Have You Ever Asked Yourself, What's A Great Tactical Knife/blade Design?

Grumpy

The Grumpy Grease Monkey mechanical engineer.
Staff member
well if you have to decide on a decent tool or blade to carry,
you know you must generally start out asking yourself,

what characteristics that blade must have,
and what you can reasonably expect it to accomplish?
OBVIOUSLY that would start out with the question,

"what do you intend to do with the blade ?

and can you carry it legally and comfortably under the prevailing conditions"




one of the local guys stopped over to chat and show me a new belt knife he purchased,
he has a schrade sharp finger,
Just like almost everyone I know locally,
but he seemed un-aware its design is so popular of a choice,
in my experience no single edged blade has all the potential characteristics required for general use ,
but some are far better than others,
and I can't see any adult functioning without some type of blade readily available

even if its just a small folding knife, even something like this 2.2" stainless folder comes in handy almost daily

511rC1Q2EvL._AC_SL1500_.jpg


or a multi tool either one is priced under $17
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obviously if you make a reasonable choice

you'll also be forced to consider factors like do you need to conceal it,
and is it legal to carry , etc.
now strictly from a functional and durability perspective ,
you'll very quickly find there's some basic design feature's that are almost mandatory,
(consider carefully, all choices are a compromise,

this is a choice you make with potentially life/death repercussions,
in a weapon/tool that you must be able to use without it failing,
and it must be fully able to be used as a defensive WEAPON and dependable tool)
you should in my opinion be able to use the blade, you select,
to do things as different as chop down a ,small tree,
build a lean too, shelter cut brush, dress out a deer,
prepare your dinner, open a few boxes, or in a pinch defend yourself from some determined opponent bent on killing you, in a confrontation,

the blade requires characteristics,
such as a sturdy one piece blade at least .20 inches thick, and full tang handle design ,
and a blade length of at least 4" minimum, or its very unlikely to provide adequate strength and durability, and effective length, for slicing/chopping etc.

, blade lengths exceeding about 7" tend to be much more difficult to easily carry, concealed
but also have several advantages as a tool or defensive weapon.
and consider your needs vs the local laws,
anything over 2"-3" in blade length or with two edge blades may be illegal in some areas
(always check local laws)

and anything much over about 12" in total length rapidly becomes too difficult to carry or conceal.(but your also in no need to conceal a blade in most circumstances)
and yes in many cases this really requires selecting two choices,
many of my friends carry a small game field dressing knife to dress out deer and a tomahawk
or hatchet of kukri for chopping work,

but look at the potential use of the blade, if its your universal edged tool it must slice and chop, that takes good blade design, and minimal blade mass/weight to work effectively.
all choices result in a few compromise's being made,


a few popular choices, but only a few of thousands

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/CS...-san-mai-blade-kraton-handle-secure-ex-sheath

https://www.kabar.com/products/1320

https://www.kabar.com/products/1213

https://www.amazon.com/Fairbairn-Sy...eywords=Sykes-Fairbairn&qid=1624723524&sr=8-9

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/CS...-san-mai-blade-kraton-handle-secure-ex-sheath

https://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-10-inch-Powdercoat-Overmold-Lanyard/dp/B006YBXZLK/ref=sr_1_20?crid=12N4U8JXMLGO7&dchild=1&keywords=kukri+knife+tactical&qid=1624723706&sprefix=kukri,aps,220&sr=8-20

https://www.amazon.com/Bobcat-Knives-Handmade-Functional-Leather/dp/B07RJNTYTK/ref=sr_1_38?crid=12N4U8JXMLGO7&dchild=1&keywords=kukri+knife+tactical&qid=1624723783&sprefix=kukri,aps,220&sr=8-38

https://www.amazon.com/MTECH-USA-MT-20-77GY-Double-Edged-11-25-Inch/dp/B01LQMKPLE/ref=sr_1_10?crid=1CTDFYEFB9PAW&dchild=1&keywords=fighting+knife+fixed+blade&qid=1624723615&sprefix=fighting+knife,aps,212&sr=8-10

ttps://www.amazon.com/Moorhaus-D2-Kukri-Knife-Introductory/dp/B077LDR8HZ/ref=sr_1_64_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=cold+steel+kukri+knife&qid=1624724052&sr=8-64-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyNEo0TldONkZBVUxTJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTE0MjMxMlk1SVQyVzZXT0JHTiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUExMDIyMzE4MVZZSEwwMFFCMVFTRyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2J0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

https://www.amazon.com/NedFoss-Hunt...ca224&pd_rd_wg=SknVd&pd_rd_i=B0827LK8RV&psc=1


https://www.knifecenter.com/item/CS...ewashed-blade-kray-ex-handle-secure-ex-sheath

https://www.amazon.com/Condor-K-Tact-Kukri-Knife-Green/dp/B0784V4FX8/ref=sr_1_40?crid=12N4U8JXMLGO7&dchild=1&keywords=kukri+knife+tactical&qid=1624723783&sprefix=kukri,aps,220&sr=8-40

https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-3...cold+steel+kukri+knife&qid=1624724010&sr=8-53

https://www.amazon.com/Moorhaus-D2-...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/CS...n-mai-iii-blade-kray-ex-handles-cor-ex-sheath

