knife is lethally swift. This speedy, deadly tool, whenwieldedwellinthehandsofaseasonedpractitioneroftheartofknifefighting,canstrikemorefear intotheheartofanopponentthaneventhemostmodernfirearms.

Therefore, the knife, as a weapon, as a tool, is a symbol of theWay of theWarrior.Itmeans lifeordeathaswellasclosecombat.Itmeansstealth,anditmeansskill.ThesereasonsresonateinanyWarrior’sheartwhenheseestheknife—that it symbolizesoneof themostancientandsacred toolsofmankind.Theknife itself has a rich history inmedicine, religion, politics, society, and evensimple culinary and cultural aspects of humanity’s endeavors. But there isnowheretheknifeismorepowerfulthanasasymboloftheartofwar.

James Morgan Ayres comes from a diverse background, which is vital toaddressing such a weighty topic. As simple as it seems on the surface, TheTactical Knife is likely one of themost important and influential tools in thedevelopmentofmankind’sfatefromthebeginningoftimeuntilthemodernday.Aswell as being a practicedmartial artist, James is a tried and true “WarriorClass”human,aformermemberoftheUSArmySpecialForces.

KnownastheGreenBerets,theyareconsideredtobesomeofthebestsoldiersin the world among elite military forces today. Ayres comes from an era ofservingwith theGreenBeretswhen theywere at the forefront ofmodern dayguerrillawarfare.The1960swereaperiodofchangeintheworld,andtheGreenBerets, created from the OSS in World War II, were at the forefront of thatchangeastheyadaptedtothenewfaceofwarfareandconflictthroughguerrillawarfare,deception,andstealth.

FromtheseWarriorscomes theirnicknamethe“QuietProfessionals.”These

soldiersaretheworld’sonlydedicatedunconventionalwarfarespecialists,andassuch,theircrestbearsthesymbolofthedagger,intimatingtherequirementforonetogetclosetohisfoeinordertosilencehimforeverwiththefatalstealthofthe blade. It is this backgroundAyres brings to the book, aswell as the sameexacting and demanding standards of discipline, training, testing, andperformance—the hallmark of Special Forces—thatAyres brings to his testingmethodsforTheTacticalKnife.

Everybladewasputthroughthesamepaces,allbasedonrealexperienceandreal use, to evaluate all the properties we value, need, and demand in theperformanceandpurposeofTheTacticalKnife.

Imustconfess,thatIhadsometrepidationaboutmyownbladebeingputtosucharduoustesting,knowingJamesMorganAyresandtheotherqualitybladeshe was testing. But I knew he would not falter or favor any one blade overanother;asatruewarriorandprofessionalsoldierhewouldseektruthaboveall.Thankfully, the blade held and Iwas honored to be able towrite some ofmythoughts regardinghow I felt about this book, thehistory of the tool, and themandoingthetesting.

Itisawonderfulthing,whenoneturnstoabookforrealknowledge,andonefindsthatthepowerofthetruthwasnotlosttomoderndemandsforhypeandsales. It is this honest and honorable approach to such a classic symbol andpowerfultoolthatmakesJamesMorganAyres’book,TheTacticalKnife,suchaworthy and worthwhile read. Whether you’re a newbie or an old schoolaficionado, this book is a great addition to your knowledge base and yourreferencelibrary.

—Mykel Hawke, author of Hawke’s Green Beret Survival Manual, star ofDiscoveryChannel’sMan,Woman,Wild and Travel Channel’sLost Survivors,andSpecialForcesCaptain(retired)andcombatcommander

WINTRODUCTION

hat is a tactical knife? Anyone who has an interest in knives—collector,hobbyist,aficionadooftheblade,knifemaker,oruser—knowsthatthereis,

andhasbeenforsomeyears,atacticalknifefevergrippingtheindustry.Buthowdowedefineatacticalknifetodistinguishitfromallotherknives?Canwedefineit?

Afriendwho’snotintoknivesrecentlyaskedme,“Whatisatacticalknife?”Ihadahardtimeansweringhim.Imumbledabitandfinallysaidthatatacticalknifeisakindofsurvivalknifebutnotexactlythat.Hethenaskedmetodefineasurvivalknife.Well, thenwewereoff totheraces.Theanswertothatquestionwould fill another book. Finally, I gave him the classic definition of a survivalknife:itistheknifeyouhavewithyouwhenyouhavetosurvive.Isupposethatcouldalsobethedefinitionofatacticalknife:theknifeyouhavewithyouwhenyoureallyneedone,when thingsgobump in thenight,yourcar slidesoff theedgeofacliff,anearthquakehitsandyourbuildingstartscrumblingaroundyou,or they’re coming through thewire and you’re out of ammo. This, of course,means that a tactical knife couldbe anyknife. Sowhat are thequalities of theidealsurvivalortacticalknife,andwhatarethedifferencesbetween,say,aparingknifeandatacticalknife?

IdecidedtoaskpeopleIknewintheknifecommunity,aswellasthoseIknewinwhat could be referred to as the tactical community.Here are some of theanswersIreceived:

AcollectionofsmalltacticalknivesfavoredbythesamepeoplewhousedtheMinoxcameraandKGB

pocketwatchinthephoto.

“Atacticalknifeisaknifethatfitsaspecificroleaccordingtoitsuse.”“Anythingblackandtwicetheprice.”“Theknifeyouhaveinyourhandwhensomesonofab****iscomingatyou.”“A tactical knife is one you can take to war that will survive in the worst

possibleenvironmentandunderthehardestuse.”“Putsawteethonit,sprayitblack,andit’stactical.”“It’slikeasurvivalknife,somethingyoucandependonwhensomethingbad

happens.”“Tacticalisjustamarketingnameknifemakerscameupwithtosellknives.”“Thestrongestknifeyoucanfindthatstillcutsgood.”“It’sameaninglessterm.Anyknifecanbeatacticalknifedependingonhow

youuseit.”“MySwissArmyKnifeisthebesttacticalknifethereis.Icandoanythingwith

it.”

AselectionofJanbiyasandothertacticalknivesfromtheseventeenthcenturyfoundintheGrand

BazaarofIstanbul.

“Dude.It’sthesteelyoupackwhenthingsmightgosouth.”I couldn’t find two people in the knife community who agreed with one

another. Only a few of my acquaintances in the tactical community—activemilitary,civiliancovertoperators,andthelike—hadanyideawhatIwastalkingabout.Itmostlyseemedthatpeopleintheknifecommunityandthosewhoreadknife magazines or spend time on the Internet on knife related forums werefamiliarwiththetermtacticalknife.Manyofusseemtothinkweknowwhatatacticalknifeis,butwhenpushedtodefinetheterm,wecan’tagree.It’skindoflikethefamousstatementonobscenity: Ican’tdefine it,“butIknowitwhenIseeit.”

Giventhatthetermgetstossedaroundquiteabit,andthatIagreedtowriteabookwiththetitleTheTacticalKnife,Iwantedtopindownthemeaningoftheterm.I’vegotaprettygoodideaofwhatconstitutesaknife,andIthoughtIknewthedefinitionoftactical.ButIdecidedtocheckacoupleofdictionariestomakesure.HereiswhatIfound:

•doneormadeforthepurposeoftryingtoachieveanimmediateorshort-termaim

•showingskillfulplanninginordertoaccomplishsomething•usedormadetosupportlimitedmilitaryoperations•undertakenorforuseinsupportofothermilitaryandnavaloperations•characterizedbyadroitness,ingenuity,orskill

AtacticalnineteenthcenturyKris,sheath,andsmallpouchtakenintradebytheauthorinIndonesia.

AtacticalKindjalanddaggerfromtheCaucasus,nineteenthcentury,withsterlingsilverscabbards.

Soarewetalkingaboutknivesthatareusedinsupportofmilitaryoperationsorthosethatcanbecharacterizedashavingthequalitiesofadroitness,ingenuity,

or at leasthaving features thatwould support suchqualities?Possibly. Sort of.Butmaybenotexclusively.

Judging by many of today’s offerings—from factories, custom makers,magazine articles, and Internet postings—onemight think that a tactical knifeonly had to be black and have serrations or saw teeth—as some said—to betactical.Butthere’sagooddealmoretoitthanthat.

Ingeneral,atacticalknifediffersfromanordinaryknifeinthatitisdesignedto be used in extreme situations. Some examples are wilderness or urbansurvival,tobuildanemergencyshelter,toripthroughalockedfiredoor,tocutyourwayoutofacarsinkinginariver,orasadefensiveweapon.Itissortofacombinationutilityandsurvivaltoolandemergencyweapon.SometimesIthinkatacticalknifeisanyknifeusedtosolveaproblem.I’llgooutonalimbwithmycurrentworkingdefinition:

Atacticalknifeisanall-purposeknifeusefulforeverydaytasksaccordingto your needs, but it also will serve as an emergency tool or weapon inextremesituations.

In my view, a tactical knife is not a special purpose tool—such as a woodworker’scarvingknife—orapurpose-designedweapon—suchastheFairbairn–Sykesdagger.Nordoesatacticalknifehavetobeblack,havesawteeth,orhaveatantopoint.

I think one of the reasons for our confusion on this topic is that somanyfunctions—aswell as knives designed for those functions—overlap.Any knife,after all, is amultiuse tool, and any knife can be used as aweapon.As awisefriendoncesaid,“Anyknife isofmanyuses.Youcancutyourbread.Youcancutyourneighbor.”Itseemstomethatwithinmydefinitionof tacticalknives,there are fourdistinct subcategories:wilderness survival knives, urban survivalknives,combatorfightingknives,andknivessuitableforwar.Eventhoughthereis someoverlap, each of these categories has its own requirements and specialneeds.However,eachcanhaveacombinationoffeaturesthatwillallowit,toacertainextent,toservetheneedsoftheothercategories.

FallknivenF1,amoderntacticalknife.

For example, a wilderness survival knife needs to excel at woodcraft, fielddress game and foraged food, and be comfortable to work with for extendedperiods; sometimes, in the event no other tool is available, it must be sturdyenoughtobatonorchop.Anurbansurvivalknifeneedstobetoughenoughtouseasanemergencyescapedevicefromanearthquakeshatteredstructureorabuildingon fire.Acombatknifemustbe suitable forhand-to-handcombat.Awar knife must be able to stand up to the hardest usage and worst possibleconditions. Sometimes,butnotoften, all these functions can come together inoneknife.

I don’t think I have the final word on this topic, so we’ll allow for otherdefinitions and continue to explore this question in the following pages.However,thisdefinitionwillservetogetusstarted.Asanaside,there’snothingreallynewabout tacticalknives.Theaccompanyingphotos showa selectionoftacticalknivesthatspancenturiesandcontinents.

In thisbook,we’ll reviewthehistoryof the tacticalknife,discussstandards forfieldtestingtacticalknives,andreviewsomeofthecurrentandrecentofferingsin the tactical knife field, all ofwhichhavebeenused extensively, oftenover aperiodof years, bymeandby friends.These acquaintances come fromawide

variety of backgrounds. Some are former special operations people; others areactive duty military, para-military, covert operators and clandestine agents,butchers and chefs who use knives all day everyday, professional wildernesssurvivalinstructors,scholarsoftheknifewhoworkinthefieldregularly,andmystudentsofwildernessandurbansurvival,escapeandevasion,andmartialarts.Ilisten carefully and analyze the input from these folks, and I have found theircontributionstobevaluable.

OftenIask thiswiderangeofpeopleTheQuestion—thequestion thatknifepeoplefrequentlyaskeachother,thequestionIammostoftenaskedbystudentsand other interested parties, “If I could only have one knife,which is the bestknife?”Thereisnoeasyanswertothatquestion.Butwe’regoingtospendagoodbitofthisbookexploringitandwillcomebacktoitfromtimetotime.

Someofthestoriesincludedhereinmightbeconsideredwarstories.Theyarenotintendedtopromoteaninterestinviolenceortotitillate.Ihavefoundthatstoriesareoftenthebestteachingtoolsandwhatpeoplerememberlongafterallthedrydatahasfadedfromthemind.Anoteaboutthestories:they’realltrue.EitherIpersonallyexperiencedthem,orpeoplewhosewordItrustrelatedthemtome. For narrative continuity, I have stretched a bit here and trimmed a bitthere,butIchangednothingofsubstanceexceptnamesandlocationstoprovidealevelofdiscretion.

WQUALIFICATIONS

hoamItowritethisbook?Iamnotaknifemakerordesigner.Ihaveneverforgedablade fromachunkofraw ironorstoodbeforeagrindingwheel

and watched one of my creations emerge from a steel blank. Nor am I ametallurgist. I have, however, been fortunate in learning a good deal aboutknivesfrommasterbladesmithsandknifemakersoverthepastthirtyyearsorso,duringwhichtimeIhavebeenaninformalbutactivestudentofknifemaking.Ithas also been my privilege to review hundreds of knives during ten years ofwriting for Blade magazine, all of which added to my knowledge about whatworksandwhatdoesn’tforusingaknife.

Essentially, I amaknifeuser. In addition, I ama studentof edgedweaponsand have been an aficionado of the blade for more than a half-century. Mymilitaryservicewaswiththe82ndAirborneDivisionandthe7thSpecialForcesGroup(ABN)backinthesixties,whichtodayseemslikeitwasshortlyaftertheinventionofrepeatingfirearms.Iknowofnoothercontemporarymilitaryunitinwhichtheknifewasgivenasmuchimportanceasitwasthen,andisnow,thanin Special Forces. We learned many lessons about what should go into aneffective tactical knife, althoughwedidnot use the term tactical in relation toknivesatthattime.SomeofthelessonsIlearnedthen,andovertheyearssince,weretaughtinahardschool.Theywerehands-on,real-worldlessons—thekindthatstaywithyouforalifetime.Thattimeandplace,SpecialForcesduringthesixties,wasacrucibleforthedevelopmentofthemoderntacticalknife.

As a consultant to various governmental and private organizations, I’vetraveledandworkedinmorethanfortycountries,ofteninprimitiveconditions,andhavebeen involved inarmedconflicts in severalof thosecountries. Ihavebeenobligedtodefendmylifewithedgedweaponsonmorethanoneoccasion,whichisanexperiencethatgivesoneacertainperspectiveonthesematters.

As a journalist and amateur scholar, I have visited andworked atmuseumsand archaeological excavations inEurope,NorthAmerica, LatinAmerica, andAsiawith the specific goal of studying ancient edged tools andweapons.As astudentofthebladearts,IhavetrainedinEskrima,bothintheUnitedStatesandthePhilippines, inwestern fencing, and in anumberof combat-orientedknifefightingmethods,bothmilitary andcivilian,oftenby teacherswhoowed theirlivestotheirskill—orluck—withedgedweapons.Ihavealsotaughtself-defensewithedgedweapons.

Mygrandfathergavememyfirstknifeatagefive,andI’vebeenfascinatedbythemeversince.Asakid,Iwanderedthewoodswitha.22rifleandablade.Asan adult, I’ve successfully hunted small and large game, often with primitiveweaponsonfourcontinents.I’vedressedgame,builtshelters,choppedkindling,andpeeled fuzz sticks for fires. I’vemadebows and arrows, atlatls and spears,animal and fish traps by the dozens, and other primitive food-getting tools.Kniveshavebeenmyessentialtoolsforalltheseactivities.

Like everyone else, I’ve used knives to open thousands of boxes, slice amountainofbread,andpeelenoughfruit to feedallofCalifornia(well,maybeLosAngeles). I’vealsocut througha firedoor toescapeahigh-rise firewithaRandall and stopped myself from being swept away by raging waters in anaqueductwithanOntarioPilot’sSurvivalKnife.

Fromall this, I’vearrivedat someconclusionsaboutknivesand theirusage.My intent in giving you a bit of my history is not to impress you with mybackground and knowledge, which is meager and undistinguished whencompared tomanyothers.Rather it is to letyouknowthat the information inthis book comes from someone at least minimally qualified to write on thesubject.The informationherein is adistillationofmy education,observations,and experience.Much that I learned came frompeoplemore experienced andwiserthanI.Itismyhopethatyouwillfindsomethingofvalueherein.

DEDICATION

TomyfamilyTotroopersofthe82ndAirborneDivision

ToSpecialForcessoldiersToalltheyoungmenwhonevergrewold

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ThanksalsotoBelaKahn: FreedomFighter, fencingmaster,mentorEmilianoPatindol: Loyalcompanion,Eskrimador,agoodmaninbadplacesRomyGadupa:FastmanwithaKrisDanInasanto:ForteachingmeJKDandthebasicsofEskrimaWayneGoddard:ForteachingmemostofwhatIknowaboutwhatgoesintoagoodknifeSpecialthankstoMLAyres:Itwouldrequireabooktolistitall,everythingreallyJustinAyres:Forcreative,hardwork,forhanginginthereShawnCarlson: For hardwork, perseverance, loyalty . . . thanks doesn’t reallycoveritallAshleyAyres:Heknowswhy

PARTONE:HISTORYOFTHETACTICAL

KNIFE

T

Chapter1

OriginsoftheTacticalKnife

ofindthetrueoriginoftacticalknives,weshouldstartafewthousandyearsagoduringthePaleolithicPeriod,alsoknownas theStoneAge.Duringthis

period humans developed knives made from various stones, with flint andobsidian being widely used. The use of stone tools continued throughout theBronzeAgeandtheearlyIronAge,andbothstoneandmetaltoolsandweaponswere inwideuse forcenturies.Eventuallymetal toolsbecamewidelyavailable,and due to their superiority, stone tools fell into disuse. However, make nomistake—anobsidianknifeisaseffectivetodayasitwasthousandsofyearsagoforourancestors.

Butwe’renotgoingtogetintoStoneAgeknives.Ifwebeganthatfarback,thistopiccouldturnintoamulti-volumeencyclopedia.Thisisonlyonebookandthepoint of this section is to provide a little history to show the genesis of themoderntacticalknife—bothfolderandfixedblade—andtherebyputtheentirematterintoperspective.Thishistoryisimportanttoprovideafoundationforthedevelopmentoftoday’sknivesandthoseofthefuture,anexampleofwhichistherecentdiscoveriesregardingDamascussteel.

Couldthesebetactical?

Earlytacticalknifeblade.

Earlyversionsoftacticalblades.

Forcenturies therehavebeenknives thatserved functionswenowdefineastactical.Today,however,wehavedesignsfocusedonbetterfulfillingtacticalandeverydayfunctionsinonepackagethatwillfitintoourmoderndailylivesmore

comfortably than, say, aRomangladius ormedieval scramasax, bothofwhichwerecertainlytactical.It’salsoapparenttoanyonewhotakesalookatofferingsfrom today’s knife companies that fashion plays a large part in the design oftoday’stacticalknives.

Withthatinmind,let’sskipforwardtotheRomaneratotakeaquicklookatanearlytacticalfolder.TheRomansalsohadfoldingknivesthatservedtacticalfunctions.I’vehandledonethatwasseventeenhundredyearsold,anditseemedpretty tactical to me. With its ivory handles, it may have been the firstgentlemen’stacticalfolder.

MichaelStaffordobsidianbladewithacherryburlwoodhandlewithsilverinlay.

JimRiggs’obsidianbladewithantlerhandlebeingsharpenedwithapieceofantler.

JimRiggs’obsidianbladewithantlerhandleandoak-tannedelkskinsheath.

Chapter2

EarlyTacticalFolders

AncientSteelDr.PaulWagnerhasthemostwonderfultacticalfolderintheworld.Ithasan

ivoryhandlecarvedinthelikenessofalioness.Thebladeismadeofancientsteeland has rusted with time. An unknown Roman craftsman made it seventeenhundredyearsago.

Dr. Wagner doesn’t actually own the knife, but he did find it. The knifebelongs to the Landshaftverbund Rhineland, an organization devoted toarchaeologyandthepreservationofarchaeologicalfinds.Theknifewillsoonbeon display at the Rheinisches Landesmuseum, a new museum in Bonn,Germany. Paul is a regional director of the organization and a renownedarchaeologist.

Paul was conducting an excavation of a Roman villa near Bonn when hediscoveredtheknife.RomanssettledGermania,aRomanprovinceintheRhineValley,overaperiodofaboutthreehundredyears,fromthefirstcenturyADtothe thirdcenturyAD.Theremainsof thevillas, temples,warehouse, forts,andtowns still dot the landscape today. Dr. Wagner, among others, has theresponsibilityofexcavatingandpreservingtheseantiquities.

IwastravelinginGermanywhenImetDr.Wagnerandothermembersofhisorganization. Paul is a large man with a commanding presence, amiable andarticulateinfourlanguages.Hewaskindenoughtopersonallyguideusthroughthe excavation of a Roman villa and invite us to his headquarters, whereantiquitiesarerestoredandwarehousedbeforebeingsenttomuseums.

AncientRomanfoldingknifefromapproximatelyAD270withacarvedivoryhandleandcarbonsteelblade.

At the site of the dig, Paul showed us how a modern church had beenconstructedontheremainsofamedievalchurch,andthemedievalchurchhadbeenbuiltonthesiteofaRomanvilla.Thelayersofhistorycouldbeseenplainlyinthedifferentbuildingmaterialsandartifactslocatedateachlevelofsoil.

After visiting the excavation, we went to Landshaftverbund Rhineland’sheadquarters,whichishousedinarestoredmedievalchurchandmonastery.Wesatarounda table in thecobblestonecourtyardandtalkedwithPaulabout theivory-handledknife.Itwasasunnyafternoon,butwewereinshadefromastonewall built nine hundred years ago. Paul explained that he had found manyuniqueartifactsovertheyears.

“Although there aremany Roman ruins,” Paul said, “youmust realize thatfindingsomethinglikethisonlyhappensonceinperhapstenyears.Tothebestofmyknowledge,nomorethanfiveRomanfoldingknivesofanykindhaveeverbeen found. To find one of this quality, with this excellence in carving andcraftsmanship,isafindofalifetime.”

Paulgenerouslyallowedmetohandle this rarestofknives.He lookedatmewithasmileandplaced iton thewornwoodentable. Icarefullypickedup thepieceofhistory.Idon’tknowifIhaveeverheldsopreciousanobjectbefore.Theweightofseventeenhundredyearssat lightly inmyhand. I turned itbackand

forth, shifting it from hand to hand and thinking about how the knife wouldworkinactualpractice.

Icouldplainlyseethatthebladeshapewasaflatgroundspearpointwithtwobevelseachaboutaninchlongonthetopleadingtothepoint.Asimpleironpinholdstheblade.Thehandleiselephantivorycarvedintheshapeofacrouchingfemale lion.Aharnesswith tracesof ancient redpaint encirclesher shoulders.Her forelegs are broken, her body worn smooth from use. She is snarling,seeminglystrainingagainstherharness.

“We have found millions of Roman blades,” said Paul. “Daggers, kitchenknives, swords, and blades of all kinds. Literally millions. But in allarchaeologicalfinds,IknowforsureofonlytwootherfoldingRomanknivesofthisquality.Bothhadcarved ivoryhandles.Onewascarved in theshapeofanape,theotherasheep.Therearereportsofsomeothers,possiblyfivetotal,butIhavenotseenthem.”

Theknifeisclearlyaworkofhighcraft,butitisalsoapparentthatitwasatoolmade to be used. The blade is about four inches long.Overall, it’s the size oftoday’spopulartacticalfolderandlooksasfunctionalasanyofthem.Itssimplesteel blade would take a working edge. Although ancient steel would notcomparetomodernsteelinmanyrespects,thisfolder,thiswonderful,incrediblefolder,wouldbeasusefulasanymodernfolderinactualpractice.

“Wedo not knowwhere this knife, or any of the other folders,wasmade,”Paulsaid.“Nonehavebeenfoundwithwoodscales.Nobladeshavebeenfoundwithouthandles.Allhavehandlesofivoryorbone.Itisapparenttheyweremadeforthewealthy.Perhapstheywerealltheworkofoneshop.”

One of my companions who was visiting the excavation with me asked,“Wouldthisknifehavebeenusedasaweapon?”PaulansweredherwithoneofthemostelegantstatementsIhaveeverheardonknives.

“Aknife is alwaysofmanyuses.You can cut yourbread.You can cut yourneighbor. But this knife is too beautiful and too small,when compared to theotherknivesRomanswouldhavehad,tobeprimarilyaweapon.Clearlythis isfirstaworkofartandthenatool.Thisknifewasnotmeanttobeaweapon.ButIthinkifyouhaveitwithyouonadarknight,youwillbeglad.Ithinkitisagoodcompanion.”

Thereyouhaveit:thedefinitionofatacticalfolder.It was late afternoon, and the slanting sun found us in our shade. All the

antiquitieswerefascinating,butmyattentionwasdrawnagainandagainbacktotheknife—thesimpleironblade,thecrouchinglionessheldbackbyherharness

—thathadbeenmadesomanyyearsagowhentheworldwasstillyoung.Paulnoticedmy attention, and before we left he letme hold the knife again for awhile. Iheld ituntil the ivorygrewwarm, and I looked long into the lioness’seyes. Paul was right, she would have been a good companion for someone. Iwonderedwhoitwas.

Thereislittlenewunderthesun.Somepeopleassertthatthetacticalfolderwasfirstinventedonlyafewyearsago.Idisagreewiththatpoint.Evenifwestipulatethemoderntacticalfolder,whichisarelativelyrecentdevelopment,therootsoftoday’stacticalfolderslieinancienthistory.

This is clearly demonstrated by many historical examples. The Turkishyataganwasoftenmadeasafolderandusedtodevastatingeffect,asweremanyfoldersfromEurope,particularlyinthecountriesaroundtheMediterranean.

Thenavajaisadirectancestorofthefoldersweusetoday.Inmostexamples,ithas a clip blade. The clip blade from Mediterranean countries came to NewOrleans with French, Spanish, and Creole settlers, and it was arguably thisinfluencethatleadtotheclippointononeofthemostfamousknivesofalltime:theBowie.

Here are a couple of stories aboutmydiscoveries of tactical folders that, bytheirdesignandfunction,influencedmoderntacticalfolders:thenavajaandtheyatagan.

TheNavaja:SpanishTacticalFolderIwasborninasmallMidwesterntownwherenothingeverhappenedandno

oneevervisited.Attwelveyearsofage,Ihadnevermetapersonfromanothercountry. Then one day I met a man who spoke English with a slight accent,whichIlaterlearnedwasSpanish.Likemanytravelers,hehadstoriestotell.

ThreeversionsoftheSpanishnavaja.

Itwas around lunchtimewhen I sawhim sitting in the shade of one of theleafy sycamore trees surrounding the county museum, where I used to go towhile away the hours looking at dinosaur bones, muskets, minié balls, and—mostimportantly—swords,knives,anddaggersfromaroundtheworld.Hewasathin,quietmanwhooccupiedhisspacewithauthority.Hewasdressedinablacksuit, a brilliant white shirt, and a tightly knotted tie. His face was pale anddominatedbydark,almostblack,eyes.Istumbledonthestairswhenhecaughtmestaringathim.Hesmiledandmotionedmetocometohimwithacurioushandmotion,fingersdownandbrushingtheair.

SeñorAguilarintroducedhimselftomeandofferedmehalfofhissandwich.In answer to my questions, he told me that he taught Spanish at the nearbyuniversity,thathecamefromSpain,andthat,yes,SpainwasverydifferentfromIndiana,butthathelikedAmerica,andIndiana,verymuch.Afterwefinishedhissandwich, he took a long slender folding knife fromhis pocket and peeled anappleallinonelongspiral,somethingIhadonlyeverseenmygrandfatherdo.

To a small-town boy he was a fascinating find—a look at the wide world

beyondthebordersIknew.Butitwastheknifethatreallycapturedme;Ibeggedhimtotellmeaboutit.Overthenextcoupleofweeks,Imanagedtofindtimetomeethimeachdayatlunch,andlittlebylittlehetoldmehisstory,thestoryofhisknife,andofhiscity,Barcelona.

AvariationoftheSpanishnavaja

Theknifehadabladeabout five inches long,withaBowie-likeupswept tip.The blade folded into a thinhandlewithhoney-coloredhorn scales pinned inplace.Therewasa silver tipon thehandleanda lockwitha leveron thebackwherethebladeandhandlejoined.Allinall,itwaslikenootherknifeIhadseen.I was accustomed to Barlows, scout knives, and my mother’s kitchen knives,which I took to thewoodswhen shewasn’t vigilant.Daggers andother exotickniveswereonlytobeseeninmuseums.Buthereinthisdignifiedman’shandwas a knife that spoke of romance, far away places, and events I could onlyimagine.

“Thisisagypsyknife,anavaja,”hesaid.“Intheolddays,especiallyduringthewar,Spainwasaverydangerousplace,andmostpeoplewentarmed,eitherwithblade or gun. But this knife is more than a weapon. It is a symbol ofindependenceandawillingnesstodefendyourpersonandpridewithyourlife.Weareaveryproudpeople,theSpanish.Wehavealonghistory,andsteelispart

ofthathistory.”HemeanttheSpanishCivilWar,butIdidnotyetknowthat.Hetaughtme

historyaseffortlesslyashe taughtme languageandgeography.Navajawas thefirst word of Spanish I learned.His lessonswere to become the center of ourrelationship.

“In those days,” he said, “gypsies, poor people, and others who needed aweaponbutdidnotwishtohave,orwerenotpermittedtohave,afirearm,wouldobtainaknife like this toprotect themselves.Classeswere taught in theuseofthiskindofknife.Swordscouldnolongerbecarried,butthenavajacouldalwaysbewith you, companion andprotector. In time thenavaja, once apoorman’sweaponandtool,cametobecarriedbymanyclassesofsociety.”Hesmiled,“Ofcourse,youcanalsopeelanapplewithit.”

“ToledoisfamousasthetownwherethebeststeelinSpainismade.Buttherewerefinebladesmadeelsewhere.ThisknifewasmadeinBarcelona,whichwasoncemyhome.Thisparticularknifehasalifeofitsown.Thebladewasforgedinfireandhammereduntiltherewasnoweaknessinitintheoldwaywithancientknowledgeandmagic.Itwillcutlikenoothersteel.Itwillbendwithoutbreakingandspringbacktotrue.ThebladeiswhatwecallacerodeDamasco.”ItwastobemanyyearsbeforeIlearnedmoreaboutDamascussteel.

Theknifedidlookalive.Hehelditlightlybutcarefully.Itsbladewasthin.Thehandlelookedalmostfragile.Likearaptor,thelong-bladedfolderlookedasifitmightleapfromhishandandstrikewhateveritwanted.

Hewentonwithhisstory.“Ionceusedthisknifetotakeaman’slifeandtosave awoman’s life. Itwas the lifeofmymother that I saved and the lifeof asoldier I took. Itwasduring thewarwhenall of Spainwent crazy.The legallyelectedRepublicanswere fighting theArmyandtheFascists.Republicansweresplitintomanyfactions,includingtwokindsofCommunists.Anyonewhogotinthe way was killed. My mother was not political. My older brother was aRepublican,butnotaCommunist.ThatwasenoughfortheCommuniststoissuedeathwarrantsforthewholefamily.Theyhadalreadykilledmyfather.

“The Communists came and tookmymother one night while I was away.When I returnedhome,myneighbor toldmewhat hadhappened.Theywereholdingher at abuildingnot far away.Theyplanned to shoother atdawn, astheyhadalreadyshotsomany.Everyoneintheneighborhoodknewwheretheykeptthewomen,soIhadnotroublefindingthebuildingwheretheyheldher.Iwent late that night. I climbed across the rooftop, and when the moon wasbehindclouds,Islippeddownintothecourtyard.Iwasonlyfifteenthen.Iwas

small and thin and couldmove very quietly. I knew therewould benomercyfrom the Communists, and there was no use in asking for any, not for mymotherormyself.

“Ihopedtoopenthedoorquietlyandsneakoutwithher.ButIwasonlyaboy,andIhadnotthoughtitallthrough.Therewereotherwomencondemnedtobeshotthenextmorning.Ofcoursemymothercouldnotleavewithoutthem.NorcouldI.

“Wemadetoomuchnoise.Asoldierwhowasstandinginshadowheardus.Youmightthinkthatasmallboyoffifteenwouldhavenochanceagainstamanwitharifle,butyouwouldbewrongtothinkthat.Ihaddeterminationandfearandanger formy father’sdeathonmy side. I alsohad amagicknife.Perhapsmoreimportantly,IbelievedthatGodwaswithme.Whattheyweregoingtodowaswrong.Itwouldhavebeenamortalsinforthemtokillmymotherorthoseotherwomenwhohaddonenowrong.”

Hewouldnevertellmethedetailsofthestory,ofhowheovercamethesoldierandescapedwithhismother.But thepartsof the storyhedid tellmeand thevisionofhisknifearestillwithme,eventoday,morethanfortyyearslater.

By any serious definition, Señor Aguilar’s navaja was a tactical folder: hepeeled apples, sliced sandwiches, and killedwith it. A dozen years after ImetSeñor Aguilar, I rode into Barcelona on my chuffing and rumbling Triumphmotorcycle—a blue andwhite 650cc I bought in England.Alongwith a smallgreen tent, this motorcycle had been my magic carpet and home for manymonths.Iwasinsearchofoneofthoseslim,deadlyknives.Mostimportantly,Iwanted to find themanwho forged theknife Ihad seen somanyyearsago inSeñorAguilar’shand. I alsowanted to see abullfight andwitness a Spain thatwas lost in timeunder its Fascist dictatorGeneral Franco. Iwanted to carry aleatherbotafullofrichredwine,ridemymotorcycletotinywhitevillagesintheSierraandthroughlion-coloredhills,andseetheblueseafromahighmountainpass.

Althoughtwelveyearsmightnotseemsomanyorsolongtothoseofuswhoareonthefarsideofthehill,theyseemedbothmanyandlongtomethen.SinceIleftIndianaasasmallboy,ItraveledthroughoutLatinAmericaandAsia,heardshotsfiredinangerand...well,nevermind.Ihadburiedfriendsandwasmorethanalittleburnedout.Ifeltold.Achildhoodquestseemedjustthething.

My firstnight inBarcelonawas laughteranddancingon the sanduntil firstlight,whenmydark-eyedgirl ledmeback toourroomin theGothicQuarter,just off LasRamblasnearPlazaReal. In thosedays, they serveddinneron the

beachinsmallthatchroofedbuildings—paellainblackironskilletscookedoveropenfiresonthesandfromthefreshcatchthatcameinonwoodenboats.Winewasdrunkfromclearglassporronsheldatarm’slengthsotheclear,coldwhitewine fell ina smoothstreamandrandownyour faceand intoyourmouth.ElCordobés, the matador, was the talk of Barcelona and everyone danced untildawn.

I startedmysearch thedayafter I arrived. I stoppedagroupofgypsiesandaskedthemiftheyknewaboutsuchknives.TheylookedatmeasifIwerecrazyand tried topickmypocket. Ihearda rumorofknives forged in theoldwaysfrom a friendly waiter with a potbelly who served me café con leche eachmorning. In a knife store I was told that theremight be amanmaking suchknives,butnooneknewwhere.Iwanderedthecrookedstreetslisteningforthesound of a forge. Once I heard the sound of steel on steel and followed theclashingsoundsfromstreettoalleytocourtyard.ButIneverfoundthetwomenwho must have been sword to sword.Whether practice or duel, I will neverknow.

I talked to the proprietors of knife shops across the city. I learned thateverythingSeñorAguilartoldmeaboutnavajaswastrue.Thosekniveswerejustwhat he said they were to the people of Spain. There were stories told aboutmagicnavajas,astherewereaboutcertainswords.Buttherewerenosuchknivestobefound.Ineverdidfindthemanwhoforgedthatblade.Butlifeandtravelwilloftenbringwhatyouleastexpect.Ididfindsomehealingmagicinthatcityandyoungloveunderastar-fillednightskyattheedgeofanancientsea.

Afewyearsago,IreturnedtoBarcelona,thistimetomakeashortfilm.WhentheworkwasdoneI tookaday tomyself toresumemysearchforamanwhoforgedDamascussteelandmadenavajasintheoldway.Iwouldliketotellyouthat finally,more than forty years after I first heard the story, I found such aman.ButIdidnot.NeverinBarcelonadidIfindthatforgeoramanwhocouldmakemagicknives.

Oneoftheauthor’snavajasfromBarcelona,Spain.

LargeandsmallTurkishfolders.

SometimesIwonderwhathappenedtoSeñorAguilar,theprofessorwiththe

hiddenpast,themanwiththemagicknifewhocouldn’tgohomeagain.Hetoldmethattherewasawarrantforhisarrestforkillingthesoldier,andhisbrotherhadbeenkilledbeforetheycouldgetoutofthecity.IimagineSeñorAguilar,stillinhisblacksuitwithhismotheraliveandwellsomewhereundermyMidwesternsky, still carryinghisSpanish steel.And I imagine that somewheredeep in theGothicQuarterofBarcelona,insomesecretplace,thereisaforgewheremagicknivesaremade.

Señor Aguilar’s description of the uses of his folder, “a weapon and tool . . .carriedbyrichandpooralike...youcanalsopeelanapplewithit,”istheverydefinitionofatacticalfolder.Thefactthatitwasnotblackandhadnosawteethortantopointdidnotpreventitsuseasadailytoolandlife-savingweapon.

TheTurkishYataganThe folding yatagan is the everyday knife of the Turkish shepherd, the

woodworker,thetruckdriver,sailorsandsoldiers,YorukNomads,businessmen,and artists; it is an everyman’s knife and is used for everything a knife canbeusedfor.

Strictlyspeaking,ayataganisatypeofshortswordusedduringtheOttomanperiod.However,thetermisincommonusageinTurkeyforaknife,foldingorfixed, or a sword, long or short, and for the iconic folder I’ve seen all overTurkey.Thetraditionalfoldingyataganisafrictionfolderwithasheeporgoathornhandleandathinforgedcarbonsteelblade.

Turkishyataganfolders.

LargeandsmallTurkishyatagans.

In its various forms, the yatagan shows its heritage in that its blade has adesigntakenfromthetipof light,quickOttomanswordblades.Anyonewho’sdoneabitoffencingknowscriticalworkisdonewiththetipoftheblade.Thusthe yatagan has a defensive function in addition to its daily utility as an all-purposecuttingtool.

I have seen folding yatagans used at village festivals for disjointing wholeroasted sheepandgoats andcuttingmeat into chunks forkebab.Thevillagerswork quickly, the blade slicing cleanly and easily through meat, joints, andtendon. I’ve also seen such knives in local bazaars used for everything frompeelingfruitandtrimmingvegetablestoslicingblocksofgoatcheese,somewithbladeswornhalfawayfromyearsofuseandsharpeningbutstillindailyuse.

Turkishyataganshowingthemaker’smarkonblade.

Recently I met an amiable traveling merchant, Mohammad, at a bazaar inSouthernTurkey.Hehadafewofthetraditionalhandmadefoldingyatagans;allwere graceful and had the traditional sheep horn handles and hand-forgedcarbonsteelbladesIwasseeking.AsTurkishmerchantsdo,Mohammedorderedteaformeandengagedmeinconversationas ifhehadnothingelsetodoand

hadbeenwaitingformyarrivaltobrightenhisday.Hehadsomefactory-madeyatagans with plastic handles and stainless blades, as you can see in theaccompanyingphotos.Theysell foraboutadollarandareperfectly functional,but I had no interest in them. It was the old-school handmade quality of thetraditional folders that drew me to his stall. These folders are the essence ofprimalcraft.

MohammadtoldmethatalloftheyatagansIwasinterestedinweremadebyoneman,acraftsmaninhislatesixtieswhoseshopwasinatinyvillageaboutaday’sdrivefromourlocation.Mehmet,theknifemaker, forgedhisbladesinanopen fire, hammered them into shape, and finished them with hand tools—basically files and hammers. He uses no power tools of any kind. He obtainssheepandgoathornforthehandlesfromlocalshepherds.Healsoacidetcheshisnameandthedateonthebladeofeachknifehemakes.Thisishisguaranteeofqualityandcustomersatisfaction.Littleornothinghaschangedinthemakingoftheseknivesforaslongasanyonecanremember.

Ourexchangedrewtheinterestofothermerchantsandcustomers,whocamecloserand joined theconversation.Acoupleof themtookyatagans fromtheirpockets and showed themaround.Mohammadaskedmeaboutmy interest inknives and if I had a knife fromAmericawithme.As it happened, I did.MySpydercoMilitarywasveryinterestingtohimandtheothermen.

Mohammad,withmypermission,handledmyfolder,passeditaroundtotheothers, and remarkedon theprecisionof themanufacturing, the lock, and thedesign.Then,politelysoasnottooffend,heaskedwhythebladewassothick.“Athinbladecutsbetter,”hesaid,lookingaroundthecircle.“Everyoneknowsthat.”Thegroupnoddedinagreement.

ThickisarelativetermandgiventhattheSpydercoMilitaryhasaflatgroundblade that is not nearly as thick asmany current tactical folders, I had neverthoughtofthisbladeasthick.Butcomparedtohisyatagans,Icouldunderstandhisquestion.

I told him that thicker blades are stronger and resist breaking.He was notconvinced. “Neverhave I broken thebladeofoneofmyknives.”Head shakesfollowed.Neitherhadanyoneelse.Isuggestedthatitmighthavetodowiththesteel and the temper. I explained that this blade was much harder than thecarbonsteelbladesofhisyatagansandthatunderextremestress,itmightbreakratherthanbend.

“What kind of stress?” he asked.Wediscussed a few possibilities, includingdefensiveuse,but Iwasn’t gettinganyconverts to the thickblade concept. So,

after thinking about it for a fewmoments, I said that it might be as much amatteroffashionasitwasofneededstrength.

I bought a fewyatagans fromMohamad, gave someaspresentsbackhome,andkeptacoupletotrythemout.Idiscoveredthatthesetraditionalfoldersarehighlyefficientcutting toolsandamarvelof low-techcraftsmanship.Mineareconvexly ground, as are all of the Turkish blades I’ve seen in armsmuseums.They are easy to sharpen and take a scary-sharp edge that cuts like thewinterwindoff theTaurusMountains.Minewillslicecucumbersasthinasanysushiknife,easilyshavehair,andsplitnewspaper.Itwillalsocutthefallingsilkscarf—anancienttestofabladethatMohammaddemonstratedforme.

The convex grind supports the thin edge, and the steel is tough and strongbeyond what the thin blade would indicate. I’ve used mine to split kindling,batoning it through thick oak. If you direct your attention to the edge of anyknifeasitcutsthroughanymedium,youcangetasenseofthesteel,howitcuts,and its properties. This steel is aggressively sharp andwants to get into a cut,requiring little effort to slice cleanly through roasts, chops, vegetables of anykind,oranythingI’vecutwithit.Thebladeisaboutfour-and-a-halfincheslongandtheknifeweighsonlyaboutthreeounces.

AcollectionofTurkishyatagansonsaleinthelocalmarketinKaş.

Turkishyatagancuttingsteak.

Turkishyataganrestingafterwoodwork.

Thesearesimplebutsophisticatedknives—thedesignandmethodsofforgingand construction have beenworked out over centuries. They requireminimalmaintenance: a little oil (I use olive oil), sharpening, which is very easy, andperhaps an occasional tap on the pivot pin. These friction folders are held inplaceatthepivotpointwithasoftsteelrivet.Iforwhenthebladeloosens,ataportwowithahammerorarockpeenstherivetandtightenstheblade.

Tosharpenmine,whichIdonotneedtodooften,Iuseapieceof1200gritcarbon paper on the foam pad frommy rucksack and strop it away from theedge.OneofmyTurkishfriends,Emel,usesa finebenchstone,whichhewetswithwater. Then, using the samemethod, he strops the blade away from theedge,firstonesidethentheother.Withnomorethantenlightstrokesoneachside,hisbladeissharpenoughtopainlesslyslaughteragoat,ataskatwhichheisexpert.

Heleadsthegoatawayfromtheherd,walkingslowlyandallowingtheanimaltograzealongtheway.Oncetheyareoutoftheherd’ssight,hehastheselectedgoatliedown.Hesitsnexttoit,speakstoitsoftly,andstrokesitsneckandback.Whenhe’ssuretheanimal isrelaxed,hetakesouthisyatagan,andwithasureandunhurriedmove slits the goat’s neck at the carotid artery. The knife is sosharp the goat doesn’t seem to notice it has been cut and quickly losesconsciousnessasitbleedsout.

Emel also showedme the grip he uses if there’s any possibility of the bladeclosingduringuse.He firmlygrips thehandlewithhis fingertips tuckedalongtheside—notwrappingaroundtheslotwherethebladecloses.

I’ve seen a few, very few, yatagans in Bulgaria, a country occupied by theOttoman Turks for centuries. But your best chance of finding one is in theregional bazaars of Turkey, in the Grand Bazaar, or near the Spice Bazaar inIstanbul. Once, I even found a few with Damascus blades in the shop in theGrandBazaar,andthedealerclaimedtheyweremadeinDamascus.Ifyou’reanaficionadoofsteelandyoufindyourselfinthispartoftheworld,seekthemenwhosellyatagans.You’llfindagoodknifeandapieceofhistory.

Nowlet’snarrowourfocusa little inapproachingthefixedblade.Insteadofcontinuing to draw on the worldwide history of cutting implements over thecenturies, I’llconfine thediscussionofearlier tactical fixedblades toAmericanknives.Let’sstartwithcolonialAmerica,thecruciblethatforgedourcountry.

T

Chapter3

LongKnives

helongknivesusedbyrangertroopsinthecolonialperiod,especiallyduringthe French and Indian War (1754–1763), and by long hunters during a

similarperiodwerethefirstknivesinAmericathatcouldbecalledtacticalbyourdefinition. These knives, which were commonly seven to ten inches in bladelengthwiththelongerlengthsbeingmorepopular,werealsopartofthereasonNativeAmericansdubbedtherangersandlonghuntersLongKnives.FromtheNativeAmericanperspective, the longknife, carrieddaily andusedbothas aneverydaytoolandfearsomeweapon,wasadefiningcharacteristicofthesegroupsofdaringandadventurouscolonists.

Thegearandweaponsusedbytherangerswerethesameaswhatwasusedbythegeneralpopulation; in fact, the rangerswereoftendrawn fromandpartofthe general population rather than a professional military. Their long kniveswere,generallyspeaking,thesameastheknivesusedincolonialkitchens,muchlikethoseusedinkitchenstoday.

DanielWinklerBeltKnifewithtackdecorationandaDamascusbladeofsixinches.©PointSevenStudios.

Some historians have written that the Native Americans named these menLongKnivesbecause theycarriedswords.Asaresultofreadingdozensof firstperson accounts written by long hunters, rangers, and ordinary colonists—includingthejournalsofDanielBoone,themostfamousofthelonghunters,andMajorRobertRogers,who formed and led themost famousAmericanRangercompany,Rogers’Rangers—Iamconvincedthisinterpretationisincorrect.Asaresultofreadingdozensoffirstpersonaccountswrittenbylonghunters,rangers,andordinarycolonists,includingthejournalsofDanielBoone,themostfamousofthelonghunters,andMajorRobertRogersformedandledthemostfamousAmericanRangercompany—Rogers’Rangers.

In addition, I have read transcripts of oral history taken from NativeAmericans, including the Mohawk, Seneca, Iroquois, Wyandot, Shawnee,Potawaname,andCheyennetribes,thatcameintocontactwithrangersandlonghuntersandwhonamedthesemenLongKnives.Overtheyears, IhavevisitedarchaeologicalexcavationsandmuseumsdevotedtotheAmericanhistoryofthisperiod and interviewed archaeologists, historians, and museum curators. The

evidence is clear.TheNativeAmericans called longhunters and rangers LongKnivesbecausetheycarriedlongknives,notswords.

DanielWinklerRifleman’sKnifewithtwistpattern,Damascuseight-inchblade,anoveralllengthofthirteeninchesandadeerantlercrownhandle©PointSevenStudios.

OfficersintheContinentalArmycarriedswords,unlikelonghunters,whosegear had to be multifunctional. I have found no instance of rangers beingequipped with swords rather than long knives and tomahawks—the onlyexceptionbeingafewrangerofficerswhocarriedswords.

Thelonghuntersreliedontheirknivesasbothdailytoolsandweapons.Withtheirlongknives,theyskinnedandbutcheredenormousquantitiesofwildgameduringtheirextendedtreks“overthemountains”fromVirginiatothe“darkandbloodyhuntinggrounds,”whicharenowTennesseeandKentucky.Oneaccountlists the equipment carriedby a groupof longhunterswhohad secured 2,400deerskins.Therearenoswordsontheequipmentlist.Theyalsousedtheirlongknives in hand-to-hand combat. This same group of hunterswas returning toVirginiawhentheyencounteredabandofNativeAmericanswhoobjectedtothecolonists poaching on their hunting ground in violation of a treaty. A fight

ensued between the Native Americans and Long Knives, and after the firstexchangeofgunfire,thefightquicklywentto“tomahawksandlongknives.”

Such armed encounters involving hand-to-hand combat with knives andtomahawkswerecommononthefrontier.SocommonthatRogers’28RulesofRangeringmentionsthetomahawkasaweapon.Rogers’Rulesdonotmentiontheknife.Ithinkthisisduetotheubiquitousnatureoftheknife;everymanhadone and carried it daily even if he did not have a tomahawk. Knives were somuchapartofeveryone’sdailygearthattheydidnotneedtobementioned.

Anyonewhodoubts theprimacyof the longknife, that rangers foughtwithknives,or theeffectivenessof their longkniveshasonly toreada fewofmanyoriginal accounts of the rangers’ battles. One mission undertaken by Rogers’Rangersshowstheimportanceofthelongknifeovereventhetomahawk.

Withasmallbandofmen,therangerssetouttotravelonfootandbystealthover two hundred miles through territory occupied by more than fifteenthousand French and their Indian allies. The object of the mission was toretaliate fornumerousdepredationsagainst colonial settlersand, ifpossible, torescueprisonersbelieved tobeheldbyabandofNativeAmericans, called theColdCountryCannibalsduetotheirpracticeofroastingandeatingprisoners.

Aftermorethantwoweeksofskirmishes,inwhichtherangersprevailedduetoaggressivetacticsandfiercenessinhand-to-handcombat,andtravelthroughchest-deepbogsandthemostdifficultterrain,therangerscameuponavillageofanestimatedfivehundredNativeAmericans.Therangershidintheforestuntilthe village slept.Then,with theutmost stealth, they infiltrated anddispatchedmore than two thirds of thewarriorswith their knives, coming upon them astheysleptandeliminatingthemsilently.Ageneralbattleensuedwhenoneofthewarriorsraisedthealarm.Sincemostofthewarriorshadalreadybeenkilledinthe darkness, the rangers were able to defeat the entire encampment, killingmore than twohundredwarriors in total.Only tworangers lost their lives.Nowomenorchildrenwerekilled.Therangersfreedfivecaptivesandfoundmorethan six hundred scalps taken from colonists. It is highly unlikely that theoutcomewouldhavebeenthesameiftherangershadnotbeensuccessfulwiththeirtactics:stealthandthesilentuseoftheirlongknives.Wordoftherangers’victoryquicklyspreadthroughthetribes.IsitanywonderthenameLongKnivesbecameatermoffearandrespect?

DanielWinklerLargeRifleman’sKnife,withatwelve-inchDamascusblade,overalllengthofseventeeninches,andelkantlercrownhandle©PointSevenStudios.

ForthemostparttheknivesusedbytheLongKniveswereproductsof localblacksmiths.Withnomodernknife-makingtools,suchasbeltgrinders,grindingwheels, temperature-controlledheat-treatingovens,andsoon, thebladescamedirectlyfromthesmithy,wheretheyhadbeenshapedbymuscle,hammer,andanvilandtemperedbythecoalsoftheforge.Deerantlerwasreadilyavailableatlittle or no cost and made into durable, solid handles with a rough textureproviding a secure grip. Blade shapes varied and included clip points, spearpoints,straightknives,andupsweptpoints.Almostallweresingle-edged.Manywere similar to today’s chef’s knives. Generally, the blades were somewhatheavier than the knives from England and considerably less expensive, whilegivingupnothingincuttingability,toughness,orquality.

Cutting testsandother testinghavedemonstrated thatsomeof theavailableexamplesoflongknivesfromthisperiodwere,andare,equaltoknivesavailabletoday. Rockwell testing of surviving examples reveals that some of themweredifferentlytempered.Somehadadistaltaper.Mosthadflatgroundblades,somehadconvexblades,andvirtuallyallhadconvexedges.Beforemodernequipmentwaswidelyandinexpensivelyavailable,hollowgrindingwasusedonlyonfullerswordstoreducebladeweight.

I have had the opportunity to handle a number of long knives from thecolonialperiod.One inparticular,handed tomeby thecuratorof the IndianaMilitary Museum in Vincennes, Indiana—the site of one of Rogers’ Rangersmost famous exploits—caught my imagination with its uncompromising andclearlydefinedpurpose.

Thesidesof thebladewererough,stillmarkedfromthemaker’shammer,atexturalinvocationofprimalcraft.Thebladewastenincheslongwithagracefulcurvefromhilttotipandheftywithoutbeingheavyorclunky.Itwashaftedwithantlerfromadeertakeninthewildforestthatoncestretchedunbrokenfromtheeasternseaboardtothegreatdesert.Iimaginedthrustingthisknife,sheathedinrawhide and buckskin, into the wide sash tied around my hunting shirt as IpreparedforanexpeditionintothegreenwildernessoftheNorthwestTerritory.

Imagination is all verywell, as far as it goes. But itmay prove difficult andexpensivetoacquireownershipofanoriginallongknife.However,it’snotrickatall to obtain a replica crafted by hand and forge tempered by modern daycraftsmenwhoworkinthetraditionalstylewithtraditionalmaterials.

ReplicaofaColonial-eraFrenchtradingknife.

Today there are a number of knifesmiths who have revived the long knifetraditionandmakereplicasthatlookandperformliketheirancestors.Someofthem style themselves as makers of buckskinner’s knives, others call theirproducts longknivesor campknives, a termand styleofknifepopularizedbyBillMoransomeyearsago.

DanielWinkler andWayneGoddardare twomenwhohaveworked in thisstyle and whose knives I have used and can recommend without reservation.

TheyarebothMasterSmithsof theAmericanBladesmithSociety. Ihaveusedknives forged by both men and found them to be extraordinary, both inappearanceandperformance.AnymemberoftheABScanmakeyouafinelongknife that is equal to or better than those carried and used by the Americanrangersorthelonghunters.

MichaelMann,ofIdahoKnifeWorks,isanotherknifesmithwhoseworkIamfamiliarwith.Hemakesgoodknivesinthelonghunterstyle.H&BForgealsoworksintheoldtraditionandiswell-knownamongthebuckskinnercrowdforforginghawksandthrowingknivesdrawnfairlysoftsoasnottobreakwiththeimpactofrepeatedthrowing.Somemanufacturers,suchasBokerandColdSteel,alsocatalogknivesreminiscentoftheera.

A somewhat easier approach to getting a hold of a longhunter’s knife is tosimply buy a carbon steel kitchen knife. The heritage and linage is clear; longkniveswerederivedfrombutcherknives.Afewyearsago,IdidexactlythiswhenIlackedalongknifeandtheneedforwildernesswaslyingheavyonmeafteraseriesoflong,dullbusinessmeetings.

DanielWinklerLostLakeCampKnife,forgedsix-inch1084bladewithanoveralllengthofeleveninches©SharpByCoop.

ALongKnifeinaFrenchForestThereisalongknifeonmydeskasIwrite,anoldchef’sknifethatwasonce

rusty but now scrubbed clean, a Sabatier with a ten-inch blade. I bought thisplain,honestknifedeepintheheartofFrance,inwhattheFrenchcallLaFranceprofonde. Iwanteda longknifeasagoodcompanion foranightor two in theforest.

After toomanydaysof smokyroomsand talk, IdumpedmycomputerandothergearinalockerattheGareduNordandgrabbedthefirstfasttrainsouthwithachangeofclothingandafewoddsandendsstuffedinasmallrucksack.

IwasheadedfortheAuvergneregionandanationalparkthatsprawlsoveramountain range,where stone houses have been abandoned and become ghostvillages.Deerherdsareeverywhere,steppingdelicatelythroughthegreenwoodsandwanderingalongbrokenandunusedblacktoproads.CrumblingcastlesandRoman ruins add to themystery and beauty.Wild boar—large, red-eyed, andmean-tempered—shuffle and snort through the underbrush. A friend, Henri,huntswildboareach fall in thisareawithaspear. IhadanencounterwithSirSwine thepreviousyear andwanted something longand sharpbymy side forthislittleexcursion—thustheSabatierlongknife.

InasmallvillagestoreIfoundmyheavy,ten-inchSabatierchef’sknife.Anychefwilltellyouthattheten-inchchef’sknifeisthebestall-aroundknife.Forgetaboutfour-inchparingknives.Ifyouhavesomerealworktodo,whatyouwantisteninchesofgoodcarbonsteel.Thelonghuntersandrangersknewthat,too.

Sabatiercarbonsteelchef’sknifewithrucksack.

The Sabatier is forged in one piecewith handle scales riveted in place. It isstrong and durable for the daily demands of professional use. The flat grindproduceslittledragwhencutting.Theoriginaldesignwasinspiredbyamedievaldagger,whichservedasaweaponaswellasatoolinthosedays.ThenitcametoAmerica and wound up in the belts of many rangers and long hunters. Anintegraldesignsuchas this fromacustommakerwillrunyouseveralhundreddollars.Thismasterpieceofordinaryfactorysteel,ifnew,wouldcostyouaboutfiftybucks.Thisonecostconsiderablyless.

