How to approach making pure fighters vs. war knives?

Crayola

Crayola

Joined
Sep 23, 1999
Messages
3,831
Hello Strider guys and fans! I'll try to keep this short (I gan get wordy...)

As knife makers, Mick and Duane, how do you approach making a pure fighter versus a war tool? Are americanized tanto tips great for pure fighters? Where does the geometry need to change?

I don't want you guys to give away any secrets of your Blade show fighters that you are making. I am just asking to get your input as I am a hobby maker myself. The little knife in my avatar is my latest. It ain't no strider, but it is green and cordwrapped :)

Thanks.
 
IMO (as my name wasn't one of the above mentioned :p)

A pure fighter is just a more specialized tool. The geometry can be more optimized for things like speed while sacrificing the strength needed for crazy-a55 prying.

Of course, if you're anticipating an encounter with somebody carrying a weapon with the ability to snap/break blades that good old 3/8" or greater spine wouldn't hurt :D
 
minigun_2.jpg

Knives are tools.....its what you do with them that makes them into a weapon.
A knife with a strong spine, secure handle, and sharpened on both sides, minimum blade length of 6"......is the best knife to take into combat. The shape is not nearly as important as the skill of the user.
:)
 
Izrafil: thanks for your input.

Tom: Thanks for the pics :) I agree that Jim Bowie armed with a butter knife is more dangerous than my sister armed with a "real" fighting blade. What I want to know is, skill aside, what features would be different. I have an idea, but I want the ideas of the experts here so I can grow myself.

Jerry: I think you are right, but let's not tell Tom...
 
Howdy,
Lets see a full sized photo of that knife of yours.
Okay...
Field tool vs social blade:
This of course is the gospel of Mick...
I like a field tool to be weight forward. Even if just a little.
Recovery time is important to me on a fighter.
Blade length is equal. From 5.5 to around 8". More tip strength on a field tool.
I prefer a fighter to NOT be double edged. That's just me, but I'm not a slasher. If for some reason I'm making a backslash, I want it to penetrate, not cut.
ALSO, an off center stab made with a double edged knife has a tendency to deflect and cut. While a "sticky" tip grabs and inserts.
I like social blades that are wide. (Not thick). Thickness is relative to strength. Choose this by how strong, as opposed to light, that you want your blade.
When I say wide, I'm talking about wound channel. Wide from cutting edge to spine.
Tanto vs radiused blade is really personal preference.
Handle should be indexing. By this I mean that you should know, by the way it feels, how it is orientated in your grasp. Grip should be less than ergonomic. People lose fine motor skills when in hostile situations. If you can't feel it, you can't use it.

Sorry so short

Gotta go buy a tree.

Mick
 
Thanks Mick for the info! That is exactly what I was looking for. I have pic posting problems, so I'll e-mail the pic to Jerry Hossom in the hopes that he will be kind enough to post it for me. If Jerry posts it for me, I'll give the info about the knife.
 
THANKS JERRY!! Man was that ever quick too!

I posted this once already and it disappeared (my error!) so here we go again...

The knife is the 5th I've made and the very first that I have ever sold. IT is 440-C (Tom's favorite steel...NOT!), about 4" long and 1/8" thick. The blade is full flat ground with a hand 320 grit satin finish. THe buyer said he'd be using it a lot and preferred a finish that would show abuse better, hence the 320 grit finish. It was a mirror finish and looked pretty good. There is a mosaic pin that I made up at the front. The handle is green g-10. The cord wrap is what I call a "Magic Knot". My girlfriend makes them and how she does it even she isn't certain about. That is wht theya re called magic. I cut a 1/8" deep, 1" wide channel in the handle and wrapped the cord in the channel using the same style as is on the underwrap on a Strider knife. I got the wrapping instructions from Running Dog Knives. The cord is coated in superglue to keep it free from dirt.
I have never seen someone inlay cord, so this is my novel approach to knifemaking. The cord is slightly raised above the g-10. it creates a bit of a palm swell which aids in grip, and your pinky and ring fingers rest on the grip too. The rough texture of the cord aids in grip, as you guys know! Oh, there is a bit of filework (alternating scoops taken out with a round file) on the spine to give more purchase when using a thumb or finger up there.

I have a few small knives on the go right now, but I want to make a large Combat knife. With the help of great guys like the ones who post here, I'm sure I will make something that isn't crappy. I like the support that makers give each other on the forums. I can't get Mick's "triangle of death" out of my mind, so I think my first combat blade will be a tanto!

I posted a pic of this knife on the gallery forum (I don't think it is there now) and thanked a whole host of people. Included in the list was you Strider guys, as your ideas of cord wrapping and the green color stuck in my head. Thanks again Jerry for helping me post the pic.
 
I have to strongly dissagree with Jerry, and Mick about fighting knives! Here is a picture of what I consider to be the best fighting knife I own! When I go through my Beta mag, and 7 30 rounders on my vest I will take my Strider knife and drive it in my heart! :D

Post to be taken in jest of course! Ill put my 2 cents worth in later.
 

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Speed and the ergonomics to cut the opponents' hands/wrists/forearms with quickly changing slashes are indispensable when fighting an opponent of any skill. You'll need to be able to inflict significant damage before entering into the closing range of attacking the body head.

Out of curiosity, any of you guys fenced before? Western or Eastern ...
 
I fenced one semester (took a class for credit) in the western style and I have done soem eskrima. Fencing is awesome.
 
Hey!
Jerry your philisophy is always welcome here.
And Rob ... you da man!
If any of you have seen Steve Tarani with a knife in his hand, you will have a different type of appreciation for a knife as a "fighting impliment". Check him out at www.contactdefense.com
My opinion is that field tools/war knives meet criteria that is simple. Everything that takes place with a hand tool gets attempted with a field tool. Cutting, digging, prying, pounding, rigging and any other task where the specific tool for the job is not available.
A fighting knife is a differrent animal. To define that would be like defining a fighting style. There are too many!
And finally, Jim Bowie was not an avid knifefighter, collector or maker. His brother was all three. No offense to Mr. Jim, he was still a stud.
Happy Holidays!
Duane Dwyer
 
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