TactiCool Yes or No

[Jake_Lucas]

I really don't associate myself with the term "tacticool". But I did serve four tours in Iraq, and a "tactical" folder and flashlight were very necessary tools.

Why did I put " " around "tactical"? Because I have spent 40 years associated with the Air Force and Army. To me "tactical" is being in a deployed or field environment.

A good folder is a tool you don't want to be without. We didn't use them for killing bad guys. We needed them handy in pocket or on belt for all the daily support needs you find in a "tactical" environment. Tie wraps, cardboard, 500 cord, setting up in your CHU (Containerized Housing Unit), etc. Nobody had a shiny blade. They were all bead blasted or black. Not to be "tacticool", in Iraq you just don't want to draw attention with a shiny blade. I you were lucky enough to be where they had a mes hall, you got steak and maybe lobstor. But try eating them with cheap plasctic knives.

You had to work at night, and walk acros sand and large rocks to use a latrine. A small but powerful flashlight kept you from breaking an ankle or leg. They had very narrow beams, and you further hooded them with your hand. The flash light was also black to prevent reflections if there were lights nearby.

These tools are just as necessary in a camping environment, even if the black colors aren't really needed.

The same tools purchased for a civilized urban environment could be called "tacticool". But the tools I have were purchased to fill a real "tactical" need.

^^^ this x100

[Mikael W]

I'm a middle-age civilian and I prefer traditional designs for civil use as tools.

Tacti-Cool?

No thanks!

Regards
Mikael

[RemyKaze]

I carry a Para 2 camo and a Leatherman Wave at work and on a day to day basis, and love them both. One is "tactical" by your definition but convenient by mine, the other(multitool) is also carried by many Amish folk, but is pretty darn tactical also. However, when I hit the woods, my mindset seems to be akin to FortyTwoBlades. I go traditional. Fixed blades/SAKs/Opinels, folding saws, hatchets and tomahawks. Out there fast deployment can be a plus but it's mostly about having the right tools on hand. My question is, why does anyone have to choose? Both have their place. Heck, I sometimes carry modern in one pocket and traditional in the other.

[bad_juju]

I just buy carry and use what I like at the time. regardless of tacticool or traditional or just plain stupid! Whatever my mood, job, place visiting that day is determines what I will use to best suit the needs. I do get sick of black on black but if I only had all blue I'd get sick of blue too.

[Stelth]

I buy what I like and don't worry about what label the knife has.

[FortyTwoBlades]

I carry a Para 2 camo and a Leatherman Wave at work and on a day to day basis, and love them both. One is "tactical" by your definition but convenient by mine, the other(multitool) is also carried by many Amish folk, but is pretty darn tactical also. However, when I hit the woods, my mindset seems to be akin to FortyTwoBlades. I go traditional. Fixed blades/SAKs/Opinels, folding saws, hatchets and tomahawks. Out there fast deployment can be a plus but it's mostly about having the right tools on hand. My question is, why does anyone have to choose? Both have their place. Heck, I sometimes carry modern in one pocket and traditional in the other.

I use plenty of modern designs, but because I'm drawn towards designs that are highly efficient and functional at their tasks that naturally ends up making a lot of traditional designs appealing to me. A lot of those designs were widespread and stood the test of time simply because they were so effective at what they were intended to do! Lots of nice modern knives out there, too, and I love them as well, but there are also a lot of knives out there these days that are designed to raise the bottom line more than perform efficiently.

[gomipile]

I would very much like to find a knife that has one hand opening, the pivot is adjustable and has a pocket clip but has organic material scales and looks civilized and has about max 4 inch blade. I would buy it instantly if the materials are good and the price is reasonable, max 150 euros. Can of course be cheaper. I have been looking at Benchmade models of Lone wolf knives, Trask just might be it. Also the smaller one, Swale, is interesting. I have no experience about those so I dont know anything about their quality, I quess they have been reviewed here.

Edit. Also the Ridge Top looks nice, not sure about the quality. Quite cheap.

The Spyderco Sage 4 is a rather nice knife with wood scales, excellent pocket clip, and Spyder hole deployment.

[james terrio]

"Tacticool" is like art or porn... I can't really define it, but I know it when I see it. It covers a range of features I don't care for much, but if someone else likes a coated blade or serrations or pseudo-military logos on a folder that weighs a pound, so what? It's no skin off my nose.