- Joined
- Oct 8, 1998
- Messages
- 8,917
There have been many clandestine, hideout self-defense tools over the years. Some were excellent ideas with poor materials or execution. At one time, the Tekna Security Card, which was basically a credit card shaped tool with a slide button that slid the blade out of the front of the body
and a pull on the button slid retracted the blade, was about the niftiest thing you could have in your wallet.
All throughout my youth, I would read Black Belt and Soldier of Fortune Magazines, as well as assorted other gun magazines. I used to love the articles by Jerry Ahern and Leroy Thompson because they always had solid choices in firearms and they integrated their own personal, defensive systems with edged weapons. I always enjoyed articles by David E. Steele as well. All of these guys always seemed to have their ideas in line with each other for the most part, and all three always considered the knife as a fine choice in a back-up weapon to a firearm, or as a primary when carrying a firearm was illegal or otherwise restricted.
I have been an avid researcher and student of clandestine weaponry all of my adult life, it is a passion and one of the reasons I am here, Moderating this Forum for JSP.
In many ways, the Carry Systems and clandestine tools James produces overshadow the incredible knives he makes. As you know, there are many incredible knife makers out there and I am proud to call more then a couple of them my Friends but this exotica being produced by JSP is something else entirely.
My library is rather modest. However, I do have some gems that go above and beyond what most knife people or martial arts people delve into. For me, these are resources that have given me a greater understanding of all facets of self-defense. My way of thinking is, if you can study what other people do and what they are equipped with when they are dropped into hostile areas, then at least some of that must carry over to the street.
I am also a student of the Western Blade methods, be it the Bowie of Keating, or the straightforward approach of Bob Kasper, one must study everything.
Of particular interest has always been the American O.S.S. and the British S.O.E. The Office of Strategic Services and The Special Operations Executive, respectively.
If we look at the incredibly dangerous missions these men and women carried out behind enemy lines, we see a plethora of clandestine weaponry that they were equipped with. Three excellent references filled with Government-Issued Exotica are:
Fighting Knives by Frederick J. Stephens
OSS Special Weapons & Equipment by H. Keith Melton
CIA Special Weapons & Equipment by H. Keith Melton
Once you get beyond all of the bugging equipment, Minox cameras, lock picks and the infamous, Escape & Evasion Suppository kit, and no, Im not kidding you see some insight into what the people in the know have dreamed up to arm our men and women with. To send them into hostile areas where sometimes the most effective weapons, firearms, would have never passed any inspection. Meaning arrest, imprisonment, torture and death to our people if they were caught.
Some of the firearms they were equipped with were last ditch affairs, and probably less effective then a good edged weapon. Single shot, .22 Long Rifle Caliber weapons disguised as cigarettes and cigars for example for point blank firing. Along with the infamous Liberator and Deer Gun single shot pistols, and The Stinger.
The edged weapons, garrotes, and various bludgeons always caught my eye though.
There are many different weapons in this category, with the Sykes Fairbairn Dagger in a wrist/forearm sheath being one of my favorites. (Wilkinson Sword and/or H. G. Long made a reproduction of this, if anyone can find me one contact me via E-Mail) There were also Mini-Sykes Fairbairn knives that some think were a gimmick, they were actually carried, just as the sleeve and lapel daggers were.
Sykes Fairbairn in forearm sheath.
Sleeve Dagger in wrist/forearm sheath. A particularly nasty triangular blade and mushroom-shaped pommel, possibly the best of the lot.
Lapel Dagger, in leather sheath designed to be securely sewn behind the lapel. (Im also looking for the H. G. Long reproduction of this weapon, if you have one you want to sell, E-Mail me)
Thumb Dagger, a smaller version of the Lapel Dagger with a similar sheath.
The ¾ and ½ size Sykes Fairbairn Daggers.
There was a vast array of weaponry, BC41 Brass Knuckles, The Clements Knuckle Knife that had BC41-type knuckles attached to a very slender, narrow, clip-point blade. This knife is misunderstood by most people who look at it. If you slip your fingers through the knuckle holes, forward or reverse grip obviously, the edge faces you. This knife would be right at home in the hands of a person who specializes in extreme close quarters, reverse grip knife work. It was designed as a throat cutter during sentry removal. This knife is distinctly different from the Brass Knuckle Trench Knife most are familiar with. For one thing, the BC41-type Clements Knuckle Knife was a lot lighter.
Then there were the various Robbins of Dudley Deaths Head knuckles with a push dagger coming out the front. Very nasty and very effective.
[As an interesting sidebar on various edged weapons, etc., in the 1980s, Peter Kokalis of Soldier of Fortune Magazine fame did a series on Chinese Weapons. There was one that caught my eye. A full sized, double-edged fighting knife, the lower guard was a trigger. The grip was round and the pommel screwed off. On each side of the blade there were two barrels set flush with the end of the grip. Two shallow fullers milled on each side of the blade. This knife was a 4 shot, .22 Long Rifle Caliber Pistol as well. One barrel would fire for each rearward pull on the guard. This weapon did not have to be very accurate as it was designed to be an extreme close range fight stopper against multiple attackers. How would you like to have one of these in a shoulder rig on a dark city street?]
All of which are wonderful to study or collect. I have always loved edged weapons and other exotica Cold Steel, Inc., in the early days, produced two knives I am still looking for, The Urban Shiv and the Urban Hunter they were a part of a series from Cold Steel. The other two knives in this series were The Urban Pal, a very small push dagger with no handle slabs and The Original Urban Skinner, a push dagger with a comfortable grip.
This was just a little insight into where I'm coming from in alot of posts on weaponry and tactics of self-preservation.
There is much more to be written on this subject and I hope everyone will contribute to the discussion here. I have some more to write but I wanted to start the ball rolling.
