Combat Knife :: Tactical Knife :: Hunting Knife :: Fixed Blade Knife :: Folding Blade Knife Blade

Lots of people struggle to efficiently employ uniquely styled blade ware, when you buy a tactical knife, there are so many to choose from - folding tactical knives, fixed blade knives, to gurkas, kukris, parangs, goloks for example - until they've learned the using-technique peculiar to that style of knife. All knives have a right and not-so-right technique of usage. Oh, you can cut with them, but how much better might you cut when you get the knack of using them properly? When you are ready to buy a tactical knife online, you should consider that choosing a combat knife shouldn't be based on price alone, it's specific use, and your capabilities must be taken into consideration. Part of proper knife usage involves maintaining the edge in sharp order, that is, the correct sharpening technique (there's that word technique again!).

Sharpening methods are not the province of this article; suffice to say there are various ways of achieving shaving-sharpness on all manner of blade ware - from your quality tactical folding knife, to little folders to big bush blades including the fixed blade combat knife. Too many people discard perfectly good knives because they've not learned how to efficiently cut with them or how to properly sharpen the edges

Combat Knife : : Tactical Knife Sharpening Tips

DESPITE THE multitude of gadgets available to sharpen your knives, try an oil stone in a wooden half-box, clamped in a vice and lubricated with WD40 to stop clogging.

OK, you buy a combat knife, then what? Most new combat knives come with a shop ground short edge and shoulder. This shoulder should be removed using the coarse side of the stone so that its edge merges with the whole blade. Next, using the fine side of the stone, proceed to finish this work on each side of the combat knife by holding the blade almost flat on the stone and at an angle of about 45 degrees from the vertical. Each side should be stroked in one direction only, with the sharp edge leading, alternating sides until the ground areas reach the very edge of the blade.

To test the knife, gently draw the edge over your thumbnail. Parts of the edge that are completed will drag, and the parts that are not yet fully sharp will slide over the nail. The final result is a series of microscopic teeth on the edge. These eventually tend to fold over to some degree.

To restore sharpness stroke each side of the blade on a fine steel to stand them back up. No metal needs to be removed until the minute teeth break or flatten.

A real knife attack is likely to look like this...

Having the best tactical knife isn't a guaranteed win

DPx Gear HEAT/F Grey Back Up Knife

The DPX HEAT Is a small knife that thinks It's a big knife. It's fun to watch It get into big knife trouble and watch all the big knife guys snicker... until that little guy goes all Rocky Balboa and drops the champ on the canvas.

Yeah, the HEAT punches way above its weight. With 0.18 Inches of black PVD coated and stonewashed Elmax steel, we're surprised the little guy doesn't think It's a crowbar.

This 2.26-Inch, titanium frame locking underdog might be scarce, but if you live in a place that outlaws Digger species, you might want to track one down.

Zero Tolerance 0095BW

The Zero Tolerance 0095BW offers a dramatic look and top performance. The 3.6-inch, harpoon-style blade is made of ultra-durable S35VN steel with a BlackWash finish to give the knife a sleek, A unified look and to hide hard-use scratches.

The blade is paired with a titanium handle with wide, contoured chamfers to provide a secure, comfortable grip. Zero Tolerance's KVT ball-bearing system lets you open the knife quickly, and a titanium frame lock with a hardened lock-bar insert holds the blade open during use.

HAA'S NEW BIG FIXED BLADE BFK-01 GEN II Knife

HHA's next evolution of their fixed blades, the BFK-01 GEN II is the biggest and toughest HHA blade ever. Every part of HHA's futuristic BFK design has been redeveloped from the ground up to bring you a true multi-purpose blade capable of coping with the most extreme duties in the most severe environments.

Whether you're a tactical operator, soldier, hunter, bushman or just need a super tough 'all purpose' knife, the BFK-01 GEN II should be high on your wish list. It can chop, saw, slash, dig, baton, smash, stab, pry, skin and spear - making it more of an all round 'tool' than just a fixed blade.

The 172mm long, 41mm wide modified Tanto point blade is made from HHA's trademark D2 steel with a Teflon coating, comes with its own sheath and is available in Black or Desert.

Black Bird Noir

ONTARIO KNIFE COMPANY

Although the Black Bird SK-5 from Ontario Knife Company has been a favorite with knife users since its debut in 2011, OKC received feedback from U.S. military troops and law enforcement members requesting a version to fit their special needs.

In response to these requests, the Black Bird SK-5 Noir was born. Designed by survivalist Paul Scheiter, the Black Bird SK-5 Noir was built as a stripped-down survival knife with only the essential features—a 5-inch blade with a center point and a full, flat grind.

