BladeforumsTop ten tacticals

I really think that Microtech makes the best tacticals. There are many out there, but MT has grasped this genre for the best of what it is, and their QC is second to none in it's genre and price range...
 
Originally posted by Lone Hunter
....alot of people still think of their 110 as a last ditch SD knife as well as utility.Sure there are many more better suited new knives but the masses still think of the 110 in this way.So to a large number of people it fits the "tacical"knife role even if they haven't ever heard the phrase tacical knife.
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Well heck, I guess you better add my Old Timer jack knife with a 1 1/2 inch blade to that list also, because if I was ever in a "tactical" situation, I would consider it to be my "last ditch SD knife" if it was the only one I had on me at the time. Better add all knives to that list then, 'cause in a "last ditch SD" situation, any knife is better than no knife.

Mike
 
Originally posted by AlphalphaPB
How is the Buck 110 any more tactical than a Sebenza?!

I recall that one BFC member said that his 110 was at the height of biker chic back in the day. So maybe it was tactical for him, back then.

To me, the term tactical also implies speed of presentation (relative to other knives made in the same era). Thumb nicks aren't too fast, compared to thumbstuds (let's just consider the conventional openings, none of the crazy tricks). So I don't consider the 110 a tactical knife, but more of a hunter's multipurpose knife. But if you put a thumbstud on the blade, you could probably convince me that it's a tactical.
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You'd be surprised how fast a Buck 110 can be opened...
 
Originally posted by im2smrt4u
Well, if you grab the knife by the blade (tip up) and fling the handle open you can have the Buck 110 open pretty quick. That is why I would consider it tactical. It was tactical before tactical was even a word. ;)
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Exactly!

Well here's my list, in no order:

Benchmade AFCK
REKAT Carnivore
Crawford/Kasper folder(wish I had the custom)
Spyderco Endura II
Spyderco Gunting
Spyderco Police
Buck 110(My first real folder was the lightweight version(Bucklite) of the 112. Yes I still have it, and can open it or the 110 very fast.)
Benchmade Balisong(any 4" or 5" bladed model)
Emerson Commander(have to get one of these...)
Datu Worden's WORTAC
 
I think the Buck Strider defines the word tactical, therefore it should be on the list instead of the 110.
 
I have 3 buck 110's, one is a customized to automatic, one has been slimed down with a sm thumb stud, and one is a standard model that can be opened with a flick of the wrist. A buck 110 has saved my life more than once and I do consider it a true tactical, the first. I own several of the knives listed on your lists and the buck 110 is #3 on my list. The CQC7 is #1 and the Wegner is #2.
Ken (wwjd)
 
Originally posted by Gollnick
Let me drop in here and suggest that in order for a knife to be considered "tactical," one has to be able to practice combative tactics with it. That means that a trainer variant MUST be available.
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I disagree. "MUST" is a very strong word. There are ways to train w/ knives that do not have trainer variants available. One can modify any knife for training purposes that they choose to carry. Are there even 10 good folders on the market w/ dedicated training variants availabe?
 
I can't beleive no one has mentioned the SOG Vision series. My Night Vision (G10 scales) is one helluva tactical.
 
I knew this topic would make for a great discussion.

In all honesty I believe that there are just too many excellent knives out there to compile a list of just 10. Right now is a great time to be a knife buyer. Knife buyers have been the beneficiaries of an explosion in first rate tactical knives. Let's face it, our parents and grand parents didn't have near the selection that we do. There are sooo many quality knives out there that our lists of top ten would undoubtedly depend on our personal preferences.

It is a good time to be a knife knut! :D
 
I disagree. "MUST" is a very strong word.
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Yes, it is. But combat and self-defense are strong situations.

There are ways to train w/ knives that do not have trainer variants available.
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Enlighten me, please? There are very few people I'd spar with using live blades.


One can modify any knife for training purposes that they choose to carry.
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Enlighten me, please?


are there even 10 good folders on the market w/ dedicated training variants availabe?
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Maybe just barely ten.

Benchmade offers the 550T, The 910T, the 710T, the 814T, and the 40T. That's five.

Spyderco offers the Endura, the Delica, the Gunting, and the Temperance as trainers. That's four more.

Emerson offers the Commander and the CQC-7A and B, but he doesn't round his tips enough for my tastes. There's three more.

I once heard that Strider had a training variant available. But I've never seen one.

Rekat used to offer quite a number of trainers. But, of course, those are now only available on the secondary market.
 