Theoldknifehadbeenusedandneglected.Therewasrustontheblade.Itwascoveredwithdust.Itwasdull.Butthebladebalancedwellinmyhand,anditfeltlikeaknifethatcouldbetrusted.Iboughtit.Ialsoboughtasmallthickplasticsheet,thekindusedforcoveringcuttingsurfaces,arolloftape,andasharpeningstone.Whenwarmedoverastove,shapedaroundtheblade,andsecuredwithacoupleof layersof tape, theplasticsheetbecameaneffectivesheathfor thebigblade. A good scrubbing with an abrasive kitchen cleaner removed the rust.Twentyminuteswith the stone put a ferocious edge on its carbon steel blade.Withmy longknife tucked into thebackofmybelt and a few supplies inmy

rucksack,Iwasready,atleastforawalkinthewoods.Thatnight,afteradayspentontrailsthatwerecenturiesold,Icampedalone

halfwaydownahillside.BelowmeIcouldheardeercometowaterinthesmallstream.Above,cloudsscuddedacrossafullmoon,thekindofmoontheFrenchcallthemoonofloupgarou,thewerewolf.Ikindledatinyfirenolargerthenmyhatinanoldstonecircle,grilledavenisonchopfromthevillagemeatmarketinthecoals,andateitfromthepointofmyknifewhiledrinkingabottleoftherichredwinefromCahorsthatissometimescalledblackwine.Thefirelightflickeredon the big Sabatier blade, and I was glad to have it. There is nothing moreelementaltomanthanacampfireintheforestwithredmeatcookinginthecoalsandasharpbladecloseathandwhilethenightshiftsandturns.Watersplashedover the stones in the stream below and wind rustled the leaves in the treesaroundmysmallclearing.TimepassedslowlyasIsatbythefireandlistenedtothenight.

Moonlightmovedacrosstheruinsofamedievalcastleonthecrestofaridgeon theother sideof the small steep valley, and I imagined life as itmusthavebeeninthetwelfthcentury.Thecastlewouldhavebeenkeptingoodrepair.Warwasconstantthen—aclashofsteel,screaminghorses,anddesperatemen.IalsothoughtaboutRogers’Rangersand theirattackonVincennesaftera long trekthroughaharshwinter.

I held the long blade of the old Sabatier up to catch the moonlight andwatchedadropofpearlymoonshineslideupanddownthebladeasImovedit.Idrankthelastofthewinetokeepoffthechillanddreamedthefireuntilitdied.This isa termaboriginalAustraliansuse.Dreaming the fire, is staring into theflamesandlettingyourmindwanderintoDreamtime,orwhatIcallTaoSpace.It’saplacewheretimeceasestoexistandallthingsbecomeasone.Idozedandwatchedmoonriseandmoonset,andintheearlydawnwithadew-dampblanketfromthehotelaroundmyshoulders,Iwatchedafoxlopethroughtheclearingbelowme.

No,IdidnothavetofightoffawildboaroraloupgarouwithmySabatier.Itsactual utility was limited to slicing venison, getting some kindling, and a fewothermundanetasks.ButIwouldhavebeenpoorerwithoutit.Theteninchesofsteelcamewithitsownpoetryandbroughtaconnectionbackoverthecenturiesto theRoman soldiers and themedievalknightswhowalked thesehills, satbyfires likemine,atemeatcookedincoals, lookedintothenightwithsharpsteelcloseathand, anddreameddreamswhiledriftingandgazing into the fire andwonderingwhattomorrowwouldbring.AndIrememberedaten-year-oldboy

whotookhismother’skitchenknife to thewoodsand imaginedhewasoneofRogers’Rangers.

The longknivesof the rangersand longhunterswerealsousedbyordinarycolonistsandwereimportanttoolsandweaponswellintothenineteenthcenturyduring themountainman era and thewestward expansion. Long kniveswereoften referred to as butcher knives because that was their primary day-to-dayfunction.Gameformedalargepartofthediet,andthebutcheringofgamewasaneverydayaffair.Longkniveswerealsousedforeverydaytasksthatlifeonthefrontierrequired,frompeelingbarktocuttingbuckskinforclothing.Itwasthiscombination of everyday usefulness and fearsomeweapon thatmade the longknifethetacticalknifeofitsera.

T

Chapter4

TheBowieKnife

he Bowie knife occupies a unique, even legendary place in the universe ofAmericanknives,anditmeetsourdefinitionoftactical.TheBowieburstinto

theawarenessofthegeneralpublicaround1830,anditsreputationasafearsomeweaponwithuniquequalitiesspreadfarbeyondAmerica.SoonittookonalmostmagicalqualitiesandbecameaweaponoflegendandsomethingtoconjurewithlikeKingArthur’sExcalibur.

In fitsofhysteria, somemunicipalitiesandstatesoutlawed thepossessionofthenewlypopularBowieknife,asiftheknifecouldwithouthumanagencyleapfromitssheathorthedrawerwhereitwasstoredandattackaninnocentperson.OtherlawsclearlystatedthattheBowiewasbeingoutlawedbecauseitofferedanunfair advantage to its wielder—this in a timewhen duelswere common andmenbroughtswordstoaknifefight.

J.W.RandallRangerBowie©TammyT.Randall.

ABowieknifeevenappearedinBramStoker’snovelDracula,writtenin1897,whereinaTexanuseshisBowietodealamortalblowtothenotoriousfictionalvampirewhopossessed supernaturalpowers.Was theBowieknife’s reputationdeserved?Diditbecomefamousbecauseofthefightingprowessofitsdeveloper,JamesBowie,or for its intrinsicqualities?It’sdifficult toseparate themanandthelegend.Howisitthatwhatonthesurfaceseemstobeasimple,steelknifeiseven todayregardedwithsomethingapproachingawebymany?Both themanandtheknifeplayedapartincreatingthenotorietyoftheBowieknife.NodoubtJames Bowiewas an aggressive and highly skilled fighter. But research revealsthat the Bowie knife did, and in some contemporary versions does, possesscertain characteristics that make it an exceptional weapon, while at the sametime retaining its value as an all-around utility knife.More plainly, the Bowieknifedeservesitsreputation.

J.W.RandallRangerBowiewithguard©TerrillHoffman.

SomeaccountsrefertoJamesBowie’sknife,atleasthisfirstknife—therewasaprogression—asabutcherknife.Butwhatevertheoriginalwas,thefinalknifeinthe line of developmentwas, by all accounts, a good dealmore than a simplebutcherknife.IntheearlynineteenthcenturyinmanypartsoftheUnitedStates,

knife fightswere frequent events andhadbeen since colonial times.Repeatingfirearmswerenotyetavailable,andthemuzzleloadingfirearmsoftheerawereslow to reload. Therefore edged weapons played an important role in armedencounters.Oftenknivescameintoplaybecausetheywereineverydayuseandconvenient,whereastheswordwasaspecial-purposeweaponandinconvenienttocarry.

In this atmosphere, James Bowie fought in a number of duels and armedencounters.Intheencounterthatbroughttheknifethatbearshisnametofame,three armed men intent on killing Bowie attacked him. According tocontemporary accounts,hedispatchedall threewithmassivewounds, cleavingone assailant’s skull and nearly decapitating another, each with a single blow.Thesewoundswerereportedashorrendous,extraordinary,unprecedented,andpartlywhatsparkedthenotorietyoftheBowieknife.Theencounterwaswidelyreported, alongwith the nature of thewounds sustained by Bowie’s attackers.Soon everyone wanted a knife like Bowie’s. The business of James Black, theArkansasblacksmithwhomadeBowie’sknife, exploded, and shortly thereafterevery knifemaker and cutlery factory in the United States and England wasproducingBowieknives.

DanielWinklerSouthwestBowiewitha5160bladeof11⅝inches,overalllengthof16½inches,andanelkantlerhandle©PointSevenStudios.

Giventhatfightsandduelswithedgedweaponswerecommon,manypeoplehadseentheresultsofknife fights.Doctorswellunderstoodhowto treatknifewounds.YettherearenoaccountsofthekindofwoundsinflictedbyBowieinother knife fights. The effectiveness of knives used in combat by Americanrangers, including the famous Rogers’ Rangers, are well-documented. Butnowhere, except in accounts of Bowie’s encounters when he fought with hisfamousknife,dowereadofextraordinarywoundsfromanyknife.WhatwasthedifferencebetweenalongknifeandaBowie?

Byallaccounts,Bowie’sbladewasnine to ten inches in length.Noordinarynine-toten-inchbutcherknife,regardlessoftheabilityofitswielder,wouldhavehadthefeaturesrequiredtoinflictthewoundsreportedinBowie’snotoriousanddeadlyencounters.Therefore,thepreponderanceofevidenceindicatesthattherewereuniquefeaturestotheBowieknifethatmadeitaformidableweapon.JamesBowiemaywell have been themost extraordinary swordsmanor knife fightersinceKingArthur.Buthe couldnothave caused thewoundsdescribed in thehistorieswithanordinarybutcherknife.

RussAndrewsBison,namedforitshump,multipurposeknifeforcampandhuntingchores.Thebladeishand-forgedW2,mountsarefourbartwistDamascus,andhandleissambarstag©HansHolzach.

What,then,werethecharacteristicsofthisextraordinaryknife?JamesBowiefoughtwithmorethanoneknifeandwasconstantlyintheprocessofdevelopingthebestknife.According to legend,Bowiecarved the final version fromwoodandgavethemodeltoArkansasblacksmithJamesBlack,whoproducedtheknifeBowieorderedalongwithaversionwitha sharpenedclip,whichwas the finalversionchosenbyBowie.Mostexpertsacknowledgethatthisknifehadablade

nine-and-a-half to ten inches in lengthwith a clippoint. Itwas this knife thatBowieusedinthefightdescribedabove.Unfortunately,manyofthefinerdetailsofthedesignremainamysteryandareasubjectofsomedisputeamongscholars.BlackkepthismethodssecretandwentsofarastoworkbehindaleathercurtainwhenhewasforgingandtemperinghisBowieknives.Thereweremanyrumors,including one that Black used ore from a meteorite to create his seeminglymagical knives. Was it his secret method of forging that gave the Bowie itsextraordinaryabilities,thesecretinthedesign,oracombinationofallaspectsofmake?

RussAndrewsBowiewitharandompatternnine-inchDamascusblademadeof1084and15N20steels,twobartwistDamascusguardandferrule,Missouriblackwalnuthandle,andasheathbythemaker,whichwashandstitchedwithasnakeskininsertandDamascusfrogbutton©SharpbyCoop.com.

RussAndrewsBowiewithaten-inchbladeofW2steel,416SSmounts,fossilizedwalrusivoryhandle,andasheathbythemakerwithasharkskininsert©SharpbyCoop.com.

WayneGoddardScagel-styleBowiewithaneleven-inchforgedbladeof5160,mustardfinish,bronzeguard,desertironwood,anddeerantlerhandle©WayneGoddard.

AccordingtosomestatementsattemptingtodescribethequalitiesofaBowieknife,itwassaidthataBowiehadtochoplikeax,piercelikedagger,andcutlikea razor. But accounts differwhen it comes to actual specifications beyond thebasicsofbladelengthandstyle.

ColdSteelLaredoBowie.

The advent of affordable, reliable, repeating firearms, in particular Coltrevolvers, signaled the beginning of end for the edged weapon’s importance.Althoughmany continued to carry Bowie knives as backupweapons, and theBowieandother largeknivescontinuedtobe importantas tools,overthenextfew decades the Bowie faded from common usage. The once famous andfearsomeBowieevenbecameanobjectofsomederisionduetoluriddimenovelsand drugstore cowboys who carried Bowies and pretended prowess andexperiencetheydidnotpossess.

AbeautifullyexecutedMaceVitaleCoffin-handleBowie.

MaceVitaleCoffin-handleBowie.Thebladeiseleven-and-a-halfinchesandthespineisone-fourthofaninchattheguardforatotallengththatisabitmorethanseventeeninches.Thebladesteelis1095heattreatedwithclay,fittingsarewroughtironwithacurlymaplehandle,andanickel-silverpin.

Inrecenttimes,theBowiehasenjoyedaresurgencepartiallyduetotheefforts

ofBillBagwell,acontroversialbladesmithwhowroteprolificallyabouttheBowieand advocated its use as the ultimate fighting knife, while also promoting itsprimacyasautilitytool.BagwellalsoclaimedtohavedefinedthecharacteristicsthatmadetheBowieanexceptionalweapon.AlthoughBagwelldidnotclaimtohavedeterminedwhatsteelBlackusedordetailsofhisheattreatandforging,hedid state that he had determined certain characteristics that made for anexceptional knife. In addition to the general specifications, they are: apronounced distal taper, which provided balance, speed, and power; a convexprofile andedge,whichgave theBowie its cuttingability; adifferential temperwith a soft back and hard edge, which also contributed to cutting ability but,moreimportantly,madeforatoughbladeabletowithstandshockandflex;andasharpenedclip,whichallowedthebackcut,adecisivemovetakenfromsaberfencing.

IsBagwellcorrect?DidtheoriginalBowieasforgedbyJamesBlackhavethesefeatures?Ihavenoidea.WhatIdoknowfromusingBagwell’sBowiesisthattheBowiescraftedbyBagwelloutperform,incertaincriticalways,anyotherknifeinitssizerangethatIhaveused.

OntarioKnifeCo.BagwellBowie,called“TheGambler”.

Some years ago, in addition to Bagwell Bowies I owned Bowies from seven

ABSMastersmithsandadozenorsofromstockremovalmakers.Allweremadeaccordingtosimilarspecificationsasabove,althougheachdifferedconsiderablyinactualexecutionandthe individualcraftsman’s interpretation. I,andothers,usedthemforalltheusualoutdoorfunctions,aswellastryingthemoutinthekitchen and cutting carpet, softwood, hardwood, and rope. All were excellentknives and exceptionally efficient wilderness tools. Some of them surpassedeighteen-inchmachetesandsmallhatchetsinwoodcutting.Mostwereagileanduseful for precise tasks—altogether a surprising collection of abilities from arelatively short blade. If I had to choose one knife, and only one knife, forwildernessuse,itmightwellbeahand-forgedBowiefromanABSMastersmith.

J.W.RandallBowiewithabluegiraffebonehandle©TammyT.Randall.

J.W.RandallHistoricalBowie©TammyT.Randall.

J.W.RandallRadialBowie©TammyT.Randall.

I also evaluated all of these Bowies asweapons. In addition tomy personalevaluation,Ibroughtthemtoawell-regardedEskrimamasterforhisreviewandto others in martial arts with combat experience. Our evaluations includedcutting tests in appropriate materials, training exercises, and mano a manomatcheswiththeedgestaped.Ononeoccasion,Ihostedasmallgroupofknife

usersatmyhomeandconductedablindtestingofallmyBowies.Themaker’smarksweretapedoversotheycouldn’tbeidentified.Aconsensusemergedfromall this testing and evaluation.Theoverall balance and sensibility thatBagwellgets in his knives reflect an exceptional understanding of the uses of edgedweapons.Fordailytasks,Bagwell’sBowieswereinthetopfourineveryinstance,but they were not superior to others from the ABS Mastersmiths in generalcuttingtasks.However,weagreedthatnoneofushadeverusedabetterversionoftheBowieasaweaponthanthosefromBagwell’sforge.Theywereagileandlight.Thatspeed,alongwiththeirother features,combinedtocreateaweaponthatwasdevastating intherighthands. JamesBlackmaywellhavepossessedasecret forge and steel that added to the reputation of his knives—a secret thatremains undiscovered. But possibly Bill Bagwell discovered some of his othersecrets.

Today you can obtain excellent Bowies from any ABS member. WhetherJourneyman or Master, any ABS knifesmith can run you up a hand-forged,differential tempered,distal tapered,convexedgedBowiethatwillsurpriseyouwith its performance. Many Knifemakers’ Guild members also custom craftexcellentBowies,someofthemtosimilarspecifications.

DanielWinklerCowboyBowie,forgedwithanine-inch5160blade,overalllengthoffourteeninches,andelkantlerhandle©PointSevenStudios.

WayneGoddard,anABSMastersmith,hastoldmethathecancreateastockremovalBowieor anyotherblade, thatwill equal theperformanceof a forgedblade.OvertheyearsIhavelearnedtoneverdoubtWayneonknives.Therearealmost certainly other makers out there who can do the same. Many stockremoval makers also get excellent results and provide Bowies of exceptionalquality. Many manufacturers today provide excellent factory versions of theclassicBowie,notablyColdSteel.Unfortunately,theOntarioKnifeCompanyhasdiscontinuedproductionofitsexcellentinterpretationsofBagwellBowies.

Thebasicdesignpersistsandhasbecomethebasisforhundredsofderivativedesignsinsizesrangingfromarelativelyshortsixinchesuptotwelveinches.ItcanbearguedthatalmostanyclippointtodayhasderivedfromtheBowie.TheKA-BARofWorldWarIIfamewasbasedontheBowie,aswerethemethodsoffightingwith it,whichwerebasedon saber technique andare still used today.ThefamousRandallModelOneandModel14and115arealsoBowiepatterns.

The romance also persists. The Bowie has appeared in countless novels,includingTheDifferenceEngine byWilliamGibson and Bruce Sterling and inThe Jaguar’sHeart, a novel by the author. There was even amovie,The IronMistress,basedonanovelaboutJamesBowie’slife.

Therearemanywhosayyoucangetbywithalittleknife,andthat’strue.Butyoucan’tgowrongwithagoodBowie,whichisperhapsthefinesttacticalfixedbladeeverdesigned.

HawthornePCBladewitha1084&15N20ladderpattern,AmboynaburlhandlesuppliedbyclientStevenGarsson,416SSmounts,andasheathbyPaulLong©BuddyThomason.

T

Chapter5

WorldWarIandWorldWarII

herewaslittledevelopmentintacticalknivesintheUnitedStatesbetweenthemid-nineteenthcenturyand theAmericanentry intoWorldWar I in1917.

Thisperiodsawrapiddevelopmentinrepeatingfirearms,frommachinegunsonthebattlefieldtovestpocketrevolversandautomaticpistolsavailabletocivilians.Theobviousadvantagesofreliable,repeatingfirearmsrenderededgedweaponsallbutobsolete,exceptforthosewholackedaccesstofirearms.

The development of tactical knives during World War I was virtuallynonexistent; there was simply no need. The “war to end all wars” was one ofstatic, set battlefields and fixed lines with little movement and few unitsoperatingoutsideofnormalsupplychannels.Althoughavarietyoftrenchkniveswere issued and used in hand-to-hand combat, trench knives were essentiallydaggersandintendedasweaponswithnoutilityfunction.

Unfortunately,WorldWarIdidnotendwaratallandinsteadsetthestageforWorldWarII.WorldWarIIwasworse thananythingpoliticiansandgeneralscouldhadprojected—awaroncivilianswithdeathcamps,thebombingofcities,and unimaginable horrors. World War II, significantly, was one of swiftlychanging battlefields and fire-and-maneuver battle tactics. In the past,infantrymenwereinclosecontactwithalongsupplychain,ortail,andwarwasfoughtaccordingtolinesofenemyorfriendlyoccupation.InWorldWarII,thiswasoftenno longer the case. Inmany theatersofoperation, supply lineswerebroken and troops ran out of ammunition, and as a last resort they turned toknivesandentrenchingtoolstocombatenemysoldiers.

WorldWarIIwasalsoawarofpartisansandguerillas,thusnewtypesofunitsweredevelopedanddeployed.Paratroopersweredroppedbehindenemy lines,began their fight surrounded by the enemy, and had to rely on whateverresources they jumpedwith or could forage.ModeledonRogers’Rangers andthe British SpecialAir Service and Special Boat Service,Darby’s Rangerswereformed and carried out lightning strikes in Europe without the benefit ofartillery, air support, or resupply. Marine Raiders attacked Pacific islands insmallunits.TheprecursortotheCIA,theOfficeofStrategicServices(OSS),was

formed and infiltrated teams into enemy-held territory.Many of these troopsand operatives needed specialized knives, including the clandestine and covertunits.The tacticalknifenowbecame importantand the subjectofmuchstudyanddevelopment.

What few may realize is that knives, bayonets, and their aggressive use byAmericansoldiersproveddecisive,notonlyinindividualencounters,butalsoinanumberof fiercely fought battles, such as the ranger attackonElGuettar inNorth Africa and the night combat jump into Sicily by the 505th ParachuteInfantryRegimentofthe82ndAirborne.DuringtheAlliedinvasionofSicily,thenightthe82ndtroopersjumpedinbecameaseriesofsmallunitandindividualhand-to-handengagements inwhichknivesandgrenades,whichwouldn’tgiveaway positions and draw return fire,were used to devastating effect. Thiswasalso true of battles at Anzio, during which troopers of the 504th ParachuteRegimentofthe82ndwerecalled“devilsinbaggypants”byaGermanofficerfortheir aggressiveness and readiness to engage inhand-to-hand combatwith theblade.Both theparatroopersandrangersusedFairbairn–Sykesdaggers,WorldWar I trenchknives, other speciallydesigned fightingknives, andRandalls. InthePacificTheatre,theKA-BARusedbyUSMarinesandsoldierswhocouldgetthem,becamefamous.Basedonitspopularitywiththetroopsanditswidespreadfame,theKA-BARwasinmanywaysthetacticalknifeofWorldWarII.Infact,theKA-BAR’sinfluenceandwidespreadusecarriedoverintotheColdWarera.

It was not only soldiers andmarines who needed knives. Covert operators,such as the SAS (British Special Air Service), needed knives as well. TheFairbairn–SykeswasmuchfavoredbytheSAS.Clandestineagents,includingtheOSS,usedvariousspecializedknives,suchaslapelandsleevedaggers,inadditionto their Fairbairn–Sykes and a wide range of personal knives. ThesedevelopmentsduringthefirsttwoWorldWarsformedthefoundationforwhatfollowed.

KA-BARUSMCFightingandUtilityKnife.

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Chapter6

TheColdWarandVietnamEra

he nature of the ColdWarwas determined by the desire of both East andWest to avoid nuclear war. The concept of mutually assured destruction

(MAD) helped to prevent a nuclear war and at the same time promote smallscale brush wars and wars between client states of the United States and itsenemies.TheVietnamWargrewtobecomethelargestandmostwell-knownofthese conflicts. The Cuban Missile Crisis was only the tip of the proverbialiceberg in the Caribbean Basin and Latin America, where guerrilla warfare,urban and rural covert conflicts, and revolutions raged all across the southerncontinent, as well as in Central America and Mexico. Cuban guerillas evendeployedtoAfrica toraiseCommunist-ledrevolutions.Thereweresmallwars,secretwars,andundeclaredconflictsoneverycontinent.Revolutionwasintheaireverywhere.

ItbecamecleartoUSleadersthatunconventionalwarfarewouldbethemosteffective method of engaging a dispersed and elusive enemy. New units wereformed,themostfamousofwhichweretheUSArmySpecialForces,popularlyknownastheGreenBerets.Asanaside,aGreenBeretisahat,notaperson.SFsoldierswere,atthattime,commonlyknownasSneakyPetesorSnakeEatersinthemilitarycommunity.TheNavySEALswerealsoformedduringthisperiod,drawingontheold frogmanconcepts fromWorldWarIIandexpandingtheirrole.

Duringallthischangeanddevelopment,itwasfound,sometimesfromtragicexperience, that the individual SF soldier had a high likelihood of beingseparatedfromhisunitinenemyterritory.Thenatureofmanyoftheirmissionsrequiredthemtooperateforextendedperiodsinsmallgroupswithnosupportorcontactwith their supplychain.Covertandclandestineagentsoroperators,whowere sometimes recruited from themilitary, workedwithout the kind ofcommunicationsandbackupavailabletodayandwereforthemostpartontheirown.Thenewunitsandagents,oroperators,needednewequipmentandknives.

Therefore,thecombinationfightingandsurvivalknifeconceptbegantoloomlarge.InWorldWarII,asurvivalknifewasseenasatoolforadownedaviator.A

goodexampleofthisisthePilot’sSurvivalKnife,afive-inchbladedsturdypieceofsteelwithastackedleatherhandleandasharpeningstoneinthesheath;itisstillinproductionandmakesagoodtraveler’sorsurvivor’sknife.TheKA-BAR,similar in construction but with a seven-inch blade, was viewed as a fightingknife,althoughitwasalsousedasanall-aroundutilityknife.

Theideaofthesurvivalknife,orthemoderntacticalknife,thatemergedinthesixties was a relatively compact package in which the SF soldier, and certainothers,wouldhave a tool andweaponallowing them to rip theirwayoutof adowned helicopter, build shelters, make primitive food-getting tools (such astraps, bows, spears, etc), and serve as a silent weapon. The knife had to bereasonably compact, or it would not be carried at all times. Troops, SpecialForces or not,will discard anything that’s not useful, especially if traveling onfoot. It had to have day-to-day utility for the same reason. Specialized edgedweaponswereseldomusedandoftendiscarded.Ithadtobesturdy.Ithadtobemaintainableunderfieldconditions.

Then,asnow,topbrassandthemilitarysupplychaingave littleattentiontoknives for the troops; battleswere not foughtwith edgedweapons and hadn’tbeen for more than a century—with certain exceptions, some of which arementionedinotherchapters.Thispointofviewfailedtotakeintoconsiderationthat individual soldiers are not as concerned about the big picture as they aretheir own survival. Every combat soldier or clandestine agent can visualize ahand-to-handfighttothedeathwhereinanedgedweaponmightwellsavehisorher life. They aren’t wrong to do so. Even in today’s high-tech warfare, withbatteriesforvariouselectronicdevicesweighingdownrucksacksandradiosthatcancall inallmannerofdestructionfromtheair,bladescananddosavelives.There aremany stories today and in the recent past of hand-to-hand combatwithnakedblades.

KA-BARwithaleathersheath.

As always sinceWorldWar II, theMarines had theirKA-BARs. TheArmyonly had bayonets, which were poor substitutes for field knives, even if thedecisionmakersatthePentagonthoughtotherwise.Theissuebayonetswereofsoftsteelthatwasmadetowithstandimpact,nottokeepanedge,thustheywerevirtually useless as utility knives.Quite a few soldiers got their hands onKA-BARs, and thatwas fine, as far as itwent. But it didn’t go far enough for theneeds of some of the new soldiers.What was a paratrooper, a Sneaky Pete, acovertoperator,orclandestineagenttodo?Weboughtourownknives.

IwasatSmokeBombHill,thehomeofSpecialForces,intheearlysixtiesandlaterinthefieldwhentheserequirementswerebeingdefined.Iservedwiththe7thSpecialForcesGroupandthe82ndAirborneDivisionandwasalsoengagedinnonuniformedservice.Inmanyways,mypersonalexperiencesmirroredthoseofothersinthecommunityandperhapscanhelpexplainthedevelopmentthatwentonduringthatperiodoftacticalknifedevelopment.

Inourgroup,weboughtvirtuallyeverycommercialknifeavailable.Almostallfell short in one way or another. We learned that there was nothingcommercially manufactured that met all our needs in one package. Machetes

were awesomely destructive weapons and terrific tools for the tropics but toolarge tocarryatall times.TheScandinavianknivesweregoodcuttersbutwithtoo little strength, and they lacked handguards or grips that allowed handindexing, at least one of which is needed if the knife is to be relied on as aweapon.

TheKA-BARwasagoodall-aroundutilityknifeand,asmanyWorldWarII–eraMarinestestified,areliablelast-ditchweapon.TheremusthavebeenfifteenortwentyKA-BARsfloatingaroundmysmallunit.Somewerequitestrongandworkedjustfine.Unfortunately,othersbenteasily,andquiteafewbrokeatthetangblade intersection.Also, the tipsbrokeofforbentonquitea fewof them.ManyoftheKA-BARsinuseatthattimewereofWorldWarIIvintage,andIsuspect the problemswe experiencedwere partially due to how theKA-BARshadbeenmanufacturedbymanydifferentcompaniesandqualitycontrolvariedduringwartime.Oritcouldhavebeenduetothekindoftestingwedidonourknives. In any event, some of us went off to war with KA-BARs, and I neverheard about any of our customers complaining about being rendered hors decombatbyaKA-BAR.Butmanyofuswerelookingforsomethingmore.

I

Chapter7

KnifeTestingandTrainingatSmokeBombHill

havenoideawhat, ifany,knifetestingwasdoneinWorldWarII.Butintheearly sixties we put our knives through a wide range of what many would

considerextremefieldtests—thekindofthingsIhaveheardmanyknifemakerscriticize as unrealistic, inappropriate, and abusive uses of a knife. I view thosecommentsasuninformedandcoming frompeoplewhohavenoexperienceofarmedconflictorharshfieldconditionsorfromthosewhodonotwishtostandbehind their knives as advertised. Such comments are valid only if themakeradvertiseshisorherknivestobeusedsolelyfordressinggame,kitchenuse,orascollector’sitems.Anyknifebilledascombatknifeorsurvivalknifeshouldbearupundersevereuse.Otherwiseitisn’tworththeweightofcarryingit.Worse,aknifethatfailswhenyouneeditmightcostyouyourlife.Atthattimeandplace,wewantedkniveswecouldrelyupon.Wewantedknivesforextremesituationsbecausesometimesourliveswereprettydamnextreme.

Someofthetestingweengagedinanda littlebitofthetrainingisdescribedbelow. I am NOT advising anyone to do these tests. In fact, DO NOT DOTHESETHINGS.Ifyoudo,it’syourresponsibility,notmine.Someofthegnarlyoldvetsgotagoodlaughoutofourhijinks.Wewereyoung,extremelyphysicallyfit,loadedwithtestosterone,andsoontoputourlivesatrisk.Thiscombinationmakesforguyswhocanbe...well,alittlerecklessandhigh-spirited.Maybeyouwere thinkingof theQuietProfessionals, as SpecialForces soldiers came tobecalled?Thatcamelater,asdidmuchelse,includingthelossofsomehighspiritsandtheproofofthevalueofourtestingandpracticewiththeknife.

IREPEAT:DONOTDOTHESETHINGS.One of our favorite tests was to take a knife in each hand and leap into a

vigorousairbornepushup,thekindwherebothfeetleavethegroundandyoudoahandstand,landingonthetipsofthebladeswithsolesofyourbootsfacingthe

sky,sortoflikejumpingoveralargeimaginarybarrelbladesfirst.Oftenwedidthis with only one knife, landing in the position for a one-handed push up.Mostly we did this in the dirt, on wooden walkways, or on blacktop streets.Occasionallywe tried it on concrete sidewalks, although this,more often thannot, produced a broken blade or tip. In our small group, anyone at any timecould yell, “Hit it!”—an ingrained jump school command—and everyone wasexpectedtohititandlandwiththeirknife,orknives,pointfirst.

Another favorite was to run full speed and tackle a tree—knife first.Sometimesweusedaknifeineachhand,butmoreoftenweusedonlyoneknife.Wedidthisbothwithareversegripforanoverhandstabandaforwardgrip,asinathrust,albeitaflyingthrust.Thefullimpactofourbodiestravelingatspeedconcentrated a terrific amount of force on the tip of the blade. Think of alinebacker hitting the ball carrier as hard as he can.Only in our case, the ballcarrierwasanimmovabletree,andwehitwiththepointofourknives,notourshoulders.

Theseactivitiesmostoftentookplaceatnight—occasionallywhenwe’dhadadrink or three and spirits were running high. I am informed that today’s SFsoldiersareallquietprofessionalswhoneverdrinkorgetoutofhand.Bethatasit may, we were a rowdy bunch and often raised three kinds of hell betweensunset and sunrise. Anyway, the idea behind these tests was that the impactwould be similar to that of a hard thrust into an opponent’s chest, maybethrough web gear containing loaded magazines, and would serve as goodtraining.Or something like that.We broke a lot of knives, got some cuts andbruises,andlearnedwhichkniveswouldabsorbthistreatmentwithoutbreakingandhowtoexecutepowerfulthrusts.

We also used knives in Escape and Evasion practice to rip out the mortarbetweentheblocksincementblockandbrickwallsusingthebackofthetiptoremove the blocks or bricks and escape the room.We jimmied open variouskinds of locked doors and went to the junkyard to cut through trunk lids ofabandonedcars—fromtheinside—eachofustakingaturnwiththeotherguysoutsidethejunkedcaryellingencouragement,takingbetsontime,andholdingthelidclosed.Wequicklylearnedthatnomatterhowgoodtheknife,ittookalotofmuscletocutthroughacar,thatautobodiesaretough,andthatitwasmoreefficient to jimmyopen the lock.Ofcourseweknewwecouldsimplykickouttherearseatfromthetruck.Buttheideawastosimulatebeingtakenprisoner.Wewantedtotryalloptions.Wedidthesamethingwithjunkedrefrigerators.Wedroveknivesintotreesandstoodonthem.Wepoundedthembetweenrocks

onthesidesofcliffstoserveasemergencypitons.Oneofmy friends, a little guybut very strong,whohadbeen a gymnast in

school was able to climb the side of a wooden barracks using two knives asclimbingdevices.Hewouldstabone into thewallandsupporthimselfon thatone, then stab the other higher up and pull himself up to it. He repeated theprocessuntilhereached theroofofouroldwoodenbarracksbuildings,all thetimelookingstylish,asifhewereinagymnasticscompetition.Afewothersnotsogracefullymanagedtofollowourgymnastupthesidesofwoodenbuildings,thenbrickbuildings,bywedgingbladetipsintothespacebetweenbrickstoserveasclimbingaids.

The whole thing turned into a game. Many of us carried our knives at alltimes,evenoffduty,andtookeveryopportunitytofindnewwaystostressthem.Stabbing a blade into any available surface and doing pull-ups on it was aneverydaypastime.We’retalkingfixedbladeshere.Nooneeverconsidereddoingany of these thingswith the folders of that time.Wemight have been a littlecrazy,butweweren’tstupid.Well,notthatstupid.

Wealsothrewourknives.Yeah,Iknow.You’reneversupposedtothrowyourknife.Wedidanyway.Youmightalsoifyouthoughtyoumighteverneedtodosoduringahostileencounter.Wethrewknivesattrees,walls,scrapsheetmetal,and junked auto bodies—anythingwe couldmake them stick into. Sometimeswhenspiritswererunninghighwethrewthemateachotherinakindofdodge-emgame.Thenonebrightladgottheideaofusinghandheldboardsastargets.Thatwas fun.Wethrewkniveswhilesittingonourbunks, sittingcross-leggedon the ground, and lying on our backs or sides. We threw from standingpositionsandwhilerunning,fromsomersaults,bodyrolls,andPLFs(parachutelanding falls)—daytime,nighttime, itwasall the same tous.Wealsopracticeddiving over obstacles, rolling right into a full thrust or a series of slashes. Ofcoursewedidasimilarkindoftrainingwithhandguns,butthat’sanotherstory.

Littleofthiswaspartofthestandardtrainingprogram,whichatthattimewasstillintheprocessofevolving.Mostofitwasdoneonourowntime.Wefigureditwasagoodideatoinvestoursparetimeinwhatmightturnouttobesurvivalskills.We got some encouragement in this pastime and our other kniferelatedactivitiesfromasurprisingsource.

Duringthisperiodtherewasagoodbitofsemiformaltrainingconductedbyvariousexperts.Forexample,myfirstinstructioninknifefightingcamefromaformer member of the Hungarian National Fencing Team. There was anafternoon class and a night class for the three or four of us who were more

dedicated.Weusedmetaltentstakesforourfullspeed,fullpowersparringandcollected many scrapes and bruises. We also learned caution and developedexcellentreflexeswhenwelaterusedlivesteelblades.

A fewof theoldhandswhowereoriginally fromHungaryorotherEasternEuropeancountriesandhadescapedfromtheSovietBlockencouragedusinourefforts.SomeofthemhadbeenHungarianFreedomFighterswhohadattackedRussiantankswithbottlesofflaminggasolineonthestreetsofBudapest.Othershad fought in various wars and revolts. One old fellow—he must have beenalmost forty years old, which was ancient to me at that time—told me theRussianshada topsecretunit theycalledSpetsnaz thatwassomething likeSF,and they did everythingwewere doing andmore in their trainingwith heavyemphasisonunarmedcombatandcombatwithedgedweapons.HetoldacoupleofussomegraphictalesofSpetsnazactivitiesandencouragedustogetasmuchtraining in these things as we possibly could. Considering that there was anexcellent chance of our facing the Spetsnaz in combat, we were inspired andmotivatedtodoexactlythat.

Theknivesweusedwere frommanymakers,but fewstoodout inanyway.Buckknivesofthateraweretemperedhardandoutstandingatholdinganedge.However, thatedgeholdingcamewithahighprice; thebladeswerebrittleandbrokewith little lateralpressure.Theability to take akeenedge isparamount,butholdingthatedgewasnotasimportanttousasstrength.Wecouldsharpenourknives,butabrokenbladewasadisaster.

RandallwithaSFBeret.

Lateron—inthelatesixties,asIrecall—Gerbergotahorseintheracewithitswasp-waisted dagger. It wasmodeled on the Fairbairn–Sykes dagger, a killingknifenotautilityor survivalknife.Therewerea fairnumberofdouble-edgeddaggers around during the early sixties, some from various Europeanmakers,others unmarked. In general, double-edged daggers had few takers amongmyfriendsandacquaintances,exceptthosewhowereimpressedbythelooksofoneorhadaneedforasingle-purposeknife.Therewerethosewhofavoreddaggersfor“nightvisits”andsomewhocarrieddaggersinadditiontotheirutilityknives,reasoningthatitwasbettertosaveoneknifeforactualhand-to-handusetokeepits edges razor sharpanduntouched.Aswell as the currentproductionknives(or replicas—I’mnot surewhich), therewerea feworiginalWorldWar II–eraFairbairn–SykesandV44daggers inGroup,but thosewere inthehandsof theoldervets.

Somespokewellofthedaggerasakillingweapon,othersdidnot.IknewoneoldervetwhoalwayskeptaFairbairn–Sykescloseathandinuniformorcivilianclothing, on or off duty. Another World War II vet told a story about aFairbairn–Sykesthat“brokeoffinaNazi,”andhethoughttheyweretotaljunk.

ItismyunderstandingthatwartimeproductionoftheFairbairn–Sykes,likethatof theKA-BAR,variedagreatdeal. StillotherFairbairn–Sykeswere treatedaslegacyitemsor,consideringthatsomeofthemhadbeenbloodiedincombat,asreveredrelics.

The general run of commercial hunting knives failed in one respect oranother.Almost all of thembroke easily, and somewouldn’t even takeagoodedge, letalonehold it.Manyof thedesignshadupswept trailingpoints,whichlimited their utility. The stainless steel of that time was, for the most part,miserablestuffthatwashardlyabletotakeadecentedgeandusefulmainlyforgettingabrilliantshineonabladetoimpresstheconsumerandpreventingrustinahouseholddishwasher.Plaincarbonsteelkitchenknivesprovidedall-aroundbetterservicethanmostso-calledhuntingknivesoftheperiod,atleastthosewegotourhandson.Butkitchenkniveswerenotstrongenoughforourpurposes.

D

Chapter8

RandallKnivesatSmokeBombHill

uringthisperiodofrelentlesstesting,theknivesfromtheW.D.Randallshopemergedastheknives.Randallknivesweremadeinasemicustomshopwith

afewhighlyskilledworkersthatwasoperatedbyoneman,W.D.“Bo”Randall.Inadditiontoourpersonalexperience,Randall’skniveswerewell-knowninthecommunityandhadgainedacclaimduringWorldWarII.Storiesabouthand-to-handfightsfromWorldWarIIandmorerecentactionshadbecamepartofunit verbal history and were passed down to my generation, often firsthand.Therefore,theneedforareliablecombatknifewaswellunderstoodbythoseofuswhopaidattentiontotheveterans,whichImadeapointofdoing.

Further, during the run up to the Vietnam War, there were many smallactionswhereinknivesweredecisive.Thereportsfromthefield—LatinAmericaand South East Asia mostly—were unequivocally in support of the Randalls.VirtuallyeveryexperiencedNCO(noncommissionedofficer, i.e.,a sergeant)atSmoke Bomb Hill carried a leather-sheathed Randall on his belt, not on hisequipment harness, so the knife would stay with him if he became separatedfromhisgear.

AyoungsoldierhadtocutdeepintohisbeermoneytosaveupforaRandall,whichwasaconsiderablehardship.AModel1waspricedatthirty-sixdollars,aprincely sum when commercial hunting knives were available for five bucks.Jumppaywas only fifty-five dollars amonth, thus paying for aRandallwas astretch.WhenIwasstillintraining,morethanoneveterantoldme,“YoubettergetyourselfaRandall.”Idid,andIneverregrettedit.

The Model 14 Attack was a popular choice. With its 7.5-inch Bowie-styleblade, overall sturdy construction, andwell-thought-out design, it was a knifeuser’s knife. So too was the Model 1 All-Purpose Fighting Knife, a slimmerBowie-stylebladewithathinnertangandantecedentsgoingbacktoWorldWarII.TheModel1moreorlessembodiedtheentireconceptofatacticalknifeinitsname.Itwasanall-purposeknifeandafightingknife.TheRandallswereforgedofquarter-inchtoolsteelorwell-temperedstainless.AlthoughRandall’sstainlesswasacceptedbymany,theonlybrokenRandallIeversawwasmadeofstainless.

Due to the high demand during this period, Randall had contractedwith afirminSolingen,Germany,tomakeblades,manyofwhichwerestainless.Thesebladeswere then fittedoutat theRandall shop inFlorida.TheSolingenbladeswereclearlymarked,butafterall theseyears Ihaveno recollectionofwhetherthebrokenRandallwasoneofthosewithaSolingenblade.Inanyevent,IhavechosenonlytoolsteelbladesformyRandallsandhaveneverbeendisappointed.

BothRandallswere used formaking shelters, traps, bows, spears, and otherprimitiveweaponsand tools and in training forknife fightingandkillingwiththeknife.Inthiscombinationofusetheyhadnoequals.TheModel14,withitsthick, full tang construction, was the stronger of the two, easily capable ofslashingthroughhelicopterskinorrippingaman-sizedholethroughabarrackswallinfewerthantenminutes,asacertainfellowdemonstratedonenightafterasufficiencyofwhiskeyduringadiscussionofEscapeandEvasionmethods.Wedidn’tmanagetobreakaModel1either,butnotforwantofeffort.

TheCubanConnectionA guy I used to know well, let’s call him Jesse, carried a modified Randall

Model 1 concealed under his shirt while he was in civilian service. He wasassigned a mission during the United States intervention in the DominicanRepublic.TheUSMarinesand82ndAirbornehadlanded.Therewerefirefightsinprogress, andSpecialForcesunitswere in the country for variousmissions,butmostoftheislandatthattimewasrelativelyfreeofarmedconflict.

Jesse had recently been discharged from themilitary and had taken servicewith a civilianorganization closely related to themilitary.His first assignmentwas a solo mission to circulate in waterfront and beach areas and “acquireactionableintelligence”aboutthepossiblepresenceofCubanprovocateurswhowerethoughttobebehind,ortakingadvantageof,theattemptedcoupandcivilunrestthathadsparkedtheUSinvasion.TherewaseventhepossibilitythatthefamousCubanrevolutionaryCheGuevaramightbeontheisland.

The young ex-paratrooperwas given a fishing rod and some fishing gear aspartofhiscoverasadeepseafishermanwhowaslookingforacheapchartertotake out in search ofmarlin.His superior decided that Jesse’s 9mmBrowningautomaticcouldn’tbeadequatelyconcealedundertropicalcivilianclothing,wasinconsistentwithhiscover,andhe“wouldn’trunintoanytroubleanyway.”

JessehitthewaterfrontarmedonlywithacutdownRandallModel1inaclip

sheathunderhisHawaiianshirt,acollectionoflargefishhooks,aroughworkingknowledgeof Spanish, andknowingnothingwhatsoever aboutmarlinordeepseafishing.Hewasuncertainofhisbestapproach.Shouldhejustgointoabarandask,“DóndeestáChe?”

What?YouthoughtallclandestineagentsareequippedandtrainedlikeJamesBond and those shadowy government agencies and intelligence services areruthlesslyefficient?We’retalkinggovernmentagencieshere,folks.ThinkSocialSecurityAdministration,DMV,orIRS.

Tomakealongstoryshort,theyoungagentranafoulofsomebadguysinawaterfront bar. Therewere four of them.He didn’t know if theywere CubanCommunists,Dominicanrebels,orrun-of-the-millbarflies.Hetriedtalkinghiswayoutofthesituationbutgotnowherewithhisfishstories.Theytaggedhimasagringospy.Theyhadguns.Hedidnot,whichmighthavesavedhislife.

Theshootingstartedinthebarroom,andJesseranupthestairstoroomsonthe second floorwhere ladiesof the eveningplied their trade.Onhisway toawindow,outofwhichheplannedtojump,heencounteredthreemoremen.Onethem pulled a revolver from his waistband, and another one reached forsomethinginhispants,whichcouldhavebeenanything,ornothing.Thethirdonewasbehindthefirsttwo,andJessecouldn’tseeifhewasarmed.

Inasplitsecond,Jessedecidedtodowhatallparatroopersaretrainedtodo.Heattacked.HegothisRandallinhandandmanagedtoslashawaythroughthethree men and to the window, where he did another thing paratroopers aretrained todo—he jumped.Againdrawingonhis training, he executed a goodPLF (parachute landing fall) and ran. Paratroopers, even ex-paratroopers, arereally good at running. He ran for about two hours, losing his pursuers andeventually returning to report to his superior, “There might be some Cubanshere.”

TheRandallswereuniqueintheirday.Thedesignswerealmostperfect.Forgedof tool steel and tempered fairly soft, theywerevirtuallyunbreakable.The softtemper required them to be sharpened more often than the Bucks and otherkniveswithahardertemper.Butthatwasnoproblembecausetheywereeasytosharpen with a small stone, even under field conditions. The Randalls hit thesweet spot—light and compact enough to carry at all times, strong enough towithstandextremeuse,capableoftakingarazoredge,andhighlyfunctionalasautilityknifeorakillingweapon.Wedidn’tcall themtacticalknives,aswehad

neverheardtheterm,butthat’swhattheywere.Thisnexusofneedstilldefinesthefixedbladetacticalknifeoftoday.

Onethingthatbecamecrystalclearandremains true today is this: ifaknifewasnotusefulforeverydaytasks,oddswereitwouldbeleftinthebarrackswhenon amission or field training. I sawmanymore Fairbairn–Sykes daggers thatlived in footlockers than were used, although one man, who had used his incombat,wouldn’tleavethebarrackswithoutit.Also,nomatterifyoucoulduseitasapitonorawreckingbar,ifitwastoobigorheavy,itgotleftbehind.Eventhen, soldierswere burdenedwithmassive amounts of ammunition,weapons,radios,rations,water,andpersonalitems.

A

Chapter9

KnivesoftheSixties,TacticalandNotSoTactical

t that time, foldingknives alsomattered.Almost everyonehadoneor two,buttheywerenotseenasbeingmissioncriticallikethefixedblade.Therewas

anArmy-issueSchradeswitchbladethathadbeeninusesinceWorldWarII,buttheywereinshortsupplyandnonewrequisitionswerebeingmade.TheSchradehad the virtue of opening with one hand, which was vital for a paratrooperentangledinhislinesandequallysoforcountlessotheruses,butitwasnotverystrongandsawlittleuseasautilityknife.Also,itwaskindoffiddlytooperateinthat the bladewould close if you didn’t at once remove your thumb from thebutton after pressing it, which was hardly something anyone wanted to foolaroundwithwhileunderpressure.Butitwaswhatwehad,soweusedit.

I carried mine secured by a lanyard in my left flapped and buttoned shirtpocket,whereIcouldreachitwitheitherhandwhileriggedinfulljumpgear.Ialso found the BlackCat folder, one of the first, if not the first, front-lockinglockbacks. Made by Linder in Germany, the Black Cat was inexpensive (dirtcheap,really),haddecentsteelintheblade,andwasreasonablystrongandthin.Withalittlepractice,Icouldopenitwithonehand,rightorleft.IhadflatslipsheathessewnintothetopsofmyCorcoranjumpbootsandcarriedoneineachboot,reasoningthatifIweretobreakonearmin,say,abadtreelanding,Icouldreach the other one with my good arm. I also had slip sheaths for the samepurposesewnintomyjunglebootswhenweswitchedovertothem.

Afixedbladebootknifewouldhavebeenabetterchoiceintermsoffunctionandstrength.Butthesefoldersfitflushwithmyboottopandwerethereforenotsubjecttogettingtangledinlinesduringajump,andtheyweresothinandlightastobeunnoticeableinaboot,pocket,sock,oralmostanywhereelse.Besides,IhadmyRandallifIneededafixedblade.

WiththeSchrade,Inowhadthreesmallfolders,noneofwhichweighedmorethan a couple of ounces, and all of themwere close at handwhen I exited anaircraftinflight.IalsohadaRandallModel1onmybelt,relativelyinaccessible

underaparachuteharnessbuteasilyreachableafterIlandedandshuckedoffmyparachute. Other guys inmymilitary units and in nonuniformed service alsousedBlackCats.

BlackCatsSavetheDay,oratLeasttheAgentOnefellowIknew,I’llcallhimJake,carriedtwoBlackCatssecuredbynothing

more than a strip of adhesive tape in locations only the most diligent searchwould locate. In this instance, he was not concerned about a parachute jumpgone wrong, but the possibility of needing defensive weapons in a situationwherehe couldnothave a firearmor evenappear tobe armed.Hekept themhair-splittingsharpanddidnotusethemforutilitypurposes.

Jake was assigned to penetrate a communist cell in Paris, France. The cellmembers were functioning as provocateurs among idealistic, naïve collegestudents and organizing violent protests in hopes of violent reprisals, whichwould make both the French and US governments look bad and lead todestabilization.HiscoverwasthatofanAmericanforeignexchangestudent.

Jake identified and exposed an instigator from theEasternBlockwhowas acommunist government agent rather than the diligent student of his coveridentity. This drew suspicion to Jake, who had previously been the subject ofjokes and had laughingly been called an American imperialist. Now the jokesturnedserious.OnenightJakewascorneredinastudentcrashpadbyfiveguyswhoJakedescribedas“dedicatedcommunistsdeterminedtodomegreatbodilyharm.”Theydidnothavefirearmsbutwerearmedwithknivesandimprovisedclubs.

JakesaidhewentforhisBlackCatsandusedthem“aggressivelyandwithouthesitation.”Withoneineachhand,hecuthiswaythroughthecrowdandoutoftheroom,sustainingsomewoundsofhisownand leavinga trailofbloodandwoundedmenbehindhim.Herandownthestairsandkeptgoing.Hedidnotreturntothatgroupandwentontosimilarassignments.

Inbothof theprevious stories, themen involvedwere inmortaldanger.Notethatneitherone engaged in a knife fight or aduel.Bothwere threatenedby agroup of hostiles, and both used their knives as a force multiplier and thusescapedandevaded, something theymightnothaveaccomplishedwithout the

aidoftheirtacticalknives.Oneusedfolders,theotherafixedblade.Myguessisthat these stories would have turned out about the same if they had swappedknives.Also,andIthinkthisisanimportantpoint,neitherknifepresentedtheimageoftoday’stacticalknives:blackblade,tantopoint,sawteeth,etc.Yettheirknives functioned tactically by anymeasurement.Another point illustrated bythese stories is that knivesmatter, but theperson’s abilities anddeterminationmattermore.

Knivesofthesixties,bothtacticalandnot.Fromcentertoptobottom:Opinal,PumaBootKnife,Henkelslockback.

LinderstillmakestheBlackCat,andyoucanbuyoneforabouttwentybucks.They’renomatchfortoday’stacticalfolders,buttheyareabargainintheworldofthreehundreddollarfactoryknives.RandallsarestillbeingmadeinOrlando,Florida,andcostconsiderablymorethantwentydollars.Bothwillworkaswelltodayastheydidbackthen.

In the late sixties and early seventies, still in civilian service, I sometimesreplacedtheBlackCatswithstaghandled lockbacksbyHartkopfandHenckels,depending on my profile. The staghandled folders were gentlemen’spocketknives,andifspotted,theywereacceptableinalmostanycompany.This

was also true of Laguiole folders and the twist-lock Opinel. I first discoveredLaguioleandOpinelfoldersinasmallFrenchvillageandhaveusuallyhadoneortheotherinmybagorpocketeversince.

The Opinel, a simple, inexpensive folder manufactured since the 1890s, isfamiliar tomany.With a little practice, its twist lock canbemanipulatedwithone hand and locks up solidly. Its plain but handsome beechwood handle isunassuming, clearly a workingman’s knife. It is, however, an ingeniouslydesigned and executed folder. The thin carbon steel blade is an excellent all-purposedesign,and it takesa fierceedge—oneyoureallycanshavewith. (I’vedone it.)Atabout twentybucks, they’realsooneof thebestbargains inknivestoday.TheOpinelhas achieved iconic status inFrance, as inmuchofEurope,and even in the United States in certain circles. Other companies now makesimilarkniveswith the twist lock, includingNontron.TheNontronknives arefinished a little nicer and comewith various wooden handles in a number ofconfigurations, somewithdecorative carving, and at a higher price. If the dayevercomeswhenI’mrestrictedtoonlyonefoldingknife,IcouldgetbyjustfinewithanOpinel.

ThreeNontronsandoneLaguiole.

TheLaguioleisatraditionalFrenchfolderthatcomesinmanyvarieties,allof

whicharenonthreateninginappearance.Laguiolesdonothaveatruelockblade,rather they have a deep detent and a strong back spring that,with reasonablecare, will keep the blade from folding while in use, even fairly hard use. Thebetteronesaremadefromgoodsteelandtakeagoodedge.ManyLaguiolesalsocomewithacorkscrewontheback,afeaturethatdefinestheirprimarypurposeas a picnic knife but is a feature I consider of primary tactical importance.Sometimes, themost tactically intelligent thing to do is to pull a cork, pour aglass,andwaitfortheproblemtoresolveitself.

ThreeLaguiolesreadyforaction.

Pumabootknifeandsheath.

Laguioleivoryknives(lefttoright):H.Viallon,P.Graveline,N.Crocombette©Gibert,Thiers.

AcoupleofthepeopleIknewbackthencarriedlapeldaggerssimilartothosefirst designed duringWorldWar II; they were tiny slivers of sharpened steeldesignedtobehighlyconcealableandquicktohandsotheycouldbedeployedinan emergencywhere an operativemight have to cut and run.Therewere also

some sleevedaggers and a variety of small edgedweapons inusewith civilianclandestineoperatives,allofwhichcouldbedeemedtactical.Inevercarriedanysuch signature knives while in civilian service. A staghandled folder wassomething anyone might have in his or her pocket and thus aroused nosuspicion with border guards, foreign custom agents, or anyone else with aninterest inmy activities. This was also true of the Laguiole and theOpinel. Ifsomethinglikealapeldaggerwasneeded,asingleedgedrazorbladeandascrapoftapecouldfulfillthatfunction,whichwasatricklearnedfromcriminalsandusedbymorethanonepersonemployedbyourgovernment.

Duringthissameperiod,whenitseemedlikesomethingmorerobustthanafolder might be needed and a Randall was out of the question, I carried astaghandledbootknifemadebyPumaratherthanasleevedaggerthatscreamedweapon.Inmanyplaces,includingtheEuropeofthattime,astagbootknifewasseen as an ordinary accoutrement for a traveler who was also a hiker oroutdoorsman, especially one who always had a small rucksack and a fewcampingitemspackedinhissuitcaseordufflebag.

The Buck 110 Folding Hunter was released at this time. With its sturdyconstruction and needle-sharp clip point, this folder broke new ground infoldingknifedesignandintroducedtheconceptofheavy-dutyfolders.Aboutamillion civilians and quite a few soldiers and sailors purchased the FoldingHunter.IntheBuck110’sfavorwasthefactthatitwasanexcellenttoolfordailytasks.Ittookarazor-sharpedgeandheldthatedgeforalongtime.Itdidnotrustinnormaluse,evenintropicalenvironments,andithadanexcellentwarranty.The Buck company, which has always set the highest standard for customerservice,backeditup.

However, the 110 never gainedmuch of a followingwith Special Forces, atleastnotamongtheguysIkneworanyoneIknewincivilianservice.SFsoldiersworktheirbladeshard,andthe110sItriedsharedthesixties’Buckflawofbeingtoobrittleforextremeusage.Ihaveseenmany110swithbrokentips,somenodoubtfrombeingusedasscrewdrivers,othersfromordinaryuse.Inallfairness,theknifewasandisbilledasafoldinghunter,notafoldingsurvivalknife.Also,theBuck 110was, and still is, a heavy folder; it is actuallymuch too heavy tocarry in a pants pocket, thus requiring a belt sheath, which then came intocommonusage across the country amongmilitary and civilians alike. The bigfolderinabeltsheathwasconvenientfordailycarryandeasytoaccess.

But the foldingknife inabelt sheathgotnotraction inmyadmittedlysmallcrowd.Thereasoningwasthatifyou’regoingtohaveabeltsheath,youmightas

wellhaveafixedbladethatofferedmoreutilitybyanorderofmagnitude.Also,incivilianservicethereweremanyreasonsnottobeseenwithaknifeandfewtobeseenwithone.Thebeltsheathwitha largefolderwasmuchmoreobtrusivethan, say, a boot knife in an inside waistband clip sheath or a lighter foldercarriedinapocket.Also,forallitsweight,the110swerenotanystrongerthanthemuchlighterGermanlockbacks.

Theseknives, folders and fixedblades and theiruses formed the foundationforwhatcamenext.

