Best Police Duty Knife??

M

MarineMustang

Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
73
Hello All!
Im new to the site and I have to say...its GREAT!! Lots and lots of good info on here. Im hoping that someone with a good "police duty" knowledge can help me out with this....What knife would you recommend for police duty? Im looking for something dependable, strong, quick, and proven! Thanks in advance!
 
Something expendable. Just in case you drop it, or break it using it as a crow bar. Mine is only a support item for a multi tool. Right now, I carry a $20 folder by Master. It turned out to be a good knife, better than I expected. I've also used various Spydercos.
 
I carried a Socom D/A for years. Also an LUDT and a Strider AR

All worked superb for everyday LE duties.......
 
Welcome!! The first two that come to mind are the Spyderco Delica and the Benchmade Mini Griptillian. Both are in the 3 inch blade size. I dont think the Mini Griptilian clip is reversable, but the one on the Delica is, so you can carry one in each pocket.
 
Thanks for the scoop fellas! I just read on another site about the Benchmade 9100 Stryker. Looks real nice with the mini tanto blade in addition to the auto feature.....it has me thinking. However, thats a nice price to pay if it breaks during duty..which it probably will. Any other recommendations? Thanks guys!!!
 
Marinemustang, welcome to BladeForums, You have a good selection to choose from, I recommend Benchmade also, Sig arms, and SOG knives.
You sure won't have a problem finding a quality knife for EDC these days.

Robbie Roberson ;)
 
Get yourself one of the Benchmade Griptilan 551 or a Mini-Griptilian 556....That's about all you need to look for.
 
Hmmm that is a pretty broad question. The honest truth is just about any quality folder from 3" to about 4" get the job done nicely. The cheaper Spyderco models such as the endura and delica are great because they are light weight (you got enough **** on your waist anyway) and easy enough to replace. Personally I carried a variety of benchmades and for the past few years I've been carrying a Al Mar SERE 2000. It has a little more weight but I like that anyway in case you have to pop out a window or use it as an impact weapon w/ in Civvies.
 
Welcome to Bladeforums! :)

What you should get depends on two main factors: what you will use it for and how much you're willing to spend. Starting out: spend less. You will end up buying more expensive knives later if you find you like knives and find them useful in more stressed situations.

Start with manual knives, not autos. A good one-hand opener is realistically as fast as an auto and has less parts to break or jam. At the low end, get a Spyderco, like the Endura, Delica, or Native. Light, tough, sharp, inexpensive. At the higher end, look at the Buck/Strider knives. You can get large, small, tanto, spearpoint, or the new B/S Tarani which was designed for police work :) These are heavier duty than the Spydercos and cost a bit more.

Before you get crazy over these "tactical" knives consider a SAK (Swiss Army Knife) or multitool. We have a forum specifically for them. A multiblade utility kit like these is the first choice in ordinary everyday situations.

You can check out the specs on most knives in current production at One Stop Knife Shop, which is the dealer who runs Bladeforums. Competitive pricing, good service, and a large inventory.
 
I second all these votes for Buck/Strider folders, I'm not a LEO, but if I were I would carry a Strider AR:) You will find folders that will out slice them, but no folder I've ever seen can match the toughness of a Strider or Buck/Strider Tanto, and I don't like Tantos and carry Spydercos so that should tell you something about the toughness of Strider folders:) BTW the Benchmade 806D2 also called AFCK, BM 710HS, and Spyderco Chinook II(my pick other than AR) and Manix are all great and very heavy duty and worth a look.
 
how come no one has mentioned Spyderco's ATR? i've got this thing for a week (pass-around), and it's awesome! it opens so smooth, it's like a freaking balisong! this one's the Ti version, and it's light, surprisingly so.

uses a compression lock, which seems to me to be ultra-strong, it's like a reverse-liner lock. very grippy despite the smooth Ti handles, nice cobra-hood for your thumb to rest on in a thrust, and the SS version is only 100 bucks. i've only been carrying it for a few hours, but i already want to buy one. check it out before you decide.

oh yeah, and it's rated for hard use, MBC even. can't beat that.

abe m.
 