The Microtech Socom/Socom Elite does not have a trainer available, but it sure makes a number of Top 10 lists. The blade can be taped for training ppurposes. This is, admittedly, not the "ideal", but it could be done if one is very careful.
 
Sparring with real knives or trainers is fairly useless IMHO. I've been in some fights and I've seen plenty of fights, and I've never seen anything that was remotely like a duel.
Whoever gets to his knife first does the cutting, the other guy does the bleeding or the running.

Like my old instructor used to say "If I've got a knife, you aint gonna know about it until it's too late".

As for the knives:
There are too many to narrow down to ten, but some of my favorites are:

Spyderco Endura
Benchmade 710
CRKT M16 with Carson flipper
Kershaw/Ken Onion Boa
Benchmade 550
Benchmade 720/721
CRKT Bladelock

Good luck,
Allen.
 
OK, I might as well jump into this one. Just some of my suggestions--alot are a repeat of above posts--but here goes (no special order):

Al Mar SERE 2000
BM 806
BM 710
Microtech Socom/Elite
CRKT Crawford/Kasper
Large Sebenza
Spyderco Police
Spyderco Endura
For the rest: a toss-up (pick'em): BM 730, Kershaw Boa, MT Amphibian, BM 910 Stryker

Yes, IMHO, the Sebbie belongs in there, even though it's not considered a tactical by Chris Reeve. It meets the generally-accepted definitions of a tactical folder.;)
 
I guess the article in Blade Magazine what caused so much discussions about top 10 tactical folders could be quite interesting also. However I have checked out in the store what holds foreign magazines here and didn’t find it. So could anyone through this article onto the scanner and e-mail me, please? I think 150 dpi would be quite enough...

Well, let’s return to our top 10 tactical folders...
There are a lot of very good knives around, however I would exclude some of previously mentioned what do not match tactical knife definition in my opinion. Of course should be taken into consideration that the definition as itself is also pretty disputable matter, someone could have his (her) own one.
  • First of all I would exclude SPYDERCO Endura and similarly built knives. They are very useful items and offer a lot of cutting power in smooth and lightweight package. However they couldn’t be considered as true tactical folders because of non-adequate strength, here we deal with pure plastic handle versus pretty high leverage big dimensions provide. This can generate critical loads at pivot and stop pin area and affect handle stiffness at extreme cutting efforts. For tactical knife I definitely would go with construction based on load-capable metal frame.
  • I would also exclude all knives with limited stabbing capabilities no matter how strong and comfortable to handle they are. Maybe it sounds impolite and brutally but to use a knife efficiently in self-defense or combat situation someone should be prepared to kill his (her) opponent. God have wanted to make this the only way to incapacitate human reliably, I frequently think should I say luckily or unluckily in this connection... So the knives like Emerson Commander match my extended tactical knife definition only barely if at all.
  • First of all tactical knife means heavy duty one capable to perform both hard as well as precise utility cutting tasks. This causes me to exclude all knives what are barely useful for precise work – so-called Americanized tantos, chisel ground ones, sharpened on the single side etc. I don’t need the knife what is capable to kill and destroy only but is barely useful when working. This touch also specialized blades like SPYDERCO Civilian for ex. what are basically not intended for any utility use.
  • I would exclude also double-edged daggers and dagger-like shaped single edged blades because of their generally thick grind and limited cutting capability.
  • I would consider as barely tactical all folders what are formally one-handers but difficult or impossible to open with the left hand. Please imagine such silly situation: someone has a caprice to hang oneself and you are an accidental witness. What would you do? I can bet you would grab poor soul to do not allow him (her) to get strangled and I can bet you would do it with your right hand (if you are right-hander of course). Now – if you can’t reliably open your knife with the left hand – just think how long you could hold?
  • I would take with great distance excessively big or overbuilt knives. Strength is good thing but the opposite side is increased weight and bulky handle what can noticeably limit carrying ability. In another words someone could do not have the knife exactly at the moment when he (she) would need it the most.
  • The last exclusion – I would distance excessively expensive knives just because I would regret to put them into really hard use (this is just me)
Just to illustrate I would like to mention some knives what I could consider as best (IMO of course) tactical folders from different manufacturers, with no particular order.
  • BENCHMADE Ares matches exactly all my criteria of tactical folder. In fact I don’t carry mine but it’s because it is numbered pre-pro one and the forward-protruding part of the handle “chews” the down part of my rear pocket.
  • BENCHMADE 551 Griptilian is very efficient heavy duty or tactical folder and I carry mine daily with urban jeans-n-polo attire.
  • CRKT M-18, especially the bigger one.
  • KERSHAW Boa.
  • SPYDERCO Starmate (with single steel liner it looks strong enough, however I definitely would like it to have double liners).
  • SPYDERCO Military with the same reservation.
  • GERBER Michael Walker Tactical.
  • KATZ KNIVES Special Forces.
  • BOKER Walter Brend Tactical.
The tenth place should be reserved for SOG Night Vision if they finally would dare to issue it with plain edged clip point blade.

