I got mine yesterday in the mail. Actually I got a slew of knives, as a sort of shipping confusion. I figured I would mention this one as it is a $36 version of a handmade knife custom designed by Knife Guru and all around good combat guy Bob Kasper.
THE HISTORY/ PEDIGREE
Let's start with Mr. Kasper really briefly. Mr. Kasper has been involved in the more straightforward aspects of the martial arts and hand to hand combat for what I gather is about 30 years. Having never studied with him, but having read his regular column in Tactical Knives for the last several years, I can say I pretty much agree with most of what he teaches and says, the differences being personal preference. Let me be unequivocal. You could do a whole lot worse than learn CQC under his tutelage. He is always striving to refine and reinvent his technique and philosophy, putting him well ahead of most games.
You may also know that several years back he and custom knifemaker Al Polkowski got together and deisgned and built a knife called the "Kasper Fighting Knife" and marketed is as the Bulldog. Then came a smaller version, the Pug. Then came a few other variations, including the Companion. If my memory is working right today, it was designed for easier carry, and was designed under contract for a DOD group and made the catalog lineup.
I have never held the original, nor any real Polkowski knife. I have wanted to for some time, but never got around to it. The CRKT (Columbia River Knife and Tool) made a deal with Mssrs. Polkowski and Kaspar to mass produce a copy of the knife in a less expensive steel and grip material, with a functional sheath and get it out where it can do some good. Voila, I now have a "Polkowski knife".
THE KNIFE ITSELF.
I am not going to bore you with the specs of the knife. Go to www.1sks.com if you want them.
Instead, let's talk about the knife. It locks into a rock solid hammer or reverse grip instantly, important if you are going to protect yourself with it. How does it cut manila rope? I don't care. I will never use it as such. It does penetrate really well into heavy cardboard and also slashes it well. If I had not thrown out the old carpet I could try my favorite penetration test, one loose roll of carpet inside another larger loose roll. If you make it thru the two rolls which are just being there, the knife penetrates fine.
The finish is great for $35. Do not expect perfection. Instead, you get a fully function-designed tool made for conflict resolution in a down and dirty way. This little mynx cuts and thrusts like a dream. Accuracy of the knife is stupendous.
I personally will take a bit of emory cloth to the corners of the knife and handle as it will make it more comfortable to handle, but out fo the box we have a winner.
For anyone worried about edge retention, it will do fine as long as you remember to sharpen it occassionally if you are cutting carpet with it. If you really need to do heavy duty cutting, get a knife made for it. If you want a discreet and extremely effective concealable carry knife, get one of these.
THE SHEATH
No piece of cutlery (or anything else) is worth F()ck-All if it is sitting at home in the drawer when you need it, and this little gem is no exception. It comes with two sheaths, one of which is a belt carry and one multi-use. This is for $35--remember that!
The belt sheath is a very nice sheath, for the money, but it is in the sheath department that the knife fails me. I really am a reverse grip guy. I like the extra retention I have in this position as well as the access to what I feel are far more effective techniques for me and my training. I am sure there are one or two of you that feel differently. The sheath is configured for the patented IWB-Front Hip Crease- right side carry. Translated to belt carry on the belt, if you put it on the belt right side (my strong side) the loop is on the outside of the sheath. Excellent idea, but it means the sheath and loop are backwards for reverse grip strong side carry (the loop is on the inside, the sheath is outside the belt and more prone to catch on thinsg and break off/ draw attention to itelf) Not the biggest gripe, that is for sure, but again, it is my reveiew and my preference.
As far as tucking it IWB-strong side-front hip crease, the plastic loop does not allow the sheath to move about with you, so it can get uncomfortable sitting down. Still, sitting it is very accessible for a hammer grip.
I am not fond of the other sheath, though it is versatile as you want. It does not ride as high as its brother sheath, but it certainly would ride in the reverse grip configuration I would want. It also has provisions for neck and tie-down carry. To CRKT, make the multi carry sheath a high ride or reverse the other sheath and you have a winner!
The solution for me, I will have a sheath ginned up for me by Frank Sigman of North Carolina and for about $30 have an ideal sheath.
THE VERDICT
My qualms about the sheath aside, this is a top rate package at a cut rate price. I think that you would be pretty hard pressed to drop this knife if you needed it REAL BAD and the retention combined with the pure accuracy of point or edge on target (believe me, Mr. Kasper and Mr. Polkowski know their business well) and a totally natural feel just may save your bacon.