I will be writing a modest review of the new JSP/SCP Omega Series Blades and Large Wallet in the next few days. If covert is your thing, this system is perfect for your daily carry needs...
All throughout my youth, I would read Black Belt and Soldier of Fortune Magazines, as well as assorted other gun magazines. I used to love the articles by Jerry Ahern and Leroy Thompson because they always had solid choices in firearms and they integrated their own personal, defensive systems with edged weapons. I always enjoyed articles by David E. Steele as well. All of these guys always seemed to have their ideas in line with each other for the most part, and all three always considered the knife as a fine choice in a back-up weapon to a firearm, or as a primary when carrying a firearm was illegal or otherwise restricted.
I have been an avid researcher and student of clandestine weaponry all of my adult life, it is a passion and one of the reasons I am here, Moderating this Forum for JSP.
In many ways, the Carry Systems and clandestine tools James produces overshadow the incredible knives he makes. As you know, there are many incredible knife makers out there and I am proud to call more then a couple of them my Friends but this exotica being produced by JSP is something else entirely.
My library is rather modest. However, I do have some gems that go above and beyond what most knife people or martial arts people delve into. For me, these are resources that have given me a greater understanding of all facets of self-defense. My way of thinking is, if you can study what other people do and what they are equipped with when they are dropped into hostile areas, then at least some of that must carry over to the street.
I am also a student of the Western Blade methods, be it the Bowie of Keating, or the straightforward approach of Bob Kasper, one must study everything.
Of particular interest has always been the American O.S.S. and the British S.O.E. The Office of Strategic Services and The Special Operations Executive, respectively.
If we look at the incredibly dangerous missions these men and women carried out behind enemy lines, we see a plethora of clandestine weaponry that they were equipped with. Three excellent references filled with Government-Issued Exotica are:
Fighting Knives by Frederick J. Stephens
OSS Special Weapons & Equipment by H. Keith Melton
CIA Special Weapons & Equipment by H. Keith Melton
Once you get beyond all of the bugging equipment, Minox cameras, lock picks and the infamous, Escape & Evasion Suppository kit, and no, Im not kidding you see some insight into what the people in the know have dreamed up to arm our men and women with. To send them into hostile areas where sometimes the most effective weapons, firearms, would have never passed any inspection. Meaning arrest, imprisonment, torture and death to our people if they were caught.
Some of the firearms they were equipped with were last ditch affairs, and probably less effective then a good edged weapon. Single shot, .22 Long Rifle Caliber weapons disguised as cigarettes and cigars for example for point blank firing. Along with the infamous Liberator and Deer Gun single shot pistols, and The Stinger.
The edged weapons, garrotes, and various bludgeons always caught my eye though.
There are many different weapons in this category, with the Sykes Fairbairn Dagger in a wrist/forearm sheath being one of my favorites. (Wilkinson Sword and/or H. G. Long made a reproduction of this, if anyone can find me one contact me via E-Mail) There were also Mini-Sykes Fairbairn knives that some think were a gimmick, they were actually carried, just as the sleeve and lapel daggers were.
Sykes Fairbairn in forearm sheath.
Sleeve Dagger in wrist/forearm sheath. A particularly nasty triangular blade and mushroom-shaped pommel, possibly the best of the lot.
Lapel Dagger, in leather sheath designed to be securely sewn behind the lapel. (Im also looking for the H. G. Long reproduction of this weapon, if you have one you want to sell, E-Mail me)
Thumb Dagger, a smaller version of the Lapel Dagger with a similar sheath.
The ¾ and ½ size Sykes Fairbairn Daggers.
There was a vast array of weaponry, BC41 Brass Knuckles, The Clements Knuckle Knife that had BC41-type knuckles attached to a very slender, narrow, clip-point blade. This knife is misunderstood by most people who look at it. If you slip your fingers through the knuckle holes, forward or reverse grip obviously, the edge faces you. This knife would be right at home in the hands of a person who specializes in extreme close quarters, reverse grip knife work. It was designed as a throat cutter during sentry removal. This knife is distinctly different from the Brass Knuckle Trench Knife most are familiar with. For one thing, the BC41-type Clements Knuckle Knife was a lot lighter.
Then there were the various Robbins of Dudley Deaths Head knuckles with a push dagger coming out the front. Very nasty and very effective.
[As an interesting sidebar on various edged weapons, etc., in the 1980s, Peter Kokalis of Soldier of Fortune Magazine fame did a series on Chinese Weapons. There was one that caught my eye. A full sized, double-edged fighting knife, the lower guard was a trigger. The grip was round and the pommel screwed off. On each side of the blade there were two barrels set flush with the end of the grip. Two shallow fullers milled on each side of the blade. This knife was a 4 shot, .22 Long Rifle Caliber Pistol as well. One barrel would fire for each rearward pull on the guard. This weapon did not have to be very accurate as it was designed to be an extreme close range fight stopper against multiple attackers. How would you like to have one of these in a shoulder rig on a dark city street?]
All of which are wonderful to study or collect. I have always loved edged weapons and other exotica Cold Steel, Inc., in the early days, produced two knives I am still looking for, The Urban Shiv and the Urban Hunter they were a part of a series from Cold Steel. The other two knives in this series were The Urban Pal, a very small push dagger with no handle slabs and The Original Urban Skinner, a push dagger with a comfortable grip.
This was just a little insight into where I'm coming from in alot of posts on weaponry and tactics of self-preservation.
There is much more to be written on this subject and I hope everyone will contribute to the discussion here. I have some more to write but I wanted to start the ball rolling.
I will be writing a modest review of the new JSP/SCP Omega Series Blades and Large Wallet in the next few days. If covert is your thing, this system is perfect for your daily carry needs...