At 10 inches overall, the 0.13-inch thick stainless steel 154CM blade is strong enough to meet the challenges of bushcraft, survival, hunting and tactical situations.

The new Noir version sports a durable black epoxy powder coat. "In direct response to feedback from military and law enforcement users, we are now introducing the Noir variant of the Black Bird SK-5 Knife," says Scheiter.

"It's identical in all dimensions, materials and functionality to the original blade, but is differentiated by a non-reflective powdercoat finish. This gives the knife a more stealthy capability geared specifically to the needs of tactical operators."

The Black Bird SK-5 Noir is outfitted with a dark Micarta handle to ensure durability and a solid grip regardless of the conditions. A new MOLLE-compatable tactical black sheath offers the same reliability and function as its companion. The sheath also allows the wearer the ability to use an integrated belt loop for a more traditional carry.

Buck's Compadres

Buck Knives has expanded its line of knives with the brand new Compadre Series consisting of a camp knife, hatchet and chopping froe. All Compadre components feature unique red powder-coat blades and Heritage Walnut Dymondwood handles.

The Compadre camp knife was designed and engineered with the outdoor enthusiast in mind. Features include full-tang construction and a heavy-duty, stylish Heritage Walnut Dymondwood handle for easy carry.

A red powder-coat finish adds style and resistance to corrosion. The blade's constructed of 5160 steel, and measures in at a little more than 9 inches.

High-Status Blades

ELITE TACTICAL FOLDERS THAT WILL MAKE EVERYONE JEALOUS

BY STEVEN DICK

I was sitting at a SHOT Show press room table with a couple of other magazine editors a few years ago when one of them held up his wrist to show me the watch he was wearing.

It was obviously one of those common, inexpensive, digital models—much the same as what I had on at the time. His comment, though, kind of caught me by surprise: "I can see your publisher doesn't pay you any better than mine does me!"

Up until that point, it had never really occurred to me that people in my profession were passing judgment on my status based on the watch I wore.

While I knew the gold standard for "successful in your field" was a Rolex watch prominently displayed on your wrist, the honest truth was that the writing business really doesn't produce much opportunity to own one of these luxury Swiss timepieces.

Eventually, I settled on a Ball Hydrocarbon. You might say wearing the watch to an industry trade show was an experiment, but I was soon surprised at how many people were asking, "Is that a Ball you have on?" So what do watches have to do with tactical folders?

Once you gain entry to the world of indulgent timepieces, you quickly notice another obvious fact: The same people wearing those high-end Swiss watches take their tactical folders just as seriously.

Now, the conventional wisdom is that custom tactical folders are bought by people that think of them as an investment and would never actually use them. I'm here to tell you that is not necessarily true.

A well-worn, high-end tactical folder can be just another way of saying "I've made it. Have you?" My personal example of this is the Bob Terzuola folder I have carried for almost three decades on at least four continents.

There are some that feel Bob actually invented the tactical category of folders. His knives are often plain but elegantly functional at the same time.

I first decided I needed one after seeing how many of my ex-Ranger brothers that had moved on to other "agencies" carried a Terzuola.

Bob's following has exploded since the early '90s, and today you need to have your name drawn out of a box at a show for just the chance of purchasing a $1,000-plus folder from the maker.

That doesn't mean you can expect to see mine being retired anytime soon. Given that there are dozens of potential knife choices these days, I'm setting a few rules for the folders included in this feature. First, the maker needs to be well known and have a following.

Second, the minimum blade length is 3 inches. I feel anything under that is too small for heavy use or self-defense. Third, the blade steel should be a modern, high-performance alloy.

Fourth, while the handles may be top tier, they should still be functional. The scars a working tool picks up have a beauty all their own and are more impressive to the educated eye than pure bling.

Benchmade 781 ANTHEM

Practically any Benchmade model carries a fair amount of status among knowledgeable knife users, but the new Anthem is a little more special than most.

The handle frame is made from a single billet of titanium, with the company's patented Axis lock securing the blade open. Its 3.5-inch blade is made from CPM- 20CV.

This is an extremely high carbon (1.9 percent) and high chromium (20 percent) steel that offers both great edge retention and superior resistance to corrosion.

Dual opening pegs allow ambidextrous use, and the carry clip can be reversed for right- or left-hand tip-up carry. I especially like the flat profile of the handle frame and its light 3.66-ounce weight (benchmade.com)

JAKE HOBACK KWAIBACK

The original Japanese Kwaiback seems to have been a smaller version of the Tanto dagger and was used mostly for concealed carry.