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/CS...ck-sk-5-blade-kray-ex-handle-secure-ex-sheath

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/SCH152OT/schrade-152ot-old-timer-sharpfinger-fixed-delrin-handles

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...nely-carry-at-least-some-type-of-knife.11877/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...tion-of-a-decent-combat-defensive-knife.1097/

https://hiconsumption.com/best-tactical-combat-knives/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/basic-fighting-knife-design.13761/
 
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the bigger chopping blades, that make survival,
shelter construction, and in some areas ,dressing out large game
camping and use as a defensive weapon much easier


https://www.smkw.com/cold-steel-trench-hawk-od-green-1055-carbon

https://www.coldsteel.com/gurkha-kukri-plus-cpm-3v/

https://www.sportsmensden.ca/product/gurkha-kukri-san-mai-iii/

https://www.smkw.com/spyderco-warrior-hawk

https://www.smkw.com/condor-tool-and-knife-sentinel-od-green

https://www.smkw.com/browning-bl-shock-n-awesome-tomahawk

https://www.khukurihouseonline.com/gurkha-army-current-issue-service-khukuri

https://www.khukurihouseonline.com/british-military-kukri-ww2-mk3

personally I find a sharade old timer, and a cold steel kukri the ideal combo
as no one blade is able to do the full range of work

https://www.amazon.com/Old-Timer-16...45ca8&pd_rd_wg=cYIeO&pd_rd_i=B000UW3V36&psc=1
31ciJoikuxL._AC_.jpg

https://opticsandammo.com/product/cold-steel-gurkha-kukri-mfg-39lgkt/

https://opticsandammo.com/product/cold-steel-gurkha-kukri-mfg-39lgkt/
money well spent in my opinion when you buy a decent kukri that will last a life time with proper maintenance

coldpic39lgkt-12.jpg

if forced to carry only one edged tool/ blade,
Ill go cold steel trail master, I did this for a few years,
but the combo of the small sharade and heavy blade kukri,
have advantages in my opinion

eyJidWNrZXQiOiAiZmlsZXMua25pZmVjZW50ZXIuY29tIiwia2V5IjogImtuaWZlY2VudGVyL2NvbGRzdGVlbC9pbWFnZXMvQ1MxNkpTTV8xLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogNzYwLCJoZWlnaHQiOiA0MjUsImZpdCI6ICJjb250YWluIiwiYmFja2dyb3VuZCI6IHsiciI6IDI1NSwiZyI6IDI1NSwiYiI6IDI1NSwiYWxwaGEiOiAxfX19fQ==

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/CS...n-mai-iii-blade-kray-ex-handles-cor-ex-sheath





 
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ID point out that by far the most popular combo among the guys I hang out with
is the scharade sharp finger as a belt knife,
like belly buttons everyone seems to have one
( at least for the last 40 years or so,the schrade sharp finger knife
is locally
ALMOST THE UNIVERSAL RURAL FARMERS/RED NECK, BELT KNIFE)

and most local guys when hunting carry a tomahawk or hatchet of some type
I don,t know why but most guys I hunt with prefer a hatchet to a kukri, as the larger bladed tool

DON'T BUY ONE OF THESE I dropped mine and the blade shattered like glass

https://www.amazon.com/Moorhaus-D2-...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
more and more I see this sharp finger blade design as a decent value
its not a fighting knife design, it's strictly for dressing out, processing game meat

https://www.budk.com/Timberwolf-Vik...MIwouZ_Oi18QIV1AmICR2QKQzMEAQYBCABEgL8pPD_BwE


61XrjtHSCKL._AC_SL1500_.jpg


https://www.amazon.com/Old-Timer-15...MHY8D5943NG&psc=1&refRID=8NSR3B41CMHY8D5943NG

https://www.amazon.com/Thrower-Supp...=1&keywords=viking+axe&qid=1624728617&sr=8-29

https://www.harborfreight.com/axe-with-hickory-handle-65729.html
 
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