Have you gravitated away from "combat-type" blades with time?

C

Captain O

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When I was but a lad, I tended to admire combat style knives. But my dad, a true WWII and Korean Conflict combat veteran (of the first magnitude) continually guided me toward more utilitarian (skinning and hunting) knives. He showed me that the kind of knife I carried into the wilderness could make the difference between survival and starvation. This resulted in my taste for cutlery that ventures away from the Marine Recon KaBar and stilletto knives of the battle persuasion and a real appreciation of what a multi-purpose knife can accomplish.

Has anyone else made this transition as they matured?

Captain O
 
I have gone off double-edged blades. I might be able to get away with one as a hunting knife, rather than a dagger or dirk, if I were sticking feral pigs, but they just look too bellicose.
Also, I had a Gerber Loveless dagger lying on the kitchen table when my uncle came to visit who was an infantry captain under Patton at the relief of Bastogne, among other things, and served also in Korea and 'Nam. I was impressed by how irrelevant he thought it was.
 
This is more of a "General Forum" topic. We don't focus much on combat designs in the Traditional Forum.
Moving.
 
I never gravitated there in the first place. I own a K-Bar that came with the handle broken in box of junk from an auction. I had a cheap knock-off Fairburn style once but gave it away. Oh, I have a Glock knife I won in a raffle. Other than those, I never did the combat-type blade thing. As I never did, nor do I ever plan to do, combat.
 
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No, exactly the opposite actually. Most of my non-chef knives have double edges and would be confiscated by any sane law enforcement professional on sight. This after ten years of buying practical stuff, and finding that I never used any of it.
 
Yes, military-combat-tactical styles ,daggers, even "fighter" design knives are now strictly display pieces for me.
But I think it's not just maturing but moving away from larger knives in general for actual use.
After all, I still use a Fallkniven F1 and a Benchmade Adamas.
 
I've never totally gone from one to the other. Like seasons, I'll buy/sell/use/collect slipjoints and then spend more time modern tactical and some combat.

The other issue that influences my buying is the legal issues. I have some beautiful combat autos but can't carry them as if caught it's a felony. I seldom buy what I can't carry or use.

Mike
 
Somewhat. Part of what got me into knifes was Filipino martial arts and I still dig the occasional fighting knife or karambit enough to lay down the money, but I've definitely moved more towards more practical, general use blades. Thin grinds, good steel and great ergonomics now excite me much more than blacked-out badassery.
 
I will always like my HD7, MPF and SnG.
I have been EDCing my Para but I dunt consider it a military knife but it is. :D
 
I think that I have moved away from them. But I was never really into them very much. I am finding that I am leaning more towards simple knives as time goes on. Ergonomics is becoming more important every day. Just a few years ago, I would barely even considered a simple traditional with a nail nick. Now I own more SAKs than anything else.
 
I started off looking at pretty cheap and weaponized knives. My first knife over $30 was a Cold Steel Counter Point II, which I distinctly remember thinking made me a badass.

I tend towards utilitarian knives as of late, but I do have an Ultratech in my pocket... Some things are just fun.
 
Some of my early "survival" knives were essentially fixed blade fighters. Never really liked the traditional bayonet or so called Kabar type knife. Nothing wrong with them, I just never took a liking to them.
 
Over the years i noticed i like more kinds and styles of knives in general. And along with that i have also gained more of an interest in different kinds of combat weapons also, especially historical ones. When i was younger i would say i was much more focused on western style combat weapons though. So my short answer would be no.
 
I haven't had much interest in a combat-type knife for many years. I'm satisfied with that.
 
Some of the best knives for all around use are marketed as somewhat tactical. Spyderco Military and Cold Steel Recon 1. The CS American Lawman is such a great edc knife, that I don t mind the blacked out blade (never thought I d say that). I suppose it s what I consider the use for a knife rather than the marketing that helps me choose it.
 
Daggers are highly impractical... but then again, so are switchblades... so why not combine the two? This is the only dagger and auto I own.

 
There are incredibly strong and practical fixed blades that are also extremely well balanced and fast in the hand. Look at Spartan Blades for several examples of knives that could easily do anything asked of a knife, and do it well.
 
I own several "combat type" blades and they all have one thing common. I never use them for anything woodsy or bushcrafty.
I have far better blades for those tasks.
 
Charlie Mike said:
Daggers are highly impractical... but then again, so are switchblades... so why not combine the two? This is the only dagger and auto I own.

Click to expand...

Is that a Paul Burnak?

"Combat" styling doesn't necessarily translate to less utilitarian. Tantos get the job done.
 
Gotta a Ka Bar USN in a zytel sheath sticking out from under the mattress. It's the only "combat" knife I own. I have never been attracted to another primarily because the "combat knife world" is filled to over brimming with designer and user level asshats, that make owning such pieces somewhat embarrassing unless they have a pedigree that stands above such foolishness.

Only the USMC style knives by original makers, Randalls, and Ek knives, and a few I others like perhaps the Gerber MK. II, seem to have a backstory free of combat fakers, design hucksters, or failed service wannabes.
 
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