guard or no guard

I am content if the heal of the blade projects to prevent my hand from sliding onto the blade, but in that case I don't want a handle cutout behind the blade like on the Perrin design. The reason is that when I hold the knife with the edge up with the base of the blade against the web of my thumb I don't want the web to go into a depression. If it goes in a deppresion the tip of the blade will get tilted up. I want the tip tilted down to more closely allign with my index finger which I extend to guard the point.

PS. If you think you don't want a guard try assuming that the knife and your hand are dripping in fresh blood. Now would you like something between your fingers and the edge? Of course I'm talking about a hunting knife here, not visions of gory combat.
 
sasqualogist said:
I want to know what you guys think about guards on camp/survival & tactical blades.
Click to expand...
Hopefully the first sentence of this thread will be more readable in bold print.
Camp/survival & tactical blades...
Survival, tactical.
Blades carried in harms way, in preparation for whatever downward turn events may take.
Maybe a blade you have to ram into another person, or one you might have to perform a variety of unforeseen tasks with, far from other people, or possible aid.
In either case, a tactical knife, or a survival knife, the same thing holds true.
You have no idea what you might end up using the knife for. Prybar, shovel, weapon, who knows, you might even get to cut some stuff with it.
Yeah, I'll take a guard.
 
I prefer to have a lower guard on all my knives, even the folders. Ideally I want a guard that curves downward until it's at least perpendicular to the blade and that's long enough to extend past the mid-point of my index finger's thickness. That will physically block my hand from sliding over the guard, even if there is no friction to help.

I have mixed feelings about upper guards. I definitely like a well-executed thumb ramp or indentation to provide better indexing and a more positive grip. An actual guard can work towardthat or it can get in the way of a good thumb position. I guess I don't really feel the need for a blade-catcher on top; I just want something to brace my thumb against.

--Bob Q
 
OwenM said:
Yeah, I'll take a guard.
Click to expand...

Do the knives in your avatar have guards? Not being a smart a**, my Perrin has a similar design, and I'm wondering if that's considered a guard.
 
The Gambit has a dropped blade, which acts as a guard.
The ArcLite has no guard, just a contoured handle with traction grooves top and bottom.
Neither is my idea of a survival, or tactical knife, though I suppose an up-sized version of the Gambit (or a stouter version of the TUK) could be considered either, or both.
 
"I won't buy, carry, or use a knife that doesn't have something deep and long keeping my hand from sliding forward onto the blade" - Biogon

I have to agree with Biogon on this. Having cut myself twice with knives with small guards and slippery handles which slipped backwards in my hand, I now avoid guardless knives like the plague. I also avoid knives with small guards that do not appear long enough to prevent accidents. The guard has to be long enough and straight enough so that there is no way one's hand can slip past or roll over it. I will gladly trade a little inconvenience for safety.
 
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