PARTTWO:MODERNDEVELOPMENTOFTHE

TACTICALKNIFE

T

Chapter10

TheEmergenceoftheContemporaryTacticalKnifeConcept

hematteroftacticalknivesremainedthesameforadecadeorso.Duringthisperiod,therewerechangesinmissionconceptsforboththemilitaryandthe

covertandclandestineservices,butessentiallywewerestill inColdWarmodewithbrushfirewarspoppinguparoundtheglobeandtheneedforaresponsetothose conflicts.But therewasnoparticularneed to revise the conclusions thathad been reached regardingmilitary and related service knives.What we hadworked.

There were, however, considerable changes in the civilian world. I startedseeing American travelers in developing countries where formerly the onlyAmericanswereafewintrepidadventurers,oftenexmilitary,andthoseengagedinspecializedactivities.Thejumbojetshadstartedflying,andairfareswereatanall time low. Global travel became more common, first among youngbackpackers and adventurers. Then, a few years later, everyone who had thepriceofaplaneticketandthedesiretoseetheworldjumpedonthejumbos.Inafewhours,theyfoundthemselvesinEurope,Asia,Africa,orLatinAmerica.

One result of all this travel to far awayplaceswith strange soundingnameswasthatthesenewtravelersoftenfoundthemselvesinsituationstheywerenotpreparedtohandle;situationsthat formerlywereonlyencounteredbythose inSpecialForcesorinprofessions,suchasarchaeologyandanthropologyorNGOs(nongovernmentalorganizations), allofwhomhad somepreparation.Someofthosesituationswerelifethreateningandcouldhappentoanyone.

AThrillerinManilaIn the mid-seventies, I was working in South East Asia, including the

Philippines,andhadcometoManilaforameeting.Mycontactinsistedwemeetatanewhotspot,arevolvingrestaurantonthetopofahigh-risebuilding.While

wewere seated in thedining room, Inoticed smokecoming from thekitchen.Thenthekitchendoorsburstopenandbillowsofsmokeflowedintothediningarea.Cooks,waiters,andotherrestaurantemployeesstartedrunningaroundandyelling. In the middle of all the confusion, a man I took to be the mangerdeployed fireextinguishersandgothispeoplemoving in therightdirection tocontrolthefire.Inspiteofthat,Ithoughtitwastimetogo.Sodidothers.

Acrowdmobbedtheautomaticelevators,whichwouldnotopentheirdoors.Ihit the stairs, pushingmy contact in front ofmewithwhat seemed like aboutfiftyscreamingpanickedpeoplebehindme.BythetimeIgottothegroundfloor,my guy had almost passed out from exhaustion.Hewasn’t exactly an athlete.Thosebehinduswerestrungoutoverthetwentyorsofloors.

I thoughtwewere home free.Then I saw the door to the outside had beenchained shut inviolationof every fire regulation in thecivilizedworld.Later IlearnedthatthiswasacommonpracticeandanattempttofoilthethievesthatplaguedManila.Rightaboutthen,Istartedgettinga littleconcerned.Themobwasthunderingdownthestairsandclosingfast.Ididn’tthinkIcouldfightmyway through them to try to get to the door on the second floor thatmight ormightnotbeunlocked,especiallynotwhiledraggingmyguywithme.

Rememberingall thefunandgamesatFortBraggcuttingthroughwalls,cartrunks,andsoon,IgotmyRandallModel1fromitsslipsheathundermyshirtand drove it through the chained up fire door, which was filled with whatappeared to be asbestos. Then the mob started piling up behind me, yelling,shoving,anddoingtheirbest topushmethroughthecloseddoor. I stoodandturnedtothecrowd.LuckilyIwasaboutafoottaller thananyoneelse,sotheycouldall seeandhearmewhen Iunleashedmybestdrill instructorcommandvoiceandtoldeveryonetoSTOP!Theystopped.

Itoldthemwewouldbeoutofthereinacoupleofminutesiftheywouldallsettle down and stop shoving. Then I got one of the women to give me herplatformshoe—thiswastheseventies,remember.Iusedthethickwoodensoleofhershoetobatonmyknifeandcutoutatriangleaboutfourfeetinheight.Fewof the people in the crowd were much over five feet tall. Then everyonescrambledthroughthemakeshiftdoor.Aftertheywereallout,Iduckedthroughtheopeningtoapplause.Itwaskindofcoolbeingtheheroofthemomentandallthat.ButitwasreallynobigdealsinceIhadagoodknifeandsomeexperiencecutting through unusual things. I had returned the shoe to its owner andwasstanding on the sidewalk waiting for fire trucks with dozens of people nowscramblingoutofthefiredoor,whenayoungAmerican—actuallyhewasabout

myownage,butseemedalotyounger—askedmewhatkindofknifeIhadandhowwasitthatIhadsuchabigknife.Ihadnoticedhimbeforeintherestaurant—shorts, t-shirt, open-faced, and smiling at his girl—had to be American.Withoutgetting intobackground, Iexplained that IhadbeenaBoyScoutandhadtakenthatorganization’smottotoheart:BePrepared.Iadvisedhimtogetagoodknife,learntouseit,andkeepitwithhim.Istillthinkthat’sgoodadvice.

Judgingfromtheprintmediaandgeneralscuttlebuttofthattime,manyothershad similar questions. Magazines ran stories about travelers lost in jungles,mountains, and deserts and kidnapped in developing cities. Many Americanshadgotupfrominfrontoftheirtelevisionsandheadedoutintotheworld,muchliketheirancestorshadlefttheoldworldandcometoAmerica.Some,liketheirancestors, got arrows in their back. Itwas during this period that the topic ofsurvivalknives came tobe a subjectofdiscussion in adventuremagazines andaroundcampfiresand traveler’shostels.Formany theanswerwas to trust inaSAK,orSwissArmyKnife,thetraveler’sall-purposetoolchest.Thiswasfineasfaras itwent.TheSAKisplentyofknife—until it isn’t. IhavenothingagainstSAKs.Ialwayshaveoneinmybag.ButthenotionthataSAKcantaketheplaceofafixedbladeissimplywrong.

Imetoneyoung,adventurousAmericantravelinginthemiddleofaguerillawar in aCentralAmerican country.He hadn’t noticed thewar,whichwas anintermittent sort of conflict.Hewas camped in a cave overlooking a gorgeousblue lake.He had aUSAir Force Pilot’s Survival Knife and appeared to be acompetent outdoorsman, judging from the good edge on his knife and hisorganizedcamp.Hewasalsoaprudenttraveler.WhenIinformedhimthattherewereguerrillasoperating in the area,hepackedhis rucksackandcaught abusintotownwithhissurvivalknifeunderhisshirt.

Theconceptofaknife thatcombined the functionsof toolandweaponhadseeped into civilian life. Interest inwilderness survivalwas at anall-timehigh,even in the United States, where there is little actual wilderness left. Articlesbegantoappearaboutdisasterpreparedness.Therewasmuchdiscussioninprintand in conversation about the pros and cons of survival knives. Two of theburning issues were size.Whichwas better, big knife or little knife? Thick orthin?Sharpenedprybarorthinsliverofrazorsteel?Thatdiscussioncontinuestoday.Moreonthatlater.

Thesurvivalknifediscussioncontinuedwithmuchsoundand,everynowand

again,abitoffuryfromoneadvocateoranother.Morecustommakersappearedonthescene.Afewnewfolderdesignsemergedfromthefactories,butnothinggroundbreaking.Theconceptswerefloatingaround,andtheperceivedneedwasthere.Many thought we needed something new in knives. But it was unclearwhatwasneeded.Sonotmuchchangedintermsofavailableknivesuntil...

There is a saying among scientists to account for a particular phenomenon.Once one personmakes a breakthrough in a particular field, an avalanche ofdevelopment ensues. The saying is, “When it’s time for rockets, there will berockets.” In the world of tactical cutlery, the late seventies was the time forrockets.

Chapter11

TheDevelopmentoftheModernTacticalFolder

AlMar:TheEagleandtheSEREAlMar,aformerparatrooper,SFsoldier,andbrilliantknifedesigner,started

his own company in 1979. Previously he had been chief designer at GerberLegendaryBlades.WhilewithGerber,hedesignedtheMarkIandMarkII.Afterstarting Al Mar Knives, he designed and manufactured some of the best-designedfactorykniveseverseen.

One of his early folding knife designs was called the Eagle, a handsome,gracefullockbackthatbalancedbeautifullyandwasincrediblystrongforitslightconstruction. I first bought an Eagle based on eye appeal and used it as aneverydayutility folder.Afterhandlingandusing theEagle, itbecameapparentthatthedesignerofthisknifeknewsomethingaboutusingknives—somethingIhavefoundtobeuncommon.Itappearstomethatmanyknivesaredesignedbythosewithlittleornofieldexperiencewithknives.

I called Al to say hello, compliment him on his work, and talk knives. Idiscoveredwe had served in the samemilitary unit, although not at the sametime.Wegotalongwell,andIfeltIcouldquestionhimaboutthestrengthoftheEaglewithoutinsultinghim.Inthefirstofmanyconversations,AltoldmeaboutaguywhothrewhisEagles,stickingthemintothehoodofajunkedcarwithoutdamage.HeassuredmeIcoulddothesameifIcouldthrowaknife,andifmyknifebroke,hewouldreplaceit.Itriedit.Fromtenfeetwithahardthrow,myEaglepiercedthehoodofajunkedVWSquarebackwithnoobservabledamage.Itdidsomorethanonce.

AlMarEaglewithivoryMicartahandle—aclassic.

Yes,we’ve agreed that you aren’t supposed to throwanyknife, least of all afolder.Everyoneagreesonthatpoint.Ontheotherhand,referbacktomyearliercommentsaboutknifetestingandtrainingatSBH.(Justdon’tdoit!)Ofcourse,Iwasnowolderandintheorymoreresponsible,soIwouldneverevenconsiderdoingsuchafoolishthingasthrowingafoldingknifeunlessIwastestingaknifeorhadnootherchoice.Thenit’sgoodtoknowhow.Alunderstoodthatwell.

I bought two more Eagles, which immediately replaced my stag-handledlockbacks for daily carry.Besides strength, grace, balance, and good looks, theEagle had certain characteristics that made it uniquely suited for clandestinetacticaluse.Ithadnoprotuberancesorfalseguardstoimpedepenetration;italsohadastraightfeedfrompointtoheel.Withaproperhold,thisfour-inchbladedfolder couldpenetrate up to six inches in softmaterial andup to three inchesmoregivenmaterialcompression—evendeeperifretrievalwasn’taconcern.TheEagle and others in the series, theOsprey and Falcon,were nicely turned outgentlemen’s knives. The Eagle in particular would also serve as an excellentweapon,thebestIhadeverseeninafoldingknife.Altoldmenoneofthiswasbyaccident,andhehadworkedallthisoutbeforeproduction.

Later IgaveoneofmyEagles toa friend inneed.Onegot lost ina faraway

place. The other one just plainwore out after a decade or so of constant use.They were fine knives, and I’d love to have another of the out-of-productionbeauties. Although they were essentially the same technology as the Germanlockbacks,theywereitsultimaterefinement.

Then, in the early eightiesAl—hewas the artist of knifedesignofhis era—worked with Colonel James “Nick” Rowe to create the first purpose-designedSurvival,Evasion,Resistance,andEscape(SERE)foldingknife.ColonelRoweisfamous in the SF community, a true herowho survived five years of captivityduringthewarinVietnamandescapedhiscaptorsunderhisownpower.

Years after these incidents,ColonelRowe accepted the role as commandingofficerof theSERE training school.At the timehemetAlMar,ColonelRowehaddefinedaneed foranewkindofknife.Hewantedsomethingsmallerandmore easily carried than any fixed blade but stronger than any folder. As itturnedout,hehadcometotherightperson.

Manysoldierswhoaren’tSFhaveatendencytodumptheirwebgear,packs,and weapons at every opportunity. Usually their fixed blade, if any, will beattachedtotheirwebgearinsteadoftheirperson.Asaresult,thesoldieristhencompletelyunarmedandunequipped,withoutgun,knife,grenade,entrenchingtool,canteens,orrations.Anysurvivalgearheorshemayhaveisusuallyalsoonhis or her web gear. Effectively, the soldier is naked in the world. Given hispersonal experience and his understanding of the soldier’smentality, the needforastrong,compactknifethatcouldandwouldbecarriedonthepersonratherthanaspartofwebgearfiguredlargelyinColonelRowe’sintentiontoimprovetheAmericansoldier’schancesofsurvival.

The result of Colonel Rowe and Al Mar’s collaboration was the SERE, aheavilyconstructedfolderthatwasmeanttoservetheisolatedsoliderashislastditchandonlytoolandweapon.TheSEREwasathingofbeauty,aswereallofAl’sknives,andanexcellentknifethatliveduptoColonelRowe’sconcept.Herewasafoldingknifethatwasstrongerthananyotherfolderyetdeveloped.Ithada solid front lock and, in one version, a nonslip handle. The blade was of anexcellenttoughsteeltemperedalittlesoftsoitwouldn’tbreakatthetiporchipout,anditcouldbeeasilysharpenedwitharockifneedbe.Nowanyonecouldeasilyandconvenientlycarryaserioussurvivaltoolandemergencyweaponatalltimes. Although the SERE was meant to be carried in a belt pouch, as suchpoucheswerenowcommon,anditwasthoughtthatasoliderwouldbewillingtohaveitonhisbeltorcarryitinauniformpocket.Ineffect,theyhadcreatedthefirsttacticalfolder.Thiswastothebenefitofcountlesssoldiers,covertoperators,

andciviliansalike.Inoneofourconversations,Altoldmeofhisdesigneducationandhowhis

artistic skills and vision combined with hismilitary experience in each of hisknives.Al’s company,AlMarKnives, continues, butAl passed on some yearsago,stillayoungmanandstillunsurpassedasaknifedesigner.

While the SERE was a leap forward, it did not break new groundtechnologically speaking. In my view, the most important thing the SEREaccomplishedwas to ignite a revolution in thinkingwith one simple question:can a folder replace a fixed blade? That question and concept drove thedevelopmentanddesignofanentirelynewclassofknives: themodern tacticalfolder. Aswe now know,Colonel Rowewas prophetic.Virtually every soldiertodayandabout tenmillionor socivilianscarrywhathasbecomeknownasatactical folder.Although theoriginal SEREhasbeen surpassed technologically,itsplaceinthehistoryoftacticalknivesissecure.

TheLinerLockDuring the following decade, folding knife design exploded. Dozens of

variations were tried, and many were discarded. New locking systems weredeveloped.One locking system thatbecamecentral to thedevelopmentof thisclass of knives, the liner lock, was reintroduced and repurposed by a customknifemaker,MichaelWalker.The liner lockwas triedbymany,perfectedby afew,andintimebecameastandard lockingmechanism.It isstill inuse.Manybelievetheliner locktobeintrinsicallystrongerthanthelockbacks.Discussionon this point continues today, and many new locking systems have beenintroduced.

SalGlesser:PocketClip,SpyderHole,SerrationsIfirstmetSalGlesser,thefounderandCEOofSpyderco,atagunshow,where

heshowedmethreeofhisinnovationsinonesmallknife:thepocketclip,aholein theblade to facilitateopeningwithonehand, and the serratededge.Anewgenius had arrived on the knife scene. All these innovations have becomestandards of the tactical folder. Of these, from my point of view, the mostimportantwastheopeninghole,followedbythepocketclip.

Untilnow,allfoldersexceptautomatics,whichweregenerallyofpoorqualityandinshortsupply,weredesignedtobeopenedwithtwohands.Thiswastrueof

theseminalAlMardesigns,aswellasthecenturyoldOpinelandmyBlackCats.True,youcouldfindawaytoopenallofthesefolderswithonehand.Butitwassometimesafiddlyandunsureproposition.

SpydercoEndura—similartotheoriginalSpydercomodelofthesixties©Spyderco.

One-handedopeningisimportanttothepersonwhoneedstogetaknifeintoactiontodefendhimselfandtojustabouteveryoneelse.Tryopeningastandardtwo-handedfolderonthefrontdeckofapitchingsailboatatnightinForceEightconditions tocut freea fouledsheet,andyou’ll immediately see theneed foraone-handed knife.More prosaically, it seems that you always need your knifewhenit’sinyourpocketandyouhaveatwelve-poundtroutinhand.Therehadbeen a couple of previous attempts in this direction, but nothing had reallyworked out. Now everyone tried developing one-handed opening systems.Thumb studs of all sizes and descriptions sprouted on knife blades likemushroomsonafoggymorning.

PatCrawfordKasperfolders,four-inchbladeswithtitaniumhandles©PatCrawford.

CreativeExplosionTherewas a gooddeal of creativity in the industry during this period.New

materialsweretried,liketitaniumforhandlesandexoticsteelsforblades.Clipsappearedfortipupandtipdowncarry,alongwithmuchdiscussionaboutwhichwasbest.AsIrecall,BobTerzuolawasthefirsttobringtogethersomeoftheseelementsinafoldingknifethatbrokemorenewground.IboughtoneofBob’sfirstprototypesatacustomknifeshow.Itwasatitanium-handledliner-lockwithathumbstudandabladeofhigh-techsteel.ItlockedupmoresolidlythananyfolderIhadeverseen.

A little later on, Imet Ernest Emerson at the SolvangCustomKnife Show.Amongotherattractiveofferings,Erniedisplayedhisfirstliner-lock,ahandsomeknifewith, I think, rosewood scales. Ernie laterwent on to create a liner-lockfolder with a tanto point—an innovation introduced by custom maker PhilHartsfield—that became the foundation of the company he built, which isfamous for its tactical folders. Sal Glesser continued to innovate, and he built

Spyderco into one of the most respected knife companies in the world. BobTerzuolaisnowajustlyfamouscustomknifemakercommandingtopdollarforhisexcellentwork.

Ausefulcollectionoftacticalfolders.

But all that was yet to come. Back then, the explosion of creative energythroughthecustomknifecommunityquicklyspreadtoknifemanufacturers,andit is stillexpanding today.Wenowhave thestrongest,most innovative foldingknives the world has yet seen. Tactical folders in some ways now define thetactical knife both for military and civilians. I am informed that industrystatistics showthat foldersarepurchased twenty toone to fixedblades.This isunderstandable.Fewcivilianswillcarryafixedbladeintheirdailyrounds,andmostoftheseknivessoldaretocivilians.

However,todaymostmilitarypeoplealsoselectthefolderoverthefixedblade,ofteninadditiontothefixedblade.Thisisduetothenatureoftheconflictzone,current strategy and tactics, changes in logistics and communications, and thefactthattoday’sfolderscanstandinformanyfunctionsformerlylimitedtofixedblades. Tactical folders are everyday utility knives, survival tools at need, andweaponsinanemergency.

W

Chapter12

TheDevelopmentoftheModernTacticalFixedBlade

hileall thisdevelopmenthadbeengoingonwith folders, fixedbladesalsodeveloped,thoughnotsomuchinbasicdesignconceptsasinformulations

ofsteel, refinementsofprovendesigns,andexperimentswithnewdesigns thatwereinfluencedbothbydesignsfromcountriesaroundtheworldandhistoricalknives. In folders it’s a different order of reality, as opposed to with folders,whereitseemedthemothershiplandedandemissariesfromanotherplanetsaid,“You need new folding knives.” In fixed blades, the changes have beenevolutionaryrather thanrevolutionaryandwerestimulatedbyall theaction infoldingknives.

Withallthenoiseabouttacticalfolders,youmightthinktheyhavealtogetherreplacedfixedblades,butthisisnotso.Howeverundeniablethevirtueoftoday’sfolders,thethingthatmakesthemconvenienttocarryandensurestheywillbeathand fordaily tasks and emergencies is also their greatestweakness: they fold.Nofoldercanbemadeasstrongasafixedblade.Nomatterhowstrongtoday’slocks,andsomeofthemareextremelystrong,nonecanmatchthestrengthofastraight slab of well-tempered steel. Fixed blades can pry open doors and ripthroughmaterialsthatwouldcausethestrongestfolderstofold.Manywholiveintheworldofcovertandclandestineactionpreferfixedbladesorhavetheminadditiontotheirfolders.

During this period, new knives appeared, and old factories expanded theirfocus.LynnThompson foundedhiscompany,ColdSteel,witha lineofknivesthatwas focused almost entirelyon the emerging tacticalmarket and itsneed.HisTanto,whichIthinkThompsondesignedhimself,wasthefirstfactorymadefixedbladewithwhatwastobecomeknownasatantopoint,whichisessentiallya squared off chisel grind. Phil Hartsfield had been the first to introduce theconceptofachiselpointtotheAmericanknifebuyingpublic.Phil’sknivessoldwell but, being custom creations, were priced out of the reach of mostconsumers.

ColdSteel’sTantowassoonseeneverywhere.Ihavenoideahowmanyweresold, but theTantoprobably set sales records for fixedblade tactical knives. Italso stimulated an avalanche of competition. Soon tantos, from both custommakersandfactories,werespringinguplikedaisiesinspringtime.ThesuccessoftheTanto andCold Steel’s other tactical fixed blades showed that therewas alargeuntappedmarketfortacticalfixedbladeknives.Soonmanyfactoriesbegantoexpandtheirproductlinefromsportingknivestoincludetacticals.

Thisexpansionanddevelopmentledtomanyinnovationsandthemarketwesee today,which is one inundatedwith tactical fixed blades. Judging from theknivesofferedforsaletothepublic,avisitorfromanotherplanet—orevenonefromadevelopingcountrywithlimitedcommunications—couldbeforgivenforassuming that Americans held Friday Night Knife Fights as an alternative tofootball or basketball games. However, all this activity has been beneficial forknifebuyerssincetherearemorechoicesthaninthefiftiesandsixties.

Anoldfavoritefixedblade,Spyderco’sBobLumTanto.

BenchmadeCSKII—ahandy,all-aroundtooltohaveinyourbag.

GerberLMFIIASEK©JustinAyres.

T

Chapter13

MaterialsandDesignoftheContemporaryTacticalKnife

his is not a technical treatise. Professional knifemakers, metallurgists, andothersspendyearsacquiringtheirknowledge,boththroughformaleducation

andhands-onexperience.What Iwill coverhere isaonce-over light surveyoftechnicalinformationthatmightbeofinteresttothetacticalknifeuser.

Many years ago,master bladesmithWayneGoddard toldme that the threemost importantthings inmakingagoodblade—onethatwillperformandnotjustlookgood—were:

1.Selectionofsteel2.Heattreatappropriatetothesteelbeingused3.Geometryoftheblade

Hefurthersaidthatamakermusthaveallthreefactorsworkingright,notonlyoneortwo,toproduceagoodknife.Inmanydiscussionsovertheyears,Ihavefound that virtually all knowledgeable knifemakers and industry experts agreewiththisstatement.Myexperiencehasalsoshownthewisdomofthisstatement.Howthesefactorscometogetherinaparticularbladedetermineitsperformancecharacteristics.

SteelandHeatTreatingSince steel selection is at the top of virtually every discussion on tactical

knives, let’s first take a brief look at the heart of every blade: steel. There is acontinuingquestforbettersteelforblades.Thishasbeengoingonsinceabout2000BC,wellbeforetheendoftheBronzeAgeandthewidespreadadaptationofironandsteelatbeginningoftheearlyIronAge,about1200BC.Asonemightimagine,therehavebeenquiteafewdevelopmentsandimprovementsinbladesteel over the past four thousand years. Much of this improvement is due tocompetitionandthedesiretoimprovetoolsandweapons.

The rise of the Hittite empire around 1500 BC was made possible by the

superiority of their iron weapons. Later, the Israelites waged war on thePhilistinestoobtainiron-workingtechnology.Today’scommercialcompetitionis considerably less violent but still quite intense.As a result, todaywehave awiderangeofsuperiorsteelsavailabletoknifemakersthatcanbeorderedfromacatalog.

Steel available from steelmanufacturers that is in use by knifemakers todayincludes: 1095, 01, A2, W2, D2, L6, 440B, 440C, ATS34, 5160, VG-10,CPMS30V,andCPMS35V.Inaddition,manybladesmithsstillforgeorre-forgetheirownsteel,somefromusedfiles,sheersteel,ballbearings,stockbillets,andvariousothersources.Therearemanydifferentsteelsinusebecausemillsofferthem and individual knifemakers have individual opinions as to which offersthem optimal performance. Further,many knifemakers use a variety of steels,choosingeachoneforitsbestpropertiesandthecustomer’sintendeduse.

Someknifefactoriesalsouseawiderangeofsteels,againdependingonwhatoptimalperformancetheyseek.Anotherfactorinsteelchoicecanbepopularity.Sometimes a customerwill readorhear about theproperties of a certain steelandrequestacustomknifemakeruseitorchooseaknifefromamanufacturer’sproduct line based onwhat he or she thinks is desirable. In fact,we often seeknivesmarketedasbeing superiorproductsbyvirtueof the steelused in theirmanufacture.

Which is the best steel for a tactical knife? Given that steel performance isdependent onheat treat, blade geometry, and themaker’s skills, aswell as theintendeduse for theknife, theredoesnot appear tobe a conclusive answer tothatquestion.Iwouldn’tselectaknifebasedonsteeltypealone,norshouldyou.Asknifeusers,wedon’tbuysteel.Webuyknives.Everyknifeisamanufacturedproductthatistheresultofalongsupplylineandthecraftandskillofeveryonebehindit,fromtheminethatextractedtheorethroughthesteelmillandontothemakerofthefinishedproduct.Therearemanyvariables ineachstepalongthatsupplyline,eachrequiringdecisionsthatonlysomeoneschooledortrainedinthetopiccanmake.Everyfactorineverystepoftheprocessplaysaroleinthefinalresult—theknifeinyourhand.

FredPerrinattheforge©FredPerrin.

Atknifeshows,inretailoutlets,andaroundcampfires,Ihaveheardandtakenpartinmanydiscussionsaboutthepropertiesofvariousknifesteels.Ihavecometo the conclusion that beyond certain basics, such discussions amongnonprofessionals amount to the same thing as a discussion about how manyangelscandanceontheheadofapin.

S30V is nowhighly thought of bymanymakerswithwhom I have spoken.Thissteelwasdesignedandmadespecificallyforknives,whichisunusual.Isitthebeststeelavailable?Maybe,maybenot.Othermakersdon’tthinkmuchofitat all.Again, it all dependson the skill, craft, and scienceof the knifemaker. IhavesomeknivesmadeofS30Vthattakeaterrificedge,holdthatedgeforalongtime,don’tshowrustevenifIdeliberately leavethemout intherainfora fewdaystotestforrustresistance,andaretough.IalsohaveknivesmadeofVG-10and 440C aboutwhich similar things can be said.On the other hand, I had a

knifeof440CshatteronimpactwithanotherblademadeofcrudesteelforgedinanipahutinthePhilippinesandS30Vbladesthatchippedandfracturedalongthe edgewhen cutting pinewood. I haveVG-10 blades that I couldn’t put anedgeonwithhoursofwork.

So,what’suphere?Shouldn’ttherebeconsistencyinsteelperformancefrommakertomaker?No,notsomuch.It’sthepackagethatmatters:heattreat,grind,and themaker’s skill all go intomaking aknife. It’snot just the steel. It’s alsowhomakesthesteelandhow.Ifyouwouldliketolearnaboutthetechnicalitiesthatgointomakingaknife—steel,heattreat,geometry—IrecommendabookbyWayneGoddard,TheWonderofKnifemaking.Iknowofnobetterprimeronthetopic.

Meantime, here’s a quotation from anothermastersmith,DanielWinkler, amanwhoknowsknivesandsteelandeverythingthatgoesintothem,whosays,“Steelsareonlyasgoodashowamakertreatsthemfromthebeginning.Amakerthat does his research and tests can get great performance out of mediocrematerials,whilethebeststeelcanbescrewedupwithpoorhandling.”Believeit:it’sthemaker,notonlythesteel.

ElsaFantinodemonstratingheattreatofsteel.

Geometry,Designs,Grinds,andForgingThe third critical component of any knife, after steel and heat treat, is the

geometryoftheblade,orhowit isground.Beyondquestionsofthickandthinbladesareconcernsrelatedtothenatureofthegrinditselfandtheprofileoftheblade. In common use today are the following profiles: hollow, flat, convex,saber,andScandi,whichisavariationofsaber.Manykniveshavecombinationgrinds,suchasRandalls,butingeneralwhatevergrindispredominantistheonebywhichtheknifeisdescribed.

Eachgrindhasitsadvocates,eachitsdetractors.Ihaveseengoodperformanceforvirtuallyallgrindswhenhandledproperlybyaskilledmaker.However,asageneral statement, it ismy experience that a full convex profile from spine toedgeproducesthebestall-aroundperformanceforatacticalandsurvivalknife.The flat grindwith a convex edge comes in second.However, the other bladeprofiles have their place, and I have seen amazingly good performance fromhollowgroundknivesfromtalentedmakers,suchasChrisReeve.

Thesabergrindusedon,say,aKA-BARbringsthefullthicknessofsteelthelengthoftheblade,whichmakesitstrong.Andthestraightsabergrind,suchastheScandi,placesagooddealofsteelbehindtheedgetosupport it. Ingeneralthismakes forastrongblade—onethat’seasy tosharpenbyusing the flatasabevelguide.

(L-R)MoraknifewithaScandigrind;Spydercoparamilitarywithaflatgrind;ChrisReeveProfessionalSoldierwithahollowgrind;WayneGoddardCampwithaconvexgrind©JustinAyres.

The hollow grind was originally used to make fullers. Contrary to popularbelief, those grooves that run along someblades, especiallyon swords, arenotbloodgroves;theyarefullers,whicharemeanttolightentheweightoftheblade.During the Industrial Revolution, when factory-made steel became readilyavailable,grindingwheelsalsobecameavailable.Roundgrindingwheelsproduce

ahollowgrindandallowforrapidproduction.Thisisgoodforrazorsandotherblades thatneed tobesharpbuthave littleneed forstrength.Thatsaid, Ihaveseenhollowgroundbladesfromsomemakersthatperformwellandaretough.

FlatgrindbladeonaSpydercoParaMilitarywithadigitalcamohandle©JustinAyres.

ChrisReeveProfessionalSoldierwithahollowgrindblade©JustinAyres.

RandallModel1knifewithachoil.

Leverageadvantageofknifewithnochoil.

Mora2000modelwithnochoil.

TheChoilIrememberwhenIfirstsawachoil.Oneofmytrainingsergeantshadaknife

thatheletmeexamine.AsIhandledit,Iaskedhimwhatthecutoutinfrontoftheguardwasfor.Hetoldmeitwasforyourindexfinger,soyoucouldchokeuponthebladetogetmorecontrol.

Letmegetthisstraight,Ithought.I’msupposedtoputmyfinger,mytriggerfinger,next to the razor-sharpedge in frontof theguard,which isdesigned toprotectmyfingers,togetmorecontrolovertheblade.Well,Iaboutchokedupmyself.Thethoughtofputtingmytrigger fingerupagainst theedge,maybeatnight,maybewhen it’s cold andmy fingers arenot very sensitive, the thoughtjust...well,no.Notgonnahappen.Nope.IfIwantmorecontrol,Iwillextend

myfingeralongthetopofthebladethewayabutcherorchefmightdo.Ihavenever seen a butcher knife, any commercialworking knife, or any knifemadebefore the twentieth century, for thatmatter,with a choil, and I have no ideawhatthey’regoodfor.

Iseethechoilasawasteofvaluableedge.Theedgerightinfrontoftheguardiswhereyoucanbringthemostpressuretobeartocutresistantmaterials,anditishelpfulforpresscuts,shearcuts,andnotching.Theedgeaninchorsoinfrontof theguard requires about four times asmuch force for a givencut. I’m surethat some ofmy readersmay be iron-wristed Rambos whowould never havesuchasissyconsideration.Butfortherestofus,thatspotisveryuseful.TrytheFrostorFällknivenknives,theRATRC-4,oranyknifewithoutachoil,suchasakitchenknife,andpresscuta saplingor shavehardwoodandyou’ll seewhat Imean. Some choils, due to their design, can get snagged and hung up whilecuttingsoftmaterials,whichcouldbeabadthing.

StockRemovalorForgingThefolkswhomakeknivesbystockremovaloftenrefertobladesmithsasthe

heatandbeatcrowd.Thereisanongoingdebateonthemeritsofforgingversusstockremoval.I’llleavethefinalanswertotheexpertsandwillonlynotethatofalltheknivesIhaveowned,theonesthatperformedthebestcamefrommasterbladesmithsoftheAmericanBladesmithSociety.

PARTTHREE:CHOOSINGATACTICALKNIFE

W

Chapter14

WhoNeedsaTacticalKnife?

honeedsatacticalknife?IfIneedatacticalknife,whichoneisbestforme?Do I needmore than one tactical knife? Let’s dealwith the first question

first.Ithinkprettymucheveryself-reliantpersonneedsone.It’sthemostbasicandversatiletoolwehave.

Watchtelevisionnewsforanhourorglancethroughanynewspaperoronlinenews source, and you will be confronted with news about numerous acts ofviolence, terrorism,variousnaturaldisasters, accidental injuries, anddeathsbymisadventure. Cars crash and trap their passengers. Earthquakes shatterbuildings.People arekidnappedandassaulted forvarious reasons.Fires sweepthroughhomesandoffices.Floodsoverwhelm...Well,youknowwhatImean.

Someshelteredfriendstellmethatsucheventsareaberrationsthatdisturbthecalmnaturalorderofourdaily lives.Nothingcouldbe further from the truth.Disaster is normal. Disaster is common. Disaster is part of daily life—forsomeone.

Those same friends tell me we can and should rely on the police and firedepartment to protect our families. Today, popular media and many of ourinstitutionssupportthispointofviewandwouldhaveusbelievethatindividualresponsibilitynolongermatters.Idon’tbuythat.

Thosewhooffertheirlivesinourdefensecan’tbeeverywhere,andthere’snowaytopredictwhen,orif,disasterwillstrike.Iftherewere,wecouldarrangetonotbepresentforfires,floods,planecrashes,robberies,andothercalamitiesthathappensomewheretosomeoneeveryday.There’snoneedtobunkeruportravelin an armored Hummer with gun ports. We have dealt with all these thingsthroughouthistory.However,beingpreparedinageneralsortofwayisn’tabadidea.

Thinkready.Beready.Personalskillsandabilitiesaredifferentforeveryone.Allofuscannotbeasphysicallyfitasaparatrooper,nordoweneedtobe.Butwecanallactwhenweneed todoso.Wehaveallheardstoriesof themotherwholiftedherwreckedcartopullherchildtosafetyorthemanwhoranintoaburningbuildingtosavehiselderlyneighbor.Ordinarypeopledoextraordinary

things.Ithinkthisisimportanttoallofus;I’veevenwrittenabookonhowtoacquireextraordinaryskillstitledTheTaoofSurvival.

Onthescaleofimportance,equipmentcomeswelldownonthelist.Butgeardoesmatter.Therighttoolattherighttimecansavealife.NexttomydeskisadaypackIamcurrentlyusingasa laptopcaseandbriefcase. Inaddition tomylaptop,pens,awritingpad,andotherdailynecessitiesItakewithmewhenIgotraveling, it also contains a number of items that could mean the differencebetweenlifeanddeathinanemergency.

Asmallsamplingoftacticalfolders.

ZeroToleranceModel021withafixedblade.

There is a small first aid packet with a trauma dressing, a space blanket, acoupleofbutanelighters,aflintstick,afullwaterbottle,apocket-sizedsurvivalkit,nyloncord,ducttape,andmostimportantlyacoupleofknives.Allthisgearispotentiallyuseful,butIcouldloseitallwithoutabackwardglance—exceptfortheknives.

Inside the bag is a large, tough knife. In an outside pocket, there is a SwissArmyKnifewitha lockingmainblade, a sawblade, and theusual selectionoftools. Today I happen to have a tactical folder in my pocket. What if anearthquakehitorariotstartedupoutsidemyoffice;botheventshavehappenedwithinthepastfewyears.Howwouldthesekniveshelpme?Idon’tknow.Andthat’sthepoint.

Idon’tknowif I’llneedtohackthroughadoor inaburningbuilding,cutajammedseatbelt,sliceapieceofcarpettouseasasmokeshield,orcutupsomestiffcardboardtomakeasplintforafriend’sbrokenarm.ButifIdoneedtodoanyofthesethings,asIhaveinthepast,atleastIwillhaveatoolhandyforthejob.

Idon’tknowifaknifewillsaveyourlifeormine.ButIdoknowthis:agood

tacticalknifeisthebestallaroundtoolthatwehave.Youcanuseacellphonetocallforhelp,andthatmightwork,ifthecellnetworkisfunctioning.Youmighthaveafull-on,endoftheworld,four-wheeldriveinfrontofyourhousethatwillenable you to escape a city in themiddle of a riot if someone doesn’t steal itbeforeyougettoit.

Youmightchoose to ignoreanynumberofpersonal threats.Youmightnotevenhaveanextrabottleofwaterathomeorawrenchtoturnoffthegasintheeventofabrokenpipe.Butifyoufeelanyneedtoprepareforwhateverlifemightbringyouandifyouhaveanytoolatall,makeitatacticalknife.Whattheheck,everybodyusesknivesforsomething.Mightaswellmakeatleastoneofthematacticalknife.

Afewfixedbladestoconsider(lefttoright):WayneGoddardCustom,ZT,Benchmade,ChrisReeve,ZT,Fållkniven.

Okay, so you’ve decided to get a tactical knife.Which one is right for youdependsonyourneedsandwhatyoucancomfortablyandlegallycarry.Laterin

thebookisareviewofspecificknives.Butfirstlet’sconsiderwhichtypeofknifeis best for you. This can best be determined by analyzing your needs and byconsideringwhatkindofworkcanbeaccomplishedwithvariouscategoriesoftacticalknives.

Do you need a lightweight knife to accompany you on long backpackingjourneys in wilderness areas, one that can serve your daily needs, as well asfunctionasasurvivalknife?Areyouactivedutymilitarypreparingtodeploytoawarzone?Willyoubeleavinginacoupleofweeksforamonth-longtripintheAfricanbush,theSouthAmericanAltiplano,orthejunglesofAsia?Doyouhavea job teaching English in a foreign city with a reputation for crime,overcrowding,andsubstandardbuildingsthatcollapsewithoutwarning?Aswegoalong, I’llgiveyoumyopinionsandthoseofotherprofessionalknifeusers.We’llconsiderthevariousoptions:bigknifeorlittleknife,folderorfixedblade,thickbladeor thinblade, and soon.After reading this book, you’ll be able tomakeyourowndecisionsregardingtacticalknives.

Anyoneofthesefolderswouldbeagoodchoiceforyourtacticalknife.

Folders(lefttoright):BenchmadeRukus,SpydercoMilitary,ZT,SAKRescueTool,ZT,ChrisReeveSebenza.

A

Chapter15

BigKnifeorLittleKnife

s far as I can tell the little knife versusbig knife argument got startedwithNessmuk, an outdoorsman and writer of the early twentieth century.

Nessmuk, whose work I much admire, advocated for a thin, four-inch fixedblade as the best all-aroundworking knife for the outdoorsman. The thing is,Nessmuk always had a hatchet with him, and he was focused on life in arelativelybenignforest.Ifyou’regoingtototearoundahatchet,youcangetbywithahandylittlebladeinatemperateforest,noproblem.Ifyoudon’thavethathatchet, amachete in the tropics, or a pry bar in an urban setting, youmightneed somethingmore substantial to dealwith events you encounter in today’sworld.Nessmukneverhadtodealwithahigh-risebuildingcomingdownonhishead.

During the past few decades the big versus small argument has gottendownright silly.A large crowdof folkswhounfortunatelyhave a gooddeal ofinfluence take a vehement position, against all common sense, that all anyoneever needs is a little knife and that big knives are an indication of that Freudthing—youknow,bigcigar,little...whatchamacallit.I’vebeentoldthatallyouneedisapocket-watch-sizedfolderforanyjob,thatlockbacksareforsissieswhodon’tknowhowtouseaknife,andthatanycowboycandressoutabeefcritterwitharazorblade.Yeah,right.Allyouneedislovetoo,untilyouwantdinner.Thereisareversemachismothinggoingonhere—mine’slittlerthanyours.

ColdSteelBushman—ahandyknifetohaveinthebush.

Moras(lefttoright):Model2010,Model2000,780Tri-Flex,840Clipper,and840Carbon.Handy,sharp,andaffordable.

Icandressoutadeerwithasharprock,maybenotaswellasourPaleolithicancestors,butgoodenoughtoget tomeat.Thatdoesn’tmeanstoneknivesarethe best butcher’s tools. If they were, there would be a big business in sellingstoneknivestobutchers,chefs,andotherprofessionals.Whatasmallknifehasgoing for it is convenienceofcarry.At theendof theday, that’squiteabit. Itmaymean thedifferencebetweenhavingaknife andnothavingone.But thatdoesn’tmeanasmallknifewilldothejobanybetteroraswellasabigknife.

Ask any professional chefwhich knife hewould select if hewere limited toone.Invariablyitwillbeaten-inchchef’sknife.Professionalbutcherswillchoseaten-inchbutcherknifeifpushedtouseoneknife.Ineveryclimaticzoneonourplanetwherepeopleliveclosetotheland,theyusebigknivesastheirdailytool:machete,bolo,orparanginthetropics;theLeukuorSamiintheArtic.WhenIwas trained in survival, the dogma was big knife, small gun—normally a .22targetpistol—ifyouweredowntobasics.That’sworkedformeandmanyothersdecades,and it still applies today.Checkout theSEREtrainingsitesandyou’llseeit’sstillbigknife,smallgun.That’sbecausethecombinationstillworks.

Mydailycarry isoftenatough, four-inchfixedblade.Withitandabaton,Icango through firedoors andautobodies. I can construct a shelter, cut somefirewood,anddressgame.ButIcoulddoallthatandmorewith,say,aten-inchBowie or camp knife and do it faster. However, in an emergency I probablywon’thave thatbigknife athand.Mybigknives reside inmybag,notonmyperson.

Tramontinamachetewithatwelve-inchblade.

Occasionally I attend gatherings of survival experts from around theworld.Usually an interesting crowd showsup: archaeologists, anthropologists,NativeAmericans, mountain hippies, active duty Special Forces soldiers on leave,retiredmilitary,primitiveskillspeoplewholiveasaborigines,sometimesactualaborigines, and all manner of outdoorsmen, hunters, and trappers. At onegathering, Idecided to ask everyone theiropinionon thebigknife, little knifequestion, partially because I was curious about their answers and partiallybecauseI’mjustnoseyandwantedtoknowwhatkniveseveryonewascarrying.

KnivesofWinterCount.

Everyone had knives. Therewere long knives, short knives, big knives, andlittle knives. There were knives with beautiful horn handles, inexpensiveutilitarian blades, hand-forged works of art, high-tech marvels, and low-techstoneknives.ThereweremachetesfromBrazil, laminatedbladesfromSweden,andjackknivesfromold-lineAmericanmanufacturers.Everyonehadatleastoneknife,andmostpeoplehadtwoorthree.Everyone,eventhestudentswhocamefor basic classes, knew the importance of a good knife. For many of theinstructors,survivalconditionsarejusthowtheylive.Thesefolksknowagooddealaboutusingknives.

Theprimitiveskillsfolkscangetbywithoutanykindofknife.Theyjustchipasharpedgeoutofahandyrock,cutdownasapling,andhaftalargersharpenedrocktoit.Nowequippedwithknifeandax,theycansetuphousekeepingandfixdinnerjustaboutanyplaceontheplanet.Butgivenachoice,theyhaveknives.Theyknowthatagoodknifewillsavelaborandmakelifeeasierinthefield.

Thereweremorethanonehundredinstructorsatthatevent,andItalkedtoatleastseventyofthem.Sowhatdotheyuse?Whatistheanswertothebigknife,littleknifequestionfromthosepeople’spointsofview?

Hawk Clinton makes knives and uses them daily at his remote desertresidence.HecodesignedabushknifewithTaiGoothatisinwideuseasthebigknife among survival instructors. Tai forges the blades, and Hawkmakes the

handles and sheaths. Hawk prefers simple carbon steel and horn or woodhandlesforhisknives,andhecarriesalotofknives.Aswetalked,heshowedmehisneckknife,abootknife,andabeltknife.Myimpressionwasthattherewereprobablyafewotherstuckedawaysomewhereinhisbuckskins.Ifhewouldletyouhold himupside down and shake him (unlikely), youwould probably getenoughknivestoopenastore.Hawkdoesn’tleavehomewithouthisbigknife.

AlbertAbrvilservedwithPhoenixSAR(searchandrescue)fortwentyyears.HisApacheheritageguideshisapproachtothenaturalworld.Whenitcomestoknives,heisveryperceptive.“Theseguysknowwhattheyaredoing.Ifyoulookat thecommonfactors in theirchoices,youwill see that theyare inagreementmore than indisagreement.Thebigknife is it—because itdoesmorewith lesseffort.Butthesmallknifeisalwayswiththem.”

Albert has one tool he won’t leave home without: a modified Tramontinamachete. By re-profiling the point into a spade shape, he has a tool that willchop,pry,anddigwithequalefficiency.“Inthedesert,youneedtodigforwater.Also certain roots are primary food and medicine items. This works foreverything.” Many of Albert’s modified machetes were in the hands of otherinstructors,andIbroughtonehomemyself.

ChrisReeveSablewithahandlewrapbyRobWithrow.

Karin Drechsel is a museumologist who works with archaeologists. FromKöln,Germany,Karinhasworkedondigsaroundtheworld,includinginIsrael,whereshediscoveredsomeoftheoldestexamplesofstoneknivesintheMiddleEast.Shespendsmuchofhertimeinthefieldandalwaystravelswithherfour-inchbladedHelleknife.ItisoftraditionalScandinaviandesignwithalaminatedblade,woodenhandle,andleathersheath.“Thisismyindispensabletool.Iuseiteverydayinthefield.BesidesbeingthemostfunctionalknifeIcouldfind,it isalsononthreatening.Itravelmanyplaceswherepoliticaltensionsarehigh.This

doesn’t look like a weapon.” She also has a twelve-inch machete in her bag.AlthoughKarinisnotasurvivalinstructor,sheisahighlyintelligentknifeuserwhospendsagreatdealoftimeinthefieldinlocationsaroundtheworld.

Although the one hundred instructors had at least three hundred knives ofconsiderable variety between them, their choices were consistent. Everyoneagreedthatabigknife,ninetotwelveinches,wasit.Inasurvivalsituation,ifyoucould choose one knife, take the big knife. Although everyone knew how tobatonasmallknifethroughapileof lumberandcoulddressoutGodzillawiththeir utility knives, they agreed that the big knife would do the small knives’choresmucheasierandfasterthenthereverse.Itwasalsounderstoodthatinanunexpected emergency situation rather than a planned trip to the field, theywouldprobablyonlyhaveasmallknifewiththem.Forthatreason,mostofthemhad both. The small knife is handier for small work, and it has the criticaladvantageofbeinghighlyportableandeasytocarry.Itisalsomoreacceptableintoday’sworld.Themachetesand the like live in rucksacksanddufflebags.So,curiosity satisfied. I wasn’t becoming delusional in my advanced years. Bigknives are it. But there’s a big caveat: little knives get used the most becausethey’remoreportable.Littleknivesaremostlywhatpeoplehavewiththem.It’snotreallyoneortheother.Bothareneeded.

SwissArmyKnifewithafirestarter.

KarinDrechselatWinterCountsurvivalcampinArizonaholdingaHellefixedblade.

WinterCounttools:TramontinamacheteandMoraknifewithabeadedsheath—mostpopularknivesatWinterCount.

Butwait,Ihearsomeoneasking,“Whataboutmedium-sizedblades,theonesinthesix-toeight-inchrange, theonesthemilitaryuses, theRandallsandKA-

BARsand...”Well,thatbringsustothenextchapter,wherewewilldealwiththat question, plus another topic that bedevils many discussions among knifepeople: do we need thick, tough knives, or is a slim slicer with better cuttingefficientlythebestknife?Thetwoquestionsarecloselyintertwined.

M

Chapter16

SharpPryBarorSlimSlicer—TheMedium-LengthKnife

edium-sizedknives inthesix-to-eight-inchrangeareneitherfishnorfowl.Toosmalltobebigkniveswithchoppingability,toobigtohavethecarrying

convenienceof small knives—what is their purpose?This size knife came intowidespreaduseasaresultofextensivestudiesdonebytheAmericanandBritishWarDepartmentsduringWorldWarIItofindareplacementforWorldWarItrench knives. The trench knife was seen as too large and cumbersome formodernsoldiers,whowerearmedwithrepeatingriflesandhadtocoveragreatdeal of ground on foot, often quickly.However, it was clear that a need for afighting knife existed. The studies showed that a seven-inch blade was theminimumlengthrequiredtoreachvitalorgansthroughuniformclothing.BoththeKA-BARandtheFairbairn–Sykesdesignswere influencedbythesestudies,aswellasmanyoftoday’sdesigns.

Even if today’s designers don’t know the antecedents of their own designs,theycontinuetobuildonthepreviousgeneration,turningoutseven-inchknivesfor soldiers. They are not wrong to do so. The studies that were carried outseventyyearsagoarestillvalid.Longerkniveswillservebetterinactualhand-to-hand combat, no disagreement on that point. But since such conflicts arerelativelyrareinmodernwarfare,soldierswon’tcarrybigknives,certainspecialopsunitsaside.Theywill,forthemostpart,carryaKA-BARorsomethingelseinthatsizerange.However,giventheoft-changingnatureofwarfare,thatmaychange.Asrelatedinapreviouschapter,amarinedispatchedanenemywithhisfour-inchbladedtacticalfolder.Othershavedonesimilarthings.Irecentlyheardastoryfromareliablesourceaboutasoliderwhoovercameafullyarmedenemycombatantwithaconcealedfixedbladefewerthanthreeinchesinlength.

In the civilianworld, there is little reason to recommend themedium-sizedknife. Most civilians will be better served with the little knife, big knifecombination as discussed in the previous chapter. Themedium-sized knives IcarryandusethesedaysarethosethatareexceptionalinsomewayorbecauseI

like them and they are old and familiar. I will admit that aftermany years oftotingsmallutilityblades,I’mtrendingbacktowardthemedium-sizedblade,butthe jury’snotyet inon thatpoint.Mostof theprofessionalknifeusers Iknowwho use the seven-inch length are, likeme, formermilitary, and for themostpartwe’reoperatingfromhabitandexperiencemorethancurrentnecessity.

ThethickversusthinquestionalsogotstartedwiththemilitaryinWorldWarII.Itwaswellunderstoodthatathin-bladedknifewouldkillasefficientlyasonewithathickblade,perhapsbetter.Afterall, theyhadcenturiesofexperiencetoguidethem.Ifyoueverhavethechance,visitthearmsandarmorcollectionsinParisandLondon.Theswordsanddaggersofthesixteenthcenturyuptotheageof the firearmwerenot thickorheavy.Theywere thin, light, andquick in thehand. So are theKris blades forged inMindanao today, short swords that cantakeaman’sarmoffwithlittleeffort.

OneproblemfacingthewardepartmentsofWorldWarIIwasthedifficultyofproducing the enormous quantities of steel needed for the war effort. Highquality blade steel was almost unobtainable. The solution was to use lowerqualitysteelandmakeupforthelackofqualitybyusingthickerblades.

There was an additional reason to use thicker blades. Given that bladedweaponswerenolongerprimaryinwarfare,aknifeissuedtothetroopswouldalsohavetoserveasautilitytool.Thin,whippyswordsdonotmakegoodtoolsfor ripping open ammo crates, cutting steel packing bands, opening CRationcans, or tearing through building walls. Thus the KA-BAR was born, acombinationweaponandutilitytool.Thislegacyinfluencesknifedesigntoday.Ithinkthat’sagoodthing.

Not everyone agrees. At one of the survival gatherings I described in thepreviouschapter, I introducedthe topicof thickandstrongbladesversus thin,moreefficientcutters.Whichisbetter?Isthereahappymedium?Isitpossibletohave cutting efficiency and strength for prying and ripping in one blade? Ithoughttheanswertothatquestionwasyes.ButItosseditouttothegroupforconsideration and inadvertently ignited an emotional controversy. We hadpreviouslyagreedthatthemostcommoncarryknifewasafour-inchutility.So,Istartedwithtwofour-inchknivesandtwoopposedcamps.

Accordingtothevariousvoicesinthegroup,theywerethebestofknives,theywere the worst of knives, the Mora was the perfect knife, the Reeve was theperfectknife,theMorawasacheapandflimsyparingknife,andtheReevewasan overpriced, sharpened pry bar. A woodsman from the North praised theMora;amountainmanfromtheWestpraisedtheReeve.TheMorawasweak,

theMorawas strong, the Reevewouldn’t cut, the Reeve cut like a razor. YoucouldtrustyourlifetotheMora,butnottotheReeve,youcouldtrustyourlifetotheReeve,butnottotheMora.Itwascleartothemastersofthewoodsandthemountainsthatthesemattersweresettledforever.

Morawithbuckskinsheathandflintstickpouch.

TheknivesindisputeweretheMoraandtheChrisReeveShadowIII.Thetwoknivesareasdifferentaschalkandcheese.Theonlythingtheyhaveincommonissize;theybothhavefour-inchbladesandhandlesforanoveralllengthofeightinches.TheMoraisathin-bladed,wooden-handledknifewithasticktangandadesignasoldasasquare-riggedsailingship.TheReeve isaone-piece,hollow-handledpieceofA2toolsteelascontemporaryindesignasanF14fighter.TheMora ismade ina factoryby the thousands,andtheconstruction looksa littlesloppy. The Reeve is made to machine shop precision in virtually customquantities. The Mora costs about as much as a hamburger with fries and amilkshake.TheChrisReevewillsetyoubackthepriceofdinnerfortwoinafinerestaurantinamajorcity,wineincluded.Botharepurportedbytheiradvocatestobetheperfecttacticalknife.

AwoodsmanshowedmehisMora,whichhecarriedona thongaroundhis

neck.HesaidtheMorawastheperfectsurvivalandtacticalknife.Itwasperfectforall formsofwoodcraft,tookasharpedge,andwaseasytosharpen.Healsotoldus a good test of a tactical and survival knifewas todrive itwith abatonpoint first into a tree and then stand on it. He stated unequivocally that thiscouldbedonewiththeMoraandthatthebladewouldnotbendorbreak.

Duringaconversationwithamountainman,IaskedhimwhathethoughtoftheMora.“It’sagreatlittlecarvingknife,”hesaid.“Butit’snotacticalorsurvivalknife.” I asked himwhat he used as a survival knife.He opened his shirt andshowedmeaChrisReeveShadowIIIsuspendedfromathongaroundhisneck.

Bothof thesemenwerehighlyexperiencedoutdoorsmen,yet theiropinionswerediametricallyopposed.Whileattheevent,Ihadmanyconversationswithotherson this topic. Somewere experts, somehadno experiencewhatever; allhadstronglyheldopinions.Theytendedtofallintothetwocamps;itwaseitherthe Reeve or the Mora that was the perfect tactical and survival knife. Bothknives offer advantages over a folder and are small enough to carry everyday,locallegalitiesaside.Botheasilyfallintothecategoryoftheknifeyouhavewithyou.

ChrisReeveSablewithahandlewrapbyRobWithrow—agoodmedium-sizedknife.

Myfamilywaswithmeonthistrip,anddespitemywarnings,mysonstooktothewoodsandoutofmysight,droveoneoftheirMorasintoatree,andstepped

uponit,asthenorthernwoodsmanhadassuredthemwassafe.Luckilyneitheronewas injured.Theybroughtme theremainsof theknifewith itsbentbladeandbrokenhandle.Ifthebladehadbrokeninsteadofbendingandmysonhadtriedtoclingtothetreeinsteadofpushingaway,hemayhavecuthislegbadly.Thewoodsmanlookedprettyhefty,butmaybeheweighedlessthanhelooked,lessthanmyninety-poundeleven-year-oldson.Ormaybehehadanantigravitydevice.

Wediscovered that the blade geometry of theMorawas excellent forwoodwork:making triggers for deadfalls, carving wedges to split logs, shaving fuzzsticksforfirestarting,andadozendailytasks,suchasslicingveggiesandmeatfor a stew, trimming the ragged edge of a torn pant leg, and so on. Thewoodsmanwascorrectwhenhesaidthecarbonsteelbladetookafierceedgeandwaseasytosharpen.TheMorashavetheScandinaviangrind,whichisbasicallyasaber grindwith no secondary bevel. By laying the bevel flat on a sharpeningstoneandusingthebevelasaguide,it’seasytogetahair-poppingedge.IliketheMoraknife.Ilikeitslaminatedcarbonsteelblade,itscomfortablehandle,anditsoverall geometry. It’s also tough enough to use with a baton. With its woodhandle,nicely formedblade,and leathersheath, itmakesahandsomepackage.Andfortheprice,it’saterrificbargain.Butisittheperfecttacticalandsurvivalknife?

During the week, we also used a Chris ReeveMountaineer I, which differsfrom the Shadow III only in having a clip point instead of a spear point. Thehollowsteelhandlemadeforahandle-heavyknife,butthisdidn’taffectitsuse.TheonlydownsidetotheroundhandlewasthatitrolledoffatablewhenIputitdown. In cold weather, I would wrap the handle with tape, but in the mildautumnitwascomfortabletocutwith,evenaftersomehoursofwhittlingbows,atlatls,andotherprimitivetools.WeusedtheReeveforthesamekindsofjobsastheMoraandfoundthatitservedequallywell,exceptforprecisewoodcarving,wheretheMorawasmoreefficient.

MysonfoundhehadahardertimegettingagoodedgewiththeReeve,sinceitdidn’thavethebevelthatservedasaguide.Butaftersomeadditionalinstruction,hecaughtonandwasabletobringbothknivestoashavingedge.

