Is there a place for clip points in a woods knife?

S

stahl

Joined
Aug 15, 2006
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I've sharpened the clip piont on my ka-bar and I've no question about it being a good stabber. Fighting in a foxhole aside, having the sharpened clip point seem more of a danger for everything else I use a knife for. Are cliped points just for combat effectiveness or are there some fieldcraft uses I'm missing?:)
 
You are meaning the false top edge of the clip, right? Illegal to do here in Calif., seems it makes the knife a dagger and dirks/daggers are verboten.

I think that it limits your versatility of the knife somewhat, but you should be able to use it just fine for most field chores.
 
longbow50 , I think open carry double edge ok in cal. pertty sure it cant be concealed at all though. I'll check into it though thanx:)
 
I'm pretty sure carrying a double edge in CA is illegal concealed or open. Just like balisongs and autos over 2", IIRC.
 
Balisongs and autos fall under the switch blade law 653k I think (balisong might be constrewed as a gravity or flick knife) I'm not a law expert though. I've posted over on the Knife laws side re: the kabar we should get good feed back there:) I'm still interested in possible field uses of the clip point though. The ferro rod seems good, I'll see if that false edge scrapes sparks for me. Prally jack up the edge I put there though.
 
I always thought that if you sharpened the swedge it would make it more dangerous and make the tip weaker. Also won't it be difficult to batton through thick logs.
 
A clip point with a false edge is not sharp. That's why it's a "false edge". If you sharpen it then it is no longer a false edge but a real edge which means you now have a double edge knife. In my opinion, a double edge is not a good thing to have in a camp knife. I do like clip points though as long as the clip isn't sharpened.
 
I keep keep the "false" edge razor sharp for small chores , and put a good appleseed edge ont the main blade for heavy duty chopping. I have had my Marine Corps K-bar for about 16 years. This combination works well for me. Yes, this makes my knife illigal here in California, But when I am ib thewoods, I dont get hassled.
 
Clip points definately have a place. If you look at some of the top makers of large knives, they seem to all have clip points. Becker, Busse, Swamp Rat, and even our own Gossman to say a few. The trick is that these makers all carry the thickness in the clip unlike the Kabar which is ground thinner. Then again the Kabar is a fighting knife first where as a lot of these are tough knives first. For field use I believe strength is the attribute I want. I know that if I needed to I could get a spoon into a bear with the right motivation. ;) So I opt for full strength, non-sharpened clips.
 
stahl said:
Are cliped points just for combat effectiveness or are there some fieldcraft uses I'm missing?:)
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You can use the false edge to strike firesteel. Only do that when the false edge is pretty dull and not razor sharp. I tried it with my usmc ka-bar, worked great.
 
greens said:
You can use the false edge to strike firesteel. Only do that when the false edge is pretty dull and not razor sharp. I tried it with my usmc ka-bar, worked great.
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You can do it with a razor sharp knife too it just won't STAY razor sharp. The best spark I've ever gotten was with the edge on my Swampy M6. Thought the house was going to go up.:eek:
 
Shotgun said:
You can do it with a razor sharp knife too it just won't STAY razor sharp. The best spark I've ever gotten was with the edge on my Swampy M6. Thought the house was going to go up.:eek:
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Yes you can but you wear down the rod pretty quickly, especially the one on magnesium block.
 
A clip point is more likely to give you a sharp point on a knife, and that can be a good thing when it comes to digging out splinters, doing fine carving, or making small holes in things. I'd say yes, a clip point is very handy in the woods.

I don't like having a sharp top edge on a blade. Too danged dangerous, and I can't really see any good reason for it. The only thing you might think it would be useful for is 'stabbing', or fighting, and that is generally foolish and harmful to all parties and not to be encouraged. Pighunters here have killed many pigs, by stabbing, with simple knives with just one edge sharpened without any trouble at all. Some have even used big curved, broad skinning knives...they still slide right in.
 
longbow50 said:
You are meaning the false top edge of the clip, right? Illegal to do here in Calif., seems it makes the knife a dagger and dirks/daggers are verboten.

I think that it limits your versatility of the knife somewhat, but you should be able to use it just fine for most field chores.
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A "dirk" or "dagger" is defined in the California penal code as any fixed blade knife or open pocket knife that can be used as a stabing implement, and thus must be carried openly on the belt. You CAN carry a double edged knife in California, just as long as it is not concealed.

A few other misconceptions:

1. A fixed blade under ____ inches can be concealed. FALSE! All fixed blades must be exposed no matter what size.

2. Folders must be under ____ inches in order to be carried/carried concealed. FALSE. There is no length limit on folders in the CA penal code, except for government buildings or schools, cant remember exactly. But there are some places that have local laws defineing a legal length limit. For example, I think(could be wrong) L.A. has a 3 inch length limit to folders.

3. You can't carry a double edged knife in CA. FALSE. You can as long as it is exposed.


As far as I know just about everything else is prohibited from carrying concealed, or even carrying in or possesing as far as I know. You are safe with a concealed folder of any length or a fixed blade exposed, single or double edged, but nothing else that I am aware of, unless you get your CCW permit.

ETA: This link pretty much somes it up and provides the actual penal code. http://www.equalccw.com/knifelaw.html The length limit is limited to schools, and local ordinances such as L.A.
Anyways, I hope this helps clear up some of CA's knife law misconceptions.

Sorry for Hijacking the thread. As you were.
 
A sharpened top swedge would be good for hunting boar. But beyond making it a weapon I think the usefulness of the knife is actually diminished when the swedge is sharpened.

Fallkniven S1 is a good little clip point blade.
 
What is the purpose of a knife, except cutting?
My 'edged weapons' training is somewhat dated, from the Viet Nam era, courtesy of the JFK Special Warfare Center (JFKSpecwar), at Ft Bragg, NC, thirty some years ago, but I Always assumed that more edge was better, like they taught me!
A 'sharp' clip point offers the oportunity to create more damage, in 'recall', from an initial slash, offered 'main edge', forward, with the knife held in the hand with the pommel, on the thumb side.
Having lived a good life, and still healthy, I humbly suggest that if this is a 'fighting knife', more 'sharp' is better!
I carry a tiny little 'Ken Onion' folder, every day, for 'utility' duty, and a big (4+" Cold Steel, "Caledonian Edge") folder, for serious work.
 
As suggested, a sharpened top edge plays hob with your baton -- if you baton. Also, complicates holding the front few inches of the knife between thumb and fingers to skin or scrape -- something otherwise fairly easy with blade as wide at a Ka-Bar.
 
Thanx stingray4540, Thats what i've been led to believe as well. Some cop friends/aquaintences of mine agree with us. some dont. I've been assured by those that do agree that were understanding the law correctly, and that many of their coworkers dont. The ones that dont agree with me tell me "oh, ok i'm not sure but i'd confiscate it any way" I dont appreciate that attitude but I'll take em on their word. I dont blame them but I wish they would bother to learn. Thanx for the info.:)
 
I never really cared much for the upswept point especially on a woods knife. Even for hunting, I would poke myself more often with this type of blade. The worst for me was the Schrade Sharpfinger. IMO, double edge blades have no use in the field.
Scott
 
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