Fixed blade TAC team

L

Leo_x

Joined
Sep 23, 2001
Messages
16
Im going to buy a fixed blade for use on a Tac team. Im lookin into knifes from TOPS.

http://www.topsknives.com

I like the look of the interceptor. Anyone got any experience with this knifes?

Im also considering Emerson PUK...

Anyone else on a tac team that wants to share their experience with a knife on the team, ? maybe som recomendations...

Im probably going to buy knifes for the entire team so you recomendation are of great value. THX!!

Leo

Oslo, Norway
 
Please remember that the General Discussion Forum is not a place for anyone to solicit the knives they make or sell. There is a fine line between sharing information self-promoting. I am going to leave this thread open since the original question wasn't answered, but do not make it a springboard to self promotion.
David
 
Didn't want to really jump in here...and I certainly don't know what type of "Tac-Team" you are referring to...., but I wouldn't even consider "Tops". No offense meant to anyone.., just being as honest as possible!

I'm not even going to start the flame war by stating differences in quality.., design modalities, and overall engineering dynamics that relate to "function", but if you are talking about getting the quintessential tactical knife for your team..."Tops" is not the place to look. If price is a concern...then maybe????

I'll let others chip in on that.., I'm not into the battling, and have nothing against "Tops" entering the "Tactical" marketplace.., their knives are "OK"..., in my opinion, and certainly allow for a price point far below "The Real Guys". They are also not even relatively close to "The Best"...which is what I'd want in "real world" tactical work.

If you'd like to talk in detail about recommendations, please just email me. I do have experience in this area. Thanks.



"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
 
I am not, nor ever have been, on a tac team of any sorts. However, I would think that a TOPS blade would make a good Tac team blade. Check out the Our Story link and see who TOPS is made of. A Seal, SWAT guys, Martial Arts instructors, Marine Force Recon, Special Forces A team guy, and so on. Given the experience at TOPS and the # of blades that are out ON Tac teams, I think TOPS is a contender.
 
CAMOFLAGE.......that is the attire of the day for me to even mention a manufacturer/maker of a TAC knife:eek: NOPE, will NOT, even mention the Many "good" fixed blades, or WORSE, the many "GREAT" fixed blades. It is all going to boil down to EXACTLY what you boys (generic) find thru your historical data is your "norm" and HOW MUCH dough do ya wanna go.
You can run the Gammut from production to modified production to after-market modified production to custom to One of a kinders. It is YOUR choice.:confused: :confused:
Just remember, the word tactical means something different EVEN for each member of the team. If you run a "nine man team", you will have a five LOVE it, three could have picked something DIFFERENT, and one just plain out HATES it regardless of what you decide final decision.
I suggest you spend the largest amount of your research RIGHT in your own "house". Then when you have consensus:eek: IF that is even possible, venture back here with SPECS and try this again........wolf;)
 
Thanks all of you. Im still looking around.

Im a bit disappointed that no tac team members share what they are using on their team.

Maybe sombody will??

Leo

Oslo, Norway
 
Check out the knives made by Newt Livesay, Great Quality, great bang for the buck. Especially the Air Assault. Up in yuor area, Fallkinven makes some very good knives and they are also cost-effective.
 
Would someone please explain to me just what a swat or tac team does with a tac knife that any solid well heat treated 1095 knife, like a TOPS or Livesay or even the nice new Camillus BKT military knife cant do? I can see the Long Rifle guys needing to cut some brush away in their line of sight, etc, but entry teams use entry tools. And if you need to pry, cant you just buy one of those mini crow bar tools at sears for 8 bucks. I mean after you bust in you can take your time prying open the guys strong boxes cant ya? Also with a shoulder weapon, and a handgun and backup are not knives mainly tools. Even if your on a dive mission on a dive team, most of the times its fresh water unless you live on the coast, and you have plenty of time afterwards to clean up your gear. So you really dont need the titantium MPK's even then. By the way I think military knife needs may be different. More prying, ammo crates, chopping, etc. More excuse for the Striders,mad dogs etc then. They dont come back to camp every night. Most cops do, so they can oil er up and tune up the blade on a stone if they had a tough day.
 
I think Mike990 hit the nail .. more or less... you can argue the addage "when my life is on the line.....i want the best" but, I happen to be friends with Some officers that are on local SWAT, CERT and even the Crisis Response Teams for the up and comming Olympics and as far as knives go... almost all that carry, are carying folders of substantial quality and history (no plugs this time... ) the reasoning; if there is a hostage situation, and an officer becomes involved most likely, the firearms are going to be taken away or rendered usless (no ammo) so the knife is a last ditch effort for the "never take me alive" mentality, or at the very least cutting restraints a hostagetaker might use... obviously a large Strider, Mad Dog or even a Buck would be easily found and removed. So the sturdy folders hide very well in the "tac-gear". I even clip a back up spyderco inside my pants to my boxers.. as that last/worst case tool .. and never even know its there.
If hard cutting is an issue... a quality serated blade cant be beat. I dont think you need 9" of 1/4" differentially tempered stock to saw through seatbelts, harnesses, ropes, even basic wires...
As far as an entry tool.. An entry devise such as a Door Ram or a fireman's Entry bar would get you in anthing in seconds.. where as even a 10" blade would take you a while .. Ive never heard of any organised team having to resort to a knife as an actual entry tool, except during 'camp fire chat' and "i was there" storys...least the topic of discussion being war where a Spec Ops soldier had to do the most with the least.
Again.. before anyone here can advise any tool for the job.. we'd need to know what job your "tac team" is trying to acomplish. If your with the DEA or a SF Operational Detatchment down in Central America fighting the coke lords your going to need a different tool than if your part of the Eco Challenge, or even a rural SWAT/CERT team..
I have met some of the guys from TOP's and Mike Fuller is one hell of a guy.. I personally perfer their smaller knives as packing, camping, and general fighting concepts than I do their large "tacticle" knives.. sometimes simple is better, and there is no place that seems to be more true than not in survival situations.
 
LEO X,
This is why I avoided naming a specific knife. The arguement between fixed and Folder, and WHO the maker shall be will consume the decision makers and your TAC Team will go without uniformity until retirement. As I said before, use your "historical data" from in-house and based on the types of calls you boys [generic]have responded to, and the instances where a knife has been a required tool will go VERY FAR in honing down the vast options to maybe a half-dozen folders and a dozen fixed blades. THEN, get all your old beat up training equipment on, split your team equally, arm each team member with a paintball gun, and give the final knives a [NUMBER]. Place each number at a strategic location on the Playing field. Each team decides on what 'target" to neutralize, engages the "enemy" and then when the dust settles after a 30 minute time limit, WHATEVER number is in the WINNERS hand, IS THE KNIFE to get for the TAC Team;) ....wolf
 
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