Undeterredbytheirearlierexperiment,mysonsaskedmetoseeiftheReeveknifewouldpass the tree test. Iagreed to try it,with thestipulation that I,notoneofmysons,wouldputmyweightontheknife.Withtheaidofatreelimb,IdrovetheReeveintoapinetreeandcarefully,alittlebitatatime,putmyweightonit,whilesupportingmostofmyweightfromanotherlimb.TheReeveflexed

butdidnotbreak.Isteppeddownandthebladesprangbacktotrue.Someof theadvocatesof theMorawitnessed this experiment. “That’s silly,”

onesaid.“You’llneverneedaknifetodothat.”Leavingasidethefactthattheirguruhadclearlystatedthiswasthetestforbladestrength,let’sexaminetheneedfor blade strength in a tactical and survival knife. Let’s also go back to ouroriginalnotionofatacticalandsurvivalsituation.

A survival or tactical situation isnot camping,hangingout in thewoodsormountains,or engaging invariouswoodworking crafts. It isone inwhichyoumustacttosaveyourlifewhereveryoumightbe,wilderness,city,oranyplaceinbetween.Strengthinablade isagoodthing.Strengthwithoutcuttingability isuseless. If you have strengthwithout losing functionality, you’ve got a tacticalandsurvivalknife.

As Imentionedearlier in thisbook, Ioncehad to cut througha locked firedoorwithasix-inchbladedRandallModel1togetoutofahighriseinManilawhenafirebrokeout.IonceusedamilitaryissueAirForceSurvivalKnifewithafive-inchbladetostopmyselffrombeingsweptawaybyicycoldrushingwaterinanaqueductwhere Iwas swimmingwhen someoneopened the sluicemilesaway.Thesewerepotentialsurvivalandtacticalsituations.

HowwouldtheMoraortheReevehaveworkedinthosesituations?Iwouldn’twanttotryandcutthroughafiredoorwiththeMora.IknowtheMorawon’tbearmyweight,soIsurelywouldn’twanttouseitasanarrestingdevice.IknowfromactualexperiencethattheReevewillcutthroughtheroofofaHondaandbearmyweight.Italsocarveswoodwell,ifnotquiteaswellastheMorawithitspurpose-designedgeometry.

Eventually,Irealizedthattreetestaside,thesetwomen,bothtrueexperts intheir areas, were using different definitions of the term tactical and survivalknife.Tothewoodsmanandhisfollowers,survivaltakesplaceinthewoodsandinvolves the construction of bow drills for fire making, shelters, traps, andvariousprimitivetoolsfromwood.TheMorawilldothiskindofworkwithease,evenelegance.

Moracuttinganoaklimb.

ChrisReeveMountaineerwithafixedblade.

The mountain man is a combat veteran, as well as an outdoor guide andsurvival instructor. To him a tactical and survival situation is anything thatthreatensyourlifeandcanhappenwithoutwarninganytimeorplace.Hewantsaknifethatwilldoforwoodworking,serveasanemergencyweapon,andhaveareserve of strength for extreme situations—emergencyuses thatwoulddestroytheMora.Idon’tconsiderthisafailureonthepartoftheMora.Thoseusesareoutsidethedesignparametersoftheknife.TheMorawasdesignedasacuttingtool,anditservesthatneedadmirably.TheReevewasdesignedtoacompletelydifferentsetofspecsandachievesitsgoals.TheReeveisatoughknifeandagoodcuttingtool.

This bringus to a class of knives that I think are about themostuseful all-aroundknivesmadetoday,asidefromfolders.

L

Chapter17

TheInternationalTraveler’sTacticalKnife

et’s follow the logic of what we have learned in the previous chapters. Bigknivesaregreatbutwon’tbecarriedonyourperson.Mediumknives,around

seveninches,arestilltoobigforconvenientciviliancarry,andinmostcaseswedon’t need their war function. Small woodcarving and wilderness-orientedknivesarenotstrongenoughforemergencyuse.Whatdoesthat leaveuswith,foldersaside?Ifwewantatacticalandsurvivalknife,onesuitablefordailycarryinallkindsofconditions,we’relookingatknivesinthefour-to-five-inchbladerangewith reserves of strength. This category of knives is one that for years Ihavecalledtraveler’sknives.

IdosobecauseIhavelivedmuchofmylifeasaninternationaltraveler,andafter thirty years, six continents, andmore than forty countries, after five starhotelsandjunglecamps,warzones,thirdworldslums,andpalm-fringedislands,IhavefoundthistobethemostessentialtoolandemergencyweaponIcanhavewithme.That’sasidefromfirearmsoraSatComthatwouldallowmetocallinanairstrikeandanextractionteam.(Joke.Mmm,notreally.)

Traveler’sknives.

Anythingcanhappenon theroadandoftendoes. Ihave thoughtabout thistopic at length and considered the needs of others I have encountered inmytravels, some of which I have written about in earlier chapters. Recreationaltravelers, especially the international adventure traveler,might experience anyclimate or terrain.A travelermight encounter emergency situations or have awalk in the sun. He or she may travel alone or in company, friendly orunfriendly.Inallcases,heorsheshouldbeself-reliant.Hisorherprimaryknifemust serve planned and unplanned needs in all circumstances andenvironments.Itmightbetheonlytoolavailableinanemergency.

Atravelerisfarfromhomeandoftenunabletoreplacebrokengear.Heorshealso should try to travel as lightly aspossible.Therefore, the traveler’sprimaryknifemust be useful for awide range of everyday tasks and have a reserve ofstrengthforextremesituations.Itmusttakeagoodedgeandbeeasytosharpen.Itmust not break. Itmust be useful for everything from slicing tomatoes andripping coconuts open to arresting a slide down the slimy interior wall of anaqueduct. For the knife to be available, it should be on the traveler’s person,exceptwhen it is checkedwith luggage for flying or in other secured areas. Itseemstomethatmostofthisalsoappliestothepersonwhoonlytravelsafewmilesfromhome.Whoknowswhatwillhappenwhenyoustepoutofyourdoor?As Bilbo Baggins said in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring, “It’s adangerousbusiness,Frodo,goingoutyourdoor.YoustepontotheRoad,andifyoudon’tkeepyourfeet,there’snoknowingwhereyoumightbesweptoffto.”TheLordoftheRingsisafantasyseries,butthatmessagedemonstrateswisdom.Sowheredoesallthistakeus?

Rightbacktowherewestarted.Atough,sharpfixedbladeaboutfourtofiveinches in length, essentially a small tactical and survival knife, is the bestcompromise between function, size, convenience, and social acceptability.Myexperienceshave ledme to realize thewisdomof equippingUSmilitarypilotsfromWorldWarIIonwiththePilot’sSurvivalKnife.Itis,inallessentials,alsoatraveler’sknifeandwillserveatraveler’sneedswell.

Nofolder,evenanautomatic,isfastertoopenthanafixedbladethat’salreadyopen.Nofoldercanbeasstrongasatoughfixedblade.Theshorterbladewilldoalmosteverythingthelongerbladeswilldo,anditwillbetherewhenyouneedit.Andifyoutravelfaroffthebeatentrack,youwillneedit.

You’ll findmany good choices in this category when you get to the reviewsection. But for now, here are a few examples of knives I have used and beensatisfiedwith.

ChrisReeveShadowIII,ChrisReeveMountaineerI,FällknivenF1,FällknivenH1,SpydercoBobLum,andSpydercoFredPerrin.

FällknivenF1andH1withtraveler’sgear.

BenchmadeNimravus.

Onanextended trip a fewyears ago, I carriedaChrisReeveMountaineer I

daily.Iuseditforfoodpreparationanddailychoresincampandaroundtown.While visiting an archaeological excavation in France, I was trappedundergroundwhenthestaffleftandlockedthesecuritydoor—theonlywayout—behindthem.Iwas innoimmediatedanger,butIwas facinga long,hungryweekendbefore anyone returnedonMondaymorning.The excavation tools—shovels,picks,etc.—werestoredinashedaboveground.TheonlytoolIhadwithmewasthelittleReeve.

Idecidedtoattempt jimmyingthesecuritydooropen. Ihaddoubts that thesmallknifewouldsurvivetheeffortoropenthedoor,butdinnerbeckoned.Islidit into the cracknear the lockand slowly appliedpressure.Bitbybit thedoorgave.Bitbybitthebladeflexed.Ithoughtthediminutiveblademightbreak,butI continued to applypressure.Finally thedoorpoppedopen, theblade sprangbacktotrue,andIescapedintimeforsomeroastduckwithaniceBeaujolais.

Thisstory isanillustrationof thevalueofa fixedbladeandthehave itwithyouprinciple.ThestrongestfolderIhaveeverseenwouldhavefoldedupifIhadtried to pry open that doorwith it. If I had not had the knifewithme, therewould have been no roast duck and no Beaujolais, just a long weekendundergroundwithsomerecentlyexcavatedskeletons.Theotherversionof thistinypowerhouse,theShadowIII,isjustasstrong,perhapsmoresosinceitsspearpointhasmoresteelclosetothepoint.

Fällknivenhave twomodels in the shortandstoutcategory.TheH1andF1areboth about eight inchesoverall, full-tangknivesmadeofV10.Bothkniveshavesurvivedwithoutdamagethedepredationcausedbygroupsofteenagersinsurvival classes. Their convex grinds provide efficient edge geometry andstrength. I’ve beenusing theH1 and the F1 for years and like both of them agreatdeal.Theseareexcellentexamplesofwhatthetraveler’sknifeshouldbe.

Anoldfavoritefixedblade,Spyderco’sBobLumTanto.

SpydercoFredPerrinStreetBeat,theperfecttraveler’scompanion.

BudNealyCaveBearII©BudNealy.

TOPSTravelinMan2,areliable,toughexampleofatraveler’sknife.

Benchmade’sNimravusisanothergoodchoice,althoughIwouldpreferiftheyoffered the knife with a plain blade instead of a black one, which can drawunwantedattentionincivilianuse.Atnineinchesoverall,itisabitlongerthantheReevesandFällknivensbutstillahandysize.TheNimravusalsosurvivedtheterrible teensduringa shelter-buildingclass.No joke.Untrained teenagers candestroy a piece of equipment faster than anyone but a parent would thinkpossible.Benchmadealsocatalogsa shorterversionof theNimravuscalled theCub.Itshouldalsoworkfineforthetraveler.

Spyderco’sBobLumTantoisalsoagoodchoiceforatraveler’sknife;itsVG-10bladeisstrong,takesagoodedge,andholdsitwell.FredPerrin’sStreetBeatandStreetBowie,bothintheSpydercoversionsandFred’shandmadeversions,areexcellent traveler’sknives.Ourgrouphasusedbothoveraperiodofyears,sometimeswell outside of their design parameters, and has found them to bereliable,handsome,comfortable,wellbalanced,andall-aroundgreatknives.

Check out the Bud Nealy knives in the review section to find some nicetraveler’s knives.Many of Bud’s knives have a self-defense focus, but they areequallyusefulasbasictactical,survival,ortraveler’sknives.Budalsohasanewbatchofmodelsspecificallydesignedforbackpackersandoutdoorsmenthatwillworkwellfortravelers.

Thesearenottheonlyknivessuitablefortheadventuretraveler,buttheyaregoodexamples.Toevaluateaknifeforextremeuse,youmightwanttotrysomeofthethingsIoutlineinthesectiononreviewingknives.

Still, let’s not forget the utility of the big knife.A big knife of some kind isindispensableinthebush,butmoreorlessuselessinthecity.Ifyouknowyouwill be traveling in the bush, it is worthwhile to pack one. Otherwise, forspontaneoustripsafield,Ibuyaparangmachete,bolo,orsomethingsimilaratthelocalmarket.

Asatravelertofarawayplaces,youmightalsowanta littlebackup.OneofthetinylockbackspioneeredbySpyderco,suchtheCricketorDragonfly,cliptoanypartofyourclothing,openwithonehand,locksolid,andcutlikeminiaturechainsaws.Theserratedmodelswilleasilyslashthoughaseatbelt.Theyprovidemuchgreaterutilitythantheirsizemightindicate.

Youmight also want an Swiss ArmyKnife. I don’t really think of SAKs asknives;they’remorelikepockettoolkits.Asmall,simpleoneisbest.ButanSAKwithout a corkscrew is no SAKat all. Be prepared, right?Whoknowswhen abottleofBeaujolaisorBordeauxmighthappenalong?

You can load yourself downwith a dozen knives and a hundred pounds ofgearbeforeyouhittheroad.Butafterawhileyouwillfindthatyouonlyneedaminimumofequipment.Afewyearsago,IwalkedacrossagoodbitofItalywithaten-poundpackandaFällknivenF1.Sometimeback,IcarriedevenlesswhileislandhoppingformonthsintheSouthernPhilippines.Ihavefoundthattravelhasawayofbringingyou to simplicityandclarityaboutyourneeds in life, aswellasontheroad.Ifyoutraveloff thebeatentrack,takeasmall,strongfixedblade.Don’tleavehomewithoutit.

O

Chapter18

TheTacticalFolder

kay,youdon’tbuyit.Youdon’twantanykindoffixedblade.Canyougetbywithonlyafolder?Maybe.Manydo.Overthepastdecadeorso,Ihaveused

andtestedmorethantwohundredofwhatwenowcalltacticalfolders.Today’stactical folder is not your grandfather’s pocketknife. In many cases tacticalfolderscan,anddo,standinforthesmallfixedbladeutilityknife.Theycanevenserveaslifesavingweapons.Hereisonemarine’sstorythatservesasanexampleofthisfact.

Ausefulcollectionoftacticalfolders.

Kershaw,KenOniondesigntacticalfolders.

DeathAmongtheReedsOnJanuary29,2005,thedaythatthefirstdemocraticelectionswereheldinIraq,a professionally trained insurgentmortar squaddispatched fromBaghdad andtookuppositiontorainfire,death,anddestructiononCampFallujah,amilitarybaseabouttenkilometerssoutheastofthecityofFallujah.

This mortar squad had hit the base previously. In response, a team fromMarine SergeantHeathLanctot’s platoonhad setup anobservationpost (OP)about twokilometers from themarinebasenear apointwhere they suspectedthemortarswouldbeplacedtofireonthebaseagain.“Wewantedtocatchtheinsurgents in the act andambush them,”Sgt.Lanctot said.Lanctot’s teamwasdesignatedastheQuickReactionForceandheldinreserveattheMarinebase.TheQRF’sresponsibilityistorespondtocallsforimmediateassistance.

Ataboutnoon,Sgt.Lanctot’steamreceivedacallfromtheOPsayingthattheenemyhad set upmortars right in front of theOP and that theOP teamhadopened fire on the enemy mortar crew before they could fire on the base.Lanctot’s QRF sped from their base in open-backedHumvees. Sevenminuteslater,theyleapedfromtheirvehiclesattheOPandjoinedthefight.

The OP team had killed one of the enemy with their Squad AutomaticWeapon, but three other insurgents fled using the nearby canals andsurrounding berms, part of the Euphrates River system, to cover their retreat.The insurgents then took up position in one of the canals concealed by thickreeds.

Sgt.Lanctotandtwoofhis teammemberschargedthecanal firingtheirM4Carbinesastheyran.“Wehopedtodrawtheirfirefromadistance,butitdidn’tworkoutthatway.Bythetimetheyfired,wewereontopoftheirposition.Theenemyopenedup fromaconcealedposition threemeters fromus.Oneofmyteammateswas hit andwent down. I dumped threemagazines into the reeds.Then,whilemyother teammate laiddowncovering fire, I randown thebermandpulledmyfriendoutofthekillzone.Butitwastoolate.Hehadbeenkilledinstantly.”

Therewereatleasttwooftheenemystillatlarge,butthefiringhadstoppedand the enemywasnot to be seen.Maybe theyhad fled the area. Sgt. Lanctotwentintothecanaltoretrievetheenemybodyandsearchforanyevidence.Thewater was chest deep and icy cold. Lanctot retrieved the enemy body and

returnedtothecanalwhenhenoticedatrailthroughthereeds.Inthematter-of-factmannerofaprofessionalmarine,Sgt.Lanctottoldme,“I

followedthetrail,and,havingleftmyweapon,ammo,andwebgearontheberm,IpulledoutmyColumbiaRiverKnifeandToolfolder.Imademywayalongthecanalandintothereeds.Suddenlyoneoftheenemypoppedupandgrabbedmyrightarm.”

There, cut off from any possibility of help, Sgt. Heath Lanctot fought hisenemy asmen have done since the beginning of the human race—with handweapons—to the death. The water was deep, the reeds were thick, and thebottom of the canal slippery. Footing was unsure. During the course of thedesperate,furiousfight,Sgt.Lanctotdispatchedhisenemywithtwoknifethruststotheneck.

BenchmadeNagara.

Lanctotwasclimbingoutofthecanalwhenheheardacoughfromthereeds.Without thought for his own safety, he immediately went back into the canalwithhisknife,readytofaceanotherenemy.Asheagainmovedintothereeds,thethickreedwallparted.Hecouldseetheenemy’seyes.Butthistimesomeof

his buddies were on the berm above and behind him. The platoon corpsmenfiredrightoverLanctot’sshoulder,killingtheinsurgentandeliminatingtheneedforLanctottoengageinanotherhand-to-handfightinthecanal.

ThatwasthelastenemyHeath’sunitengagedthatday.Thisinsurgentmortarsquad would kill no more marines. They would never again attack CampFallujahoranyotherAmericanorIraqibase.

Aknifeusedasaweaponisdifferentthanafirearminthatitputsyourlifeandthe life of anotherperson in yourhands—literally in yourhands.You feel theheatofyouropponent’sbodyashestrugglestotakeyourlife.Hisbreathmingleswithyours.Yousmellhissweatandfear,aswellasyourown.Whenaknifehasbeenusedinterminalpersonalcombat,thatknifetakesonatalismanicquality.In yourmind it becomes themagic weapon that saved your life. I asked Sgt.LanctotifthatwastrueforhimorifheregardedhisCRKTfolderasjustanotherknife.

“No,”hesaid,“it’snotjustanotherknife.Istilluseitforeverydaythings,butIplantoput itaside,maybeinashadowbox,whenIgethome.Iwouldn’thavebeenabletodoitwithouttheknife.IboughttheknifeinthePX(PostExchange)when I first came to Camp Fallujah. Operation Iraqi Freedom Certified isengravedonit.Buttheguysinmyunitwilltellyouthatmineistheonlyonethatisactuallycertified.Manyoftheguysinmyunithavenowboughtonejustlikeit.”“DidyouhaveaKA-BAR?”IaskedHeath,tryingtounderstandhowhecametousethatCRKTincombat.“MostMarinesIknowdo.Andifyouhadone,whydidn’tyouuseitinsteadofyourfolder?”

“Yeah,IhaveaKA-BAR.Butmyfolderwasrightthereandquickertogetto,”Heathsaid.

Sgt.Lanctot’s response isall thereasonanyonewhohasbeen inharm’swayneedstounderstand.Experienceshowsthatalastditchweaponcloseathandcansaveyour life.Timecompresses in combat and speed candeterminewho livesandwhodies.

Men have fought with swords, knives, and other hand weapons in theEuphratesValleyforallofrecordedhistory,andconflictcontinuestheretoday.The outcome ofHeath’s fightmight have been different there in that ancientland, that day in coldwater among the reeds, ifHeath hadnot had his folderclippedtohispocketwhenhewentintothecanal.ItwasafatefuldecisiontobuyapersonalknifeatthePX.ButwhatmostoccupiesHeath’smindisgriefforhisfallenfriendandthesorrowthatthefamilyandfriendsofhisbuddyfeelattheir

loss.“Iliketobelieveithelps,knowingthoseresponsiblewillneverharmanother

Americanservicemanor-woman.Themortarteamwetookoutturnedouttobethemajorplayersinourareaofoperation.Localsidentifiedtheteamasbeingthemostfearedinthearea.Itwasanhonorandprivilegetogetthemoffthestreets.”

AlthoughSgt.LanctotboughthisknifeatthePX,DougFlagg,avicepresidentat CRKT, donated a number of knives to a soldiers’ knives program that weinitiated.ThoseknivesarenowinthehandsofservicepeopleinIraq.Hopefully,noneofthemwillneedtobeusedinmortalcombat.Butit’sgoodtoknowthattheycanberelieduponwhenfaterollsthediceandyournumbercomesup.

Many armchair experts tell us that there is little need for knives in today’smilitarybecausesupplylinesaremoreefficientandtroopsarelesslikelytorunout of ammunition. Therefore, these experts say, the notion of a knife as aweapon is as outdated as swords on today’s high-tech battlefields. But few ofthoseso-calledexpertshaveeverheardashot firedor felt the fear thatrises inyourchestwhenyouarealone,unarmed,andfacinganarmedenemy.

DeserttacticalsfromCRKT.©CRKT.

The troops in the field disagree with the experts; they buy personal knives.Oneofthem,MarineSergeantHeathLanctot,ofFirstPlatoonBravoCompany,Second Recon Battalion, Second Marine Division, is alive today because hedisregarded theexperts’pointofview.More importantly,he’salivebecauseheembodies the finest traditions of the American fighting man and the MarineCorps:SemperFi.

Tactical folders are good formore than fighting to thedeath; they canhelp tosaveyourlifeinotherways.ForsomeyearsIprovidedsurvivaltrainingfreeofchange to many young people who pursue outdoor recreation.Most of themwere city kids who have no idea how quickly things can go wrong in thewilderness. These kids have seen the value of tactical folders. Influenced byfashionandsocialpressuresasmuchaspracticality, thesekids totallyrefuse tocarryafixedbladewhileskiing,snowboarding,backpacking,white-waterrafting,hunting, fishing,oradozenotheroutdooractivities thathave thepotential fordisaster.Theywillcarryafolder.Withpropertechniqueandtrainingandgoodfolders,thesekidshavebuiltonehoursheltersgoodenoughtoprotectthem,andme,fromawinterstormintheNorthwest.They’vemaderabbitsticksandfishtrapsandstartedfireswiththeirfoldersandsparkingrods.Theyhavelearnedtosurvive,andtheirtacticalfoldersworkedforthem.Here’sashortstoryaboutonesuchgroup.

ChrisReeveSebenza.

HomeAwayfromHomeThree students fromoneofmypreviousclassesaskedme if theycould take

the next step in the process and apply what they had learned in a real worldsetting.Iagreed.Theywouldhavetoconstructashelter thatwouldkeepusallsafe,ifnotcomfortable,throughawet,coldPacificNorthwestwinternight.Theywould have only a folder and the contents of their pockets or purses; nobackpacks,tarps,tents,sleepingbags,stoves,orchainsawswereallowed.Ashley,whohadpreviouslytakenanumberofmyclasses,hadtheforesighttocarryhisready bag. This was within the rules of the exercise, since the bag was hiseveryday carry bag, essentially a small shoulder bag no larger than awoman’spurse.

Each of them borrowed a knife fromme for the exercise. Ashley, themostexperiencedof thegroup,choseaChrisReeveSebenza.NikachosetheAlMarSERE for its comfort in the hand. Kory, the youngest of the group, liked theBenchmadeMcHenryWilliams.

My three volunteers followedme a fewmiles into an area ofmixed secondgrowthandunderbrush that is typicalofPacificNorthwestcoastal forests.Thedistanceandthenatureoftheundergrowthandterrainwasenoughtomakethetwomoreinexperiencedmembersofthegroupfeeltheywereintruewilderness.ThenIgavethemthefollowingscenario:

The four of uswere out gatheringmushrooms.We got a little bit turnedaround. (I do not get lost.) Then I klutzed out, fell, and brokemy ankle.Withonlytwohoursbeforenightfall,itwastoolateforanyofthemtowalkoutandgethelp.Mysizeandweightwastoomuchforthemtocarry.Beinggood-hearted kids, theywere not going to leavemy sorry, ancient self tofreezeduringthefast-approachingnight.Wewouldhavetospendthenightintheforest,andthenthetwostrongestwouldgoforhelpinthemorning.Thetemperaturewasfallingfast.Standingwaterwasalreadyfreezingover.Itwasgoingtobeacoldnight.Wewouldprobablygetsnoworsleet.Thethreeofthemwouldhavetobuildasecureshelterforthefourofusandgetfirewoodforthefirepittheywouldmakeinsidetheshelter.

IdesignatedAshleyasteamleader,andheinstructedNikainhowtogatherandtrimtheevergreenboughsfortheclassicboughbedthatwewouldsleeponthatnight.Kory,being largerandstronger,wasassigned togather thesaplings thatwouldbeused for the frameworkof theshelter.Ashleydecided tocutsaplings

fortheframeworkuntiltheyhadenoughofthemtostartconstruction.Thenhewouldstarttheactualconstructionofourhomeforthenightwhiletheothersfedhimmaterials.Igavethemabouttenminutesadditional instructiononhowtouse their knives most efficiently to accomplish these jobs without cuttingthemselvesandwhileworkingagainstadeadline.

Korycuttingbranchesfortheshelterinthewoods©JustinAyres.

SinceIwas“injured”andunabletohelp,Isatonalogandwatchedastheseyoungfolkswenttowork.Ashleywentthroughastandofbirchlikeabeaveronespresso. He would place the Sebenza at a diagonal, strike it carefully andaccuratelywithhisbaton,andbeontothenext treebefore the firstonehit theground.NikausedherSEREtostripbranchesfromlargelimbswithsurprisingproficiencyforacitygirlwhohadneverdoneanyofthisbefore.KoryusedhisBenchmade tobatonhisway throughpine,birch,andalder.Theyalso learnedthataneasywaytocutdownsaplingswastobendthemtoonesideandcutintothemontheoutsideofthebend.Theyuseddownedwoodasavailable.

Aftertheframeworkwassolid,theythatchedaroofabouttwofeetthickwithpine branches. Then they gathered some kindling by reaching into the lowerbranches of pines and snapping off the dead branches. Therewere not nearlyenoughofthesebranchestogetthefirehotenoughtoburndampwood,sosomelarger wood had to be split to get to the dry wood inside. They split logs bybatoning their folders first into the edges, stripping off sections about an inchthick, and then working their way to the center. There was a bit of frictionbetweenthekids,asisnormalwhenpeoplearethrowntogetherandstressed,butthey worked out their minor problems and continued. One hour and fiveminutes after they started,we stopped for a short break.The temperaturehad

now fallen well below freezing. The shutter of my camera froze and stoppedworking at this point, and I was unable to take any photos of the completedstructurewithfirepit.

Inanothertenminutes,wehadafloorofpineboughsabouttwofeetthick,asmallfirepitinsidetheshelter,andasupplyoffirewood—allinall,asecureplaceto spendwhatwas shapingup tobe aharshnight.Threepeople, twoof themwith no experience with folding knives or the outdoors but with properinstruction,accomplishedthisinaboutanhourandfifteenminutes.

Wewerealittlechilledasthesleetstartedtostingourfaces,andwecrawledinside the shelter. But thirty minutes later we were sitting around the firelaughingabouthowKorygotaloadoficewaterdownhisneckwhenhepulleddown a sodden branch. It was so warm inside we all had our jackets off. Fordinnerwesharedtheonlyfoodinthegroup.Nikahadbroughtnothing.Ashhada can of sardines, some sea crackers, and a bag of trailmix in his ready bag.Ashleyalsohad inhisbaga small survivalkit that Ihaddesigned.TheGlobalSurvivalKitweighsabouttwelveounces,willfitinalargepocket,andfoodcanbecookedinthecontainer.Ashbrewedsometea,andweallhadawarmdrink.Kory had a squished Snickers bar in his pocket, so that was desert. I haddeliberately brought nothing and was prepared to go hungry with the kids tohelp teach these lessons. It was clear to the kids that we could safely, evencomfortably,spendtherestofthenightthereinourwarmshelter.IwouldhavebeenokayifIhadreallybrokenmyankle.Thelessonshadbeenlearned.

UsingtheChrisReeveSebenzatobuildashelterinthewoods.

Awell-builtshelter©JustinAyres.

Ashleyalsohassomesugarpacketsthatcouldbeusedtobaittraps,ascouldthe sardine oil and some other items in his ready bag. But this was not anextendedexercise, justaquick lessononhowtousea tactical folder tobuildashelter.Alongtheway,weallalsolearnedsomeotherthings.Korylearnedhowto cope if he got lost snowboarding.Nika,whowas soon returning to college,learnedthatacitygirlcouldgetbyinthewoodsifsheneededto.Ashleyrefinedhisknowledgeabouttakingcareofothers.Ilearnedthattoday’skidsarejustasresourcefulandwillingtolearnabouttheoutdoorsandpersonalresponsibilityaswerethekidsofmygeneration.Youjusthavetogivethemachance.Soalittleaftermidnight,wedowsedthefireandcrawledoutside.

NikaandKoryweresurprisedathowcolditwasawayfromourlittlefireandoutside of our forest home. They all checked tomake sure their folders weresecureintheirpockets.Wepulledonourjacketsandstartedthelongwalkhomeunderafullmoon.Wemadeourwaythroughthetreesandaroundice-coveredbushesgleaminginthemoonlightandwalkedbacktotheoldtruck,crunchingthroughfrozenpuddlesandacrossafrosttippedfieldunderamillionicystars.

Canyougetbywithatacticalfolderinsteadofasmallfixedblade?Well,aswehaveseen,youcanfightforyourlifewithone.Youcanbuildashelterandsaveyourself from freezing with one. Obviously, you can slice bread and spreadpeanutbutterwithone.Thousandsofpeoplehavesubstitutedtacticalfoldersforfixedblades,includingmanyinactivemilitary.Somyanswerwouldbeyes,withonecaveat:nofoldercanbeasstrongasafixedblade.Ifyouneedareallytough

knife,gowithafixedblade.Thatsaid,oddsareatacticalfolderwilldothejob—ifyoudon’thavetodoanythingthatwouldcauseittofold.

NikaButlerrelaxingintheshelter©JustinAyres.

T

Chapter19

TinyTacticals

hetermtinytacticalisatermIcreatedtodescribeacategoryofknivesthatIdonotthinkhasbeenadequatelyrecognized.Thefixedbladesinthiscategory

are often called neck knives, which tells us nothing about them except theintendedmethodofcarry.The foldersarenotcalledmuchofanything,expectwhatever individualname themakerassigns to them.Asa class, Iknowofnoname that describes a little folder with a blade of two inches or less and hastacticalpotential.Ibelievethatbothsmallfoldersandfixedknivesareworthyofattentionandshouldbeconsideredontheirownterms.First,let’stakealookatthefolders.

TinyTacticalFoldersIt’s generally agreed that a tactical folder is a folding knife with features thatmake it tactical: a reliable blade lock, strong construction, exceptional cuttingability,one-handopening,andacliptoattachittoyourclothing.Mosttacticalfoldershavebladesofaboutfourinchesor, insmallerversions,bladesofaboutthreeinches.Atinytacticalhasabladeofnomorethantwoinches.

Acollectionoftinytacticals,bothfoldersandfixedblades.

This category may seem a bit overly specific, but there is a considerabledifferencebetweenthesocialacceptabilityofafolderwithatwo-inchbladeandone with a four-inch blade. Like it or not, wemust deal with issues of socialacceptability.Also,therearemanyplaces,moreandmorethesedays,whereweare not legally allowed to carry a knife any larger than what amounts to apenknife.Moreover, a tiny tactical ismuchmore useful than any penknife. Inorder to qualify as a tiny tactical, the knifemustmeet the same criteria as thelargetactical,folder,exceptforitssize.

Howuseful is sucha smallblade?Very.Our ancestors survivedand thrivedwithsuchsmallbladesasastartingpoint,sotospeak.Asanamateurstudentofarchaeology, I have learned that stone age hunting and gathering cultures gotalong quite well with tiny stone knives with an average length of about twoinches.ÖtzetheIceman,whowasdiscoveredintheAlpsin1991,wasfoundwitha flintknifeof just thissize.Fromhispossessions it isclear toscholars thathemadehisbow,arrows,andothertoolswithhistwo-inchflintknife.

Jürgen Weiner, a friend who is a respected archaeologist and recognizedauthorityon lithic, or stone, tools consultedon the Iceman excavation. Jürgen

tells me that Neolithic hunters relied on small blades formost of their work.Theymade stoneaxes for choppingdown treesandotherheavywork.But forday-to-dayskinning,gameprocessing,woodcrafting,andotherbasictasks,theyrelied on short (at least by our standards) stone blades. They also killed eachotherwiththem,ashasbeenprovenbytheexaminationofhundredsoffossilizedskeletons.Inaddition,theyusedtheirsmallbladestomakelargertools,suchasbows,spears,baskets,andtheotherstuffofeverydaylife.Inotherwords,Ötze’sgearwasthestandardNeolithicoutfitforahunter–warrior.

Overmanymillennia,ourancestorslearnedwhatworkedbest,andthoselittleblades were it. They could, and did, make larger blades, but those were usedmostly for ceremonial purposes or to impress the neighbors—Neolithicconspicuous consumption. We may not have to wrest a living from thewilderness,butwecan learnsomethingfromourancestors. If theycouldbuildan entire culturewith such small blades, and if theydecided that such a smallbladewasthebesttoolformostjobs,maybeweshouldconsiderthatourmoderntinytacticalfoldersmightbetherighttoolstotakecareofmanydailytasks.Theycanalsohelpusgetoutofatightspotwhenneeded.

IhavedressedoutgamewithaSpydercoDragonfly,atinyfolderwithatwo-inchblade.RecentlymysontiedhisSpydercoCricketontoalongbamboopoleand cut a ripe orange from an out-of-reach tree branch for one of theneighborhood children. My wife uses her Cricket daily to open boxes, trimthreadsfromgarments,andahundredothertasks,includingslicingabaguette.Oftensheuseshertinyfoldertopreparedinnerinspiteofhavingakitchenfullofknives.Andtrustme,ourkitchenisfullofknives.

SpydercoCricketandDragonfly.

SpydercoSknife.

I have used the plain-edged Dragonfly to plane the flats on a quickie bow,much as I would have used a flint planer. I’ve also used the Cricket tomakenotches for arrows and dig out a spindle holder for a bow and drill fire set.JürgenWeinerandJimRiggs,anotherexpertinlithicarts,instructedmeinthetechniqueofusingstonetools.IsimplysubstitutedtheDragonflytotryitout.Itworkedgreat,asitdidforotherprimitivecraftworkandmostanythingelse.

These homely tasks show the utility of the short blade, even for wildernesssurvival.Butwhataboutarealworldsurvivalsituationinacity?Whatusewouldsuch a small blade be in an extreme situation, say a high-rise fire—somethingthatonlysoundsunlikelyuntilyoufindyourselfinaburningbuilding?

Think of the two-inch blade of a tiny tactical as the tip of a larger tacticalfolder.Mostbladeworkgetsdonewiththefirstcoupleofinchesanyway.Ifyourtinyfoldermeetsthetinytacticalcriteria,itcancutafireshieldfromacarpetorbaton through a stuck door almost as well as its larger cousins.With propertechniqueyoucandosomeamazing thingswitha tinyblade.A tiny tactical isnotjustanysmallfolder.Tomeetthestandard,itmustbestrong.Itmusthaveasolidreliablelock.Itmusttakearazor-sharpedge.Aclipissouseful,itamountstoanecessity,particularlyinthecaseoftheselittleguys.Clippedtoawaistband,withtheclipbehindabelt,yourminiaturefolderisallbutinvisible.Attachedtoasock,sleeve,orundergarment,itbecomespartofyourclothing.

Thereismuchtobesaidforaserratededgeonatinytactical.Harkingbacktoourancestors,allstonebladesareserrated.Theserrationsonastonebladehavea

lottodowiththeirexceptionalutility.Stonebladesaremadebyflakingofftinychipsuntilasharpedgeforms.Theresultisanedgethatcutsmoreaggressivelythanaplainedgeofthesameoverallsize.Serrationsarenotrequiredforatinytactical,but theydo ratchetup itsoverall effectiveness, albeit at the lossof theabilitytodofinewoodcarving.Buteverythingisatradeoff.Iuseboth.

Spyderco has been the pioneer in developing this category of knife. TheirDragonfly and Cricket define the category and are available is a variety offinishes and handlematerials.Wehave used bothmodels extensively over thepast years andhave found themunexpectedlyuseful.ML,my ever-resourcefulwife, snatched the firstCricketshesawbefore itwasevenoutof thebox.Thatwassomeyearsagoandshehasn’tbeenwithoutonesince.Atpresent,sheusesher pretty little engravedCricket for everything.However, donot get the ideathattheCricketisuselessforanythingbutdomesticchores.Ithasawickedlittlerecurvedbladeandpointandiscapableofdoingseriousdamageinaself-defensesituation.

I used to teach seminars on self-defense with edged weapons. I actuallypreferredusingtinytacticalsfortheseparticularclasses.Myintentwastoteachdefense,notoffense,andlittleknivesareeffectiveforthatpurpose.Inaddition,theirappearanceisinoffensiveandnooneobjectstocarryingthem.Somearesosmallastobeunnoticeableuntilneeded.

Some years ago, Spyderco cataloged theCo-Pilot, backwhen you could stillcarry a small knife onto an airplane. I bought a half-dozen Co-Pilots anddistributedthemtostudentsinaclassItaughtbackthenforcertainpeoplewhoneededameansofemergencydefenseinrestrictedareas.IwishSpydercowouldbring back all their little folders—I think they had two or three other similarmodels—andofferthemasaseries:TinyTacticals.

Spydercocollectionoftinytacticals:DragonflyLightweight,SSDragonfly,SSCricket,EtchedCricket,andtheSSSpinEtched.

Nowother companies aremaking tiny tactical folders.AlMar’sSLB (Stout-Little-Backup)seemstoqualify.Kershaw’sKenOnionChiveandSmallEros,aswell as some models from CRKT look like good candidates. Check out thecurrent factory catalogs. You’ll probably find quite a few tiny tactical folders,eventhoughtheywon’tbelistedbythatcategory.

When you find one you think will serve, try it out in the kitchen. Kitchenusageisatruetestofutility.Then,ifyouvaluepreparedness,testitforextremeusage.Perhapsbatonitthroughanolddoor,orcutupapieceofsheetmetal.Usesome common sense and cautionwhile doing these things.Don’t slip and cutyourself.Don’tdothesethingsatall ifyouarenotsureyoucanhandleaknifesafely.

IfyouwrecktheknifewhiledressingoutanoldHonda,donotcomplain tothemaker.Donotaskforarefund.Itisyourresponsibilitytotestyourgear,andnomanufacturershouldbeexpectedtobearthecostforthat.Thedestructionofa folder is a small price to pay for the security of knowing the limits of yourequipment.Afteryouaresatisfiedthatyourchoicewillserveyourneeds,buyafew of them. These are not expensive knives. I consider my Dragonflys andCricketstobeall-timebargains.Iusethemdailyandamnotafraidtousethemupifneedbe.

TinyTacticalFixedBladesYoucanhanganyknife aroundyourneckandcall it aneckknife.Abutter

knifeonastringmightbeaneckknife,butitsureisn’tatinytactical.Therearetwo main differences between a tiny tactical fixed blade and a folder: one, itdoesn’tfoldandisthereforestronger,andtwo,it’salittlelargerbecause...right,itdoesn’tfold.Inorderforafixedbladetobeconsideredatinytactical,itmustbetough;itmusttakeanexcellentedge;anditmustbesmall,withnomorethanathree-inchbladeandaboutsixinchesoveralllength.

Many folkswearMoras around their necks, and they’re certainly sharp andreasonably strong.However,Moras run to blade lengths of about four inches,overallabouteightinches,whichputsthemintoanothercategoryandsizerange.Sobythesestandards,Morasaren’ttinytacticals.

Theseknivesdoinclude:theBuck/MayoKaala,theBeckerNecker,theChrisReeveProfessionalSoldier(alittleoversizedforthiscategory,butit’sclose),theESEEIzula,theSpydercoFredPerrinStreetBeat,FredPerrin’sNeckBowie,andtheSpartanBladesEnyo.Thereareothers,butthesearetheonesIhaverecentlyreviewed.Allofthesetinytacticalsaretough.Allcomesharpandstaythatway,are well designed, and are easy to carry. Basically, these knives define thecategoryoftinytacticalfixedblades.Youcandoanythingwiththeseknivesthatyou can do with the folders and more, including prying, twisting, tearing,ripping, and stabbing—all things you want to be careful about when using afolder.

ESEEIzulawitharrowquiverfromBorneo.

ChrisReeveProfessionalSoldierandtheBeckerNecker.

WayneGoddardLBKandSpyderco’sFredPerrin—twofixedbladetinytacticals.

SpartanBladesEnyomakingafireboard.

Theyvaryagoodbitonefromoneanother.TheReeveismadeofS35Vsteel,asistheEnyo.TheBeckerandtheRATare1095.Ofcourse,eachmakerhashisorherownheattreat,sosteelchoiceisn’tdefinitive.TheBeckerandtheRATareboth flat ground. The Buck is deeply hollow ground. The Reeve has asophisticated combination of grinds. They are all in the same size andweightrange.Checkoutthereviewsinthemakers’sectionsfordetailsontheseterrificlittleblades.Ingeneral,they’reallgoodtogo.

With its fine finish,nicelycontouredhandle,andpolishedVG-10blade, theSpydercoFredPerrinStreetBeatistheclassactinthiscrowd.Thebladeisalittlelonger at three inches, and it straddles the category between tiny tacticals andtraveler’sknives.We’veusedthisonehardandextensively,andithasperformedwayoutof its class. SohasPerrin’s smaller but just asusefulNeckBowie. SeeSpyderco in the review section for more information on the Street Beat andFred’ssectionformoreinfoontheNeckBowie.

Eitheroneofthefoldersorthefixedbladeswouldmakeanexcellentbackuptoabiggerblade.Ortheycanstandontheirown.Assmallastheyare,youcouldeasilycarrybothafolderandafixedbladeormorethanoneofeach.Oneofmycorrespondents, a contractorwhoworked thepast fewyears inhot,dryplaceswherelotsofbadguysblowthingsupandkidnappeople,carriestwoSpyderco

Crickets clipped to his underwear.This is in addition to his primary shoulderweapon,ahandgun,ahideoutpistol,alargefixedblade,andatacticalfolder.Hetoldme,“YouwillnotbeseeingmeontheInternetbeingbeheaded.”

On a lighter note, anyone with a modicum of skill and a healthy dose ofdetermination couldwanderoff into thewilderness and survive, in fact thrive,withonlytinytacticals.Ourancestorsdidforhundredsofthousandsofyears.

PARTFOUR:USINGYOURTACTICALKNIFE

I

Chapter20

BasicSkills

tdrivesmeslightlynutswhenIseesomeoneinarestaurantsawingawayathisor her steak and shredding it into ever-finer shreds. Likewise, when I see

someonehackingatachunkofwoodwithafolderorsmallutilityknife.Iwitnessthiskindofthingalltoofrequently.Ofcourseyouknowhowtouseaknife.Butincaseyouhavesomefriendswhodonot,hereisareviewofthebasiccutstoaidintheinstructionofyourfriends.

CuttingTheDrawCut:Placeyour edgeon the surface tobe cut anddraw the edge

acrossitwhilemaintainingdownwardpressure.Thisisnotsawing.Sawingistheineffectivemethodofdrawingasmoothedgewithnosawteethbackandforthover the intendedcuttingsurfacewithnodownwardpressure.Pressdownanddraw.Thiswilldoformostanysteak.

ThePushorPressCut: Place your edge on the thing to be cut and simplypushdown.

TheShearCut:Anchorthetipofyourknifesoitdoesnotmove.Holdingthehandleinonehand,usethesecuredtipasafulcrumandpressdownwithyouredgeonthematerialtobecut.

Cuttingveggieswithadrawcut.

Leverageadvantageofnochoilwithapresscut.

GerberLMFIIillustratesapresscut.

TheSlash:Moveyouredgetoandthroughthematerialtobecut,usuallydonewithspeed.Thecombinationofaslashandadrawcutistaughtincertainbladeartsandisahighlyeffectivetechnique.

TheStab:Securethehandlefirmlyanddrivethepointofyourbladeintothatwhichyouwishtopenetrate.

TheChop:Swingyouredgewithforceintothematerialtobecut.Achopwithasmallknifeisfutileanddamagingtotheedgeoftheknife.Evenmedium-sizedblades of around seven inches are miserably ineffective as choppers. Use achopper,suchasamacheteorotherbigknife,tochop.

Moraknifemakingashearcutintoahardwoodlimb.

StabwithZTfixedblade.

Batoning: If youneed to chop things andhaveno chopper, use a baton.Abaton is anything used to baton, or strike, the back of your blade. This is aneffectivetechniqueforcuttinglargethingswithasmallknife.Correctlydone,itwillnotdamagetheknife.Simplyplaceyouredgeontothethingyouwishtocutand strike the spine of the blade directly over the cutting surface—lightly, notlikeyou’rehittingahomerun.Repeat.

Close-upofanorangetreelimbslashedbyMaceVitale’sforgedcampknife.

Since it’s a critical survival skill,we’re going to coverbatoning in a littlemoredetail.Abaton is anything sturdy that canbeused topound a bladethrougharesistantmedium:achairortableleg,alargeorsmallMaglite,evenahard-soledshoewillserve.

Hold the baton in a loose pivot grip so that it can rotate around thejunctionofyourfingerswhereyougraspit.Holdtheknifewitha loosebutfirm grip so that it can pivot around the axis of your thumb and secondfinger.Theotherfingersshouldbesomewhatloose.Theknifemustbeabletopivottoavoidstressintheeventofamisplacedstrike.Usetheedgetocutifyou’reusingafolder.Nofoldershouldbedriventhrougharesistantmediumpointfirst,whereasafixedbladecanbe.Ifusingafolder,thekeythingistonotputdirectstressonthelock.

Strike the back of the blade directly over the placewhere the edge is incontactwith the surface tobe cut.By striking in this spot, you transfer theforceoftheblowthroughthebladeandintotheobjectyouarecuttingwithlittlestressontheblade.Correctbatontechniquewillstressyourknifefarlessthan choppingwith it, since the edgemust absorb the energy of the strike

whenchopping.Choppingwith a folderor small knife is ineffective in anyevent.Ifyouusepropertechnique,batoningwoodshouldnotdamageyourknife,eitherfixedbladeortacticalfolder.

Tocut througha flatsurface, sayadoor,place thebellyof theblade, thepart just behind the point, on the surface. Again, strike directly above thecontactpoint.Sinceyouareusingacurvedpartoftheedge,thecutwillbeabiteasierthanwhenyouusethestraightpartoftheedge.

Whenwouldyouuseabaton?When there isnoaxormacheteavailableandyouneedtocutsaplingsforanemergencyshelter,throughalockeddoorto escape a burning building, or open a car body to extract a trappedpassenger.IreadastoryaboutoneofthefirefighterswhowasnearGroundZeroon9/11.Hewasrunningfromhiscartothescenewhenheheardcriesfrominsideashippingcontainerwhereawomanhadbeentrappedwhenthecontainer was flipped over by the blast. The firefighter was alone. He hadnoneofthetoolsofhistradewithhim.Heusedhisfolderandhisflashlighttomaketwodiagonalintersectingcuts,pulledthesheetsteeloutoftheway,and rescued the woman. His folder was a tactical from one of America’sleading manufacturers. Cutting through steel like the firefighter did maydestroyyourknife,butaknifeisasmallpricetopayforalife.

Batoningafolder.

Ifyouwanttobereadyinanemergency,practicethisskillbeforeyouneedit.Don’twaituntilabuildingisburningdownaroundyoubeforeyoutrytouseabaton.Readingabouthowtodosomethingisnotthesameasactuallydoingit.Beinventive;useexpedientbatons.Seehoweffectiveaflashlightis

comparedto,say,thehardheelofashoe.Obviouslyasneakerwouldbelesseffectiveasabatonthanatableleg.However,inarecenttestasmallwomanwasabletocutthroughtheroofofacarwithatacticalfolderandoneofherboatshoes.

Trycuttingdifferentthings,suchastreelimbs,discardeddoors,plywood,andjunkedcarbodies.Youwill learnabout the resistanceofvariousmaterialsandbecome proficient in the skill. If you go at it seriously, youmaymake a fewmistakes and youmaywreck a knife or two in the process. But that’s a smallpricetopaytoacquireavaluableskill.Don’tcomplaintotheknifemakerifyouwreckaknifewhilelearning.Consideritthepriceofeducation.

SharpeningSome knives are easier to sharpen than others. Some steels respond to the

stone better than others. Ease of sharpening is related to, but not entirelydeterminedby,thehardnessofthesteel.Otherfactors,suchasthegrain,texture,or the nature of the steel play a part, as do how the blade is ground, thesharpeningmaterial,andmethod.

PocketIndiastonebeingusedtosharpentheRandallModel1.

UsingaNortonpocketstonetosharpenthisFällknivenF1.

SpydercoTri-AngleSharpmaker.

Iwilltrytosimplifythematteranddescribeageneralprocessthatcanapplytovirtuallyallcommonsteelsandknives.Ingeneral,Ihavefoundthatthestainlesssteels are harder to sharpen than carbon steels, either because stainless is heattreated toaharder levelordue to thenatureof thematerial ingeneral. Ionlymention it because it’s possible that youmight be doing everything right, butbecause it is taking so long to get an edge, you might think your method isincorrect.Itmaybe,butevenifyou’redoingeverythingright,youwillprobablyfindthatittakeslongertogetasharpedgeon,say,abladeof440Cthanoneof1095.Personally, Ihave found it tobeadevilofa job to sharpenknivesmadewithS30Vwithanordinary stone,whereasVG-10, 01, 1095, Sandvic12c, andotherscomeupfairlyeasily.IalsohadaVG-10bladethatastonethesizeofMt.Rushmore couldn’t sharpen. Keep in mind that these are general comments.Yourresultsmayvary.

AnotherviewofproperusageoftheSpydercoTri-AngleSharpmaker.

UsingaLanskypockettouch-upsharpeneronthisLoneWolfHarsey.

UsingtheScandibevelasasharpeningguide.

Sharpeningaconvexedgebydrawingawayfromtheedge.

SharpeningFällknivenF1withaconvexedgebydrawingawayfromtheedge.

UsingaslipstonetosharpenthisSpydercofixedblade.

Mostly,IuseNortonstones.Fromthelargebenchsizetopocket-sizedstones,Ihavefoundthemtodoagoodjob.Ifthebevelonaknifehasbeenwornaway,Istartwiththeroughgritthengotofinegrit.Ifthere’sstillagoodbevel,Ionlyusethefinegrit.

I also use the Spyderco Tri-Angles for quick touch ups. The Tri-Angle is agoodtooluntilyou’vegone throughthebevelandneed toreset it.Thenyou’llhavetogotothestone.IalsosometimesuseaLanskypockettouch-updeviceforjustthat,aquicktouch-upinthefield.

There are good alternatives. DMT and EZE-LAP both produce diamondsharpenersthatIhaveseendogoodwork.Ilookforwardtotryingthemout.

Almosteveryonetellsyoutosharpenaknifeusingthesamemethod:layyourbladeonthestoneand,accordingtotheangleofthebevelyouwant,pushyouredge into the stone as if youwere slicing off a thin slab. Thisworks formostedgesmostofthetime.

Ifyouhaveaconvexedge,orwantone,doexactlytheopposite.Layyourbladeon the stoneand,according to theangleof thebevelyouwant,pullyouredgeawayfromthestone,ineffectstroppingit.

In either case, continue working one side of the blade until you get a wireedge,whichyoucanfeelwithyourfingers.It’sagoodideatocountyourstrokes.When you get awire edge onone side, turnover the blade and repeat on theotherside.

Onceyougettoaworkingedge,youwillneedtoremovethewireedge.Youcan do this by stropping the edge carefully along the stone, or stropping onleather;evencardboardwillserve.

Touseapocket stone,you reverse theentireprocess.Hold theblade steadyandmove the stone along the edge. Since pocket stones are small, youdonotwant to push into the edge.Doing sowill likely result in a cut. Instead strokeaway from the edge.This is how swords,machetes, andother large blades aresharpenedinthefield.Anyknifecanbesharpenedwiththesamemethod.

Use some kind of light oil to float steel particles up and out of the stone’spores.Wipeeverythingcleanafterwards.

AgoodangleforsharpeningaTopsMil-Spie5.

Sharpeninganobsidianbladewithapieceofantler.

Flintandobsidianknivesaresharpenedbyusingpressuretoflakesmallchipsfromtheedge.Apieceofantlerisanidealchippingtool.Ifyougetachance,dotrya flintorobsidianknife.Thecuttingabilitywill likelysurpriseyou.Agoodobsidian blade will cut as fine as any modern steel blade. The downside, asthere’salwaysadownside,isthattheybreakeasily.

MaintenanceTaking care of your knife is extremely simple.When it gets dirty, wash it.

Whenitgetswet,dryit.Ifit’scarbonsteelwithnorust-preventingcoatingandyou’reinanareaofhighhumidity,keepalightfilmofoilonit—itdoesn’tmatterwhatkind.Inthetropics,whererustiseverlurkingandreadytopounce,Ikeepmycarbonsteelknivesrust-freewithcoconutoil.Oliveoilisequallygood.Soismachine oil if you’re not going to use the knife for food preparation. I don’tthinkyouneedtooilacarbonsteelknifeifyouliveinadesertarea,butkeepaneyeonit.Idothesameevenwithstainlesssteelinthehumidtropics.Otherwise,I dowhat themakers say anddon’tworry about it. Flint andobsidiandonotrust.Thereisnomaintenancerequirement.

K

Chapter21

SelfDefensewiththeKnife

nifefighting,ormorespecifically,selfdefensewithaknife,isaterriblethingandabloodymess.Itisnotlikethemovies.Intheory,youknowthatmovies

andtelevisionarenotreal.Buttheirimagesaresopervasivethattheycreatetheirownreality.Peoplebegintobelievethatwhattheyseeinfilmsiswhathappensinreallife.

Inthemovies,whenthebadguygetsstuckwithathrownknife,hefallsdownand dies rather bloodlessly. When the bad guy gets stabbed, he clutches hiswoundandfallsdowndead.Whenthesamethingshappentothegoodguy,heshrugsoffthewound—justafleshwoundright?Asifwe’remadeofsomethingotherthanflesh—andfightson.Doesn’tworkthatway.Dependingonaperson’sindividualnatureandtheseverityofthewound,heorshemightbecomeenragedandattackwithmoredetermination.Orheorshemightfreakoutatthesightofhisorherownbloodandfaint.

I’mnotgoingtowriteaboutknifefighting,themilitaryuseoftheknifeatwar,theedgedweaponsmartialarts,andcertainlynotaboutlethalknifetechniques.However, if you’re considering the use of a knife in selfdefense, I will outlinesome basic techniques that I have taught, primarily on a pro bono basis incoordinationwith a rape crisis center. Thesemethods are designed to allow asmall, relatively defenseless person to defend himself or herself from large ormultipleattackers.

Theobjectofthesemethodsistoallowavictimtoescapefromapredator.Iwillnotcovermethodsdesignedtotaketheattacktotheaggressor.Oneofthefew things in favor of the knife as a defensive weapon is that you can cut anassailant a little bit,whereas you can’t really shoot someone a little bit and besureyouwon’thitavitalorgan.Withsomecontrol,whichisdifficulttohaveifyou’reinfearforyourlife,itispossibletodiscourageordisableanassailantwiththeoddsbeingthatyouwon’ttakealife.

TheMethodMymethodiscalledcutandrun.It’sanoldphrase,acliché;you’veheardita

hundred times. But in spite of how it may sound, cutting and running is an

emergency escape method that has been taught to various US governmentclandestine agents over the years because it works. That’s what lapel daggers,sleeve daggers, coin knives, and related weapons were used for: cutting andrunning when faced with overwhelming force and the possibility of death orsevere injury. Those little blades were not designed for standing and fighting.TheapproachtoselfdefensewithaknifethatIteachisbasedonthesemethodsandconcepts.

Anofficialdisclaimer:Idonotrecommendthatyoudefendyourselfwithaknife. I cannot decidewhen your life is in danger and you need to protectyourself.Youmustacceptfullresponsibilityforyouractions.Ifyoudodecidetodefendyourselfwithaknife,themethodsthatfollowmayworkforyou.Iamnotanattorney,andIoffernolegaladviceofanykind.

However,goingtotheknife,oranyweapon,isthelastthingtodotoescapeanassailant.Firsttrytoavoidthesituation.Ifyoucannotdoso,trytotalkyourwayoutifyouaretrapped.Ifyouarenottrapped,simplyleaveoutthefirstpart,cut,andinitiatethesecondpart,run.Ifyouhavenootheroptions,noonecomestoyouraid,andyouthinkyourlifeisindanger,thenyoumightmakethedecisiontogototheknife.

CriticalPointsThe only purpose in choosing the knife is to secure your release from an

aggressor.Therefore,theonlypartofthebodyyoushouldconsidercuttingisthehandorthearm.Theonlyexceptioniswhenyouareconfrontedwithmorethanone assailant. In that instance, you might decide to use a wide slash to freeyourself.

If you decide to act, you must act decisively and with speed. If you moveslowly,yourattackercaninterceptyourhandanddisarmyou.Youcannotallowyourattackertoseeyourknifebeforeyoudrawit,orheorshecanprepareforitandpossiblydisarmyou.Forthisreason,onceyoudecidetoact,youmustnotdelay. If you initiate selfdefense actions, youmust not stop until you are freefrom threat. If you decide to act, act with resolve, determination, and speed.Neverthreatenwithaknife.Donottryintimidatingyourattacker.Everyonehasseenthemoviewherethebadguysays,“Youwon’tusethat.”Heorshewillnotbelieve youwill use it andwill not be intimidated.An attacker shouldnot see

yourknifeuntilheorshefeelsit.The techniques are simple, basic, and easy to learn. They follow themind–

body’sgeneticresponsetodanger.Practicingthemovesoveraweekend,aboutfourhours eachday for twodays, is enough formostpeople to get themovesintomusclememory.Oncethemovesarelearned,youwillbeinabetterpositiontoactwithspeedanddeterminationwhenthreatened.

