Several months ago in a thread I can’t remember the name of, one of y’all recommended that I make a mock up of the knife I actually carry for knife training, rather than use the rubber military style knives one usually trains with. I didn’t take the time to do it then, but I have now & I’m attaching pics of the results. One is obviously the cardboard pattern I made of my knife & the other is the same piece of cardboard covered with electrical tape & duct tape. I’ll try it & give you the results later next week. Thanks for the idea!
Much more elaborate than I have done. I tend to give the blade a more tongue depressor looking profile and just use enough tape to hold it together. Yours looks like a movie prop. Very nice work. Remember to wear eye protection if you are drilling hard and keep in mind the “knife” is supposed to bend and fail before it does more than a bruised rib’s worth of damage so they are “disposable” items.
As an aside; Is that a CRKT? Does your knife have liner lock? Because I am strongly in the anti liner lock camp.
Regards,
Robert A
[quote]Robert A wrote: Because I am strongly in the anti liner lock camp.
Regards,
Robert A[/quote]
Because…?
[quote]Miss Parker wrote:
Several months ago in a thread I can’t remember the name of, one of y’all recommended that I make a mock up of the knife I actually carry for knife training, rather than use the rubber military style knives one usually trains with.
[/quote]
My solution? Carry a KA-BAR.
Just kidding, sort of. I’ve always preferred fixed blades to folders, love my KA-BAR LDK as an “oh shit” weapon.
[quote]legendaryblaze wrote:
[quote]Robert A wrote: Because I am strongly in the anti liner lock camp.
Regards,
Robert A[/quote]
Because…?[/quote]
Short Answer: Because I am a lefty and would like to stay that way.
I have accidently closed a liner lock while using it to cut zip ties. It is easier to do if you are holding the knife in the “wrong” hand.
At this point there are multiple companies that make locks as stong as a liner that are much “harder” to accidently dis-engage so I put the liner lock in the “solution in search of a problem” camp. I am partial to regular lock backs or the ball bearing lock Spyderco has. Benchmade’s AXIS lock is also very smooth, although it might be possible to disengage it if the knife was being used for “social” purposes and there was a struggle.
Any of those choices is less prone to accident than a liner.
Regards,
Robert A
[quote]devildog_jim wrote:
[quote]Miss Parker wrote:
Several months ago in a thread I can’t remember the name of, one of y’all recommended that I make a mock up of the knife I actually carry for knife training, rather than use the rubber military style knives one usually trains with.
[/quote]
My solution? Carry a KA-BAR.
Just kidding, sort of. I’ve always preferred fixed blades to folders, love my KA-BAR LDK as an “oh shit” weapon.[/quote]
Hide out knives definitely have a place.
As for bigger knives; fixed blades seem to create attention from which those of us without badges stand nothing to gain.
I have the same issue with “assisted” openers. They are not “switchblades/gravity knives” but enforcement of what is and what is not restricted depends a lot on officer discretion and a ton on DA’s. I have no interest in courting a “You can be the wrap, but you will never beat the ride.” situation. Since thumb holes, thumb studs, and “wave” features work nearly as well I avoid the “assisted” models as well.
Your Milage May Vary.(Yours especially Jim)
Regards,
Robert A
I’ve just never taken the time to get good at opening a folder quickly, and I figure that any time I’ll need to pull a knife on someone I’ll have to do it fast. So I generally have a full-size .45 over my right kidney and a little knife on my front centerline where either hand can get to it, even while grappled. Pull the .45 for stand-off work, pull the knife only when I need to cut a femoral artery in a hurry (hasn’t happened yet, fingers crossed).
As you said, YMMV. But remember kids, in a real knife fight a slash is usually cosmetic, a thrust is much more likely to be a stopping blow. So no matter what knife you carry you should be able to thrust with it.
Edit to add: As good a time as any to re-link to this site Knife Fighting
[quote]Robert A wrote:
Much more elaborate than I have done. I tend to give the blade a more tongue depressor looking profile and just use enough tape to hold it together. Yours looks like a movie prop. Very nice work. Remember to wear eye protection if you are drilling hard and keep in mind the “knife” is supposed to bend and fail before it does more than a bruised rib’s worth of damage so they are “disposable” items.
As an aside; Is that a CRKT? Does your knife have liner lock? Because I am strongly in the anti liner lock camp.
Regards,
Robert A[/quote]
Thanks! The cardboard is actually pretty flimsy, I don’t expect it too last more than one or two sessions. I have lots of cardboard, though!