Try it out.
Parker
THE HISTORY/ PEDIGREE
Let's start with Mr. Kasper really briefly. Mr. Kasper has been involved in the more straightforward aspects of the martial arts and hand to hand combat for what I gather is about 30 years. Having never studied with him, but having read his regular column in Tactical Knives for the last several years, I can say I pretty much agree with most of what he teaches and says, the differences being personal preference. Let me be unequivocal. You could do a whole lot worse than learn CQC under his tutelage. He is always striving to refine and reinvent his technique and philosophy, putting him well ahead of most games.
You may also know that several years back he and custom knifemaker Al Polkowski got together and deisgned and built a knife called the "Kasper Fighting Knife" and marketed is as the Bulldog. Then came a smaller version, the Pug. Then came a few other variations, including the Companion. If my memory is working right today, it was designed for easier carry, and was designed under contract for a DOD group and made the catalog lineup.
I have never held the original, nor any real Polkowski knife. I have wanted to for some time, but never got around to it. The CRKT (Columbia River Knife and Tool) made a deal with Mssrs. Polkowski and Kaspar to mass produce a copy of the knife in a less expensive steel and grip material, with a functional sheath and get it out where it can do some good. Voila, I now have a "Polkowski knife".
THE KNIFE ITSELF.
I am not going to bore you with the specs of the knife. Go to www.1sks.com if you want them.
Instead, let's talk about the knife. It locks into a rock solid hammer or reverse grip instantly, important if you are going to protect yourself with it. How does it cut manila rope? I don't care. I will never use it as such. It does penetrate really well into heavy cardboard and also slashes it well. If I had not thrown out the old carpet I could try my favorite penetration test, one loose roll of carpet inside another larger loose roll. If you make it thru the two rolls which are just being there, the knife penetrates fine.
The finish is great for $35. Do not expect perfection. Instead, you get a fully function-designed tool made for conflict resolution in a down and dirty way. This little mynx cuts and thrusts like a dream. Accuracy of the knife is stupendous.
I personally will take a bit of emory cloth to the corners of the knife and handle as it will make it more comfortable to handle, but out fo the box we have a winner.
For anyone worried about edge retention, it will do fine as long as you remember to sharpen it occassionally if you are cutting carpet with it. If you really need to do heavy duty cutting, get a knife made for it. If you want a discreet and extremely effective concealable carry knife, get one of these.
THE SHEATH
No piece of cutlery (or anything else) is worth F()ck-All if it is sitting at home in the drawer when you need it, and this little gem is no exception. It comes with two sheaths, one of which is a belt carry and one multi-use. This is for $35--remember that!
The belt sheath is a very nice sheath, for the money, but it is in the sheath department that the knife fails me. I really am a reverse grip guy. I like the extra retention I have in this position as well as the access to what I feel are far more effective techniques for me and my training. I am sure there are one or two of you that feel differently. The sheath is configured for the patented IWB-Front Hip Crease- right side carry. Translated to belt carry on the belt, if you put it on the belt right side (my strong side) the loop is on the outside of the sheath. Excellent idea, but it means the sheath and loop are backwards for reverse grip strong side carry (the loop is on the inside, the sheath is outside the belt and more prone to catch on thinsg and break off/ draw attention to itelf) Not the biggest gripe, that is for sure, but again, it is my reveiew and my preference.
As far as tucking it IWB-strong side-front hip crease, the plastic loop does not allow the sheath to move about with you, so it can get uncomfortable sitting down. Still, sitting it is very accessible for a hammer grip.
I am not fond of the other sheath, though it is versatile as you want. It does not ride as high as its brother sheath, but it certainly would ride in the reverse grip configuration I would want. It also has provisions for neck and tie-down carry. To CRKT, make the multi carry sheath a high ride or reverse the other sheath and you have a winner!
The solution for me, I will have a sheath ginned up for me by Frank Sigman of North Carolina and for about $30 have an ideal sheath.
THE VERDICT
My qualms about the sheath aside, this is a top rate package at a cut rate price. I think that you would be pretty hard pressed to drop this knife if you needed it REAL BAD and the retention combined with the pure accuracy of point or edge on target (believe me, Mr. Kasper and Mr. Polkowski know their business well) and a totally natural feel just may save your bacon.
Try it out.
Parker