The accompanying photos demonstrate the method. Note that in eachsequence,theactiontakenbythepotentialvictimisinresponsetoanaggressorhavingalreadyattackedandgainedpotentiallyharmfulphysicalcontact.Ineachsequencetheresponsetoasingleattackerisalwaysdirectedtothehandorarm—withthegoalbeingtogainreleasefromtheattacker.Notealsothataftersecuringrelease,thepotentialvictimatonceruns.

DefensiveResponsetoanAttempttoSeize

Draw.

Cut.

Close-upofcut.

Run.

There are only three moves to each sequence. These three moves can beappliedinawidevarietyofpositions.

Themovesare:

1.Draw2.Cuttorelease3.Run

First practice slowly, very slowly. Only practice with a training knife orappropriate substitute, such as amarker.Donot practicewith live steel.Afteryou have performed the moves to the point that each move is precise andcomfortable,speedwillcome.Withproperpractice,thethreemoveseventuallybecomeonemove:draw–cut–run.

If theassailantdoesnot releaseafterbeingcuton thehandor thearm,youmayhavetocutagain.Ifso,trytoonlycuttothehandorarm.Donotcutotherpartsofthebodyifatallpossible.

DefensiveResponsetoBeingSeized

Draw.

Cuttingarm.

Continuingcutacrossthechest.

Run.

DefensiveResponsetoBeingSeizedfromBehind

Draw.

Cut.

Close-upofcut.

Run.

Notethatallmovesareshownwithasmallknife,infactatinyknife.TheknifeshownisaSpydercoCricket.Thisisaneffectiveselfdefenseknife.Itopenswithonehand, locksupsolidly,andhasarecurvedpoint,which isexcellent for theslashes shown.Once this tinyknife is secure inyourhand, it isdifficult foranattacker to disarm you. Do not think you need something larger. If yourintentionisselfdefense,youdonot.

Note that we are only dealing with the possibility of being attacked by anunarmed person who possesses overwhelming force. Defending from one ormore attackers armedwith blunt instruments differs a little from themethodscovered. The object in this instance is to “pull the fang” by disarming yourassailant.Thesameistrueforanuntrainedattackerwithanedgedweapon.Cutthehandholdingtheweapon—pullingthefang—thenrun.

What if a person skilled in the use of edgedweapons attacks you? I hate tosoundpessimistic,butit’sunlikelyanuntrainedpersoncandefeatatrainedone.NoticeIsaiddefeat.Itmightwellbepossibletoescapeatrainededgedweaponsperson,whichisreallyallwewant.

Thesearethetwopossibilities,inorderofdesirability:

DefensiveResponsetoFrontStranglehold

Draw.

Cut.

Run.

1.Scram:Run.Exit.Evacuatetheareaatonce.2.Pullthefang:Concentrateallyoureffortstodisarmyourattacker.Ifyoutrythisagainstanexperiencedpersonwithanedgedweapon,youwillprobablygetcut.Probablymorethanonce.Yourattackerhasseenyourdefensebefore.Yourmainchance is surpriseandextremeaggression.Don’t lethimorher seeyourknifeuntilheorshefeelsit.Thenrun.

Dealing with firearms is beyond the scope of thismaterial. However, I willnotethatpoliceofficerstakeedgedweaponsveryseriously,evenwhentheyhavetheirweaponsdeployed.All isnot lost ifyouare facedwithanattackerarmedwithafirearm.Peopledotakeknivestogunfightsandprevail.

Youmight surprise yourself if you actually practice these techniqueswith apartnerorpartners.Evena littlepractice can serveyouwell ina tight spot—ifyou are fully committed. If you are seriously interested in selfdefensewith theblade,IrecommendyouseekoutanaccomplishedteacherofEskrimainalmostany of its variations. Formal Western fencing has, at its roots, very effectivetechniques.However,most fencingmasters focuson competition,which is farremoved from the reality of combat, or stage fencing, which has little or norelationtodefensivemethods.

Ihopeyouneverhave todefendyourself in anyway. If youdo, Ihope thisinformationwillbehelpful.

DefensiveResponsetoStrangleholdfromBehind

Draw.

Cut.

Run.

DefensiveResponsetoGroupAttack

Draw.

Cut1.

Cut2.

Cut3.

Turningfromattackers.

Run.

DefensiveResponsetoRightPunch

Draw.

Cut.

Close-upofcut.

Run.

VariationonPunchResponse

Draw.

Close-upofdraw.

Cutwhileavoidingpunch.

Close-upofcutwhileavoidingpunch.

Run.

DefensiveResponsetoWeaponHandBeingSeized

Handisseized.

Twistwristtopositionblade.

Cut.

Run.

PARTFIVE:FIELDREVIEWSOFASELECTIONOFCURRENTTACTICALKNIVESWITHCOMMENTSONTHEIR

MAKERS

M

Chapter22

KnifeReviews

yfieldreviewsandbackgroundcommentsarebasedonpersonalexperienceand my observations of knives in use over a period of more than a half

century,aswellasonstories Ihavecollectedandverified. Iamnotascientist,just a regular guywith a fair amount of irregular experience. I leave scientificstudies to those who are qualified to conduct them, including experts at thecompanies that develop andmake steel for cutlery and somemakerswho usescientificstudiesandpublishtheirresults,suchasFällkniven.Ithinkthemakersofknivesandall thosewhostandbehindthem—foundries,heat treaters,mills,etc.—knowmoreaboutwhattheyaredoingthanIdo.Therefore,myapproachistotrustthemakertodohisorherjob,thentrytheknifeoutandseeifitworksformeunderactualfieldconditions.

ThetasksIundertaketoreviewaparticularknifearethosethatIorothersIknowhave faced in the realworldandare reflectiveof situationsothersmightencounter. I do not set up conditions designed to destroy knives, nor do Icontinuestressinganyknifetodestruction.Anyonecandestroyalmostanythingif he or she puts his or hermind to it. Testing to destruction is useful undercontrolledconditionsandtheobservationoftrainedscientistsorengineers,butthat’snotwhatwe’reuptohere.

Assortmentoffixedbladesstabbedintothehoodofacar©JustinAyres.

Iknowafewthingsabouttheuseofknivesandwhatdoesanddoesnotworkforcertainapplications.Irevieweachknifeas itcomesfromthemakerfortheuse themakerstates it is intended. Iusemycommonsense: Iamnotgoingtopound a folding knife, nomatter how strong itmay be, into a tree and climbonto the lateral surface of the knife, because I know it will break. Such use isbeyondthelimitsoftoday’sfoldertechnology.

What I offer the prospective knife user is more than fifty years and manythousands of man-hours of real-world field use and careful observation.Scientificstudiesareusefultools,buttheyarenottherealworld.Therealworldisaplacewithsomanyvariablesthatscientistshaveadaptedterms,suchaschaostheoryandfuzzylogic,toaccountforcertainaspectsofouruniverse.

Manyknifemakershavelittleinthewayofrealworldexperienceintheuseoftacticalknives,oranyrealisticunderstandingofwhatisrequiredofaknifethatwill be carried to war or used under survival conditions. Therefore, someknifemakerscreateandpresenttothemarketknivesthatwillnotserveineitherinstance.Fortunately,othershavereal-worldexperienceormakeittheirbusinesstoworkcloselywiththosewhodo.Theyproducekniveswell-suitedforextremeuse.

DownwardbeatwiththespineofSabatieragainstaColdSteelLaredoBowie.

Ican’tcounthowmanytimesI’veheardaknifemakerclaimabusewhentheknifeheorsheproducedhasbeenbrokenbyacustomer.Afriendofmineonceboughtanewsurvivalknifeataknifeshow.Theknifewasaccidentallydroppedwhen he was showing it to another friend. The knife fell point down, hit theconcrete floorof the conventioncenter, and shattered into threepieces.Whenmyfriendtookhisbrandnewbrokenknifebacktothemaker,hewastoldthatdroppingaknifeonconcretewasabuse.Themakerrefusedtoreplaceit.Inmyview the knifemaker’s response was absurd and inappropriate. The knife wassoldasasurvivalknife,notacrystalwineglass.Anycommonkitchenknifecanbe dropped on the floor of a restaurant kitchenwith nomore damage than aminording,ifany.

Ihavealsoheardknifemakersoffer the followingadmonitions:use the righttoolforthejob;useaknifeforaknifeandahammerforahammer.Suchadviceis all well and good if you’ve got a toolbox to hand. It is patronizing,disingenuous, and totally useless advice for someonewhose life is on the line.WhatifIdon’thaveaHooliganTooltogetmeoutofaburningbuilding?Idon’twalkaroundwithacrowbarinmybelt.Idohaveasmallfixedbladeknifeinmy

waistband.Can itgetmeoutofaburningbuilding ifneedbe?Asimilarknifeoncedid.Idon’tmuchcare if themakerthinks it isabuseifI tryanduse it tosavemylifeandthelivesofothers.Suchadviceisaninsulttotheintelligenceofanyone in life-threatening circumstances. If you are under life-threateningpressure,youwillusewhatevertoolcomestohandtosaveyourlife.Thatsimplehumanfactseemstoescapetheattentionofsomeknifemakers.

Inadditiontoamilitarypersonoracivilianinatoughspot,havingtouseaknifeasaprybarordemolitiontool,let’srememberthattacticalknivesarealsosometimesusedasweapons.InresponsetoaquestionIasked,aknifemakerwhowas selling combat and fighting knives told me that using a knife to defendoneselffromanattackerinhand-to-handcombatplacesnomoredemandsonaknifethandressingoutadeer.Thatstatementismostcertainlyandemphaticallyincorrect and clearly comes from someone who has never had to face anaggressive enemy bent on his destruction with noting more than an edgedweapontodefendhimself.Butcheringadeadgameanimalandtryingtodefendyour life fromadetermined foehaveaboutasmuch incommonasping-pongandNFLfootball.

ThepersonIoftenhaveinmindasIreviewtacticalknivesisthesomeoneoutthereonthefrontwithhisheartinhismouth,sweatingandprayingthatit’sallgoingtoturnoutalrightandthattheknifehe’sdependingonwilldoitsjob.Ifaknifeisadvertisedasharduseorcombatandfighting,theblademustbetough.Itmustnotbreakundercombatorotherextremeconditions.Asoldiercannotsaytohisenemy,“PleaseturnyourheadbecauseImightmissandstabyouinthe helmet and break my nice, new knife.” There are no niceties in mortalcombat.Thereisonlysavagery,aggression,skill,andthewilltolive.Everythingelse,astheyusedtosayinChina,is“Lookseenevermind.”

Here’ssomeadviceforknifemakersonatopicaboutwhichIknowalittlebit:ifyou’resellingknivesadvertisedascombatready,makesuretheyare.Ifyou’resellingknivesassurvivalknives,makesurethey’refittosurvivewith.There’snobureau of standards for combat, survival, tactical—whatever you want to callthem—knives. Themaker’s only standard is his skill and conscience. If you’remarketingaknifeasacombatknife,askyourselfthis:wouldyouwantyourchildtogotowarwiththeknifeyoumade?

ReviewMethodsandGoals

TheEdge

Edgeholdingloomslargeformany.It’swelldownonmylistofpriorities.Firstonmylistofimportanceistheabilityofthebladetotakeanedge.Notjustanyedge,notthekindofedgewithwhichyoumightcutyourBrie,notevenapaperslicingedge.No,Iwantafierce,wicked,scarydogedge,anedgesharperthanaserpent’stooth.WhatI’mlookingforaheadofanyotherqualityiscuttingability,whichisaproductofthethreecriticalelementsdiscussedinanearlierchapter:geometry,heattreat,andsteel.

As lateas theeighties,maybe intothenineties, itwascommontoencounterknives,bothfactoryandcustom,withstainlessbladesthatwouldmushoutattheedge.Nothingcouldbedonetogetthemsharp.Itwasalsocommontoseekniveswith shallow,dubbed-on edges thatneeded tobe reprofiledbefore theywouldtake a proper edge. I haven’t seen a knife like that from a major Americanmanufacturerinsometime.ButIdostillseeknivesthatwillbarelytakeapaper-cuttingedge.Idon’tusekniveslikethat.

ToughnessIhopeyouwillneverbeincombatofanykind,andIhopeyouwillneverhave

to use your tactical knife in any kind of extreme situation. But if you do findyourself in that place, your knifemust not fail. Of course we expect differentstandardsoftoughnessfromafolderthanafixedblade,butevenatacticalfoldershouldbeabletohandleroughwork.

StainlessSteelandEdgeHoldingIfaknifedoesn’trust, that’sagoodthing,especially inthetropics.Ifaknife

holdsanedgeduringalotofwork,that’salsoagoodthing,especiallyifyouhavealotofworkinfrontofyou.Butallthat’sextra.SharpandtoughiswhatIwantfirst.Everythingelseiseverythingelse.

ReviewMethodsThereareafewmoreorlessstandardthingsIdotodeterminefunctionalityin

aknifeandwhetheritissuitableforsurvivaluse,eitherwildernessorurban,orcombat.Tostart,Isimplyusetheknifeforfunctionsthemakerstatesitismeantfor, except for fighting. Based on experience, I simulate combat stress. Then ImoveontoseveralbenchmarksIusetohelpmyevaluations.Fromyearsofusingknives,IcangetagoodideaofwhatkindofknifeIhavebyactualfielduseand

thesebenchmarks.

DownwardbeatwithOntarioKnifeCompany’sOldHickoryStickeragainstFällknivenA1.

Generalwoodworking,whichincludescutting,chopping,anddrilling,isbasic.We also stab the tips into pine and snap them out laterally, a test all ABSmembers’knivesmustpass.Ialsomakefuzzsticks,splitkindling,andsplitandchopthoughtwo-by-fours.SometimesImakeprimitivebows,traps,andsoon.Meatcutting,gamedressing, andgeneral foodpreparationarebasic functions,andIdothemallasamatterofdailylife.Whiledoingso,Icyclethrougharangeofknivesofallkinds.Cardboardnotonlydullsaknifequickly,italsowillcauseanyknifethatdoesn’thaveidealgeometrytodrag.Icutquiteabitofcardboard.CuttinghempropeissomethingIpickedupfromtheguysattheABS.Hemphasahardfinishandittakesasharpknifetocutit.Atoothyedgewillslicerope,areallysharpsmoothedgewillallowapushcut.Wedon’toftencutthehangingropeastheABSdoes,becausethisisasmuchatestofskillasitisoftheknife.Iconsidermakingahobostoveandopeningcannedfoodtobelightfielduse,andsoIoftenusethisasatest.

Aclose-upviewoftheHESTusedasaclimbingaidonanancientstonewallontheislandofGozo.

JustinAyreshangingfromaHESTwedgedintoancientstoneblocksontheislandofGozo.

PreparingafishingspearwiththeMoraknife.

Inadditiontogeneralfoodpreparation,slicingveggiesandmeatandsoon,IalsouseastandardtestIthinkofastheAttackoftheKillerTomatoestest.Ionceaskedacustomknifemakerwhyhisknifeasdeliveredwasnotsharpenoughtoslicearipetomato.HerepliedthathiskniveswereusedbymanlymenwhocutC4 (compositionexplosiveplastic)withhisknives,notwimpswho spent theirtime in kitchens doing women’s work. That may sound pretty macho to theinexperienced.ButI’vecutupenoughC4toblowup...well,lotsofthings.AndI’vemostlydonesowithamesskitknife thathadnomoreedge thanabutterknife.We’ve even used popsicle sticks for that purpose.C4 has a compositionsimilar to Silly Putty, that stuff kids play with. Inspired by the knifemaker’smachoposturing,IdecidedtoincorporatetheKillerTomatotestintoeveryknifeevaluation.Thisdemandingandhighly technical test requires that theknifebeabletosliceripetomatoeswithoutsquishingthem.Ripetomatoeswillsquishiftheknife isnotsharp. Ifyouhaveaknife thatwillaccomplish this,youhaveasharpknife.Makingaknife thatwill slice tomatoesandalsocut throughwallsand auto bodies without damage to the knife requires an uncommon level ofsophisticationonthepartofaknifemaker.

UsingabatonwithaStriderfolder.

Ifaknifeisdesignatedforfightingorcombatbyitsmaker,Iwillstrikeitonthe back with another knife, as in a beat—similar to a parry—you mightencounterinablade-on-bladeconfrontation.Ihitboththespineandthelateralsurfaces. Usually, I use a Sabatier carbon steel chef’s knife or an old HickorySticker as the impact knife, sometimes aKA-BAR. If your fourhundred-dollarcustomcombatandfightingknifewillnotstanduptothis,youneedtohaveaheart-to-heart talk with its maker. Ask him why a ten-buck kitchen knife isstrongerthanhispurpose-designedknife.

Any knife billed as hard usewill be used byme andmy cohort to partiallydemo buildings, grindmortar from between concrete blocks, and cut throughheavysheetmetalorsteeldoorsandautobodies.Why?Becausetoday’sconflictareasareoftenurban,andanyone,civilianormilitary,canfindthemselvesinabuildingthatcomesdownaroundthemandtraps them.Youdoubt that?ReadthenewsfromSeptember11,2001.Heck,readthenewsanytime.

We test for lateral strength by bending the knife or byweight-bearing. Theneedforaknifethatwillbeartheowner’sweightinanemergencyisdesirable.Itmaynotbealwaysobtainable.Weusethistestwitha largemeasureofcautionandconsiderationfortheowner’sweightandthedesignedfunctionoftheknife.

Idonot think it’s reasonable to expect a SAK to support theweightof a 270-pound linebacker.But it’swellwithin reason toexpecta survivalandharduseknife to support the weight of an active 175-pound person. Limited lateralweight-bearing ability is not, inmy view, a deal killer. It’s just that I want toknowhowmuch there is if I need it. Fällkniven’s approach to this question isexemplary.

Acollectionoffixedbladeschoppingplywoodafterbeingusedonsheetmetal©JustinAyres.

When I find knives that do all the things they should do within myunderstandingoftheirpurpose,Iconsiderthemgoodtogo.That’satermfrommy formative yearswith theparatroopers andSnakeEaters; itwas thehighestpraisethatcouldbeoffered,asin,“He’sgoodtogo.”

IhavebeentoldthatthethingsIdoinmyreviewsamounttoabuse.Idonotabuseknives. If youadvertiseyourcreationasa collector’spiece, Iwill treat it

kindlyandreviewitappropriately.Presentyourknifeasatoolandweaponforthemilitary,asatacticalknife,acombatorfightingknife,orasurvivalknife,andIwillreviewitas itcouldbeusedandassimilarkniveshavebeenused.Ihavealsobeentoldthatnoknivesaremeanttobeusedforsuchextremefunctionsorextreme conditions, even though many are advertised for exactly that use.Extremeuse? I review forpeoplewho live in extremeconditions,who liveoutthereontheedge,aplaceIusedtocallhome.

The selection of knives in this book is not a complete listing of all qualitytactical knives made today. In this, the second edition, we have been able toexpand coverage, and we expect to expand our coverage evenmore in futureeditions.TheknivesselectedaresimplythoseI,andothersIworkwithorknow,haveused in the field and I amcomfortable recommending. If youdonot seeyour favorite knife here, it does not necessarilymean it is not a good tacticalknife.True,thereareknivesIhaveusedthatfailedmiserably.Thoseknivesarenot recommended. But don’t read anything into that statement. There arethousandsofknivesavailable that Ihavenot tried. Ifaknife isnotmentioned,mostlikelyitonlymeansthatIhavenotyetuseditandsocannotcommentonit.

DPxHESTIIbeingbatonedintoaseasonedoaklog.

Usingfixedbladestochopwood.

Someof theknivesare limitedproduction,othersarehandmade, stillothersare from large factories. Not all are finished to the same standard.Many aremadewithpremiummaterials;othersaremadetofitabudget.Whetherfinishedtojewel-likequalityormadetoabasicfactorystandard,allperformedasstatedinthereviews.

Ihavepersonallyworkedwithknivesfromallthecompaniesbelow,someofthem over a period of years. I have used at least one of eachmodel I review.ManyofmystudentsinsurvivalandEscapeandEvasionclasseshavealsousedmanyof theseknives.Quitea fewkniveswere sent toactivedutymilitaryandparamilitary, and those people reported back on their knives. I also solicitfeedbackfrombutchers,chefs,combatveterans,survivalinstructors,andotherswho use knives professionally.Whilewe have not used all the variousmodelsthesecompaniesmake,asthatwouldamounttomanythousandsofknives,overtime patterns emerge and empirical evidence accrues. We have used enoughrepresentative models from each of these companies to recommend theirproductswithconfidence.However,Iadviseyoutotryeachknifeyoubuyunderfieldconditionsbeforeyourelyonit.

WhenIwasayoungparatrooper,mybuddiesandIbetourlivesontheskilland diligence of the riggerswho packed our chutes.We trusted the riggers topack our parachutes so they would not fail in use. But some did. There’s nosubstituteforextensivetesting.

Inthetopleftcorner,theAlMarLightweightEaglemakesagoodadditiontoyourbug-out-bag.

ReviewsAlMarKnives

POBox2295Tualatin,OR97062www.almarknives.com

AlthoughcompanyfounderAlMarpassedawaysomeyearsago,thecompanythat bears his name continues.Manyof the samemodels thatAl designed arestill being manufactured. The current management also makes variations onthose original designs, such as their Lightweight series and an updated SEREfolder,aswellassomenewdesignsinbothfoldersandfixedblades.

TheAlMarEaglewithivoryMicartahandle—atrulycivilizedknife.

TheLightweight series is a line of folders based on the original Eagle andFalcon,butwithMicartahandleswithoutbolsters.IusedoneoftheLightweightEaglesforsomeyears;sohasafamilymemberwhospendsagooddealoftimeoutdoors and has a reputation for being hard on his gear. We also used theLightweightEagle insomeofmyclasses.Whilenotdesigned forharduse, thisfolderstandsupwellunderfielduse.Itisalsorelativelyinexpensive,consideringitsdesignheritageandoverallquality.Thefour-inchbladeofAUS-8steelcomesquitesharpfromthefactoryandstaysthatwayforagoodlengthoftime.

TheEagleTalonhasasmoothblackMicartahandle,aredchopsignatureontheblade,andablackspringclip.Thedesignisaclassic.Itefficientlyslicesmeatinthekitchenandisjustascapableatwhittlingabarbedwoodenfishhookorasharpenedspeartip.Italsocrunchedthroughone-inchhempropeeasily.

Anewermodel,theShrike,seemstobedesignedformeat-cutting.Theangleofthebladeconnectingtotheslightlycurvedhandlelendsitselftodeepslashingcuts, and the blade offers nearly zero resistance through the large muscle

structureofaporkshoulder.Itwasmorethancapableatmakingkindling,ropecutting, andwhittling tasks, aswell. The handle is texturedMicarta for a suregripwithslipperyhands.

The updated SERE 2000 model has stood up to hard use by many of myinexperienced students. The liner lock is solid and remains so even after theyhaveusedittoconstructshelterswiththeuseofabaton,whichqualifiesasharduse.TheSERE2000sufferednodamageofanykindduringsomeweeksofusebyavarietyofstudents.The3.6-inchbladeisamodifiedspearpointmadeofVG-10 and is useful for a wide range of tasks. The scales are textured G-10. Thecommentmostoftenheardabout theSERE2000 is that it’scomfortable in thehandevenafterhoursofwork.

WehavecontinuedtousetheSERE2000overthepastfewyears.Ithasstoodupwelltocontinuedharduseandrarelyneedssharpening.Mostimportantly,itcutsvery,verywell.Thisparticularspearpointbladehasproveditsefficiencyinuseover timeinfieldandshopwork,aswellasdailyuse. Itslicedthroughthelargemuscleofalargeporkshoulderroastlikeitwasdesignedexplicitlyforthatpurpose.Whenused topunchholes througha tincan forahobostove, itwasmore than capable; with a strong, sure grip and a stiff, razor-sharp blade andpoint,itmadeshortworkofthetask.Theclipissecureandcarriesthefolderinpointupconfiguration.TheSERE2000carriesontheAlMartraditioninawaythatIthinkAlwouldbeproudof.

AlMarSEREgirdlingalimbinpreparationformakingabowstave.

BarkRiverKnives6911County426M.5RoadEscanaba,MI49829www.barkriverknives.com(906)789-1801

Bark River is a family owned business whose stated goal is to produce thefinest cutting tools with the emphasis on maximum performance. For MikeStewart, the company founder, thatmeans using the best steel for a particularknife,thebestheattreat,thefinestandmostcarefulgrinding,fitting,andshopwork—and a convex edge. Bark River only produces convex edges; all BRKknivesthatIhaveseenhaveslim,scary-sharpconvexedges.

Duringanextendedjourneyacoupleofyearsago,duetoaseriesofmishaps,mostofour luggagewent astray.For someweeks, theonlygear IhadwasmyreadybaganditscontentsandsomestuffIpickedupatalocalbazaar.MyonlyfixedbladewasaBarkRiverNeckerII,bigbrothertotheNecker.WhenIfirstreceivedthelittleknife,Ihadbeenintriguedbyitsgrind,convexfromspinetoathin,almostdelicatelookingedgewithnosecondarybevel,andhadtosseditinmybag thinking Iwould try it and seehowwell itperformed.The termrazor

sharpgetsbandiedaboutquiteabit,butthissmall, light,delicate-lookingknifeactually did have an edge about as sharp as an old-fashioned straight razor. Iknow that tobe sobecause Iwhen I first took it from its sheath, Ihadaklutzmomentandshavedalayerofepidermisfromthebackofmythumb,whichgavemean idea. I triedactually shavingwith it.Yeah, I’m thatkindofknifeguy. Ilathered up, and without even stropping, shaved—carefully. As the televisioncommercials say, it was a smooth, clean shave. Well, no, actually that’s anexaggeration. I did shave with it, but the edge dragged and the shave wasn’tGillette quality. But, hey—it shaved. Amazing really, a knife billed as anoutdoorsman’stool,rightoutoftheboxwiththatkindofcutting—well,shaving—ability.Prettycool,Ithought,butitprobablycan’tstanduptohardusage,notwiththatedge.Iwaswrong.

BarkRiverNeckerIIandBarkRiverNecker.

For about amonth on a small island in theMediterranean, using the littleNeckerII, Icuttoughscrubforabeachhutandpalmfrondstoroofthehut.Icleanedfishandrabbits,splitmelons,andslicedandchoppedvegetables.Later,ontheTurkishcoast, Iused it tomakea fishspear, toshowsomekidshowtomakeaquickiebow,andto foragesomewildvegetables. InBulgaria, I slicedamountainofpork ribs forabarbeque, splitkindlingandshaved fuzz sticks forfires,drilledholesinwoodtomakeafireboardforusewithadrill,andcutstaffsfortwowalkingstickstofendoffvillagedogs.Alongtheway,Icutopenboxesandpackages,andinshort,Iusedthelittlebladeforeverythingaknifemightbeusedfor.Duringallthistheedgeheldup,neverrolled,andremainedreasonablysharp, sharper than someknives come from the factory.No, itwouldn’t shave

afteramonth’suse,butafteratouchuponachunkofsandstone(Ididn’thaveanythingelse)andstroppingonmybelt,itwasagainworkingsharp.

Everyoneinourgroupwasattractedtothelittleblade,notjustbecauseitwasanice-lookingknife,whichitis,butalsobecauseitwassoeasytouse.That’soneofthethingsaboutareallysharpedge—itmakescuttingthingseasierandmakesthework go faster.Everyonewho tried it found thehandle tobe comfortable,althoughthoseofuswith largehandsfoundit tobea littleontheslimside. ItcomeswithaKydexsheath,canbehadwithorwithoutyourchoiceofscales,andattwoandahalfounceswithscalesissolightyoudon’tnoticeyou’recarryingit,whether on a dog tag chain around your neck, in a pocket, or tucked awaysomewhere.

BarkRiverNeckerslicingcleanlythroughbonejoints.

BarkRiverNeckerIIdeboningawholechickenwithease.

BothBarkRiverknivescomewithchangeablescalesandchoiceofleatherorKydexsheaths.

The Aurora is Mike Stewart’s personal design for an allaround bushcraftknife. It displays excellence in design and, like all the Bark Rivers I’ve seen,excellence inbuildquality. Itsconvexbladeenableseasyandcontrollablepushcuts, supports the edge for batoning, gets into a cut aggressively, and has acenterline point allowing precise control. The handle is ergonomicallycontoured,doesnotslip,andiscomfortableinharduse.Itsbalanceisgood,andit feels light and quick in hand. The pouch-type leather sheath provided ishandsome, secures the knife well, carries comfortably, and has a loop for afiresteel.Onarecentweekend,weusedittobuildashelter,splitkindling,makefuzzsticks,andigniteafirewiththefiresteel.Thenwesplitandquarteredfourchickensforgrilling.Backhome,weslicedupapileofcardboardandcuthemprope and anold rubberhose intoone-inch sections.Through this, theAuroraheld itsedgeaswellas theNecker II.Althoughnotbilledasa survivalknife, IthinktheAuroraisanexcellentchoiceforasurvivalknifeoratraveler’sknife.

BarkRiverAuroracuttingasapling.

BarkRiverAurorawithaquickiebow.

I look forward to using some of Bark River’s larger knives. The small-andmedium-sizedoneshaveproventhemselvesinharduseoverthreeorfouryears.Iexpectthebiggerbladeswouldalso.ThecombinationofthinconvexgrindandalltheotherelementsMikeStewarthasbroughttogetherintheBarkRiverbrandproduce excellent quality knives—ones I’d be confident using anywhere,anytime.

BravoNeckerIIbatoningthroughalog.

BeckerKnife&ToolCo.

KA-BAR200HomerSt.Olean,NY14760(716)372-5952www.kabar.com

TheBK&Trangeofknivesiswelldesigned.Allaremadefrom1095Cro-Vansteel.Wehaveonlyhadtheopportunitytotryouttwoknivesfromtheirrange:theCompanion, a stoututility knife, and theBeckerNecker, an exceptionallywelldesignedlittleknifebilledasaneckknife.

AsIwroteinanearlierchapter,Ithinkofthecategorycommonlycalledneckknivesastinytacticals,largelybecauseIdon’tthinkthetermneckknife,whichonlyreferstoacarrymethod,doesmuchtodefinethistypeofknife.TheBeckerNecker is an excellent little utility knife and emergency weapon and toughenoughtostanduptoharduse;it’stacticalineverysenseoftheword.WehavebatonedtheNeckerthroughhardwoodandsheetmetalanduseditforeverydaytasks.Ittooknodamagefromtheharduseand,withitsgoodbladedesign,wasefficientinthekitchen.

BeckerNeckerknife.

BeckerCompanionBK2.

BeckerModelBK3.

Withits3.25-inchblade,overall6.75-inchlength,andthree-ounceweight,theNeckerishardlynoticeablewhenworn.Ithasafunctionalskeletonhandleandaflatgroundbladewithsomeusefulbellyandastrongpoint.Thehandlecanbecordwrappedor, for the impatient,wrapped induct tape. If youarehandy, itwouldbe fairly easy toput some thin scaleson it.As abonus extra, there is abottle opener built into the heel, a feature someof the younger fellows in ourgroupmuch appreciated. There’s also awire cutter, but it didn’t get the sameamountofuseasthebottleopener.Ilikethislittleknife.ThereisanotherversionofferedinlaminatedsteelthatIlookforwardtotrying.

TheNecker comeswith aplastic sheathdesigned toworkwith ametal clip,whichIhavenotseen,orsuspendedfromtheneck,thusthename.Don’tusethecordthatcomeswithittohangitaroundyourneck.Anyloncordwornaroundtheneckisanaccidentwaitingtohappen.Insteaduseaballchain—asperBuckandBudNealy—whichwillbreakbefore injuring thewearer.Orwear it in thewaistband,tuckedintoasock,orinsomeotherdiscreetplace.Butdowearit.It’sakeeper.

BeckerCompanionpryingopenadoorframe©JustinAyres.

BeckerCompanionBK2cuttingthroughSheetrockwallandinsulation©JustinAyres.

SideviewoftheBeckerTacToolpryingopenthelockinasteeldoor©JustinAyres.

BeckerNeckercomesinhandyforslicinglimes.

TheCompanionisaprettygoodchopperforhavingarelativelyshortbladeoffive-and-a-half inches.At a full pound inweight, it’s ahefty little bulldog, butone that handles well. The point is fine enough for goodwork, the belly cutssmoothly, and the handle is comfortable—evenwhen stabbing it into a heavygaugesteeldoor,whichoneofmycompanionsdidrepeatedly;duringthisuseitsufferednodamage.BK&Tbills theCompanionas a sportsman’sknife,usefulforsplittingkindling,dressinggame,andslicingonions.Itisgoodforallthat.It’salsoasgoodaSEREknifeasmanythatareadvertisedforthatpurpose.

BenchmadeKnifeCompany,Inc.300BeavercreekRd.OregonCity,OR97045(800)800-7427www.benchmade.com

Les de Asis, CEO and founder of the Benchmade Knife Company in 1988,started his company as a result of his quest for a high quality butterfly knife.Butterfly knives, also known as balisongs, are folders distinguished by twohandlesthatrotatearoundthetang,enclosingthebladewhenclosedandlockingupsolidlywhenopen.Anyonewhohasseenamartialartsmoviewillrecognizethebutterflyknifebythetwirling,swirling,showyopeningmethodsused,mainlyinthemovies.

Actually, there is a simplemethod of getting a butterfly open fast. Butterflyknivesareactuallyaningenioussolutiontotheproblemofconstructingafolderthatwon’tcloseonyourhand.Ifyoukeepafirmgripontheopposinghandles,theknifebladecannotclose.Asidefromallthemartialartstricksridingonthebutterfly,itisaperfectlygoodeverydaytool,oneindailyuseinthePhilippines.

LikemanyAmericansoldiersfromWorldWarIItotoday,Isawquiteafewbutterfly knives when I was knocking around South East Asia and thePhilippines.NonethatIsawevenapproachedthequalityofthoseproducedbyBenchmade.Infact,Benchmade’sBalisongsaremadesowellthattheyredefinethedesign.

Of Philippine decent, deAsiswas intrigued by the butterfly knife’s roots inPhilippinemartial arts. DeAsis turned to custom knifemakers to produce hisBalisong,andeventuallystartedhisowncompany,whichwasat firstdedicatedtotheproductionofhighqualityBalisongknives.LaterBenchmadebranchedoutanddevelopedawidearrayoffoldersandfixedblades,manyofthemdesignedbytalentedcustomknifemakers.

Benchmade’strademarkknife,theBalisong.

AnotherexampleofBenchmark’strademarkknife,theBalisong.

Benchmadeisnowanindustryleader,well-knownforinnovationandqualityandforproducingawiderangeoftacticalfolders,aswellassomeexcellentfixedblades. And yes, you can still get an excellent Balisong from the company.Benchmade’sknivesareproducedtothehigheststandardoffactoryproductionandthecompany’swarrantyissecondtonone.

Someyearsago,ayoungwomanshowedupatoneofmywildernesssurvivalclasses without a knife. I loaned her a Benchmade Walter Brend design, alinerlockfolderwithaslightlyrecurvedbladethatalreadyhadquiteafewyearsofharduseonit.Itoucheduptheedgeforher,andsheuseditforthethree-daycourse,batoningitthroughasmallstandofsaplingstomakeashelter,cuttingupanumber tencan tomakeahobostove, splittingkindling,andpreparingwildfoodwegathered.

Afterthecoursewasover,sheaskedmeifshecouldbuytheknife.Shewasacollegestudentonascholarshipmajoringinwildlifebiologyanddidn’thavetwonickelstorubtogether.Ofcourse,Igavehertheknifewithmyblessings.ButfirstIsentitofftoBenchmadetohavetheedgeresetandgenerallycleanedup,fullyexpecting toreceiveabill for thework. Instead, I receiveda refurbished folderwithanewblade,andnobill forservice.Overtheyears,Ihavefoundthatthiskindofexemplaryservice isbusinessasusual forBenchmade.Wehaveuseda

dozen or so differentBenchmade designs over the years, andhave never oncehadaproblemwithanyofthem.

TheAXISlockisaBenchmadeinnovationandgenerallyconsideredtobeoneofthestrongestfolderlocksyetdeveloped.TheAXIShasbeeninuseformanyyearsnowandisemployedonmanydifferentmodels.Ihaveyettoseeonefail.

TheRukus,arelativelynewmodel,isabigbeefyfolderwitha4.25-inchbladeandtheAXISlock.IusedtheRukusforseveralmonthsandaskedsomeofmystudentstotryitout.Weallfoundittobeasusefulasadailycarryfolderasitisinthewoods,albeitat7.8ounces,it’satadheavyforanythingbutpantspocketcarryormountingonwebgear.TheRukushasgoodbladegeometryandS30Vsteel. The handle consists of black G-10 and olive Micarta scales and iscomfortableinhand,evenafterhoursofharduse.TheRukusisanexceptionallystrongandusefultacticalfolderandalsoavailableinamini-versionwitha3.4-inchblade,weighingonly5.9ounces.

BenchmadeRukusshowingtheAXISlock.

BenchmadeRukusbeingbatoned.

TheNagaraisaslim,elegantfolderwithwhatBenchmadecallstheirNak-Lok.It’sclassic3.25-inchbladedesignandsmoothanodizedbluealuminumhandlequalify theNagara as a gentlemen’sknife. Itsperformanceon everything frommeattoropequalifiesitastactical.Twoofmyfellowknifetesterswantedtokeepitaftertheytestedit.It’sabeauty.IfJamesBondcarriedafoldingknife,itwouldbetheNagara.

I’m currently experimenting with a Benchmade 940 Osborne, a slim,handsome AXIS-lock folder with a 3.4-inch blade of S30V steel and whatBenchmade calls a reverse tanto point. Its attractive green handles are ofanodizedaluminumwithabead-blastedfinish.Itsweightisamodest2.9ounces,whichmakesforaneasypocketcarry.AsIwrite,itisclippedtomyshirtpocket—aplaceyouwouldn’twanttocarryaheavierfolder,suchastheRukus.

Notonlyagentlemen’sknife,butagentlewomen’sknife,too—theBenchmadeNagara.

Notonlypretty,butalsoquiteadeptatcuttingthroughthishemprope—BenchmadeNagara.

Benchmade940OsbornewithAXISlockfeelsgoodinyourhand.

ClipsideoftheBenchmade940Osborne.

Benchmade940Osborne—excellentathandlingthispeskyhemprope.

With its green handle, slim profile, and moderate size, Benchmade’s 940Osbornepresentsasagentlemen’sfolder.Ithassomenicemetalworkalongthespine,anditalsodoesn’tappeartobeparticularlyfierce.Actually,withitsAXISlockandS30Vsteelbladewitharazor-sharpfactoryedge,itisawolfinsheep’sclothing. It probablywon’t alarm the clueless, yet will do a good bit of heavywork.Infact,the940Osbornefitsmydefinitionofagentlemen’stacticalfolderandisdeceptivelytoughandcapable.Ihaven’tsparedthe940inanyofthefieldreviews,anditisstillsharp,tight,andeverybitasattractiveaswhenitcameoutofthebox.Itcuthemprope,whichisnotoriouslyhardtocut,withaneasypushcut.Afterthreeyearsofdailyusebyoneofmyassociates,the940Osbornestilllocksup solidlyandonly requiresoccasional sharpening. It shows signsofusebutlooksandworksasgoodasnew.

TheGriptiliancollectionisagroupofBenchmadefoldersallusingtheAXISlock,anonsliphandle,andonefixedblade.Morethanoneorganizationdevotedto wilderness and emergency survival has designated one or another ofGriptilians as its preferred folder for survival use. We have used one of theGriptilianfoldersandagreethatit’sagoodchoiceasasurvivalfolder,aswellas

beingahandyeveryday folder at anaffordableprice.The151Griptilian fixedblade isawell-thought-outdesign, sturdy,anduseful for justaboutanythingafour-inchbladedstraightknifecouldbeusedfor.

The140Nimravusisafixed-bladewitha4.5-inchbladeof154CMorD2toolsteel,whichischosenbythebuyer.IhaveusedbothandhavefoundtheD2tobesomewhattougherwhenscrapingthroughacinderblockwallorfielddressingaHonda.Bothworkwell.Theoverall lengthof9.45 inchesmakes foracompactpackage, and itsweightofonly6.2ouncesbrings it inat a lighterweight classthanmanyfolders.TheNim,assomeofitsuserscallit,isafulltangdesignmadefromone piece of steelwith anodized aluminum scales. You can get itwith aMollecompatiblesheath,asmanyservicepeopledo,orthestandardsheath.

BenchmadeNimravusstabbedintothehoodofacar©JustinAyres.

BenchmadeNimravusdealingwiththosetoughmushrooms.

IliketheNimravusagooddeal.IfIwantedtocarryitconcealed,Iwouldgetasimplesheathmadeupwithaclipforcarryinsidethewaistband.ItwouldalsobeniceifBenchmadewouldconsidermakingtheNimupwithaplain,noncoatedblade.Withouttheblackfinish,itwouldlooklikeanyordinarybeltknife.Thisisa compact, tough, handy little fixed blade andperfectly fitsmydefinition of atraveler’sknifeandasurvivalknife.Thebladegeometryisquitegoodandworkswell forkitchenwork,dressinggame,woodcarving, and the abovementionedextreme tasks, aswell asothers, suchaspounding intoa treeandusing it as aweight-bearingdevice.Youcouldprobablyripopenthedoorofastuckelevatorwith it.TheNimravus isalsoavailable inasmallerversion, theCub,orwithatantopoint.

As you can see in accompanyingphotographs,weused theBenchmade158CSKII, alongwith some other knives, to help tear down a construction shackscheduled for demolition with permission from the owners. We cut throughsheetmetalwalls,rippedthroughwallboard,stabbedandchoppedintosteelfiredoors, andchopped through two-by-fours.Throughallof this, the edgeof the1095carbonsteelsix-inchclippointbladedidnotchipoutandonlyrolledoverasmallamountwithoutanyseriousdeformation.Thebladedid losemuchof itsblackcoating,butthat’smerelycosmetic.Thesynthetichandlewascomfortable,evenwithoutglovesandwithmykeyboardsofthands.AcoupleswipesacrossanIndiastone,andthebladewasreadytogoagain.AlthoughImustadmitthatourchef was a little taken aback at the appearance of the knife we gave him topreparedinner.Nevertheless,theCSKslicedtomatoesjustfine.Thisisagood,

solidfixedbladeatarelativelylowcost.Itcanbeobtainedwithaplainbladeoronewithserrationsatthehilt.Personally,Iprefertheplainblade.Theserrationsdidnotworkaswellastheplainedgeonsheetmetaloronanythingelse,forthatmatter.

Benchmadealsoproducesalineoftopqualityautomatics.TheInfidelmodelis anout-the-front automatic that looksdelicatewith its slenderblade.Havinghadagoodbitofexperiencewithout-the-frontswitchbladesandgravityknives,IhadlittleconfidenceintheInfidel’slockstrengthwhenIreceivedoneforfield-testingafewyearsago.AlloftheoutthefrontswitchbladesorgravityknivesIhad ever used were subject to lock failure with little pressure, including thefamousWorldWarIIGermanparatroopergravityknife,whichisaheftypieceofworkthathappenstohaveaweaklock.

So,predictably, the first thing Ididwith the Infidelwas to stab it forcefullyintoatree,thinkingthelockwouldfail,andthatwouldbetheendofashortfieldreview.The lockheld.Not onlydid the lockhold, the stabdidnot loosen thelock. Never one to give up, I stepped back from the long-suffering tree andexecuted a fencing thrust at about half speed and power. Skinnedmy hand alittle, but no problemwith the Infidel lock. Just to be difficult, I snapped thebladesideways;outpoppedadivotofpinewithnodamagetotheblade.Ihaveseenmanyknifetipsbreakcleanoffwhensnappedoutofwood,includingsomeonexpensivecustomfixedblades.

BenchmadeCSKII,ahandyallaroundtooltohaveinyourbag

CloseupofBenchmadeCSKIIdeconstructingawall©JustinAyres.

BenchmadeInfidel—cleanlines,easyopen,andverysharp.

BenchmadeInfidelbeingtestedagainstapinelog.

CloseupofBenchmadeInfidelslicingribmeat.

Okay,Ithought,solidlock,strongblade,guessI’llhavetorevisemyopinionofout-the-frontfolders.Buthowdoesitcut?Oneeveningwehadcompanyand

mywifetossedafewracksofribsonthegrill,aperfectopportunitytocheckouttheInfidel’sabilities.Whilecuttingupafewdozenribs intomanageablesize,Ilearned that the Infidel makes a dandy rib slicer. It also did fine on variousvegetables.Over a period of someweeks, we used the Infidel tomake a hobostove, get up kindling, and whittle a rabbit stick. I’m pretty sure the knife’sdesignerenvisionednoneofthesetasks.I’mpleasedtoreportthattheInfidelisnotdelicate,worksfineforgeneralfieldwork,andcutswellindeed.

I have also found that this level of strength and quality is typical ofBenchmade’s other automatics, such as the Presidio series. The mentionedknivesareonlyasmallselectionofthemanyexcellenttacticalfoldersandfixedblades offered by Benchmade, but they are models I can recommend frompersonaluse.I’mconfidentthattherestoftheBenchmadelineupisofthesamequality.

BokerUSA,Inc.1550BalsamStreetLakewood,CO80214(800)835-6433www.boker.de/us

Boker is an old-line Solingen, Germany, knife company that was foundedunderachestnuttreeintheseventeenthcentury—thusthename.Sincethen,thecompany has made everything from scissors to sabers. Although Boker haschanged hands since it was founded, the tradition of making fine knivescontinues.Thecompanymakesawiderangeofjustabouteverykindofknife.

Recently, I reviewed two of their models, the Trance, a Chad Los Banosdesignedframelockfolderwitha2.75-inchAUS-8blade,andaChadLosBanosfixedblade.Bothhadanicefeelinthehandandperformedwellonlightcuttingjobs. The handles are comfortable and snug tight and secure in your hand.They’renicelittleknivesatmodestprices.

Newforthisedition,we’veusedtheFredPerrinShark,distributedbyBokerintheUnitedStates.ThisisyetanotherexceptionaldesignfromFredPerrin.Atinyknife,sosmallitdisappearsinawalletorpocketandlittleheavierthanasimplechainwhenwornaround theneck, theSharkwill dress out small game, carvefuzz sticks, and in general serve as a tiny tactical. It was so easy to cut heavycardboardwiththeSharkthatitgotawayfrommeandcutatwo-footlongslash

with slighteffort.An innocuous sliverof steel, theShark is amazinglyeffectiveanduseful.

TheFredPerrin–designedShark,readytotravel.

BrowningOneBrowningPlaceArnold,MO63010(800)322-4626www.browning.com

Inadditiontotheirrangesofsportingandtacticalknives,BrowningmakestheCrowell/BarkerCompetitionKnife,sobilledbecauseitwasdesignedbyJamesCrowell and Reggie Barker, two men famous in the knife world as ABSMastersmiths, and forwinningmany cutting competitions. I have no plans toenter a cutting competition, but I do pay attention to them to watchdevelopments.Thisisabigknife,fifteeninchesoverallwithaten-inchblade,butit isnot clunkyorheavy. Ithasa tapered full tanghandleandadistal taperedblade, iswell balanced, and handles easily. Really, this is an affordable factoryversionofanABSMastersmith’sblade,whichwouldsetyoubackthepriceofagood used car. The Crowell/Barker Competition Knife can be purchased forfewerthantwohundredfiftydollars,andatthatprice,it’sanincrediblebargain.

BrowningCrowell/BarkerCompetitionKnifeModel580slicingthroughaseasonedoaklogwithease.

CleancutwhilelimbingapinetreewiththeBrowningCrowell/BarkerCompetitionKnifeModel580.

ThisisacampknifeintheABSstylefirstputforthbythefamousBillMoran,

afieldknifethatwillhandleanythingwithaplombandease.TheMicarahandleiscomfortable,anditcomeswithatraditionalleathersheath.Butthebestthingabout thisbigblade is itscuttingability. Itmakesshortworkofanycuttingorchoppingjob.Wesplitapileofseasonedoakchunksintobarbeque-sizedpieceswith little effort and no baton. River cane, pine, wood crates and heavyfiberboard, fiberglass shed roofing, and sheet metal all fell before theCrowell/Barker. It’s hefty compared to a ten-inch chef’s knife; nevertheless, itslicedthroughaporkroastlikeitwasdesignedforthatpurpose.Bigknivescomeintotheirownwhenthere’sworktobedone,especiallyinthefieldwhenthere’snoax,machete,orother toolsavailable,and this isagrandexampleof thebigknife.

BuckKnives660SouthLochsaStreetPostFalls,ID83854-52000(800)326-2825www.buckknives.com

Buck Knives is an American institution. Buck has been a family companysinceitwasfoundedin1902byHoytBuck,ayoungblacksmithsearchingforabetterwaytotempersteel.HoytmadeknivesforthemilitaryduringWorldWarII,butthecompanyhasalwaysbeenbestknownformakingsportsmen’sknives.ItwasAlBuck,Hoyt’sson,whodesignedtheBuck110FoldingHunter,whichbecame famous andwidely accepted by sportsmen across the countrywith itslockback and exceptional edgeholding. In fact, with more than forty years ofproductionbehind it, theBuck110hasbecomeamodern icon.Buckhasalso,overthepastcentury,madeasecureplaceforitsfixedbladeswithhuntersandoutdoorsmen. More recently, Buck has entered the tactical knife field. Thecurrent rangeof tactical knives is about a dozenor somodels,which includesfoldersandfixedblades,premiumpricedknives,andaffordableknives.

TheBuck/MayoKaala,with its 3.125-inchblade of S30V andweight of 1.9ounces,issizedlikeandmarketedasaneckknife,andwithitslightweightnylonsheath,whichisnobiggerthanneeded,andbeadedchaincarrysystem,itcarrieswellaroundtheneck.Itspiteoftheneckknifetag,Ithinkofthisknifeasoneofthe tiny tacticals. The chain Buck uses is like the dog tag chains worn in themilitary.Thisisagoodthing,becausetheneckchainondogtagsisdesignedto

be reasonably strong but to break under a hard pull, thereby avoiding thepossibilityofnecksprainoranevenmoresevereinjury,suchasdeath.ItbothersmeagreatdealwhenIseepeoplewearingneckknivessuspendedwithparachutecord,whichhasabreakingstrengthoffivehundredandfiftypounds.Paracordisstrongenoughtostrangleapersonorbreakaneck;infact,ithasbeenusedforthatpurposeincombat.Thecordcangetcaughtonanythingduringafallwithunpleasantresults.ThedogtagchainisthebestideaI’veyetseenforsuspendinganeckknife.

Buck/MayoKaalacleanlyslicesthroughalime.

Buck/MayoKaalaneckknifecuttinghemprope.

TheKaala itself performswell out of its weight class. Like a select few tiny

tacticals mentioned elsewhere, it is a useful working tool rather than anemergencyonlydevice.It’sabletostanduptobeingbatonedthroughhardwoodand retain its edge afterward to slice a pile ofmeat and veggies. It’s little; it’sshiny;it’scute.Itisnotatoy.

Buck’sNighthawkhasbeenaroundforafewyearsandisagoodknife.Its6.5-inchbladeof420HChasbeenwell-thought-out,ashasthewholepackage,andwill serve a military person as a weapon and tool and the sportsman as anoutdoorknife.Thenonslipnylonhandleiscomfortable,evenafteranhourorsoofwoodworking.This is awelldesigned,well-made knife at a reasonable priceandagoodvalue.

WeusedtheBravoRescueasitsnameimplies,asarescuetool.Itworkedasadvertised,whichIconsiderhighpraiseintoday’sworldofhyperbole.Thechiselground 3.5-inch blade of 420HC penetrated a heavy-duty steel fire door withlittle tip deformation, which is surprising since this particular door was ofheaviergauge steel thanotherswehaveused. (All thekniveswe testedon thisdoorrequiredsomesolidbatonworktopenetrate.)Thebladewasalsousefulforgeneraltasksandthehandlewascomfortableinhand.Theseatbeltcutterintheheelofthehandlecutslikeitwasdesignedforthejob.Thetesterslidtheseatbeltofajunkedcarintheslotandputverylittlepressureonitandbeforeherealizedithehadcutthroughtheseatbelt.Zip,andthejobwasdone—agoodtoolforanEMToranyonewholikestobeprepared.

Everyoneknows thatBuckwarranteesall theirkniveswithawarranty that’ssecondtonone.Right?Well,ifyoudidn’tknow,nowyoudo.

BuckBravocuttingthroughsheetmetalinfieldtesting©JustinAyres.

Afterthesheetmetaltest,BuckBravotakesonthetomato.

BudNealyKnifemaker125RaccoonWayStroudsburg,PA18360

(570)402-1018www.budnealyknifemaker.com

BudNealyiswidelyrecognizedasbeinginthetoprankofknifemakersintheworld,andhisworkissoughtbymanycollectorsofnote.Budisalsofamousincertain circles for making some of the finest fixed blades available for covertoperators, clandestine agents, andmilitary and law enforcement personal.Hispatentedanduniquesheathsystem,theMCS(Multi-ConcealmentSheath)isinuse,alongwithhisknives,bypeopleinthepreviouslymentionedoccupations,aswellasSWATandRAIDteams,USEmbassyguards,EMTpersonnel,reporters,NGO workers, and other international travelers who work in dangerousenvironments.

BudNealyAmoebas,whicharehollowground©BudNealy.

BudNealyBeladauwithapurpleheartwoodhandle©BudNealy.

BudNealyVendettawithagiraffebonehandle©BudNealy.

HollowgroundBudNealyBattleBladewithadyedmapleburlhandle©BudNealy.

Bud’s knives are tough, effective, and purpose-designed. They are also littlegemsmadewithsuchcraft,grace,andstylethatonfirstviewingyoumightthinkthey’re too nice to actually use; I thought that the first time I handled a BudNealy knife, hisPesh-Kabz. But the jewel-like appearance is deceptive. All ofBud’s knives are toughbeyond expectations, and they comewith an edge thatbites.ThatPesh-Kabzstill lookedasniceasnewafterbeingbatonedthroughacarbodyandusedtoripoutaplasterwall.AfteritpulleddownSheetrock,solidplaster, and lath, itwas still sharp.YoucancountonallofBudNealy’sknivesperforminglikethat,atthetopofthetoughuseknifecategory.

Nealy uses premium materials in all of his knives: CPM 154, S30V, andtexturedG10onhisbasicline,ifyoucancallanythingBudNealydoesbasic.Inhiscustomwork,healsousesMikeNorris’sstainlesscladDamascus,mastodonivory, and various luxurymaterials tomake everything from carving sets andsteakknivestoone-of-a-kindcampknivesanddaggers.

Generally speaking, Bud prefers CPM 154. He wrote that CPM 154 is “adream.It’stough.Itholdsanedgeandfinishesoutbeautifully.”HethinksS30Vis “overkill for a self-defenseknife, but if youmake a living cuttingupbarbedwireandgetpaidbytheminute,thenmaybeit’sworthwhile.”GiventhatBudisknownforusinghigh-techsteels,Iwasalittlesurprisedtoseehimwritethatinhisview,“acladdamascussteelblade,withahomogenousedgeandsomehighand lowcarbon layerson theoutside, is theway to go.”There arequite a fewothermakerswhoagreewithBudonthispoint.Thesedays,Budisdoingmoreflatgrindingbecause“itmakesamuchbettercuttingedge,strongertoo.”Many

expertswillagreeonthispoint,aswell.TheAikuchiwas the firstknifeBuddesigned for theMCSSystem. Itbegan

whatwastobecomeapatternwithhistacticaldesigns—lookingbackatancientknivesused for tacticalpurposesandadapting thosedesigns formodernusageandmaterials.Knivesofsimilardesignwereusedforpiercing leatherarmorinfifteenthcenturyJapan.Thespineofthekniferetainsthesamewidthfromhilttotip, which is a chisel grind, offering maximum strength and piercing ability.Available in 3.5-or 5-inch blade lengths, the Aikuchi is an effective andhandsomeinterpretationofanancientclassic.

BudNealyAikuchicladinMikeNorrisDamascus©BudNealy.

BudNealyAikuchiwithearthtoneGrip-Skin©BudNealy.

ThesameistrueoftheKinzhal,anEasternEuropeanandTurkishdesignthathasbeeninuseforcenturies.IfyouspendsometimeintheBalkans,especiallyinruralareasandifyoubefriendtherightpeople,youwillfindthatmanymenstillcarry versions of the ancient Kinzhal somewhere about their persons. Butprobably not a BudNealymodel unless they’re part of the special operationscommunity.

Without any hesitation, Bud donated one of his tough little knives to myKnives forSoldiersprogram. Itwoundup in thehandsofanofficer inSpecialForceswhowasworkinginnonuniformedserviceinBosniaandneededacovertknife.Thisofficertoldmehepreferredsmallfixedbladestoanyfolderbecauseifhe needed a knife as a weapon, that meant things had gone wrong, and hewantedtobeabletogethisknifeoutfast,andhedidn’twanttodependonanyopeningorlockingsystem.Ifmemoryserves,heusedtheterm,“grabandstab.”HesaidhisNealywasthebestknifeofanykindhehadeverowned.HelikedtheNealyknifesomuch,heboughtanotherone.Hecarriesthembothindeepcoverandisneverwithoutthem.