I would like to mention SPYDERCO Lil’ Temperance as some kind of special edition of tactical folder although formally it doesn’t match my criteria at blade length. However here blade length is sacrificed to legality issue, the all other criteria are matched.
 
In descending order:(damn these were tough to rank)

1.Large Sebenza
2.MOD CQD
3.BM TSEK Axis
4.BM Pardues 722
5.Emerson Commander
6.Microtech SOCOM
7.SOG Vision
8.Spyderco Bob Lum tanto
9.CRKT Crawford/Kasper Pro
10.BM Griptilian 551
 
Originally posted by Gollnick

quote:
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There are ways to train w/ knives that do not have trainer variants available.
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Enlighten me, please? There are very few people I'd spar with using live blades.
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Who said anything about sparing w/ live blades? That's ridiculous. There are many ways to train by oneself (for example: Tactical Knives March '03; Street Smarts by Jerry Vancook)or w/ modified blades w/ a partner. IMHO, Just because a production company does not market a specific training variant does not mean that the knife can't be considered a "tactical" tool.

Originally posted by Gollnick

quote:
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One can modify any knife for training purposes that they choose to carry.
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Enlighten me, please?
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Improvise, adapt, & overcome. Grind down the edge and point on a live blade and mark handle so you can tell live blade and training blade models. OR Dull edge of live blade and tape blade. OR Custom make a copy of preferred knife (same specs, weight and balance)w/ dull blade. I remember reading an article in one of the knife mags about a guy who has a small business doing just this.



Everyone's list looks good. I'd add the Spyderco Chinook and Lil' Temperance but they haven't been around long enough to carve out a permanent niche. It's hard to pick just ten. Makes you realize just how many fine knives are on the market now.
 
Sparring with real knives or trainers is fairly useless IMHO.
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Ok. Everyone is entitled to his opinions.


I've been in some fights and I've seen plenty of fights, and I've never seen anything that was remotely like a duel.
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Oh, if they were serious fights, then they were, by definition, a duel.

Here's an interesting question: how many duels have you seen to compare with?

It really depends on what you mean by "duel." Classic European-style fenceing? No. That's a sport.

Consider, for example, boxing. Yes, it's a sport too, but it's a bit closer. To the uninitiated, a boxing match looks like nothing more that chaos, two men sort of randomly swinging at each other hoping to get lucky and land a blow. But the knowing can see technique and strategy at work.

The same can be said for wrestling. To the unknowing, it looks like two men rolling around on the floor yanking on eachother. But, the initiated can see the techniques and strategies being employed.

The same could even be said, to some extent, for American football. Even someone who knows nothing of the game can see some order in it. The players line up in specific formations. They are obviously working on two teams (the colored uniforms belay that if nothing else). There's a ball that is apparently important. One team appears to be trying to move the ball down the field in one direction. The other appears to be trying to resist those efforts. But, beyond that, it certainly starts to look like just a lot of chaos, doesnt' it? However, if you know something of the game, better yet if you've played it some, then you know that there are definite techniques and strategies involved.

And football players study and train and practice and scrimage to learn those techniques and strategies and to learn to use them well.
 
Okay, perhaps "duel" was not the exact word to describe what I mean. What I'm saying is, I think some folks seem to think two guys are going to whip out their tactical folders and square-off against each other (this happens alot in the movies, and some knife and martial arts magazines really push this idea).
If you're a Soldier or Marine, jumping in to the enemy's bunker, then I can possibly see it happening.
But if you're held up at the ATM or in a bar-room fight, I'll bet it will not happen like that.

So, I don't think it's realistic for two guys to use trainers and go at each other like they were in a movie.
The lesson the instructor is teaching seems to be: when confronted by someone with a knife, you should draw your own knife and go head-to-head with him.

Allen.
 
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