I'm looking for a production fixed-blade knife that meets certain criteria. I think it's possible that I could find it for a street price between $50 and $300. I've found a few examples, but I'm not sure I've considered all the options yet. I'm looking for
1. A "pure fighter," as opposed to a combat/utility blade like the more popular Ka-Bar or Becker stuff. By this it must be optimized for penetration in thrusting with a somewhat narrow blade. The point style would allow more or less width, so for example a clip point might allow a little more blade width.
2. It could be a fighting bowie (not a big heavy chopper), a Loveless style, or a dagger, or ?
3. The weight should be balanced for speed.
4. Should have a hand guard or grip that allows thrusting/stabbing. However, I want to be able to use the saber grip, so if it has a guard on the back of the knife, it must have enough grip length for my thumb which is fairly long. A grip length of 5.25" would be minimum. Of course if the thumb can go onto the spine, then I only need about 4.25"
5. Overall length should be between 10 and 12 inches. Given the grip specifications, that means the blade is going to be about 4.75" to about 7".
6. I prefer a handle that provides distinctive edge alignment. The oval handles of a Ka-Bar are better than the round F-S, but still somewhat vague in that respect.
Here are some examples:
The German Nahkampfmesser has a lot of what I'm looking for. The only drawbacks are the short handle and guard on top that don't allow the option of a saber grip. For me, this would limit to the hammer and reverse (ice-pick) grips. Also, it doesn't have a lanyard hole.
The Cold Steel Black Bear Classic is a production copy of a Loveless sub-hilt fighter. This knife is the kind of thing I'm looking for, but it's about 1.5 to 2" too long overall. I have the santoprene trainer which is based more closely on the less expensive OSS. The handle is too cramped for the saber grip on the OSS, but I believe the Black Bear to be almost an inch longer in the grip, so it might work well. I have seen some other production subhilts like the Boker Kressler. I think the handle is too short and the whole massive drop-forged ingot is too heavy.
The Al Mar Shiva is also an interpretation in production of another Loveless design. Although the overall length is ideal, I'm concerned the handle would be too short. The curved guard provides a kind of thumb ramp in the saber grip, but the handle length is something like 4.75" which would put the pommel in my hand's thenar crease. I might like it, but I don't have any chance of handling this expensive and probably over-priced knife before I buy it.
The A-F dagger, as well as the original F-S dagger, are also with 4.75" handle before the full guard. Again, it could work in the saber grip, but I'm not sure I'd like where the pommel came to the middle of my hand. The Cold Steel Tai Pan also has this short handle, but is too long overall as well.
I see Ka-Bar is offering an Ek dagger. The EK4's 6" handle should offer me plenty of length for different grips. The overall length exceeds my maximum, but only a little, not by as much as the Black Bear subhilt.
The Al Mar SERE Operator does away with the guard and would allow the thumb to ride on the short spine above the extended ricasso before the false second edge. I think this might be the best option for me based on what I've seen so far. The blade itself is pretty much at the minimum length for my criteria.
Besides the daggers, I think there could be some more light and fast Bowies, like maybe the Ka-Bar Bull Dozier, or some other Loveless design interpretations that would meet my criteria, but in the production knives, I'm mostly seeing the big clunkers.
Any thoughts on the above? What else is there?
1. A "pure fighter," as opposed to a combat/utility blade like the more popular Ka-Bar or Becker stuff. By this it must be optimized for penetration in thrusting with a somewhat narrow blade. The point style would allow more or less width, so for example a clip point might allow a little more blade width.
2. It could be a fighting bowie (not a big heavy chopper), a Loveless style, or a dagger, or ?
3. The weight should be balanced for speed.
4. Should have a hand guard or grip that allows thrusting/stabbing. However, I want to be able to use the saber grip, so if it has a guard on the back of the knife, it must have enough grip length for my thumb which is fairly long. A grip length of 5.25" would be minimum. Of course if the thumb can go onto the spine, then I only need about 4.25"
5. Overall length should be between 10 and 12 inches. Given the grip specifications, that means the blade is going to be about 4.75" to about 7".
6. I prefer a handle that provides distinctive edge alignment. The oval handles of a Ka-Bar are better than the round F-S, but still somewhat vague in that respect.
Here are some examples:
The German Nahkampfmesser has a lot of what I'm looking for. The only drawbacks are the short handle and guard on top that don't allow the option of a saber grip. For me, this would limit to the hammer and reverse (ice-pick) grips. Also, it doesn't have a lanyard hole.
The Cold Steel Black Bear Classic is a production copy of a Loveless sub-hilt fighter. This knife is the kind of thing I'm looking for, but it's about 1.5 to 2" too long overall. I have the santoprene trainer which is based more closely on the less expensive OSS. The handle is too cramped for the saber grip on the OSS, but I believe the Black Bear to be almost an inch longer in the grip, so it might work well. I have seen some other production subhilts like the Boker Kressler. I think the handle is too short and the whole massive drop-forged ingot is too heavy.
The Al Mar Shiva is also an interpretation in production of another Loveless design. Although the overall length is ideal, I'm concerned the handle would be too short. The curved guard provides a kind of thumb ramp in the saber grip, but the handle length is something like 4.75" which would put the pommel in my hand's thenar crease. I might like it, but I don't have any chance of handling this expensive and probably over-priced knife before I buy it.
The A-F dagger, as well as the original F-S dagger, are also with 4.75" handle before the full guard. Again, it could work in the saber grip, but I'm not sure I'd like where the pommel came to the middle of my hand. The Cold Steel Tai Pan also has this short handle, but is too long overall as well.
I see Ka-Bar is offering an Ek dagger. The EK4's 6" handle should offer me plenty of length for different grips. The overall length exceeds my maximum, but only a little, not by as much as the Black Bear subhilt.
The Al Mar SERE Operator does away with the guard and would allow the thumb to ride on the short spine above the extended ricasso before the false second edge. I think this might be the best option for me based on what I've seen so far. The blade itself is pretty much at the minimum length for my criteria.
Besides the daggers, I think there could be some more light and fast Bowies, like maybe the Ka-Bar Bull Dozier, or some other Loveless design interpretations that would meet my criteria, but in the production knives, I'm mostly seeing the big clunkers.
Any thoughts on the above? What else is there?
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