TheKinzhalspearpoint,whichisalmostneedlepoint,isalittlemoreversatilethantheAikuchi’schiselgrindforgeneral tasksandprovidesoverall serviceasanexcellentutilityknife,aswellasaneffectivesmallcombatknife.It’savailablewitha3.5-or5-inchblade. I’mnot theonlypersonwhohas cut througha carbodywith a BudNealy knife.An undercover agent inNorwaywas carrying afive-inchbladedKinzhalwhenhisToyotavanwentoffabridgeandintoanicy

riverduringachase.Trapped,heusedtheNealyKinzhaltocutanopeningintheroofandescape.

BudNealyPesh-Kabzslicingzucchini.

ThePesh-Kabz design,which introducedme to BudNealy’s knives, has anarmor-piercingpointadaptedfromanancientPersiandesignandaspinethatisthesamewidth fromhilt topoint.Theslightlydroppededgeservesasaguardandprovidessomeextrautility.Asnotedabove,thePesh-KabzIusedpiercedanautobodywithnodamage.Iwouldsuspectthatitcouldalsopiercebodyarmor,ancientormodern,withequalease.LikealltheknivesIreview,Ialsotriedoutthe Pesh-Kabz in the kitchen. The results were surprising, as I thought thearmor-piercing point might get in the way of slicing and dicing on a cuttingboard.ButthePesh-Kabzslicedthroughzucchiniandassortedsteaks,chops,andribsaseasilyasitwentthroughthatHonda.

TheCaveBear is a littlemoremuscular than the others in theNealyMCScollection, but hardly what you could call overweight. Made with the samematerialsastherestoftheseries,it’sjustashandy,justastough,andjustasniceinappearance.

BudhascontinuedtorefinehisMCSSystem—nowMCSII—over theyears.Acompletedescriptionofthesystemisavailableonhiswebsite,butinshort,the

systemusesKydexandDual-Lockanindustrialgrade,adhesive-backedmaterialthatcanbestucksecurelytoalmostanysurfaceononeside.OntheothersideisaninterlockingmaterialstrongerthanVelcroand,tomyeye,thinner.Therearealsoattachmentsthatprovideawidevarietyofcarryingpositions.Theyincludeabreastpocketflapfortheinsidepocketofasportcoatandaspecialclipfortheinsideofawaistband,boot,orarmholeofajacket.

Also included is a thirty-pound test ball chain for neck carry, which is aparticularly intelligentwaytowearaneckknife.Thechainisstrongenoughtosecure the knife but not so strong it can serve as an inadvertent noose in theevent of a fall or an impromptu garrote for an assailant. There seem to be ahundredorsowaystocarrytheknifewiththeMCSSystem,including:inverted,horizontal, multi-angled waistband, and others. Bud says that a number ofundercover law enforcement officers have gone through pat downs withouthavingtheirNealyknifeinitsMCSsheathdiscovered.Ibelievehim.

BudNealyCaveBearslicinghemprope.

BudNealyCaveBearIIwithahollowground©BudNealy.

BudNealyKwaitowithMikeNorrisladderpatternDamascus©BudNealy.

Evenwithout the ingeniousMCS System,Nealy’sMCS knives can slip intoanyplaceyoucanthinkofandsomeyoumightnot.Whileonundercoverduty,theSpecialForcesofficerImentionedearlierusesonlythesheaths,withouttheMCS attachments, so he can conceal and secure them completely inside hisunderwear.Firsthetriedthesheathswithjustclips,buttheystuckout.Thenhesimplytapedthesheathstohisbody.

BudNealyMini-KwaitowithaKydexnecksheath©BudNealy.

BudNealyPK-21withagemsbokhandle©BudNealy.

BudalsoproducesacollectionofkniveshecallsMulti-AdventureKnives.InthesamegeneralsizeandweightrangeandmadefromthesamematerialsashisMCScollection,theseknivesarealittlemorefocusedonoutdooruse.Thenamesoftheknivesinthiscollection—Appenzell,Pocono,AppalachianTrail,andsoon—certainly suggest the outdoors, and I’m sure any backpacker, fisherman,hunter,or trail runnerwouldbewell servedbyanyof them.Theyhaveall thevirtuesoftheirsomewhatmoremartialcousins,andthebladedesignsdoindeedlookalittlemoreutilitarian.TheseknivesareasgoodtogoastheMCSSystemknives.

VirtuallyallofBud’sknivesfitintothecategoryIcalltraveler’sknives,whichIdefined in an earlier chapter. In fact, both theMCS and theMulti-Adventureseries help define the category: unobtrusive to the point of virtual invisibility,tough enough to use for anything you’d use a knife for, and useful as anallaround tool. Clip one to your trunks and it’s a diver’s knife, step up to acuttingboardandyou’rereadytopreparedinner,batonit througha logtoget

up some kindling, or rip your way out of a burning building. Nealy’s knivesdefinitivelyprovethataknifedoesn’thavetobeathickprybartobetough.

BudNealyKwaitoII©BudNealy.

Sincethefirsteditionofthisbook,I’vebeenworkingwithaBudNealyX-Cel,aperfectlyproportionedsmallknifewithafour-inchbladeandfour-inchhandlethatnestlescomfortablyintotheheelofmyhand.EverythingI’vewrittensofarofBud’sknives applies to thisdeceptively simpleblade. It’s so light you forgetyou’recarrying it, theMCSSystemsheathprovidescomfortablecarry, and thelittlewondercutsandrips throughresistantmaterialswith little effort.TheX-Cel surprised onemy co-testers when he slashed a double thickness of heavycardboardandthebladepenetratedbothlayers;itslippedthroughandcreatedaclean two-foot long gash with little effort. Shawn, the butcher who helps usevaluateknives,usedittoboneoutachicken.Hesaid,“Thisbladejustcutsrightdowntothebone.”

BudNealyX-CelcladinMikeNorrisDamascus©BudNealy.

BudNealyX-Celswithacocobolohandle,GripGuardG-10handle,andsilverG-10handle©BudNealy.

In addition to their features as utility knives, these are ideal knives for

clandestine agents or anyone out there on the edge. If Bud’s knives had beenavailable back in the day, asmy sons refer tomypast, Iwouldhave carried acoupleoftheminplaceofthebootknivesIcarriedthen.That’sthebestpossiblerecommendationIcanoffer.

BusseCombatKnifeCo.11651CountyRd.12Wauseon,OH43567(419)923-6471www.bussecombat.com

Busseusesaproprietarysteel,INFI,aswellasaproprietaryheat-treatmethod.Thecompanyattributesmanyvirtuestothissteel, includingtheabilitytobendto35degreesandspringbacktotrue,alongwithexceptionaledgeretentionandanabsenceofedgedamage inharduse.Wehave substantiated theseclaims inactualfielduse.

The first Busse knife I used, the SteelHeart, cut through a couple of autobodies like they were tinfoil; there was no damage to the edge or blade afterdoing so. Over a few weeks, we used the Steel Heart for about anything youwoulduseabigknifefor,includingchoppingastackofseasonedoakforthefire.Itwastough.Itstayedsharp.Withanine-inchblade,thebalanceforward,andquite a bit of belly, it was an excellent chopper. And—unusual for such a bigknife—itwouldalsoslicehamsothinyoucouldseelightthroughit.

All Busse knives come from the factory with a sharp convex grind, whichsupportstheedge,stayssharpforalongtime,andenablesthemtocutthroughresistantmediumswithease.Aconvexedgealsogets intoadeepcutwith lessresistancethansomeothergrinds.

Inrecenttestingwehaveused:Busse’sBOSSJackLEwitha6.25-inchblade,Choiless Anorexic BOSS Street with a 4.25-inch blade, Nuclear MeltdownFusion Battle Mistress with an 11-inch blade, and the Nuclear MeltdownSpecialForcesNaturalOutlawwithan8.25-inchblade.Inadditiontomyworkwiththem,allwerefieldtestedbythreeexperiencedoutdoorsmen,oneofthemaformerbutcherwhocommented,“ThebiggerBusseknivesgothroughbonelikeacleaver, andboth thebigand smallonescutmeataswell asmyprofessionalknives. This is unusual.Most of the knives you giveme to try have edges toothickformeatcutting.They’restillsharp,too,notouchup.”Oneoftheothers,a

combat veteran, said he “wishedhe had aBusseBOSS Jack LEduring his lastdeployment.”

Both of the big knives were used for cutting a variety of materials. Theyperformed as well as any big knife we’ve used, and far better thanmost. TheBattleMistresschopsbetterthantheOutlawsimplybecauseit’sabiggerblade.Both were exceptional knives in every respect. I would have no trouble withwalking into the wilderness with only the Battle Mistress as my big blade,althoughIwouldpreferonewithoutachoil.

ThesmallerBusseknivescutaswellasthebigknives—thatis,verywell.We’vecuteverythingfromoldrubberhosetosheetmetalwiththeseknives,andtheykeeponperforming.Webatonedthe6.25-inchbladedBOSSJackLEintoapinetree, and one of the guys, who weighs 235 pounds, stood on it. No bend, nobreak, no problem. We also pried open a military issue ammo box withoutdamagingtheblade.

(lefttoright)WayneGoddardCustom,Pumainterchangeableblade,OntarioBagwellGambler,ChrisReeveNakona,BeckerBowie,BusseSteelHeart,andColdSteelTrailmaster©JustinAyres.

BusseBOSSJackfixedblade.

I’ve been using the Busse 4.25-inch bladedChoilessAnorexic BOSS Streetdaily.Itis,asyoumighthavefiguredoutfromthename,theonlyBussewithoutachoil.TheabsenceofachoilallowedmetousethisknifeeffectivelyforpressandshearcutswhenbuildingafieldexpedientshelterforasurvivalclassIwasteachingandtodemonstratenotching.Ithasasmoothconvexgrindfromspinetoedgeandnosecondarygrind,whichhelpsit tocutdeepintomostmaterialswithonlyslightresistance.LikeallBusseknives, thishasafull tang.Italsohascomfortable,texturedMicartascales.

BusseChoilessAnorexicBOSSStreetfixedblade.

During thepast coupleofmonths, I’ve cut about ten feetof two-inchhemprope intoone-inch sections, slicedup amountainof cardboard, used it in thekitchen tocutmeatandvegetables,and in the field forwoodworking, splittingkindlingwithabaton,andsoon.Ihaven’ttouchedittoastone,andhaveonlystroppeditonaleatherstraponce,anditwillstillslicetissuepaper.Idrovethisonepointfirst intoatreeandaskedourlargefriendtostandonit.Hedid.Noproblem. This is a tough knife that performs at the top of its class. It is anexcellent traveler’sknife and small survivalknife.Another inchofbladeand itmightwellbethefabled“oneknife,”butwithafour-inchbladeandafive-inchfull tang handle, it’s a tad handle heavy. I’d like it better if it lost an inch ofhandleoraddedaninchofblade.Still,ifIhadasheathforit,Imightwelltakeitwithmeonmynexttrip.Bussemakeshighperforming,toughblades,andallaregoodtogo.

BusseChoilessAnorexicBOSSStreetaftercuttingamountainofcardboard.

NOTE:BusseknivesdoNOTcomewithsheaths.Theseknivesdeserveagoodsheath,whichthecustomerwillhavetosupply.

ChrisReeveKnives2949S.VictoryViewWayBoise,Idaho83709(208)375-0367www.chrisreeve.com

Over the past decade, I’ve put in many hours using Chris Reeve knives todemonstratesurvivaltechniques,andI’veloanedChrisReeveknivestomanyofmy students. We’ve worked with almost every model the company makes.Duringallthattime,IhaveneveronceseenapoorlymadeChrisReeveknifeoronethatfailedtoperformasadvertised.TheChrisReevereputationforqualityissecond to none. Every detail of every knifemade by this company is carefullythoughtofandattendedto.Evenaseeminglyminorthing,suchastheadhesiveused to cement the inlays in the Sebenza—a folder Chris Reeve is famous fordesigning—isgivendeepandthoughtfulconsideration.

ChrisReeveSebenza—minimalistindustrialchic.

FieldexpedientbatonbeingusedonaChrisReeveNakonatobatonthroughthehoodofthecar.©JustinAyres.

At a trade show a couple of years ago, Chris explained tome how he hadsearched technical journals fromadozen industries andcarriedout a seriesofcontrolledexperimentstocomeupwiththeperfectadhesivetosecuretheinlaysonhisSebenzas.Thisadhesiveisusedtocementracksoflightsontoscaffoldingon airport runways and has a holding strength of thousands of pounds in allkindsofweatherconditions.Thatthecompanyownerwaswillingtoinvestdaysinsearchingoutsuchaseeminglyminoritem,andtakethetimetoexplainittoajournalist,isindicativeofthequalityofthemanandthecompany.Ifheputsthatmuchthoughtintoglue,howmuchthoughtandcaredoyouthinkheinvestsinsteel,design,heattreating,grinding,andfinishing?

ChrisReevemaybebestknownforhisiconicSebenza,afolderthatembodiesminimalist industrial chic and is as much a work of modern art as it is a

functionalknife.Nothingneeds tobeadded.Nothingcanbe takenaway. Igetthe feeling thatReeve read the story aboutMichelangelo.When askedhowhevisualizedastatueinablockofmarble,hesaidthathejusttookawayeverythingthatwasn’tthestatue.TheSebenzaisnothingbutknife,oneoftheverybest.

ChrisReeveupped the strengthante in tactical folder lock strengthwithhisdevelopmentoftheintegral lockfortheSebenza,whichwasfirstofferedtothepublic in 1987. The integral lock is a piece of the frame that snaps into placewhen the blade is opened andmakes a solid lock. In addition, the lock is alsosecuredbythegripofthepersonholdingtheknife.Thelockisnotdependentongrip;themechanicsofitareplentysolid.However,asanaddedsecuritymeasure,ifafirmgripismaintained,thebladecannotclose.

TheSebenzahasevolvedabitoverthepastcoupleofdecades.Newversionsare only a little different from the original. Trends and fashions have beenignored in favor of steady, incremental improvement. The steel has beenchangedasnewsteelshavebeenintroducedtotheindustry—afterReeveappliedhisusualrigorousresearchandtestingtodetermineifthenewsteelswerereallyan improvement. But the core design is basically the same, as is the conceptbehindit.SebenzaisaZuluwordmeaning“work.”Andworkiswhatitdoes—dayafterday,yearafteryear,theSebenzajustkeepsonworking.

Thecurrentclassiciteration,theSebenza21,hasthesame3.7-inchblade,onlynowthesteel isS30V.Thebladesare tumbled,or stonewashed, togive themasmooth, understated finish. The titanium handles are sandblasted. Phosphorbronze thrustwashers ride against theoversizedpivot bearings,which ensureslong life, smooth opening, and extra strength at the blade handle joint. Thewholepackage,whichweighs4.7ounces,isputtogetherwithniftyscrewsmadeof303stainless.

SebenzaClassicbeingbatonedthroughasapling,likepassingthroughbutter.

ChrisReeveSebenzabeingbatonedintoatwo-by-two.

ChrisReeveSebenzawithwoodinlayhandlebeingbatonedintoatwo-by-two.

BeforeIcouldcorrecthistechnique,IsawanewstudentswinghisbatonataSebenzalikehewastryingforahomerun.Nodamage.OnekidusedaSebenzaand a baton to cut enough saplings for a four-person shelter in about twentyminutes of nonstop cutting and tapping.The knife justwent through saplingsliketheywerebutter.I’veusedSebenzasforeverythingafoldingknifecouldbeusedfor,andforsomeitshouldn’t,offandonforadecadeorso.YoucanrelyonaSebenza.

There’salsoasmallSebenzawitha2.9-inchbladethatweighsinatonlythreeounces.It’sastoughasthelargerknifeandeasiertofitinasuitpocket.IthinkofthesmallSebenzaasagentlemen’stactical.Ifyouhaveitinyourpocketandthepartygetsboring,youcouldjustwanderoutsideandkeeponwalking,rightup

into thehills,where you couldputup a shelterusing your little folder,maybemakea fewtraps tocatchbreakfast,and just relax,watch themoon,andthinkaboutwhatagoodideaitwastoleavethatpartyandhaveyourlittleknifewithyou.

Also available are a series of decorated and engraved Sebenzas inboth sizesand some other models of folders. Some are offered with Damascus blades.They’reallverynice.

Sincethefirsteditionofthisbook,ChrisReevehasdiscontinuedhisOnePieceRange. However, he does still make fixed blades, including the official knifeawardedtothosewhograduatetoday’sQCourseattheSpecialWarfareCenter.It isknowntotheUSArmySpecialForcesas theYarboroughandtoeveryoneelseastheGreenBeretKnife.AsyoumightimagineofaknifethatwasselectedbyactivedutyservingSFsoldiers,theGreenBeretKnifeanditssmallerbrotherwilldoanythingaspecialwarfareoperatorcouldexpectofaknife.Availablewitheithera7-inchor5.5-inchbladeofKGGun-KotedCPMS30V,theknivesweredesignedbywell-knownknifemakeranddesignerBillHarseywithfunctionandmanufacturing input from Chris Reeve. A civilian version without a serialnumber, is available to the public.My students and I tried out the seven-inchversionoveranextendedperiod.Thisisanexcellentknife.

ChrisReeveGreenBeretcuttingatwo-by-four.

ChrisReeveGreenBeretsplittingatwo-by-twowithease.

TheProfessional Soldier is a relative newcomer to the Chris Reeve lineup.DesignedincollaborationwithBillHarseyforagroupofSFsoldiers,itisasmall,solid,deceptivelysimplelookingone-piece,flat framefixedblade.Withits3.3-inchbladeandanoverall lengthof7.5inches,it issmallandlightenough,at3ounces,totuckintoapocket,sock,orjustaboutanywhere.LiketheGreenBeretKnife,it’smadeofGun-KotedCPMS30V.Minearrivedsharpenoughtoeasilyshave hair and stayed that way through about a month of daily use, whichincludedsomewoodworkonhardwoods,aswellas theusualstuff—youknow,cuttingSheetrocktosize,slicingtomatoes,andsoon.Eventhen,itwasn’treallywhatyouwouldcalldull.It’sjustthatIlikemyknivessharp.AquicktouchupontheSpydercoTriAnglesharpenerbroughttheedgeback.

ChrisReeveProfessionalSoldier.

ChrisReeveProfessionalSoldierdoingdoubledutymakingahobostove.

This is a well-conceived, welldesigned, and well-made little knife. Duringmanufacturing, itwas tumbled or polished and has no sharp edges,making itcomfortable in hand. The frame cutout works as a shackle wrench andcontributes to its light weight and good balance. Balance is something I findconspicuously lacking inmanyneckknives, although I thinkof this knife as atinytactical.TheProfessionalSoldierisanactualworkingblade,asopposedtoa

use-it-only-in-an-emergencyknife.It’salsoaslickhideout.Ilikethislittletoughguyverymuch.

ColdSteel,Inc.6060NicolleSt.Ventura,CA93003(800)255-4716www.coldsteel.com

Cold Steel first came to public recognition about twenty years ago with itsTanto, a fixedbladewitha tantopoint andanonsliphandle.Buildingon thatsuccess, Lynn C. Thompson, the president and founder of the company,expandedhisproductrange,andnowColdSteelhasoneofthelargestselectionsof tacticallyorientedknivesonthemarket.Fromaffordable topremiumpricesand from daggers to kukris, there seems to be something for everyone in theColdSteelshop.

Whenaskedtodonateknives to troopsserving inwarzones,ColdSteelwasone of the companies that responded with no delay. Some of the knives theydonatedwereSurvivalRescueKnives(SRKs).We’veworkedwithanumberoftheSRKsovertheyearsandhavefoundthemtobegoodsolidworkingblades.Wehavealsosentquiteafewofthemtotroopsservingoverseas,bothdonatedbyColdSteelandfromprivatepurchase—somethingwewouldnothavedoneifwedidn’tthinktheywerefunctional,reliableknives.TheSRK’ssix-inchAUS-8Abladeis.1875-inchthickandhasablackTefloncoat.Ithasaclippoint,andtheoverallbladedesignisusefulforeverythingfromdressinggametoleveringopenan ammo box. The handle is nonslip Kraton and nicely sized at 4.75 inches,whichbrings theknife inat10.75 inchesoverall,agoodhandysize.There isalowerguardthatservestokeepthehandsafeif itshouldslip,whichisunlikelygiventhenatureofthehandlematerial.Ihavenoticedthatmanysportsmenalsochose the SRK, which is understandable given its overall balance of usefulfeaturesandlackofanythingthatwouldimpedeperformance.TheSRKisagoodallaroundfixedbladeavailableatapricemostmilitarypeoplecanafford.

ColdSteelSRKslicingcucumbers.

Some years ago, we tested aTrailMaster Bowie in Cold Steel’s O-1 HighCarbonsteel.Itcamewitha.3125-inchthick,9.5-inchlongbladeandaKratonhandle, and it weighed in at about a pound. One of the Trail Master’s keyfeatures is a convex edge, which allowed it to chop through the hood of awrecked Honda with little effort and then, with no touch up, slice variousvegetablesforsoup.Wealsochoppedourwaythroughastackofdownedwoodandingeneraluseditasyouwouldasurvivalknife.

In the Bowie knife chapter I wrote that a good Bowie makes an efficientwilderness bush knife.This is a knife that proves that point.Although shorterthanamacheteandlighterthanahatchet,itchopssowellthatabatonbecomesredundant.This allows for fasterworkwhen, for example, youneed to get upsomekindlingforafireandconstructashelterbeforeastormcomesin.Duetoitspronouncedbelly,youmightwanttohavealongasmallerknifetocleansmallgame more efficiently, but the Trail Master will also take care of that job ifneeded. The Trail Master is a good Bowie. Actually, considering that it’s afactory-producedknife,it’sanexcellentBowie.

Withits10.5-inchbladeandsharpenedclip,ColdSteelbillstheLaredoBowieasbeingmoreweapon-orientedthantheTrailMaster.Well,maybeso.Icanseethatitisabetterweapon.ButtheLaredoworksfineformeasanoutdoorknife,andinsomewaysIlikeitbetterthantheTrailMasterforwildernesswork.

There are two things that make it the better choice for me. First, it has asharper point with less belly, which I find better for allaround use. Second, it

weighsanounceorsolessthentheTrailMaster,butithasalongerblade.Thesetwo thingsgive it abalance I likebetter. Ithasmorewhip,which translates tobeingfasterinthehandandchoppingbetter.IhavenodoubttheLaredowouldmake a fearsome weapon, fully capable of disarming an enemy in the righthands.

ColdSteelTrailMasterreadyforoutdooradventures.

ColdSteelLaredoBowie.

ColdSteelLaredoBowieslashedthroughalimbwithoneswing.

ColdSteelLaredoBowiecrossingbladeswithaSabatierchef’sknife.

I tried out the laminated Laredo SanMai model. San Mai is a Cold Steel

trademarkedsteelthatIfoundtobetoughand,atleastinthisconfiguration,tohave excellent cutting abilities. I went to work with it along a stream whileclearingoutsomeundergrowth.ThenIgaveittoayoungfriendandaskedhimtotryhishandwithit.Heuseditprettyhardduringthreedayswespenttogetherinthenearbymountains.HealsousedadozenorsootherknivesIhadbroughtalong to review.Whenwewereonourwayhome, I askedhim, “Whichknifewould you choose, out of all these knives, if you could only have one knife ifyou’re in themountains for amonth and will have to provide everything foryourself?” After a long thoughtful pause he said, “It would have to be that[Laredo]Bowie.Itwouldsavetime.Icouldmakeashelterandget firewoodinlike.. .10percentofthetimeitwouldtakewithalittleknife.Andthepointisgoodenoughtoskinasquirrel.Besides,noonewhoseesme in themountainswouldfreakoutatitssizeliketheywouldintown.”

Cold Steel’s Laredo is an excellent example of the Bowie knife and clearlydemonstratesthevalueoftheBowie.EitheroftheColdSteelBowieswilldothejobandclearlydemonstratethatanine-toten-inchblade,ifproperlysetup,willoutperformmedium-sizedbladesofsixtoseveninches.

TheBushmaster isagreatvalue.It’sasurvivalknifethatactuallyworksandonlycostsaboutthepriceofacaseofbeerorafewbottlesofwine.Weuseditinthebushtochopandclearsomeunderbrush,andwethenstrippedbarkfromasaplingforaquickiebowandsplitkindling.Then,usingapolewecutwiththeBushmaster,wefittedthehollowhandleontothepoleandwereabletoeasilycutfruitfrombranchesthatgrewabouttenfeetfromtheground.TheBushmasterislightweight, has a thin seven-inch carbon steel blade, and has good edgegeometry. Iwould bewilling to bet that ifCold Steel offered a versionwith anine-inchblade,itwouldsellwell.

ColdSteelBushman—ahandyknifetohaveinthebush.

ColumbiaRiverKnife&Tool18348SW126thPlaceTualatin,OR97062(800)891-3100www.crkt.com

CRKT,withDouglasB.Flaggat thehelm,makesawide rangeofknives forsportandwork,butherewearemainlyconcernedwiththeirprofessionalknives,whicharedesignedandmadewiththeneedsoftheservingmilitaryandrelatedoccupations in mind. The Professional Collection draws on the expertise ofveteransandknifedesignerswhohaveexpertiseintacticalknives.Thatexpertiseshows in the collection.These areknives thatwouldbeofuse to thoseon thegroundinhardplaces.

A fewyearsago,whenI startedmyKnives forSoldiersdonationprogram, IcalledDoug and asked him if he would consider donating a knife to a needyserving solider in Iraqor another combat zone.Threedays later, theUPS guy

dropped off a large box.When I opened it, I found a box full of knives fromCRKT’s Professional Collection—not one or two knives, a large box full ofknives. Some people step back when asked to do something that costs them;othersstepup.DouglasB.Flaggsteppedupandgave tomenandwomenwhotrulyneededprofessionalknives.

CRKTDesertTactGroup(toptobottom):M16-14ZSF,M16-13ZM,M16-1-4D©CRKT.

CRKTM21slicingcardboard.

CRKTM21-04Gfolderwithanextrasafetylock.

TheirM16foldingtacticalseries,designedbyformerparatrooperKitCarson(yes, that’s his real name), is famous among the troops. They are some of themostpopularknivessoldatthePX,andforgoodreason.Welldesignedandwell-executedtobeeverydaytoolsandemergencyweapons,everymodelinthisseriesis exactly that. The troops use them for everything from opening boxes,packages,andMREs(MealsReadytoEat—threeliesinonename,accordingtothe troops) to cutting rope and nylon strapping. Since they carry them all thetime,theyareavailableasemergencyweapons.

Iamsometimesaskedbyactivedutyservicepeopletorecommendaknifethatfitsthefollowingcriteria:afolder,soit’sconvenienttohaveontheirpersonatalltimes;toughenoughtostanduptogenerallyharshfielduse;designedsothatitcanbeusedasaweaponifneeded;andaffordableonanenlistedperson’ssalary.TheM16seriesistheoneImostoftenrecommend.

The twoM16models haveZytel handles and a rigid InterFrame buildwith420J2 stainless liners andback spacers.Blades areAUS4 stainlesswith abeadblastedfinish.

The 13ZMMilitary has a 3.5-inch spear point blade and weighs only 3.5ounces.The14ZSFSpecialForceshasa3.8-inchbladeandfeaturestwoCarsonFlippers,whichmakeahiltwhenthebladeisopen.The14DDesertBigDoghasatexturedaluminumframeanda3.8-inchblade.Allmodelscomewithtwoclipsand extra screws, allowing four different positions for carry, and CRKT’spatentedAutoLAWKSsafety,whichlocksthefoldersupsolidwhenopen.

ColumbiaRiverKnife&Toolalsomakesgoodsolidfixedbladesatapriceourguysinuniformcanafford.Althoughfirstconceivedanddesignedasaweaponwithits4.5-inchbladeandfiercetaperedtip,takealookatthephotostoseethe

C/KDragonmodelinactionasafieldtool.Fromhobostovestowoodworkandfoodprep,theDragondidfine.

The Elishewitz F.T.W.S. (For Those Who Serve) was designed by notedcustomknifedesignerAllenElishewitz.Withabackground inmartialartsandservice in themilitary,Elishewitz knowswhatworks in the field.The 6.3-inchfixedbladeofSK5carbonsteelhasaspearpointanda4-inchchiselgrindontheback forchopping.Weused theF.T.W.S. tohelp takeapartabuilding,cuttingthroughSheetrock,studs,andasteeldoor.Wedidn’tneedtousethebackchiselgrind. Therewas no noticeable damage to the blade or the handle, in spite ofsomeenthusiasticbutunschooledbatonworkbyoneyoungfellowwhoassisted.

CRKTDragonreadyforajob.

CRKTDragoneasilycuttingthroughacanforahobostove.

CRKTDragondoingkitchenduty.

TheHissatsuandHissatsuFolderaredesignedbyJamesWilliams,a formerUS Army officer and martial arts instructor who has trained tactical lawenforcement andmilitary personal in close quarter combatmethods using thesystem of military tactical strategy, which Williams himself developed. TheHissatsuisafixedbladesingle-purposeknifeforuseinclosecombat,apurposeforwhichitistotallyfunctional.TheHissatsu’sseven-inchbladeof440Acamebe-careful-ouch sharp from the factory. At 7.9 ounces, it is lightweight, well-balanced,andfasthandling.TheJapanesestyledbladepenetratesandcutsroastsand ribs like it is going through whipped cream. The handle emulates thetraditionalJapaneserayskinwithanonslipKratonsurface.I’veusedsomefairlyexpensiveJapanesebladesovertheyears,andI’dsaytheHissatsuisabargaininthatitemulatestheperformanceofexpensivehard-to-getblades.

CRKTElishewitzF.T.W.S.

CRKTElishewitzcuttingthroughSheetrockandstuds©JustinAyres.

CRKTHissatsu—well-balancedandpleasingtotheeye.

TheCRKTHissatsuslicedthroughanentirechicken,bonesandall,withonestroke.

TheHissatsuFolder’sabilitytopenetratebothhardandsoftmaterialhastobeseentobebelieved.IwatchedWilliams’sDVD,whichshowshimstabbingthefolderintowhatappearstobeplywoodwithfullforce.Thebladepenetratedupto the hilt. Frankly, I was more than a little apprehensive about trying toduplicatethisfeatwithafolder.Ineednothavebeen.Thebladelocksupsolidand didn’t loosen a bit during a series of hard stabs into a tree. TheHissatsuFolder is a good companion to the fixed blade and both will well serve their

purpose.

CRKTHissatsuFolder.

BearingthesameDNAastheHissatsuandalsodesignedbyJamesWilliamsare two new CRKT models, the Shinbu with a 9.25-inch blade, and theSakimori, with a 5.75-inch blade; both are beautifully executed renditions ofclassicJapaneseblades.Theseareweapons—deadlyefficientweapons.Theyarenot meant for wood chopping or kitchen or general usage. These are single-purposebladesthatIevaluatedasedgedweapons.Icantellyouthis:Iamnotanexpert intheuseofJapaneseblades,butIdohavesomeexperiencewithedgedweapons,andIwouldn’twanttofaceacapableuserofoneofthesebladeswithanything less. They both come nicely boxed in wood and velvet, fitting thetraditionfromwhichtheyspring.

CRKTShinbuWakizachi.

CRKTSakimoriTanto.

CRKTisalsonowmakingtheSting,amodeldesignedbyA.G.Russellsomeyearsagoandnamed forFrodo’s famousblade in theLordof theRingsbooks.TheStingisadandylittledaggerandcomeswithaforearmsheathsecuredwithVelcro.

We’vebeenusing theErosand theErosII for thepast yearor so.Both areterrific little framelock folderswith needlesharp points, good sharp edges, andutility thatdefies their size andelegant appearance.TheEros II is anexcellenttiny tactical, and the Eros, somewhat larger, is a solid tactical in gentlemen’sfolderdress.

CRKTErosIIonKPduty.

CondorTool&Knife7557WestSandLakeRd#106Orlando,FL32819(407)354-3488www.condortk.com

Condor Tool & Knife’s roots go deep. First started in 1787 in Solingen,Germany,asGebr.WeyersbergCompany,theymadeswords,knives,agriculturaltools, and household cutlery. In 1964, the company formed IMACASAwith anew factory in SantaAna,El Salvador.Today, IMACASA is oneof the largestmacheteandshovelmanufacturersintheworld.In2004,IMACASAdevelopedatop quality line of tools and knives for the North American and Europeanmarkets:CondorTool&Knife.Thishistoryshowsintheirproducts.

As a result ofworking and traveling formany years inMexico andCentralAmerica, I’m familiar with the importance of the machete for the LatinAmericancampesino,afarmerorcountryperson.Themacheteisanall-purposetool that isuseddailyandharder thananysuch tool is likely tobeused in theUnitedStates.(Itisalsosometimesaweapon—onethatisbrutallyeffectiveandcancause fearsome,deadlywounds.)Themachete isnotonly the farmer’s all-purposetool,itistheindispensabletoolofthetropicjungletravelerandisusedbyeveryonewhoventures far froma road inLatinAmerica.Thecampesino iscarefulwithhishard-earnedmoneyandwillnotbuyamachete that isnot topquality or overpriced. To say that Condor’s knives and tools aremade in the

samefactoryasthatwhichproducesmachetespopularinLatinAmericaishighpraise.

The Condor products we have used, from bushcraft knives to barongs andgoloks—designsofwhichwerederivedfromAsianjungleknives—havebeenofuniformly excellent quality and value. Made from well-tempered, 1075 high-carbonsteelthathasservedgenerationsofsoldiers,explorers,outdoorsmen,andfarmers, and with comfortable wood or synthetic handles, I would be hard-pressed to tell readerswhere theycould findabetterbargain foroutdoorharduseblades.Condor’s steelwon’t hold an edge like today’s high-tech steels andalloys,butitalsodoesn’trequireadiamondhonetoanmaintaintheedge.

I’veseenworkersinsugarcanefieldscarryastoneinonehandandamacheteintheother,andtheygivetheiredgeaquickstokeonthestoneeveryhalfhourorsotokeeptheedgetoothysharp,whichmakescuttingeasierandreducestheirworkload.AlltheCondorbladeswehaveusedholdtheiredgeforagoodlengthof time and come up to an aggressive sharp with no more than a few quickstrokesonastone.

Condor’sBushcraftBasicKnifehasacomfywoodhandle,abladewithalotofbelly,andafulltang.Whendrivenintoatree,itwasstrongenoughforatwo-hundred-poundguytodoapull-upon;wetriedit,noproblem.Thebellyoftheblade proved its worth in general usage. A littlemore point would have beenwelcome,butinknifedesigneverythingisacompromise,andthisisagoodone.The leather sheathholds theknife securelyand isunusuallynice foraknife inthispricerange.Condor’sofferingwouldbeagoodoptionforthebushcrafterorwoodspersonlookingforahandyandrobustcamptoolatabargainprice.

TheBarong Machete has a leaf-shaped fourteen-inch blade with a wickedpoint and a well-beveled and sharp edge. It performs well, chopping throughthickbrush,reeds,andsaplingswithease.BarongsarethefavoritejungletoolofthePhilippines,andwithgoodreason.Duringmytimeinthoseislands,Isawthebarongusedbyseamen,aswellasbyeveryruralman,tokillanddresslargefish,oneaboutasbigasourtwenty-footboat.Condor’siterationofthebarongisofhigher quality than all but a few hand-forged blades I used while in thePhilippines. Its leather sheath is sturdybut requires theuser topush thebladefirmlyanddeeplytosecureit.

With its eleven-inch weight-forward blade, the Pack Golok Knife is smallenough to be carried in a daypack until needed. Its double snapped leathersheath carries it comfortably and securely on the belt while in use. This heftylittlechopperwillmakeshortworkofhardwood,aswellastropicalvegetation;

it’s a lot of chopping ability in a relatively small package with comfortablehardwoodscales.

CondorMatagaireadyforaction.

CondorGolokwithleathersheath.

TheMatagiKnife is an interesting variation on the hollow-handle survivalknife concept.Made from one piece of steel with no weak spots, a person soinclined could stash a fair amount of small items in the cordwrapped handle,then secure them quickly with duct tape. This is perhaps not an elegantapproach,butafunctionalone.Theeleven-inchstraightbladehasagoodbellyandasharpenoughpointtodosmallwork.Thisisagooddesign—uncluttered,

versatile,sturdy,andatthemodestprice,trulyabargain.

CondorBaronghollow-handleknife.

Condor’s recreationof theHudsonBayKnife,whichwasoriginallyusedbyfurtrappersandtradedtoNativeAmericansformorethanacentury,isafaithfulandfunctional,evenhandsome,takeonadesignthatwasheldinhighregardinthe not too distant past by those who spent most of their lives in the NorthAmericanforest.Its8.5-inchbladeworkswellforawiderangeofoutdoorwork,anditssmoothhardwoodscalesmakeforacomfortablegripwhetherchopping,slicing,scrapping,orwhittling—aclassicbladeasgoodtodayasinthepast.

Condor produces classic blades in honest and well-proven carbon steel ataffordableprices.Witha littlecare,carbonsteelbladesareeasy tomaintain—Inever see rusted machetes in the humid tropics—and easily sharpened. Theyhaveservedasfieldknivesandworkingbladesformany,manyyears,andIseenoreasonwhytheyshouldn’tcontinuetodoso. Iwouldhavenohesitation intakingtothefieldwithaCondorblade.

CondorHudsonBayKnifewithaneight-and-a-halfinchblade—anallaroundusefultool.

CrawfordKnives,LLC205N.CenterDriveWestMemphis,AR72301(870)732-2452www.crawfordknives.com

PatCrawfordhasbeenmakingknivesformorethanthirtyyears—verygoodones.Manyofhistacticalfoldersareinusebythemilitaryandlawenforcement,mostlytheplainoneswithbead-blastedfinishesthatareknownfortheirquality,durability,andallaroundgooddesign.However,Patmaybebestknownforhistactical gentlemen’s folders,which are everybit as functional as theirworkdaycousins. There are gentlemen’s tacticals and then there are Pat Crawfordgentlemen’stacticals,whichoccupyaplaceoftheirowninthetacticalworld.

ThePointGuard©SharpbyCoop.com.

PatCrawfordDragonfixedbladedesignedbyBobKasper©PointSevenStudio.

PatCrawfordPerfigoFolderwithafour-and-a-halfinchDamascussteelblade,andmammothtoothhandle,whichwasdesignedbyBobKasper©PointSevenStudio.

Theaveragegentlemen’sknifeisoneyouwouldfeelokaytakingoutinpolitecompany, say at a garden party to slice the cake. Pat’s are dressed for thepresidential ball, or to appear with Daniel Craig when he shows up at theAcademyAwards.TakeoutaPatCrawfordtacticalfoldertoslicethecakeatthatgardenparty,andyou’lllikelybemobbedbytheladieswhowillwanttotakeit,homewiththem.Anyway,theguysaregoingtolustafterit,too.Pat’sfoldersarejustdropdeadgorgeous.Butunderall the fancydressbeats theheartofabackalleyfighter.Thereissomethinginherentlyattractiveaboutthecombination,asifBeauBrummel,thebest-dressedmanatcourt,werealsothedeadliestduelist.

MiniTriumphRaiderFolder©PointSevenStudio.

CrawfordMarauderFolder©PointSevenStudio.

In some recent correspondence, Pat wrote, “We started doing fancydecorationonourcombatknivesasourcustomersrequested it. It startedwithpeople wanting a little decoration. Then it grew to the point where we aremaking combat knives that are works of art. But underneath, they are stillcombatknives.”

DanielWinklerKnivesP.O.Box2166BlowingRock,NC28605(828)295-9156www.winklerknives.com

DanielWinkleroccupiesauniqueplaceintacticalcutlerytoday.HeistheonlyABS Mastersmith I know of who has for years specialized in knives andtomahawks of the colonial period, and now he brings that expertise andcoconsciousness to the creation of warready knives for the special operations

community.

TwomatchingKasper21folders,onewithafour-inchbladeandonewithathree-inchblade,stainlesssteelDamascusbladeandbolsters,mammothivoryhandle,andtitaniumliners©PatCrawford.

PatCrawfordKasperfolders,four-inchbladeswithtitaniumhandles©PatCrawford.

DanielWinklerisperhapsbestknownforhiscreationofperiodcorrectknivesand tomahawks for the filmTheLastOf theMohicans. In an earlier chapter, IwrotethatthelongknivesofearlyAmericawereourcountry’sfirsttacticalfixedblades.DanielhasdoneevenmoreresearchonthistopicthanIandagreeswith

that statement. “Nothing could be more tactical than the fight to settle ourcountry,”hesaidinarecentinterview.

DanielWinklerHawkeyeBeltKnife,forged1080bladeofseveninches,overalllengthofeleven-and-a-halfinches,bonehandlewithrawhidethongwrap,colorbands,andsheathbyKarenShook©Daniel

Winkler.

DanielWinklerUncasBeltKnife,forged1080bladeofseveninches,overalllengthofeleven-and-a-halfinches,bonehandlewithbraintandeerhidethong,andawrapsheathbyKarenShook©Daniel

Winkler.

Daniel draws inspiration from knives used by Rogers’ Rangers and other

rangerunits—whichwere,ineffect,ourcountry’sfirstspecialoperationsunits—andcreatesknivesfortoday’sspecialoperationsunitsatFortBraggandVirginiaBeach. The creations fromWinkler’s forge aremade one at a time to customorder.KnivesbearingthelogoWinklerIIaremadewithconsiderablehandwork,butalsowiththeuseofmodernproductionmethods.

Togetabetterunderstandingofthemanandhismethods,hereisanexcerptfromrecentcorrespondencefromhim:

I have great respect formany of today’s “tactical cutlery”manufacturers.The designs and innovations developed by these companies are to becommended.However . . .mydirection is a little different.Thedesigns Iproducearedirectedbyhistoryandthecurrentsneedsofournation’smostelitewarriors.Ihavenodesiretoreinventthewheel,justadjustitalittle.

ThegenesisofWinkler IIkniveswasonlya fewyearsagowhenDanielwascontactedbyamilitarySpecialOperationsteamtodesignandmakeaspecializedtomahawk to be used as a combination combat or breaching tool. The specialoperationscommunityhadbeenusingWinklerhawksandknivessincetheFirstGulfWar. But now, satisfied thatWinkler’s concepts and cutting instrumentsworked, they wanted more production and they wanted knives for issue tospecial warfare units. To meet the demand, Winkler went to computer-controlledwater-jet-cuttingofhistaperedtangblanks.Doingsoenabledhimtoproduce a product with the virtues of his hand-forged blades but in largerquantities.

DanielWinklerFieldKnifewithleathersheathand1080steel©DanielWinkler.

The twomostpopularmodelswith the specialoperationscommunity so farare the WK II Belt Knife and the WK II Field Knife. Both designs were

developedwith input and requests from active duty SOF operators andNavalSpecialWarfareUnits.TherewasalsoinputfromanoperatorwithanextensivebackgroundinSayat,amartialartsimilar toEskrima.Bothknivesaremadeof1080andbothare.1875-inchthick.Heattreatbringsthe1080inat58Rockwell.

TheFieldKnifehasa5.75-inchbladeandmeasures10.5 inchesoverall.TheBeltKnifecomesinalittleshorterwitha4.5-inchbladeand8.75inchesoverall.Optionalhandlematerialsinclude:G10,Micarta,wood,orrecycledrubber.TheBeltKnifeIreviewedhadscalesofrecycledrubber,theFieldKnifescalesofG10.

Sheaths are leather-coveredKydexwith a simple, flat, compact, idiot-proof,virtually unbreakable, ingenious attachment that allows for a vertical orhorizontalcarry.OrtheycanbeusedwithaMolleadaptor.Individualsandunitschooseoneor theotherof the twoknivesbasedonpersonalpreference.Somepreferthe largerknife,whichisa littlebetteradaptedtofieldchores,aswellascombat usage.Others prefer amore compact knife that is easier to carry andaccess.Theblade finish isCaswell blackener that looks similar to a parkerizedfinish.Thefinishwillwearwithuse,butwillstillprotectthebladeandleaveitamediumgraycolor.

DanielWinklerHawkeyeBeltKnifewithaseven-inchforged1080blade,overalllengthofeleven-and-a-halfinches,bonehandlewitharawhidethongwrap,colorbands,andsheathbyKarenShook©Daniel

Winkler.

DanielWinklerBeltKnifeabouttocuthemprope.

Irecentlyposedthe“ifyouonlyhadoneknife”questiontotwopeoplewhomIcalledontohelpwithevaluations.AReconMarineabouttoleaveforhisthirdtourofIraqsaid,“Dude.It’sthatlittleknifewiththefunkyhandle.Thatbladeisthe bomb.”Hewas referring toDanielWinkler’s BeltKnifewith recycled tirescales.

Aprofessionalbutcher—aguywhospendseighthoursadaytakingapartbeefcarcasses—said, “Noquestion.That little black knife.”He toowas referring toWinkler’s BeltKnife. “It cuts somuchmore efficiently than anything else I’vetried here that it wouldmakemywork easier . . . it cuts as well asmyworkknives.”

Ilikebothoftheseknivesverymuch.IfIwereinservicetoday,Imightwellchooseoneof theseknives asmyeveryday carry.Thedesigns are sensible anduseful. The execution is top notch. The flat ground blades do not hang up inwood or other dense materials. They cut through meat, as well as any thin-bladed kitchen knife. They are seriously tough and will serve as survival andEscapeandEvasiontoolsjustaswellasanycommerciallyavailableknivesIamawareof and farbetter thanmost.They arewell-balanced foruse asweapons.

Thenonslipgripsdonotinfactslip,evenwhenhandsarewetorgreasy.Inshort,theyareexcellentallaroundknivesforspecialoperatorsoranyoneelsewholiveslifeontheedgeandmightneedaknifetokeephimorherfromgoingover.

Totheinexperiencedeye,theWinklerIIknivesmightlookalittletamewiththeir dropped edges they resemble chef’s knives.What few realize is that thedroppededgehasbeeninusefromancienttimesonmanyweapons.Theslightlydroppededgeprovidesabuilt-inguard,andifthemakerknowswhatheisabout,it canbebalanced forbothutility andweaponusage. In these twodeceptivelysimpleknives,weseenosawteeth,notantopoints,noswoopingcurvesordeephollowgrinds. Insteadweseeclassicdesigns thataRomancenturion,aVikingraider, or a Rogers’ Ranger would recognize. Those who have used knives astools, emergency devices, and weapons, and who have observed carefully andthoughtdeeplywillrecognizetheseknivesforwhattheyare:auniquefusionofmodern materials and time proven design. Both the Field Knife and the BeltKnifearepartof a smallgroupof exceptionalperformers, asare themenwhohavechosentousetheminharm’sway.

DanielWinklerFieldKnifetestingitshempropecuttingability.

TheWKIIS.A.R.wasdesignedforsearchandrescueteams.Withanoveralllengthof slightlymore thannine inches, this is a handy-sized fixedblade thatwillunobtrusively rideonabelt in the sheath that comeswith it andbeeasilyaccessible for emergencies. The steel is 154CM; the handles are Micarta orrubber, customer’s choice; the blade coating isCaswell or camo.Toughness isWinklerII,whichisfastbecomingastandardforharduseknives.Serrationsonthespinearedesignedforcuttingfiber,asinseatbelts,withease,andthereisaneffective glass breaker pommel. This is such an efficient and potentially lifesaving tool that I’d like to see theWinkler II S.A.R.became standard issue forS.A.R.teams.

TheWKIISpikehasa5.25-inchbladeandanoveralllengthof10inches.Thisknifewasdesignedinresponsetoreportsfromthefieldwithrequestsforaknifethatwilldothingsotherthancut,suchasbreaking,pounding,andprying.Thespikeofthenameisatthebuttandismeanttodoallofthosethings,savingthebladeandedgeforcutting.HandlesandbladecoatingaretheusualWinklerIIoptions.

Both the S.A.R. and the Spike possess all the Winkler II virtues: inspired,classic,andeffectivedesign;extraordinarytoughnesswithoutthickness,weight,and bulk; edges beveled to allow cutting highly resistant materials withoutdeformation; and a total package—heat treat, geometry, steel—that makes asuperiorblade.AnotherfeaturethatstandsoutwithallWinklerIIknivesistheiroverall balance, the relationship between blade and handle, and the well-proportionedhandles.Alltangsaretapered,whichhelpstoplacethebalanceoftheknifewhereitbelongs.Somemakersseemtothinkthatoversizedhandlesarerequiredforafieldknife.Thisisnotso.IfyoulookcarefullyatRandallknives,whicharesomeofthebestbalancedandeasy-to-handleknivesbeingmade,youwillfindthattheirhandlesare,onaverage,abouthalfaninchshorterthanmanysimilar knivesmade today; for example on the RandallsModel 1, handles areadjustedforbladesize.Thisresultsinahandleandknifethatbetterlendsitselftomanipulation and balances better for all use. This is also true ofmany knivesmadebeforethecurrentera.Someothermakersusethesamesizehandleforalltheirknivesregardlessofbladelength,resultinginhandleheavyorotherwiseoutofbalanceknives. Idon’tknowifDanhasstudiedRandalls,or ifhedrawstheinspirationforhishandlesfromthecolonialerathathehasstudiedindepth,orifhe’sworkingfromhisowninnatesenseofproportionandbalance;buthehashitthesweetspotinknifebalanceandhandlingwithalltheWinklerIIknivesIhaveused.

VariationsofDanielWinklerBeltKniveswithleathersheathsand1080steel©DanielWinkler.

VariationsofDanielWinklerFieldKniveswithleathersheathsand1080steel©DanielWinkler.

The Belt Knife is a particular favorite ofmine, it demonstrates this balancewell.Itsproportionsaretokniveswhatthegoldenmeanistoart:astandardofharmonyandfunction.Its4.75-inchbladeisbalancedbyataperedtangandanoverall length of 9.5 inches. This places the balance point right at the indexfinger,whichiswhereitshouldbeforthistypeofknife.TheBeltKnife’sweightofsix tosevenounces,dependingonhandlematerial, is less than thatof sometacticalfolders;itsstrengthandoverallutilityislight-yearsbeyondanyfolder.Atpresent,I’mworkingwithaBeltKnifewithmaplescalesandtheCaswellfinish.Withitsflat,leather-coveredKydexsheath,itridesoutofthewayonmybelt.AsthisBeltKnife—andmostotherWinklerIIknives—issetup,itisoptimizedforextremeuse,mostly,Iwouldthink,byspecialopsteammembers.Ifyouwouldlikeaversionmoresuitedfor,say,civilianwildernessuse,Iwouldsuggestasking

Dan tomake you one without blade coating; this is better for dressing game,cuttingmeat,andsoon.TheWinklerIIrangecontinuestodevelopandexpand,andIlookforwardtowhatDanwillcomeupwithnext.

DPxGear(888)233-3924www.dpxgear.com

RobertYoungPelton, thewell-known adventurer, filmmaker, and author ofseveral bestselling books—including Licensed to Kill, The World’s MostDangerousPlaces,andComeBackAlive—hasspentagoodbitofhislifeinplacesmostpeoplewouldn’tvisitwitha free round-trip first class ticketandan82ndAirborne Division fire team as bodyguards.War zones, low intensity conflictareas, failed states, developing nation dictatorships, pestilent swamps, parcheddeserts,andplaceswhereguyswithAKsandbadattitudeshangoutarehometoRYP,ashepreferstobeaddressed.

DPxGearHESTfolderandHESTfixedblade,tool,andluggagetag.

Hisfirstdesign,theDPxHEST (HostileEnvironmentSurvivalTool)reflectsthat experience, asdo all ofhis laterdesigns.TheoriginalDPxHEST ismadefrom1095carbonsteel.Wetriedoneoutoveraperiodofabouttwoyears.The

DPxHESThasanumberoffeaturesthatIwasinitiallynotsosureabout:awirebeaker,abottleopener,andamini-prybaronthebutt.Generallyspeaking,I’mnot a fanofmultipurpose knives, except for the SAK,which I view as a smalltoolboxratherthanaknife.Also,Iwasconcernedthatthebottleopener,whichis anotchon topof theblade,wouldmake for a stress riser and lead tobladefailure.Totestthathypothesis,oneofmyyoungerstudentsobligedmebytryingouttheDPxHESTasaclimbingdevice.Afterstabbingthepointintoapinetreeheleveredhimselfupwardsintothelowerbranches.Noproblem.Wantingtotrysomething a little harder, he batoned the blade into the tree truck about twoinches,thenputallofhis175poundsonthelateralplaneandwalkedupthesideofthetree.Noproblem.Thebladedidflexatthebottleopenernotchbutwentbacktotrueassoonashisweightwasremoved.

Icouldn’tfigureoutwhattoprywiththelittleprybar,soIdecidedtouseitasascraper.Fiveminutesofworkingonthemortarbetweentwoconcreteblocksresulted in no damage to the knife and demonstrated that the little lip couldserveasaneffectiveescapetool.Ifwehadscrapedawaythemortararoundoneedgeof the steeldoorof the shackwewere taking apart, insteadof a concreteblock,anyreasonablyfitpersoncouldwedgeintheirfingers,getagoodgrip,andrip the doorframe and door out of itsmounting. The hollow space under theremovable scaleshas room for a coupleofBenFranklins, a fewhundredEuronotes,andasmallsparker,goodthingstohaveinanemergency.Cashcansolvequite a few survivalproblems, andyoucanalwaysuse it as tinder toget a firestarted.

Aclose-upviewofDPxHESTwedgedintoancientstoneblocksontheislandofGozo.

JustinAyressupportinghisweightusingtheDPxHESTfixedbladeinancientstoneblocksontheislandofGozo.

Youmightthinkthatsuchashort,thickbladewouldbeapoorslicer,butnotso.Thelittlebladedidjustfineathelpingtopreparedinner,andthatwasafterahard day at demolition duty and no touch up on a stone. We didn’t haveoccasiontobreakanywire,butmanybottlesofbeerwereopenedsuccessfullyatday’s end with the DPx HEST. The DPx HEST is an excellent example of atraveler’sknife.

Since that beginning, DPx Gear has expanded their product line. TheDPxHEST II is now available in Niolox tool steel and a variety of finishes. Thisversionhasa slightly slimmerbladeprofile, cuts resistantmaterialsbetter, andholdsitsedgelonger.Overall,asubtlymoresophisticatedversionoftheoriginalDPxHESTwithbetterperformance.

Mortarscrapedawayusingthebuilt-inprybarofDPxHEST©JustinAyres.

TheDPxHEFT6,HostileEnvironmentFieldTool6,hasa5.75-inchbladeofUddeholmSleipnertoolsteelandacombinationstrikerandprybaratthebutt.A4-inchHEFT4alsoavailable.WegavetheDPxHEFT6aheavy,month-longworkoutduringwhichwesplitastackoftwo-by-fours,choppedthroughastandofsaplings,cutsheetmetal,andpriedopenalockedsteelgate.Afterallthat,andwith only a quick touch up to the edge, I loaned it to a professional butcher,ShawnCarlson.Shawnused it foraweek,duringwhichhebrokedownabeefcarcass,dressedoutacoupledozenslabsof ribs, a stackofpork roasts,bacon,andassortedothermeatproducts.Healsosliceduptwentyslabsofribsandsplitfifteen chickens for a barbeque. Shawn reported, “This is awelldesigned knifewithacomfortablehandle.It’seasytoworkwithanddoesn’tfatigueyourhandduringafullday’swork.Unlikesomesharpenedprybarsyou’vegivenme,thisknifehasa finepoint thatallowedme toeasilyget intomuscleand separate itfromconnectivetissue.Ididn’tneedtotouchittoasharpeningsteelevenafterchoppingthroughjointsandcartilage.”

DPxHESTbeertest.

CleanlyslicedtomatousingtheDPxHEST.

TheDPxHEST/F 2.0 was designed to be a folder suitable for those samehostile environments. Ithas a frame lock that secures the3.1-inchblade like aSwiss bank vault and a patented RotoBlock that locks the framelock in place.This folder will not close on your fingers. Its textured G10 scales, mil-specphosphate-coated blade, and overall length of 7.6 inches make a well-proportioneddesignandahandsomepackageatjustmorethanfiveounces.TheDPxHEST/F2.0featuresaglassbreaker,wirestripper,quarter-inchhexholeforadriver,andbottleopenerandcomeswithanadjustmenttoolthatlookslikeasteel skull.Weused theDPxHEST/F2.0 forabout twoweeks forall theusualthings.Thissturdylittlebulldogofafolderestablisheditselfasago-toknife—theoneyougrabwhenyouhavetoripopenathickboxorreallyanytoughcuttingjob. Giving in to frustration, one of the folks who helped to evaluate knives,twisted,pried,andtoreopenastubbornwoodenboxwithit,nodamage.Itsgripis comfortable, and its D2 blade required no sharpening. We haven’t had achancetotestthewindowbreaker,butbasedonpriorexperience,Iseenoreasonwhyitshouldn’tworkasadvertised.

TheDPxHEST/F2.0isaninnovativefolderwithtwelvepatentedfeaturesthatcombines harduse functions, features, andmaterials in a handy size. Its buildqualityisexcellent,andithasexceptionalstrengthinafolderofmanageablesize.Thisisascloseasanyonehasyetcometomyknowledgetocreatingapocketablefolderwithstrengthapproachingthatofafixedblade.ItisaworthyadditiontotheDPxlineandholdsitsownwithitsstablemates.

DPxHESTbeingbatonedthroughaseasonedoaklog.