Hoback has taken the basic concept and turned it into a very heavy-duty tactical folder. The katana-style CPM-20CV stainless blade is 3.75 inches long and 0.188 inches thick.

There are a number of handle frame options offered, but the knife shown here is a combination of carbon fiber and titanium with a reversible tip-up carry clip.

The blade is opened by means of a spin-mounted flipper and held in that position with a massive frame-lock bar. Few tactical folders can match this one for pure strength, (jakehobackknives.com)

RICK HINDERER MP-1

Given Rick Hinderer's background as a firefighter, EMT and rescue diver, it probably shouldn't come as a surprise that his folders are built with an extra margin of strength.

The MP-1 (Modular Platform) is an excellent example of this design philosophy. The 3.5-inch blade is made of 0.165-inch-thick S35VN steel mounted on a titanium and G10 handle frame.

If you really must pry with your folder, the MP-1's unique heavy drop point should be ideal for you. The knife is set up for tip-down, right-hand carry and weighs 5.6 ounces, (rickhindererknives.com)

SPARTAN KRANOS

Spartan Blades h a s the distinction of being run by a couple of retired Special Forces NCOs who have truly been there and done that several times over.

Their designs reflect that combined battlefield experience at a level few cutlery companies can ever approach. When the Kranos tactical folder was awarded "American Made Knife of the Year" for 2017, it wasn't a surprise.

The 3.37-inch blade is ground from S35VN stainless and is mounted on a titanium frame with G10 scales. The blade is opened by means of a spine-mounted flipper, and a Special-Forces-inspired clip provides tip-up, right-hand carry. The Kranos weighs 4.3 ounces, (spartanbladesusa.com)

TRUE NORTH ELISHEWITZ STRYKER REDUX

Over the years, there have been many versions of the Elishewitz Stryker in both factory and custom offerings. This includes a Benchmade military-issued auto that has been carried by thousands of troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

True North Knives' exclusive version is certainly a Rolex-level interpretation of this classic. The 3.85-inch blade is made of CTX-XHP, a high carbon (1.6 percent), medium chromium (16 percent) alloy. The titanium handle has an Elishewitz trademark bolster. The knife weighs 5.5 ounces, (truenorthknives.com)

TRUE NORTH/CHRIS REEVE INKOSI

Many would probably put the Chris Reeve family of folders at the top of the list when it comes to status-symbol tactical knives.

Adding True North Knives' special touches to the Inkosi only makes it more noticeable among the knowledgeable collectors out there. The 3.56-inch blade is ground from S35VN stainless and mounted on a titanium handle frame with Micarta inserts.

The blade can be opened from either side by ambidextrous thumb studs and is held there by the solid frame lock that was basically invented by Chris Reeve. This knife weighs only 4.8 ounces, (truenorthknives.com)

A.G. RUSSELL GENT'S HUNTER II

I normally wouldn't give a runner-up to the aforementioned status-symbol tactical folders, but A.G. Russell's new Gent's Hunter II is one model that deserves to be the exception to that rule.

A.G. is a living legend in cutlery circles, and this particular knife is one of his extremely well-thought-out designs. You can start with the handle-to-blade-length ratio.

The standard rule is that the blade will be an inch shorter than the handle frame. If the blade is longer than that, it's considered a plus; shorter, a negative.

To that end, the Gent's Hunter II has a 4.38-inch handle frame with a 3.63-inch 9Cr13CoMoV blade. A.G. also designed the 1-inch-wide blade to sit as low as possible in the 0.88-inch-wide handle frame.

Handle scales are available in carbon fiber, cocobolo and green G10, all with a reversible pocket clip. And all of the handle scales are contoured for added comfort.

STANDING OUT : One of the unusual design features of the Gent's Hunter II is its lack of thumb pegs, an opening hole or a spine flipper.

There are dual thumb nicks on the blade for conventional two-handed opening, but the way A.G. personally opens the knife is with a snap of the wrist.

The butter-smooth fit and finish of the knife makes this incredibly easy. It also uses a traditional rocker-bar lock rather than the more common frame or liner lock.

In keeping with the "gent's" factor in this design, the pocket clip is set for very low, discreet carry. With the exception of the extreme top of the clip, the knife will be virtually concealed by your clothing at all times.

While I would still not recommend carrying this knife in New York City, it should be ideal for everyday carry in most parts of the country.

The MSRP for the carbon-fiber model is $145 with the other handle options running from $85. (agrussell.com) —Steven Dick