The knife is just a little Gerber. I’m actually looking for something to replace it, as the cheap clip has become too loose. Aside from that I love it, it fits my hand perfectly. It does have a liner lock. I’m not educated about knives & don’t know if I’d prefer another type, I just love the size, shape & feel of this one.
Speaking of Ka-bar, I was givng a private lesson to a woman who carries a ka-bar & a gun at all times. She practices shooting a lot but has never drawn it under pressure so we were working that. I was choking her, knocking her down, dragging her by her hair, etc. & she was figuring out when she could access her weapons & when she just had to fight. I noticed after about 45 minutes she always went for the gun, never once for the blade. I asked her about it & she confessed she was terrified that the knife would be taken from her & used against her.
So I said, “Well, let’s see…” & tried to get the knife from her. She was fast! I couldn’t get it, and I was really trying. So I slapped her in the face & when she recoiled I grabbed her wrist & ripped the knife from her hand. It was creepy. I told her to stop carrying a weapon she wasn’t willing to use. She was pretty quick with that gun, though. I have to say I respect students like that who are wiling to really test things out.
So…that’s my little story for today. 
[quote]Robert A wrote:
As an aside; Is that a CRKT? Does your knife have liner lock? Because I am strongly in the anti liner lock camp.
Regards,
Robert A[/quote]
For V-day, my wife got me a nice CRKT with a liner lock, and a separate little lock to let you disengage the liner lock. Rock solid when open, but I haven’t been able to reliably get it to close one-handed yet.
[quote]Miss Parker wrote:
The knife is just a little Gerber. I’m actually looking for something to replace it, as the cheap clip has become too loose. Aside from that I love it, it fits my hand perfectly. It does have a liner lock. I’m not educated about knives & don’t know if I’d prefer another type, I just love the size, shape & feel of this one.
[/quote]
If you’re about to get rid of it, you could take it a step farther. Unscrew the handle off of the real knife, and then screw that handle on to an old rubber training knife that you’ve reshaped the same way you shaped the cardboard.
[quote]borrek wrote:
[quote]Robert A wrote:
As an aside; Is that a CRKT? Does your knife have liner lock? Because I am strongly in the anti liner lock camp.
Regards,
Robert A[/quote]
For V-day, my wife got me a nice CRKT with a liner lock, and a separate little lock to let you disengage the liner lock. Rock solid when open, but I haven’t been able to reliably get it to close one-handed yet.[/quote]
That sounds like a better solution. The secondary lock would prevent the accidental closing issue. Of course it adds steps to opening and closing, if that matters to the user.
Also, a wife who buys quality knives instead of a Wallmart special is a good thing. Congratulations.
Regards,
Robert A
Miss Parker,
If you want a new knife and are unsure what to get, I would suggest a Spyderco Endura (approx 4 inch blade) or Delica (approx 3 inch blade) with the “Wave” feature if you carry in a front pocket or without if you carry in your waistband. The Wave is a hook that catches on your pocket and swings open the blade as you draw. It works well with a bit of practice.
Either model can be had with a variety of blade steels, some more expensive than others, but all are reasonably easy to sharpen, and decent clips. They can be opened and closed even wearing gloves. You can get them in a variety of colors.
I recommend a plain edge over serrated unless you are going to be cutting primarily rope/netting, or if the knife is going to be kept in the car as an emergency tool. It is easier to keep sharp and is a better solution 9/10 times. The 10th time it will work ok as long as the blade is sharp.
You can also purchase “Drone” trainers with dull blades for either model so you can practice opening and using them under pressure more safely.
These are serviceable blades, that cost around 60 dollars. Amazon usually has them in stock.
Regards,
Robert A
I’ve never had anything but good things to say about Spyderco. Great blades for the price. If money is no object (or a much smaller object) you can try Fox Knives. I happen to like them because they make a good quality high-end Applegate-Fairbairn pattern knife (my personal favorite when carrying a knife as a weapon instead of as a tool or for personal defense), but they also have some very well made folders with a good variety of edge, grip, and length options.
Wow, thanks very much Robert A & Devildog! I will look into y’all’s suggestions right away.
I guess I may end up getting more than one - my preferred place to carry it is in my front pocket, but I wear skirts & dresses a lot so that isn’t always an option. I usually put the knife in the waistband of a skirt or clip it on the center of my bra if I’m in a dress, but it’s a bit awkward to access it quickly from there.
I’ve never been good at opening knives quickly or gracefully, so the wave feature for pocket carry is appealing.