ElsaFantino20routedePonneau71390JullylesBuxyFrance+33(0)385920417elsaforge@yahoo.frwww.elsaforge.fr

As a professional, I’ve seen and worked with thousands of blades over theyears, and few attract my attention these days. Elsa Fantino’s stunning piecescreatetheirownaesthetic,auniquefusionoffeminineart,power,andpurpose.Medieval,otherworldly,orfromadreamworld,I’veneverbeforeseentheirlike.

Ifyour imagination is capturedbyElsa’swork,aswasmine,beassured thatthese brilliantly designed and crafted blades are functional tools andweapons,not only creative craft. Hand-forged, well-tempered, strong, and sharp, theywouldserveanyonewell.Contacthertoseewhatshehasinstockortoorderacustomblade.Youwon’tregretit.Elsaisarisingstar.

Onepiecehammer-forgedwithacurledself-gripandbeads.

Fantinoforginganewblade.

Elsawithahammer,anvil,andknife-to-be.

Forgedfromfilesisthisveryhighcarbonsteel.

Frictionfoldermadeofsteelwithbrass.

Ahand-forged,bejeweledpieceofElsa’sotherworldlycraft—asfunctionalasitisgorgeous(Photoscourtesyofmaker).

EmersonKnives,Inc.1234254tht.HarborCity,CA90710(310)539-5633www.emersonknives.com

Before starting his company, Ernest Emerson was a journeyman customknifemaker, one of the first to adapt the liner lock. As a custom knifemaker,Emerson focused on imbuing his knives with the highest quality he couldproduce,whichwashighindeed.Hebroughtthatsamefocustohis laterwork.Bringing together the chisel grind, which was first introduced to the modernAmerican knife world by Phil Hartsfield, the tanto point, and the liner lock,Emersondesignedafolderthatwentontoachievelegendarystatus:theCQC-7.Featured by the famous author and distinguished veteran SEAL officerCommanderRichardMarcinkoinhisbook,RogueWarrior, theCQC-7shot tofame, resulting in a contractwithBenchmadeKnives toproduce thedesign involume. Other models followed, as did the creation of Emerson’s own knifefactory. Emerson Knives has become a producer of a wide range of tacticalfoldersthatarepopularwithboththepublicandthemilitarycommunity.

TheCQC-7Itriedoutmanyyearsagowaswell-made,tough,andingeneralliveduptoitsbilling.Ihaven’tusedaknifefromcurrentproduction,butfrom

theirappearanceandreputation,andfromcommentsfrommytrustedtesters,Iwouldthinktheyareasgoodasever.

ESEEKnivesP.O.Box99Gallant,AL35972(256)613-0372www.eseeknives.com

Mike Perrin and Jeff Randall, the head honchos of ESEE Knives (formerlyRAT Cutlery) appear to be having fun while making some good knives ataffordableprices.Ifyoutakealookatthephotosontheirwebsite,you’llseeguysthrashing around in the Peruvian jungle having a great time and using theirknives.AnoutgrowthofRandall’sAdventureTraining, ESEEKnives has beendesigning affordable field knives targeted toward the military and lawenforcementsince1997.Basedonmyworkwiththeirknives, Iwouldsaytheyhavehittheirtargetandtheiron-the-groundexperiencehashelpedthemtodoso.

ESEE uses 1095 for most of their knives, with some models available inDamascusor440c stainless.With theheat treat theyareusing, theyget strongbladesthatwillflexunderfairlyhardstresswithoutbreakingandspringbacktotrue.The texturedpowercoat stavesoff rust and, so far,hasn’t chippedoffonanyofthekniveswehavereviewed,eventhoughwe’veworkedthemveryhard.Thereareanumberofsheathsystems,bladecolors,andhandlecolorsforeachknife, all of them well-thought-out and designed for field use. Blades areavailablewithorwithoutserrations.

MilitarySERE instructorsdesigned theESEE-5, and it shows.The5.25-inchblade’scuttingedge isbroughtbacktotheguard, therebyeliminatingthechoilandaddinganinchofcuttingedgewhereit isneededforsheercuts,notching,andothersurvival-relatedwork.Thehandleiscomfortable,evenafterlong,harduse.Thebalanceinhandisgood,evenifalittleheavyatsixteenounces.At.25-inch thick, the blade is sturdy enough to serve as a demolition tool while thegrindretainscuttingefficiency. In fact, thebladegeometry isnearlyperfect forSEREusage,orreallyforgeneraluse.

AdemojobwelldoneusingDPxHESTandtheESEESERE©JustinAyres.

SlicingchickenbreastwiththeESEESERE—easy.

At theendofa longdayofknifeworkandphotography, IaskedoneofmystudentstousetheESEE-5toslicetomatoesandonionsforsomepicodegallosalsa.At firsthebalked.He thought thebladewouldbemuch too thick tocutandchopthinlyandfinely.Healsothought,understandably,thatitwouldbetoodull for kitchen use afterwe had ripped out awall and batoned it into a steeldoor.He gave it a try anywaywithout sharpening but afterwashing itwell toremove residue from Sheetrock, insulation, and assorted debris. After a fewminutes,hehelduptheknifeandcalledouttogetmyattention.“Hey,”hesaid,“thisslicesgood.Howdotheydothat?”Theanswertothatquestionislikelyinthe blade geometry. There are some extras built into the ESEE-5, including aglassbreakerandbowdrillpivot,designelementsthatindicateconsiderablefield

experience with primitive tools. Overall, the ESEE-5 is a model of workingefficiency.

TheESEE-3iskindofalittlebrothertotheESEE-5.At.125-inch,thebladeishalfasthickandwithanoverallbladelengthof3.875inches,alittlemorethan1.5inchesshorter.Thebladedoeshaveachoil,whichshortensthecuttingedgeto3.375 inches.Fourofusused theESEE-3 for theusual varietyof tasks, andeveryonelikedthisknifeverymuch.

LikealltheESEEknivesI’vehandled,thebalanceandergonomicsaregood.Inmanyways,thisisanexcellentallaround,dailycarryfixedbladeforthepersonwho wants a serious survival tool on hand. At 5.2 ounces without the Mollecompatible sheath, it’s light enough to tuck in a sock andeasy to carry almostanywhereonyourperson.ESEEalsoofferslightweightKydexsheathswithaclipattachment,whichIthinkisjustrightforthistypeofknife.TheESEE-3isagoodtraveler’s knife, a small, handy, lightweight fixed blade that an internationaltravelercanpackknowingthatitwillserveasaneverydayandemergencytool.

TheESEE-4, with its 4.5-inch blade and overall length of 9 inches, also fitsinto the traveler’s knife category. Like the ESEE-3, it loses 0.5-inch of cuttingedge to a choil.But then, somepeoplemust like choils; there sure are a lot ofknives sold with them. Either the ESEE-3 or ESEE-4 will serve today’sinternationaltravelerwell.

ESEEIzulaslicingthelimesforMargaritas.

ESEEIzulacuttinghemprope.

ESEEIzulaIImakingafuzzstick.

TheIzulaisESEE’sentryintheneckknifeortinytacticalcategory,andagoodone it is.At 6.25 inches overall and twoounces, it’s certainly light enough forneck carry. Its 2.88-inch flat ground blade is a good cutter. Its hollow framehandle provides room for a few goodies for anyone willing to cord wrap thehandleor,fortheimpatient,slapacoupleoflayersofducttapeonit.Ifyoucarryitaroundyourneck,useaballchainwithabreakingstrengthofnomorethanthirtypoundsoralightcordwithaboutthesamebreakingstrength.

The ESEE guys are making good knives from time-tested tool steel tofunctional designs at prices amilitary person or international backpacker canafford.IhavenoreservationsinrecommendingESEEknives.

ESEEIzulawithquiverfromBorneo.

FällknivenABGranatvägen896143BODENSwedenwww.fallkniven.se

USDistributor:BlueRidgeKnives166AdwolfeRoadMarion,VA24354(276)783-6143www.blueridgeknives.com

Fällkniven designers appear to be tapping into a deep reservoir ofScandinavian aesthetic consciousness. The product lineup at Fällkniven has aunique design sensibility and integrity—restrained, subtle, understated—thatextendstoalltheirknives.TheFällknivenknivessimplylookterrific.Theyalsowork verywell.Over the years, I have foundFällkniven knives to be not onlyfunctionalforawidevarietyofknifeworkbutalsoexceptionalinperformance.

FällknivenH1&F1withtravelaccoutrements.

Theyallhaveconvexgrinds,excellentergonomics,andbladegeometry.Allareavailablewithnonslipgrips.Theyalldo theirprimary job—cutting—well.TheFällkniven lineup is quite large and includes everything from a small butcomfortableneckknifetolargeBowies.Everymodelintheproductrangehasthesamedesignsensibilityandcommitmenttofunction;hereyouwillseenoknivesdesignedbyamarketingdepartment.Thequalityofmanufacturingistoplevel.

IhaveusedmanyFällknivenknives,butmostofmyexperiencehasbeenwiththeF1andtheA1.TheF1isbilledasasurvivalknife.Ihaven’thandledanewermodelFällkniveninsomeyearsortheonesmadewithlaminatedsteel,whichismarketedasstrongerthantheVG-10thatthestandardmodeluses.IdohaveamodelF1that’sabouttenyearsold,whichhasseenconsiderableuse.Everyonelikes this knife. With a cleanly designed blade just under four inches and anonsliphandle,itishandyandversatile.Thefulltangprotrudesslightlyfromthebackofthehandle,whichmakesiteasytobaton.Andwehavebatonedit,bothlengthwiseandhorizontally,throughgreenwood,lumber,andsheetmetal.Theconvexlygroundbladeslipsthroughbothsoftandhardmaterialseasily,andtheedgeshowsnodamage.

FällknivenF1restingafteritslaborswithawalkingstick.

FällknivenF1,cuttinghemprope.

TheF1isoftentheknifeIloantostudentswhohavenoknife-handlingskills.Thenonslipgripissecureandcomfortableinthehand.Thebladedesigniseasilyadaptable to every form of work. It is also tough.No one has yet damaged itsignificantly.Theonlydamagewehaveseeninabouttenyearsofharduseisasmallchipfromthepointfromworkingthroughaconcreteblockwall.Thechipwas barely noticeable, and a little bit of stonework blended the point into thebladeasifnothinghadhappened.

ItossedmyoldF1intomybagforamonth-longwalkthroughthemountainsinItalylastyear.Ihadnoadventures,noburningbuildings,noattackersinthenight,justalengthystrollwithagoodbitofcampingalongtheway.IusedtheF1foralmosteverythingrequiringaknife,includingdiggingupwildroots,foraging

otherfreshwildfood,andcleaningacoupleofhighcountrytrout.Ialsouseditinthekitchensoffriends;noneofthemhadsharpknives.Oneofthem,aBritishexpatlivinginItaly,calledtheF1myouchknife,becauseitbithimwhenhewaspeelingcucumbers.Hewasnotaccustomedtosharpknives.MyF1takesasharpedgeandholdsit.Ididnothavetotouchittoastoneinwellmorethanamonthof daily use. Its plain—as in not black—blade and general nonthreateningappearance were a definite plus. I chose to bring this particular knife on thisjourneybecauseI like itasadailyuseknife, ithasareserve instrength,and itcausesnoalarmamongthegeneralpublic.

I know howmuch reserve strength it has because Fällkniven has its knivestested for breaking strength by the Division of Solid Mechanics at LuleåUniversityofTechnology,andtheypublishtheresultsontheirwebsite.Thisisagoodthing.Bydoingthis,theyeliminatemuchoftheguessworkthatgoesintoevaluatinganynewknife.Inadditiontobreakingdata,theyprovidetherationalefor the testing and themethods used.A testing process such as thismight bebeyond the reach of individual makers and small companies, but for largecompanies in thebusiness of selling tactical knives, independent testingundercontrolled conditions would go a long way toward establishing industrystandardsandprovidingproductswithquantifiableproperties.

Since Fällknivenhas published the breaking strength of theVG-10F1—195pounds—wehaven’ttriedtostressitbeyondthoselimits.Thereisnoreasontodosobecauseweknowwhatitwillhandle.Inanemergency,IknowthattheF1will,onitslateralsurface,supportthestaticweightofapersonuptoaround185pounds, leaving some margin for error. If that same 185-pound person or aheavierone(meforexample)weretobounceorotherwiseapplyvelocitytothebladeon its lateral surface, suchas ina fall, thebladewould likelybreak sincevelocityincreasesforcequickly.ThisisaccordingtoFällkniven’spublisheddata,whichItrust.Supposeyouweightwohundredfiftypounds,doesthatmeanyoushouldn’tbuythisknife?

Notatall.Tothecontrary,itmeansyoucanmakeamoreinformeddecisionregardingtheselectionofthisknife.Thisinformationisdatathatinformsmyuseofthistool.Forexample,ifIweretofallandslidedownacliffandneededtousetheF1asanarrestingdevice,Iwouldstabthebladeintothesurfaceofthecliffsomyweightwas brought to bear on the vertical plane, which ismuch strongerthanthelateralplane.

TheF1wasnotdesignedasanarrestingdevice fora largeperson.However,since we know its breaking strength, we know that under certain emergency

conditions, itcouldbeusedforthatpurpose.ThemostimportantthingsabouttheF1isthatitisawelldesignedandwell-madeknife,itisusefulforjustabouteverything,andithasaquantifiedmarginofstrengththatmakes itreliable forsome emergency situations. Ten years of use by survival escape and evasionstudentsistestamenttoitsutility.Ifyouneedastrongerknife,theA1wouldbeagoodchoice.

TheA1 is theknifeI loantostudentswho look liketheyhavea tendencytobreak things. According to the data published by Fällkniven, the A1 has abreakingstrengthof556pounds,morethandoublethatoftheF1.TheA1hasabladealittlemorethansixinchesinlengthandaboutaquarterinchthick.LiketheF1,andall theFällknivens, ithasaconvexgrind.This ten-year-oldA1hasbeenhammeredintotreesandusedasaclimbingaiddozensoftimes,andithasbeenpounded through carbodies andwalls. Itwas alsoused for general knifethings:splittingkindling,cuttingsaplingsforshelter,dressinggame,andsoon.It’sanexcellentknifeandstillgoodtogoaftertenyearsofharduse.

FällknivenA1cuttingupredpeppersforsalad.

I’ve tested other Fällkniven models while with the Yurok nomads in theTaurusMountainsofTurkeyandintheStaraPlaninaMountainsinBulgaria.Inrural Bulgaria, I recruited a local friend, Ivan Petrov Ivanov, to help withfieldwork.With the exception of the Bowie, all knives were used as everydaykitchen and utility knives. We also cut about a hundred feet of quarter-inchhemp rope, the only size we could find in small town Bulgaria, and sacks ofplasticbottlesandcans.During thecoldmonths,we split a smallmountainofseasonedoakfirewoodforkindling.

Fällkniven’sentrytothetacticalfolderfield,thePXL,isagorgeouspiecethathas the appearance of a gentlemen’s folder.When taken in hand, it reveals its

truenatureasahefty,solid,hardworkingtool.ItisofferedwithivoryormaroonMicartascales,orinaworkdayversionwithblacksyntheticscales.

IelectedtofocusonthePXLimwithivoryMicartascales.Thefitandfinishareexcellent,equaltomanycustomfolders.Thegrindsonthesemi-spear-pointbladearetrue.ThefolderwassohandsomeIwasreluctanttotryitinthefield.For a week or so I pussyfooted around with it, slicing tomatoes and the like.ThenIdecidedtogetdowntowork.Istartedwithropecutting.Aneasypushcutcrunched the blade cleanly through two hundred cuts of the narrow hemp; Icouldhavecutmore,but Iwas tiredofcounting.Withmoderatepressure, theblade sliced through one-inch saplings cleanly. Thicker saplings, two to threeinches,requiredtwoor threecutsandsomerockingbackandforth in thecut,againwithmoderatepressure,nobatoningrequired.Afteralltheabove,the3Gbladewouldstill shavehair frommyarm.Thehandle is sculptedwithsmoothedgesandiscomfortableduringheavyuseoverextendedperiods.Thecliplooksa little short, but it worked well, never slipped, and held the folder in a lowwaistbandposition.Personally,Ipreferasomewhatslimmerconfigurationforafolderandwould liketoseeFällknivenreleaseasimilarmodelaboutone-thirdthinnerandlighter.ButthePXLimfitsintothecurrentheavy-dutytacticalfolderconceptwithexcellenceandatthetopofitsclass.

PXLivoryMicartahandleaftercutting1/4"hemp,200cutswithoutdulling.

PXLivoryMicartahandle.cleanpresscutthrough1"sapling.

TheProfessionalHunter’sKnife (PHK), combines a curved sweeping edgewithadroppedpointtomakeabladedesignbothhandsomeandefficient.Itiswellbalanced,withanergonomichandlethatiscomfortableevenafteranhourorsoofwork.Weuseditforpreparingagoattoberoastedforalocalholiday;the blade skinned, sliced, and disjointed as if it were a light saber. The long,sweeping edge servedwell for all cuts, and the point was placed just where itneededtobe.

Since it is billed as a hunter’s knife, and reasoning that a hunter could getcaughtoutovernight, Idecidedtoseehowwell itworkedasanallaroundfieldknife.Theknifeisbalancedwell,which,alongwiththebladedesign,enabledittosnapcutpoles fora survival tepeewitha flickof thewrist—for theskinof theteepeeIusedanAdventureMedicalKitsSurvivalBlanket.ThenIsplitkindlingandcutafootthickpileofweedsforgroundinsulation.Splittingkindlingdidn’trequire a baton. Cutting bunches andweedswas almost as easy as if I’d beenusingasickle.Theentireprocessresultedinanemergencyshelterinaboutthirtyminutes.WealsousedthePHKforropecutting,slicingplasticandcardboard,anddailyfoodpreparation.Aftertwoweeksofusage,theedgewouldstillshave,thoughnotascleanlyaswhenfresh.Ilikedthisdesignverymuch.

FällknivenPHKafterasnapcut.

NL1, Fällkniven’s interpretation of the Bowie, is billed as a chopper, and itchopswell indeed. It is a good-looking,well-made,well-balanced knifewith astackedoxhidehandle.Ispentanhourorsochoppingsmalltreesuptoaboutthreeinchesindiameter.Thehandlewascomfortable;thebladebitdeepanddidnotstickinthecuts.WantingtoseehowtheedgewouldfareinheavierworkIloanedittoIvan,whouseditforalongday’sworkclearingsaplinging,averagingabouttwotothreeinchesthick,andbrushfromthegroundsoftheestatewherewewerestaying.Atday’send,Ivanhadthreepilesofsaplingsandmiscellaneousbrush.Eachpilewasoverwaisthighandaboutfourfeetwidebysevenfeetlong.It’struethatsmallerknivescanbeusedforheavywork,butthisbigboychangesthegameandmakesshortworkofheavychores. Itdidnotrequiresharpeningduringatotalofthreedaysofbrushclearing.

FällknivenNL1Bowiemakingshortworkofcuttingsaplings.

IfyoutakealookatFällkniven’swebsite,youwillfindagooddealofrelatedusefulinformation,suchastherelationshipbetweenbladelengthandthicknessandbreakingstrength.Ithinkitwouldbeagoodthingforothercompanieswhocanafford the expense todo similar research.Orbetter yet, if an independentagencycouldestablishtestingstandardsfortheindustry.Suchstandardswouldnoteliminatetheneedforfield-testing;rather,itwouldgiveusastartingplace.

PeterHjortberger,thefounderandpresidentofFällkniven,createstopqualityproductsandhasrunhisbusinesswith integritysince1984.Afamilybusiness,Peter’ssonErichasjoinedthecompanyandwillnodoubtcontinuemeetingthestandards set by his father. Fällkniven has come to stand for outstandingfunctional modern design and excellent working knives in both sporting andtactical.Iusethemandrecommendthemwithoutreservation.

FredPerrin20routedePonneau71390JullylesBuxy

FranceWorkshop:+33(0)385920417Mobile:+33(0)674995002fredperrinconcept@yahoo.fr

FredPerrinisaFrenchknifemaker,aformerFrenchArmycommando,andaworld-ranked martial artist. Fred’s background is apparent in his highlyfunctional knives.His aesthetic sense shines through in all of his graceful andelegantdesigns.HehasdesignedanumberofknivesforSpyderco,includinghisStreetBowieandStreetBeat,whicharereviewedintheSpydercolisting.

The Street Beat and the Street Bowie are favorites with us, and so wewerepleasedtoreceiveaNeckBowiedirectfromFred’sproduction.Asmallknifeattwoounceswitha2.75-inchblade,theNeckBowie,likeallofFred’sdesigns,isgracefulandelegant,well-madeandtough.Itsflatgrind,usefulbelly,andsharppoint combine to make a terrific utility knife. The handle is ergonomic andcomfortable, the deep finger guard is at the balance point, and the knife feelsright inhand. I used theNeckBowie extensivelywhile travelingwithML,myintrepidwife, along theSouthcoastofTurkey.Someareas thereareaswildastheymusthavebeenduringancient times.Along thecoast, small fish swim intidepoolsandareeasytocatchwithoutfishinggear.

FredPerrinatthegrindingwheel.

SplittingwoodwiththeSpydercoStreetBeat.

Spyderco’sFredPerrinStreetBowieboningachickenwithease.

Oneday, as part of an experiment inwhichweusedonly small knives—wehadtwotinyfoldersandanothertinyfixedblade—IusedtheNeckBowietohelpmakeafishtrapfromadiscardedplasticwaterbottlebycuttingoffthetaperedpartofthetop,slicingoffthelid,andplacingtheresultingconeinsidethebottle.Tunascrapsservedasbait,andIwedgedthebottleinplacewithrocks,openingfacing the outgoing tide.While waiting for our fish trap to produce, wewentforaging.ThehillsabovetheMediterraneanarecoveredwithedibleplants.Somerequire local knowledge to identify; others include familiar dandelion greens,rosehips,wildpeppers,andpricklypearcactus.Pricklypearpadscanbeeatenraw in a salad, grilled, or cooked with tomatoes tomake a deliciousMexicandish.

Whileforaging,IusedtheNeckBowietocutshelterpolestomakeatripod,securedaspaceblanketasacovering, thenusedit tocuttallgrasstocoverthegroundunderourshelterwithafoot-deepgrassbed.Whenwereturnedtothewater,wefoundtwosmallfishinourtrap.Whileanticipatingthetastydinnertocome,wesetup theresultsofour foraging forphotos.However,aswe fiddledwithcameras,aferalcatcreptup,snatchedoneofthefish,andmadeoffwithit.Ialmost fell froma slippery rock into thewater laughing.Rather thanchase thehungrycataway,wemadeashortvideooftheboldadventurerstealingtheotherfish. (The video can be seen on my website: www.jamesmorganayres.com.)Deprivedofourfishdinner,wefellbackonemergencyrations—ablockofgoatcheeseandabottleofwhitewine,whichwehadwiththewildgreensaladatour

littleshelterwhilewatchingthesunsinkintothesea.

FredPerrinNeckBowie.

FredPerrinNeckBowiereadytotravel.

FredPerrinNeckBowietrimmingashelterpole.

IcontinuedtousethelittleNeckBowieinthekitchenforafewweeks.Then,wonderingjusthowstrongthislittleknifereallywas,Igaveintotemptationandpuncheditintooaktree,hard.Thebladepenetratedwell.ThebuttoftheNeckBowie’shandleisnicelycurvedandfitscomfortablyintothebaseofmypalm.Itissowell-formedthattherewasnodiscomfortonimpact.

Forthepastcoupleofyears, I’vealsobeenusingaFredPerrinShark,a tinysliverofsteelthatfitsinmywallet,cardcase,watchpocket,oronmykeyring.Igroundoffthesecondarybevelonadiamondstone,leavingafierceedgethatIusemostlyforthemundanefunctionofopeningpackages.However,eachtimeIuse it, I’m remindedof the lapel knivesusedby theOfficeof Strategic Service(OSS) intelligencers inWorldWar II andotherorganizationsduring theCold

WarEra.The large finger ringprovidesa suregrip, and the little slicer canbequicklydrawnfromdiscretecarryandusedtocutandrun.

FredPerrinSharkfilletingachickenthigh.

TheSharkreadyfortraveling.

WhatwordsandtheaccompanyingphotosdonotfullyconveyistheeleganttactilityandbalanceofFredPerrin’sknives.You’llhave toactuallyhandleanduse them to fully appreciate the combination of art and uncompromisingfunctionrealizedineveryPerrinknife.

GerberLegendaryBladesGerberGear14200SW72ndAve.Portland,OR97224(800)950-6161www.gerbergear.com

Joseph Gerber launched Gerber Legendary Blades in 1939. Since then, thecompanyhas been throughmany changes. Previously known for sporting andkitchencutlery,Gerbergot into the tacticalknife arenawith its singlepurposeMarkIIdouble-edgeddaggerinthelatesixties.AversionofthatknifeistodaystillsoldbytheMilitaryGeardivisionofGerber,serialnumberedforcollectorsandwithserratededges.

GerberLMFIIASEKwithaknifesharpener©JustinAyres.

GerberLMFIIASEKwithasheathandseatbeltcutter©JustinAyres.

TheLMF IIASEK is a fixed bladewith anoverall length of 10.59 inches, abladelengthof4.84inches,andanylonhandleawithnonslipgrip.ThebladeisconstructedofSandvik12C27steelandshowednodamageaftersomeroughuse.AsIhavepreviouslywritten,Idonotingeneraltrytoevaluatesteel,asopposedto evaluating knives. However, I will note that have noticed a variety ofexceptional knives from a range of makers constructed with Sandvik 12C27.Manyyearsago,oneofmypersonalknives,abootknifemadeofSandvik12C27,outperformed a number of knivesmade byABSMasters, both in cutting andtoughnesstesting.

Gerber bills this knife as highly adaptable, good for cutting through thefuselageofanaircraft,severingseatbelts,cuttingfirewood,andbuildingshelters.With that kind of billing, we tested some of its functions by using it as animprovised demolitions tool on a building scheduled to be taken down. WerippedoutSheetrockwalls,cutthroughstuds,slashedthroughsheetmetal,andfinallypoundeditintoaheavygaugesteeldoor.Notonlywastherenodamageto the LMF, the edgewasn’t rolled over or dinged. Later onwe subjected theLMF to our famousAttack of theKiller Tomatoes test, whereinwe slice, ripetomatoes.This isactuallyagood testof sharpness; ifanedge isn’t just right, itwillsquishthetomatoratherthansliceit.Withnotouch-up,theLMFslicedanddicedwiththebest.

GerberLMFIIcuttingthroughSheetrock.

GerberLMFIIcuttingtomatoesafterfield-testing.

Thehandlewas comfortableduringall this cuttingandpoundingandhas apointykindofskull-crusher-lookingpommel,whichworkedprettywelltocrushsomebricks.Thehandleisalsononconductivetoelectricity,asignificantsafetyfeatureforsome.

The LMF is a tough knife. It is available in a number of finish options andcomeswith a sheath suitable forMOLLEmountingor beltwear.This knife ispurpose-designed for general military use and, based on our testing, is well-suitedtoit.It’salsoavailableatapriceamilitarypersoncanafford.

Gerber06AutoDropPointafterhavingcutHemprope.

KA-BARKnives,Inc.200HomerSt.Olean,NY14760(716)372-5952www.kabar.com

TheKA-BARcompanystarted lifeasUnionCutlery in theearlydaysof thetwentiethcentury.ThecompanynamewaschangedtoKA-BARin1952duetothe fame and name recognition of the USMCKA-BAR knife. Originally KA-BARwasadivisionofUnionCutleryandwasnamedforaletterreceivedfromatrapperinthetwentieswhohadusedoneofthecompany’sknivestokillabear

thatwasattackinghim;hehadkilledabearor,inthetrapper’sroughshorthand,KABAR.

ThecompanypresentedtheoriginalKA-BARdesigntotheUSMarineCorpsin 1942. After some revisions, it was adapted as an issue item. The KA-BARCompanyproducedaboutamillionoftheirKA-BARknivesduringWorldWarII.Duetooverwhelmingdemand,millionsmorewereproducedbycontractors,such as Ontario, Camillus, Case, and others. Within a short time, the knifebecameemblematicoftheMarinesfightinginthePacific.SoldiersintheArmyalsomanagedtogettheirhandsonthesoughtafterKA-BAR,oftenbytrading.Military histories of the time recordmany bloody hand-to-hand battleswheretheKA-BARwasusedtodevastatingeffect.Inadditiontouseasaweapon,theKA-BARwasthefavoredeverydaytoolforeverythingfrompoundingtentstakestocuttingopenCrationcans.InthePacificTheatre,theKA-BARwasthetacticalknifeofWorldWarII.

KA-BARTDIKnife.

KA-BAR02-1212.

Today thisold-linecompanystillproduces theirUSMCFightingandUtilityKnifeofWorldWarII fame.Today’sknivesareofhighquality.Nonewehaveusedoverthepastfewyearshavebroken,asdidsomeoldWorldWarIIsurplusKA-BARs back in the sixties. Those knives were made by many differentgovernmentcontractorsunderwartimeconditionsandshouldnotbeconfusedwiththemodernproducts.

KA-BARUSMCFightingKnifewithfirestarter,bullets,sinew,andreadybag.

KA-BAR02-1212withbulletsandfirestarter.

KA-BAR catalogs a half-dozen or so variations on its classic fighting andutilityknife,someofcarbonsteel,someofstainless.Theclassic leatherstackedhandles are still available, as are Kraton handles. The leather handles are ofexcellentquality,farbeyondanyIeversawintheWorldWarIIversions.

TodaythebasicKA-BAR,likeitsancestors,hasaseven–inchBowie-inspiredclippointbladeof1095carbon steel anda4.75-inchhandleof leather-stackedwashers.Thebladehasaflat,orsaber(dependingonterminology),grindandthesamehighdegreeofutilitythatithasalwayshad.

CloseupofKA-BARcuttingcorrugatedsheetmetal©JustinAyres.

Sheetmetaltesting(clockwise):KA-BAR02-1212,BenchmadeCSKII,SOGSealPup,andBuckBravoRescue©JustinAyres.

Many of our students have shown up for class with a new KA-BAR,understandably, since in many ways the KA-BAR is one of the most famoustacticalknivesevermanufactured.Noneofourstudents’KA-BARshave failed,and they’ve seensomeprettyharduse.Duringa recent review,weusedaKA-

BARwith a black finish alongside somemoremodern knives to partially teardownabuilding,cutthroughsheetsteel,plusallthedailyfunctionsafieldknifewouldbeusedfor,foodprep,etc.TheKA-BARisstillgoodtogo.

Today KA-BAR also produces a wide range of tactical knives, both fixedbladesandfolders,ataffordableprices.Theoneswearemost familiarwitharethosedesignedbyEthanBecker,whoatone timemanufacturedandmarketedhis own brand, Becker Knife & Tool Co. Now the Becker knives aremanufacturedbyKA-BARandmarketedundertheBK&T/KA-BARbrand.SeeBecker.

KellamKnivesWorldwide,Inc.POBox3438Lantana,FL33465(800)390-6918www.kellamknives.com

KellamKnives is owned andoperatedbyhusband andwife team Jouni andHarrietKellokoski.Theyhavebeeninbusiness formorethantwodecadesandimport carefully selected, handmade knives from Finland, some of which aretacticalbyanymeasure.HarkingbacktotheWinterWarof1939–1940,Harrietreminded me of some history, when these kinds of knives were used todevastatingeffectbytheFinnishsoldierswhoinfiltratedthe invadingRussians’campsatnightandsilentlykilledRussiansoldiers.LikeotherFinnsIhavemet,Harriet and Jouni are in touchwith their country’shistory, theirheritage, andwiththelongtraditioninFinlandthatrecognizestheimportanceofknivesandtheircentralitytolife.

Jouni is an outdoorsman, and he andHarriet have a small farm and someforestedlandinFinlandwhere,forpartofeachyear,theyliveclosetotheearthandusetheirownproductsdaily.

Withitshigh-carbonseven-inchblade,theSlasheristhelargestofalinecalledtheWolfPack.Therearemanykindsofsharp:paper-cuttingsharp,hair-shavingsharp,wood-cuttingsharp,andsoon.Outof thebox, theSlashercamewithadifferent kind of sharp—scary sharp, hair-splitting, tissue-paper-cutting sharp.Any sharpknifewill slicepaper.The Slasher filleted sheets of computerpaperintothinsections.Itslippedthroughtissuepaperwithnodragandshavedthincurls of tough inner oak effortlessly.With care, it sliced through a section of

epidermistogetatanembeddedsplinterwithoutcuttingintothedermis.Italsokeptthatscaryedgeafterbeingbatonedthroughchunksofliveoak,cuttingupahalf-dozencardboardboxes,andcrunchingthoughthreefeetoftwo-inchhemprope.Whilebatoningitthroughseasonedoak,wesnappeditsideways,splittingtheoak;wealso forcefully stabbed it intoa chuckofwoodand snapped itoutsideways—nodamagetoedgeorpointineithercase.Wetookittothekitchenafterallthis,anditeffortlesslyslicedaporkshoulderroastintopaperthinslices.

This level of cutting andoverall performance is due to steel, heat treat, andgeometry.Thebladeisgroundononeplanefromaboutthemiddleofthebladetothecuttingedgewithnosecondarybevel,thuseliminatingdrag.Thebladeispolished fromthemiddle to theedge.Theupperpartof theblade is leftblackfrom theheat treat.This shows the differential heat treat; the edge is hard forbettercuttingandedgeholding,thespineabitsofterforshockabsorption.

KellamSlasher.

TheKellamknifewasnotonlyanexcellentcuttingtool,itproveditselfasanallaroundoutdoorsman’sknife.Weslashedthroughastandofrivercanewhileclearing somemountain propertywith ease, andwith little effort cut, slashed,

and chopped a waist-high pile of brushwood—enough to make a functionalshelter. The 4.75-inch birchwood handle is handsome, ergonomic, andcontoured; it provides a secure grip without a guard and is exceptionallycomfortableduringheavyworkandextendedprojects.

KellamSlasherandWayneGoddard’scampknifecuttingone-inchhempwithease.

Thereismuchtobesaidforthemedium-sizedknife(sixtoseveninches)asanallaround outdoor knife. The extra blade length provides enough leverage toquickly slash through saplings, and in some cases thicker wood that wouldrequire a batonwith a four-inch blade, while beingmore convenient to carrythanabigknife.InthecaseoftheKellamSlasher,theslightdifferenceinweightduetotheseven-inchbladeofeighth-inchsteelwasnegligible.Thisbladelengthanddesign also is quite good for smallwork, ifnot as convenient as a shorterblade. Like others, I’ve transitioned from big blades to little blades and backagain.ThesedaysI’mtendingtowardsmedium-sizedbladesforallarounduse.

KellamSlasherslicingroastwaferthin.

TheKellamSlasheralwayscutsclean.

Anotherpoint in theKellamSlasher’s favor—theplastic-lined leather sheathenabled comfortable and convenient belt carry. Unlike some sheaths that aredesigned for use with military load-bearing equipment or for security duringparachutejumpsandrelatedactivities,thelightpouchsheathsuppliedwiththeKellam knives is optimal for civilian use. It makes carrying the longer bladehassle-free.Allinall,theKellamSlasherandsheathmakeanexcellentpurpose-designedpackageandahandsomeone.Isittactical?Yes,itis.Tacticalknivesarenotdefinedbyappearance,butbyfunction.Ahandsome,traditionalknifewitha

leathersheathcanbejustasfunctionalasablack-coated,Kydex-sheathedknifeor,asinthiscase,morefunctionalthanmanysuchknives.

IwouldhavenohesitationinchoosingtheKellamSlasherasmyonlyknifeforextendedwildernessuse,andwithfurthertestingmightwellchooseitforurban,hardusesurvival,aswell.Ithasarattail full tangasopposedtoafullslabtangthatmost hard use knives have; but all ofmyModel 1 Randalls have had thesamekindoftang,andtheyhaveneverfailedme.Inaddition,thewelldesignedandwell-shapedhandlecombineswiththebladetomakeawell-balanced,quick,lightweight knife. I’ll continue to use and evaluate this Kellam knife; it’sexceptionalineveryway.

KnivesbyMaceVitaleLaurelRockForge(203)457-5591www.laurelrockforge.com

MaceVitalemakesbeautifulcollector-gradeBowiesandcampknives,aswellasavarietyofsmallerblades,thatperformaswellastheylook.MacehasbeenanABSJourneymanSmithsince2006,anditshowsinhiswork.Irecentlyreviewedoneofhiscampknivesthatbalancedwellinthehandandcutthroughhardwoodbranchesonatreeinmyson’syardlike...well,likeaknifefromanABSsmith.

Youcanseefromtheaccompanyingphotothatthebladesnickedthroughthebranchsmoothlyandcleanly.Italsodidsowithhardlyanyeffort.Mysonmadethecut,andhewassurprisedbyhowquicklyandcleanlytheknifecut.Wehadplannedtogetashotoftheknifeasthecutwasbeingmade,butthebladewentthroughsoeasilytheshotturnedintoonethatshowedwhathadhappened,notwhatwashappening.

MaceVitaleForgedCamper.

Thisorangetreelimbdidn’tstandachanceagainstMaceVitale’sForgedCamper.

ReviewsofknivesmadebyABSJourneymenorMasterSmithscangetkindofpredictable.Notboring,butpredictable.Mace’sCamperknife cut and sliced astackof tri-tip roasts effortlessly. It cut rope like itwas string.Old leather anddenim hanging from a rafter parted before the blade like the Red Sea partedbefore the Israelites. If youwant a knife that works, callMace. If you want aprettyknife,he’salsoagoodguytocall.

MaceVitalecoffin-handleBowie:11.5-inchblade,17.0625-inchoveralllength,0.25-inchspineattheguard;1095steelbladeheattreatedwithclay;wroughtironfittings;curlymaplehandlewithanickel

silverpin.

MoraofSweden

Box407,79227MORASweden+46-250595000www.moraofsweden.se

NorthAmericandistributor:IndustrialRevolution5835SegaleParkCDr.Tukwila,WA98188(425)285-1111www.industrialrev.com

Okay,here’swhatyoudo.Getone,oreventwoorthree,oftheseseriouslycoolknivesforabouttwentybuckseach.Dothat,andyou’llbegoodtogoforcuttingabout anything you can think of: meat, melons, wood, cloth, rope, rattan,deerskin,snakeskin,maybeevendragonskin.They’llcutthroughaheavyleathermotorcycle jacket like the winter wind off the Great Lakes cuts through asummersuit.

TheScandiedgeservesasbothasharpeningguideandaguide forwhittlingfuzzsticksoranyotherkindofwhittling.Youcaneasilykeepajumpupandcutyouedgewithverylittlestonework,whichisagoodthingbecauseyouwillneedtosharpenyourMorafairly frequentlycomparedtoknivesmadewithsomeofthe more high-tech materials. I do not regard the need for more frequentsharpeningasimportant;Ionlymentionitforreaderswhohavenotyetlearnedhow to sharpenaknife.Use thebevel asa sharpeningguideon, say, aNortonstone,andyouwillsoonhaveoneofthesharpestedgesyouhaveseen.

MoraBushcraftSurvivalknifemakingaspear.

CloseupofusingaMoraknifetocutahardwoodlimb.

I know of a bunch of guys and galswho live year round underwhat a cityperson would consider wilderness survival conditions. They useMoras for alltheirknifeneedsunlesstheyrequireachopper,whichtheseknivesarenot.Forchoppers, they use machetes or hatchets. I even know a wilderness survivalinstructorwhocutshishairwithaMora;helikestokeepthingssimple.

Forgetaboutrippingyourwaythroughasteeldoorwithoneoftheseslenderslicers,because theyaren’tup to that job.Youcouldgrindaway themortar totakedownaconcreteblockwallandtakeitapart.Butitwouldwrecktheknifeinthe process, which would be no big deal if you really needed to get out of abuilding.IfaMoraisyouronlyknifeandyouwanttobeabletopryadooropen,get yourself a titaniumprybar (sevenounces, twenty-fivebucks) andput it inyour bug-out bag. Although the Moras are light knives, you can baton themthroughwoodwithoutfearofbreakage.

Morascomeinstainlesssteel,carbonsteel,andlaminatedsteel,andthey’reallgood.TheSwedesknowathingortwoaboutsteel,andthey’vebeenproducingtheseknivesallinthetownofMora.

TraditionalMorawithcustombuckskinsheathbyR.Figueroaandfirestartingmaterials.

CodyLundin,awell-knownwildernesssurvivalandprimitiveskillsinstructor,carriestheMoraClassic2,whichhasacarbonsteelbladeandawoodhandle,onabuckskinthongaroundhisneckalldayeverydayandprobablysleepswithit,too. (That’s a thin buckskin thong, not a rawhide cord that could cause neckinjury.) I knowCody and can tell you he’s for real, one of the guys who canwanderoffintothedesertormountainswithjusttheclothesonhisbackandhisMoraandfirestarter,andsetuphouse:buildashelter,traparabbitfordinner,makeabow,trackadeer,andbringhomevenison.

TherearegoodreasonswhyCodychose theMora,and itwasn’tbecausehecouldbuyitforthepriceofdinnerfortwoatTacoBell.ThelittleMoraexcelsatwoodworking, which is what quite a bit of wilderness survival entails. It’slightweightandhandilysized,sohewillalwayshaveitwithhim.Hecansharpenitonariverrock ifneedbe.Theblade is toughandwillbendbefore itbreaks.Actually, I’venever seenaMorabladebreak; although inharduse, Ididbendonetoninetydegrees,butitdidnotbreakandcouldbebroughtbacktotrue.

UsingthespineoftheMora840Carbontostrikeaspark.

CodyrecommendstheMora840 forhisstudents.The840alsohasacarbonsteelblade,butithasacushionedhandlewithanonslipsurface.Thecushioningisagoodthingforurbanfolkswithsoftcityhands,andthenonslipsurfaceisasafetymeasure.Bothmodelsworkequallywell.

TheinstructorsattheBoulderOutdoorSurvivalSchool(BOSS)usethesameknives as Cody, or the 780Triflex, which has a laminated blade. Cody is analumnus of BOSS, as are many other wilderness survival and primitive skillsinstructors.Asagroup,theBOSSfolkshaveprobablygotmoredirttimelivinginprimitiveconditionsthananyothergroupIcanthinkof,withtheexceptionofsomepeopleindevelopingcountrieswhostillliveclosetonature.Whenitcomestoknivesforthispurpose,thesepeopleknowwhatworksforthem.

CloseuponusingaMoraknifetomakeafuzzstick.

Morawithahuntingbagandrabbitstick.

Thatsaid,youalsoneedtounderstandthattheMoraknivesarenotdesignedfor, nor suitable for, thedemandsofmodernwarfare. I’ve been tryingout theMora 2000, which has a stainless steel blade and is billed as a Swedish armysurvival knife. Ifwe’re talkingwilderness survivalwith all that entails, Iwouldagree this is a good tool for that purpose. But if we’re talking urban survival,

whichiswheremanyconflictsarehappeningtoday,thisisnottherighttoolforthejob.Trytopryopenalockeddoor,andyou’lleitherruintheknifeorstillbestuck inside, or both. Try to baton it through a steel fire door and you’ll beseverelydisappointedintheresults.Thebladesaretough,buttheyarethin.Thinmakesforgoodcutting,butnot forprying, twisting,andotherharduse.EveryMoraI’vetriedwilleasilypassthebladeonbladetestIdescribedinmyreviewprocedures.

Anewmodel, theMoraBushcraftSurvivalknifecomeswitha firesteelanddiamondsharpener in itscompositionsheath,bothvaluabletools.ThisversionofthestandardMorahasathickerbladebutgivesupnothinginitsjustlyfamousslicing andwood shaving ability, and it is still strong enough for batoning.AswithotherMoras,thehandleiscomfortable.However,thesheathprovidedisnotsecure and needs somework. The knife popped out of the sheath, whichwaswornonabelt,whilejumpingoveralog.Thisispotentiallydangerous,sinceacutor lossof theknifecouldresult.Thesheathwehadmayhavehadadefect,andthiscouldhavebeenaone-timeproblem.Butcheckthesheathifyouorderone of these knives,which you should if youwant a goodwilderness survivalknifeatamodestprice.

Moras(toptobottom):2010Survival,2000,780Tri-Flex,840ClipperCarbon,and840Carbon.

Moraknives are excellentknives for theirpurpose, andaheckof abargain.Theyare tactical in theirownway.But theyarenotwarknives,norwere theymeanttobe.Rose-MarieGontowski,awell-informedpersonwhoknowsknives

andcandirectyoutoalocaldealer,runsthebusiness.

MykelHawkeKniveswww.mykelhawkeknives.comwww.hawkebrand.com

Mykel Hawke is well-known for his role in the reality survival show LostSurvivorsonTheTravelChannelandmanyothertelevisionseries.ButMykelisalotmore than a television star.When he’s demonstrating survival techniques,Mykel isn’tacting;he’sdoingwhathe’sdoneformostofhis life—surviving.Aretired Captain in the Special Forces (Green Beret) with deployments inAfghanistan,Africa,LatinAmerica,andotherplacesanda listofqualificationsthesizeofaChinesemenu,Mykelhasacquireddeep,hard-wonexperienceonhowtostayalive intheworld’sharshestenvironments.He’swrittenabookonthe topic,Hawke’s Green Beret Survival Manual. I recommend Mykel’s bookwithoutreservation.

Workingfromlifeexperienceratherthantheory,Mykelknowswhatpersonalabilities and qualities it takes to survive—and what tools are critical. Whichbringsustoknives.

Like most survival experts, Mykel believes the knife is the single mostimportantsurvivaltool.However,basedonhisyearsoffieldexperience,hefeltthat none of the commercially available knives were optimal for him. So hedesigned firstoneknife, thena seriesofknives tobest servehisneedsand theneedsofothersurvivors.Mykel’sdesignsareradicallydifferentfrommainstreamsurvivalknives.Theyaredesignsthathehasworkedoutovertheyearstoservehis specific survival needs and to be reliable and versatile tools for all survivalsituations—tropical, arctic, alpine,desert,urban—anyplace, anytime.His rangeofknivesincludesneckknives,folders,andfixedbladesfromsmalltomachete-size.All incorporatedesign features similar to thoseofhis signatureknife, theknife he chooseswhenhe canhave only one knife: thePeregrine, amedium-sized,fixedblade.

ThePeregrine’s five-inch blade ofAUS-8 steel is one of intersecting planes,eachwithaspecificfunctionandatantopoint.TherearenocurvesonanyoftheMykelHawkeknives.Inarecentinterview,Mykelsaidthathepreferredstraightedges to curves for strength and functionality and medium-sized knives forallaround use because they are more efficient than small utility or bushcraft

knivesandmoreconvenienttocarrythanlargeknives.Healsosaidthat,inhisview, while bushcraft knives have their place and are good for woodworking,theyarenotoptimalforsurvival,becausetheylackthesizeandstrengthrequiredformanysurvivalfunctions.

MykelHawke’suniquesurvivalknife,thePeregrine.

MykelHawke’suniquepatternonthebladeofthePeregrineblendsinquitewellwiththelocalterrain.

Thegeometry,thebevels,thehandles—eachfeatureofthePeregrineandotherknives in the range was derived from his years of fieldwork. The full tangconstructioniscriticalforstrength;theedgeclosesttothehandleisoptimalfornotching andwhittling, unless serrated, in which case the serrations aremostefficient forcuttingrope, rippingcable,andother resistantmediums;althoughnomedium-sized knife is a great chopper, the forward edge is at a seventeen-degreeangletomaximizewhatchoppingabilityisavailable;thetantopointwilldrillhardwoodwithoutbendingordeformingandcanbebatonedintococonutsor a tree to take it down, or through an auto body or steel door withoutsnapping; the soft silicone handle is comfortable for long work periods and

grippywhentheuser’shandiswetorslippery;therearemultiplelashingpoints.The standard Peregrine comeswith a proprietary gunmetal gray Blackstone

coating, which looks as businesslike as a Browning .50 caliber. The knife wereviewedinthefieldhadalimitededitionIceKoncoating,whichseemstoshiftand fade into the background, making it a challenge to photograph. ThePeregrine’s radical angles and striking design, combined with the IceKoncoating, conjured up images of a Klingon war knife. In fact, the Peregrine isdifferentinalmosteverywayfromanyotherknifeI’veeverworkedwith.Allofmycohortwereamazedat theappearanceof thisknife.Thequestioneveryonehadwas,howdoesthePeregrine,andtheotherHawkeknives,workinthefield?

We answered that question over a period of weeks, during which time weworkedwith thePeregrineandHarrierHawke,ahefty folderwitha5.25-inchblade,doingallthethingswedoinreviews.Shawn,theprofessionalbutcherwhoworkswithmeonknife reviews, brokedowna sectionofbeef, and cut it intosteaks and roasts, which is similar to dressing game.We chopped and slicedvegetables,asyouwouldwith foragedfood.Wemadekindlingandfuzzsticks,digging sticks, spears, and other tools. We pried open a stuck garage door,pounded through sheet metal, and batoned through live oak—all things asurvival knife needs to be able to do.We also sliced a pile of cardboard intosliversandcuthemprope.

MykelHawke’sHarrierHawkefolder.

MykelHawke’sPeregrinetakingitsturnatcuttingupcardboard.

MykelHawke’sPeregrinesplittingaseasonedoakusingabaton.

If, likeme, you’re accustomed to traditional blades, theHawkedesigns takesomegettingusedtobeforeyoustart toseetheirvirtues.Thenotionofhavingeach sectionof theblade servea specialized functionwasnew tome,but afterworking with them for a while, I found that the various features worked asintended.I’veseenthepointsofdozensofknivesbendorbreakwhentwisting,drilling, or prying hardwood—the Peregrine’s point did not bend in toughseasoned oak, nor did that of the Harrier. Nor did they deform when driventhrough sheet metal. My review Peregrine has serrations near the hilt; theystrippedheavycardboardwitheaseandrippedthroughrubberhoseandheavydenim. The polished bevels of the AUS-8 blades aided the edges in slipping

through resistantmediums.We did not chop wood with either knife becausebatoningismoreefficientwithsmall-andmedium-sizedknives.Thebladegrindonbothknivesworkedlikewedgeswhenbatoningwood,enablingthickchunkstobe easily split for kindling.We also found thehandle to be comfortable forlongperiodsofhardwork.

MykelHawkeknivesareunusual inappearanceandconcept,but they fulfilltheir functions as survival tools with élan. And they’re priced so that they’rewithinthereachofanyone.MykelHawkeknivesaregoodtogo.

OntarioKnifeCompanyP.O.Box145Franklinville,NY14737(800)222-5233www.ontarioknife.com

Ontario has been in business since 1889 and is perhaps best known as asupplierofknivestotheAmericanmilitary.Overtheyears,theyhaveproducedthe M7 bayonet, the Air Force Survival Knife, and many others. They arecurrently making the Aircrew Survival Egress Knife for aircrew. In addition,Ontariomakesawidevarietyofknivesandedgedtoolsrangingfrommachetesand swords to tactical folders and their Spec Plus brand, which is militaryoriented.OntariohasalsobeenacontractorfortheUSMCfightingknife,orKA-BAR,andforRATknives.

In addition to all that, Ontario also makes a terrific line of tactical knivesundertheOldHickorybrand,mostofwhicharedesignedaskitchenknives.No,I’mnotkidding.Ihaven’tseenanewOldHickoryinyears.ButIhaveaStickerthatIboughtfromafriend,aNativeAmericansurvival instructorwhodidthebeadwork on the sheath in the photo, and I have found it to be a toughperformerthattakesafierceedgeandiseasytosharpen.TheStickerisdouble-edged,whichmeansyouneedtohavesomeedgeawarenesswhenhandlingit.

I often use the Sticker to test other knives advertised as combat or fightingknivesbystrikingthemonthespineasIwouldinabeat,whichissimilartoaparry, during a blade-to-blade encounter. If a combat or survival knife won’tstanduptoabeatorparryfromasimplekitchenknife,Itossitinthejunkpileandforgetaboutit.TheOldHickorybrandconsistsofarangeofkitchenknivesin carbon steel that are much favored by people who work with knives

professionally,andIdon’tmeanjustchefsandbutchers.

OldHickoryStickerwitharawhide-wrappedhandleandbeadedbuckskinsheathbyAlbertAvril.

Aguywhobecameagoodfriendshowedupfordutywiththe82ndAirborneDivisionheadquarterswithanOldHickoryStickeranda.22RemingtonNylon66 rifle in his duffle bag.Mikewas an Inuit fromAlaskawho helped feed hisfamilybyhuntingmooseandwalruswithhis.22.Hetoldmeheusedtohavetofightoffthree-hundred-poundwalrusesthatstolehisfishandwreckedhisnetswithonlyaspearbeforehegothis.22.Mikewasatoughguyandhadspenthisentirelifelivingclosetotheground.TheonlyknifehehadwasthatOldHickoryanda four-bladed scoutknife.He said thathis fatherhad carried a Sticker, orsomething like it,when hewent off to fight inWorldWar II.Mike figured itwouldworkforhim,too.Itdid.

OntarioalsomadesomeofthebestBowiesIhaveseenproducedbyafactoryinmodern times: the Bagwell series. I use the past tense, because the factorydiscontinued this series. I guess big Bowiesmarketed as weapons just weren’tselling.MaybeOntarioshouldtrymarketingthemasallaroundtacticals.

BagwellBowie,TheGambler©JustinAyres.

ItriedtheGamblermodel;withitsnine-inchblade,itwasthesmallestinthelineandthe leastcomplicated. Itwas temperedsoftandabsorbedshockwell. Iignored themarketing and used it as a bush knife and general outdoor knife.Withitspronounceddistaltaper,convexedge,andwell-thought-outgeometry,Ifoundittobeexceptional.

Itsplitkindlingwithlittleforce.Aquicksnapofthewristwouldtakedownatwo-inch sapling.Thepointwas fineenough todress squirrels. Itwouldbreakdowna beef carcass as fast as a Forschner ten-inchBreaker. I took it to a fewEskrimaclassesanddidalittlebladeworkwithit.Ilikeditsbalanceandspeed;ithada lotofwhip. Ialsoused it tocutupaHonda.Theedgerolled,but itwasnothingthatafewminutesonthestonedidn’tfix.TheGamblerdidn’tholdanedge well when used on hardwoods. But I didn’t much care. It was easy tosharpenandtoughenoughtonotbreakwhenhithardwithwell-testedcarbonsteelknivesandevenamachete.

TheGambler did prettymuch everythingwell. Itwas also lightweight for aBowie.IfoundthatIcouldcarryitwithnomoredifficultythan,say,aKA-BAR.Atthebottomendofthebigkniferangeintermsofweightandsize,itwasnotatthebottomendofperformance. I’veowned twoBagwellhandmadeDamascusBowies, bothofwhichwere exceptional in everyway.Thiswasn’t in the sameclass,butitwasfromthesomeschool.Igaveittoayoungfriendwhoworksinacivilian action group and was headed for Afghanistan and expected to bespendingtimeintribalareas.IfiguredheneededitmorethanIdid.IfOntarioeverputsthisknifebackintoproduction,I’llbegettinganotherone.

BagwellBowierazoredrightthroughveggies.

The Spec Plus line is still in production, and that’s a good thing, becausethey’regoodblades.Thelineincludesalmosteverything:combatknives,aircrewsurvivalknives,machetes,military-orientedhandaxes,Navydiver’sknives,andbayonets.TheSpecPluslineusesoldreliable1095carbon,whichissteelepoxypowder-coated for rust resistance. Handles are Kraton, and all knives are fulltang.

WehaveextensivelyusedtheSP1MarineCombat,SP2AirForceSurvival,andtheSP5ten-inchbladedBowie.Ourstudentslikethem.Welikethem.Theycut everything frommeat to sheet metal. I often use a Spec Plus SP1 to testimpactresistanceonotherknives,asexplainedpreviously.Thesearegoodknivesat a reasonable price. No high-tech steel, no magic heat-treat, just solidcraftsmanship and well-developed technology. Spec Plus knives take a sharpedge,absorbshock,anddowhatthey’remeanttodowith little fussorfanfare.They’regoodtogo.

PohlForceUSA1744GolfViewDriveBelleair,FL33756(727)468-2002www.pohlforceusa.com

Pohl ForceUSA is theUS armof Pohl ForceGmbH (www.pohlforce.de), aGerman company that is the brainchild of Dietmar Pohl. A visit to the PohlForcewebsitewillrevealthatPohlForce’sknives,especiallytheirtacticalfolders,are inusewithactivedutyGermanforces.AfterreviewingaPohlForceAlpha

Two,Iunderstandwhy.Theall-blackAlphaTwoarrivedinanicelymadezipperedcase,alongwitha

detailedinstructionbookletandathumbstudtobeaffixedbytheenduser.PohlForce is an international company, and there are regulations in somejurisdictions that prohibit thumb studs or easy opening devices.However, thebladeopenseasilyevenwithoutthethumbstud.

Myfirst impressionof theAlphaTwowas,“This isabig folder!” It isalsoasturdy, well-made folder with a backlock that opens smoothly over polishedsurfacesandcloseslikeabankvault.Thescalescoversolid2mmthickstainlesssteellinersandaregroovedandscallopedtoensureasolid,slip-freegripwithorwithout gloves—which in fact they do. The blade has a clip point, a scallopedspine,andaslightlyrecurved440cRockwell58–59edge,designedtocutcleanlywithlittleeffort—whichinfactitdoes.Theclipholdstheheftyfoldersecurelyinplacewithapointuporientationandcanbemovedforleftorrighthand.Thereare smoothlymachinedgrooves in the spine for secure thumbplacement.Therelease for the lock is indented to guard against inadvertent release. Sturdymachine screws are nested within recesses in the grips so the knife can bedisassembledwithanordinaryscrewdriver.Thebladeandother steelpartsarefinished with a black and gray titanium and aluminum nitride coating. Allsurfacesaresmoothlypolished,andthebladeiscentered.Themoreyouhandlethistacticalfolder,themoredetailemerges.Allinall,thisisawell-thought-out,handsome,precision-engineeredinstrumentthatwouldbeathomeinaPorscheshowroom.

