Thursday, September 21, 2006
Selecting a Tactical Knife
I thought it would be a good idea to explain to you what criteria I use for selecting a tactical knife. I am left handed but I live in a right handed world and I can not change that, so my considerations are somewhat different than the average right handed person.
A Tactical knife should have about a 4 inch blade and in Texas where I now live the legal limit is 5.5 inch. Most knives are somewhat hard to open with your weak hand, I have learned to open most any folder with my right hand but its still very awkward.
I have owned many liner lock folders in years past but there are only 2 that I can trust at this time so that they will not close on your fingers and ruin your day. One is the CRKT brand and the model is the M16 which has a dual lock. I have complete faith in this liner lock and these knives are made in Taiwan and sell for a very reasonable price.
The other liner lock folders I trust are the new super premium folders made by Cold Steel. These are expensive folders that retail for about $400.00 and are worth every penny in my opinion. Some models like the "SPECTRE" can only be opened with the right hand which leaves me out. These top of the line folders are in demand and are hard to get at this time. The best way to get one is to pre order them, they are made in Seki, Japan.
The easyiest knives to open with one hand are the Benchmade Axis folders that are superb. Another easy to open knife are the Spyderco knives with the large hole in the blade. SOG makes a very superior knife with an Axis lock that is similar to the Benchmade, it is called the SOG Vision model and is top rated and runs about $200.00 and this is a modified Tanto blade. I think this is the best SOG knife made which also comes from Seki, Japan.
A lot depends on how you want to carry your knife as the better folders have an option of re arranging the pocket clip. I am very open minded but my knives are carried on the right side because being left handed I must keep my Glock pistol on my left side. If I can not open a knife with my weaker right hand I will not carry that knife.
The line of Spyderco knives are very good, but the main problem I have is the flat stainless steel handles are too slipery. I often jewel the entire handle to give it some texture. This is not an easy job and I prefer to buy something like a G10 laminate as the handle material.
I have tried all kinds of different locks on these folders. A lock back knife is very good as on the Cold Steel Voyager. I have a few with a frame lock and have very little faith in it but its better than a liner lock. Its not always how much you spend to get a knife.
There are no sharper knives than Cold Steel because its all in the tempering and the heat treating process. Cold Steel has got it down to a science and if its sharp you want, look no futher as Cold Steel is it. They are not near as easy to open using one hand as a Spyderco or the CRKT or the SOG Arc Lock or some of the assisted opening knives.
I try and find a compromise. For a lefty like me the Axis or Arc lock or the Spyderco knives are easiest to open with one hand. Spyderco has now come out with a ball lock that is very good, and their knives are priced right and they are razor sharp. Microtech uses a liner lock and they look strong but the thought is always in my mind, will it close on my fingers if there is lots of stress on the blade.
Masters of Defense make good knives but they do not have the razor edge like a Cold Steel knife in my opinion. I no longer buy Emerson knives. The selection of steel in your blade is very important. CRKT uses a lot of AUS-8 steel which is good and Benchmade uses D2 steel in a few select models which holds a good edge. The knives that come from Seki, Japan are usually made with ATS-34 premium steel. The American equal to that steel is 154 CM.
I personally always check the steel the folder is made of before I purchase it. Remember the higher the carbon content the sharper you will be able to get it but the down side it will not be as corrosion resistant. When Chromium is added to the steel it becomes corrosion resistant. All good knife manufacturers will tell you what the blade steel is on their fact sheet.
IF A KNIFE BLADE IN NOT HEAT TREATED PROPERLY IT WILL NEVER HOLD AN EDGE.
I hope this condensed information will help you in your selection process. Its very important to have a top rated knife because your very life depends on it. You can not have enough knives. You should all have a good quality neck knife also.
Thanks for reading my commentary.
Teddy
A Tactical knife should have about a 4 inch blade and in Texas where I now live the legal limit is 5.5 inch. Most knives are somewhat hard to open with your weak hand, I have learned to open most any folder with my right hand but its still very awkward.
I have owned many liner lock folders in years past but there are only 2 that I can trust at this time so that they will not close on your fingers and ruin your day. One is the CRKT brand and the model is the M16 which has a dual lock. I have complete faith in this liner lock and these knives are made in Taiwan and sell for a very reasonable price.
The other liner lock folders I trust are the new super premium folders made by Cold Steel. These are expensive folders that retail for about $400.00 and are worth every penny in my opinion. Some models like the "SPECTRE" can only be opened with the right hand which leaves me out. These top of the line folders are in demand and are hard to get at this time. The best way to get one is to pre order them, they are made in Seki, Japan.
The easyiest knives to open with one hand are the Benchmade Axis folders that are superb. Another easy to open knife are the Spyderco knives with the large hole in the blade. SOG makes a very superior knife with an Axis lock that is similar to the Benchmade, it is called the SOG Vision model and is top rated and runs about $200.00 and this is a modified Tanto blade. I think this is the best SOG knife made which also comes from Seki, Japan.
A lot depends on how you want to carry your knife as the better folders have an option of re arranging the pocket clip. I am very open minded but my knives are carried on the right side because being left handed I must keep my Glock pistol on my left side. If I can not open a knife with my weaker right hand I will not carry that knife.
The line of Spyderco knives are very good, but the main problem I have is the flat stainless steel handles are too slipery. I often jewel the entire handle to give it some texture. This is not an easy job and I prefer to buy something like a G10 laminate as the handle material.
I have tried all kinds of different locks on these folders. A lock back knife is very good as on the Cold Steel Voyager. I have a few with a frame lock and have very little faith in it but its better than a liner lock. Its not always how much you spend to get a knife.
There are no sharper knives than Cold Steel because its all in the tempering and the heat treating process. Cold Steel has got it down to a science and if its sharp you want, look no futher as Cold Steel is it. They are not near as easy to open using one hand as a Spyderco or the CRKT or the SOG Arc Lock or some of the assisted opening knives.
I try and find a compromise. For a lefty like me the Axis or Arc lock or the Spyderco knives are easiest to open with one hand. Spyderco has now come out with a ball lock that is very good, and their knives are priced right and they are razor sharp. Microtech uses a liner lock and they look strong but the thought is always in my mind, will it close on my fingers if there is lots of stress on the blade.
Masters of Defense make good knives but they do not have the razor edge like a Cold Steel knife in my opinion. I no longer buy Emerson knives. The selection of steel in your blade is very important. CRKT uses a lot of AUS-8 steel which is good and Benchmade uses D2 steel in a few select models which holds a good edge. The knives that come from Seki, Japan are usually made with ATS-34 premium steel. The American equal to that steel is 154 CM.
I personally always check the steel the folder is made of before I purchase it. Remember the higher the carbon content the sharper you will be able to get it but the down side it will not be as corrosion resistant. When Chromium is added to the steel it becomes corrosion resistant. All good knife manufacturers will tell you what the blade steel is on their fact sheet.
IF A KNIFE BLADE IN NOT HEAT TREATED PROPERLY IT WILL NEVER HOLD AN EDGE.
I hope this condensed information will help you in your selection process. Its very important to have a top rated knife because your very life depends on it. You can not have enough knives. You should all have a good quality neck knife also.
Thanks for reading my commentary.
Teddy