I have the Ti ATR and think it is totally awesome. BUT on mine the way the clip/handle are attached makes it hard to smoothly draw from the pocket, in other words the clip snags, thus not allowing a fast draw. I don't know if this is merely a problem with my knife or with ATRs in general. But it is something to consider for a knife that COULD be needed for SD, and a LEO knife may. I'd still prefer a Strider AR for LEO use, if a Spyderco then a Manix or Chinook, never had a problem with Spyderco G10/standard metal clip design snagging.

Oh yeah, if you don't mind linerlock and tip down carry the Spyderco Military is also great, but I'd prefer tip up and I think you would too, a liner/axis lock with tip up carry will be the fastest/easiest to deploy.
 
Spydiefan04 said:
I have the Ti ATR and think it is totally awesome. BUT on mine the way the clip/handle are attached makes it hard to smoothly draw from the pocket, in other words the clip snags, thus not allowing a fast draw. I don't know if this is merely a problem with my knife or with ATRs in general. But it is something to consider for a knife that COULD be needed for SD, and a LEO knife may. I'd still prefer a Strider AR for LEO use, if a Spyderco then a Manix or Chinook, never had a problem with Spyderco G10/standard metal clip design snagging.

Oh yeah, if you don't mind linerlock and tip down carry the Spyderco Military is also great, but I'd prefer tip up and I think you would too, a liner/axis lock with tip up carry will be the fastest/easiest to deploy.
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hrm.. i haven't spent much time with the ATR but this one slips in and outta the pocket like grease. grippy, but smooth as heck. perhaps the edges of the clip that come in contact with your clothing are rough?

i like the Military, but if you can avoid it (and you can), i'd skip a liner-lock if SD were a consideration in your decision.

abe m.
 
I thought of that too, I've looked the knife over meticulously and cannot find any rough spot or anything to explain it, but it still snags, was just wondering if it was just mine or something common to the breed. I too would avoid linerlock, with the Buck/Strider exception :)
 
I have about 100 knives at this point. I work for DOD, and I have been ALL over the country. My buddies are Navy, Marines, Homeland Sec, and NYPD Hercules Squad. If you asked at any moment for us to LAY DOWN what we got on us at any given moment...You will have more Spydie's then any other. I love my Delica, have had it since 1993 or so, and rek'mnd it WHOLE HEARTIDLY.

The NATIVE is nice too...but I prefer the Stainless version.

Save some cash, and go with the Delica. Cheap enough to be readily replaced...however MISSED it may be.

R/SLD

DANGELO from NYC, then Groton CT, Now Seattle, WA...soon to be San Diego, CA...

God Bless the Men and Women of our ARMED FORCES.
 
allyourblood said:
how come no one has mentioned Spyderco's ATR? i've got this thing for a week (pass-around), and it's awesome! it opens so smooth, it's like a freaking balisong! this one's the SS version, but it's VERY light, surprisingly so.

uses a compression lock, which seems to me to be ultra-strong, it's like a reverse-liner lock. very grippy despite the stainless steel handle, nice cobra-hood for your thumb to rest on in a thrust, and it's only 100 bucks. i've only been carrying it for a few hours, but i already want to buy one. check it out before you decide.

oh yeah, and it's rated for hard use, MBC even. can't beat that.

abe m.
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I second Abe on the ATR. It is super smooth, and is MBC rated, meaning it can take a lot of beating. Some people say that Spyderco does not make tough knives, but this is one of them.

Btw Abe, the ATR that you and I both used in the passaround is Ti, not the SS model. The SS model has VG-10 blade, and has more holes on the handle than the Ti version.
 
Slvgx said:
Btw Abe, the ATR that you and I both used in the passaround is Ti, not the SS model. The SS model has VG-10 blade, and has more holes on the handle than the Ti version.
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i know -- i think my brain collapsed for a moment. i edited my previous post to correct this, thanks. i've been using this some more, and no matter what i cut, i haven't been able to bring it down from it's hair-popping edge. wow.

abe m.
 
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