PohlForceAlphaTwofolderinacarryingcase—aburlytacticalfoldermuchfavoredbyGermanSpecOps.

PohlForceAlphaTwohelditsedgeaftercuttingamoundofcardboard.

And,likeaPorsche,althoughitsappearanceisarresting,thetruthofthetoolisinitsperformance.TheAlphaTwonotonlyopensandclosessmoothly,itcutswell,anditdoessowitheaseandasenseofsoliditythatengendersconfidenceintheuser.Sincethisfolderwasclearlydesignedforuniformuse,wedecidedtotryitoncoatedwire,plastic—asinflexcuffs—sheetmetal,andheavydenim,aswellaswood,paper,andothermaterials.Weevendidalittlelightprying.Thebladecutallmaterialswell.Thepointpenetratedsheetmetalandothermaterialswithease.Therewerenonicksinthebladefromthesheetmetal,althoughitdiddulltheedge.Therewasnolooseningofthepivotpinwhenwecarefullybatoneditinto oak, nor any chipping of the edge when we snapped it free.We did notoverstressthelock,asIknowwellthelimitsofbacklocksandhaveseenmanyfailunderharduse,nomatterhowwell-made.But then,sowillany lock.This isagood, solid, well-made tactical folder, well-suited for uniformed use, if a bitrobustandheavyfordailycarryinyourjeans.

RandallMadeKnives4857SouthOrangeBlossomTrailOrlando,FL32839(407)855-8075www.randallknives.com

Walter Doane “Bo” Randall Jr. founded Randall Made Knives in 1938. Indoingso,heinessencestartedtheentirebenchmadeknifeindustrythatwehavetoday. Itwas not until the late sixties that the handmade knife industry aswe

knowit started todevelop.Before that therewere,ofcourse,handmadeknivesfromtheworkshopsandforgesofvariouscraftsmen,buttheirworkwasmostlyforlocalpeople.

Aspreviouslynoted,RandallMadeKnives first gained fameamong fightingmen during World War II. A number of prominent military men ownedRandalls, includingGeneral JamesM. “Jumpin’ Jim”Gavin,who led the 82ndAirborneontheircombatjumpintoNormandyonD-Day.RandallKnivesalsobecame famous among civilianswhen photographs ofGeneralGavinwith hisRandall,aswellasphotosandarticlesofothersoldierswithRandalls,appearedinnewspapersacrossAmerica

Randall Knives’ renown continued after World War II and into the earlysixtieswhen,asIwroteinapreviouschapter,Ijoinedthelegionofmilitarymenwho came to rely on their Randalls. By that time, new models had beendeveloped, including theModel14Attack and theModel 15Airman, bothofwhich were extremely popular during the Vietnam era and remain populartoday.

BoRandallpassedonsomeyearsago.GaryRandall,hisson,workedwithhisfather for many years and is carrying on the family business. The shop isrelativelysmall,andthequalityismaintainedalongwiththetraditions.

RandallModel1modifiedandaGreenBeret.

Unfortunatelyfortheknifeuser,Randallkniveshavebecomecollector’sitemstodayandaremuchprizedbydevoteesofvariouscargocults,variouscollectors’clubs,andmanyserioushistoriansandstudentsoftheknife,whichmakesthemhardtocomebyandexpensive.Collectorenthusiasmisunderstandable,givenall

themojotheRandallnameconjuresup,althoughitdoesmakeitmoredifficulttoday for a fightingman to afford a Randall. If collecting Randalls trips yourtrigger,thengoforit;thefieldisrichinhistory.SomeRandallcollectorsfocusonknives from theVietnamera, others from the sixties, andothers onparticularmodels.

Collectors’maniaaside,Randallsarestillmadeoftime-provendesignsbymenwhocareabouttheirworkandtakeprideinproducingoneofthemostfamousknivesintheworld.Randallhasabackorderofmanymonths,sometimesyears,depending on current demand. If youwant a usable Randall, and you need itrightaway,probablyyourbestbetistobuyanewone.Itseemsliketheavailableusedonesgetsnappedupbycollectorsandoftencostmorethananewone.

CheckoutsomeofthedealersyoucanfindontheInternet.ThecurrentpricesofnewRandallsarewithintherangeoftopqualityfactoryknivesandtheoutputofmanyhighly skilledcustommakers.Althoughsomesay that technologyhasmovedonandthatRandallsareoldschool,theknivesstillworkaswellastheydidfortyyearsagowhenIwasaskinnykidatSmokeBombHill.

Today’sRandallsarestill forgedineither01toolsteelor440Bstainless.Thetoolsteelbladesare temperedtoaRockwellhardnessofabout54–55.This isalittle softer thanmany contemporary knives. Bo Randall wrote that the softerbladeswere easier for a customer to sharpen thanaharderblade.This is true.However,asofterbladewillneedtobesharpenedmoreoften.Ihaven’tseenitmentioned in Randall literature, but in my experience, all other things beingequal,softerbladesaremoreresistanttobreakagethanharderblades.Thisis,inmyview,muchmoreimportantforatacticalknifethaneaseofsharpeningandedgeholding.

RandallModel1—anoldfriendtakingsomesun.

Thestainlessbladesrunalittleharderatabout57–59,sointheorytheyshouldholdanedgesomewhatlonger.But,accordingtotheRandallcatalogue,thetoolsteelbladesactuallyholdanedgelonger.Itistruethatstainlessbladesdon’tlosesomeoftheiredgefromsimplysittingaroundandbeingexposedtooxidationascarbon steeldoes. Stainlessbladesareprobably thebest choice for tropicaluseformostpeople.

I’m going expand a bit about the Model 1 All Purpose Fighting Knife,because I think it’s oneof thebest knivesof its type everdesigned,maybe thebest, and inmanyways, it is the firstmodern tactical knife. TheModel 1 haschangedingeneralsilhouetteovertheyears,butit’saswelldesigned,well-made,andasreliableatacticalknifeforthemilitaryserviceperson,covertoperator,orcivilian as it ever was. It is available in five-, six-, seven-, or eight-inch bladelengths, with a variety of handle materials and options and in tool steel orstainless.Ifindthesix-orseven-inchtobethebestforanallarounduseknife.

The blade grind is subtler than it looks at first glance, with a slight hollowgrindnear thehiltandaconvexgrind towards the tip foraddedstrength.Thetopclipcomessharpenedfromthefactory.Ifyou’reusingtheknifemainlyforutilitywork,it’sasimplemattertodragtheedgeoftheclipacrossasharpeningstone to dull it for safety. It’s equally simple to get that edge backwith a fewstrokesofthestone.Thehandleismostlyovalinprofilewithflattenedareasoneachsideattheguard.Thehandleshapeallowsforaccuratehandindex,eveninfulldark,andasecuregrip.

The handsome leather sheath comes with a small sharpening stone in anattachedpouch.Ihaveheardcomplaintsthatthisstoneistoosmalltobeofuse.Actually, if youknowwhat you’redoing, the little stoneworkswell toquicklytouchupanedgeinthefield.Thetrickistoholdtheknifesolidlyandmovethestonealongtheedge.

OnmyModel1knives,Ihavemadeapracticeofremovingthetopguardandshorteningthebottomguard.Doingsoaccomplishesthreethings.First,itmakestheknifegenerallymorehandyforordinarytasks:cuttingrope,cleaningfishandgame, slicingbread,mangos, andugly fruit, cutting labelsoutof clothing, andchopping through fire doors. That sort of thing. Second, it lightens the knifeoverallandmakesitlessobtrusiveinaslipsheathwithaspringclipunderashirtandinsidethewaistbandsofpants,shorts,ortrunks.Inotherwords,itmakesiteasier toconceal. Ialwaysgetasecondsheathmadefor theseknives.Third, inmyopinion,removingthetopguardandshorteningthebottomguardimprovesthebalance.Theshorterbottomguardwillprotectyourhandfromtheedgeas

well as the larger one. Fourth, I do not need a guard to deflect an opponent’sblade. These modifications are simply a personal idiosyncrasy, and I do notrecommendthemifyouareconcernedabouttheresalevalueofyourRandall.

Ithadbeenpointedout tome that I couldachievemuch the same thingbysimplyorderingaModel5CampandTrail.ButmyfirstRandallwasaModel1,and I eventually cutoff theguardson thatone, so Ihave just stuckwithwhatworksforme.Besides,IlikethelookoftheModel1betterthantheModel5,andtheModel5isusuallyseenin.1875-inchstock,ratherthanthe.25-inchstockoftheModel1.Ipreferthethickersteel.

RandallModel1,modifiedandreadytogo.

Ihavebeenasked if theModel1 is just toobig andheavy to carry ina clipsheath, rather than ina standardsheathandabelt rig.No. It isnot.Theknifeonlyweighsabouteightounces,muchlessthan,say,a9mmautomatic.NotthatI’msuggestingthatanyonetakeaknifetoagunfight.I’mjustpointingoutthatmanypeoplecarrya9mmauto—manyofwhichweighaboutthirty-twoounces—all day, every day and think little of the weight. TheModel 1, in the rightconfiguration, is light enough and compact enough to always keep with you.Withtheguardscutbackandwiththepropersheath,youforgetit’seventhere.Untilyouneedit.Thenyouhavesixorseveninchesofrazorsharpsteeltohelpsolvetheproblemofthemoment.

TheModel14weighsinatfourteenouncesinstandardtrim,quiteabitheaverthantheModel1,butstilllighterthana9mm.TheModel14isalsobulkierthantheModel1.ThisconsiderationwaspartofmydecisiontoequipmyselfwithaModel1ratherthanthemorepopularModel14backatSBHsomanyyearsago.TheModel14wasjusttoobulkytotuckawayundercivilianclothing,andIwasprettysureIwasgoingtoneedtodothat.TurnedoutIwasright.

MyfirstModel1hadaseven-inchcarbonsteelbladewithawoodhandleofsomekind.Myothershavebeensetupthesameway,althoughsomehavehadasix-inchblade.Eitherthesix-inchortheseven-inchworksfine.Forawhileafewyearsago,Idecidedthesix-inchwasalittlebetter,becausethehandleisaalsobitshorter, making it easier to wear under a tropical shirt without drawingattention.Today,I’mnotsosuretheone-inchdifferenceinbladelengthmattersmuch,andIamtendingbacktowardstheseven-inch.Ilikethefeelofwood,andIstillprefercarbonsteel.Alittleoilofsomekind—coconutoil,oliveoil,gunoil,itdoesn’tmatterwhatkind—willpreservethetoolsteelblade just fine,eveninthetropics. In the tropics, the leathersheathscangetprettygreen if left sittingforafewdays.Butwithagoodcleaning,they’regoodtogoagain;justwipethemdownwithsomevinegar,nothinghigh-techneeded.

Since I bought my first Model 1, I’ve owned, oh probably, three hundredpersonal knives or so. Some have been larger, some smaller, some had ivoryscalesandDamascusblades,andsomecutbetterorkeptanedgelonger.Thereweretantos,Bowies,andeverythingbetween.Mostofthosearegonenow,soldto collectorsor given to friends. Iheldon tomy lastModel 1 formanyyears.Then I passed it on to my son. There is something about Randall, someindefinablequality,somethingspecial,somethinginthebalance,somethingthatjustworks.

In theModel 14Attack, Imuchprefer the variationwith theNumberOneguard and the Border Patrol–style handle. Forme, the standard guard on theModel14was,andis,fartooheavyforitssize.Itthrowstheknifeoutofbalanceandmakesitslowinthehand.Also,I’veneverbeenafanofhandleswithfingergroves.Thatsaid,theModel14,intherightconfiguration,willdoeverythingtheModel 1 will do and more. It is a stronger knife due to its thicker tangconstruction.

Someyearsago,oneofmysonswentofftoanadvancedthree-monthsurvivalschool,wherehehadtomakehisownshelteronarrivalandgotnothingtoeathedidn’tkill,catch,digup,orscrounge,exceptforasmallsackofcornmealandafewouncesofnutsprovidedon the firstday.Nogunsallowed,notevenwhenbrother bear came snooping around at night. He lost a few pounds, but helearnedtomakebowsandarrows,fishhooksfrombone,allmanneroftraps,andto kill, cook, and eat everything from deer to tadpoles, cattails, possums, andgrubs.ThegraduationexercisewasaweeklongfloattripdowntheGreenRiver—withouttheluxuryofacanoeoraraftoraboatofanykind.Mysontellsmehebecamequitefondofhislogduringthatweek,andenjoyedthefishhecaughton

thelinehetrailedbehindhislog.My seventeen-year-old son departed for this survival school with a leather

hunting pouch over his shoulder containing some line and hooks, snarewire,flintandsteel,aflatthree-by-five-inchaluminumboxtobeusedasacookpot,andafewotheroddsandends.Thedaybeforeheleft,IgavehimanoldRandallModel1 thatIhadmodifiedandtheRandallshophadrefurbishedforme.If IhadnotpreviouslymadeclearhowIfeelaboutRandalls, that littlestorymightputthingsintoperspective.

Ifyouhavealegacyknife—onebloodiedincombatandpassedon—thenstoreitinaplaceofhonor.ButifyoubuyanewRandallorausedworkingone,thenfor the sake of all the goodmenwho have carried them in harm’sway, don’tbehavelikeasquirrelgatheringnutsforthewinterandstashitinahollowtreeorasafe.Usetheknife.Don’tletitlayaroundgatheringdust.Goodkniveswanttobeused.Failingtodosomightcausethemtogetirritableandbiteyouthenexttimeyoupickthemup.

SOGSpecialtyKnives&Tools,LLC6521212thStreetSouthwestLynnwood,WA98036(425)771-6230www.sogknives.com

The Studies and Operations Group was a covert action unit during theVietnamWar. In 1986, inspired by one of the original knives issued to SOGmembers and by the legend of the unit, Spencer Frazer founded SOGKnives.TheirfirstproductwasarecreationoftheSOGknife.Sincethen,thecompany’sproduct line has expanded to hundreds of knives and tools. However, theoriginalDNA can be seen inmany of their current knives. TheSealPup, forexample,resemblesashrunkenSOGknife.

SOGSealPup.

SOGAegisTanto.

SOGTrident.

TheresemblanceoftheSealPuptoitsprogenitorismorethanskindeep.Weused the Seal Pup to cut through sheetmetal walls, rip out plaster, and hackthrough builder’s studs. No damage to the AUS-6 blade or the Zytel handle.Radical blade grinds suggested itwouldnot be a terrific performeronkitchenduty,butitdidwell,pilingupthinslicesofveggiesforlunch.Itevenretaineditsedge from the demolition duty well enough to pass the Attack of the KillerTomatoes test.Theedgeof the4.75-inchblade losesaboutan inchofworkinglengthdue to thechoil,but in spiteof that, there is agoodworkingedge.Thepointisneedlesharpandstayedthatwaythroughallthemetalpiercing.Itwouldmakeagoodtraveler’sknife.Thispuphasasmuchbiteasbark.

CloseupofthesheetmetalsectioncutbytheSOGSealPup©JustinAyres.

SOGSealPupdoingitsdutyinthekitchenafterthesheetmetaltest.

SpartanBladesUSAP.O.Box620,Aberdeen,NC28315(910)757-0035

The motto of Spartan Blades is “Knives with intent.” The intention of thecompanyfoundersisineveryline,contour,andedgeoftheirknives.Theseareweapons meant for men at war. Spartan blades are also excellent utility andsurvivalknives.CurtisIovitoandMarkCarey,cofoundersofSpartanBlades,areSpecialForces(GreenBerets)veteranswithmorethanfortyyearsofcombinedmilitaryandrelatedexperience.Theyhaveusedknivesinthefieldforeverythingasoldiermightneed touseaknife,andtheyknowfromrealworldexperiencewhat’sneededinatacticalknife.Theirextraordinaryexperienceshowsintheirknives.

Taking their company name from the famed Spartan warriors—the threehundredSpartanswhostoodagainstXerxes’hundredsofthousandsattheBattleofThermopylae—theyalsonameeachoftheirknivesafterancientGreekgods,goddesses,oaths,orwarriors.

Wehaveworkedwith threeSpartandesigns: theEnyo,a small scalpel-sharpbuttoughneckknife;thePhrike,anequallysharpself-defenseandutilityknife;and the Spartan Harsey Model II, a collaboration with the well-knownknifemakeranddesignerWilliamHarsey.

Enyomakingafireboard.

Aprofessional butcher, ShawnCarlson,whoworkswithus tohelp evaluateknives,usedtheEnyo,thePhrike,andtheSpartanHarseyIItoboneouttwentypoundsofchicken.Hesaid,“Amazinglysharp,perfectlydesignedpointandedgeonallthreeoftheseknives.Theyjustwanttogetintoacut.Actuallytheyworkaswell as or better thanmy pro knives.”Wehad sliced up a half-dozen largecardboardboxes,turningthemintoathree-footdeepmoundofscrap,andcutafewfeetofhempropebeforegivingtheseknivestoShawn.

Over a period ofweeks, I used all three Spartan blades for everything fromslicingtomatoestorippingoutaplasterwall.Allworkedwellforthesedisparatetasks and anything else that came up, albeit with consideration for their size.Eachhaditsownpersonality.

TheEnyoissmallenoughtotuckawayanywhere,evenunderapairofswimtrunks,yethasenoughedgeandstrength toworkwayabove its size.With theEnyo,wemadeahobostovefromathickcommercialcan,whittledfuzzsticks,andwithabatonsplitkindling,allwithnolossofedge.Notjustahideoutblade,theEnyoisalsoagoodfieldperformerandiscomfortableinhand.

SpartanPhrike.

SpartanEnyoboningoutachickenthighwithease.

ThePhrikedoesn’ttakeupmuchmoreroomthantheEnyo.Thelongerbladeprovidesmoreutility,andthehandleisabitmorecomfortable.NeithertheEnyonorthePhrikehasachoil,sotheirbladeshaveasmuchworkingedgeaspossible.Curtis recently told me that both the Enyo and Phrike were designed for agovernmentagency thatworked inwarzonesandneededknives thatcouldbeconcealedyetcouldprovideamarginofself-defense.TheEnyocomeswithadog

tagneckchaininsteadof550paracordforneckcarry.Five-fiftyparacordhasabreaking strength of 550 pounds and is an accident waiting to happen whenwornaroundtheneck.Thereisalsoalengthof550included,theideabeingthatyourunthechainthroughthehollowcore550tosilencetheslightnoiseofthechainasitmovesthroughtheholesintheKydexsheath.Thislevelofattentiontodetail is evident in all SpartanBlades knives and accessories, and is a result ofCurtisandMark’sbackground.ParatroopersandSFsoldierslearnthatnodetailistoosmalltoattendto,andthattinyequipmenterrorscancostalife.

Obviously,theHarseyII,withits6.125-inchblade,isabetterdestructortoolandweaponthanthesmallerknives,buteithertheEnyoorPhrikewouldserveas an expedient Escape and Evasion tool to rip through sheet metal or otherbuilding materials. All three blades are made of .1875 inch CPM S35V steel,whichistoughstuff.TheHarseyhasanexceptionallycomfortablehandleandawelldesigned blade that’s equally good for slicing, whittling, slashing, andpiercing.Itbecameoneofthegroup’sfavoriteswhenusingitinthefield.AfterShawnused theSpartanHarseyon the chicken, I reached for it and started toslice some tri-tip. I just touched the edge right at the point to the roast andpressedabit; itplungedhilt-deepintothemeat, justwent in likethemeatwaswater.Spartanbladesareexceptionalperformersandgoodtogo.

SpartanHarseyII.

Spyderco,Inc.820SpydercoWayGolden,CO80403(800)525-7770www.spyderco.com

Idon’tknowifSalGlesseristhesolegeniusbehindSpyderco’sdevelopmentofnewknives, or if hekeeps abunchofdesigners chained todrafting tables andonlyfeedsthemrawmeatandRedBull.Howeverhedoesit,Spydercohaskepttotheforefrontoftherevolutiontheyhelpedignite.

SpydercohassomanyexcellenttacticaldesignsIcannotcoverthemallintheavailablespace.So,let’sstartwithoneofmyfavorites:theMilitary.TheMilitaryissoslenderitappearsdelicate.Itisnotdelicate.Withitsnestedlinerlockandattention to geometry, theMilitarybelies its appearance. It looks like adancerbutperforms likea linebacker. I’ve loanedmyMilitary tomysurvival studentsand watched them baton their way through dozens of wrist-thick saplings tomakeshelterswithnodamagetotheknife,usingcorrecttechniqueofcourse.

SpydercoMilitarydrillingholesforafireboard.

I’vedone thesamething,andI’veused theMilitary forallmannerof roughoutdoorwork.Withitsflatgroundfour-inchblade,it’salsoafineeverydaytool,

inthekitchenorelsewhere.Thebladeslipsthroughribsandroastslikecuttingwhippedcream.SpydercoobviouslyhasitsheattreatforS30Vworkedout;I’veneverseenachippedorbrokenbladeononeoftheseknives.Theycomesharpfrom the factory and are easy to keep sharp.Aquick touchup on a SpydercoTriAnglewilldoit,fiveminutesmaximum,andthat’saftersomeharduse.

Over theyears, Ihavegone though fourMilitaryknives,notbecause anyofthemworeoutorbroke.I’vegonethroughsomanyoftheseslim,toughfoldersbecause I have a weakness for active duty service people and have sent mypersonal Military to guys in the field on three occasions, and have had noreservations about doing so. In correspondence I am often asked for arecommendationforafoldingknifesuitableforasoliderinthefield.IfrequentlyrecommendtheMilitary.Thentheguywillsaythatasanenlistedmanthatknifeis out of his price range and askme for another suggestion.Thenext daymyMilitaryisonitswaytoanAPOaddress.

In some ways, I think of the Military as today’s Black Cat. Although theMilitaryhasalevelofqualityandstrengthIneverdreamedofwiththeBlackCat,ithas a similar slimprofile and is a four-ounce featherweight, lending itself toeffortlesscarryinboottopsandcertainunlikelyplaces.It’salsoblack.

Spydercotrianglesharpener—ahandytoolandeasytouse.

I’moneofthoseguyswhoalwayshaveatleastoneknifeathand.Always.Dueto its featherweight and slim configuration, its reliability, its known strengthsand limits, and its rust protection, the Military is the folder I clip inside myrunningshortswhenIdragmyselfawayfromthekeyboardandhitthestreetsfora long,mind-calmingrun.For the samereasons, I clip it insidemyswimming

trucksatthebeach.Hey,youneverknow.Peoplegettangledinkelp.Andsharks. . .Well, nevermind about the sharks. Is theMilitary perfect? Is anything? IwouldpreferastraightfeedratherthanthedroppedhandleoftheMilitary,butthat’sjustpersonaltaste.Iwouldlikeitbetterifthehandlewereshorterthanitsfive-and-a-half inches,but forall Iknow that longhandlemaybe required fortheknifetohavethelevelofstrengthitdoes.Itravelsixtoninemonthsayear,andIusuallyhaveaMilitaryinmybagwhenIcheckitattheairport.WhatelsecanItellyou?

SpydercoParaMilitaryandMilitarywithblackblades.

SpydercoParaMilitarywithadigi-camhandle.

Withits3.3-inchblade,theParaMilitaryisasmallerbrothertotheMilitary.ItscompressionlockisasstrongorstrongerthantheMilitary’snestedliner.Theoverallproportionsareaboutthesamewitha4.75inchhandle.Ithasastraighterfeedfrompointtoheel(whichIprefer)thantheMilitary.It’sjustastoughasitsbigbrother.IwouldrecommendtheParaMilitarytoanyonewhowantsashorterbladethantheMilitary.

Spyderco has updated the ParaMilitary, now thePara-Military2,with somesubtlechangesthatmakethismodelmorerefinedandsmoother.

I’vebeenworkingwithtwomodelsof theSage,onewithcarbonfiberscalesand a liner lock, the other a titanium framelock. The carbon fiber is a littlelighter, and the framelock may be a little stronger. They’re both terrific,sophisticated folders, in appearance gentlemen’s pocket knives, in function, astactical as you could ask for. The Sage blade design is deceptive; it appearsrelatively innocuous but performs better and cutsmore efficiently thanmanylarger, much more fierce-looking blades. With smooth lines and roundedcorners,botharecomfortableinhandandinthepocket.Ilikethesefoldersverymuch.

The Ulize is a thin, strong lockback with a four-inch recurved blade thatShawn, the professional butcher who helps me with field reviews, said cutchicken and beef aswell as his professional knives. It cut everything elsewell,too;therecurvemakesadrawcutespeciallyeffective.Usinglittleforce,thisbladeslashed a twenty-seven-inch gash in double thick cardboard—out-cutting sixother tactical folders. This unique folder handles and balances well, and feelsgood in hand. In fact, I like it so much that I’m considering replacing myMilitarywithit.Well,notreally.Butthatwillgiveyouanideaofhowgoodthisknifeis.

Spydercohasquitea fewfixedbladesthat fit intothetacticalcategory;allofthemaregoodknives,especiallytheoldMorans.ButoneofmyfavoritesistheFred Perrin Street Beat, a small knife designed by the well-known Frenchdesigner,martialartist,andveteranofSpecialOperations.TheStreetBeathasagood,smooth,functionalflatgrind,cleandesign,excellentquality,andareserveofstrengththatisnotimmediatelyapparent.

TheStreetBeatisalmosttheperfectclandestineagent’sfixedblade:functionalandefficientforeverydayuseandstrongenoughtopunchthroughaplasterwallwithnodamage.Itriedit.I’mnottalkingjustSheetrock,I’mtalkingplasterandlath wall on an old school building—meant to last. It’s light enough to carryanywhere—tuckedinasock,upasleeve,oronachainaroundtheneckwitha

ballchain.Youcanevencarrythislittleknifeinapocket.Spydercodefinitelyknowshow

tohandleVG-10,whichisthebladesteelfortheStreetBeat.Ittakesandholdsanedge thatwill cut throughdenim likegauze.Asa significant feature, theStreetBeat has a nicely contoured handle, whichmakes it comfortable for extendedworkperiods,evenwhencuttingseasonedoak.

SpydercoFredPerrinlightingafireusingaferroceriumfirestarter.

SpydercoFredPerrinStreetBeatisasgoodinthekitchenasitisonthestreet.

Also of critical importance, it is not black, which is a major plus. It isdisarminglypretty,whichisagoodthing.Afierce-lookingblackknifewithteethandbarbswillnotgetacuttingjobdoneanybetterthananicelyfinishedknife,such as the Street Beat, and those teethwill likely hang up on clothing.Whatyourblackknifewilldo is attract thealarmedattentionofanyonewhosees it:

passersby,customsofficials,cops,dogwalkers,andbadguys.The Perrin Street Beat looks like a polite picnic knife and will slice your

baguetteandspreadyourBriewithoutanyoneraisinganeyebrow.Itwillalsodowhateverneedstobedonetohelpyouescapethosebadguysorotherwisedealwiththemaccordingtoyourmissionanddisposition.IusedtokeepaStreetBeatsomewhereaboutmyperson,butIdon’tanylonger.ML,myesteemedwife,gotalookatit.MLisaprettytoughgal.ShesnatcheditsofastIdidn’tseeherhandmove,andshewon’tletgoofit.I’mnotupforafight,soIguessit’shersnow.ShealwayspacksherStreetBeatwhenwehittheroad.

TwoofML’sfavoriteknives,theSpydercoFredPerrinStreetBeatandSpydercoCricket.

Spyderco recently rereleased an old favorite, theFred Perrin Street Bowie,whichformetieswiththeStreetBeatforfirstplaceinSpyderco’sfixedblades.Inthenewversion, the five-inchblade isblackcoated,whichIcan livewitheventhoughI’dpreferanuncoatedblade.TheextrabladelengthputstheStreetBowiesolidly in thesurvival/utility/tacticalcategory,andthecushionedhandlemakesworkingwithitpainless.Judgingfromitsname,theStreetBowieisn’tdesignedprimarily as an outdoorsman’s knife, but it’s as useful in the woods as it isanywhereandworksaheckofalotbetterasanoutdoorutilityknifethanmany

that aredesigned for thatpurpose.Oneof thesewill be inmy luggagewhen Inexthittheroad.

TheEndura andDelica aremodern icons andneedno introduction to anyknifeuserwhohasn’t beenasleep for thepastdecadeor two.Everyoneknowstheseknives,andtheybuyandusethem.Howcouldtheybebad?They’renot.So,insteadofwritingaboutkniveseveryoneknowsaboutorowns,I’llmentionacategory of knives that, as far as I can tell, Spyderco invented. The little bittyfoldersIcalltinytacticals.(MoreaboutthosecanbefoundinChapter20.)

TheJumpmaster fitsonlyonedefinitionof a tacticalknife: specialpurpose.But it’s a knife that is needed. Paratroopers can get hung upwhile exiting anaircraft and then a knife is needed quickly. I recall one training jump duringwhich thenumber three trooperout thedoorgothungupwhenhis static linefouled. Corrective procedure is for the jumpmaster to look out the door andmake sure the trooper is conscious, which the trooper signals by putting onehandontopofhishelmet.Ifthetrooperisconscious,thejumpmastercutshimfreeandthetroopercanthendeployhisreserve.Ifthereservedoesn’twork...Well,youcanalwaysreturnyourparachuteforanewone.

AcollectionofSpydercotinytacticals.

SpydercoJumpmaster,designedfor82ndAirborneDivision,withaserratedblade.

Inthisinstance,thejumpmasterdeterminedtheguywasawakeandawareanddecidedtocuthimfreewithhisissueSchradeswitchblade.ButtheSchradewastoodulltocutthenylonwebbingofthestaticline.Thejumpmastersawedaway.Time passed. No go. We still had a paratrooper behind the aircraft. Thisprocedureneedstobedonequickly,ashittingthetailoftheplanecaninjurethetrooperorhecanpassoutifhisharnesscompresseshischesttoomuch.Asyoumightimagine,therewasnoshortageofknivesinthestick.ThehunguptrooperwassooncutfreewithaKA-BAR.Hegothisreserveoutandrodeitinokay.

TheJumpmaster’s4.5-inchserratedbladewillgothroughnylonwebbinglikea chainsaw. The blade is a sheepsfoot design with no point, which is a goodthing.Thisapplicationnotonlydoesn’tneedapoint,apointcouldcauseinjury.Thesheathwillholditsecurelywherethejumpmastercangettoitquickly.Thenonsliphandleis,infact,nonslip,eveninsweatyhands.I’dliketoseethisasanissue item for jumpmasters and for all paratroopers. It’s not uncommon for aparatroopertogetfouledinlinesandneedtocuthimselffree.Inthestoryabove,theneed forabetterknifewasglaringlyobvious.TheSpyderco Jumpmaster isthatbetterknife.EverySpydercoknifeIhavereviewedisgoodtogo.

StriderKnives120N.PacificSt.UnitL-7SanMarcos,CA92069(760)471-8275www.striderknives.com

StriderKniveswasfoundedbyMickStrider,andthecompanyisoperatedbyStriderandWayneDwyer,bothveteranswhohavebeenplaces,donethings,andknowfromexperiencewhat tacticalknivesneed tobe in today’sworld.StriderKnives are built like main battle tanks based on the Strider and Dwyer’sunderstandingoftoday’sconflictzonesandthechangednatureofwarfaretoday.EveryStriderknifeIhaveexamined,bothfoldersandfixedblades,hasbeenbuiltwith the highest level of craftsmanship and from premium materials. TheseknivesaremuscularandtoughandcomefromthefactoryassharpasEinstein’sbrain,andtheystaythatwayforalongtime,evenaftercuttingthroughwallsandsteeldoors.

Strider’s fixed blades are the fifty calibers of tactical knives, able to blastthrough barriers to reach their target. Their folders take a giant step towardredefining the genre.The folders arenot just tactical or only suitable fordailychoresandasemergencyweapons;theyarewarknives.Therefinedthoughtineverydetail,fromthetexturedscalestothesubtlebladegrinds,revealsalevelofsophistication regarding the rigors of combat that can only come fromexperienceandcarefulconsiderationovertime.

StriderModelRC-Cmakingahobostovefromacoffeecan.

StriderModelRC-Cbeingbatonedwithalimb.

In addition to experience, there has been important input from suchdistinguishedknifemakersasBobTerzuola,BillMoran,ErnestEmerson,andKitCarson, as well as a good deal of science behind the development of StriderKnives.DuringaninterviewwithWayneDwyer,IrealizedIwastalkingtoamanwhowasnotonlypassionateaboutknives,butonewhobroughtabackgroundinsciencetobearontacticalknives.Dwyerusesinstruments,suchasanultrasoundradiograph,toanalyzebladesteelandothermaterials.Inadditiontotheindustrystandard Rockwell testing, he also uses a Brunnell-Vicors oscilloscope to dosheerwaveanalysis.Dwyertestshisknivesandthematerialsthatgointothemaccording to ISO (InternationalOrganization for Standardization) andASTM(AmericanSociety forTestingandMaterials)guidelines formaterial standardstesting.

All of this background work led Dwyer to the conclusion that particlemetallurgy is thebiggest leapforward inbladescienceduringthepastcentury.AccordingtoDwyer,theycannowdialintheexactpropertiesdesiredinablade,and the uniformity of CPMS30V allows quality and consistency otherwiseunobtainable.

I lack a background in science and can’t evaluate Dwyer’s position from acollegialposition,butIthinkhispositionisimportant.Whatmatterstomearetwothings:first,Dwyerhasdonehishomeworkandhebelievesinhisresearch;second, the knives actually work in rugged field tests. I wouldn’t know anoscilloscopefromaGeigercounteriftheywereonabenchinfrontofme.ButIcan for sure tell you if a knife does what it’s supposed to do. Strider’s knivesperformasadvertised.

Stridermakingafireboard.

While visiting family in the Midwest, I took along a Strider RC-C forevaluation.Wemanaged to get in some dirt time, primitive camping, fishing,andforagingforwildfoods.Duringthistime,IusedtheStriderRC-Ctocutandstrip limbs for field expedient fishing rods and to clean the fish we caught. Imade a hobo stove to cook the fish, and cut a bow stave to showmy youngnephewhowtomakeaquickiebow.

Theoutingwas funandtheRC-Cworked fine foreverything.But I realizedthat to evaluate this knife, I had to take it on its own terms.Using the StriderfoldertocleanfishwaslikeusingaBarrett.50tohuntwhitetail.Youcandoit,but it’s just a little bit of overkill. One of my family members works for acompany that owns a large plant facility withmany buildings, some of whichwere long since out of use. With permission, I went through the abandonedfactorybuildingasifIwereaPOWtryingtoescape.Icutthroughslidingsteeldoors,rippedoutwalls,andpriedsteelframesforindustrialwindowsfromtheirmounting.TheonlydamagetotheRC-Cwasafewscratchesonthefinish.

Back at home,wewerehaving some friendsover for a barbeque. I gave theRC-Ctothechef,myoldestson,tocutupafewracksofribs,somechickens,andthreelargetri-tips.Theknifehadnotbeensharpenedsinceitsprevioususe.Atfirsthebalked,thinkingtheknifewastoothickforsuchwork.Thenhetriedit.

Thenhegotasmileonhis face.Whenhewas finishedcuttingall themeat,hewashed the Strider folder and slipped it in his pocket. Took a good bit ofpersuasiontogetitback.

SVORDSmithRoadRD2WaiukuNewZealandPhone:+6492358846www.svord.com

We don’t seemuch of Svord knives here in the United States, and that’s ashame.Althoughnotmarketedastacticalknives,Iincludethemherebecausetheones Ihave triedare terrificknives regardlessof theirclassificationas sportingknives.Theyperformatthetoplevelintermsofcuttingabilityandhavepricesthatareabargain.Theyarecertainlyusefulastacticalknives.

SvordModel320BBwithaburlwoodhandleandcarbonsteelblade,PumaBootKnife,andFållknivenF1.

Svordwas foundedbyBryanBaker in1983.Hiscompanyhistory includesaCzechknifemakerwhopassedontoBakeragoodbitofknifemakingknowhow,

includinga temperingprocess thatBaker saysgiveshisknives superiorcuttingabilityandstrength.AllIknowisthatSvordkniveslooklikeold-schoolknivesandperformwellindeed.

Inaneraofthickblades,Svordbladesarethin.Inatimewhenstainlesssteelrules in terms of popularity, Svord uses carbon steel, except for their chef’sknives.ThisisanoveltyintheUnitedStates,whereonlyafewfactoriesproducecarbonsteelknives,leavingcarbonmostlytocustommakers.

I have used and loaned to students Svord’s 3.75-inch Drop Point, 4-inchUtility(bothofwhichcomewithsynthetichandles),andtheir4-inchTramper,whichhasaniceburlwoodhandle.

Thebladescomewithaconvexgrind,andtheycutandcutandcut.Theycutforalongtimebeforeneedingatouchupandmoreimportantly,asanoldArmybuddyusedtosay, theycut“sharply,harshly,deep,andtothebone.”Thethinblades offer less resistance to any given material. The convex grind helps, asdiscussedinthechapterondesign.So,thegeometrypromotesefficientcutting.Itwould seem that the steel choice and the heat treatmake up the rest of thequalitiesthatproducegoodresults.

Svord320BBstartingthecutonhemprope.

Svord1990NZbeginningtocuthemprope.

ResultsofSvord1990NZhempropecuttest.

Iwouldn’ttrytosuspendmytwo-hundred-twentypoundsfromoneofthesethin-bladedknives,butIhavebentthebladeontheTramper,withconsiderableeffort,toabout35degrees.ThebladesnappedbacktotruewhenIreleasedit.

Ihaven’tbeenabletolocateaUSdistributor,butIwouldguessthatifyousentSvord an email, they could fix you up with a good old-school knife that putscuttingabilityfirst.

TOPSKnivesTacticalOperationalProductsP.O.Box2544IdahoFalls,ID83403(208)542-0113www.topsknives.com

Mike Fuller founded TOPS in 1998 with the idea of making high qualityknives,notprettyones,buthighlyfunctionalanddependableknives.Miketoldme he first saw this need back in the day, as my young friends describe thesixties,“whenasoliderhadtospendamonth’spaytobuywhatwebelievedwasthebestknifeavailable,aRandall.”

Althoughwenevermet,MikewasatSmokeBombHillaboutthesametimeIwasthere.Ourideasaboutkniveswereformedinthesamecrucible.AsaSpecialForces soldier, Mike went on to years of globe-spanning service with SF andOGAs(othergovernmentagencies).FromSoutheastAsiatoAfrica,heservedhiscountry,expandedhisexperience,andrefinedhis ideasaboutknivesandwhatworksanddoesn’tworkintheharshrealitiesofrealworldcombat.WhenMikesits down to design a knife, he doesn’t have to imagine what a combat knifeshouldbe;heknows.

TOPSBaghdadBoxCutterinthehempropetest.

However,inspiteofhisextensivebackground,there’snotraceoftheknow-it-all inMike’smanner.He’swillingto listentoothers’ ideasandtoactonthem.Thus TOPS produces designs that come from people who have their ownexperience and their own take on what they need in a knife. These designersincludeTomBrown“TheTracker”andKellyWorden,well-knownmartialartistandspecialistinthecombatbladearts.

TOPS is the classic American success story. The company was founded atMike’sfamilykitchentable.Thefactorywasinthegarage.Inthefirstcoupleofyears,MikeandhiswifeHelenedideverythinginthebusiness.TOPS’firstknifewas theSteelEagle,whichwent out to old contacts—ninety-three peoplewhoknew knives and what they needed to do. From that beginning the companygrew;thereweretwoemployeesthesecondyear,andtodayTOPSisacompanythat producesmore thanone-hundred-fifty different blades and ships them toSpecial Forces soldiers, covert operators, and active military in dozens ofcountriesandconflictzones.Andthat firstknife, theSteelEagle,still sellsvery

well.YoucanseeaSteelEagleintheaccompanyingphoto.That’sitstickinginthe

sideofacardoor.There’salsoaphotoofoneofTOPSnewermodels,theMil-Spie5,stickingthroughtheroofofanothercar.Wehadabusydayatthesalvageyard.IrecruitedayoungfellowwithlotsofenergyandadesiretotryoutsomeknivesandhandedhimacoupleofTOPSknives. Ifwehadcompletely turnedhim loose, I have no doubt hewould have reduced a few auto bodies to theircomponentpartsandribbonsofsteel.Unfortunately,wehadagreedtopay fordamagedautobodies,brokenwindows,andsoon.Wedid,however,doenoughdamagetoafewcarstodeterminethatinanyencounterbetweenaTOPSknifeandacar,thecarwillcomeoutsecond.TherewasnodamagetoanyTOPSknifeduringthisexpedition—noteventotheedges.

Don’tgettheideathatTOPSknivesareonlyusefulasdestructiontools.Backat homewe did theAttack of theKillerTomatoes test and bothTOPS knivespassedwith ease.We’ve alsodone all the cutting tests: rope,wood, cardboard,etc. TOPS knives are sharp and cut well. Over the years, we’ve had a goodamountofexperiencewithTOPSknivesinthewildernessandaseverydaytools.

TOPSSteelEaglecuttingintoacardoorpanel.

TOPSMil-Spie5rippingopenacardoor.

A few years ago, we visited some relatives who live deep in the wilds ofArkansas.Onesummerevening,afterthefishandribshadbeencleanedandcutup with a TOPS Fire Hawke, we were into the third bottle from a case ofBeaujolaisthatIhadtruckedalongwhensomeonesuggestedwetryandclimbatreeusingtheFireHawkeasaclimbingaid.(Well,maybeitwasthefourthbottleorfifth.Whocounts?)

IpoundedtheFireHawkeintothesideofatallpinetreeaboutsevenfeetfromtheground;Iwantedtoseethelittleguyjump.Westartedoutwiththelittleguy.Austin runs about a hundred and ninety pounds at five feet eight inches. HejumpedacoupleoftimesandthencaughtaholdoftheFireHawkeanddidsomepullups,justtoshowushecould.Thenhedroppedoff,andIgrabbedaholdandstartedwalkingupthesideofthetree.AsIwasdoingso,Joe,whoweighsabouttwohundred,ranupandjumpedonmyback.Ihungon.Forashorttime,theFireHawkewassupportingmorethanfourhundredpounds.ThenIletgo,andwedroppedtotheground.Yeah,theknifebent.Whatdoyouthink?Butitonlybentabout15degreesandthenwentbacktotrue.Icallthatgoodperformance.

TOPSFireHawkebeingbatonedthroughatreelimb.

TOPSFireHawkereadyforaction.

It’s performance typical of all TOPS knives. TOPS knives are made fromreliable1095carbonsteelandheattreatedbycraftsmenwhoknowwhatthey’re

doing. There’s an ancient Asian parable about the oak tree and bamboo. Thestrongoak,whichresistsalleffortstobendorbreakit,willbreakinatyphoon.Thebamboowillbendbeforeextremeforce,butwillspringbackandsurvive.

TheTravelinMan2fitsperfectlyintothetraveler’sknifecategory.LikeotherTOPS knives, it’s tough, sharp and dependable. I have no doubt I could havepriedopen thedoor at the archaeological excavation that Iwrote about in thetraveler’sknifechapterwiththisdeceptivelylittlebutextremelytoughone-pieceblade.Itcomeswithaclip-onKydexsheathandanemergencywhistle,andtheoverallpackageisonethatIwouldrecommendtoanytraveler.

TOPSknivescutwell.They’retough.Theywork.AsaformerSFsoliderwhohasspentmoretimeincombatthantheaveragepoliticianhasspentbeggingformoney,Mikeknowswhathe’sdoingandisdedicatedtocompletinghismission.Here’sthething:Mikewon’tletyoudown.Neitherwillhisknives.Theyaregoodtogo.

TOPSTravelinMan2makingafireboard.

VictorinoxSwissArmyInc.7VictoriaDrive

Monroe,CT06468www.swissarmy.com

Victorinox, the world famous maker of Swiss Army Knives, now makes anumberofmodelswithlockingblades,someofthemwithone-handedopeners,thereby qualifying them as tactical.While they initially appear to be built toolightly for extreme use, their newermodels are in the pockets of almost everysurvivalinstructorIknow.Iusethemtoo.IhaveforyearscarriedtheRucksackmodelwitha lockingmainblade,awoodsaw—whichactuallysaws—theusualassortmentofscrewdrivers,andthemostimportanttoolofall—thecorkscrew.

SAKcollection,closedview.

KarinDrechselwithVictorinoxandflintatRabbitStickgathering.

The relatively new One-Hand Trekker German Army has been speciallydesignedforandissuedtoGermansoldiers.Thescalesareasuitablearmygreen,

andonthesideisembossedahandsomeGermanFederalEagle.Themainbladeopenswith onehand—amost important feature andone thatwouldpersuademe to substitute my old knife for one of these robust-looking army models.Exceptforonething.Somehowanegregiousoversighthasoccurred.Thearmymodellackstheessentialtool;sadly,thereisnocorkscrew.InthelocationwherecorkscrewsliveonallrighteousSAKs,thereisamiserablePhillipsscrewdriver.

SAKOne-HandTrekkerGermanArmy.

Sometimesyourbestfriendwearsred.

IhavereadthatVictorinoxusesSandvik12Csteelintheirknives,butIhavenotbeenabletoconfirmthis.ThewizardsofSwitzerlandappeartoconsidersteel

choice classified information.Whatever steel andheat treat theyuse, itworks.Asidefromtheonethousandandonedailychoresthataboutahundredmillionpeople use their SAKs for, these red-handled icons of Swiss ingenuity are alsotoughenoughtostanduptoextremeuseinsomecircumstances.

AfewyearsagowhilevisitingfriendsinWashington,D.C.,Imetafellow,let’scallhimFred,whohadrecentlyreturnedfromaharrowingexperienceinAfrica.Hehadbeenworking foranNGO(non-governmentalorganization)providingmuch needed relief to impoverished refugees from a war zone.While he wasthere,thewarzoneexpandedandoverranthestationwhereheworked.Hewastaken prisoner by a ragtag group of teenagers with AK-47s. This group wasknowntoeveryoneintheareaandhadthereputationofindulginginatrocities.

MynewfriendFredtoldmehehadbeendraggedintothetumbledown,shell-shotruinsofaformerofficebuildingandlockedaloneinasmallroomthesizeofacloset;probablyitevenhadbeenacloset.Lateatnight,aftermostofhiscaptorswereasleep,hewenttoworkonthewallofhisroomwithhisonlytool,aSAK.Little by little over the course of some hours, he managed to work his waythroughtheplasterwall,whichhesaidwaslinedwithchickenwireorsomethinglikeit,andintoaroomwithawindow.Heescapedoutthewindow.Afterthreedaysofduckinganddodging,hemadeittoasecurearea.

He showedmehis SAK,whichwas inhis pantspocket. (Myguess is itwillalwaysremaininhispantspocket.)Itwasoneoftheordinary,homelymodelsweareallfamiliarwith.Theteethofthesawbladewerechewedup.Themainbladewas dull and the point broken off. The scales were scratched. Even thescrewdriverbladewaswornattheedge.DoyouthinkFredabusedhisknife,assomemightsay?Idon’tthinkso.Ithinkitwasusedappropriately.Thiseverydaypockettoolnotonlydiditsjob,itperformedwithdistinction.

SAK—backintheday,youcouldaddthistoyourkeychain.

ThisVictorinoxHunterProlockbladefoldermadelightworkofdeboningthechicken.

Victorinox’snewRescueTool is completewithaglassbreakerand seatbeltcutter.Ayoungfriendvolunteeredtogotoanearbyautosalvageyardtotryoutthe rescue tools. It worked, unsurprisingly, like it was designed to enablesomeone tobreakoutofacrashedcar.Theseatbeltcuttingbladecut throughtheseatbeltwebbinglikethread.Itcutsoquicklyandeasilythatwehadtroublecatching it and had to shoot it with our camera a couple of times.We didn’tcatch the window breaking. We were setting up the shot when young bloodtapped the window in preparation for breaking free. The window explodedoutward, showeringeveryone inwindow fragments.Wehadonlypaid foronewindow, so the experiment was over. Besides, the results were in: amazingperformance fromwhat amounts to apocketknife.NowFreddoesn’t have the

onlySAKrescueknife.

SAKRescue,amustforyourcarsurvivalkit.

DrivercuttingaseatbeltwiththeVictorinoxRescueTool.

ShatteredcarwindowfromtheVictorinoxRescueTool.

WayneGoddardMasterBladesmith(541)689-8098www.goddardknives.com

Atfirstglance,WayneGoddard’sknifedesignsareratherplain-lookingfixedbladeswithwoodenhandles.Inappearance,they’renothingtocauseanyheavy

breathing among the tactical knife crowd. The truth comes out in theperformance. I’ve seen more than one tactical knife aficionado jump up andshout,“Noway!”Andthen,afterseeingtheway,trytogetthisknifeawayfromme.Neverhappened.

Wayne Goddard, master bladesmith, made this knife. He calls it a CampKnife.Thebasicdesignisavariationonanoldlongknife.ThesteelisL6,whichis used for industrial saw blades and is known among knifemakers as beingespecially well-suited for knives that need toughness combined with cuttingability.Wayneforgedandtemperedthesteelandformedthebladesothatthereisafullconvexgrindfromspinetoedgeandaslightcurvetotheedgefromhiltto tip. This blade configuration has a good deal to do with this blade’sextraordinary cutting ability. Everyone in my family, and all our friends whohaveworkedwithusdoingsurvivalskills,callitWayne’sKnife.Asin,“CanIuseWayne’sKnife?”Aftertryingitonce,everyonewantstouseWayne’sKnife.

Ihesitatetotellyouhowgoodthisknifeperforms.I’veseenlooksofdisbelieffromsemi-knowledgeableknifepeoplewhenI’vetalkedabout it inthepast. Incutting tests and fieldwork, including knife-on-knife impact testing, thisdeceptively simple-looking knife has outperformed every blade that has beenmeasuredagainst it sinceI firstgot it in1992.We’re talkingmorethantwentyyears andhundreds of knives. Itweighsnext tonothing, less thanmany four-inchsurvivalknives.Thebladeisonlysevenincheslong,yetithasoutperformednine-andten-inchchoppers.

ThreebyWayneGoddard(toptobottom):Scagel-styleBowiewithaneleven-inchforgedbladeof5160,mustardfinish,bronzeguard,anddesertironwoodanddeerantlerhandle;CustomizedTrailmaster

Bowiewithacommercially-blackenedblade,stainlessguardandskullcrusher,andG10andstaghandle;TCKknifewithasix-inchforgedblade,antiquefinish,andbrowncanvasMicartahandle©Wayne

Goddard.

WayneGoddard’smagicCampKnife.

WayneGoddardCampKnife—onestroketocutthroughasapling.

Withpropertechnique,Wayne’sKnifewillslashthoughathree-inchstandingsaplinginoneortwostrokes.Itslicesmeatlikethebestbutcherknifeandcutsthrough denim and heavy leather like tissue paper. It will cut rope withoutdullinguntilyourhandgetstired,whichisafairlylongtimesincelittleeffortisrequired.When the edge is tuned up, itwill cut a falling silk scarf, a test thatcomesdowntousfromancienttimes.Itstayssharpforalongtimeandiseasytosharpenwhenthetimecomes.I’veplacedthebladeinaviseand,withdifficulty,bentitto30degrees;itsprangbacktotruewithnodeformation.

Atonetime,Ithoughtthatthisparticularknifehadtobeaonceinalifetimekindofthing.Youknow,wheneverythingcomestogetherjustright:steel,heattreat,geometry,andthemoonis intherightplace.ThenatmyrequestWaynemade twomore formetogive tomysons.Mysons’knivesareslightlybeefierthanmine. They have a littlemore belly. But basically they’re the same knife.Guesswhat?Themoonmusthavestillbeenintherightplace.Theirknivesworkaswell asmine.Youwon’t have anybetter luck getting themaway from theirownersthanyouwouldwithmine.WaynekidsmeaboutmyenthusiasmforhismagicCampKnives.Hesaysthere’snothingmagicinthem,justknowledgeandcraftsmanship—the rightmaterials handled the right way. I’m sure he’s right.Thegenius is in the executionof the entirepackage—heat treat, convexgrind,thesubtletyofthecurvedblade.Butattimes,itsureseemslikeamagicknife.

WayneGoddardLBKwithastackedlaminatehandle.

It’s not really fair to compare this kindof knife to a factory knife.This is acustom knife made by one of the most respected and accomplished masterbladesmiths in the country today. I’ve talked to some very knowledgeableknifemakers who run factories producing the best factory knives made todaywho agreewith that statement.Onemanwhose dedication and skill I respecttoldmethatthere’ssimplynowayafactorycanmass-producethiskindofknife.Theycancomecloseinperformance,buttheycan’tmatchit.So,fairisfair.

However,ifyouarelookingforabsoluteperformancewithoutrespecttoprice,andifyoudon’tmindwaitingmonthstogetaknife,youshouldgiveWayneacall. These days,Wayne is concentrating on Bowies, Camp Knives, and sometacticals. I’m pretty sure there are other bladesmiths of the ABS capable ofmakingknivesthatperforminthesamerange,butIhaven’tusedtheirblades,soIcannotcommentonthem.IhaveusedWayne’sKnife,andwillcontinuetodoso.

IfIwereheadingforacombatzone,I’dorderanewonewithaslightlythickerblade,anonsliphandle,andasmalllowerguard.I’dalsoliketohaveonewitha

nine-inchblade,andafour-incher,andonewithanicestaghandleand...

WayneGoddardforgedL6sawsteelCampKnifewithadifferentialtemperslicingatomato.

WayneGoddardCustomslicingalemonwaferthin.

ZeroToleranceKnivesKAIUSALtd.18600SWTetonAvenueTualatin,Oregon97062(800)325-2891www.zt.kaiusaltd.com

ZeroToleranceKnives is a team effort between StriderKnives,KenOnion,andKaiUSA,thegoalbeingtoproduceprofessionallevelknivesformilitary,lawenforcement, andotherswhoseworkdependsonquality knives.ZTdonates aportionoftheproceedsfromtheirsalestotheParalyzedVeteransofAmerica.

The Zero Tolerance 0301 is not the knife with which to spread yourCamembertatawinetastingunlessshockandaweisyourgoal.The0301hasallthe subtlety of an Abrams tank crashing through your wall and it has thestrength of a tank compared to folding knives. The other day I was at a filmproduction company office and thought I’d have some fun. I took out themonster folder and said, “Hey guys check this out.” As I did so, I flicked theopenerandthebladeflashedopenwithanaudibleSNAP.

Oneoftheeditorsleapedoutofherchairandshouted,“Whatthef***isthat?”You have to love a knife that will produce that reaction in a seen-everythingtwenty-something blonde. The ZT also works. You could field dress aHondawithit.HavingfielddressedmorethanoneHonda—andSubaru—inthepursuitofknifeknowledge,Iknow.ZThasfieldedarangeoffoldersandfixedbladesallwiththesameconsciousnessandhighdegreeofutility.

ZT0301foldercuttingcardboard,anothersturdybulldog.

ZT0121.

ZT0100fixedbladeinawoodcuttingtest.

Zero Tolerance fixed blades are solid, sophisticated designs, well-made ofhigh-techsteel.TheZT0100 isquiteswoopy inappearance. Its reversecurvedbladecutssoftmaterialsquitewell,butthethickbevelstendtohangupinwood.Still, itwilldothejob.TheZT0121 isasturdybulldogofafixedblade,withawell-shaped handle and the ability to pry open a locked steel gate—I couldn’tresisttryingit,anditworkedfine,nodamagetotheknife.There’sacordcutterdesignedtoripthrough550cordorwireinsulationatthechoil.Ilikethehandledesignverymuch.Manyknifedesignersseemtohavethenotionthat longerisalways is better in handles. But not so. If ZT ever decides to smooth out thedesigna little, theywillhavea terrificcovertknife—onehandyenough for thecivilianoperativeandstrongenoughtopunchthroughwalls,cardoors,andsoforth.Asis,it’sagreatlittleknifefortheguysinuniformorcivilianswithsimilarneeds.

T

Conclusion

hecreativeexplosioninthedevelopmentoftacticalknivesthanbeganintheseventies continues today. Now there is a virtual river of steel made up of

goodqualityknivestochoosefrom.Thisbookprovidesyouwiththeknowledgeyouneedtopicktherightknifeforyourpurposes,butyoushouldalsopicktheknifethat’srightforyou.Todothat,whenyou’venarrowedyourchoicedowntojustafewknives,directallyourattentiontothemandreallyseeeachknife;pickthemup,heftthem.Isthereonethatseemstoattractyoumorethantheothers?Ask yourself if the attraction you feel for a particular knife is due to its flashyappearance. If so, and if you’re looking for aworkingknife rather thanone toaddtoyourcollection,putthatonedownandcontinuesearching.Asyoupickupeachknife,focusyourattentiononhowitfeelsinyourhand.Imagineusingtheknifeforyourpurpose.Doesitfeelbalanced,comfortable,right?Whenyoufindtheknifethatfeelsright,you’vefoundyourknife.

Idon’thaveacrystalballandcannotpredictwhatthefuturewillbring.Idon’tknowifanewmaterialisabouttoemergefromthelaboratoriesthatwillrenderallknifesteelobsoleteorifthepractitionersoftheancientartandcraftofforgingby hand and fire will continue to make amazing knives. My guess is thatwhateverthefutureofknifemaking,itwillbeinteresting.