Help me help my friend pick a first knife (tactical)

celtic11

celtic11

Joined
Dec 28, 2012
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611
Ok so backstory. I've been sorta into knives for a few years but just found this site shortly after christmas and since then I've doubled my knife collection (not that it was big to begin with). I have a friend I work with who is in Martial Arts classes and has been learning knife fighting/disarming techniques and is looking for my help selecting his first knife.

Now the primary thing he is looking at is self defense, due to the nature of the classes he is in. I know a lot of you will say that a knife really isn't good for self defense but I would like to keep this thread from turning into that. Sure, a gun is a better choice, but that isn't an option for everyone.

Anyhow we've come up with he's basically looking for a black bladed knife, around 3.5-4" blade, and under $50. He would prefer having non-liner locking knife.

I am a Kershaw guy but all signs are pointing to a Cold Steel here. I only have one cold steel, an ak47, and while I like it I don't think he would like it because to me its difficult to open without the wave feature. Are the recon1/lawman easier to open swiftly with one hand? Is there another knife you could recommend that fits the bill? Thanks in advance.
 
A knife really isn't good for self defense.


:D


If your friend has spent time learning knife fighting, his training may very well be based on a specific style of knife (unless he somehow trained without a knife). Find something most like that style of knife. Whatever the style is, there's a folder out there for it.
 
If he can scrape together a bit more cash he could pick up a waved Endura. Makes a good utility knife, too.
 
marcinek said:
A knife really isn't good for self defense.


:D


If your friend has spent time learning knife fighting, his training may very well be based on a specific style of knife (unless he somehow trained without a knife). Find something most like that style of knife. Whatever the style is, there's a folder out there for it.
Click to expand...

He showed me his training knife today and it was a pretty basic style folder (which is why he is gravitating to a folder over a fixed blade) with thumbstuds and about a 3.5" blade. The only thing he doesn't like about it is the pocket clip is tip-down and he said if it were tip-up it would feel more natural to him.
 
Spyderco endura comes to mind.

Chances are he will never get into a "knife fight" so at least go with a knife that will work in everyday use.
 
Much as I hate suggesting a CS knife, he should check out the Large Voyagers. 4 inch blade in either tanto, clip point, or vaquero. The blade isn't black, but it is stone washed, so any glare should be minimalized. I have no clue how much they are, but my XL Voyager was $50 at Knifeworks. I'd guess they're about $40.
 
I would suggest a CS Large Voyager, probably just the basic clip point since some people could find the Vaquero quite difficult to keep sharp. One thing I would change about the Voyagers is the choil; it makes for a comfy normal grip but I feel it hinders a hammer grip. Not a black blade though, for that I guess you'd have to pay $20 or 30 more dollars for a Recon 1...
 
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